If you’ve ever played a competitive sport, you’ve probably felt gut wrenching, adrenaline pumping pressure. Whether you’re a hockey goalie getting set in your stance or a batter with three teammates on base, the feeling is mutual. But then there’s another type of pressure: pressure from forces outside the game, coming from parents, fans, and the most difficult type of critic — the athletes themselves.
A recent study conducted in part by Zoe Poucher, a graduate student in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education at the University of Toronto, discovered that 41.4% of Canadian national team athletes met the criteria for depression, anxiety, and/or eating disorders, as categorized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It can be challenging for anyone to navigate a society filled with everyday stressors like school, work, family, or relationships. Throw in the thought of letting your team, coach, or even yourself down, and suddenly, the statistics make sense.
Jane M. Simoni, PhD, recognizes that coaches may feel a sense of disappointment in a player’s performance, combined with the worry that this may negatively impact the team’s overall performance. This may be due to the fact that some coaches “may have been trained in a system that is not in line with current best practice, and this is the only approach they know.” Simoni stresses that these concerns “must not interfere with appropriately addressing the needs of the distressed athlete,” and that coaches must also seek out their own mental health support outside the team if their own stresses are interfering with positive coaching practices.
An athlete’s mental state can greatly impact their performance in sport. Studies have gathered considerable evidence that “training the mind for success is an essential ingredient alongside the physical, technical and tactical training and preparation to achieve high performance goals in competition.” It makes sense. Our thoughts and emotions, even the sticky, hard to process ones, are what make us human. One can rarely control circumstances outside the walls of the gym or off the pitch. Unwanted chatter in our brains is hard to tune out for someone that’s not competing at the national level. Athletes face additional pressures of intense physical training, the watchful eyes of spectators, media scrutiny, and the gnawing idea of just not being good enough. The question isn’t why we should have mental health coaches — it’s why we never had them in the first place.
It all begins at the grassroots level. Mental health, let alone the need for mental health coaching, is not something that is often discussed. According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, “the mental health of youth elite athletes represents a critically under-researched issue,” particularly between the ages of 12–18. The lack of consideration for the mental health of these high-performing athletes at a critical period in their athletic development could greatly impact their future mental wellness. An empathetic, communicative approach is an essential component of making an athlete feel comfortable enough to share their mental health concerns. Because of the stigma that suggests emotional distress makes elite athletes “weak,” it’s essential that coaches create an environment that treats mental health concerns with seriousness.
“Coaches have the ability — and the responsibility — to effectively intervene to assist the player in distress,” says Simoni. “This will not only help the athlete, but will contribute to a more positive and satisfying experience for the coach and, ultimately, to the greater success of the whole team.”
The Coaching Association of Canada offers a free coaching workshop that focuses primarily on the pillars of mental health in sport. This includes learning about the foundations of mental health, understanding a coach’s role in promoting an athlete’s well-being, and the importance of self-care. Seems like a breeze, right? Unfortunately, this kind of coaching isn’t mandatory and is still being overlooked.
A collaborative effort is needed to destigmatize mental health in sports and get athletes the mental health coaching they deserve, and it all starts with opening up the conversation.
Y’allllll. I don’t wanna hear it, I don’t wanna hear it! I know I’m posting this storytime late, but is it my channel or yours? That’s what I thought. Anyway, I’m not a full-time YouTuber anymore, that’s why I’ve been away. I’m an investigative journalist now, bitches. Yeah, that’s right, I didn’t join the Kate Middleton search party the day of the Glasgow Willy Wonka fiasco like the rest of you. I’ve been looking for little miss Catherine since January! I haven’t found her, but I’ve been looking.
So, this video isn’t sponsored because in the last video I forgot to name the product in the video and it turns out companies don’t like it when you don’t name their product in ad reads so now no one wants to work with me. Which is fine because I’m still rich and their product was trash anyways.
In light of Eve Cornwell’s return to content creation — everyone say, “Welcome back Eve!” — it made sense for me to use Wagatha Christie techniques to expand my investigative journalism practice. And I hear you being all annoying in the comments like “how is this related to the spider in your bathroom?” To that, I say, “Is this my storytime or yours?” That’s what I thought.
Remember when I said I put little miss Charlotte’s Web on blast on my Insta story for monopolizing my bathroom even though she doesn’t even pay rent? And somehow that worked and she left? Well, that got me thinking. How did Madame Eight-eyes know that I had posted about her? Well if you remember the Wagatha Christie case (yes, that’s a combination of the wives and girlfriends acronym and Agatha Christie, please keep up), Cooleen Rooney found out that Rebekah Vardy was the one leaking information from her private Instagram story to the press by posting fake Instagram stories and only making them visible to Vardy. When those stories were leaked, Rooney knew there could only be one culprit.
So, I know there’s no spider account following me. And even though my skin is full of the most youthful looking filler and Botox, I do remember a time beforeh Instagram’s Flipside feature. Back then we used . . . FINSTAS! Hence the iconic title of this storytime series. There is no other explanation. And how can we be surprised? Isn’t it speciesist to assume that non-human animals are technologically illiterate? (Please PETA sponsor me. I wanna keep buying expensive shit.) I haven’t figured out how to tell which account is the spider’s finsta but that’s okay. I never said I was a good investigative journalist. So anyways, I gotta go buy a cute detective outfit and keep serving my community by looking at things through a magnifying glass and saying things like “interesting,” “aha!”, and “it’s giving evidence.”
Like, comment, and subscribe to watch me follow my new passion!
Well, the big corporate executives are about to throw a big ol’ showdown of the great battle of grocery stores versus telecommunication expenses. Who’s screwing over Canadians more? Get down and dirty with the debate tonight at the Canadian Screw-Over Executive Corporation Headquarters in Ottawa. Stream the showdown live on the Outrageous Rip-Off Streaming Platform at 8:00 p.m. EST/5:00 p.m. PST — and don’t forget that funky half-hour difference of 8:30 p.m. in Newfoundland. All those East Coast seafood sailors out in the very tip of the Atlantic are basically time travellers, living a half-hour ahead and predicting the executive dispute before it becomes a literal shipwreck.
With so much to offer in-store — and by that, we know only what’s left of the remnants of $100 cans of soup that no consumer is frugal enough to scoop up — grocery-goers will be predicting debate outcomes faster than the sale of no name expired yeast packs flying off the shelves. Aspiring bakers can pocket some hard-earned cash for a rainy day, to flaunt a soft, delectable sourdough in the faces of corporate grocery executives. These expense executives supposedly enjoy a lavish loaf made from three simple ingredients of yeast, salt, and water, that would otherwise require the average Joe to put a down payment on a crusty loaf. With so many pricey predictions to ponder over during tonight’squest, a plausible palate of costly consequences and outrageous outcomes will be all the talk of the town. The debate is sure to be streamed on every device across the country as telecommunications won’t be able to keep up and stress-eating snacks will empty the aisles.
Big corporate will be battling it out in a big ol’ debate that’ll cost you a penny bigger than the size of the Big Nickel. As if Canadian consumers haven’t already fallen victim to the executives’ exacerbated expense tactics, to simply watch the debate, you’ll have to buck up and pay a hefty price as surmountable as your outrageous grocery and phone bills combined. What a scare tactic for your poor bank account! What a corporate screw-over at its absolute diamond-studded, black-tie, mansion-on-a-hill-living finest!
Surely, Galen Weston Jr. will be spitting out one expense-infused escapade after another, to no avail when it comes to his schemes on the price of cauliflower costing more than the overage charges on every phone plan offered in the country. Seemingly, Rogers, in partnership with Shaw,will tear a strip off the grocery giants by debating if their plans are the cheapest in the land. What a load of over-priced, vegan, soy-based bologna. On the contrary, those big-headed grocery corporate, carrot crunching executives will fabricate a comeback so delectable and debatable even the Superstore shelves will be gaslit into rolling back the prices.
Loblaws will lament in the sadness of losing the battle as they will regretfully relinquish the allegations made against them. Even still, we know they won’t do anything about it. Surprise, surprise! Consumer concerns came knocking and neither grocery corporate nor telecommunication corporate answered — just like leaving a solicited salesperson out to dry at your front door. Will consumers, once again, be left disappointed by the easily predictable directionless debate? Tune in tonight if you can spare the change!
Friday, March 22–Sunday 24: softballat the Stanislaus State Tournament of Champions in Turlock, California
Opponents include: Cal Poly Humboldt (Friday at 2:00 p.m.), Sonoma State (California) (Friday at 7:00 p.m.), Chico State (California) (Saturday at 11:30 a.m.), California State East Bay (Saturday at 4:30 p.m.), and California State, Dominguez Hills (Sunday at 9:30 a.m.)
PHOTO: Courtesy of SFU Recreational and Athletics Club
By: Hailey Miller, Staff Writer
Editor’s note: answers have been edited for clarity and accessibility.
The Peak spoke with SFU volleyball club members Chloe and Laeticia Tees, alongside Jenna VanRoekel and Malcolm Sondrup, about the ins-and-outs of their club, what practice looks like, and camaraderie among players. As SFU’s competitive volleyball team outside of the varsity program and intramurals, the women’s team came first in the silver division and the men’s team came third in the gold division of their latest tournament.
When does your season run?
Chloe Tees (CT): Officially, it starts October after we host tryouts in fall. During the fall semester, we mainly just practice and have scrimmages, and then in the spring semester, we compete. In summer, we just take it easy.
What events and tournaments is the club involved in?
Laeticia Tees (LT): We scrimmage a lot of other club teams, like UVic, UBC, and TWU. We play in Pacific Intercollegiate Volleyball Association tournaments in the US against other big universities. We play in provincials for Volleyball BC, which is next weekend.
CT: We have social activities.
LT: We have team parties, team bonding, and themed practices.
Jenna VanRoekel (JV): In the summer, we’ll do a big tournament with all the teams. It’s girls and guys together, and it’s a fun thing because we don’t really play our normal positions — it’s really just a full day of summer fun.
How can people join the club?
CT: We host tryouts. This year we had two tryouts for each team [men’s and women’s]. There was a lot of interest this year. I think we had 100 guys and 100 girls come out. We would love to take everyone, but it’s a competitive team.
What’s practice like?
Malcolm Sondrup (MS): Usually for our practices, we’ll start off with warm-ups. Then we’ll play a bit, do a couple drills. We do game-play and skill improvement stuff, and focus on conditioning. I feel like the skill level has really increased throughout the years. We take our practices pretty seriously and try to make it as competitive as possible, especially in preparation for tournaments.
What’s the camaraderie like among teammates?
LT: It’s been a place to meet my best friends; it’s been really fun. We have a really big age range, but it’s still a way for me to meet people in and outside my program. Even the sixth-year’s and the first-year’s get along. Our club is pretty unique in the fact that the guys’ and girls’ teams are really close, as far as being friendly and supporting each other in all our tournaments.
MS: It’s wild to think about how close a lot of the players have gotten. All of my best friends are on the team and I think volleyball’s such a good way to bond and connect, and meet people with a similar interest as you.
What are some facts about volleyball that most people don’t know?
MS: It’s very physically demanding, especially when you play a position where you pass a lot. And you get a lot of burns. And you get hit in the face sometimes, and you hit people in the face, too.
JV: People’s preferences in the shoes they wear and the ball they like lead to an hour-long debate. No one on our team agrees on anything. This is a little more unique to volleyball, but also in sports, there’s pretty much a regulation ball for everything.
CT: I think it’s so cool that there’s no personality type for a volleyball player. We’re all from different programs, we’re all from different backgrounds, and we all got into volleyball at different ages. I feel like it’s a very eclectic group of people that end up playing volleyball, but then it makes such a good group. You get so many cool perspectives and different people.
Looking to travel back to the good old days of childhood play? Look no further than the Museum of Surrey’s exhibit for fellow LEGO fans. The Cloverdale museum presents Everything is Still Awesome as a tribute to the 20-year anniversary of the Vancouver LEGO Club, a community for adult fans of LEGO. The nostalgic exhibit is like a trip down memory lane, with recreations and photos from previous exhibits. As someone who spent their childhood building and combining every LEGO set, it was fascinating to dissect each individual scene. Each of the three themes, which take gallery-goers from past, to present, to future, feature many smaller sets that interlock so well that you don’t want to look away for a second. These scenes show snapshots of the lives of familiar characters in detail.
The medieval theme tells tales of pre-modern societies. In this setting, I saw LEGO peasants tending to their crops, as knights cross bridges toward the king. From highly detailed bricks in the castles, to tiny specks of crushed-up pumpkin in the patch, this exhibit went above and beyond. The mystical theme features many references to classic childhood fairy tales, such as the apple-solutely iconic “Snow White” scene where she’s presented with the shiny red fruit. There are also cracks below the exhibit where mythical figures loom, like famous Lord of the Rings character Gollum, who can be seen hiding his precious ring behind illuminating bricks.
The modern-day ocean theme stood out to me the most, with an underground tunnel you can crawl through to get a closer look at all the stories that make up this LEGOland. This one showed how creative you can be with LEGO, reminding me of what children see when they play pirates. North, south, east, or west — each corner had its own set of chaos happening in the water. A sea monster can be seen destroying a sinking pirate ship, as pirates flee to their rescue boats. Right across from them, Tinkerbell and Peter Pan band together in a heroic battle against Captain Hook. The detailing in making these LEGO characters appear as if they’re floating or drowning is absolutely magical.
Tiny astronauts in space are featured in the final theme: a futuristic LEGO replica of the Museum of Surrey with windows all around allows you to peek in at them. The space theme features many childhood favourite characters in hidden areas, with visitors having the chance to find them in a scavenger hunt. The creativity in mixing all these characters from different franchises reminds me of how as kids we used to combine all our toy sets together, like Andy in Toy Story. One of the best hidden characters is Bugs Bunny in his Space Carrot rocket ship, greeting Stitch on his way home. My favourite part of this theme was how scenarios and characters from different cinematic universes cross over in such a fitting, natural way. Come by and see if you can find them all!
The Museum of Surrey is located at 17710 56A Avenue, Cloverdale, and will run until March 31. Hours are 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Tickets are free! A virtual tour of the LEGO exhibit is available on the Museum of Surrey website. To find out more, visit surrey.ca/museum.
Movies and music go hand-in-hand like peanut butter and jelly. Whether it’s a multi-layered uplifting score, a scary synth track, or a rhythmic pop song, music can add value to film by reflecting the feelings of what’s seen on screen. These four songs coming from four classic films are fantastic standing alone or standing in the framework of their respective films.
“Tajabone” was featured in All About My Mother, a Spanish film about Manuela, a mother returning to Barcelona after the death of her son, Eduardo, to find his biological father. The song plays throughout Manuela’s arrival to the city and immediately strikes a chord with viewers. The use of calmer instruments like the guitar and harmonica creates a pensive atmosphere for both Manuela and the audience to think about the past and feel a sense of nostalgia buried within us. Lô’s soulful voice complements the emotional instrumentals, taking you away to a calm and introspective state of mind.
Also an introspective piece, “Avril 14th” is featured in Sofia Coppola’s highly stylized period drama, Marie Antoinette. The song is heard while Marie Antoinette pensively peruses her garden alongside the sounds of birds chirping and the rustling of tall weeds. In this romantic scene, the tender soundtrack allows Marie to look inward through the healing powers of nature and shows her growth from a rebellious rock star of a queen to a responsible and mature figure. This song is somewhat different from the more eclectic and technical songs Aphex Twin creates but remains unorthodox in its composition with a computerized piano, making the piece sound “human but not quite,”according to a review by critic Scott Wilson.
Another Coppola entry on this list is The Bling Ring, a film based on the true story of a group of young adults robbing A-list celebrities’ homes. The opening track is by noise pop duo Sleigh Bells, a sub-genre derived from indie rock that features elements like feedback and distortion in a more pop-like setting. The choice of this song for the movie’s overture is clever, with the crew quietly sneaking around a home contrasted with the loud alarm-like sound the song contains once they trespass. Through a thunderous opening guitar riff and distorted vocal elements, the song alerts the audience and primes them for the wild ride they are about to experience.
When I think of the iconic film The Fifth Elementfrom Luc Besson, I immediately think of the gorgeous Jean Paul Gaultier costumes, memorable characters, and its dazzling soundtrack. “Alech Taadi” is a genre-bending song by Algerian singer Khaled featured in the film. The song is upbeat, incorporating ‘90s pop elements as well as some Latin flair on a raï base. Raï is an Algerian music style that mixes traditional and western elements, with anti-establishment lyrics as a response to socio-political issues in Algerian societies. The track is heard in the background of a high-octane flying car chase in the busy sky of a futuristic New York City. The song compliments the scene with its vibrant and exciting mood, while also highlighting how diverse the future can become, like with fashion and architecture.
Content warning: mentions of genocide and police brutality, descriptions of racism, Islamophobia, and antisemitism.
On January 7, people packed SFU’s David Mowafaghian Cinema to watch a crucial film. Israelism documents how two American Jews raised to “unconditionally love Israel” flipped its façade to lay bare the horrors of the occupation. This was one of five sold-out Vancouver screenings in a premiere and panel series across 40 cities. The interest was undeniable — there was an additional live audience in a nearly full overspill room at Harbour Centre — evidence of rising waves of Jews critical of Israel.
Simone Zimmerman, who became a vocal critic of Israel and organizer for Palestinian liberation, says the story she shared on screen isn’t special, but reflects what “hundreds of thousands of Jews around the world” have gone through. On the panel, she was joined by two leading Jewish speakers who underwent the unlearning process ahead of the curve: award-winning journalist and bestselling author Naomi Klein, and physician, bestselling author, and SFU honorary alum Dr. Gabor Maté.
Klein began her remarks with gratitude for the “unshaking moral leadership” of everyone involved. This included Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) and SFU’s Centre for Comparative Muslim Studies, who collaborated on hosting the event. The night was a testament to the value of institution building, and the legacy of Jewish, Palestinian, and Arab intellectuals throughout history.
After 109 days into Israel’s escalated genocide of Palestine, watching the opening sequence of the film was disturbing. Footage from a gala in Jerusalem showed tens of thousands on birthright, a free trip to Israel guaranteed to Jews worldwide. This zealous celebration, occurring 70 kilometres away from where the state military confines Palestinians to the world’s largest open-air prison, is almost as disturbing as the fact that things have gotten even more horrific since.
For Zimmerman and Eitan, who narrate their experiences on screen, birthright was a culmination of years of vigorous indoctrination beginning in childhood, from Israel-centred preschool activities in Jewish day school to youth camps led by Israeli soldiers.
Photo courtesy of Israelism film
In the documentary, Eitan shares he joined the military after high school — Israel felt like a place where he belonged. Contrary to the heroic image he’d been fed of Israeli soldiers defending citizens against “threatening” Palestinians, his duties were to limit Palestinian movement at checkpoints, patrol villages, and enter housing to “make their presence felt.” We see heartbreaking footage of how children are routinely terrorized when walking outside, and even in their own homes.
Maté spoke on how Palestinian dehumanization is a tool to justify their suffering. He brought up how Palestinian boys between 12–17 years old are systemically incarcerated for things like painting anti-occupation graffiti or throwing stones at tanks. The global community’s reaction to the October 7 Hamas attacks revealed how thousands of innocent Palestinians “tortured in Israeli jails” wouldn’t spark the same scale of outrage and condemnation as an attack on Israel. Israel’s sadistic war crimes like bombing hospitals and preventing life-sustaining aid from entering Gaza reveal the sheer level of destruction that continues to be treated as permissible when inflicted by a western-backed entity. “Palestinian children are having to have amputations without anesthetic on kitchen tables,” Maté said. “That’s the reality!”
Scenes and testimonies of the horrors of the occupation are juxtaposed with interviews with a Hillel group, a university organization dedicated to Israeli advocacy, which they describe as a core tenet of being a Jew. As a member at the time, Zimmerman was encouraged to defend Israel from so-called attacks at her university, when a motion to divest from Israel’s military was brought forth. After exhausting the talking points she was given, like calling the motion antisemitic — an attack on her Jewish identity — she found herself questioning why her limited script only led her to dead-ends, none of them addressing the suffering of Palestinians.
“[So-called leaders] do not represent us. We refuse to be led through mechanisms of terror.” — Naomi Klein, Author of Doppelganger
We follow Zimmerman to the West Bank where she sees the reality for herself: Palestinians just trying to live their lives under a terrifying apartheid and occupation. Like many in her community, the history she was taught erased the fact that Palestinians had lived there peacefully for generations, and the unfathomable violence, ethnic cleansing, and displacement Israel has inflicted on them since it besieged the land in 1948.
In the documentary, Sami Awad shared his experiences growing up under occupation, including early memories of American soldiers invading their homes. “Palestinians don’t have a day of freedom under the occupation,” he said. While walking the streets with Zimmerman, he acknowledged how Jews have inherited unspeakable trauma from the Holocaust, and how they created this “suppressive security mechanism” as if it’s the way to prevent such an unfathomable atrocity from occurring again. Maté, a trauma expert and Holocaust survivor, described this as “re-traumatization, not remembering, there’s a difference.” He explained, “We’ve never healed the trauma.”
According to Awad, recognizing and denouncing the injustice of the occupation is “where the healing work begins to happen.”
The beauty of the film, according to Klein, is that it models what it’s like to “change your mind” and the process of “learning, unlearning, and uncertainty.”
“A lot of people are looking for a good offramp from this ideology that is so treacherous and violent.”
“The same media that brought us the Vietnam war and lied about it for years [ . . . ] now bring us Israel’s right to defend itself.” —Gabor Maté, author of The myth of normal
Claims of antisemitism are increasingly misused by powerful institutions like the government, media, and academia, to shut down conversations that demand accountability for their complicity in Israel’s crimes. At SFU, students and faculty continue to demand divestment from Israeli weapon suppliers.
According to Maté, criticism of Israel should not be mistaken with hatred toward Jews — conflating Israel with all Jews is antisemitism. Leaders are “supporting [Israel] in the name of the Jewish people. How does that look to non-Jews of goodwill?” Maté asked. His question shows how harmful it is to attribute a group of people to a fascist force.
The unfortunate irony the film points out is that antisemitism has been on the rise with the proliferation of neo-Nazis and white supremacist groups, like those who participated in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. However, pro-Israel leaders who claim to be concerned about antisemitism sweep these dangers under the rug.
“[So-called leaders] do not represent us,” Klein affirmed. “We refuse to be led through mechanisms of terror.”
Maté quoted the thesis of Klein’s latest book, Doppelganger, to describe how there is an “open warfare against objective reality.” He related this to the role the media plays in dangerously misrepresenting and justifying violence against oppressed groups, saying, “The same media that brought us the Vietnam war and lied about it for years [ . . . ] now bring us Israel’s right to defend itself.”
While Canada accepts an unlimited number of Ukrainian refugees fleeing, the number of Palestinian refugees were capped at 1,000. The bias is blatant.
The good news is people are waking up to it. “A lot of people are so uncomfortable with the heaviness in peoples’ hearts, and from the narrative they’ve been fed,” Maté said, to which Klein added, “There are examples of tremendous horror producing change” — as discussed in her book, The Shock Doctrine.
The evening concluded in no-time, and while there was almost an hour of well-articulated insight, the most salient were the calls to action:
Zimmerman: “Allow yourself to be transformed by heartbreak and by grief at witnessing such unspeakable oppression and violence.”
Maté: “We’re up against a system that is much larger than this particular issue. So in challenging this narrative, we also have to challenge the narrative and colonization of our own minds.”
Klein: “This is deadly serious, we need to liberate ourselves from this death machine. It’s time.”
Rent Israelism through Kinema for $5 to stream at home by visiting their website, israelismfilm.com.
With the spring season virtually here and summer on its way, it’s time for everyone to start planning their activities for the upcoming semester break and summer term. Whether you’re taking the summer off or loading up with a full semester’s worth of courses, be sure to set aside some time to step outside. Getting outside on a regular basis can help improve your sleep, benefit your mental health, and give you more motivation to exercise. Here’s a list of some outdoor activities to partake in this spring and summer.
Beginner-Friendly Hikes
These hikes should take no more than a few hours while providing you with a short, exhilarating jaunt without the high-stakes heights. All of these trails will take you around bodies of water of various sizes, ranging from lakes to waterfalls. Enjoy these sights and sounds on a crisp spring morning or a hot summer afternoon — just remember to brush up on your hiking safety before you head out.
Admiralty Point, təmtəmíxʷtən (Belcarra Regional Park), Port Moody Length: 5.5 km roundtrip Elevation gain: 83 m Average time: 1–2 hrs What you’ll see: Little coves steps away from the trailhead where you can perch on a rock while enjoying the soft sounds of water splashing onto the shore. Make sure to go when it’s dry out, as the trail itself is a little rocky.
South Shore Trail, Burnaby Lake Regional Park, Burnaby Length: 7.6 km roundtrip Elevation gain: 21 m Average time: 1–2 hrs What you’ll see: Mirror-like lake reflections, wooden bridge walkways, and different types of birds. On clear days, you might even be able to see the silhouettes of tall buildings in the distance.
Serpentine Fen Trail, Serpentine Wildlife Management Area, Surrey Length: 3.5 km loop Elevation gain: 6 m Average time: 1 hr What you’ll see: Gravel paths carved alongside shiny riverways with a slight view of the mountains in the background. For the best experience, walk this trail close to sunset and watch the orange hues of the sky tint the river beside you.
Lynn Canyon Loop, Lynn Canyon Park, North Vancouver Length: 2.3 km Elevation gain: 109 m Average time: 1 hr What you’ll see: Glassy-green waters and an infamous suspension bridge that takes visitors over rushing waterfalls. Also along this trail is the 30-foot pool, a natural swimming pool that’s a great cool-down option for a hot summer’s day (just make sure to abide by the posted signs and don’t jump from the cliffs).
Out on the Water
From stand-up paddleboards to Sea-Doos (jet skis), there are many activities that will get you out on the water this year. While these are more suited for summer weather, definitely don’t shy away from indulging in these once the warm weather hits. These activities are perfect for enjoying with family, friends, or any other groups that you may want to hit the water with.
Deer Lake Park, Burnaby Available activities: Walk around the park, fish, or rent a boat. What can you rent?: Kayaks, canoes, rowboats, and pedalboats — price list can be found on their website. What to do: Rent a boat with a group of friends or head out on the water with a partner. Not only will you be surrounded by lush trees as you paddle through the lake, but you’ll also get a bit of an arm workout in. If rowing isn’t your style, rent a pedalboat and exercise those lower body muscles!
Light The Night Stand-Up Paddleboard Tour, Vancouver Available activities: Glow-in-the-dark stand-up paddleboard tours. What can you rent?: A glow-in-the-dark stand-up paddleboard. What to do: Embark on a glow-in-the-dark paddleboard tour at sunset. While a fair bit pricey, this activity is ideal for those who want to experience the beauty of BC from a different perspective. Tours cap off at 12 people per group and last for around 1.5 hours.
Harrison Lake, Harrison Hot Springs Available activities: An inflatable water park as well as bumper boat and Sea-Doo rentals. What can you rent?: Sea-Doos and bumper boats. What to do: Bring out your inner child and spend a day out at Harrison Lake’s inflatable water park. Remember Wipeout? While this course doesn’t have the same big and inflatable red balls, you’re sure to have your share of slips and slides.
Picture-Perfect Photography
Wintry Instagram feeds are over (for the time being). Ditch your snow boots for a pair of Converse and start scoping out the places to go to take your perfect photos. If you need a charming outdoor background for your VSCO or LinkedIn profile, you’re bound to find something to snap a picture of at these spots.
Cherry blossom trees Where: Honestly, there are lots of options once they start blooming. Some examples are the VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, Queens Park in New Westminster, and Garry Point Park in Richmond. Find an extensive list on the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Tracker. When: Around March 29–April 25. Why:Nothing says “spring” more than a photo of some fresh, blooming flowers.
Sunsets Where: Ideally near the water so you can see the pretty colours both on the water and in the sky. Some suggestions include Cypress Lookout in West Vancouver, Terra Nova Rural Park in Richmond, Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area(hello!) and Barnet Marine Park in Burnaby, təmtəmíxʷtən (Belcarra Regional Park) in Port Moody, and Pitt River Regional Greenway in Pitt Meadows. When: The sun is projected to set around 7:30 p.m. from March–mid-April, and at around 8:00 p.m. fromApril–May. After that, expect the sun to set past 9:00 p.m. I’d recommend getting to your preferred spot 15–30 minutes before the sun sets so you can take in the views without worrying too much about your pictures. Why: Who doesn’t love a good sunset photo?
Forested paths Where:Immense parks with lots of trees. Pacific Spirit Regional Park near UBC, Central Park in Burnaby, Minnekhada Regional Park in Coquitlam, and Tynehead Regional Park in Surrey come to mind. When: Daytime, so you’re not stumbling around at night trying to find your way out of the forest. An early-morning woodland jaunt is never a bad idea. Why: Some neat photos might encourage others to explore the outdoors as well. While you’re out at these parks, it doesn’t hurt to go on a bit of a walk, too!
There is a certain etiquette to sharing a laundry room or going to a coin laundry. Don’t overfill the machine, don’t let your clothes sit there, don’t be nasty. I do my part. I don’t overfill, I set the timer to make sure I’m not taking up machines after my clothes have finished their cycle, and I have 100% cotton bath mats to make sure I’m not a fire hazard. I also make sure to clean the lint traps! It is not that hard.
So why, then, are some people so damn irrational in shared laundry rooms? Why do I arrive perfectly timed — within the minute — to pick up my fresh laundry, and see it dumped onto the countertop? Why has my precious clean laundry been soiled by some stranger’s grimey hands, who couldn’t wait five fucking minutes before prematurely taking out my laundry? I am literally right here. But you justhadto stop the dryer to put in your own clothes because you are panicking that your entire wardrobe is filthy, you have work tomorrow morning, and now you need to take up three machines at once?! What the fuck.
Do you know how dirty shared laundry rooms can be? They are a transportation centre for bed bugs, and that is notsomething I want to deal with. I have a routine to ensure I am not carrying back your creepy crawlies from your last vacation, and that includes not touching the filthy counter that likely hasn’t been wiped down for months. Now, why are you overfilling the soap compartment to create a sticky, mouldy, mess?
