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A call for revolution (and moving sidewalks) at blusson hall

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Peak Web
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Joy Johnson and a raccoon thoroughly enjoying SFU’s newest installation of moving sidewalks inside of blusson hall. There are signs pointing to the upper bus loop and to Renaissance.
ILLUSTRATION: Bithi Sutradhar / The Peak

By: Katie Walkley, Peak Associate

HEAR YE, HEAR YE!

SFU storm bringers, we have gone on too long walking immeasurable distances from class to class. We are made to feel like hobbits trekking to Mount Doom when we should be trekking towards stable careers (unless you’re an English major . . . SIKE! English majors rule! Screw the haters). We cannot continue to operate under the control of our inhumanly planned architecture. It’s time to wake up and leave your NPC lives behind, sheeple!

I’m not the first free-thinker to awaken to the misery under our noses. A fringe, anti-traditionalist, anti-walking society has been scheming behind the scenes for generations. Now, they’re coming out of the shadows for their greatest heist yet, and we must join them. The plan? Implement moving sidewalks in blusson hall.

We need a hallway that works for us, not a hallway we have to work to get out of! The time we spend wandering around campus could be cut in half with a speedy track that sends us where we need to be, like groceries sliding towards the cashier. Do we not deserve to be treated equally, nay, better, than the Takis bags scooting oh so lavishly to their destination? 

Like you, I once thought this walk from the AQ to the upper bus loop was merely a mild inconvenience. During that dark time, my silly, ignorant mind couldn’t even comprehend the possible alternatives. Then, I escaped the matrix (took the summer semester off), and the unnoticed detriments to my well-being came to light. Let me tell you, the truth shines brighter than Edward Cullen’s sparkly jawline, except this time, instead of being hungry for blood, it’s hungry for justice.

Back when I braved the harshness of the Burnaby campus daily, I was forced to put my gains aside and skip leg day. I couldn’t risk getting injured from my alpha male workout routine. I feared that if my legs were too sore, I would collapse in that hall and never make it home. Now, all I have is eight–pack abs with too much mass for my noodle legs to hold. I still skip leg day — I need a rest day from these memories. 

Even though I sacrificed any possibility of buff calves, my efforts did not protect me from the unstoppable pain that hall wreaks upon innocent students. Coming out of those three-hour psychology lectures in the Images Theatre, legs numb, about to crash out, blusson hall became a final test of worthiness where I did not want to be worthy. 

So, SFU nation, after sharing my story, I ask you to think of all the ways this tunnel of despair has wronged you. Once you find the rage within, you will be ready to join us at dusk on the first half moon after exam season. Together, we will figure out how airports make those moving sidewalks. We will control the means of production! After that, we will be unstoppable!

I’m forever haunted by Harbour Centre Mall

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Peak Web
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A picture of a man with a frightful face in front of the SFU Harbour Centre campus (inside of the mall). A hand is reaching towards him.
PHOTO: Emily Le / The Peak

By: Yulissa Huamani, Peak Associate

Look, there’s nothing better than waking up at the crack of dawn to attend a lecture. I don’t expect anything remotely interesting to happen at 8:00 a.m. as I commute and question my life decisions. Plus, I feel rejuvenated after a micro-nap on the SkyTrain. Slowly regaining consciousness, I have potentially 15 minutes of semi-functional brain activity left before facing my worst enemy — that damn mall. 

Do you know the small mall tucked under SFU’s Vancouver Harbour Centre Campus? The creepy place where haunted mall music (muzak) echoes through the deserted hallways and pension-receiving escalators plead for help like trapped souls trying to be released? Where looping muzak slowly increases its volume to combat the mournful sounds of lost souls?

A picture of a man with a frightful face in front of the SFU Harbour Centre campus (inside of the mall). A hand is reaching towards him.
PHOTO: Emily Le / The Peak

Seriously, has anyone walked through the mall without feeling like they could potentially become a protagonist in the new Final Destination movie? I hold my breakfast like my LIFE depends on it. Sometimes I can feel a ghoulish hand reaching towards MY rice krispie squares — spooky shit. Every sound echoes louder than my intrusive thoughts. Even empty store mannequins scream for help, like the chilling screams you feel in your bones. As if the vibes of this place aren’t spooky enough on their own, I’m often confronted by the frightening muzak that’s probably chosen by the ghost of a middle-aged woman. I hear J.Lo screaming “LET’S GET LOUUUUUUUUD” as if it were a war cry to rally the ghosts of the mall. On the day of an exam, while you frantically flip through your Quizlet, you can enjoy 10 seconds of a dramatic piano ballad by Céline Dion — so emotional that it felt like the Titanic was sinking again. All the while, you’re running like a desperate orangutan through the streets, praying to make it on time to the exam. And no, Jack, you don’t want to be saved to hear or see this.

I genuinely believe the mall is haunted. Are exorcisms on buildings even a thing? Just because the whole vibe feels like the opening of a horror movie where no one makes it past the first scene. And the music sets the tone. “Toxic” by Britney Spears can randomly start blasting through the speakers like the mall suddenly decided it was 2004. And the next song could either be “Conga” by Gloria Estefan or some random Christian pop hit. I either power walk to class or accidentally empower a ghost with some religiosity, which doesn’t seem to work as it still haunts me. Just like that one Canvas grade notification you avoid opening, you know you can run, you can escape, but it lingers patiently. In the shadows of your every thought, every step you take, the mall will find you. With no remorse.

On reading Dostoevsky

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Peak Web
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It is an illustration of a portrait of Fyodor Dostoevsky writing his book under a candle light in a dimly-lit room
ILLUSTRATION: Victoria Lo / The Peak

By: Yildiz Subuk, Staff Writer

I have read a significant amount of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s work and found myself both exhausted and enlightened. His book Notes from Underground (1864) is hailed as the first existentialist novel, exploring the depths of an ill man’s psyche as he loses his sense of purpose. Crime and Punishment (1866) tackled intertwining themes between social inequality and crime, while The Brothers Karamazov (1880) told the sprawling tale of one of the most dysfunctional families in literature. Dostoevsky, who was born in Moscow, Russia in 1821 lived till the age of 59. He was involved in an anti-government group, which led to his arrest and death sentence in 1849. Just before his execution, he was instead transferred to a Siberian Labour camp, until he got his release in 1854. The tone and subject matter of Dostoevsky’s work feel like a manifestation of his bleak life experience and an examination of his own existence throughout different periods of his life.

When I first began reading Dostoyevsky, I jumped straight into Crime and Punishment,  and as I began reading I knew I immediately made a mistake. While the premise, — focused on a young man who is driven to murder and theft by his socioeconomic condition — seemed captivating, I realized the book was too focused on the guilt and inner turmoil of the character rather than a plot. It felt more akin to a diary than a novel and I put it down. I ended up leaving it unfinished, and decided to read his shorter first novel, Notes from Underground — personally, I think this is the best place to start with his work. 

Due to its shorter length, Notes was more accessible. It is split into two parts, one focusing on the inner ramblings of a man whose health is declining, causing him to become increasingly bitter. The second part explores his past and how he reached his breaking point. This book familiarized me with Dostoevsky’s writing style and voice. Afterwards, I eventually returned to Crime and Punishment, and finished it. While I was more appreciative of this novel the second time around, and found the exploration between crime and poverty to be interesting, it was still a bit of an exhausting read due to it focusing primarily on Raskolnikov’s view of the world for too long of a length.

The Brothers Karamazov fixed the problem I initially had with Crime and Punishment. The Brothers is my favourite of his works. It is nearly a thousand pages, but constantly compelling. Instead of focusing on one character’s psyche we see the perspective of four main characters — four brothers —  and their relationship with their tyrannical father. It unveils the abuse they experienced, and how each one of the brothers develops a different conflicting sense of morality. When they are re-united after years of being apart, this dysfunctional dynamic reaches a crescendo. The brothers explore the decay of morality, while also challenging the reader’s beliefs on redemption. It poses the question,“Can the most morally depraved individuals have a chance to redeem themselves, not just in the eyes of society, but also in their own eyes?”

While Dostoevsky’s more notable work can feel challenging due to its length and its rant-like quality, it is rewarding to those who enjoy the style of unfiltered writing. Starting with his shorter fiction before delving into his lengthier works will give the reader better insight into whether they like his writing or not. Dostoevsky’s ability to convey emotions like bitterness, angst, hatred, through his writing while exploring social issues makes him a writer that has stood the test of time. This does not necessarily mean his work will floor every reader. His continued popularity is, however, a testament to how timeless his writing feels, and for those looking for books that keeps their minds engaged with the philosophical elements of the story, Dostoevsky’s work will leave the reader constantly grappling with their own world view.

CARTOON: The Trump and Musk breakup

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Peak Web
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Trump and Musk sitting on opposite sides of the frame. They are both shedding a tear as they look beyond. The sky is black.
By: Christine Aumueller

By: Christine Aumueller

Our Bodies, Our Health tackles 2SLGBTQIA+ sexual and reproductive health

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Peak Web
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This is a vibrant illustration of people of various genders, body types, and skin tones holding pencils and pieces of paper. Sexual and reproductive health symbols (like condoms, IUDs, birth control) are patterned in the backdrop.
ILLUSTRATION: Angela Shen / The Peak

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer

A new survey titled “Our Bodies, Our Health” wants to better understand the sexual and reproductive health needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ Canadians. The study is headed by the Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC), in partnership with the Health Initiative for Men (HIM) and Investigaytors, among other organizations. The Peak spoke with Kartik Arora, a team lead for HIM and Investigaytors, about the survey and what it means for the future.

Both CBRC and HIM focus on the health of gender and sexually diverse community members. CBRC is a research and project-based organization, while HIM focuses on the latter. Similarly, Investigaytors is “a national community-based research program,” Arora said. “Specifically in BC, it’s a community health leadership program for 2SLGBTQIA+ community members who are interested in health research.”

The survey results will help HIM “create interventions or programs” designed to “address those gaps that we find in the data,” Arora said. “A lot of queer folks, especially younger queer folks, might share a primary care provider with their parents or their family members. And so sometimes people can still be worried about confidentiality and information getting out,” he explained. “A lot of times what we see is queer communities often have to educate their own healthcare providers on their specific queer health needs and sexual health needs as well.” Since the survey is still ongoing and all the data is yet to be obtained, it’s difficult to predict what these programs might look like, Arora said. 

Beyond local implications, the data will be shared on the provincial and national levels and with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, which helped fund the study. “Once the data is collected and compiled, we’d be able to inform on policies and practices and take this data to those bodies that inform regulations and pass legislations and policies about the lives of 2SLGBTQIA+ members in Canada.” Arora emphasized that “it’s one thing just to collect data, but if you don’t do much with it, or have reciprocal means of sharing the data as well, it can often look like you’re tokenizing a specific community, especially a marginalized community.”

Lack of access to the HPV vaccine, which defends against both genital warts and various cancers, represents another challenge for some members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Arora explained that the shot is “only free in BC up to 26 years of age and younger, even though it is recommended for queer men that are older than 27.” 

“I love that this survey allows community to lead community.” — Kartik Arora, team lead at Health Initiative for Men, Investigaytors 

What makes this survey special is its “community-driven” roots, Arora said. “A lot of times when you have surveys about our communities, they’re often created by certain bodies in the silo,” he explained. In the case of “Our Bodies, Our Health,” Arora said “there’s been so many voices and input going into designing this survey.” 

Designing the questions did not come without challenges. “Narrowing down the scope,” while “making sure that we had questions in each of the areas that we wanted to focus on and prioritize,” was one obstacle, he explained. Ensuring the survey was “accessible and can be finished in a certain allotted time frame” was a challenge as well.

The study is special in that “in contrast to previous queer research surveys, this one also tackles on endeavors related to sexual and reproductive care, gender affirming care, and sex and pleasure, which are often overlooked.” Additionally, “each province that is administering the survey will have their own unique questions” within the survey, to provide a better glimpse into “what’s going on in local communities,” Arora explained.

For instance, “in BC, our healthcare system is split into multiple health authorities spread across the region,” so some questions may ask which region participants live in and where they access services. He explained that such an inquiry will provide an idea of whether individuals are looking for services outside of their regional authority.

“It really does take all parts of the community and different people at different places to come together to be able to do this kind of work,” Arora added. “I love that this survey allows community to lead community.”

The “Our Bodies, Our Health” survey will be available in person at Vancouver Pride from August 2–3. The survey is also open until mid-September online.

The Peak investigates: Jugo Juice closure

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Peak Web
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A personified coffee cup wearing Hello Kitty pajamas stands in front of a burning Jugo Juice. He is tipping his coffee lid as a sign of respect, almost remorseful for his actions.
ILLUSTRATION: Yan Ting Leung / The Peak

By: Coffee Brown, now in witness protection

Coffee Brown was recently faced with his most difficult task as a member of the Beverage Mafia. Brown had been loyal to the mafia family for decades, but after his last hit, he knew it was time to retire. Years of guilt caught up to him, and he realized he needed to free himself from the burden. 

He is set to testify against the Beverage Mafia next year (with a full pardon of his crimes), but has agreed to provide his statement regarding the suspicious closure of the Jugo Juice next to Renaissance Coffee in the AQ exclusively to The Peak. 

“It was some time ‘round last week. I’m at home, in my Hello Kitty jam jams, when I hear a knock on the door. It’s not just a normal knock, too; it sounded like a kangaroo on speed, ready to bring my door down. I know what it is — it’s serious, they gonna tells me ‘go paint a house.’ Well, I says to the guy, hold it, gimme a sec, but he’s banging away like my mom and pawp on Valentine’s Day. I need to change outta my jam jams, ‘cause no one is going to take a hitman who likes Hello Kitty seriously — society, am I right? Anyways, I suit up and open the door, and who do I see? Ol’ Thony Coca-Cola. ‘Hey, what’s the matter?’ I says to him.

“He comes in, sits down and lays it out for me. Started to bust my balls. 

“Turns out the old Jugo Juice factory the boss gave out loans to wasn’t doin’ too well — I guess they haven’t been since they took that loan from us. Thony tells me, ‘Hey pal, it’s time to go send a message.’ I’m sitting there nodding, but deep down I know I can’t do it. I wanna say, ‘Fogetta bout it!’ 

“I love that Jugo Juice — and here is Thony telling me to go literally beat the pulp outta the owner. I am bouts to tell him, keep your cash — I can’t do it, I like that place . . . especially ‘em kale smoothies . . .  and then he pulls out a brief case loaded with enough cash to buy a stupendous amount of Hello Kitty jam jams to last my grandchildren (totally not me) a whole lifetime. 

“I take the cash and do the job. I wanted to say no, but just when I thought I was out, they pulped me back in. I sent the owner a lil’ knuckle sandwich and set the place on fire right at closing time. The boss calls me just after I burn it down and tells me to . . . you know . . . whack that poor soul. Boss says to me he’s been juicin’ him for years, and he won’t pay the loans back. I’m lookin’ at the poor chap . . . he spilled a cup of the lemon juice on his pants while his shop burnt. I can’t do it. I don’t do it. I said to the poor chap, ‘Run, fogetta bout it.’

“I realize that I’ve been spilling the blood of too many in the name of the boss and the twisted Beverage Mafia. But no more. I’m takin’ it down with me. I decided to rat. I would’ve never thought I’d get to the point that I felt like a cannoli in Ol’ Paulie Piña Colada’s fridge, the way this guilt was eating me.

“I loved that Jugo Juice. I remember the first time I had a smoothie from there. I was saying stuff like splendid, somethin’ you don’t hear a guy like me saying. The Beverage Mafia— they expect too much. You gotta be a tough guy, you can’t drink a kale smoothie and enjoy it or they’ll calls you soft. You can’t be seen wearing your Hello Kitty jam jams either. The money was good, but my job was  miserable. I knew I had to scram faster than my mom makin’ her Christmas linguine.  

“It was the best decision of my life. I feel bad for beating poor Jugo, or whateva his name is, but I won’t be doing that no more. I can live my truth, wear what I wants to, and enjoy my jam jams.”

Monday Music: Songs to aid your astral journey

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Peak Web
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It is an illustration of a girl sitting on a patch of grass staring into the night sky full of stars and other astronomical objects
ILLUSTRATION: Cassandra Nguyen / The Peak

By: Katie Walkley, SFU Student

Doing nothing should be considered as a human need just as important as eating or sleeping. To ease you into a camaraderie with your mind through the art of staring off into space, I have created this playlist that will guide you through the cosmic realm for the optimal zone-out experience. Please listen to these songs in their prescribed order for the best results.

“The Body is a Blade” by Japanese Breakfast

The ninth song in Soft Sounds from Another Planet gently lifts you from your daily struggles. The guitar’s hypnotic patterns seem to spin in circles around you. Meanwhile, Michelle Zauner’s ghostly vocals deliver brutally authentic lyrics that allow you to sit with both hope and melancholy. Using music to access your intense emotions perfectly prepares you for an astral realm where you can ponder your existence in a far-off space.

“Can I Sleep in Your Brain?” by Ezra Furman

Known from her work on the Sex Education soundtrack, Furman is a master of musical storytelling. The specific yet universally felt details make every lyric feel like a punch to the gut. The minimalist instruments and heart-wrenching singing will gently guide you to find a landing spot from the stars in someone else’s brain. However, the genre swap halfway through the song from a slow ballad to punk-style guitar and blaring saxophones indicates that the brain you’ve found may not live on our planet.

“Tapestry from an Asteroid” by Sun Ra

The jazz musician Sun Ra will help you wander through the alien’s brain that you dropped into. In a 1989 interview with SPIN, he claims to have been sent to Earth from Saturn to raise human consciousness. Whether or not you believe his origin story, you will feel his connection to the cosmos when hit with the otherworldly groove of this tune. 

“Secret Tongues” by The Moldy Peaches

Now that you have successfully travelled the astral plane, The Moldy Peaches are here to help you descend back to your body. The sweet voice of Adam Green delivering absurd lyrics such as, “just jiggling around like silly putty / and who are you and I?” will keep your adventurous whimsy alive as you take on the rest of your earthly tasks.

After taking your focus away from the urgent matters that were pressing down on you, you can come back and greet them with more clarity. We were never meant to be constantly stressing about work. We need time where we can feel human and vanish from everything that is being asked of us, so that when we return, we can discern what really matters.

What Grinds Our Gears: Hardcover books

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Peak Web
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A photo of an opened book on a bed with purple floral sheets.
PHOTO: Rhamely / Unsplash

By: Zainab Salam, Opinions Editor

Let me set the scene. It’s midnight. You’re cozy. Under layers of a blanket and a duvet. Swallowed whole like a sentient marshmallow. The lights are dimmed, just right. You reach for your book — the one you’ve been dying to start. But alas. It’s not a sleek paperback. It’s not digital. It’s hardcover — a glorified brick in disguise. 

Nothing — and I mean nothing — kills the vibe like trying to read a hardcover in bed. It’s the literary equivalent of wrestling a bear. One hand’s going numb from supporting the sheer weight of the thing, the other’s frantically flipping pages that refuse to stay open — unless you press them down like you’re conducting open-heart surgery. 

God forbid you want to lie on your side. Suddenly, you’re doing acrobatics, holding it up with one arm like you’re training for the Cirque du Soleil, only to be slapped in the face when it inevitably slips and decks you across the nose.

And the dust jacket! Why is it even there? What purpose does it serve except to slowly inch up the book like a tuxedo trying to make a run for it? If I wanted to be left at the altar by a man, I would’ve dated a man! Oh, and take it off, suddenly you’re left with a sad, naked cube that somehow feels even worse. 

Honestly, hardcover books in bed are a personal attack. They mock you with their spine-cracking stubbornness and sheer physical bulk. Want to get comfy? Too bad. This is a core workout now. 

I’m not saying ban hardcovers. They have their place in society, like as a murder weapon in cozy mysteries. But in bed? No. Just no. Reading in bed should be soft, floppy, and commitment-free. Like a paperback. Or a bad decision. 

Hardcovers for readers are the equivalent of throw pillows for interior designers; for display, not practicality. End of story!

Peak Speaks: If the walls could talk

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Peak Web
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A man pressing his ear against a wall at SFU. He is shocked at what he is hearing.
PHOTO: Emily Le / The Peak

By: Mason Mattu, Humour Editor

We asked our friends on the SFU subreddit: If the walls at SFU could talk, what would they say? 

u/dash101: “Let’s stick together, or this place might fall apart!” 

u/YoManWTFIsThisShit: “Can someone tell the undergrads to stop crying outside the econ room?”

u/cashcartibihhhhhhh: “Zoo-WeeMama.”

u/starkengineer: “We are what we fear the most.”

u/HistoricalAd6638: “Stand up for yourself.”

Council Chats: Executive officers provide notable reports

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Peak Web
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This is an illustration of a graphic that reads “Council Chats.” The image also has two text boxes to symbolise messages being sent.
ILLUSTRATION: Andrea Choi / The Peak

By: Corbett Gildersleve, News Writer

On June 18, the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) met for their bi-weekly Council meeting. This meeting covered executive officer reports, an executive officer resignation, a motion on electronic voting in Council, and more. The Peak attended the meeting in person in room 4200 of the Student Union Building (SUB).

Executive officer reports

The president and vice-presidents reported on their work since the last Council meeting. President Landy Liu has been serving as the staff liaison officer, working with the HR lead, Chandra Trinh, on staffing issues and also serving as the legal liaison officer for the Society. 

Jessica Lamb, vice-president external and community affairs, asked the Standing Committee on Finance and Governmental Services for increased funding for student mental health and wellness, increased student financial support, and Burnaby Mountain gondola funding at the Budget 2026 Consultation Public Hearing on June 5. This committee — one of eleven permanent committees of the BC parliament — “holds an annual public consultation on the provincial budget.” Lamb told the committee that these are the “three urgent areas of investment that are critical not only for students but for the future of BC’s economy and workforce.” She also pointed out that the funding for “expanded [counselling] services tailored to BIPOC students, 2SLGBTQIA+, mature learners, and survivors of gender-based violence” was not renewed. 

Additionally, Lamb and Bagga met with the SFU International Students Office to find a better way to distribute around 200 International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam coupons to students on campus. 

Albert Radu, vice-president events and student affairs, held two club nights — one that broke even and the other that ran a profit. Radu told The Peak, “This money will be put back into our events line item to help fund further events this year! Club night events in recent years have usually either broken even or lost money, so seeing profits and positive participation numbers is an encouraging sign of progress for the year to come!” 

Upcoming events include pet therapy on June 24 at the SUB social stage. Radu is also looking at holding a student vendor fair in the SUB soon. 

Vice-president internal and organizational development resigns

Council accepted the resignation of Ash Powers, vice-president internal and organizational development, to take effect on June 27. An interim vice-president will be appointed at the next Council meeting. In the meantime, a form will be sent out to members of Council to submit their interest. The position will be filled after a by-election is held sometime in October, as per SFSS bylaws. 

Electronic voting for Council meetings

At the SFSS’ annual general meeting last year, a bylaw amendment was passed to have Council explore electronic voting at its meetings. A motion was discussed by Council to move forward on that requirement. The motion tasked the policy affairs and research coordinator to explore different software options available and report back to Council by the next meeting. It was later amended and passed with an extension on the date to report back. 

Common room furniture grant request

Councillors Ananga Bajgai from the Math Student Union and Sharneet Kaur from the Statistics and Actuarial Science Student Association asked for $2,500 from the space expansion fund to buy new furniture and equipment for their shared common room located in the Shrum Kinesology building. Later in the meeting, the motion was discussed, where Council members asked about the costs in more detail, and the motion was approved unanimously. The space expansion fund collects upward of $300,000 a year from students, according to 2024’s financial statements, and can be used for leasing and renovating space, purchasing furniture for common rooms, and other items as listed in their policy.

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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