Untitled
By Janie Houle
Read MoreYear: 2020
Morning light
What is love? What is pure? On top of a tree On a hill, in spring Has the strength of an arm The olive in her peak From the pain runaway Though she’s light Though she’s bright In the darkness of a night She appears, and bright eyes Look around, ‘till it’s time Now is when She has dreamt To behold land and sea To go far and beyond Of the sights of the dreams And the mornings to come By the wish of the sun She will…
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Five Must-Sees of Hong Kong (Part I)
Amidst the current coronavirus crisis, nations worldwide are taking preventive measures to help minimize the scale of the pandemic’s growth. We are encouraged to work from home; if we had made plans to travel, we need to cancel them; whenever we come home, we wash our hands thoroughly. Below are five must-sees in Hong Kong. Hang in there! Hong Kong is waiting for you (after the coronavirus outbreak ends). Lan Kwai Fong/ SoHo If you are a young adult who likes to grab a drink and to party with music,…
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How Activist Movements Around the World Are Adapting to the International Lockdown
Activism groups worldwide have been greatly affected by the social distancing measures that have been put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic; they are adapting relatively quickly to this new reality, as we have seen with the April 3rd virtual climate strike (read Valentina’s article here if you haven’t already!). However, climate justice isn’t the only activist movement that has been faced with challenges in terms of having to adopt new volunteering strategies so as to continue functioning amid this international crisis. I’m a social media volunteer…
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Maintaining Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Confined to your residence, stuck in close quarters with family members that quickly get on your nerves, starting to re-watch shows on Netflix because you’ve watched them all twice already… Or maybe you or a family member are working for an essential business and must face the public each day. Maybe you’re studying for exams and writing essays, thankful for the unexpected extra time you got. No matter what your situation during the quarantine may be, all of us struggle with our mental health. And issues with mental health have…
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You Should Still Care About Wet’suwet’en
*This article is a follow-up on Natalia Ibáñez’s article “You Should Care About Wet’suwet’en”, which was published in the March 11th print issue of The VCSA Insider. The building of the Coastal GasLink pipeline, part of which would be situated on Wet’suwet’en territory, has sparked controversy in the past year. The elected band councils have signed the agreement papers, some of which cited the economic opportunity for their approval of the project. However, the hereditary chiefs, who are traditionally responsible for the land, disapprove of the project entirely…
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The Coronavirus Isn’t An Excuse for You to Be a Douche Canoe
The emergence of COVID-19 in recent months has led to people canceling their vacations, hand sanitizer shortages, toilet paper stockpiling, as well as a rise of xenophobia and racism towards anyone that looks remotely Asian. It is normal to be fearful of this new virus; however, the coronavirus isn’t an excuse for you to be a racist and xenophobic douche canoe. For years, it has been debated whether Asian people can be the victims of racism. With the numerous recent attacks on Asian people living their lives, it has definitely…
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In defence of abstract art
Yes, some modern artworks look like they could’ve been created by an unskilled four-year-old in under ten minutes, yet some of these pieces are often sold for twice (or even thrice) your annual income. So what’s going on here? Abstract art is a very contentious subject in the art world. While some consider abstract artists to be talentless hacks, others revere them as artistic geniuses. Trust me, I’m no abstract art fan myself, but I do find that many critics seem to be missing the point. So, here’s my…
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The New Age of Protest : How the Coronavirus Outbreak Has Affected Climate Justice
April 3rd, 2020 was scheduled to be what would have been yet another major worldwide climate strike. Many were prepared to break out their recycled picket signs and to take to the streets, chanting battle cries for climate justice. As you may have guessed, this was not the case. The coronavirus pandemic has caused government-mandated lockdowns and restrictions around the world. Gatherings of no more than two people are allowed (at least here, in Canada), which made the climate strike on April 3rd virtually impossible. This being said, given the…
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Student Life Still Thriving Despite Social Distancing
Following Vanier College’s closure until May 1st, as mandated by the provincial government amid the COVID-19 pandemic, students adopting social distancing measures are coming to terms with a new reality; that is to say, one of online classes, Netflix marathons, and disrupted sleep schedules. Despite the necessary social distancing and self-isolation, there has been a movement to rebrand these terms so as to remind people that, thanks to the internet, it is possible to remain connected (pun intended) with their loved ones. In this regard, Dr. Maria Van…
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