• Society

    Thanks, I manifested it 

    In 2020, Sarah O’Neill found herself scrolling through TikTok one night and came across multiple videos of people “manifesting.” Users on TikTok were sharing tips on how people can fall into alignment—create a meaningful life based on their unique purpose, attract personal desires and live abundantly. Creators were claiming that people could manifest pretty much anything they could dream of—a relationship, good grades, financial and career success.  Curious and intrigued, O’Neill decided to do some of her own research on manifesting and began to incorporate some of the practices that were being promoted on social media into her daily life. She bought a journal and started to write down all…

  • Health

    Disconnecting online to reconnect offline

    When Alyssa Alibaksh entered the workforce in 2020, she had never expected to be working from home and spending most of her time on digital devices. Not only was she online for seven to eight hours a day for work, but she also found herself looking at screens a lot during her free time.  “I end up going from one screen to another and even though the other half of my day is spent looking at things just randomly and leisurely and not anything focused on work, it’s still a great amount of time spent staring at a screen,” says Alibaksh, who works as a communications specialist at a bank. …

  • Careers

    The future of work

    “A lot of times people say the new generation is lazy, but I don’t think we’re lazy—we just have resources,” says Gaurav Chauhan, who works in technical sales and support for a marketing agency.  With an interest in computers, Chauhan pursued computer engineering in college. When COVID-19 hit, resulting in many jobs in the IT field becoming automated, he started to question his career choice and thought more about the jobs within his industry that will be in demand in the future.  “I think cybersecurity is something that catches my eye because I know that people are going to be using technology a lot and they’re going to be needing…

  • Health

    Safe places to fall apart

    Beige tote bags with the print “mental health over everything” lined the table outside of the entrance of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s auditorium on the night of Nov. 1, 2021.  Guests arriving to see Rosa Laborde’s True—a play about the traumatic effects that alcoholism and domestic violence can have on a family—were offered self-care bags that included resources such as tissues, a note pad, pen, a bag of stress relief tea and a stone engraved with the word “hope.”  True is one of the many pieces involved in Rendezvous with Madness Festival (RVWM)—an annual event that shines a light on mental health through art installations, educational workshops,…

  • Society

    Celebrating heritage through art

    In August 2021, Sabrina Fontaine,  a 25-year-old artist from London, Ont., opened her online store Miskomin Manidoomin. Fontaine, who is currently residing on the COM: Chippewa of the Thames, Oneida Nation of the Thames and Munsee-Delaware Nation, says that her store name roughly translates to Raspberry Spirit Beads.  While art has always been a part of her life, she has not been very public with it until recently. “I’ve always been kind of shy and private about it,” says Fontaine. “This year with COVID-19 I kind of just decided, you know what, I’ve been doing art my whole life, so let’s put it out there.”  Fontaine says that when she…

  • Finance

    Capitalizing on creation

    In February 2020, tickets to the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit Toronto were made available to purchase for $39.99. Located at 1 Yonge St., digital art projections of some of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings such as Starry Night and Sunflowers were cast upon the 600,000 cubic feet during the 35-minute experience that was offered to guests. The event was so successful that it was brought back to Toronto in 2021. Vincent Van Gogh was a perfect example of the “starving artist.” Throughout Van Gogh’s life as a painter, he suffered mentally, physically and financially. His work was unknown until March 1901 when 71 of Van Gogh’s paintings were displayed in…

  • Creative

    On longing, whirlwind and enchantment

    Longing: the recognition of what could or what would have been if the circumstances were different. Whirlwind: the intensity of emotions and inner chaos that was felt when everything came to a standstill.  Enchantment: finding the delight in the motion, murmurings and the unknown.  Living in Technicolour was an event showcase that explored senses, emotions and feelings associated with grasping the new realities that we live in. Longing, whirlwind and enchantment were the main themes of the show and each artist involved represented one or all of the themes throughout their work.  Kensington Kreators provided a grant to the Living in Technicolour collective to support the businesses, artists and performers…

  • Society

    Connect, compare and compete

    Natalie Evans, a media and communications professor at the University of Guelph-Humber, still remembers using a typewriter to complete her assignments when she started university in the mid-90s.  Connecting with peers and professors used to be an in-person ordeal during Evans’ undergraduate degree, but it changed quickly. “Even within that three to four years, I went from having a typewriter to having internet and computer at home,” she says.  Today, the internet is a large part of society and has shifted the way that people communicate with one another. An academic study found that the iGeneration—those born between 1995 and 2012—spend less time interacting in-person and more time on digital…

  • Lifestyle

    The stories our toys tell

    Long gone are the days of Tamagotchis, Bop It and Barbies. However, certain toys contain more sentimental value than others and often evoke nostalgia in individuals as they reminisce on the experiences they had with them.  Youth Mind reached out to some individuals about their favourite toys growing up, and asked what made them so special.  Martina’s kitty  My favourite toy growing up was this little brown stuffed cat who I very creatively named Kitty. The story is that I stole her from my mom, who stole it from her brother when they were growing up. I took her absolutely everywhere with me for quite a few years. She got…

  • Society

    A blanket for the soul

    Music is present in every known culture on earth and has ancient roots that extend as far back as 40,000 to 80,000 years ago.  It is integral to the culture and development of societies, and the individual people that live in them. Music is so important that it comes as no surprise that many people have an especially strong connection to the songs they heard during important developmental periods of their life. Research shows that music has several psychological functions and can help people cope with their emotions. Because there is such a strong tie between music and emotions, particular songs can “transport” people back to the past and bring…

  • Health

    Looking inward

    “I struggled a lot with derealization and depersonalization in my teenage years,” says 21-year-old Lisa-Sophie Berthold, an architecture student from Munich, Germany. “Since then, whenever my head starts feeling cloudy, I make a conscious effort for more self-awareness and evaluate what I can do to feel more like I actually belong to the world instead of just walking on it.”  Self-awareness is defined as the ability to examine oneself with objectivity. Having a high level of self-awareness allows people to understand their strengths and weaknesses, and make better decisions in life based on self-knowledge.  Berthold says that going to the gym has been a beneficial practice for her. “Whenever I…

  • Lifestyle

    How to feel like you’re travelling (even if you can’t)

    There is nothing quite like experiencing a new country, culture and environment. Travelling for pleasure is a commodity that often entails new experiences, gaining a different perspective and making lifelong memories. Statistics Canada reported that international travel to and from Canada declined from 96.8 million travellers in 2019 to 35.9 million in 2020.  Travel and border restrictions were enforced in March 2020 in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. But now as cases are declining, vaccination rates are increasing and borders are reopening, travel in the near future is on the minds of many.  However, leisure travel can also be out of reach for people who do not have…

  • Health

    One size does not fit all

    Lindsay Dobson, program coordinator at Hopewell Eating Disorder Support Centre in Ottawa, saw a dramatic increase in clients registering for support group services in summer 2021.  Hopewell is a support centre that offers low-cost accessible services such as group therapy and arts and yoga classes. They also offer educational programs for both those struggling with an eating disorder, as well as friends and family members who are affected. Dobson says that the day she opened online registration to the public, the spots were filled in less than 24 hours.  “Before COVID there was already a high demand for support. Now there is even more,” she says. “This is not going…

  • Society

    Faith in the time of COVID-19

    “It is a time where everybody started questioning the validity of everything,” says Sahar Roy* about the outbreak of COVID-19. Roy is a fourth-year visual arts student at York University who grew up in Southern India, where she currently resides.  Roy is Muslim, but has a mixed race background as her father is British Indian. “My faith gives me a sense of direction, especially in a time of such unpredictability.”  In order to contain the virus last year, churches, temples, mosques and other places of worship were forced to close and transition to online platforms. Some virtual faith groups have had massive success amidst the pandemic. Alpha, a Christianity course…

  • Health

    Exploring the benefits of being outdoors

    Have you ever wondered why going on a camping trip or spending a weekend at the cottage is so alluring? Why, even during the government’s stay at home orders, a daily walk was not only encouraged, but called a necessity? There is scientific evidence that shows the myriad of physical and mental health benefits of spending time outside.  Mental health issues continue to plague the country, with stress and anxiety on the rise due to the impacts of COVID-19. Statistics Canada released the results of their online questionnaire which showed the decline of mental well-being amongst the general population. The results reported that youth, ages 15 to 24, are suffering the most with almost…

  • Environment

    Eight tips for travelling sustainably

    After a long travel hiatus and many months spent indoors, the idea of travelling again has undoubtedly been on many people’s minds. From surfing in Sydney, to salsa dancing in Spain or sightseeing in Santorini, there’s something dreamy about exploring a new locale far away from home. However, it’s important to remember the impact that leisure travel has on the environment. By making wise decisions, you can play an active role in reducing your carbon footprint while still going on globe-trotting adventures. Here are some easy sustainability tips to help you get started. Mode matters Travelling by train reduces the amount of harmful carbon emissions per person than travelling by…

  • Society

    Behind the selfie: Is your vanity worth the cost of an animal’s life?

    A selfie with a cute baby tiger is sure to get lots of likes on Instagram, and so is a picture of an elephant ride in Thailand. Wildlife tourism is not a new phenomenon, but the rise of social media platforms and the powerful influence of Instagram have given the industry some major visibility in the past decade. On the surface, it may seem like everything is fine, but animals are often trained to behave a certain way for human gratification. Beneath the perfectly timed animal selfie lies a mountain of unfair practices and conditions. Many tourists who post pictures with exotic animals are unaware of the cruelty that occurs…

  • School

    Community and connection for international students studying in Canada

    International student enrollments in Canada have more than tripled over the past 10 years, according to Statistics Canada. Young people from all over the world are drawn to Canada’s warm and welcoming culture as well as diverse population, making it an appealing destination for students looking to attend university abroad.  Travelling internationally to study is an exciting and life-changing experience, but it can also garner feelings of isolation and anxiety. Ira Famarin and Harkrishan (Harry) Singh Punn are two students studying at Canadian universities who are from Singapore and Oman, respectively. They say that building a community in Canada while virtually keeping in touch with family and friends from home has…