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The Bright-er Side: summer semesters

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someone with a cheerful look on their face, SFU burnaby campus backdrop, sun shining
ILLUSTRATION: Cliff Ebora / The Peak

By: Kaja Antic, Staff Writer

This summer I decided to take courses on the main Burnaby campus for the first time in my SFU career, and so far, I’ve really enjoyed it. 

Scaling Burnaby Mountain watching the Burnaby skyline meet the bright blue atmosphere is unmatched. Sometimes you’ll see a deer or even a bear along the winding roads, the animals welcoming you to the natural beauty surrounding the campus. 

I know SFU’s brutalist architecture style seems depressing to many, but there’s something about the vines spread across the library’s exterior walls that makes it seem like an inviting grand fortress.

As I watch fellow students and community members walk through the campus on a nice day — enjoying the AQ pond, reading outside, not worried about being judged for their caffeine source of choice — the concrete blocks become bright and beautiful. 

It’s also wonderful to not worry about forgetting my jacket, and when I’m done a full day of class, there’s still plenty of sunlight for my travels home. There’s a certain aura of lightness to the semester, even if you’re taking a particularly difficult course.

I understand some have reservations about the summer semester, whether it be to work or get a break from schooling. Still, the energy of the semester can brighten up the grey experiences of the previous months, and I highly recommend at least visiting the campus paths during this season to get a taste of the beauty often clouded during the traditional school year.

Saanich Council expands free transit for youth

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a street in the District of Saanich containing a bus stop
PHOTO: Andy Nystrom / Flickr

By: Hannah Fraser, News Writer

On May 13, Saanich City Councillors voted in favour of a resolution to allow free transit for “young people up to, and including, the age of 18.” The resolution was brought forward by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) to expand the Get On Board program, which already grants children 12 and under free access to all BC Transit and TransLink services.

Council hopes that expanding the program could yield a “wide spectrum of benefits.” These include “financial support for individuals and families, social engagement, accessibility, equity, independence, and environmental benefits.” The Peak corresponded with Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff, chair of Saanich’s Active Transportation Advisory Committee, for more information.

“Free transit for young people is an investment in our future,” he said. He added this will aid youth in BC in accessing “education and employment opportunities, social activities, and other essential services.” 

“When we make transit free for young people, we empower them to explore, connect, and grow independently, building a sense of confidence and autonomy while fostering a generation of life-long transit riders,” he continued. During the councillors’ meeting, ten young people and a Girl Guides unit shared what the program would mean to them as young transit takers.

According to Phelps Bondaroff, one speaker highlighted that more accessible transit would allow for better social connection among youth. Another speaker spoke about how her bus pass allowed her to get to school every day although she lived much further away. 

“When you have access to expanded transportation, you have access to so many new educational opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to you.” 

He emphasized that making transit free for more youth would be better than implementing a means tested program, which “determines if a person or household is eligible to receive some sort of benefit or payment.” Studies have also “found many families had unmet needs for services or were not using services available to them” because of other barriers, such as “eligibility and documentation requirements, program structure, availability of translation services, location of services, intake procedures, and length of waiting time to apply for or receive services.”   

While the public has other concerns about transit, such as more regular service, Phelps Bondaroff explained that free transit for youth creates “lifelong transit riders” who will “demand improved bus services and also be willing to fund them.”

In addition to UBCM’s resolution to expand transit for youth, another draft resolution to make transit free for seniors over 65 has been created and will be discussed during the June 10 meeting of Saanich Council. Phelps Bondaroff expressed that the benefits of free transit for youth also apply to seniors who could also experience better connectivity in their communities through free transit.

SFU administration to discuss divestment from Israel

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PHOTO: Gudrun Wai-Gunnarsson / The Peak

By: Hannah Fraser, News Writer

Content warning: mentions of genocide.

On May 30, SFU president Joy Johnson and the Board of Governors agreed to discuss divestment from arms companies that profit from the genocide in occupied Palestine. This announcement comes after months of community pressure and over 1,000 students, faculty, and alumni signing the divestment petition of SFU Faculty for Palestine (F4P), “a network of faculty who support the cause of Palestinian liberation.” Other recent actions included the Belzberg Library protest at SFU Harbour Centre while the Board of Governors’ meeting was held. 

According to SFU F4P, before SFU’s announcement, a faculty-wide vote was held for the divestment. Due to hacking allegations, the vote was found unreliable and a re-vote was scheduled three weeks later.

The petition demands divestment from BAE Systems, Booz Allen Hamilton, and CAE Inc., all companies that have “collectively facilitated the killing, maiming, or displacement of millions.” These companies constitute $7.2 million “of the joint endowment and non-endowment invested funds of $1.13 billion as of March 31, 2024.”

In a message to the community about “responsible investments at SFU,” Johnson and Angie Lamarsh, Board Chair, wrote that “SFU needs to make investment decisions that are aligned with the academic mission, the University Act, and our values. To do this, the existing Responsible Investment Policy must be reviewed and strengthened.” 

The Responsible Investment Policy “sets out SFU’s approach to incorporating environmental, social, and corporate governance considerations into its investment decisions.” SFU stated this review process will “contain a plan for community consultation” and will “allow for a consultative and transparent process.” 

The Peak corresponded with SFU F4P for more information on SFU’s decision to discuss divestment. Members chose to remain anonymous. 

SFU F4P stated SFU’s framing of the genocide as the “Israel-Hamas conflict” was concerning. “It has been clear for months that the central dynamic since October 7, to say nothing of decades of occupation, has been one of genocide and ethnic cleansing,” said SFU F4P. They cited “institutional neutrality,” which suggests that institutions should be neutral on political issues, showing SFU is an “accomplice in whitewashing an unfolding genocide that was acknowledged months ago by the International Court of Justice.” 

Since October 7, Israeli attacks against Palestinians have led to the deaths of at least 37,232 people and wounded 78,000 at the time of writing. Israeli attacks did not begin in October 2023, but have a long history dating back to the creation of Israel in 1948, when Palestinians were violently expelled from their homeland. This is also known as The Nakba, and was recently recognized by the United Nations. They condemned “Israel’s ongoing actions” between 1948–2024, “including occupation and dispossession of Palestinian property” as well as “brutal and disproportionate use of force.” 

Currently, the distribution of food in Rafah has been suspended and medical supplies are limited since Israel took over “the Palestinian side of the Rafah land” in early May. 

“The more they dig in their heels, the more we will push.” — SFU Faculty for Palestine

On May 17, faculty casted an online vote on Boycott, Divestment, Sanction (BDS) motions — a “Motion on Israel/Palestine” and a “Motion to Divest from Corporations Engaged in Military Arms Production.” If both were passed, SFU would formally commit to boycotting, divesting from, and sanctioning these companies. The morning of the vote, the BDS vote was allegedly hacked from 7:30–8:00 a.m., in which “305 identical votes were cast from a single IP address,” making the vote “unreliable,” according to SFU F4P. On their Instagram, SFU F4P stated that the Faculty Association of SFU claimed this matter is under investigation by University IT and Security. The Peak could not independently verify this. 

SFU F4P later stated, “It is unacceptable that there has been no acknowledgement from the SFU administration” regarding the hack, as it “constitutes serious interference in university affairs and faculty governance.” They demand “transparency and accountability” in the form of a formal investigation into the matter.

A re-vote was held on June 7, in which the two BDS motions were passed. SFU F4P stated that “divestment efforts have a cumulative effect, and the university has a moral obligation to abstain from investing in and profiting from military arms production.” On May 20, Ontario Tech University became the first university in Canada to divest from companies supplying military arms to Israel. 

“We are not just hopeful, we are determined to make this happen,” said SFU F4P. “The more they dig in their heels, the more we will push.”

The group of faculty asked SFU, “Do our investments in the military arms industry align with our values as a university?” 

This is a developing story that The Peak will continue to cover in future issues.

Inter Miami tells Whitecaps fans to grow up

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The back of an Argentina Messi home jersey
PHOTO: 磊 周 / Unsplash

By: Kristina Ronalda, Florida Woman

To the fans in Vancouver,

We are deeply sorry for the hurt feelings and wallets of all the fans who anxiously awaited the arrival of the world’s best footballer, just to be met with disappointment. We have heard fans north of the border speak of some Canadian player who is truly the GOAT, but we have been unable to find Christian Sink Lair in our records.

Let’s be serious here. Did you really think a World Cup Champion would willingly play on turf? After taking such a long six–hour flight? No way! Sorry, not sorry, to all the kids wanting to see their “hero.” We hope the 50% off food helped dry your tears. Your parents spent $1,000 on Whitecaps tickets instead of our youth tournament entry fee, where Messi, Suarez, and Busquets actually were? Skill issue. 

You moose-riding, maple-syrup-drinking, snow-dwelling Canadians have no idea what proper football is. All you know is that ice sport “hockey” — which is much less beautiful than football. 

Edited: Our public relations team has since informed us that there is a hockey team near Miami. And, fun fact, they got further in the playoffs than Vancouver’s team! Who knew? Go Panthers, I guess.

You aren’t aware of our customs — how dare you ridicule our tradition of coming out late to start the second half. We need extra time to strategize how to get as many yellow cards as possible. And how dare you fans call our team disrespectful for stepping on your plain white jersey. It’s your own club’s fault for having a kit that doesn’t stand out! Add some pink!

The match officials may not have been in our favour — even giving our coaching staff a red card — but at least it wasn’t a six–game suspension like your coach received last year. Yet another thing Miami does better than you.

Vancouver, you can point fingers, but don’t point them our way! The league’s rigid schedule left us no choice but to earn more money at our home stadium rather than send our superstar to make a single appearance across the continent. It’s for the betterment of football as a whole — not that you Canadians would care about that. Can you even play football in all that snow?

Edit again: We have since seen the video of Canadian international and Vancouver Whitecap Sam Adekugbe using the snow in a goal celebration. Maybe some snow here would’ve helped your team in this result!

We in Miami can’t risk the investment we’ve made in the aging Argentinian superstar. It’s better for everyone in the league if he stays uninjured — and is totally not related to the cut he receives from the MLS’ lucrative AppleTV+ deal. 

Also, why aren’t Whitecaps fans thanking us for keeping Suarez back in Florida? It saves your “star” players from being bitten by Messi’s right–hand man. Your club may have stated that you “have no control over who plays for our opponent,” and honestly, you Canucks lucked out in this one.

While this missed match may leave a bad taste in the mouth for some — assuming you were taking advantage of the aforementioned discounted stadium food — it was all for the betterment of the sport. Go complain to the league for better scheduling. They’ll be so distracted counting their Messi bonuses they might make us play a second-ever match against each other. 

Hope your next 50 years are as unremarkable as your first 50. We wish you the best from our perch at the top of the standings.

Sincerely “sorry,”

Inter Miami <3

An SFU background extra tell-all

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People playing table tennis in the convocation mall, sweating nervously. Joy Johnson is hiding behind a concrete pillar to the right, holding a megaphone and saying, “Look engaged people!”
ILLUSTRATION: Angelina Tran / The Peak

By: Petra Chase, Editor-in-Chief

SFU students have been observing a strange phenomenon across campuses — more and more common areas filled with students just hanging out. 

At first, The Peak assumed it was some conspiracy. But the tips have been impossible to ignore — eyewitness accounts swearing SFU hires background actors on campus have been flooding our inboxes.

“I walked by a student tour one day, as the guide was giving them this speech about how student life here is unmatched,” one anonymous student wrote. “All those fresh faces with dreams and preconceived notions of university based on what they see in movies, like Monsters University.

“Then I got to Convocation Mall, and it was packed with students enjoying themselves and socializing. People were lining up to play corn hole. Table tennis balls were bouncing between laughing faces. I’d never seen anything like it.

“All of a sudden, I heard a voice from behind a pillar saying, ‘Get back to your places!’ and everyone froze in strange positions. One group huddled together looking at an upside down textbook. When the student tour approached, the voice yelled, ‘ACTION!’ and everyone was in motion. People were giving each other noogies as they roasted marshmallows and mouthed words to each other.”

Another student wrote to The Peak about what they saw when they stumbled into a tent in the Blusson parking lot. “Racks with nothing but SFU hoodies, backpacks full of stuffing paper, and a line of people who looked like regular students sitting to get their hair and makeup done. Someone with short blonde hair and a bushy mustache was saying, ‘Give them dark circles but not too dark — we want to be realistic, but still make them look engaged.’”

The Peak was also approached by Cornelius Cucumber (this is a name we have created to shield them from retribution). Cucumber claims to be a professional background actor hired by SFU in 2022 after he did background work on Nickelback’s “San Quentin” music video, famously shot at Convocation Mall.

“President Joy Johnson was scouting for actors that day, wearing her usual disguise (Fuzzy Puzz Mustache Glasses from Party City). She approached me after filming and complimented my ability to look engaged with such young people hipster music,” Cucumber said. “Her words.”

Johnson told Cucumber they were looking to hire full-time extras to look like “regular university students who love SFU.” He signed a contract for full-time work, which stated he could not disclose that SFU was hiring background actors.

Cucumber’s role since then has been as a whistleblower in the AQ — blowing his whistle when the foosball ball goes out of bounds. “It’s been quite repetitive, and after two years, I don’t feel like I’m learning much that will help advance my career, and there aren’t many foosball referee roles out there.”

Cucumber says you might recognize him for his roles in such films as Oompa Loompa #48 in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1971) — a role he got to reprise in Glasgow earlier this year — and Chipmunks Fan #2 in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015).  

When The Peak asked Cucumber if SFU’s recent budget cuts and layoffs have impacted the background extras, he said there have been zero layoffs among the extra crew. They’ve actually been working more hours and given more dialogue, such as, “We sure do pay a fair tuition here at SFU, no cap!” and, “This is certainly an institution that puts people above profits, dawg!”

“SFU cut their football program, but hired more ‘football jock’ roles,” Cucumber explained. More recently, SFU shut down its Woodward’s Cultural Programming, but the SFU extra casting director has allegedly been told to represent more arts and theatre students to make SFU appear like it “cares about the arts.”

“They want me to be a whistleblower — I’ll show them whistleblower!” Cucumber attempted an evil villain laugh as he walked away, and we never saw him again.

Your pain is your endometriosis’ gain

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Peak Web
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Uterus lined with anthropomorphized endometriosis. The endometriosis has devil horns.
ILLUSTRATION: Yuki Cai / The Peak

By: Cynthia Piña, Peak Associate

Content warning: mention of blood, graphic description of laproscopic surgery.

Hi!!! I’m endometriosis, and I’m not going to leave you alone 🙂 My life’s work is growing excess tissue and nothing will stop me — not your silly little birth control pills, multiple brands of heat pads, or whatever natural remedies you are trying to give me. Peppermint tea? I don’t care. Exercising and stretching? Any movement just pisses me off. Turmeric? OK, maybe I will calm down for a few hours, but I will act up again tomorrow. 

I know you wanted to go to the grocery store today, but I don’t feel like it. We are not going and I will make sure of that. You should run any plans by me first, and even if I say yes, I’ll probably make you cancel at the last minute anyways. You have bloating in your abdomen? Well, my side job is spawning endometriomas everywhere, and I love them so much! They are my babies! They are filled with blood, unlike other cysts, which I think is really unique and cute 🙂 Wait, is that a scalpel? What are you doing?!?! WHY ARE YOU SURGICALLY REMOVING MY BABIES? I do not think so. I will make more!!!!! You can’t remove all of them!!!!! 

Why am I like this, you ask? I don’t know, I would say ask the scientists, but honestly, they haven’t studied me at all. I don’t think they know either. Apparently, one of the only ways to get rid of me is to cut you open and scrape me out, but we aren’t doing that now, are we? We are going to be together forever <3 Even if you decided it was worth going through all the trouble of another surgery, I can just grow back! So, you will see more of me eventually anyways! 

Xoxo, 
Go piss girl (it might hurt, though)

Horoscopes June 10 – 16

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An illustration of a girl, stars and astrological signs strewn in her hair.
ILLUSTRATION: Marissa Ouyang / The Peak

By: Amrit Kamaal, Peak Associate

Aries
March 21–April 19  
You’re built completely different. Look at you getting last-minute candy in the Burnaby campus vending machine room, which is a real room solely dedicated to vending machines. You also made sure to hit up those random gumball and hard fruit candy dispensers at the laundromat that are like $0.25 (the low price is to account for the fact that they’re not sure when the last restock was). Your best score was from sweet-talking the tables at club day. #NoShameInYourGame

Taurus
April 20–May 20
I know it’s June now, but happy late Mother’s Day; you really serve mother energy every time. Taurus, you are the parental figure of the group, and I know how desperately you want the perfect TikTok video. You’re the one who set this whole thing up! You are the type to bring an extra box of fun-sized candy, two bottomless bags of peach rings, and the literal BOWL. Unlike the usual beige Instagram mom post, the bowl has a plethora of colours. #NoMoreSadBeigeBabies

Gemini
May 21–June 20
Now, Gemini, you guys not only understood the assignment, you MADE it. I see you basically making the salad on your own with over six bags of candy. Not just any candy, but the expensive, Costco-sized bags of Sour Patch Kids, Trolli, and Maynards (Swedish Berries are the best, argue with the wall).  

Cancer
June 21–July 22
Honestly, HiChews and Starburst are an automatic win in my book. Those candies and I are like this insert crossed finger emoji here. But please, for the love of god, unwrap before we hit record, honey! The keyboard warriors will be furious in the comments over the 0.2 seconds it takes to unwrap each piece. But it’s all love. I appreciate the vision and the immaculate taste.

Leo
July 23–August 22
Sweetie, I need you to give us all a break here and put away those KitKats, m’kay? Bringing chocolate to the candy salad is one thing. It’s considerate and cute, so we love that. I’m more of a chocolate girlie myself. However, do not even think of combining them to melt in the same bowl with the fruity, sour salad. That’s absolutely foul! I went to Candy Salad Island and they have several laws against this. 

Virgo
August 23–September 22
As a Virgo, sometimes y’all are a bit extra with the whole “quirky” girl persona, but it’s lovable. You’ll, of course, bring a good amount of candy, no questions asked. However, the candy is just so unexpected. You’ll choose the most bodacious, unheard-of flavours, like “seawater chocolate” flavoured gummies with a random background character of Spongebob (if you know, you know). You do you, I guess.

Libra
September 23–October 22
Libra, we are supposed to build this candy salad together. If you’re going to gatekeep candy, don’t get caught! As a certified sweet tooth, I understand that the parasites and demons in you want the candy, but be cautious of any cameras when you’re gripping that Skittles bag like it’s going to run away. You wouldn’t wanna have to set up the tripod and throw your hair in a messy bun for your fourth apology video this month. 

Scorpio
October 23–November 21
I know that while waiting for that one ex to call you back, you may start scarfing down the whole bag you brought through tears. I guess your contribution still means something, but try not to get tears in the Nerd Gummy Clusters, OK? 

Sagittarius
November 22–December 21
OK look, the vintage look is cute, we love to see it. But the vintage taste, is a whole other thing. Raiding your grandmother’s purse for those caramel and strawberry candies that seem impossible to find in–store. That’s fine, OK, we’ll tolerate it, but word of advice, lose the raisins, yeah? 

Capricorn
December 22–January 19
You are just plain evil, you want to watch the world burn. Keep yourself at home with those prank Russian roulette games like Bean Boozled. No one is looking forward to biting into some random brown jellybean that’s either “Swedish caramel” or “gargoyle surprise.”

Aquarius
January 20–February 18
What do you mean you bought “candy” from a thrift store? 

Pisces
February 19–March 20
Hey bestie, we need you to turn off that “Do Not Disturb” mode and set up an extra loud ringer because the plans just changed last minute (again). You find out one hour before the function that the group decided to do a “candy salad” instead of “slime” night. So, once you get to the nearest Walmart after panic-driving from Home Depot with a gallon of clear liquid glue in the passenger seat, just buy the “default” candy, AKA the package everyone brought. #90PercentSkittles

In Case You Missed It: Children of Men explores being sedated to injustices around you

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By: Yildiz Subuk, Peak Associate

Content warning: violence, racism, Islamophobia, and genocide.

Alfonso Cauron’s 2006 film, Children Of Men, tells two thematic stories that overlap  throughout its nearly two-hour run time. The first story focuses on the protagonist, Theo (played by Clive Owen) as he aimlessly goes about his days in the year 2027. Residing in London, he ignores the harsh reality the film presents us with: the world is coming to a slow but imminent end as infertility has plagued the planet. No new children have been born for more than 18 years. In the opening scene, many are shown cramped inside a coffee shop watching a news report of the youngest person on the planet passing away. The members of the crowd are struck with horror and dread, but Theo, who appears a few seconds afterwards, brushes past everyone to order his coffee and go about his day. 

Theo is sedated. It’s not that Theo doesn’t care about anything, but his faith in humanity has died. He remains complicit in his sedation in order to cope, with no intentions of finding ways to make the world a better place until he is asked to transport a girl across the map for a large sum of money. After an event that presents him with a glimmer of hope, Theo slowly becomes more aware of the inequalities around him.

As the film progresses, Theo’s story overlaps with the xenophobic and dystopian setting. Cauron’s film world is not overtly futuristic, but instead is a bleak rendition of current reality sprinkled with some minor technological innovations. It is not the techno aspect the film decides to focus on, but the extent of xenophobia and disregard for oppressed individuals that the film showcases. While the film’s cinematography is unconventional, it’s a masterful work in storytelling. The shots are a series of long takes — often unbroken sequences that track Theo while also emphasizing the background. It presents the audience with footage of people who are wounded or immigrants detained. The London we see is a façade, trying to pose as one of the only places left that hasn’t fallen into total anarchy and chaos. However, the truth is slowly revealed as immigrants are forced to live in poor conditions. This occurs while privileged individuals live their lives, ignorant to the suffering around them.

Children of Men is not a story about where humanity is headed, but an examination of where we are now. The rise of xenophobic beliefs amidst large–scale crises, as well as ethnic minority groups facing the most brutal violence, are issues that are prevalent in the world today. In China, Uyghur Muslims are systematically placed in camps and dehumanized for their beliefs and identity. In occupied Palestinian territories, Palestinians are systemically displaced, expelled, and live under apartheid while their suffering is ignored by western powers. While Palestinians are having their history and identity violently erased, the Israeli government tries to present their country as a thriving, idealistic nation. In both these examples, minority groups are facing unfathomable suffering, while many of the country’s privileged population stay sedated to what is going on around them. 

It may be easy to get caught up in our own lives and filter out the world around us, but we have a responsibility to act against injustices. Acknowledging and learning about these injustices and their roots can inspire action and advocacy. Instead of trying to prophesize a bleak future, Children of Men confronts us with the present in the form of a dystopian tale. 

NTKNTG: Exhibits highlighting Indigenous communities

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an illustrated calender that says "Need to Know, Need to Go"
ILLUSTRATION: Courtesy of The Peak

By: Izzy Cheung, Arts & Culture Editor

PHOTO: Elyana Moradi / The Peak

snəxʷəł: an art exhibit by Mekwalya (Zoe George) 

Vancouver Maritime Museum, 1905 Ogden Ave., Vancouver 
Runs until November 2024 
Every day 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. 

The title of this exhibit, snəxʷəł, means “canoe” in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (traditional Musqueam language). It uses photographs, videos, and traditional canoes and paddles to highlight the significance of canoe culture for the səlil ̕wətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) people. Zoe George, whose Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) ancestral name is Mekwalya, grew up in Squamish and on North Vancouver’s Tsleil-Waututh reserve. “I have been a war canoe paddler my whole life,” she said in her biography, with her typical paddling location being səl̓ilw̓ət (Burrard Inlet).  She hopes this exhibit allows all who attend to “understand the importance and presence canoe culture has in First Nations communities across the Lower Mainland.”  

PHOTO: Elyana Moradi / The Peak

GEORGE CLUTESI: ḥašaḥʔap / ʔaapḥii / ʕac̓ik  / ḥaaʔaksuqƛ / ʔiiḥmisʔap 

Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art, 639 Hornby St., Vancouver 
Runs until January 19, 2025 
Friday–Wednesday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. 

GEORGE CLUTESI: ḥašaḥʔap / ʔaapḥii / ʕc̓ik  / ḥaaʔaksuqƛ / ʔiiḥmisʔap delves into the legacy of the titular artist, George Clutesi (1905–1988). Put together, the exhibit’s title means “to be protective,” “generous,” “talented,” “strong-willed,” and “treasure.” Clutesi, a Tseshat teacher of song and dance, was a multi-faceted artist who also contributed to the Native Voice, which was the first Indigenous-centred newspaper in Canada. The exhibit, located just a few blocks from SFU’s Harbour Centre, “is an exploration of the life and legacy of Clutesi, whose actions have left an indelible mark on the preservation and celebration of the Nuu-chah-nulth community’s cultural traditions and customs.” 

PHOTO: Elyana Moradi / The Peak

To Be Seen, To Be Heard: First Nations in Public Spaces, 1900–1965

Museum of Anthropology, 6369 NW Marine Dr., Vancouver 
Runs until March 30, 2025 
Open Monday–Wednesday and Friday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., and Thursdays 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. 

After 18 months of renovations, the Museum of Anthropology will be reopening on June 13. To celebrate, they will be featuring To Be Seen, To Be Heard until March 30, 2025. The multimedia exhibit touches on Indigenous peoples’ representation of themselves in public spaces, like “parades, protests, royal visits, tourist markets, civic jubilees, and intertribal gatherings.” It will consist of archival materials, such as old photographs, and voice-overs from members of various Indigenous communities that will play throughout the display. 

Fitness misinformation proliferates online

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A femme-presenting East Asian person lifting dumbbells among a group of people
PHOTO: Bruce Mars / Unsplash

By: Yasmin Hassan, Staff Writer

Content warning: mentions of dieting and eating disorders.

If you’ve been active on social media in recent years, you might remember seeing (or even doing) those at-home workouts that got so popular back in 2020. While promoting physical activity isn’t inherently toxic, the methods and attitudes promoted by many fitness influencers can be. Social media can perpetuate diet culture and spread misinformation under the guise of quick fixes. Fitness trends often promote an unhealthy obsession with appearance over genuine health and well-being.

Diet culture refers to ideas that falsely frame food as “good or bad,” and promote thinness as an ideal image of health. One study found that most fitness videos on TikTok are weight-normative, focusing on weight as a major indicator of health. For instance, as appealing as those “abs in 10 days” workouts may seem — they just don’t work. Achieving visible abs depends heavily on genetics and diet, and it’s rarely attainable without unsustainable long-term lifestyle changes. Promises of quick fixes like these will likely worsen your mental health, giving you unrealistic expectations, and lead you to over-exert yourself against professional recommendations. 

Chloe Ting’s popular “abs in 2 weeks” routine also doesn’t bother to explain proper form or the importance of rest days. While the “shred challenge” and FAQ on her website does include rest days and notes there’s no guarantee that everyone can achieve the same results — this information is harder to find, and could have been included in the video itself. The video has a disclaimer in the description about her titles being intended to get clicks, though it’s still misleading as many viewers don’t read descriptions. 

You shouldn’t compare yourself to people who make a living off their diet and exercise. Our fitness goals should ultimately come from a place of building strength and feeling good. 

Trends that sound too good to be true often are.

“What I eat in a day” videos have also become popular on social media, involving creators sharing their daily eating habits. These videos can provide inspiration and meal ideas. However, they often lack nutritional context and can promote unrealistic or unhealthy eating patterns if not viewed critically. This trend is another example of how social media can perpetuate diet culture, ultimately ruining the enjoyment of food for many people. Popular low-carb or keto diets aren’t the answer to most health or fitness concerns, and you can’t always tell if influencers are being honest about what they eat or endorse in their videos. While it’s great that people can share their personal experiences with nutrition, these videos rarely consider individual nutritional needs or credible, scientifically-backed information. Other trendy ideas like spot-reduction for fat or extreme monthly fitness challenges are common forms of misinformation. Trends that sound too good to be true often are; they can cause physical harm and disappointment when people don’t achieve the promised results. We should always be critical of the content we consume, but especially in relation to health.

Why should I hate my body if it looks a certain way? People should focus on their functional health, not “washboard abs.” When we prioritize aesthetics and dangerously impractical appearances, it damages our sense of self. These “fitness” trends contribute to body dysmorphia and unhealthy relationships with food and exercise. Activity and nutrition are important, but good things come in moderation. Don’t convince yourself that activities like gentle walking are ineffective. And when it comes to nutrition, focus on balance in your diet, getting all the major food groups, and consuming a variety of vitamins and minerals. 

You only have one body — it’s worth being kind to it while you can instead of punishing it with unrealistic expectations. Being thin or muscular doesn’t equate to being healthy. Listening to your body and making gradual, long-term changes rooted in science is a better approach to health and nutrition than conformed routines based on physique. The most important thing is to consult a certified healthcare professional, dietician, or physical trainer if you want to learn what works for you. But don’t forget it’s also about your mindset; having a holistic approach to health that includes mental, emotional, and social well-being will help establish a stable bond between your mind and body. As for social media, learn to control what media you consume — don’t let it consume you! 

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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us:
[email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024