We’ve heard the lines and seen the videos probably more times than we can count—“Protect your peace,” “choose yourself”, “cut people off that don’t serve you,” and the one that gives me the most pause, “you don’t owe anyone anything.” The latest mental health trend: ‘Radical’ self-care. Originally coined by[Read More…]
Tag: off the board
My acoustic coup against the classical
I was six years old when I walked into my first violin lesson, and for the twelve years that followed, I stood—posture erect—at dutiful attention to the staid technicalities and smug rectitude of classical music. I was a happy cadet and a relatively successful one, for what it’s worth. For[Read More…]
I promise I’m not a first-year
Last week someone’s jaw dropped when they learned that I’m in third year. Suddenly they wanted to know everything about me: What I’m studying, where I’m from, and if I’m sure I’ve been at McGill for two full years already. What I find startling is that whenever people are floored[Read More…]
Protests are disruptive because they need to be
On Sept. 29, I had barely joined the cheers celebrating the passing of the Motion to Strike for Divestment from Genocide through the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) General Assembly when SSMU Chair’s harsh voice cut through the crowd: “Decorum, decorum!” The call for order echoed a contradiction at[Read More…]
Do not let student jour-nihilism win
I was ecstatic when I earned the role of “party nun” in my elementary school’s production of The Sound of Music. Alongside 20 other fourth-graders, I acted as a lineless backdrop, twirling around the abbey during “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria” before ripping off my habit to[Read More…]
A love letter to crappy Chinese food
I love crappy Chinese food. Don’t get me wrong, I love all types of Chinese food and would happily eat only rice for the rest of my days. But I love greasy, crappy mall Chinese food served in a plastic container with three divided sections: One for Canto-style chow mein[Read More…]
My thoughts on femininity as a so-called 900-pound grizzly bear
For years, boys at school called me “Boog.” When I asked what they meant, they said that it was a character from the movie Open Season: “A nine hundred-pound bear,” they would say. So, naturally, I thought I was fat. I developed an intense anxiety about eating in front of[Read More…]
My cultural identity is not dependent on a language
A few weeks ago, my friend Toscane and I were stopped by a man who asked us if we were French. With our affirmative response, he excitedly expressed his love for our accent before noticing the Hamsa pendant on my necklace. Also called the Hand of Fatima, the Hamsa symbol[Read More…]
Making someplace a home 
Over the course of my 21 years of life, I’ve lived in nine different houses/apartments; three countries; five cities. But until recently, I couldn’t tell you if I’ve ever lived somewhere I’d call home. By Merriam-Webster’s definition, “home” refers to one’s place of residence, and also as “the social unit[Read More…]
With great power comes great responsibility 
As students have the privilege of returning to campuses across Canada, I can’t help but think of Medo Halimy. The 19-year-old documented his daily life through the siege on Gaza, bringing awareness to the genocide of Palestinians and sharing moments of Palestinian resilience and joy. On Aug. 27, Israeli airstrikes[Read More…]