All of our elections have the same general process but, for each election, the time frames are a little bit different. For a general rundown, we have a nomination period that is open for a certain number of days. At the end of the nomination period, we'll have a meeting with all the candidates to go over the election roles, important dates and the timeline. After this meeting, the candidates start campaigning. We will just be monitoring the candidates' campaigns. Then, students can vote for the candidate that they feel would best represent them in the election.
What do you do?
I'm in charge of managing the elections department's administrative side. The Deputy Returning Officer works on all the promotions and social media. We both work together to make sure that the elections department runs smoothly and that elections are held fairly and equitably.
What drew you to your position?
I was the previous Chief Returning Officer for the McMaster Science Society. Through that position, I got a sense of why this work is important. You have a lot of power to promote and show the importance of running for elections and supporting the candidates who are passionate about running for a position. Student governance is really important and I feel like a lot of people don't recognize the work that many people who participate in student government do because a lot of the stuff that they do is behind the scenes. At the same time, it's the behind the scenes stuff that keeps everything running.
Student governance is really important and I feel like a lot of people don't recognize the work that many people who participate in student government do because a lot of the stuff that they do is behind the scenes. At the same time, it's the behind the scenes stuff that keeps everything running.
Brenda Lin, Chief Returning Officer, McMaster Students Union Elections Department
Can you elaborate on why student government is important to you?
Student government is a really good opportunity for people to get involved in the school and actually make decisions that are important to the students. It's a really good way for students' voices to be heard. Even if some of the things that we want may not be well respected by the school or may not be immediately enacted, even having the chance to voice your opinions is important. If you think about it in the sense that, “I don't think McMaster [University] would listen to me about my opinion, so I'm just not going to voice it,” then who is going to talk about what's important to the students? It's really important that students are advocating for themselves and, even if one person doesn't want to explicitly talk to the McMaster administration about something, they have representatives who are there to represent them in front of the school. Through these student governance opportunities, students have the opportunity to actually bring forward their concerns and actually make changes to see what they want in the school.
If you think about it in the sense that, “I don't think McMaster [University] would listen to me about my opinion, so I'm just not going to voice it,” then who is going to talk about what's important to the students?
Brenda Lin, Chief Returning Officer, McMaster Students Union Elections Department
What would you want others to know about the elections department and running for election?
Even though running for an election may seem daunting at first, we try to make the process as easy as possible by putting up resources and giving students as much of an opportunity as possible to ask questions and be an active participant. The elections department is always there to support candidates and answer any questions about running. Running for elections could be scary, especially if you're doing it for the first time, because you have to make a whole campaign and there are all these rules that you have to follow. But, I think it's also a really good opportunity for students to learn from the experience and put themselves out there.
We always welcome people to set up a chat to help walk them through the process if they feel that anything is unclear. We also want students to know the importance of voting in elections and how important it is to have their voice heard in the voting process, even if it just seems like a checkbox on a ballot. You may feel like your vote doesn't matter in the election. Each and every person who does end up voting, your vote definitely counts towards the result. While students may not have to be a super active member of the McMaster community, just casting your vote on polling day is really important.
We also want students to know the importance of voting in elections and how important it is to have their voice heard in the voting process, even if it just seems like a checkbox on a ballot. You may feel like your vote doesn't matter in the election. Each and every person who does end up voting, your vote definitely counts towards the result.
Brenda Lin, Chief Returning Officer, McMaster Students Union Elections Department
The Silhouette: Please introduce yourself.
Yumnah Jafri: My name is Yumnah Jafri. I’ve been a part of [the Student Walk Home Attendant Team] for two years now and this year I've taken on the role of being one half of the public relations and promotions team.
What is SWHAT?
SWHAT is the student walk home attendant team. It's a service that's fully run by a group of volunteers. We have around 100 volunteers who basically work together to provide safe and confidential walks to any student who needs them on weekdays from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
SWHAT is the student walk home attendant team. . .We have around 100 volunteers who basically work together to provide safe and confidential walks to any student who needs them on weekdays from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Yumnah Jafri, public relations and promotions team, Student Walk Home Attendant Team
What drew you to SWHAT?
Our volunteers are responsible and reliable people who are very passionate about making campus a safer place. So, what we have is a really strong community and connection with each other. It’s one that becomes stronger every day that we spend at our home base chilling, playing board games together, eating SWHAT provided snacks, making fun stories to promote our service or just attending our specific volunteer-based appreciation events. That's actually a huge reason why I joined SWAT. As a student who spent her first year fully online, when I first applied in my third year, I just really felt like I still hadn't really made those deep connections with the McMaster University community at all. I just felt very disconnected.
So, when I applied to SWHAT, it was to get to know my fellow volunteers, the students who use our service and the local neighborhood and area around campus. I just really love and I feel very strongly about what we're able to do for students who feel unsafe or uncomfortable walking home late. It just makes me feel like I'm a part of something bigger. As an executive, I've been exposed to reaching out to so many new people, services, events, things that I never even knew existed and I don't think I would have ever been able to know about by hadn't had this opportunity to be a part of this amazing team as a whole.
What’s one memory that helped you feel like a part of the SWHAT community?
One of my fondest memories is on a seemingly normal weekday night. Our team worked together to make, I feel, one of our best stories of all time. We parodiedBrooklyn Nine Nine’s “I Want it That Way” scene with our volunteer team. People were singing and they were so involved with it. Just seeing that made me appreciate that we don't just have a volunteer team that goes on walks and helps the community feel safe, we have such a good connection with each other and we make so many good memories just being on shift with each other.
What do you hope to see for SWHAT in the future?
As a PR executive, I have a huge hope that more and more people use our service. Even if it's not for them personally, I hope they’re able to direct others who do need SWHAT. For our walkathon specifically, we’re fundraising for this amazing charity: Niwasa Kendaaswin Teg. We donate a dollar for each walk to this charity, which is a multi-service Indigenous organization that provides services and helps foster Indigenous identity formation as well as, generally, a sense of belonging in culture and language for Indigenous peoples.
I know a lot of people feel uncomfortable or even scared of booking a walk. People can also feel awkward: “Oh my god, am I just gonna walk in silence with these two random strangers?” This service is here for you. It's fully confidential and all of our volunteers are open, friendly, individuals who would love to help students home with a walk.
For our walkathon specifically, we’re fundraising for this amazing charity: Niwasa Kendaaswin Teg. We donate a dollar for each walk to this charity, which is a multi-service Indigenous organization that provides services and helps foster Indigenous identity formation as well as, generally, a sense of belonging in culture and language for Indigenous peoples.
Yumnah Jafri, public relations and promotions team, Student Walk Home Attendant Team
What are some of the benefits to using SWHAT?
Apart from feeling safer when you're walking with a team of two people, when you request a SWHAT walk, you also get the chance to chat about life or whatever you're going through. I would say that's another big aspect of SWHAT. We provide accompaniment and comfort to people who may or may not be needing it and will always be there to chat with them about life.
Even though my first year was online, I definitely would have used SWHAT in my first year because it tends to be the year when people feel a little bit more uncomfortable being on campus as well as not knowing a lot of people. So, when you book a SWHAT walk, you have these really nice volunteers to chat with you. I think that's an amazing aspect and it just makes you feel so much better about being a part of our broader McMaster community.
So, when you book a SWHAT walk, you have these really nice volunteers to chat with you. I think that's an amazing aspect and it just makes you feel so much better about being a part of our broader McMaster community.
Yumnah Jafri, public relations and promotions team, Student Walk Home Attendant Team
The Silhouette: Please introduce yourself.
Subin Park: My name is Subin Park. I use she/her pronouns. I am the Arts and Culture Editor.
Jovan Popovic: My name is Jovan and I’m the Sports Editor.
Ana Mamula: My name is Ana Mamula. My pronouns are she/her and I am the Opinions Editor.
Chris Osadchuk: My name is Christina. I go by Chris. I am the Multimedia Editor.
The Silhouette: What made you want to join the Silhouette? AM: My entire life I wanted to write, but that field doesn’t really make the most money and is looked down upon. So, growing up I always wanted to do it, but I didn’t really think it was something I could just go into. But I still loved writing and I really just wanted to go into it. Now, I still love writing and that’s why it never feels like a chore.
CO: I was the Editor-in-Chief of my high school newspaper, The Bear Truth. I really enjoy student journalism. I think that it’s such a nice alleyway to pursue individual expression and to explore campus-specific issues while still being able to explore community issues in Hamilton. It’s just a great opportunity for students to be a part of something that’s bigger than themselves.
JP: I love journalism. At that point, I had been writing for eight years on some of my own websites. I always loved [The Blue Jays]. When I was just a kid watching them, I saw a commercial saying build your own website for free. I did and I’ve been writing about them ever since. That turned into writing for the Sil. Unfortunately, I stopped writing for my own website about two years ago. But, you know, I’d call this a pretty good upgrade now that people actually read my articles.
SP: I started participating in student journalism in high school. I wrote for my school’s newspaper, Graffiti. I made a lot of close friends and we had a lot of cool opportunities like going to the Toronto Star Awards for high school journalism as well. I wanted to continue that with the Sil.
The Silhouette: What's one really notable memory?
CO: Andrew is a part of a club called Absolute Pitch. He’s the band director and my best friend, Eileen, is the president. Absolute Pitch has their rehearsals after our Sil general meetings. One night, Andrew, Nisha, Eileen and I were sitting in the Sil office just going over random Pitch things and random Sil things and just chatting.
It became a jam session; there were mood lights and Andrew started playing an instrumental version of the Hamilton soundtrack. Eileen and I just started coming up with random verses and choreo and Nisha looked really worried and really disappointed. I think that made the video we took.
SP: There was a community initiative aimed at parents with cancer. At the time, I was also dealing with a family member who was diagnosed with cancer going through chemotherapy. So having that conversation while I was also coping with grief was really helpful. This year, I also covered Concrete Tales. It was about people who were experiencing homelessness and also substance abuse. They were coming to this eatery called 541 Eatery and Exchange. It showed me a side of Hamilton I didn’t really know about before.
The Silhouette: Since this is your final year at the Silhouette, is there a final message you want to give? AM: I’m so grateful for my time here and everything that I experienced. If anyone is reading this and debating on writing or joining our team, they really should. I’m very fricking shy and I still did it and I’m still having the time of my life. It’s such a good opportunity and it’s opened so many doors for me. I’ve grown so much as a writer.
JP: It’s really had a massive effect on my life. It’s provided a sense of community, it’s provided a place for growth, a place for new experiences and improving myself. This isn’t only in terms of journalistic skills but also learning how to communicate and work with a team, getting to know new people from interviews, establishing connections and networking, all kinds of things like that. There are so many elements to the job that ended up being significant life skills. Through and through a lot of the people I ended up meeting — whether it be friends who are co-workers or athletes who I ended up being friends with — I met them through the Sil.
Julio Diaz is a Multimedia Assistant at the Silhouette.
The Silhouette: Please introduce yourself.
Julio Diaz: I’m Julio Diaz. I’m a second-year health sciences student.
You’re a member of CANFAR. Can you tell us what that is?
CANFAR at McMaster [University] is a chapter of a larger organization called CANFAR. It stands for the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research. We raise money for HIV/AIDS research through fundraisers. They also provide bursaries for [graduate students] who are doing research. With that comes a lot of advocacy. At the university level, we find different ways to educate people about what HIV is as a virus but also as a social phenomenon. Generally, to do that, we look more at how HIV presents itself in 2023 rather than where it began.
What do you do?
I am public relations for CANFAR. Art is very important to me; it’s a way that I teach people about HIV through a lens that I enjoy. That means making graphics for CANFAR like designing their logo and the website. I do that with another person, Izma. Our goal is to make sure that we present information about HIV to the public in a way that is accurate, well thought out and considerate of student identities.
Could you elaborate on the focus on the presence of HIV/AIDS in 2023 rather than its past?
The way I see it is what is happening now with HIV is different from what it was before. In the 1980s, it was a lot more stigmatized. It was more of an issue that people see with homosexual men, which really meant men who have sex with men. However, there were other demographics in the 1980s that were heavily affected by it like intravenous drug users and sex workers. As we get to 2023, we see that the people affected are very diverse . . . It's recognizing that other demographics have always existed and beginning to focus attention on them. It's about making sure that everyone gets the information that they need, knows the best ways to prevent the chance of transmission and steps to take if they are at risk.
As we get to 2023, we see that the people affected are very diverse . . . It's recognizing that other demographics have always existed and beginning to focus attention on them. It's about making sure that everyone gets the information that they need, knows the best ways to prevent the chance of transmission and steps to take if they are at risk.
Julio Diaz, Public Relations, CANFAR McMaster
What are the goals that CANFAR has for the future?
We want to get self-testing kits out to the hands of the people at the university. It's a part of a research study that CANFAR is involved with and it would make testing a lot more accessible. Literature that I've read shows that self-testing can reduce stigma, specifically in young men who have sex with men when it comes to HIV and in pursuing preventative measures like pre-exposure prophylaxis, a medication taken to prevent the spread of HIV. Right now, the other focus is on creating awesome events that people want to come to where we help spread accurate, up-to-date information about the virus. We're also going to continue hosting fundraisers and we have an upcoming research symposium which is a great opportunity to learn about where the research is now.
What inspired you to join CANFAR?
I was reading memoirs and educational literature about HIV and how it had impacted the queer community. It's a very large issue as queer people have been targeted violently and that still resonates today with homophobia, transphobia and other forms of discrimination against the LGBTQ community. In reading about that, I knew that I wanted to get involved in some way at McMaster with HIV — that's when I found CANFAR. It's been a perfect fit for me in terms of fulfilling a lot of those desires I had when I was reading those memoirs and being emotionally impacted by the stories of gay men in their short time here.
What would you like to see in the future of CANFAR?
A change that I would love to see is to talk more about sex. It's still a huge mode of transmission, specifically sex between men. That is still a huge demographic impacted here . . . People are quick to think that this is an issue of the past. Because men who have sex with men, intravenous drug users and others are in the McMaster community, it's important to me that they know that this is still an issue that we need to be thinking about and take steps to protect ourselves. I just want to share what's out there so that people can take those steps. It's important to not dismiss the fact that, though we have made strides forward, it still impacts people here.
The Silhouette: Please introduce yourself.
Lillian Guy: My name is Lillian Guy. I'm a third year student in justice, political philosophy and law. I'm doing a specialized minor in commerce. To bring this high level philosophy down to earth, I'm also doing a minor in social Problems, social policy and the law to use this abstract philosophy and draw real world connections and implications.
What drove you to pursue all this?
Since high school, I was already mapping what I wanted to do. It really was just a matter of exploring McMaster [University] and finding a program that I thought would keep me interested and excited. Little high school me was very much: "At the end of those four years, I want to go to law school." So, naturally, my program stood out to me. But since being here, it's gotten a lot murkier . . . But I just love learning. I see myself just taking courses for a very long time, as much as that might hurt my wallet. I could definitely be a student forever.
Would you say you're happy with your program choices now?
Yes. It's been good in the sense that I've been able to hone in on my critical thinking, my writing, my reading comprehension and all those skills that are really transferable regardless of the discipline or the field. The pillars of justice and law, I think it's great. For me, the political philosophy aspect of it all is not my cup of tea in the sense that so much of what we talk about is centered on this ideal of what the world should look like when we need to look at what’s currently happening. We can look all we want at what we aspire to but if we never looked at what actually is, we're never going to bridge that gap.
A lot of the problems with academia and these institutions is you're either doing this high level abstract theorizing or you're doing the on-the-ground work but you don't have the background in the theories or the application. I think you can't really do one effectively without the other, especially if we're talking about driving social change. Academia isn’t necessarily built to support that. In terms of [McMaster University] as a whole, there are smaller departments that are driving towards that experiential approach to teaching and learning. We need to figure out how existing students and programs can learn from those innovative departments and personnel and knowledge actors. I think a big component is fusing the new and the old together. Right now, it's unfortunate so much of the onus is on individual people, whether it's students or professors to craft that type of interdisciplinary and on-the-ground approach. But we're working on it.
You’re the Vice President of Administration of MacMUN: McMaster University’s Model United Nations. How do you tie what you're pursuing in university and in life with your involvement with MacMUN?
It all really complements itself really well, both content-specific in terms of the politics of it all and the global approach to issues are reflected in that involvement. More broadly, I'm a type A person — I like to be in control and this relates to my aspirations in maybe the legal field, but also perhaps high level management of an organization or a nonprofit. Managing all the tiny little details that go into MacMUN really complements my academic interests and my personality in which I'm able to put in the effort and see tangible outcomes.
There’s a lot of pieces that have to fall exactly in place for our upcoming conference and it’s really exciting to see all of it coming together. There's definitely something for everyone. When people think about Model UN, they think it's very rigid. For the conference, we want to give people with all sorts of interests a place where they feel like they can succeed and have fun. You don't have to have taken a political science course, you don't have to be a tried and true public speaker. You can just be someone who is interested in what MacMUN is about — and that's bringing people together who envision a brighter world.
The Silhouette: Please introduce yourself.
Ayesha Basu: My name's Ayesha. I'm in my second year of [Chemical Integrated Biomedical Engineering & Health Sciences].
You posted an art piece with part of the caption saying, “You will post your bad days.” What inspired you to create and post the art piece?
I posted that roughly five months ago. It's a black and white sketch. In the caption, I detail that I'm irritated because of the lack of transparency on social media, that it's only used for your good days. I wanted mine to be very open and very transparent.
It was a pretty bad point in my life. When you're a kid and you go to therapy, they don't ask you out right how you're feeling. They don't ask you to really speak—they ask you to draw out anything. The thought is that when you draw things out, it's letting your conscious flesh out on paper. So, I drew out how I was feeling. That piece has a lot of scribbles, a lot of scratches on it because after I would draw and add what I felt was in my head, I would feel ashamed, or angry or saddened. And that's how that messiness of it came about. So, I just wanted to post that this is a bad day and that's okay. It's important to recognize that you have bad days and they should be honoured just as much as the good points in your life. The teaching is harder, it feels worse, but you come away with something still.
It's important to recognize that you have bad days and they should be honoured just as much as the good points in your life. The teaching is harder, it feels worse, but you come away with something still
Ayesha Basu
What inspired you to post it?
I'm an honest and blunt person. I feel very icky not saying the truth about how I feel. I post when I'm bored or when I haven't posted for a while. At that point, I really wasn't at the capacity to post something happy or just average-normal. But I did want to put something out there. I also put that as a milestone. A lot of my posts are milestones. If I come back to this later, I'll always know I was able to get better from that low point. I already did it before, so it's just a matter of doing it again.
A lot of my posts are milestones. If I come back to this later, I'll always know I was able to get better from that low point. I already did it before, so it's just a matter of doing it again.
Ayesha Basu
How did you feel coming out of that?
I was going through a decent amount of trouble with the people I knew and the people I trusted. So, social media is hard. One month, I archived all of my posts. I was so unsure of the people I did not trust seeing that part; why do they get to see that vulnerability? But, there are people out there who are completely new and they have the potential to be very very important people to me. But, I'm gatekeeping my personality, not because I want to, but because I have a fear of the people that I used to know. I don't want my past to shape the future people I know. So, I put everything back up. These are the things that happened to me in my life. From then on, I've been pretty transparent and I'm decently proud about what I want to announce in my life. So, if I make the decision to put something out there, I'm standing by it.
I was so unsure of the people I did not trust seeing that part; why do they get to see that vulnerability? But, there are people out there who are completely new and they have the potential to be very very important people to me.
Ayesha Basu
Where is the intersection between creating art for the purpose of creating art and creating art to express your story?
Once a teacher told me that you have to know the rules before you break them. For me, I don't know what I'm breaking but something is being broken all the time with the stuff that I draw. It's not skillfully artful but it is still art because art conveys a meaning. For me, the vulnerability of my art just enhances the craft itself. Refining and refining and refining, figuring out what you want to say and keeping it brief to stay within the character limit, what you want to draw with that and how that complements what you're trying to say. The common denominator is that it has meaning in some way. It's a translation of something. In my process, I'm just learning what it is.
Kimia Tahaie was an opinions staff writer of the Silhouette from 2021-22.
The Silhouette: Please introduce yourself.
Kimia Tahaie: My name is Kimia and I'm a third-year arts and science student. I'm also double majored in communication and media studies. I'm doing a semester abroad in Amsterdam to do journalism courses because that's what I'm going to pursue professionally.
Could you tell us a short summary of what the situation in Iran is like right now?
This all started with the brutal killing of Mahsa Amini. It's very important to note that this was not the first killing that happened under this Islamic regime in Iran. This is one of many. With the protests that have been happening in Iran, they're happening within shorter time frames. The gap is getting shorter and shorter. It just shows how sick and tired the people are of living in the regime. They're trying their best to stop us but people have been very persistent and they're protesting and even going out on the streets every night even though there's a very large chance of getting murdered. But there have been consistent acts of protest. There has been a continuous movement.
It's just been so many years of oppression. I feel like a lot of people don't know the extent of oppression we've been facing during these past years. We are deprived of the simplest rights as a society, men and women. For example, we can't have pets. If you have a dog, the dog will be taken away from you because that's haram. Iranian women can't bike, Iranian women can't sing, Iranian women can't go on the streets without a hijab. So there are so many elements that have just built up to these protests. That's why I am strongly against a lot of Muslim influencers who are coming out and saying that what Persian women are doing is inherently Islamophobic. That could not be further away from the truth. I think what really needs to be understood is that for me, that's not a hijab. For us, it's a piece of cloth that has been forced on our heads for years and years and years. To us, this is a symbol of freedom. We're not saying to ban the hijab; we're saying to give women the freedom to wear what they want and, in the bigger picture, to give freedom to the people of Iran.
I think what really needs to be understood is that for me, that's not a hijab. For us, it's a piece of cloth that has been forced on our heads for years and years and years. To us, this is a symbol of freedom. We're not saying to ban the hijab; we're saying to give women the freedom to wear what they want and, in the bigger picture, to give freedom to the people of Iran.
Kimia Tahaie
A lot of people think this is a women's movement. This is a human rights movement. Freedom for all. I think in America, Europe and Canada, everyone's very desensitized to Middle Eastern issues. I think this is very well-done propaganda because it groups us as poor people far away — the poor Middle Easterners that we can't do anything about. This can't be further away from the truth. This is not just the Middle Eastern issue: with the freedom of Iran comes the freedom of many countries. This is something I feel like people are forgetting. We have largely funded Russia, meaning that they can bomb Ukraine. This is not "just another Middle Eastern issue". This is way bigger than that. This is a very global issue. If we believe that, it will lead to the freedom of many, many other countries.
What can people outside of Iran do to help?
It's so important to not read what's happening in Iran as just another headline.
My people are literally giving their lives in the hopes of achieving very basic human rights. There’s an Internet shutdown in Iran so don't let [Mahsa Amini's name] stop circulating. Because the day that this dies down is the day that the regime can completely take over.
A lot of my friends, even those who aren't Persian, have asked their professors if they could have a few minutes to talk about what's happening. Consistently keeping yourself in the loop with what's happening and spreading awareness on social media is the most important thing. Also, just checking up on your Persian friends because they're not okay.
The Silhouette: Please introduce yourself.
Tinson Chen: My name is Tinson Chen. I'm a fourth-year student in the arts and science program and combining with computer science. I use he and him pronouns and I am the President of the Students’ Association of Arts and Science Students and the [Vice President] of engagement of the McMaster AI Society.
How did you become interested in AI?
The pivot to the liberal arts was a decision I made near the end of high school. Once I'd gotten into the program and knew I wanted to stay, I got involved with the student politics of [the program]. I was a year [representative], senior program advisor and now the president. It was a good last opportunity to bring back a bunch of sorts of traditions that the last pre-pandemic year of students know. The reason I got into AI was that it's the most cutting-edge thing. The way I started with Mac AI was that I was a humanities and social science coordinator since they all have different faculty coordinators. For science and engineering, it's clearer how it relates to AI. Whereas, in the humanities and social sciences, [there’s] less obvious connection to machine learning. So, my big role was getting humanities and social science people to be interested in it.
Why did you make that turn to liberal arts?
I wanted to keep my options open. It was the end of high school and I was talking to my guidance counsellor. I was interested in a lot of stuff, into trivia too, and she told me: "Hey, there's this program that's pretty reputable and let’s you pursue everything you want to do." She was talking about artsci. I also really wanted a well-rounded education and to avoid tunnel vision for AI. I think the liberal arts can really inform the philosophy and the ethics of AI.
Considering the breadth of your interests, do you know what you would like to pursue after your undergraduate degree?
My interests, academically at least, are to do with natural language and getting computers to create natural language. If we were to create a computer that could actually convince a human of its humanity, that is sort of equivalent to solving the problem. I feel like the channel of language is the key to what we call intelligence. So that's what motivates me and why I'm pursuing a minor in linguistics as well. Non-academically, I wouldn't mind taking a couple years to cook around different places, learn different techniques and travel a little bit. You know, just learn the ins and outs of cooking.
I feel like the channel of language is the key to what we call intelligence.
Tinson Chen
When did you become passionate about cooking?
Wow, this is really making me realize how much I've changed going into university. This was only for the last bit of high school. Once I got to university, I was in Bates and had a kitchen. This gave me the chance to cook a lot more and get the ingredients to experiment with.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Maybe Parkinson's Law: work expands to fill time. You can do as much as you'd like. You just have to do it all shoddily.
You can do as much as you'd like. You just have to do it all shoddily.
Tinson Chen
The Silhouette: Please introduce yourself.
Celina Ruan:My name is Celina. I am in my third year of the Honours Biochemistry program. I'm involved in a couple clubs at McMaster [University] such as the MSU SWHAT service. I'm also a part of the Wellness Outreach Team for the Student Wellness Center.
What is SWHAT?
SWHAT is a service under the MSU and it stands for Student Walk Home Attendant Team. We are a group of volunteer walkers that help walk students home. It is a free, confidential and safe service that provides free walks or [accompanied] bus rides to anyone in the McMaster community, on or off campus. We have a service area of around half an hour and we operate seven days a week from 7 pm to 1 am. We can walk anyone home during that time. Say someone has a night class and they don't want to walk them alone, they can request a walk ahead of time or just call in and we'll send off walkers with flashlights and walkie-talkies. Our services are to make sure everyone gets a safe walk home.
Why did you become involved with SWHAT?
I got involved in SWHAT in my second year in the winter semester. I applied to be a walker. I started in that semester and I thought it was just a really great community. All the [executive members] and other walkers are all really nice. It was also just a really nice space to go in the evenings, just to play board games or work while being there to bring safety to the community. Then, in my third year, I saw the opportunity to apply to be an exec. I thought the service that SWHAT provides was really important, especially because there have been some instances on or near campus that have affected the safety of McMaster students. It'd be really important to help provide a sense of overall safety and wellness to my classmates and other people in the McMaster community.
Some students are worried that they are too awkward or that it will be weird to have two strangers walking home with them. What do you have to say about that?
I think that can definitely be a hesitation for a lot of people to start using SWHAT. You might think: "I don't know if it'll be convenient. It'll be awkward." But we can promise you that we'll try to match your energy. If you prefer a quiet walk, we can join you on a quiet walk. But if you would like a conversation, we have two friendly and welcoming volunteers that can provide that for you on your walk home.
"I think that can definitely be a hesitation for a lot of people to start using SWHAT. You might think: "I don't know if it'll be convenient. It'll be awkward." But we can promise you that we'll try to match your energy. If you prefer a quiet walk, we can join you on a quiet walk. But if you would like a conversation, we have two friendly and welcoming volunteers that can provide that for you on your walk home."
Celina Ruan
We've had walks from campus to Shoppers Drug Mart, anywhere on campus or one of our most frequent requests is to parking lot M. I think some of the most common misconceptions are how many times you can use it. We are a free service and there is no limit to how many times you can request a walk. Our aim is just to provide campus safety.
How would a student book a SWHAT walk?
The usual process from start to finish on the SWHAT walk is pretty straightforward. So we get some requests using our Microsoft Teams form. So that can be booked ahead of time but a lot of our requests come from calls during our operating hours. You can call our dispatcher and we'll take down your name, time, location and even the gender of your choice for the walkers.
Any other comments?
Just don't be afraid to request a walk. Our service is there just so you can use it. We're active seven days a week and we're more than happy to provide a walk. Later in the fall semester, we'll be having an event called the Walkathon. For one month, we will select a charity or a nonprofit organization. For every walk that is requested, we will be giving $1 to that charity. If you're looking to walk somewhere and would like a partner, call SWHAT!
The Silhouette: Please introduce yourself.
Yiming Zhang: My name is Yiming and I’m in my third year of the [Bachelor of Health Sciences] at McMaster [University].
What are you involved with at McMaster?
I'm a pretty introverted guy. So when I go out to McMaster campus, you won't see me during spirit week or anything like that but I'll be in clubs. I'm a part of three clubs: the Meducator, McMaster Extra Life and Homework Help for Charity.
You say you are introverted. What leads you to try new things and put yourself out there?
A lot of times, trying things isn't really the hard part. People often have that mindset where they need to avoid 'wasting' time. I think that's a really big issue. No one wants to waste time. We want to be very sure of what we do. But, to some degree, I'm never going to be sure. Let's say the dance team wasn't mostly girls and let's say I knew how to dance. Maybe I don't know if I want to join the club, maybe it's too hard or maybe I don't like the atmosphere but I have to try to know. For the cover of the Meducator, someone else had the idea and wanted a volunteer. So I just offered. I think too much thought goes into it. It's only embarrassing if you think it's embarrassing. I think you just have to go for it.
"People often have that mindset where they need to avoid "wasting" time. I think that's a really big issue. No one wants to waste time. We want to be very sure of what we do. But, to some degree, I'm never going to be sure."
Yiming Zhang, third-year Bachelor of Health Sciences student at McMaster University
Have you ever used an English name?
I haven't. My name actually comes from a Chinese idiom. I think it's about this songbird that never sings, really just making it a bird. But once it does sing, its song is really beautiful. Here's the curse: I realized that I am painfully average at almost everything. For example, my sister [and I] are decent at swimming. That's good in comparison to other things we don't really know. I feel pretty average at studying. I'm average at piano and I've been doing piano from maybe grade four to Grade 12. A lot of time, I'm left thinking, "Okay, where's my song? Where's my talent? Why can’t I just have the talent?"
"I realized that I am painfully average at almost everything . . . A lot of time, I'm left thinking, "Okay, where's my song? Where's my talent? Why can’t I just have the talent?""
Yiming Zhang, third-year Bachelor of Health Sciences student at McMaster University
Some people just have a really big passion for something. Let's say drawing, you just see them drawing every single day [and] as a result, they get really good at it, right? For me, I think being average is kind of concerning because you can't manifest passion if you don't have it. I think that the passion aspect is critical. It just makes you feel, "Well I'm doing this, it's passable but they're doing this really really well". It doesn't always feel great but that's how it is. But I feel like then you'll find someone who's doing it really really well too. So eventually, being 'passable' isn't enough.
I don't have the strongest passion for piano. I love it but I don't think it's what I want to do. I can still practice for a long time but it can get tiring to practice the same thing for hours and hours and hours every day while I just haven't really gotten any better. I feel like if I had more passion, it'd be a lot easier.
But let me be clear, I'm not [going to] let it stop me from doing what I like. Even though I might say that something isn't my one true calling, I'll still try it. Yeah, it'd be nice if I was amazing at it, but that's all. I can't keep going like that. I can't just think: "Wow, I'm so sad and disappointed". You can still process your emotions like that but staying there doesn't get anyone anywhere. You're still where you started, albeit with a bit less emotional baggage. You can't let that stop you, you have to keep moving forward and do what you want.
"Even though I might say that something isn't my one true calling, I'll still try it. Yeah, it'd be nice if I was amazing at it, but that's all. I can't keep going like that. I can't just think: "Wow, I'm so sad and disappointed" . . . You can't let that stop you, you have to keep moving forward and do what you want."
Yiming Zhang, third-year Bachelor of Health Sciences student at McMaster University
