Although summer break has begun, taking spring or summer courses can allow you to indulge in a personal interest course, and achieve a concurrent certificate or minor helping to advance your academic career
March 20 marked the first day of spring; the weather is becoming warmer and the sun is present for a longer time. For many, this beginning of spring symbolizes a fresh start. However, for university students this change in weather also signifies the end of an academic year.
Although this change is exciting as students can soon enjoy the wonderful weather without school commitment, extending the school year may not be as horrible as it sounds. By taking spring or summer courses, students are actually setting themselves up for various advantages.
I adore the feeling of walking to campus on a hot summer day and attending lectures within the cool buildings. In my opinion, there is no other feeling like studying in the library during the summer; the warm weather heightens the enjoyability of academics.
Before I go on, I would like to clarify that when I mention prolonging the academic year, I do not mean taking courses such as CHEM 2OA3 (Organic Chemistry I) or STATS 2B03 (Statistical Methods for Science). These courses are usually taken to lighten a student’s courseload during the traditional academic year, or repeated to obtain a higher grade.
Instead, I mean taking courses that you find interesting or may help you achieve a minor or concurrent certificate. I am a strong advocate for summer or spring courses. I believe that each student should voluntarily enroll in one spring or summer course during their academic career. Personally, I took four courses during the non-traditional academic school year during my first year of university.
Although I did not receive a break between my first and second year due to the four courses engulfing my summer, I do not regret spring or summer courses. In fact, I am very excited to enroll this semester once again. I adore the feeling of walking to campus on a hot summer day and attending lectures within the cool buildings. In my opinion, there is no other feeling like studying in the library during the summer; the warm weather heightens the enjoyability of academics.
And as someone who began university during the pandemic, spring or summer courses provide nostalgia due to the decreased number of students on campus.
I tend to find that the academic year can take us away from enjoying our personal interest courses since we have other courses to balance simultaneously. Although university is where our time management skills are repeatedly tested through academics and extra-curricular, that does not mean we can perform adequately 100 per cent of the time. Taking courses over the spring/summer term is a common way to engage in personal interest courses without sacrificing the grades or the content.
I am a student who enjoys planning to navigate the confusing realm of graduation requirements, especially since I would like to complete a minor or concurrent certificate. From experience, the spring or summer semester creates a wonderful opportunity to complete required courses that cannot be completed during the school year.
Some programs have specific requirements which may make it difficult for students to complete a minor or concurrent certificate. However, the warmer months may allow students to catch up on requirements permitting them to achieve these academic aspects as they are free to take whatever is offered.
I am a student who enjoys planning to navigate the confusing realm of graduation requirements, especially since I would like to complete a minor or concurrent certificate. From experience, the spring or summer semester creates a wonderful opportunity to complete required courses that cannot be completed during the school year.
Some requirements may be reserved for students within their respective departments, and at other times they become full before your course enrollment time opens. In addition, since the summer months entail students participating in various aspects such as co-op, travelling or research opportunities, more spots are open over the summer to enroll in the courses missed during the traditional academic year.
Overall, you may be averse to the idea of extending the school year into the summer. However, the spring or summer term allows for you to indulge in smaller class sizes on a free campus while simultaneously allowing you to focus on both the grades and course material for classes you may not have been able to take otherwise.
By: Hannah Marcus
Most McMaster University students have listened to a guest speaker at the beginning of class offering an exciting summer opportunity or seen a table in the student centre displaying images of “exotic” places where students can volunteer. The combination of travelling while contributing to a humanitarian cause is certainly enticing.
If volunteering abroad is something you might be interested in, the following considerations can serve as a guide for making informed and ethical decisions. A good place to start when assessing an organization’s merit is through viewing how it advertises its projects.
How does the organization frame the volunteer experience? While dolphin rides, rainforest excursions and local village tours may seem attractive, if such components comprise the organization’s central advertisement strategy, the project’s goal is likely to provide a fun experience rather than helping the local community in any meaningful way.
The depiction of local communities through exoticized imagery — a tactic implicitly disparaging of those represented — is another aspect of the organization’s promotional strategy to be wary of.
Besides advertisements, it is important to question who is running it. Is it run by the same company facilitating the trip, a locally-based non-governmental organization, community workers or locals?
Generally, if the project is planned and implemented by the company rather than a local organization within the community, it is justified to question if the project is targeting community needs over volunteer interests.
Another necessary consideration is the length and cost of the project. Given the time restraints for volunteering overseas as a student, you may wonder then if it is possible to contribute anything meaningful.
The answer lies not necessarily in the length of your trip but in the duration of the project itself. Will your few weeks spent abroad contribute towards a long-term project that will endure for several years after your departure? Or has the organization constructed an artificial project catered to your short timeline of service?
In regards to cost, be wary of organizations charging astronomical amounts. It is not uncommon for the majority of your money going towards the volunteer company rather than the local community itself.
Finally, of greatest importance, is the question of exactly what you will be doing overseas. As a general rule of thumb, if you are not qualified to do such things in your home country, you should not be doing them abroad.
More flexible labour laws and a so-called “local skills deficit” do little to address your lack of qualification and risk of exploiting local people for your own gain. There is no reason to believe a 20-year-old westerner is better equipped to build a local school, plant trees or implement a new educational program than the very individuals who know their community best, and would likely appreciate the employment themselves.
In contrast, things like teaching English at the request of the local community, completing small tasks under the direction of local leaders or simply being a passive observer of locally-led community initiatives for your own educational exposure are common volunteer responsibilities characteristic of projects grounded in a more ethically-oriented, community-centric approach to international development.
So next time a guest speaker comes to your class to talk about a summer volunteering opportunity or you come across an international volunteer poster on campus, you can take out your mental toolbox to critically assess the merits of the organization.
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With summer only a couple of months away, McMaster students are beginning to consider how they should spend their four-month break from school.
Check out the flowchart below to figure out what you should do this summer. (Click on the image to see it larger)
At a Public Works meeting on Nov. 4, MSU president David Campbell and VP (Finance) Jeffrey Doucet briefed councillors on the MSU's proposed improvements to HSR service. The MSU is exploring a 12-month HSR student discount or a student opt-in during the summer, in addition to expanded service on the 51 route.
The MSU-HSR agreement expires every three years and is currently under renegotiation.
The MSU's proposed changes would cost roughly $400,000 more, according to the HSR's estimate. Negotiations are underway regarding how much of the cost would be shouldered by students and how much the City would invest. The results of the negotiation, including potential student fee changes, are expected to go to referendum in January 2014 during the MSU presidential election.
Before Campbell and Doucet began their presentation at City Hall this morning, some committee members questioned whether the MSU should address the committee with negotiations underway.
"I just need some clarity on the delegation - are we in negotiations with McMaster?" councillor Powers asked. "This is very awkward."
"You're going to have people who are negotiating with the City speak their case in public while binding the City from speaking their case in public," another councillor said.
The meeting's chair clarified that the committee was only to listen to the presentation and not take action.
After the initial confusion, Campbell emphasized that the MSU wanted "to give an update on the work [they are] doing with transit as it relates to retention in the city."
Currently, students pay $126.15 for an 8-month bus pass effective between September and April. Summer students may choose to buy a discounted HSR pass at $71 per month.
"Students are very happy with the value of our bus pass...but students have indicated to us that they want to invest more into transit to target enhanced service to the campus during the day as well as summer service. Those are the two issues students want us to work on," Doucet said.
The MSU also proposed that a further discount on summer bus passes would give students incentive to stay in Hamilton during the summer and consider staying in the city long-term.
When asked about summer student demographics, Doucet said about 6,000 students took summer classes last year, but most were taking just one or two courses.
"We see a lot of students getting research-type grants and who are working on campus but might not be in classes," he added.
During the question period, councillors were interested in whether enhanced service would lead to an increased student presence outside of Westdale.
"Students staying around in the summer - it's a huge factor in them being able to see the value in living in the city long-term," Campbell said. "We think the two main obstacles to students staying around in the summer are jobs and then the difficulty of getting to the jobs."
The MSU will meet with HSR representatives later this week to discuss their proposal submitted in August.
Raise your hand if you are prepared for the onset of fall. I see no hands. Now although there is no literal audience in front of me, and thus that may be the only reason I see no hands, can we really expect to see an audience full of students eagerly flailing and shouting? Hardly. A few words of comfort for you, though: The beginning of autumn falls on September 22nd.
To help savour the last few days of summer, as though they were the lingering sweet drops of My Dog Joe’s peachy green iced tea, we have prepared for you a couple recipes that are guaranteed to satisfy a sweet tooth. First up, the BBB’s. Brownies at their absolute finest because they are, as they say, “guilt-free.” It’s easy to scoff at the concept of guilt-free treats. There is no justice system surrounding calories. But all brownies are most definitely innocent until proven guilty. Regardless, these bad boys will stand the test of justice, or any test for that matter, as easily as you could eat the whole batch.
Their street name? Bad boy brownies. Their good girl name? Black bean brownies. This secret ingredient, hiding in the vegetable aisle, is a small but mighty miracle when it comes to maintaining a dangerously fudgy quality.
Now this second recipe is a childhood favourite turned “inside out”. Literally. Take a peanut butter cup, wait until the opposite day, and ogle at the magic bringing the peanut butter to the surface and the chocolate to the center. What better use could magic have? And if you fear putting anything into an oven, this is the sweet for you. Because all it requires is multiple episodes of freezing! If you’re afraid of the freezer though, I would suggest checking out the swanky student wellness lounge and talking about it.
Inside Out PB Cups
Level 1/2 cup powdered peanut butter or PB2 (48g)
•1/4 cup virgin coconut oil or cacao butter, melted (40g)
•4 tsp pure maple syrup (20g)
•heaping 2 tbsp melted semi-sweet chocolate of choice (or full-sweet to up the bad boy vibes) (32g)
•1 tbsp of butterscotch chips
•mini cupcake liners or candy molds
Mix the powdered peanut butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup in a bowl, and stir well to form a paste. Smooth a little under 1 tsp into each of ten mini cupcake liners, going up the sides just a bit. Put the cupcake liners into a mini muffin tin. Freeze 10 minutes. Divide the chocolate evenly among the liners and freeze again. Then sprinkle the butterscotch chips over top. Finally, top with remaining peanut butter paste. Freeze again until solid.
BBB’s
•1 1/2 cups black beans (1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well) (250g after draining)
•3 tbsp cocoa powder- dutch or regular (10g)
•1/2 cup quick oats (40g)
•1/4 tsp salt
•1/3 cup honey (75g)
•2 nunaturals stevia packs or 2 tbsp sugar (or omit and increase maple syrup to 1/2 cup)
•1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil (40g)
•3 tsp pure vanilla extract
•1/2 tsp baking powder
•2/3 cup chocolate chips (115-140g) (Not optional. Omit at your own risk.)
•optional: more chips, for presentation
Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients except chips in a good food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Really blend well. (A blender can work if you absolutely must, but the texture—and even the taste—will be much better in a food processor.)
Stir in the chips, then pour into a greased 8×8 pan.
Optional: sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top. Cook the black bean brownies 15-18 minutes, then let cool at least 10 minutes before trying to cut. Makes 9-12 brownies.
This summer, my parents put a pool in the backyard. Now that it’s here, and despite the cost of putting it in, the secondary spending phase of wanting to purchase every accessory imaginable has kicked in: floating basketball net, fountain-cum-disco-light-show, blow-up air mattresses… you get the picture. And yet, it was the purchase of a standard pair of goggles amidst the excessive pool toy glory, that made me more quietly angry towards a piece of plastic than I’ve felt in a long time.
I’ve never thought of goggles as in any way political. They’re utilitarian devices that seem pretty innocuous in the scheme of things. But when the three different types stocked for purchase are “children’s,” “women’s” and “adults’”, something political is being said – and I don’t appreciate it.
In case you didn’t catch that, by making a distinction between goggles made for women and goggles made for adults – not “men,” “adults” – the company in question is implying that women are not adults, that women somehow have different goggle needs than adults, and that selling the exact same model of eyewear except in baby blue and pink rather than the adult black and grey, is somehow indicative of a person’s gender.
It’s not hard to dispute any of those claims. Women are legally adults past the age of 18 – as are men, women’s skulls aren’t much different than men’s, and pastels versus shades have nothing to do with anatomy. So the question remains, why did that company differentiate their product lines?
When I called to find out, they explained that the ladies ones come in different colours and are slightly smaller to fit a woman’s face. Generalizations on face shape aside, that doesn’t explain why women are placed in a category distinct from adults. For how is one over-the-phone customer service representative supposed to explain to me the history of patriarchy and how its strange and far reaching effects came to influence the minds of passively sexist men – and probably women – who designed the product packaging, who approved it for sale, and thought nothing of what those two little labels mean.
A few months ago, a video of Ellen DeGeneres ripping into Bic pens on her talk show went viral. Her scathing attack on Bic’s new line of women’s-only pens “For Her” was humourous, poignant, and sad in that such a product would actually exist to necessitate that segment of her show. “We’ve come a long way, baby,” she quipped. I echoed her frustration in the swim section at Walmart.
To a point, they’re just goggles. And I recognize that. But it’s little things like this that worm their way into our collective subconscious and have a big impact on how we see the world. It is because of our repeated exposure to images and products and situations that quietly, subtly, put down women that we don’t notice – and don’t care – when obvious attacks on women’s rights stare us straight in the face. That’s why half of all women in Canada have experienced physical or sexual violence, and why many women still make 77 cents for every man’s dollar, and the abandonment of female newborns for preferred male offspring is still a major problem around the world.
Next month will see the (re)introduction of a feminist-focused column into The Silhouette’s opinions section. I encourage you to write for it on any variety of topics under the umbrella of feminism, i.e. the struggle for equality of all people no matter their gender, colour, or sexual preference. Share your stories, your frustrations, your involvement in good things that are making a difference. Write about who’s creating change, and who’s not but should be. Write if you’re male, female, trans*, queer. Write from a respectful and informed place.
And in the mean time, don’t let the goggles get you down.
Would I rather be unemployed, or work for free? That’s a question many of us face at some point during our time at university and after we graduate.
Internship season is well underway and those of us who aren’t already employed are probably looking for positions that will open doors. Job-hunting beats watching another rerun of that show we hate (in theory). But the reality is that a lot of internships for students don’t pay very much, if at all. In industries like arts, culture, and journalism, the number of qualified applicants far surpasses supply of internships (even unpaid ones). I’ve come across many enticing job postings that pay about minimum wage, are unpaid internships, or are labeled as “volunteer/internship” (it’s confusing because I don’t think of the two as the same, and yet I see the terms conflated or used together more often).
Scrolling through job ads, the question comes up again: Sit around for X months or make an effort to gain “valuable experience,” even if that means you’re not earning an income?
For some, the answer to that question will be fielded by asking other questions: “Do I need more experience in this industry?” “Will this internship actually provide me with valuable experience?” “Will doing unpaid work pay off later?”
For others, the decision hinges mainly on affordability. A recent article in the Guardian contends that “Unpaid internships and a culture of privilege are ruining journalism”—in other words, unpaid internships open the door to those who can afford to be journalists and discourage those who can’t buy their way in. Students who don’t receive financial support need to pay for groceries, housing and utilities before anything else. Taking on a part-time job while doing an unpaid internship is an option, but it’s tiring and it means you’re not at the same start line as everyone else. Transportation costs add up, too. If it’s a two-hour commute per day, that turns out to be a large chunk of the summer—time that could be spent launching a start-up, taking a course to get ahead, or just taking time off to relax.
It’s not just a moral issue but a legal one as well. Media coverage has been picking up on what kinds of internships are legal and which aren’t. It’s one thing to volunteer for a non-profit organization that you care about—it’s another to replace a paid employee. If you’re doing work you didn’t sign up for or aren’t getting any training out of an unpaid internship, the position may be illegal.
When it comes to job hunting, it can be shortsighted to give ourselves ultimatums that revolve around unpaid work (“Should I take this unpaid internship now or do nothing?”). That mentality makes it easier for us to neglect our other options and disregard our potential as self-starters. When faced with a tempting unpaid internship, we should instead be asking: “Why should I take this? Is it the best fit for me right now, and would I get the same out of it as my employer?” Forget everything you’ve read or heard about ‘entitled millennial’ – an unpaid stint is at best an exchange between intern and employer (labour for training and experience). At worst, it’s an exploitative measure that makes it more okay for other companies to keep posting volunteer positions without looking at funding options.
Even if you barely have any job experience, I’d encourage you to think twice about digging into an unpaid internship. Ask why you need it, if you really do. If you feel like it is a good fit for you, be upfront about your goals and find out if they’re attainable before you go through with it. Learn as much as you can.
Jennifer Bacher / Silhouette Staff
Bags
Forever21 = Studded Clear Tote $23.80
This lightweight clear tote is ideal for those lazy days at the beach.
Dresses
H&M = Patterned Dress $24.95
Go wild for this bold patterned dress. Not only is the price great, but you can feel great by doing the environment right: this dress is made from 100% recycled material.
Shorts
Target = Frayed Dip Dye Shorts $19.99
Get in the summer spirit with these brightly dyed shorts. Target has an array of colours to go with any summer style.
Hats
Aritzia = Talula Pelham Hat $28
Stay sun-safe with this stylish straw fedora.
Shoes
Old Navy = Colour-Blocked T-Strap Sandals $20.94
These sandals come in many bright colours and styles, all under $30!
Scarf
Zara = Rustic Cotton Scarf $39.90
This bold print is perfect for any summer occasion. The cotton blend will keep you cool during the day and warm on cold summer nights.
Moisturizer
Sephora = Korres Yoghurt Cooling Gel $23.50
The ultra-soothing gel provides lasting hydration and comfort for those long days in the sun. Use this when you stayed out a bit too long and need some scorch relief.
Sunglasses
American Eagle = AEO Square Sunglasses $15.50
What’s a sunny day without sunglasses? AE has many colours to choose from.
You had a job pressing orange price stickers on discount bottles of shampoo, a nametag pinned to your shirt tucked in to your bellybutton-high pants. In your free time, you re-organized socks at home and read your mother’s copy of 50 Shades of Grey. And be honest, you liked it a little.
This is how you spent your summer.
But your friends don’t have to know that.
Successfully fool those around you into thinking you spent a rocking four months with these simple tips:
Work With It
Your mind-numbing job has left you with a glaze over your eyes - use this to your advantage. By nodding slowly when your friends talk about their summer adventures, your now-permanent look of boredom will make you appear blasé, nonchalant and other vaguely French words.
Waste Money
Buy something unnecessarily expensive to flaunt during your friendly reunions. The gaudy items will make it seem as though you’ve been living large all summer. Your old friends will assume you befriended celebrities in Silicon Valley, and you might make a few new ones, attracted by your shiny baubles. You can afford to splurge this one time, seeing as the only thing you spent money on this summer was clearance-shelf chocolate.
Fake It
Somehow, the flickering fluorescents and perpetually-closed blinds have left your skin pasty and white. This is a problem, because if there’s one thing that says “bikini babes and beach volleyball,” it’s a tan. Actually: tan lines. Take some self-tanner and apply it around your sleeve, shorts, and watch edges. It doesn’t have to be perfect, heck it doesn’t even have to be good. It just has to show everyone how much time you spent soaking in the rays. If you’re feeling real crafty, put self-tanner on your face, outlining those Ray-Bans you totally lost on that girl’s sailboat.
Lie Through Your Teeth - Literally
“Well Venice was alright, I found it rather droll compared to the rich culture of Malaysian villages.” “The yacht was at least as big as BSB, I swear, when you include the dolphin sanctuary out the back.” “Interestingly enough, it turns out the hot-tub could hold another three people.”
“It was great.”
All these lies and more are at the tip of your cortex. Just make sure you keep your stories straight: was the redhead the one you skydived or snorkelled with?
Remember: as you spew these tales, just keep smiling. It’ll guard their trust.
At the end of the day, you’ll have spent a productive, useful summer avoiding skin cancer, but your friends will think you’re pretty much Batman. Batman, who spent his summer fanning himself with hundos in the British Not-Quite-Virgin Islands.
Summer Fling: a popular warm weather sport played between the months of May and August. An average match lasts 8 to 12 weeks (give or take a few) and involves two people in a commitment-free form of human interaction, sharing prolonged eye contact and tender moments.
During the summer months it’s always fun to have a little adventure. Whether that be traveling to a new destination, cleaning out your closet, and for some, sparking the fire of a quick summer fling.
Summer romances can be a great way to pass time and feel loved for a few months before the bustle of school starts up again. But what do you do if September comes around and your temporary significant other just won’t let go? Is it possible to break off a summer fling without somebody getting hurt?
“If you’re having a summer fling, you should treat it just as that,” explains second year English student Jamie. “You can’t expect anything more from it, it is what it is.”
That being said, if you have somehow managed to land yourself in the predicament of a summer fling that just can’t be flung, there are a few steps that can be taken to cool the hearth of a heat wave love affair.
If at the start of your relationship you let your partner know that you were not ready for a commitment then thumbs up to you, because you’re already one step ahead! When keeping a casual relationship, it is important to let your other half know what you plan on getting out of this arrangement. If you didn’t let them know up front that for you this was just a four month free-for-all, sit down and let them know that quite simply, it would not be a good idea for you to continue your relationship. If need be, bring up all the commitments that you are already tied to come September - school, work, sports, your Sims family, whatever it is that could potentially cause problems when trying to maintain your relationship.
“It’s when people start anticipating something more from the relationship that problems develop. I personally don’t think summer flings are a good idea or that they can last because someone will almost always end up getting hurt,” stated second year Linguistics student Jenna.
No one should be getting hurt in this situation. There should be no need for you to abruptly end the relationship or suddenly start ignoring the person. Take the time to talk through what is going on and slow things down. And when I say slow things down, let’s make this obvious: I mean between the sheets. Give it a week or two and gradually work your sexual encounters down to a glacial pace, making them as few and far between as possible. It will soon become obvious that you aren’t interested anymore or that you just don’t have the time. Don’t suddenly leave them high and dry (so to speak) after four months of a pretty wild schedule; no one likes feeling used.
Summer flings can be fun and manageable, so long as you make sure not to rush into a relationship you aren’t prepared for. Try to keep the commitment light and airy, especially when it’s nearing its natural end. If in a role reversal you are the one having difficulties letting go, try not to take the blow too hard and understand that in most cases summer flings are just that, nothing more. Reminisce about the good times you did have and rethink how you might handle a similar situation next summer.
If you like it, then you shouldn’t put a fling on it.
