C/O Travis Ngyuyen
Vaccines, distance learning and living continents away present unique challenges to international students
It should come as no surprise that international students studying in Canada have faced unimaginable barriers.
Perhaps the most visible of all is the 6.9 billion dollars of revenue earned by Canadian post-secondary institutions in 2018, a 360 per cent increase from 2007. The source of this ballooning revenue is none other than the near $40,000 difference in the tuition paid by international students, when compared to domestic students.
Despite our long-standing knowledge of these challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic has only materialized into a steeper financial and psychological climb for international students. With McMaster University’s recent announcement of resuming in-person classes in the winter semester, it’s important to take a step back and fully internalize its impact on the international student population.
Kimia Tahaei, an Opinions Staff Writer at the Silhouette and McMaster student who has lived in Iran for the past six years, expressed her concerns about re-adjusting socially in the winter semester.
“I’m in a small program of 80 or 90 people and I’m the only person in that program who hasn’t participated in the one or two in-person classes they had this fall. Being in a whole other continent, it’s almost inevitable that I feel left out and that worries me going into next semester,” said Tahaei.
Clearly, the pandemic brought forth a sense of isolation that persisted even while most classes took place online. While it can seem that the return to in-person learning is the ultimate solution to this problem, that may not be the case.
Robin Barala is an executive for the McMaster International & Exchange Club, which fosters connections between international students and planned sightseeing trips, who detailed the difficulties international students will face once they arrive in Canada.
“For international students who may not be vaccinated with a Canada-approved vaccine, they’ll have to quarantine for almost the entirety of the winter break. It’s going to be even more tough if they don’t know anyone here, which is the case for a lot of them right now,” said Barala.
While Canada has expanded the list of approved COVID-19 vaccines to include Sinopharm, Sinovac and COVAXIN, barriers still exist for those who received vaccinations such as Sputnik which were offered in many countries, including India.
Although international students remain exempt from vaccine entry requirements, this exemption ends on Jan. 15, 2022, after which an approved vaccine will be mandatory.
“While I was lucky enough to get AstraZeneca, which is approved in Canada, I just got the first vaccine I could get. A lot of people in Iran got the Sputnik vaccine so I don’t know what other Iranian students will do when they have to go back to Canada,” said Tahaei.
Ultimately, the return to in-person will inevitably bring about both positive and negative experiences for international students. While it may breed opportunities for socialization, hesitations about mixing vaccines, finding housing and reaching out to university-provided services may be unsurprising effects of the rapid geographical and cultural changes that come with a mandatory in-person semester.
Barala further expressed that the culture shock that many other international students face often make them more likely to reach out to informal groups at Mac, such as the McMaster Indian Association, before being directed to more formal services like International Student Services.
When asked about this phenomenon, team members at International Student Services — a division of Mac’s Student Success Centre — responded that they were well-aware of the many avenues available to international students and recognize the importance of authentic peer-to-peer connections.
“The important role we play as professionals is reaching out to these clubs so that they are aware of all of the services we provide to international students. When it comes time to give that referral, they know exactly where to refer the student to,” explained Gisela Oliviera, Associate Director at the SSC.
While it may be easy to paint the university with a wide brush – given the immense difficulties expressed by both international and domestic students with respect to housing, socialization and mental health – progress has been made by International Student Services.
iCent, an application that sends out exclusive information from the SSC, is just one intervention that supports international students in their journey as McMaster students.
The movement back to in-person learning this winter is an unprecedented change for all of us. It’s incredibly important for the university to be cognizant of what exactly this means for students that may have never lived in Canada before, received an unapproved vaccine or have not yet had the chance to meet any of their peers.
There’s no doubt that there have been steps made towards increased cognizance — with the strategies introduced by the SSC — but those strides need to be so much larger to truly accommodate the unique uncertainties faced by international students and foster the connections that they need right now.
However, being cognizant alone isn’t enough.
International Mac students deserve a university that takes on the responsibility of advocating for them, rather than turning a blind eye to “off-campus” issues such as housing, budgeting, loneliness and unique hesitancies surrounding vaccines.
Our expectations of what international students are responsible for has to ultimately change, taking into consideration the extenuating circumstances of a pandemic and its snowball effects on mental health, among other concerns.
It’s no longer the time for recognition — it’s time for action.
C/O McMaster Sports Community, Guest speakers Sundeep Dhillon & Richard Martinelli
McMaster alum and 2021 World Series Champion Alex Anthopoulos to headline event with the McMaster Sports Community
The McMaster Sports Community is offering McMaster students an opportunity of a lifetime to those interested. Alex Anthopoulos, the General Manager of the Atlanta Braves, will be joining MSC for a general discussion and a question and answer session over Zoom, marking the first time the speaker has ever returned to the school. The event will be taking place on Dec. 8 at 6:00 PM.
At the event Anthopoulos will be joined by close friends of his from his time at McMaster, Sundeep Dhillon and Richard Martinelli, who Anthopoulos credits as being highly impactful in his career success, and a large part in both his life journey, and his time in university.
As a former Mac student who studied economics, Anthopoulos has built an impressive career for himself in the world of sports. He acted as the GM of the Toronto Blue Jays from 2009 to 2015, and currently works as the GM of the Atlanta Braves. Impressively, he has recently become a World Series Champion in the 2021 season, and is the first Canadian to ever do so as GM.
Why is Anthopoulos’ experience relevant to MSC? Jack Hinde, Co-President of MSC, described the excitement club members feel towards the opportunity to meet and hear from a Mac alum who has carved such a successful sports career for themselves.
“Everyone within the club is extremely excited to have Anthopoulos over to talk about his career. It really is an amazing opportunity for all McMaster students. Not only is he one of the most important GMs in [Major League Baseball], but he is a Mac alumni, which makes this event even more exciting to all of us,” explained Hinde.
Interestingly, it was during an interview for the Silhouette that Anthopoulos was invited, and accepted to attend this MSC event. Jovan Popovic, Sports Editor for the Silhouette and Co-President of MSC, invited the accomplished Mac alum to host the event for the club.
“Well, when Jovan [Popovic] had an interview with Anthopoulos a couple of weeks ago, he offered the GM an opportunity to host the Q and A over zoom for the club. To our excitement, Anthopoulos accepted and that is what made us really happy: to have a very busy man with consistent duties take some of his time to do an [event] for our club,” explained Hinde.
While this is an excellent chance for students to learn from a figure in sports of significant stature, this is also an opportunity for Hinde and the rest of MSC to represent the Mac community for all it’s worth.
“Most of us are still in disbelief about this, as it means so much to the community, especially the baseball fans who knew about Anthopoulos for years. We are just so thankful for it, but now I feel like we have a bigger job to do when it comes to the interview. We have to be well organized and we want to represent the club in the best way possible to him,” said Hinde.
Those interested can keep their eyes peeled on the MSC Instagram page, where they will post frequent updates about the event. Sign ups for the event also remain open through their Google form. The guest speaker appearance is available to all McMaster students, not just club members, although sign-ups will be capped at 50 people.
Travis Nguyen/Photo Editor
Shorter days and longer nights from daylights savings have mental and physical effects
Don’t get me wrong, I love the colder seasons. Halloween, Christmas, doing winter festivities, the snow and much more. But I do not like when it’s pitch black outside by 5 p.m. and the day that felt as though it just started is already done.
It confuses me because, although I’ll still have classes, meetings or work after the sun sets, it becomes hard for my brain to wrap around the notion that I’ll be working for hours in complete darkness.
We may not truly even realize it, but we do rely on the sun for a lot. When it comes to the simplicities of aiding our health, the sun is a great mood booster and important for your physical health as a whole.
Light is the most powerful regulator of our internal clock, known as our circadian rhythm. In fact, some people may not even adjust to the time change after several months. We also rely on the sun everyday without even knowing.
We use it as a way to tell time in our day-to-day lives. It nurtures the food and plants that we need, it keeps our ecosystems growing and it keeps our earth moving. With these shorter and colder days, we see the sun less, which has large effects on us both physically and mentally.
The shorter and colder days can also cause depression to increase in prevalence. The darkness and coldness limits how often we go out and we can begin to feel isolated. As university students, it becomes difficult for many to have the motivation to do work when it feels as though it is night-time and one should be unwinding instead.
This is where seasonal affective disorder comes in, also known as seasonal depression or the winter blues. One way to recognize the symptoms of SAD is if you feel normal during spring and summer, then feel drained with your energy and mood as days get shorter during winter, almost like you want to hibernate.
As the semester is either ending or a new one is starting at this time of the year, our stress is at its peak and the effects of daylight savings can have immense effects on us physically as well.
The lack of sunlight can cause cluster headaches that can cause pain for days or weeks on end. If you’re not getting enough sleep during this transition, this can lead to increased levels of a hormone called ghrelin which regulates hunger and may cause an increase in appetite.
It is important that you keep your mental health in check and professionals recommend taking Vitamin D supplements during this time, seeking help if you need it, eating healthier and maintaining some kind of physical activity during the cold months.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, focusing on one’s self and still taking it easy will help immensely. It is a difficult shift for many, but attempting to balance everything in a healthy way can improve one’s physical and mental health during these cold months.
C/O Travis Nguyen
While the holiday season may be welcomed, the extreme shift to total relaxation can cause us to “crash”
By: Ardena Bašić, Contributor
The holiday season is often a welcomed time off for many, especially students who face their exams period immediately prior to the break. However, given that we are exceptionally busy beforehand, the decrease or change in responsibilities can be a shock to our system.
Although we certainly deserve the rest after busy and stressful times, we must balance that with different endeavours and activities to ensure that we are not putting ourselves in significantly contrasting environments. Such an approach will allow us to get the most out of the holiday break and return to school and work with a renewed sense of motivation.
Many individuals become acclimated to such high levels of productivity, particularly students who must balance their school work, extracurriculars and other endeavours on top of maintaining their health and social lives. In the moment, we often fail to realize how much of our energy is coming from the sheer adrenaline of all our obligations, likely alongside copious amounts of caffeine.
Thus, when we take a break from such a hectic lifestyle, the drastic drop in our stressors often leave us feeling drained and lethargic, a phenomenon often called ‘adrenal fatigue.’ In fact, going from one extreme to another — overworking to completely resting — could leave us feeling worse off.
Thus, when we take a break from such a hectic lifestyle, the drastic drop in our stressors often leave us feeling drained and lethargic, a phenomenon often called ‘adrenal fatigue.’ In fact, going from one extreme to another — overworking to completely resting — could leave us feeling worse off.
Ardena Bašić, Contributor
We need to find a place in the middle of this continuum that will allow us to recharge without radically lowering our adrenaline levels.
There are a variety of activities and methods that can allow individuals, no matter their specific interests, to find this balance. For example, some hobbies can be both restful and stimulating to the brain and body at the same time.
Reading, exercising and listening to or playing music all have beneficial effects on the body and mind, but are not as taxing as arduous readings or complex essay prompts. Moreover, social interactions can be highly energizing for some individuals, especially after being deprived of them during the pandemic. It not only has physiological benefits since humans are naturally social creatures, but it also helps abate feelings of loneliness and isolation that can be extremely draining on a person. Finding solidarity in finally getting a break after a long semester can also be a great bonding tool among students!
Of course, such approaches will vary for everyone. Some people who are more introverted may find that individual activities are a better way to stay occupied without creating overbearing stressors during the holidays.
Furthermore, one cannot expect every day of the break to be the same. Our energy levels fluctuate constantly and we need to respond as needed. This may mean being outside and active with friends for one day and then deciding to stay in for a movie marathon by yourself on another.
So long as we are not keeping ourselves on one end of the spectrum for a prolonged period of time, we can find a healthy equilibrium between complete rest and the hustle of our daily life.
So long as we are not keeping ourselves on one end of the spectrum for a prolonged period of time, we can find a healthy equilibrium between complete rest and the hustle of our daily life.
Ardena Bašić, Contributor
In sum, although the holidays may seem like the perfect time to fully recharge, we have to balance such rest with engaging activities to ensure that we do not completely crash. Given the spirit of the season, reaching out to loved ones and peers, finding new or old forgotten hobbies or simply taking what comes with the day can allow one to reach this balance.
Take care of yourself and those around you and you will come back with a new vigour for a successful next term!
C/O Ainsley Thurgood
McMaster Aiding Women’s Shelters Canada sets up gift card drive for the holidays
CW: domestic violence
Domestic violence, also referred to as intimate partner violence, is an ongoing issue that has seen increasing numbers in Hamilton over the last several years.
In 2019, Hamilton police responded to 7,090 calls regarding domestic violence and laid 1,657 charges.
Domestic violence refers to situations of power and control that an individual has over their intimate partner. This can lead to abuse in many different forms, including physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people in abusive relationships face an increased risk of being trapped in the same home as their abusers.
At McMaster University, the McMaster Aiding Women’s Shelters Canada is a McMaster Students Union club that works to address domestic violence. MAWSC’s goals include spreading awareness within the McMaster community around domestic violence, raising money for women’s shelters in the Hamilton area and creating a safe space for people to discuss domestic violence and sexual assault.
According to Sarah Coker, one of MAWSC’s co-presidents, MAWSC holds a variety of fundraisers, workshops and events throughout the year in order to achieve these aims.
For the holiday season this year, MAWSC is holding a gift card drive for the Eagle’s Nest Association of Waterdown. The Eagle’s Nest Association, located only a few minutes outside of Hamilton, is a community organization that helps women and families.
The Eagle’s Nest Association owns the HOPE Centre, which offers a variety of services, such as positive parenting programs, programs that help children understand emotions and counselling for people of all ages.
According to Coker, the Eagle’s Nest Association holiday gift card drive goes towards providing holiday experiences to the people who access their services. The Eagle’s Nest Association recommends that donors buy specific types of gift cards for people who access different services at the HOPE Centre.
For those accessing counselling, the Eagle’s Nest Association recommends a Canadian Tire or Esso gift card to help them get to their counselling sessions.
For those accessing coaching, the Eagle’s Nest Association recommends a Starbucks or Tim Hortons gift card.
For those in a support group, the Eagle’s Nest Association recommends an Indigo or Amazon gift card.
For children and youth, the Eagle’s Nest Association recommends a restaurant or Walmart gift card as these gift cards create opportunities for children to have fun experiences with their families.
“They're asking for gift cards so that they can give something back, so that these people on Christmas don't have to leave without anything,”
Sarah Coker
Coker reflected on the importance of supporting women’s shelters in the holiday season.
“It's a way to give back to the community and [for] a lot of people who may be less fortunate than you, [you can] give them that chance to experience what you might consider a norm in your life — to go home for the holidays and get a gift,” said Coker.
In Hamilton, women’s shelters such as the Martha House, Inasmuch House and the Native Women’s Centre offer emergency shelter for women and their children fleeing from an abusive situation. All three shelters are accepting monetary donations on their website.
In addition, Native Women’s Centre is accepting in-kind donations including various hygiene products and household items.
Although they are not providing emergency shelter, YWCA Hamilton is another organization that works to find housing solutions for women and their families. YWCA Hamilton is also accepting donations including various clothing items, transportation cards, hygiene products, toys and games.
C/O McMaster Sports
As the men's soccer team wraps up their season, there’s plenty to look forward to.
After a very exciting season, the men's soccer team has a lot to look forward to. Following a long COVID-19 break that lasted a year and a half, the Marauders managed to qualify for the Ontario University Athletics playoffs, which ended in an unfortunate loss against the Carleton Ravens, the defending champions.
Not only did the Marauders achieve strong results in the regular season, but three members of the squad would win national awards at the annual All-Canadian Gala, which are presented to the best players from around the league.
Kovacevic would be named the OUA Central Player of The Year and an OUA Central All-Star alongside his teammate Cheikh Tchouambou Youmbi who was also named an All-Star and the OUA Central Community Award Winner. Mohamed Al-Shakman would bring home the OUA Central Rookie of The Year award and coach Dino Perri would receive the OUA Central Coach of The Year award to complete a very successful gala.
Over the course of the season the Marauders had won six, drawn two and lost three games. The wins came against Algoma Thunderbirds, Laurentian Voyageurs, UofT Blues and Nipissing Lakers while the two losses came against Ryerson Rams and the Voyageurs (in their second game).
Of the 33 goals that the Marauders scored during the regular season, a whopping 13 were from the striker Dusan Kovacevic. The immaculate teamwork from the Marauders throughout the season netted various awards for their players from the OUA this season, including Kovacevic winning the OUA player of the month award for his impressive goal scoring run.
However, the run does not end there. While the Marauders may have finished their season with a disappointing defeat to the reigning champions, there is still a lot more to play for over the next couple of seasons.
Alexandre Boue, a fourth-year varsity soccer player, shared his thoughts on the season and how everyone on the team felt about the results.
“Generally speaking, there's a lot of mixed emotions among the team right now. Throughout the regular season we were in such a good position and have hoped that we would make it far into the playoffs. We played really well against big teams such as U of T and have shown a lot of character throughout,” said Boue.
However, Boue did express his disappointment at not making it past the quarter finals of the OUA playoffs, in which the Marauders fell to the Carleton Ravens three to one.
“Typically, you’d expect us to make it really far. We as a team were delighted to make it to the play-offs but we were really unfortunate with the opponent we got in the very first game. The ravens are defending champions and we knew that the matchup against them would be very difficult. It was a shame because the regular season went really well for us and I know that we deserved more than just the quarter finals,” explained Boue.
Although Boue did show his dissatisfaction with the early exit, he did express that the Marauders have done so much to build the high standards among the team.
“This dissatisfaction does show that the whole program has worked. It does show you that the sports department here at Mac put a lot of effort into the soccer team, which is represented through the results over the years. They really have made the Marauders a solid name in Ontario soccer and that’s why we have such high expectations every season,” said Boue.
When asked about the potential for the upcoming season, Boue said that he was confident that the team will come back even stronger.
“The current team that we have is extremely strong. We’ve got a few OUA all stars which just shows how good we are quality wise. However, many of them had their last eligible year this season, so they won’t be able to play again. Although many are not going to continue, I am very confident that the new players that come our way will help us do better than this season.” said Boue.
Although McMaster failed to make it to nationals this year, there is still hope that the Marauders will challenge for the title next year. This season not only featured numerous all stars on the team, but also made it evident that there was an atmosphere and culture that grew with the team in every game.
C/O PeakPX
Though fall intramurals are coming to an end, winter intramurals are right around the corner.
It was a crisp November night. The stakes were high and the tension was thick. It was the finals for softball intramurals — the Egg Whites were competing against the Egg Yolks.
Jinnie Yang is a first-year student and a member of the Egg Whites intramural softball team. When asked if she expected to win, she responded with resounding confidence.
“Oh yes, definitely,” said Yang.
The Egg Whites were primed to win. They had faced the Egg Yolks twice before and on both occasions, they came out on top. However, this time, despite everyone’s preconceptions, the Egg Yolks won.
Such is the beauty of intramural sports — the fun names, the friendly competition and simply knowing that anything can happen. However, it is also a great opportunity to bond with teammates and build relationships with friends.
“We were able to do some physical activity together and really bond as a team. We really formed this support and encouragement for each other which is not something you usually get in an academic setting,” said Yang.
As such, intramurals are a more relaxed opportunity to play sports. Amos Yu is a fourth-year McMaster student who has been playing intramurals since he was in his first year.
“In high school, I was never big on sports, but when I came to university, this fellowship that I joined was running these intramural programs where basically we just sign up for a team as a fellowship. And I had played a tiny bit of ultimate [frisbee] in high school which is why I joined ultimate in first year as part of the fellowship,” explained Yu.
In addition, intramural sports are a great reason to get active and exercise which also helps our academic lives. In a study done at the University of British Columbia, researchers found that regular aerobic exercise appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning.
While fall intramurals are quickly coming to an end, sign-ups for winter intramurals are open until Nov. 24 with leagues beginning on Jan. 17.
For those curious about intramural sports, the winter season is a great chance to get involved in them. Vanessa Ho is a third-year student who plans on playing volleyball intramurals this winter season.
“I’m looking forward to a lot of team bonding. I think volleyball is a very team bonding sport and it requires a lot of teamwork. A lot of my housemates are on the same team as me so I’m really excited to play with them and to just get to see them more outside the house,” said Ho.
Sports offered include indoor ultimate frisbee, badminton, spikeball, dodgeball, ice hockey, floorball, innertube water polo, volleyball, basketball and indoor soccer. Non-physical sports include NBA picks, NHL picks, fantasy basketball and hockey.
There are a few different leagues including men’s, women’s, open and corec, with two different play styles: PlayFun and PlayCompetitive. The different play styles are based on different reasons for playing intramurals. PlayFun is for those who want to play without being too competitive. PlayCompetitive expects teammates and opponents to play competitively. Both feature a regular season and playoffs.
If interested in playing as a team or as a free agent, head over to the IMLeagues website to register.
Yoohyun Park/Production Coordinator
Get into the winter spirit with these events during your break from school
With orange and red leaves falling off trees and midterms coming to an end just before exams, the winter season is quickly approaching. As the seasons change, winter seasonal and holiday events are coming back to the Hamilton area. For students currently living in and around campus, here are eight events to get you into the spirit of the season in December.
Winter Wonders at the Royal Botanical Gardens
From Nov. 24 to Jan. 9, Hendrie Park will be transforming into a wonderland at the Hamilton Royal Botanical Gardens — complete with festive lights and nature at every turn.
As you stroll through the gardens, there will be festive music as you go along the 1 ½ kilometre walk, which should take around an hour to complete. Student and youth admission is currently on sale at a discounted rate.
The Nutcracker
Ballet Jӧrgen will be carrying on the time-honoured winter tradition with this year’s production of The Nutcracker, held at the FirstOntario Concert Hall. Located at George Brown College, Ballet Jӧrgen is a Canada-wide touring company founded and directed by acclaimed choreographer Bengt Jӧrgen.
The show will feature costumes designed in collaboration with Kleinburg’s McMichael Canadian Art Collection and backdrops inspired by 20th century Canadian landscapes. Tickets are now on sale for the show on Dec. 4.
Centre[3]’s Small is Good Show and Sale
Centre[3]’s annual holiday show and sale will return this year after being postponed last year. The exhibition will run from Dec. 10 to 31 and it will feature a range of works from the artist-run centre’s members.
Ancaster Craft Show
Local vendors and small businesses will be gathering at the Ancaster Fairgrounds on Dec. 11 for the annual Ancaster Christmas Craft Show. Admission costs five dollars and provides community members with access to the mistletoe and tinsel lining the hall and all of the local vendors this year.
Holiday Night 2SQTBIPOC Market
The third and final event in Black Owned Hamilton’s Holiday Pop-Up series, their Holiday Night 2SQTBIPOC Market will be held on Dec. 4 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Side Door Bar. The market will feature Black, Indigenous and people of colour and queer vendors and is being held in collaboration with community organization Fruit Salad, which aims to expand space dedicated for 2SLGBTQIA+ women and gender nonconforming folks.
Cranky Celtic Christmas
The Westdale’s Hamilton Originals series is continuing with a holiday concert featuring Celtic Christmas tunes. The Westdale is a historical Hamilton theatre and registered not-for-profit charity located in the heart of Westdale Village.
Musicians Wendell Ferguson and Scantily Plaid will be performing, with the event hosted by Mike McCurlie. Though the concert will be happening in-person at The Westdale’s theatre, the entire event will be live-streamed over Youtube and Facebook. Tickets are on sale for the concert on Dec. 20.
Holiday Historic Cooking Workshop: Victorian Delights
The Dundurn National Historic Site is also offering a Holiday Historic Cooking workshop on Dec. 3 and Dec. 12. In Dundurn Castle’s 19th century kitchen, participants will learn how to prepare seasonal desserts from two Dundurn cooks.
Tickets are on sale now. Participants will be socially distant, masked and asked to show proof of vaccination before entering.
Christmas Tree of Hope Lighting
The City of Hamilton and the Downtown Hamilton BIA will light the city’s Christmas of Hope, in Gore Park, on Dec. 3 at 6:15 p.m. This year there will be both in person and virtual viewing options, with in-person attendees being asked to mask and maintain social distance.
Live on the stage in the park, Little Peter and the Elegants will kick off the event at 5:30 p.m., with a live stream being available from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. through Cable14’s website and 9000 CHML’s social media channels. There will also be ferris wheel rides in the park, starting on Dec. 3 and lasting until Dec. 23.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Children’s Fund to support families who may be struggling during the holiday season.
Students looking for opportunities to get into the winter spirit have many events in Hamilton to choose from this upcoming December. Take advantage of these opportunities as the semester comes to a close.
Jessica Yang/Production Assistant
Time off work doesn’t always mean a perfect break for professors
For many people, the holidays have always been something to look forward to. For students, this means time away from school and for others, it can mean time away from work.
This year, at McMaster University, student examinations end officially on Dec. 22, 2021, with winter classes beginning on Jan. 10, 2022. While professors technically have the same time limits when it comes to class dismissals, they spend a large majority of break bringing their courses to fruition.
Courses often require a lot of planning leading up to the first class, but the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in professors planning for online classes since March of 2020.
Now, for the upcoming winter semester in 2022, there is going to be a transition to an almost entirely in-person learning format, which can mean a shift in planning for professors yet again. What this planning looks like will differ depending on the course.
Joe Kim, an associate professor at McMaster under the department of psychology, neuroscience and behaviour, spoke about how the IntroPsych team at McMaster had already had a relatively hybrid learning style prior to the pandemic as they were using virtual modules. Kim explained that planning for the upcoming semester was close to completion.
Krista Howarth, an assistant professor at McMaster under the department of kinesiology, explained that, although a large majority of her course planning had been completed, there were still things like the Avenue course shell that needed to be activated and then formatted.
To Howarth, the way her course appears on Avenue is important, as it is an essential means of communication to her students. She talked about how it would have been nicer to have a longer winter break so she can better prepare for the winter semester.
“I do wish there was more time between term one and term two and even last year, there was a survey that went around and [asked], ‘Would you guys mind if we sort of started the term later this year?’ to give everyone more time. Not just the students, but also [so that] the faculty have more time to get ready for term two,” said Howarth.
“I do wish there was more time between term one and term two and even last year, there was a survey that went around and [asked], ‘Would you guys mind if we sort of started the term later this year?’ to give everyone more time. Not just the students, but also [so that] the faculty have more time to get ready for term two,”
Krista Howarth, Assistant Professor
Though professors spend time planning, many also try to balance spending time with family and friends over the holidays.
For Kim, the holidays are a chance to be closer with his family. He talked about the variety of games they play, whether that be Sorry!, Dominoes, Clues or Jenga. He also talked about the importance of good food, exercising and binge watching television shows to help create a relaxing break.
“The holidays means the end of semester, so it is a chance to rest, regenerate and spend a lot of time with family. For my daughter, I think she just loves the holidays because everyone is together in the same house so we have time for lots of games,” said Kim.
“The holidays means the end of semester, so it is a chance to rest, regenerate and spend a lot of time with family. For my daughter, I think she just loves the holidays because everyone is together in the same house so we have time for lots of games,”
Joe Kim, Assistant Professor
Howarth also spoke about how excited she is for the upcoming holidays.
It’s a hard earned break that she always looks forward to because she gets time to spend with her family. Her family loves to do puzzles together as she said it was their own form of relaxation.
Howarth also discussed how few days she actually takes off during the winter, spending the rest of the days working towards the first day of winter semester.
“I don’t often get to spend as much time as I would’ve liked over the holidays with my family, [but] at least I do get to take a little bit of time off to do some things with my kids and my other family members . . . Most years I take off Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing day and I’ll spend that at my parents’ house. I go with my kids and we just hang out there and do our typical Christmas celebrations,” said Howarth.
“I don’t often get to spend as much time as I would’ve liked over the holidays with my family, [but] at least I do get to take a little bit of time off to do some things with my kids and my other family members,"
Krista Howarth, Assistant Professor
Both Kim and Howarth shared advice for students on how to have a balanced winter break. They stressed the importance of how taking a break is essential to wellbeing.
Kim shared how it is good to be productive, but that there are realistic ways to achieve this. He suggested making a list of things one hopes to finish during the break and to ensure that they are realistic goals.
Kim shared how it is good to be productive, but that there are realistic ways to achieve this. He suggested making a list of things one hopes to finish during the break and to ensure that they are realistic goals.
The upcoming break is a much needed holiday for not only students but also professors. Many use this time to spend quality time with their families. Though rest is their main goal, many professors still find themselves spending a large majority of their break planning for the next teaching semester.
Travis Nguyen/Photo Editor
With three wins under their belt, the men’s basketball team has set their goals high
While many Canadian University teams have needed time to get back into the swing of things after a year off from playing, the Marauders Men’s basketball team has found themselves in the midst of a four game winning streak, starting the season blazing hot.
With their most recent win against the Algoma Thunderbirds on Nov. 19, the Marauders have found themselves sitting in second place with a four and one record, with their lone loss finishing with a one point spread.
Sefa Otchere, a third-year guard for the team, spoke about the team’s recent performance and the success they’ve had over the last stretch of game. In an interview Otchere discussed an event relating to an injury affecting a member of the team, emphasizing the optimism the team has regarding their future.
“I feel very good about the team's performance. I still feel like we have a lot more to go because right now we don’t have our full team. Some people are injured, but hopefully by the second half of the season we can get them back,” said Otchere
Discussing his own performance, Otchere felt that he could’ve played better for his team, despite averaging a relatively strong 10.4 points, 5 rebounds and 1.4 steals while shooting to a 41.9% field goal and an 84.6% free throw.
“Subpar honestly. I feel like I can do better to help the team win more. I feel like I can be better and hopefully I can pick it up a little bit in our last two games in Algoma and pick it up in the second half as well,” explained Otchere.
As he had hoped, he did pick it up in their first game against Algoma, extending their winning streak to four after an 18-point victory. Otchere scored 15 points, good for third most on the team, while hitting all his free throws, grabbing five boards and raking up three steals.
With so much time off from their previous season, it’s a challenge for teams to start themselves up again so quickly. Otchere credits the team’s success to their high standards and coach, Patrick Tatham.
“Training-wise, we pushed each other. We worked hard and worked with a common goal of getting to nationals. I think with that goal in mind we came in as a collective unit. Since Sept. 1, since [coach Patrick Tatham] came back from [coaching] team Canada we’ve all had the same goal: one mind, one body [and] one big family just working together,” said Otchere.
With a significant portion of their schedule still ahead of them, the team will look to continue their success down the stretch and into the new year. After completing their final game of 2021 against the Thunderbirds on Nov. 20, the team won’t see the court again until Jan. 12, 2022, when they will return for 10 more games leading up to the playoffs.
With championship aspirations on their mind, they will have a real opportunity to take the crown if they can keep up their recent performance and continue closing out important games into the new year.
