Advice from holiday movie characters on how to spend this winter break
With COVID-19 restrictions heightening around Ontario and beyond, this holiday break will be like no other. Thankfully, some of our favourite holiday movie characters are prepared with tips on how to manage this winter break.
The Grinch: Create a daily routine
To manage the long days spent in his cave, the Grinch follows a daily routine (though he always stays flexible for special events).
4:00 – Wallow in self-pity
4:30 – Stare into the abyss
5:00 – Solve world hunger (tell no one)
5:30 – Jazzercise
6:00 – Dinner with me (can’t cancel that again!)
7:00 – Wrestle with my self-loathing
Creating a daily routine is helpful while staying home and will benefit your physical and mental health. Though parts of the Grinch’s schedule are not ideal, he definitely has the right idea in scheduling time for exercise and eating. Making your own daily routine may help to ease some uncertainty while staying at home this winter.
Buddy the Elf: Find some at-home entertainment
From snowball fights in the park to covering the house in a ridiculously large number of paper snowflakes, Buddy from Elf has some great ideas on how to stay entertained at home this holiday break. Why not try some elf-inspired recipes while you’re at it (spaghetti and maple syrup, anyone?).
Some Buddy-inspired activities include: building a snowman, having a snowball fight, making winter-themed decorations to hang them up in your room, trying a new recipe (or inventing one) and building a gingerbread house.
Kevin McCallister: Have a movie marathon
Kevin McCallister from Home Alone infamously uses old movies as ammunition in his fight against the burglars trying to break into his home. Why not kick back (with a tall ice cream sundae) and have a classic movie marathon for yourself? You could also invite a few friends to watch with services such as Zoom, Skype and Teleparty.
The Miser Brothers: Call a friend or relative
The title characters of The Year Without a Santa Claus are brothers in conflict who use video chat to reconnect from inside their caves. Though this winter may not be conducive to gathering with friends and family, setting up video chats and phone calls is a great way to connect and catch up with family and friends.
Cindy Lou Who: Support your community
Cindy Lou Who is a young girl who bravely refuses to leave the Grinch out of the Whoville holiday celebrations. It is easy to feel disconnected while isolating at home but as Cindy Lou shows, it can be mutually rewarding to support your community. Whether you check-in on your neighbours or support local small businesses, reaching out to your community is a great way to feel connected and spread positivity.
How mental health issues and barriers look different this year during the stressful time of exams
Online learning has had a negative impact on students compared to being able to learn and study in person alongside their friends and peers. This is not simply just the opinion of some, but of many university students in Canada.
Mental health issues among undergraduates have been on the rise for a very long time as studies show, especially as most students have spent the past semester struggling to adjust to the isolated nature of online learning. In fact, recent studies have shown that students with the opportunity to study and stay in contact with friends have much better mental health than those who remain isolated.
McMaster University is no exception to this trend. This is especially concerning given the approaching exam season. The end of the semester, with its exams sometimes worth more than 50% of a student’s final grades in a course, sleepless nights spent studying and never-ending pressure to perform “well enough,” is nothing short of one of the most stressful times in the school year for the typical student.
The online learning environment has only made this time of year all the more stressful and challenging, as students are not able to study and learn alongside their peers as they would in previous years, creating a very lonely learning environment. Additionally, access to commonly sought resources during this time, such as one-on-one counselling or peer support as well as stress-relieving sessions and events, has been negatively affected by the shift to an online platform. This is something the Student Wellness Centre at McMaster has acknowledged as a difficulty that students will sadly have to face during this already difficult time.
[/media-credit] Findings on mental health among Canadians during COVID-19 from CMHA Halton Region Branch
“So when you're on campus, you are able to interact with your peers,” explained Connor Blakeborough, the health promoter at the Student Wellness Centre. “[I]n the pandemic, a lot of people have been cut off from their ways of self-care and community care that they might be able to have otherwise.”
Unfortunately, given COVID-19 regulations and how programs at the Student Wellness Centre have had to adjust to the new way the university is operating this year, some will not be able to access their resources at all. In fact, those not living in Ontario cannot access any type of medical care or one-on-one counselling. This puts all those living in other provinces as well as international students in difficult situations if facing mental health issues during this upcoming stressful time as they do not have access to a resource many of their peers do.
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“As of right now just because of COVID and because healthcare is provincially regulated, we can only offer medical and one on one counselling to students that are living inside of Ontario,” said Blakeborough. “So if they're not inside of Ontario, they will have to get in touch with their family doctor to find some type of care.”
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From student perspectives, experiencing university in person during exam season means more than just trying to have an enjoyable experience; it can mean the difference between feeling alone in the world and being able to connect with many others who are in the exact same situation as you.
The simplicity of being seated beside someone in the lecture hall who will soon write the same exam as you can make you feel less alone and ready to take on the challenge of exams. This perspective was explored by members of the McMaster Students Union Student Health Education Centre executive team.
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“[I]f you're on campus, you're often surrounded by a lot of other students in the library, who are also going through finals are also experiencing the same stress that you are, but being at home and being more isolated,” explained Joelle Li, a health sciences student and SHEC events and programming executive. “It's harder to connect with others who are in a similar situation as you [because of the pandemic] and therefore you can feel more alone [but] other people feel like this as well.”
However, there are also challenges that students will face in the coming weeks that have existed for far too long. Grind culture, the over romanticization of sacrificing one’s health for the sake of grades and achievements, has been a pervasive and severe issue faced by undergraduate students that has simply adapted to a more online mode given the current learning method.
“People sort of put pride on the fact that they haven't slept this many hours or they've been in the library for this many hours,” said Li. “[G]rind culture is almost cumulative. [I]f your friends are grinding, then you feel like you have to grind and overall, it leads to a toxic environment or mentality and this is quite common, I would say, among the students.”
It can be extremely overwhelming for students to face the challenges of online learning and online exams, which is compounded by the detrimental effects of the grind culture. However, services at McMaster University such as the Student Wellness Centre and SHEC have adapted their operations to make themselves more accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic and online school. These tools will likely be beneficial to many students as we all head into the upcoming exam season.
SHEC Events and Programming executive and health sciences student, Frances Scheepers, explained how the peer-support service is now utilizing the online platform, Tawk To, in order to provide anonymous drop-in counselling from their volunteers.
One of their iconic events that is usually widely accessed by students — #SHECares — will still be taking place this year. In the past, this has largely featured the distribution of exam care packages. However, this is not possible this year. Thus, SHEC has had to make adjustments. Scheepers said that instead of delivering in-person care packages, SHEC has opted to do online giveaways.
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Although it is unfortunate that access to resources and services has been impeded by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is encouraging that services are striving to continue offering support in whatever ways they can. However, it is also important that students are made aware of how to take care of themselves during the online exam season as this will surely look very different this year.
“There are certain sort of self-care strategies that might be beneficial during this time,” explained Scheepers. “People are typically used to spending their leisure time on their laptop and watching TV. And so during this time, especially, when you're at home physically distancing, it might be beneficial for some individuals to spend their leisure time doing things other than [going] on their laptop.”
It is important students find ways to take care of themselves during the upcoming exam season, given the loss of key resources and isolated methods of learning and test-taking. After all, they will be pioneering the first entirely online exam season in McMaster history.
The presto bus pass is not an improvement on previous ways to pay your bus fare
By: Rob Hardy, Contributor
Oh, unravelling the mysteries of Presto. With news that the Hamilton Street Railway has finally dropped the axe on paper bus tickets, more local transit riders will be forced to become acquainted with the digital card payment system. Although the public will still have the option to pay with coins, using Presto is the cheaper option.
The HSR has drawn criticism for being more reliant on this ubiquitous green card. Local advocates argue that completely phasing out bus tickets will add unwelcome barriers for those with limited means, who often lack access to reliable internet access or a smartphone. Presto does have options for loading funds at Shoppers Drug Mart and transit offices, but using this system becomes much more complicated whenever a problem arises.
The HSR has drawn criticism for being more reliant on this ubiquitous green card. Local advocates argue that completely phasing out bus tickets will add unwelcome barriers for those with limited means, who often lack access to reliable internet access or a smartphone.
In recent years, McMaster University's annual HSR student bus pass began to be offered via a Presto card. This was not an improvement on the old system. Previously, we were merely given a sticker to affix onto our student card, making riding the bus as easy as showing your card to the driver. New protocols required loading our pass every school year yet still having to keep showing our student card as well.
Unfortunately, I experienced problems during this transition. After waiting more than 24 hours upon first activating my Presto Card in September, as advised, I tapped my card only to be charged a fare. For whatever reason, the HSR bus pass had not yet been applied to my Presto card, forcing me to pay for a ride that should have been “free” given the fees we pay through the McMaster Students Union.
Here comes the tricky part with the HSR-Presto alliance. Neither entity wished to give me a refund, one referring me to the other, and vice versa. In August, the same thing occurred. The MSU bus pass for 2019-2020 officially ended on Aug. 21, as we were advised to merely show our student card for the final ten days of the month until new passes would be made available.
However, due to the pandemic turning our school year virtual, the HSR decided to no longer allow students to ride the bus without paying during the last week of August. It is perplexing why the HSR saw fit to change this policy and demand fares from students, especially during such uncertain times, rather than still allowing free transit until September.
Of course, due to inadequate notice of the change, I once again found this out the hard way – by being told to tap my card and seeing it get charged. This was especially troubling since I took the time to previously ask drivers if anything had changed. Once again, no refund, despite being told one would be applied within a week.
Unfortunately, the above accounts only scratch the surface of my troubles with Presto, most of which I haven't the space to begin detailing. But suffice it to say that multiple phone calls gave me different information on the status of my account, further confused by what drivers and the cashier at Shoppers told me.
This resulted in me being short of funds for not one but two recent out-of-town trips, requiring me to convince all the drivers to let me board without paying four times.
This resulted in me being short of funds for not one but two recent out-of-town trips, requiring me to convince all the drivers to let me board without paying four times.
While I appreciate the flexibility and compassion that Presto offers, it's a system that is not as convenient as it sounds, as it downloads responsibility onto the user. Calling Presto to ask how much I would need to load onto my card and then doing so at the store is all one should need to do.
It's stressful to have loaded funds onto a card which aren't showing and to not have a ticket counter at your GO stop. It's also frustrating that Go Buses no longer accept cash payment while having to call Presto repeatedly because you have no idea what is going on.
Given how our world has changed, contactless payment methods and further online transactions will simply be the new way of things, regardless of whether it is convenient for all members of the public. With regards to the HSR, printing bus tickets simply became too cost-prohibitive, so we can appreciate efforts that phased them out slowly.
Given how our world has changed, contactless payment methods and further online transactions will simply be the new way of things, regardless of whether it is convenient for all members of the public.
For those with no problem loading huge balances onto Presto, using it is not something they have to frequently think about. But even then, no one is immune to all the burdens and glitches attached to managing various online accounts, and the resulting follow-up contact such new platforms inevitably necessitate.
Tell us about your winter favourites and we’ll tell you what holiday movie best represents your life
With exam season quickly approaching, you are one last hurdle away from the winter break — congratulations! Take some time for yourself to enjoy the outdoors, spend time with loved ones and recharge before next semester. When you inevitably take a break and start scrolling through Netflix, we’ll tell you which movie you’ll find yourself emotionally projecting onto this year!
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Hamilton Artists Inc. and Ushi Mart have created platforms for customers to safely buy from small businesses
With heightened uncertainty, evolving public health guidelines and many people heading online to shop for gifts, many winter markets have closed this holiday season. However, a few have stayed open by pivoting to the physically distanced shopping experiences. Quirky AF | art fair hosted by Hamilton Artists Inc. and Winter Holiday Market by Ushi Mart are two local makers’ markets that have found ways to keep their doors open despite the ongoing pandemic.
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Quirky AF is a curated art, craft and design market that showcases handmade pieces by local artists. The pop-up market went from Nov. 17 to 30 and featured jewelry, zines, clothing, accessories and many other items by uniquely talented and avant-garde makers from Hamilton and the surrounding areas.
The market first launched last year at Hamilton Artists Inc. during a James Street North art crawl. It garnered a lot of traffic and was an important weekend for many local vendors. However, this year in light of the pandemic, the Inc. cancelled all of its in-person programming.
Instead, the Inc. decided to host the market virtually through their website. The high engagement and support from the community for their other online programming motivated them to bring back Quirky AF. The market was also met with great support and response from the community.
The primary reason for opening the market was to continue supporting local artists who had lost many opportunities to showcase their work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancellation of large fairs and events such as Supercrawl.
The primary reason for opening the market was to continue supporting local artists who had lost many opportunities to showcase their work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancellation of large fairs and events such as Supercrawl.
“The main goal is to create excitement around the market and each of the vendors, and really try to emphasize that . . . these are artists that have been really impacted by [the COVID-19 pandemic],” said Jasmine Mander, the communications and outreach coordinator at Hamilton Artist Inc.
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Supporting local businesses during this difficult time is critical as the arts are often one of the industries that are affected first and the most heavily during an economic crisis, such as the current pandemic.
Overall, Mander says the pandemic has presented both advantages and challenges. It has made the market, gallery and other programming at the Inc. more accessible as a heavier online focus has pushed them to improve their accessibility features such as closed captioning at speaker events and adding alternative text for pictures on their social media. However, the formation of real connections are limited online.
“It will be interesting for me when we go back to [in-person events] to compare this year to see how we can maybe merge [online and in-person programming]” said Mander. “I think [the COVID-19 pandemic] has made a lot of people rethink the way they have been doing things for a very long time.”
“I think [the COVID-19 pandemic] has made a lot of people rethink the way they have been doing things for a very long time,” Mander said.
Another market similarly impacted by the current pandemic is the Winter Holiday Market organized by Ushi Mart, a shop located at The Cotton Factory. Ushi Mart is run by a collective of artists and clothiers who create one-of-a-kind, sustainable and upcycled clothing, textiles and embroidery.
Winter Holiday Market is open until Dec. 28, and it’s the first year running. The market features around 35 vendors and all the proceeds from the market admission ticket will go toward Wesley Urban Ministries, a non-profit organization that offers support to those who are homeless or living in poverty in the Hamilton, Halton and Brantford regions.
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The collective behind Ushi Mart decided to open a winter market this year due to the cancellation of many markets, which is especially important for local and small businesses during the holidays. Ashley Bullock, the founder and chief executive officer at Ushi Mart, says she wanted to create something safe with the space she has to promote local businesses.
The Winter Holiday Market is organized for visits by appointment only, with a maximum of five visitors per hour. Visitors can also book an hour of personal shopping experience. Depending on the evolving situation and status of COVID-19 cases in Hamilton, they are also prepared to take their market online.
So far, the response to the market has been positive.
“For the businesses, [the Winter Holiday Market] is a way that we can group together, promote as a whole and really support each other. For people who are shopping and who are looking for items, it's a great way to [explore] a variety of businesses, so later on down the road, you'll know in the city that you're living who you can support rather than going to larger corporate stores,” said Bullock.
“For the businesses, [the Winter Holiday Market] is a way that we can group together, promote as a whole and really support each other," said Bullock.
Despite hurdles placed by the current pandemic, local artisans and businesses have come together to support each other and survive the pandemic. While our favourite fall and winter markets have been postponed until next year, it is fortunate that a few have found ways to remain open and support the community and local businesses.
Although it’s new, it should still be organized and prepared in advance
By: Belinda Tam, Contributor
As a weird semester comes to an end for everyone, exams are approaching faster than they seem. From adapting to new technology to keeping ourselves mentally healthy, this upcoming exam season is going to be a new experience for many — especially for those with exams that are being proctored.
Currently, students’ exam schedules are not being posted on Mosaic. Normally, our finalized and organized exam schedule would be posted in early November. However, Mosaic states, “there are no in-person December final exams.” Instead, exams this semester will be take-home in an online format. This shows that a new system is being implemented by the university to see results for this semester.
With that being said, students need to be extremely organized due to the fact that exam schedules are not being posted on Mosaic. Additionally, since professors don’t have a set date for posting exam dates on Mosaic, informing students about final evaluations has also been delayed for several classes. This puts a detriment on review time for students, especially for those who have an exam on Dec. 9, the day after classes end.
With that being said, students need to be extremely organized due to the fact that exam schedules are not being posted on Mosaic. Additionally, since professors don’t have a set date for posting exam dates on Mosaic, informing students about final evaluations has also been delayed for several classes. This puts a detriment on review time for students, especially for those who have an exam on Dec. 9, the day after classes end.
Furthermore, many of my professors delayed releasing final assignment grades to students. This leads to students not knowing what their grade is when going into finals which many find frustrating. This shows that the new system is unorganized and not well thought out — leading the students to suffer the consequences.
On a more positive note about the delay of posting evaluation details, professors are offering more flexibility with deadlines. This may be due to the fact professors don’t know each other’s testing times.
Students also have the option to have help with assistive technology with Student Accessibility Services and are encouraged to contact SAS testing for user testing. However, this still puts the responsibility on the student’s plate when it comes to asking for extensions and accommodations.
In terms of the formatting of upcoming exams, it’s definitely important to mention proctoring. On Dec. 2, an announcement was posted on Avenue concerning the tool, Respondus, being used to proctored exams.
This tool has been incorporated into Avenue with multiple links attached to the announcement including a frequently asked questions page, the privacy impact assessment report and a link to the University Technology Services HelpDesk. Links have also been given out for the McMaster Student Absence Form and Student Wellness Centre.
As the upcoming exam season approaches, students may find the following tools helpful. To state the obvious, a calendar should be at the top of your list! A calendar is obvious, but also very necessary. With a paper or online calendar, scheduling review time will be much easier.
Another obvious one is a to-do list. A to-do list will be helpful when scheduling what material to cover on which day and when you want to finish reviewing a large topic for a class.
Next, it would be a very good idea to open a document or page in a notebook to keep the details of exams in one place for easy access. This is especially important since exam information for different classes are being posted on different links. Along with all these tips, having an organized and dedicated space for you to do your work definitely helps with concentration.
As seen throughout this article, the new system is more disorganized than we would like and the university should be much more prepared than they are, but it’s important to make the best of the situation and what we have to work with.
With multiple resources available — from friends, professors and teaching assistants to external sources outside the university, students should not hesitate to reach out for support during these unprecedented times. As the semester is quickly coming to a close, although it may seem longer than previous ones, I wish everyone good luck and happy studying as they prepare for their finals!
Winter 2021 semester delayed
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, universities across Ontario have made the decision to extend winter break.
This includes the University of Toronto, Western University, McMaster University, Laurentian University and the University of Waterloo.
When news first broke out among students that various universities had announced a winter break extension, students at McMaster created a petition in fear that their university would be an exception and not extend their break.
The very next day after the petition was posted on social media, McMaster made its announcement that winter term classes would be delayed.
Winter classes were originally planned to commence on Jan. 6. Now, the school has announced that the Winter 2021 semester will begin one week later on Jan. 11.
Although classes may be delayed, McMaster said that this does not mean the semester will end at a later date.
Although classes may be delayed, McMaster said that this does not mean the semester will end at a later date.
Instead, the school said that the exam period in April will be condensed to accommodate this change and therefore, the winter semester will end as originally planned. Classes will be extended into the exam period, and there will be no overlap between classes and exams.
McMaster’s announcement said that the decision was made following a recommendation from the Virtual Learning Task Force and was supported by the president and vice-presidents.
The school said that they had taken into consideration students’ wellness and mental health. Delaying classes by a week will hopefully provide students with a bit more time to recharge and also gives faculty members and staff the chance to better prepare for the winter semester.
“[T]hose who went home for their Christmas break [will also have] the chance to isolate for an additional week to help limit any potential COVID-19 cases,” the school added in their announcement.
“[T]hose who went home for their Christmas break [will also have] the chance to isolate for an additional week to help limit any potential COVID-19 cases,” the school added in their announcement.
Although the winter break extension came as a relief for many students across the province, some students at McMaster proposed an alternative solution to encourage better wellness for students.
A petition was started asking the university to create two reading weeks instead of one and discard the winter break extension.
These students argue that a winter break extension would not help prevent students from experiencing burnout throughout the semester. Hence, giving students an extra week off during the semester can allow students to get some extra rest between their studies.
“This is needed in a time where students are at home with little guidance or motivation, who require an additional break during the semester, whenever possible. This is a great opportunity to attend to the mental wellbeing of students. It is unfair to delay the semester for people who refrain from travelling in an attempt to limit potential COVID-19 cases,” the petition stated.
Reading week for the winter term currently remains unchanged and will occur from Feb. 15 through Feb. 21.
Winter break will officially begin for students at McMaster on Dec. 23 following final examinations and students will be continuing their studies virtually for the rest of the winter term.
Transmit to these virtual and physically distanced events during your winter break
As the holidays approach, snow blankets the streets, colourful lights twinkle as they adorn the outline of houses and the smell of Pillsbury’s cookies fills the air. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the provincial government to not allow large social gatherings, the spirit of the holidays lives on.
There are still many virtual and physically distanced events that can help you recover from stressful exams and reconnect with the community. Whether you are in Hamilton or on the other side of the world, there is something for everyone in this list of eight winter events happening in Hamilton.
1. The Holidays, Mental Health & COVID-19
Wondering how to manage all the changes this holiday season? This webinar from the Hamilton branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association is taking place on Dec. 15 at 1:00 p.m. It will take a deeper look at how the COVID-19 has and will impact the 2020 holiday season. The webinar will give concrete strategies to maintain your mental health and stay connected to your loved ones during the holidays.
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2. Ushi Mart Winter Holiday Market
Ushi Mart is hosting a physically distanced in-person winter market at The Cotton Factory from Nov. 28 to Dec. 28. A wide variety of local vendors will be selling art, jewelry, housewares, clothing and trinkets. Tickets are $5, and customers will need to book their visit ahead of time as only five visitors can enter per hour. All proceeds from the market will go toward Wesley Urban Ministries, a non-profit organization that offers support to those who are homeless or living in poverty in the Hamilton, Halton and Brantford regions.
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3. Christmas Store & Tree Farm
Until Dec. 22, you can cut your own or purchase a pre-cut Christmas Tree at Merry Farms on Concession Road. It’s a 176-acre farm also popular for its corn maze and pumpkin patch in the fall. Reservations must be made in advance through their website. They also have a Christmas store on-site where you can find unique items to decorate your house. On Dec. 12 and 13, Merry Farms is offering on-site food service by The Rockton Lions Club.
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4. Art Gallery of Hamilton Film Series
If you are on the hunt for a new show or movie to watch, join the Art Gallery of Hamilton’s Online Film Series from the comfort of your home. The series, which is available for a fee, will last throughout December, and you can stream films such as God of the Piano, Queen of Hearts: Audrey Flack and Rocks. Check out their website for more information about when the tickets for each film will become available.
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5. Supercrawl Livestream Series
Although Supercrawl was cancelled this year due to the pandemic, they are hosting a series of livestreamed performances every weekend until the end of December. The virtual concerts, which are held through Facebook, are free. Upcoming performances include Tim Hicks, The Dirty Nil and Terra Lightfoot.
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6. Royal Botanical Garden Express
Hop on the Royal Botanical Garden Express train through Hendrie Park, which is decorated for the season with beautiful holiday lights. Hendrie Park is the largest cultivated garden area at Royal Botanical Gardens with 12 different themed spaces. Tickets can be purchased at the main doors and the rides will remain open until Jan. 3.
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7. Goodbody Feel December Workshops
Goodbodyfeel is offering various virtual workshops for self-care, self-love and self-compassion during the holidays. You can learn about restorative postures, how to do a guided self-massage, how to bake seasonal treats, participate in an online dance party and more. Different workshops will be held each week from Dec. 12 until Dec. 31 to help you destress and relax.
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There is no better way to put yourself in a festive mood than listening to holiday music. The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra Brass Quintet will perform holiday classics and excerpts from Handel’s Messiah on Dec. 18. The performance will be available to watch online until Jan. 18, 2021. This concert is part of the orchestra’s Hamilton Series and tickets are available for $27.
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