Amidst the hype of HOCO, resisting the pressure of FOMO may be the most valuable experience of all
By: Ardena Bašić
Opinion Contributor
Homecoming, often referred to as HOCO, is one of the most hyped-up events of the university back-to-school season. While intended to kick-off the football season, many students use it as an opportunity to become more ingrained into the campus community, bolster school culture and have fun before the busy year ahead.
Yet, amidst the excitement and celebration, many students can feel an immense amount of pressure to participate in this and other events lest they be subject to FOMO.
At McMaster, HOCO celebrations transform the campus and surrounding area into a sea of maroon and grey, with parades and parties bringing students together to kick off the school year.
While controversies and concerns about HOCO have come up in recent years, the overall aim is to bolster student culture as opposed to instigating trouble. This year in particular, McMaster focused on bringing back the fun to campus, planning attractions including concerts, foam parties and of course the football game. MSU President Jovan Popovic explained that the aims of the planned activities were to make HOCO a mainstream event and keep students on campus and away from neighbourhood streets.
With these highly anticipated events also comes FOMO, the fear of missing out, which can be impactful on multiple areas of university life. Specifically for HOCO, social media posts, on-campus conversations and the general atmosphere of the weekend can make the pressure to participate overwhelming. With over 75% of students experiencing FOMO in general, it's no wonder it can lure students into these events that they otherwise might not be interested in.
This pressure can have negative impacts on students' well-being.
For example, those who feel compelled to attend events that don't align with their interests or comfort levels may experience anxiety, stress, or a sense of inauthenticity. In addition, the overall experience of FOMO can lead to decreases in overall motivation, significant anxiety and other health issues and poor behaviours.
All things considered, its crucial for students to learn and remember that the university experience is a unique, non-standard one that should be tailored to each individual. While HOCO may be a highlight for some, it's perfectly valid to opt out or find alternative ways to celebrate that better align with your values and interests.
For the future homecomings, students should take time to reflect on their personal values and priorities and whether it will actually constitute a fun and fulfilling time for them. In addition, the confidence to communicate these decisions without pressure to conform to others is vital in staying true to one's self unique and personal values.
Learning to resist the FOMO pressure is valuable beyond just HOCO. By making conscious choices about how best to spend your time and energy, you develop self-awareness and confidence that will serve you well throughout your academic career and beyond.
In fact, research clearly shows that the more work one does on developing these attributes during young adulthood, the higher their self-esteem. In turn, this will support the rest of one's university life and beyond.
While this year's and future HOCOs will undoubtedly create memories for many, it's essential to remember that your university experience is yours to shape. Whether you choose to participate in HOCO festivities or your own alternative activities, what matters most is that your choices reflect your authentic self.
By staying true to your values and interests, you'll not only navigate both HOCO and other events with greater ease but also cultivate personal growth that will last long after your degree is earned.
After a home opener loss to Wilfrid Laurier University, the Marauders faced a subsequent defeat to Queen’s University on the road
As the 2024 season has come into swing for McMaster football, the team has struggled to pick up a win. In their season home opener on Aug. 24 against the Laurier Golden Hawks, the Marauders lost with a score of 14 to 31.
Despite leading at the half against the Golden Hawks with a score of 14 to 13, the Marauders were unable to keep the scoring going. After this home opener loss, the Marauders traveled to Kingston to face Queen’s University.
The Queen’s Gaels would not be an unfamiliar opponent for McMaster, as the teams faced off in 2022. That game the Marauder's lost with a score of 10 to 14.
This game would present a new opportunity to quarterback Keagan Hall, as he was not the team’s starting quarterback when the Marauders last faced the Gaels. But defeating the Queen's Gaels, USport’s 10th ranked team, would prove to be a difficult endeavour for the Marauders.
But defeating the Queen's Gaels, USport’s 10th ranked team, would prove to be a difficult endeavour for the Marauders.
The Gaels opened the scoring quickly on their home field, as they led 24 to zero for a majority of the first half. But, just before the first half ended, the Marauders were able score themselves a touchdown bringing the score to 24 to seven.
Despite the team’s effort, the Marauders failed to change the tide of the game and secure victory in the second half. . The Marauders were able to score two touchdowns before the game was completed, but these points would not be enough, with the game finishing 27 to 22.
The Marauders were able to score two touchdowns before the game was completed, but these points would not be enough to secure a win, with the game finishing 27 to 22.
Stay tuned as the Marauders face the University of Toronto in their third match of the season on Sep. 7 at Ron Joyce Stadium.
Quarterback Keagan Hall helps lead the Marauders to great heights during first games of the season
In their first game of the regular season, the Marauder men’s football team faced the University of Windsor Lancers. In the highly anticipated matchup, the Marauders failed to defeat the Lancers though, losing the game 21-17.
The game was played in front of a packed Ron Joyce stadium, with McMaster University’s move-in day bringing in students and parents alike. The recorded attendance stood at 2,140.
The game was likely played with plenty of nerves from the McMaster team, especially for new starting quarterback Keagan Hall. Despite the tense atmosphere though, Hall delivered a phenomenal performance, rushing 31 yards and completing 19 of 37 passes.
After the graduation of fifth-year Andreas Dueck, Hall has found himself in the spotlight of the Marauders football offense. After falling short of qualifying for the playoffs last season, Hall and the rest of the team are looking to redeem themselves following impressive results early on this year.
In the Marauders’ second game of the season, they narrowly lost to Western University with a score of 22-34. Despite their defeat, the team had improved upon last year’s match against the Mustangs where they lost 14-47.
The Marauders' third game of the season saw them dominate York University with a score of 71-0. Hall continued to prove himself, with the quarterback throwing a total of 300 yards in the massive win.
As the Marauders head into a matchup against Guelph University, they will likely be looking to keep their energy up. Hall in particular will likely be looking to deliver another great performance and spur the Marauders onto a winning streak.
Deja Vu hits as the basketball team joins the football team as the second McMaster victims to forfeiture
It’s official, the men’s basketball 101-56 blowout win against the Algoma Thunderbirds from Jan. 21 has been overturned as punishment due to the appearance of an ineligible player in the matchup. Their Jan. 18 game against the Brock Badgers also featured the ineligible player, but as a game that was already lost, the result will remain as is.
In a statement from the department of athletics and recreation, it was explained that the player became ineligible due to a “brief course load violation”, but has since been reinstated. The identity of the athlete has remained confidential.
In a statement from the department of athletics and recreation, it was explained that the player became ineligible due to a “brief course load violation”, but has since been reinstated. The identity of the athlete has remained confidential.
This story may sound familiar to some after the department released a similar statement about the football team this past September, who also forfeited two games due to an ineligible player, though with a different ineligibility violation, before narrowly missing the playoffs.
The basketball team was in the midst of a hot streak, having won eight of their last nine. Following the forfeiture of their biggest win of the year and a one point loss to the Windsor Lancers on Saturday night the team has fallen into a slide, losing three of their last five. On the season they now hold a record of 10 wins and eight losses.
In their final game of the season, McMaster football loses by just three points to the University of Toronto, wiping away their playoff hopes
The last game of the Marauder football season came down to a harsh ultimatum. They would either beat the University of Toronto and land a spot in the playoffs or they would lose and have the season come to an immediate halt. With home field advantage on their side, the Marauders suited up to take on the Varsity Blues on an unusually warm day of October.
With both teams facing a similar ultimatum, the stakes were high. A Toronto win meant the Varsity Blues make the playoffs while McMaster would be eliminated. Meanwhile a McMaster win would lead to a tie in the standings for the final playoff spot between Toronto and McMaster.
The Marauders made good on their first drive of the game as Andreas Dueck threw a 15 yard pass which Nicholas Adair converted to a touchdown.
The Varsity Blues went on to convert three field goals, bringing their point total to nine just before the half. A field goal for McMaster’s kicker Micheal Horvat would bring the half time score to nine to 10, in the way of McMaster. Going into the second half with just the one-point lead, the Marauders needed to produce something more to bring them to the postseason.
They ended up doing just the opposite. The second half of play saw McMaster produce zero points, while the Varsity Blues converted two safeties to bring the final score to 13-10. Just like that, with no points coming from touchdowns, the Toronto side secured a postseason berth.
It a difficult pill for the team to swallow not only because of the lost playoff hopes, but also because the Marauders would snap a 26 year winning streak. This became the first time since Sep. 21, 1996 that McMaster lost to the Varsity Blues.
It's difficult to pin the McMaster loss on any single factor but taking a look at their season as a whole, it has been very lackluster. Their two wins came against teams sitting at the bottom of the barrel, those being Guelph and Waterloo. Their only other win came against the York Lions, after which an ineligible player stripped the win away from the team, forcing them to forfeit their 39-one victory.
The forfeited game had major implications to the Marauder season. This additional win would have put them in better standing and would have added a majorly needed win to the teams tally. Ultimately, their final game against Toronto highlighted some of the issues the team faced all season.
Their lack of offensive efficiency costed them gravely. The Marauders failed to advance up the field this game discernibly. In some cases, the offensive line broke down rather quickly. In others, McMaster’s quarterback failed to connect with his receivers. It seems that offensively McMaster struggles to find consistency.
Defensively, the Marauders seem quite sound. With no touchdowns coming from the Varsity Blues, they seem to be in fine form. The Marauders look as though they must put in lots of work in the offseason to bring themselves back to the level they once were at. This is the team’s first time since 1997 missing playoffs in an eight-game season (excluding the shortened 2021 season).
If they hope to become the team they once were, they may need to take a closer look at their offense. With Dueck leaving McMaster after this season, the team will need to replace his quarterback position.
More wins come with more points, which is exactly what the Marauders will be hoping for in their season ahead as they hunt for a return to the playoffs for the first time since winning the provincial championship in the 2019-2020 season.
After discovering and self-reporting an ineligible player on the roster, the Marauders were forced to forfeit each game played to that point
A season that seemed to start on a strong note for the Marauders turned sour rather quickly. The team dropped their first game against the Carlton Ravens to a close score of 24 to 18 but followed up with an absolute blowout against the York Lions, winning 39 to one. Despite the lopsided score, the game will officially go down as a loss.
On Sep. 9 news broke that McMaster University would have to forfeit their win against the Lions due to an administrative error. This error made a member of the team who participated in both games ineligible, reversing the outcome of their lone season win. The final line score on the Marauders website now reads as a win for the Lions with a final score of one to zero.
The initial statement on the issue came from McMaster Athletics and Recreation itself. They cited an administrative error, stemming from a student transfer. Upon discovery, they passed along this observation to U Sports and the OUA, who made the ruling shortly thereafter.
Following the third game of the season — a 20 to 14 loss to the Ottawa Gee-Gees — the team fielded questions on the matter at their postgame press conference.
“As the head coach and manager of the football team, it’s 100% on me. I’ve got a player on the roster that shouldn’t be. . . One of my guys is not eligible, and that's got to be on me to make sure,” said Stefan Ptaszek, the team’s head coach.
Not only was the team directly affected by the matter in terms of the overturned game, but the issue also appeared to create further problems heading into their week three matchup. Although Ptaszek stressed that the team was well prepared and in a strong mental state, the devastating news and the extreme recency were more than likely a factor.
“We only had 20 hours to digest what happened prior to this kickoff. . . Captains [found out] at 2:00 p.m. yesterday, the team at 3:00 p.m. [They] were a little shell shocked and stoic for sure,” explained Ptaszek.
Following the announcement, the team fell to zero wins and three losses on the year, and sat dead last in the Ontario University Athletics standings as the only team without a win. McMaster has also since lost their spot on the U Sports top 10 national ranking, having been displaced by the Mount Allison Mounties.
The team has rebounded moderately well since those disastrous initial three games, winning two of their last four games, but it might simply be a case of too little too late. It was going to take a herculean effort from the team in order to return to the postseason for the first time since their provincial title victory in 2019-2020. Although it’s technically possible for them to still secure a playoff spot, the stars would have to perfectly align, and their chances are diminishing by the game as a direct result of this costly mistake.
C/O Felix Wong
Lessons learned at the end of my first year with the Silhouette
“Make some noise for your . . . McMaster . . . Marauders!”
These are the words I’ve heard countless times this year. In my time as the sports staff writer for the Silhouette, event staff for varsity games and an executive on the McMaster Women’s Football team, I’ve become more immersed in the McMaster sports scene than I expected at the beginning of the year.
I’ve gotten to meet so many people with such interesting stories and it’s been an honour to cover them. I’ve watched the basketball teams struggle and succeed, gained an appreciation for football and volleyball and learned about less-covered sports such as curling, wrestling and Nordic skiing.
I’ve gotten to meet so many people with such interesting stories and it’s been an honour to cover them. I’ve watched the basketball teams struggle and succeed, gained an appreciation for football and volleyball and learned about less-covered sports such as curling, wrestling and Nordic skiing.
Writing for the Silhouette hasn’t been smooth sailing the whole time. Speaking of which, Mac has a sailing team that you should check out if you’re interested. I applied for the position on a whim because I was interested in sports and interested in writing. However, by the end of first semester, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue.
I reflected and ultimately decided to remain in the position. I started writing articles about what I was interested in, one of my favourites being “Body neutrality within dance,” and pulled from all I had learned about interviewing and writing. I focused my attention on the personal side of sports, wanting to hear about the highs and lows from everyone.
My favourite part of the position was meeting so many incredible people. I’ve talked to McMaster’s first two female football coaches, members of the Black Student Athlete Council, an Olympic gold medalist, a McMaster Sports Hall of Famer, McMaster Sports’ Associate Director of High Performance, some good friends and the rest of the Sil staff. I’ve taken away lessons from my conversations with every individual and I never would have had the opportunity without the Silhouette.
What I’ve taken away from this experience is that without these conversations and without giving these teams and issues the spotlights they deserve, we can never notice the small victories that each team gains. By learning more about them, we can celebrate, mourn and learn with them, helping the teams feel seen as representatives of McMaster and helping us maintain positive school spirit.
What I’ve taken away from this experience is that without these conversations and without giving these teams and issues the spotlights they deserve, we can never notice the small victories that each team gains. By learning more about them, we can celebrate, mourn and learn with them, helping the teams feel seen as representatives of McMaster and helping us maintain positive school spirit.
While I don’t know what I’ll be doing for the rest of my time here at Mac, I hope I can still be involved with the sports scene and the Silhouette.
Photo By: Travis Nguyen/Photo Editor
In the two years since the initial large-scale allegations were made against the McMaster Athletics Department, what has changed?
Just under two years ago a McMaster university student-athlete, Steven Archachan, was accused of tweeting racist posts on social media, which provoked a mass reaction to get the player off the team. Although Archachan was kicked off the lacrosse team, there are still many issues surrounding McMaster athletics and systemic racism.
Another issue the school encountered was surrounding Glenn DeCaire, the director of parking and security services, who faced many allegations of racist behaviour. At one point, over 6,000 individuals signed a petition to fire the ex-police chief.
While all of these incidents occurred in the past, after the Systemic Review of the Black Student-Athlete Experience and the McMaster Athletics Climate was released, there was a major outcry yet again. Many news sources, including The Silhouette covered it and many students were surprised to see this many controversial incidents happening at McMaster. What exactly did McMaster do to combat these events after the document was released?
“Overall, I think that the McMaster response has been somewhat effective. There are many areas where we have seen some improvement, but there are still many areas that haven't even been looked at. Sure, I think that the school has been taking some steps to reduce the systemic racism within the sports department, which is good news. For instance, the Black Athlete Student Body has been formed, yet I just don't think that it’s enough to counter the 60 page document that listed enormous racial instances,” said Nana Yaw Serbeh, a member of the Marauders football team.
"Sure, I think that the school has been taking some steps to reduce the systemic racism within the sports department, which is good news. For instance, the Black Athlete Student Body has been formed, yet I just don't think that it’s enough to counter the 60 page document that listed enormous racial instances."
Nana Yaw Serbeh, Men's Football Team
“Ever since I came to McMaster in 2018, it’s evident that the Black student experience just hasn’t been the same compared to other races within the athletics department. I think that the document released a few years ago clearly outlines that. There are so many instances where Black student athletes were not treated the same as other races and it really does make me angry,” explained Serbeh.
In the System Review published by the Athletics Department in October 2020, there were multiple instances of different Black athletes being let down by coaches and other members of the Marauders.
“Just one of the horrible situations that Black athletes have found themselves in goes way back to 2014, I believe. Essentially, a student athlete wished to discuss a problem he had within the squad and arranged a meeting with personnel higher up. However, when he arrived at the meeting, nobody was there to welcome him or speak to him. He was left alone in the situation and had nobody to help him,” said Serbeh.
Although there’s plenty that McMaster can still work on to improve the experience of Black student athletes and the way that they are treated, the school has taken steps to create spaces and opportunities for them. For example, the school just recently announced that the Athletics department has created 21 financial awards for Black student athletes, in an effort to create a more welcoming and motivational atmosphere within the community.
“I think that there is much more to do for McMaster athletics. One of the things that I’d like to see is a more welcoming atmosphere to the Black student athletes and more Black student athletes in general. I think that we are making some movement, but it’s simply not good enough yet. We’ve raised a lot of awareness and I think that the community should be more aware of the incidents that occur on campus and that they should be addressed correctly,” explained Serbeh.
There have certainly been efforts on behalf of McMaster to rectify the challenges and racism faced by Black student athletes. They have made considerable efforts to welcome Black student athletes to the sports scene, but is that enough to create meaningful and lasting change?
Travis Nguyen/Photo Editor
Ron Joyce Stadium stacks up well against other universities’ stadiums
University stadiums serve to host sporting events and support university athletics. However, they also become a signature of a given school. A stadium’s structure comes to represent a student community’s pride in their school.
How good is our own stadium — the Ron Joyce Stadium — in comparison to the other university stadiums in the Ontario University Athletics? According to 13thmansports, our stadium ranks fourth! That’s right, the 14-year-old fortress ranks above the stadiums of institutions such Guelph, Waterloo and even York. Ron Joyce had fallen just short of the top three, which are currently occupied by Queens, Western and Toronto.
The reason that Ron Joyce Stadium ranks so highly is its running track, which is not something that every stadium has. This would in turn provide the audience with more intimate action on the field, which just improves the overall atmosphere for Marauders’ big games. Additionally, the colour scheme that the stadium possesses really does lend it a unique look. It truly shows off McMaster’s maroon colours.
The reason that Ron Joyce Stadium ranks so highly is its running track, which is not something that every stadium has. This would in turn provide the audience with more intimate action on the field, which just improves the overall atmosphere for Marauders’ big games.
Although many have not been to McMaster’s beloved stadium, its overall structure and aesthetics may intrigue students into visiting more often. After all, it’s already been recognized by the wider sports community!
C/O DoubleBlue (Wikimedia)
Chase Arseneau and Nate Edwards along with four other Marauders have accepted their invitations to the 2022 CFL combine
The 2021 football season is over but preparing for the next one is underway. For six Marauder graduates, this next season could be completely different from anything they have ever experienced.
These six Marauders are Nate Edwards, Chase Arseneau, Justice Allin, Mario Alyas, Max Guy and Enoch Penney–Laryea. They have all accepted their invitations to the Canadian Football League combine this upcoming spring.
The CFL is the highest level of professional football competition in Canada. The combine is the athletes’ first step to being drafted by a CFL team.
All the invited athletes from Canadian universities are given the opportunity to show off their skills and impress as many of the nine CFL teams as possible before the draft. Some events include measuring height and weight, bench press and vertical jump. As for Edwards, his goal is to make a good impression in the 40-yard dash.
Edwards is a defensive linebacker on the football team, one of four Marauders selected for the 2021 East-West Bowl roster which identifies standouts for the 2022 CFL draft and in the CFL’s Top-20 prospects eligible for the 2022 CFL draft.
“[I’m] just trying to put everything I can right now into showing myself the best I can into the combine and seeing where it kind of goes for there . . . Everyone in the CFL is a really great athlete and the general speed is quite a bit faster than in the USPORTS league and in order to show coaches that I can play at that level, I really want to showcase that speed,” explained Edwards.
Arseneau is a wide receiver, tight end and full back for the Marauders. Like Edwards, he is one of the four Marauders selected for the 2021 East-West Bowl roster.
Although they grew up and came to McMaster in different ways, Edwards and Arseneau both attribute a lot of their success to the McMaster Marauders. Edwards grew up playing youth football with the Hamilton Junior Tiger-Cats whereas Arseneau was recruited from the United States. However, both are excited to be at this stage of their football careers and have their coaches and team to thank for that.
“I would say the person who has the greatest impact on me today would be Scott Brady, our defensive coordinator. He’s a very, very hands-on defensive coordinator when it comes to not only calling plays, [but] preparing us week-to-week on what our individual roles are going to be to help the team win . . . I think the way he makes you treat every day and kind of try to get better one day at a time was the biggest mentality shift for me that allowed me to kind of start to really grow and develop as a player and believe in myself,”
Nate Edwards
For Arseneau, not only did the coaches make a huge impact on his career, but alumnus tight end Blake Reason did as well. He was able to maintain a strong influence through his veteran experiences and advice that strongly helped Arseneau become the player he is today.
“I would say just having good mentors and role models in my life that kind of showed me how to properly prepare and be my best self. [Reason] was a great veteran; I had someone that really showed me how to work and prepare and do the right thing and make sure that I was competent in terms of knowing the playbook and knowing my plays and he showed by example every day what it's like to work hard and be a leader on the team and execute to the best of their abilities,” said Arseneau.
Another similarity between the offensive and defensive players was their favourite Marauders memory and greatest athletic achievement — winning the Yates Cup in 2019.
“You're grinding with your teammates, tensions get high, but we all want the same thing. We all strive for that goal and to have it actually come to fruition and be able to lift the Yates Cup — that was [the] greatest,” said Arseneau.
While this may be the end of the university chapter for these two Marauders, their experience, hard work and dedication to the sport of football will certainly help pave the way through these new experiences. The upcoming draft is a daunting prospect, but by continuing their training, supporting each other and their fellow Marauders and taking it one 40-yard dash at a time, great things can be expected from all six players.
