• Environment

    The buzz around bee appreciation

    How initiatives in the GTA are acknowledging and supporting the importance of bees People can easily recognize the environmental contribution that large animals such as wolves, deer and bears provide. This translates to individuals caring for their well-being and fighting to preserve their populations. But, people often forget about the little power-house pollinators. Bees are responsible for one out of every three bites of food. Sarah MacKell is the lead biologist of Wildlife Preservation Canada’s Native Pollinator Initiative. They say bees are necessary for more than just the production of honey.  β€œBees pollinate many food-producing plants. Some plants are completely reliant on them, and others heavily depend on them because…

  • Society

    For the love of cabbage 

    Many people think the same things when it comes to grocery shopping.  People walking through the automatic doors of their closest supermarket chain, rolling carts down the narrow aisles of produce and dry goods and finally waiting their turn to pay.  But those who overlook alternative ways to buy their groceries, miss out on the fresh produce and goods local farmers and vendors’ offer at markets. Especially during winter months. Within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), there are various year-round farmers’ markets. They have made a commitment to supporting local farmers and also committed to giving them a space to share their purpose, ethics and passion about what they grow…

  • Society

    Acknowledging Indigeneity and the land

     Indigenous treaties were written to ensure land was shared with non-Indigenous settlers. However, Indigenous Peoples and their territories were overtaken when Europeans arrived.  More educational institutions and organizations in Tkaronto and across Turtle Island, now known as Canada, are acknowledging this important history. One way is by implementing land acknowledgements.  Land acknowledgements are formal statements that acknowledge that Indigenous Peoples were the first to inhabit their traditional territories. They also highlight the strong relationship that Indigenous Peoples have with their land.  Acknowledging that relationship encapsulates how they live and what they believe in.  β€œIndigenous Peoples’ connection to the land is all about our ways of being and our ways of…

  • Society

    The writing table

    Writing is considered an activity that thrives in solitude. It requires the writer to focus on what they’re putting down on the page.  The author puts in the work of creating a story and therefore deserves for it to be heard. This is why writing groups aim to bring communities together and strengthen their connection through collaborative writing exercises and events. One thing every writer needs is consistency so their skills can develop. But being consistent is challenging when no one is holding the writer accountable. Writing groups can be beneficial for this for any writer, regardless of their experience level. Chris Fraser, the founder of Firefly Creative Writing, says,…

  • Environment

    Origins of a green thumb

    More ecosystems are deteriorating in the current climate crisis. Humans inhabiting the land is a heavy contribution to the depletion.Β  However, Indigenous Peoples today have never lost sight of their relationship with nature. Their treaties about trade, animals and fishing activities showcase their connection and respect to the land they inhabit.  Anna Flaminio is a professor in the department of criminology at Toronto Metropolitan University. Flaminio says the legal principles around such activities are in place to respect the land and animals.  β€œIndigenous nations have their own laws which espouse conservation and sustainable models of harvesting in order to ensure their kinship responsibilities to animal and fish relatives and to…

  • School

    Wellness within academiaΒ 

    A long standing practice in academia is the categorization of students based on their grades. Students feel being ranked by grades in post-secondary determines their next steps and whether they should stay within their chosen field of study.  Attending post-secondary comes with a heavier course load that doesn’t discriminate. Toleen Abdul, a fifth-year fashion design student at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), says high expectations come from professors regardless of program or major. β€œAs ableism is woven into the fabrics of higher educational institutions, universities are built to make students believe that if you can’t deliver to these high and often unrealistic expectations, that it’s a problem of your abilities and…

  • Health

    Detachment from reality as a coping mechanism

    People space out from time to time, especially while doing everyday activities. Daydreaming becomes part of daily lifeβ€”washing the dishes, attending a meeting or the morning commute to work. It’s an entirely innocent escape from what is happening in front of a person and is caused by someone being lost in their thoughts while awake.    However, some people go into an entirely different realm when they detach from what is happening in front of them. When this feeling becomes frequent and intense, this could be a result of someone experiencing dissociation.  A 2021 article by WedMD says that dissociation is a complete disconnect from reality as well as a person’s…

  • Health

    Finding solace in solitude

    When people hear the word loneliness, they often associate it with a negative connotation.  Feeling lonely can be uncomfortable due to the social pressures of having friends to talk to and do activities with.  Alone time is looked down on because people are naturally social creatures. People desire companionship throughout their lives, so the thought of being alone can seem unnatural. But being lonely is a frame of mind, because it’s more about feeling alone than actually being alone. It causes people to feel undesired by others, and it is this mindset that makes it even more difficult to venture out and seek human connection. In other words, loneliness can…

  • Health

    Functioning, but barely

    Over the years, the mental health community has stretched and expanded to support people with a variety of mental health issues. The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) says that one in five Canadians will experience a mental health problem in their life. Youth continue to take the biggest hit, as roughly 10 to 20 per cent of Canadian youth are affected by mental health problems.  The mental health community should be all-inclusive, but the reality is that it can leave the potential for some issues to fall by the wayside. Once a mental health problem is socially neglected, those who suffer from that problem may feel confused about what they…

  • Health

    Picture this: therapy, without the costs

    Emotions can be complex and puzzling, and not only affect your daily life but your outlook on the world around you. Sometimes, whirling thoughts can cause a state of brain fog and make it hard to put your emotions into words. This can be especially difficult when you try to address your mental health issues through traditional therapy that involves talking with a professional.  Luckily, there’s an alternative to the one-on-one therapy method: art therapy. Resources to Recover defines art therapy as a personal therapeutic session dedicated to using the visual arts as the main treatment tool. It puts a literal meaning to facing your problems. Don’t worry about not…

  • Society

    The dark side of the self-help industry

    The self-help industry has a large follower base because of its ability to captivate and motivate  those searching for the best version of themselves. The self-help market was valued at US$ 38.28 billion globally in 2019 and continues to grow each year, according to a report from Grand View Research. The economic and emotional distress the pandemic has placed on many has only made people want to be more financially secure, less stressed and more self-aware. There has also been an increase in pressure to develop skills in order to satisfy company goals at home, outside of the office.   The concept of improving oneself is normalized in society. On New…

  • Health

    Embracing the child within

    Everyone’s childhood is different. Some people have fond memories of running through a sprinkler on a hot day, playing with siblings and creating recollections that form their behaviours and personalities at an early age. However, as a person grows up and enters early adulthood they are often told to be professional, more mature and to suppress that child-like nature that made them who they are. This suppressed child-like nature is referred to as the β€œinner child.” The concept was created by psychiatrist Carl Jung, who says that everyone has an inner child.  A person’s inner child is the part of themselves that was created during their early stages of life.…

  • Lifestyle

    Life as an introvert

    The world is designed for extroverted people. Crowded places, strangers that want to have small talk while waiting at a bus stop and countless public speaking presentations at all levels of education are just a few examples.  That’s why the outspoken and socially assured receive praise for social qualities that, although are great to have, don’t come as easily to introverts.  These daily environments often make introverts feel anxious, giving them the urge to dodge talkative cashiers, cold calls and social gatherings.  It is not better to be an introvert or an extrovert, they’re simply different. One major difference is that introverts often feel excluded from the social corners surrounding…

  • Finance

    Dreaming of moving out at 18? Think again

    Moving out is an exhilarating experience for young people. The thought of decorating a new living space, having privacy and gaining independence can motivate young adults to save up and get out of their parent’s house as soon as they can.  However, while owning property at a young age may have been the standard 40 or more years ago, it isn’t anymore.  In today’s financial climate, buying property as a young adult isn’t an affordable possibility for many. Because of this, most people looking to move out often have to rent instead. More than half of Ontario homes are rented by adults between the ages of 25 to 34, according…

  • Environment

    Turning a blind eye

    People naturally want to avoid the problems that surround them. This is especially true when these issues are happening far away and do not affect them directly.  Climate change may have seemed insignificant and easy to ignore 50 or 60 years ago, but the habit of turning a blind eye to problems that should have been taken more seriously has made the climate crisis what it is today.  Joseph Desloges, a professor of earth sciences and geography at the University of Toronto, says the first signs of climate change included very hot periods, very cold periods and the speed of which changes occurred.  β€œAlmost half of North America was covered…

  • Health

    Seasonal depression: the not-so-colourful side to the changing seasons

    Many people look forward to fall and winter because of the aesthetic of sweater weather, hot drinks, snuggling up on the couch with a book or watching seasonal movies.  Although these elements of the chilly months are wonderful, the changing of seasons can be daunting for some people. The transition into the fall or winter can bring focus to negative aspects like the early dark evenings and the dry, freezing blizzards. A person’s environment has the ability to affect their mood and well being. The changing seasons can result in not wanting to leave bed and having little energy to do any activity at all.  Those that face the changing…

  • Lifestyle

    Finding comfort in the horror

    Some people crave thrill-seeking activities, even if it makes them nervous. For adrenaline junkies, this could mean skydiving, swimming with sharks or other pursuits that require someone to ignore their natural desire to retreat.  The same could be said for those who enjoy huddling on a couch and peering through their fingers while watching a scary movie.  Horror movies aren’t just popular around Halloween. Hit films like It: Chapter Two released on Aug. 26, 2019 made roughly $211.5 million, and The Invisible Man released on Feb. 24, 2020 made about $65 million.  These films are popular because of the sensation of adrenaline people get from watching them. An article published…

  • Health

    The slippery slope of sleepless nights

    Sleep is something that everyone needs and yet many people do not get enough of it. During the pandemic, there has been plenty of time to binge-watch Netflix in bed until the early hours of the morning or pull an all-nighter for an exam the next day. But these habits throw off our body clock and can cause people to fall asleep late and wake up even later.  Here are some basic tips you can follow to repair your sleep schedule from Toronto-based sleep specialists Dr. Colin Shapiro and Dr. John Peever. Get in tune with your body clock The term β€œbody clock” is just another name for the circadian…

  • Careers

    How to transform your home desk into a remote workspace

    Since the pandemic hit, there has been a sharp increase in virtual work. According to an article by PwC, 59 per cent of Canadian employees were working remotely as of July 2020. In addition, Ontario students went from enjoying extracurricular activities and exciting social lives to sitting for the majority of the day and staring at a bright screen. These students and virtual workers have had to learn how to work from their beds and crowded desks, all while sharing a space with roommates, talkative parents and barking dogs.  Regardless of the obstacles, many employees have gotten comfortable working from home with 64 per cent of remote workers saying they…

  • School

    Which way to class?

    During the pandemic, learning has become a juggling act. Ontario high school students have had to go back and forth between learning in a classroom with masks on and learning through a computer screen at home.  Both students and teachers have had to roll with the punches with new government regulations. After a restful summer, high school students have many questions about what their learning is going to look like come September.  For the Fall 2021 semester, the Ontario government announced a hybrid learning plan across the province in elementary and high schools. With the hybrid model, a student’s educational journey will be in their own hands.  A York Region…