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To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You offers a surprisingly nostalgic look at my own relationship

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Arts
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Screenshot via Netflix
Screenshot via Netflix

by Marco Ovies, Arts Editor

After what seems to be a happy ending for star-crossed lovers Lara Jean (Lana Codor) and Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo), sequel film To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You proves that not all relationships are perfect. In a twist, Lara Jean’s old flame and recipient of her fifth letter John Ambrose (Jordan Fisher) returns to complicate things. Lara Jean is left confused since she still loves Noah but also has feelings for John Ambrose.

I was lucky enough to be invited to a premiere screening of the film a week before it launched and let me tell you, the film does not disappoint. To be entirely honest, I only saw the first movie To All The Boys I Loved Before four hours before seeing the sequel. When it first showed up on Netflix I never really felt like I had to see this movie. And at the end of the day it really isn’t a movie that you have to see, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good. 

But the sequel titled To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You surpassed my expectations and ended up being much better than the first. If you’re hoping to watch something that isn’t just a highschool romance then maybe this is not the movie for you. But director Michael Fimognari obviously knew that this movie was a highschool romance and stuck true to that tone, and that is what made it very enjoyable.

Maybe what made the movie so great was the fact that it was shot in Vancouver. I had taken my girlfriend with me to the premiere and watched as all the dates Noah takes Lara Jean on were the same dates that me and my girlfriend went on. We would nudge each other when familiar spots would pop up like Queen Elizabeth Park, Playland, and the Vancouver Aquarium. It acted almost like a walk down memory lane and turned what should have been a very normal movie screening into a very special night. Therefore I might be a bit biased when I say that I really enjoyed this movie. 

Even some of the arguments seemed familiar and we were able to laugh about them during the film, remembering how silly they were. I wanted to yell “JUST COMMUNICATE” at poor Lara Jean struggling through the whole movie. After living through some of these same arguments I obviously had some more experience than our protagonist, but it’s really is important to show these sort of milestones through a relationship

Because at the end of the day a relationship is not just all flowers and happy endings. To make something work takes time and commitment, and there will be rough patches throughout. To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You shows that side of the relationship perfectly and gives an honest to goodness realistic viewpoint on dating. There will be arguing about who ordered the pizza or frustrations about not spending enough time with each other, but if the relationship is a healthy one and as long as you communicate then everything will turn out fine.

So while the movie was a bit overly dramatic (since it is a movie after all), I do recommend watching it. The next time you’re sitting on the couch with your significant other scrolling through Netflix debating what to watch, why not check out To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You. It’s a cute hour and a half movie that you might see a lot more of yourself in than you would have guessed.

Peak Sports Mailbag: Wrestling

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Sports
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Photo: SFU Athletics

By: Lauren Mason, SFU Student

Hello readers of The Peak sports section,

Welcome to the Peak Sports Mailbag. My name is Lauren Mason. I’m a member of the SFU Women’s Wrestling team and this week’s host of the wrestling-themed Mailbag. 

Thanks so much to all of our readers that submitted their wrestling-related questions, and my apologies if your question didn’t make it into this week’s edition. Usually, the Mailbag host will only answer three questions. Don’t worry though, as all questions submitted count for an entry into the raffle draw whether or not they are addressed in the Mailbag. Now, onto the questions!

Question 1: How are points scored in a wrestling match ?  – Sikwan

First of all, there are three different styles of wrestling: freestyle, folkstyle, and Greco-Roman. At SFU, the women wrestle freestyle and the men wrestle folkstyle. 

In freestyle, each match is six minutes long (two three-minute periods). There are three referees, and points are awarded for the following: two for a takedown, two for a back exposure, four for feet-to-back, and one for a push out of bounds. In order for points to be awarded, at least two of the three referees must agree. 

In folkstyle at the college/university level, matches are seven minutes long (a three-minute period followed by consecutive two-minute periods). There is just one referee that will award points for the following: two for a takedown, one for an escape, two for a reversal, and two or four for a near-fall (holding the opponent with their back exposed). 

Question 2: Who are some of SFU’s most notable wrestling alumni ? – Carson

SFU has been a powerhouse in wrestling for many years. Many national champions, World medal winners, and even Olympians, have been a part of this program. Numerous people in the sports world look to SFU as a strong university, academically speaking, but there is also an expectation that our athletes will perform athletically well on a national and international scale. Since SFU’s teams consist of mostly American and Canadian members, there are many notable alumni from both countries. 

On the women’s side, Carol Huynh was the first female Olympic gold medalist in wrestling for Canada; she earned another Olympic bronze at the 2012 games, and she also has numerous other medals on the World stage. 

On the men’s side, the most prominent athlete is Daniel Igali. He won gold at the 2000 Olympics and won the 1999 World Championships as well. 

Other notable Canadian SFU grads are World medal holders Haislan Garcia, Danielle Lappage, and Justina Di Stasio. On the American side, Helen Maroulis, with her win in 2016, was the first female Olympic gold medalist in wrestling for the United States. Additional notable alumni are Mallory Velte, a World bronze medalist, and Dominique Parrish, who placed fifth at the 2018 U23 World Championships. As you can see, SFU consistently produces many high-achieving wrestlers.

Question 3: How do SFU’s wrestling programs rank amongst the NCAA? – Laura

On the women’s side, SFU has always been one of the best on the continent. For the last 10 years, the women’s team has ranked amongst the top three in their division. In 2019, they placed second in the WCWA (Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Association) and nine members of the team achieved the honour of being named All-American. The men’s side also has many ranked wrestlers, and has had at least one Division II All-American each year. 

If you would like to participate in future editions of the Peak Sports Mailbag and be entered in a raffle for an end-of-semester prize, here’s what you can send to [email protected]: 

  • Sports-related questions that our weekly host will answer
  • Weekly theme ideas to guide our questions
  • Short (100–200 word) responses to our bi-weekly Reverse Mailbag (get paid $5) 

Or: sign up to host the Mailbag (and get paid)!

Thanks to all of you SFU sports fans for blowing up my inbox!

The next original Mailbag theme is: Golf 

The host for the golf Mailbag is: Juztin Bello

Send in your questions to [email protected]. 

The Week Ahead in SFU Sports: February 17–23

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Sports
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Photo: SFU Athletics

By: Dylan Webb, Sports Editor

A relatively light schedule for SFU Athletics will have both basketball teams, the track team, and the men’s golf team in action this week. The first event of the year for men’s golf comes as the basketball teams prepare for playoffs. 

Women’s Basketball:

The women’s basketball team will try to continue their recent hot streak as they embark on their longest road trip of the season. The trip starts with a game against the Anchorage Seawolves on February 20 at 8 p.m. and concludes in Fairbanks on February 22 at 3 p.m. 

Men’s Basketball:

Returning home from a short two-game road trip, the men’s basketball team will host Seattle Pacific University on February 20 and St. Martin’s University on February 22. Tip off for both games will be at 7 p.m. in the West Gym. 

Track and Field:

It’s a big week for the SFU Track team as the squad heads to Nampa, Idaho on February 21 and 22 for the GNAC Indoor Championships. 

Men’s Golf:

The SFU Men’s Golf team kicks off their 2020 season with a trip to San Bernardino, California to take on California State University, San Bernardino on February 17 and 18. 

Valentines Vibe Check

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Multimedia
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Winning streak ends at seven as SFU Hockey drops final home game of regular season

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Sports
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Michael Lenko made 21 saves to earn his first shutout of the year. — Photo: SFU Hockey

By: Michael Lenko, Peak Associate

The SFU Hockey team extended its winning streak to seven games on Friday night by defeating the University of Victoria Vikes 3–0. Unfortunately, the Clan were not able to hold off the Selkirk Saints the following night as they fell 5–1 in their final home game of the 2019–20 season. The loss snapped SFU’s season-long seven game winning streak.  

In the Friday night game against the Vikes, the Clan overcame a slow start to dominate the opening period. After giving up four shots in the first few minutes, the Clan clamped down defensively and allowed just two more shots for the remainder of the period while taking 14 of their own. SFU’s strong play over the remainder of the frame was rewarded as Mac Colasimone scored his ninth goal of the year to give the Clan a 1–0 lead heading into the first intermission. 

The second period consisted of more dominating play from the Clan, which culminated in Arjun Badh’s fourth goal of the season to extend the lead to two. 

After carrying the play for most of the night, the Clan weren’t quite as sharp in the third and both teams traded offensive chances. With just 10 minutes to go and the game still close, the Vikes created a grade A scoring chance that SFU starter Michael Lenko stopped with his best save of the night. With just over five minutes left in the game, SFU’s McKullen Astill added an important insurance marker that sealed the win for the Clan to extend their winning streak to seven games. 

The Clan heavily outshot the Vikes 41–21, but still relied on a strong performance from their goaltender to secure the win. Lenko collected his first shutout of the season and the third of his BCIHL career in the win. 

The second home game of the weekend started off with a ceremony to honour the team’s two graduating players, Eric Callegari and Matt Holowko. The two played their last regular season home game at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre knowing that the team had officially clinched a playoff spot with the win the night before.

In contrast to the previous game, the Clan came out firing from the opening puck drop and outshot the Saints 18–12 in the first period. The sustained pressure paid off as Ty Westgard scored on the powerplay to put the Clan up by one. The Saints responded late in the period as Garrett Hilton evened the score heading into the intermission. 

The story of the second period was penalty trouble for the Clan, as the team took six penalties in the frame. The Saints made the Clan pay for their lack of discipline as Edward Lindsey scored twice in the period, putting the visitors up by two. The lack of discipline was evident in the shot totals as well, with the Saints outshooting the Clan 14–3.

Though the pace of play evened out in the third, the Saints sealed the deal with Garrett Hilton’s second of the game and a late tally from Kadrian Klimchuk. 

While SFU is undoubtedly disappointed to see their win streak end, the extended run of strong play has resulted in the team officially clinching a playoff spot with five games still remaining on their regular season schedule. The focus for the Clan will now turn to building momentum and securing home ice advantage for the first round of the BCIHL playoffs. 

SFU shares their love stories and Tinder nightmares

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Features
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Image courtesy of RTÉ.ie

By: Juztin Bello, Marco Ovies, Paige Riding, Naomi Torres

Alright, I’m not proud of this. One of the first times I met a Tinder guy in person was when I was partying at a frat house at UBC. Gross, I know. This guy and I had been talking for maybe less than a week; definitely not in the realm of something serious, but this was someone who I had at least more than one conversation with. While I was at this frat, he asked me to come over. He messaged me his phone number so that I could call him if I got lost on my walk over to his.

I should also mention it was Halloween and that I was dressed as a Harlem Globetrotter. I don’t know why that’s important, but it just is. Because it was Halloween and because I’m (sometimes) a mess I was, for lack of a better word, pretty blackout.  

Look, I’ve heard about “stranger danger” before — I’ve seen more than enough PSAs in my time. But when I tell you I disobeyed every possible stranger danger-rule in this exact moment, you’ll be shocked. Not only was I meeting up with a stranger on the internet (strike one), I was intoxicated (strike two), and literally texted him “I’m so drunk and stupid right now haha” (STRIKE THREE).

 Eventually, I got to his place (after he found me wandering the street) and we “got to know each other better” — If you catch my drift. Now, this is back in first year when I had barely any experience with men, as I had only come out a few months prior. To say I was unprepared and super awkward is an understatement.

 After maybe an hour, I realized my phone was going off since I apparently failed to tell any of my friends that I was leaving. That’s strike four. Trust me, I’m disappointed in baby-gay me too. On my way out he gave me a carton of coconut water. Why? I don’t know. 

 Flash forward to the next morning and this guy texts me “good morning beautiful :).” And what did I proceed to do? I blocked his number. The worst part? He was literally telling me when we were together how he hates people who just use Tinder for hooking up.

 Plot twist: I was the Tinder nightmare.  — JB 

I was pretty new to the whole dating scene when I eventually joined Tinder, so I was definitely nervous when I had not only started talking to this girl, but agreed to meet with her in person. We agreed to meet before her shift at work for a quick brunch, and she had recommended a place to eat (which was fine by me, I did not need that added pressure of choosing a location). The day finally came and we met up at the SkyTrain station. 

On the way to the restaurant, we started with some small talk, y’know, nothing super groundbreaking. She told me she was taking a minor in film so naturally the conversation turned to some of the latest movies. Now this was around the time that Dunkirk had just come out and I had asked her if she had seen it. 

“No, I haven’t,” she said. “What is it about?”

“It’s about . . . the Battle of Dunkirk?” I answered.

“Okay, and what’s the Battle of Dunkirk?”

For the rest of the date, my stupid brain decided to make fun of her for not knowing what the Battle of Dunkirk was. For whatever reason I thought 1. this was common knowledge and 2. that it was a good idea to make fun of this insanely pretty girl that I definitely wanted to see again. 

Why she decided to stay after that was beyond me, but eventually, we got close to the restaurant. Well, that is what she said, of course, but all I saw were the two sex shops right between it. 

I could feel the perspiration starting to form in my pits. I knew Tinder was meant to be a hookup app, but this was very forward. How could she be taking me to a sex shop on our first date? I probably made fun of her some more about Dunkirk from how nervous I was, because why wouldn’t I? 

Eventually, we did make it inside, and honestly, the breakfast was pretty meh. The conversation, however, was pretty great, and I ended up having a really good time. Once I had calmed down and gotten some toast in my stomach, I felt way more comfortable. It was one of those instances where you feel like you have known the person for a long time and the time flew by. 

We left the restaurant and I decided to walk her to work since I am such a gentleman. But now the pressure was on: what did I do when we said bye? It was only the first date so should I kiss her? No, that’s too forward, should I go for the handshake? No that’s way too formal, maybe a fist bump? 

Right around the time I had decided that the high-five-turned-into-the-turkey thing was the best to say bye, she hugged me and started to walk into her work. I waved goodbye and this goof ran back and high fived me because she thought I was asking for one. I stood kind of confused because I definitely did not ask for a high five as she walked into the doors of work. 

I texted her asking when we could hang out again almost five minutes we had said goodbye. Over two years later and we are still together. Not sure how I pulled that one off, but I’m not going to jinx it. — MO

I met a guy at the start of this school year on Tinder. After a few weeks of meme exchanges and backhand flirting influenced heavily by internet references, we agreed to meet in person for sushi.

The beginning of the relationship was genuinely enjoyable. We explored Stanley Park together, we talked and walked around downtown for hours, and the first kiss was like a spinoff of The Great Gatsby — we went to a Halloween party in a high-end downtown apartment and as we were walking through the crowd, a spotlight formed from the party lights and we took advantage of it. Swoon.

Then the red flags started popping up.

I shouldn’t hold this against him, but it was really hard to look past. He was poor. And by poor, I mean he was thousands of dollars in debt from film school student loans. Now, before you denounce me as a superficial asshole, let me preface that this wasn’t the problem for me. What pissed me off was his lack of effort to change his situation. Through working a minimum wage job, having extremely restricted hours for availability, and no drive to consider another place of work, he seemed overly complacent in what was causing him distress.

While he was behind me at the cashier, holding my waist in the “thanks for getting this, babe” way — which happened at least 33 times — I was getting a bit resentful. What’s even worse than financial unavailability is emotional unavailability. And that’s just what he had.

If he was having a bad day, we would have a bad day. I’m talking about him cooping himself in his bed, not responding to any messages the whole day, not eating, nothing. Without communication, a relationship has nothing. I think a simple “I’m not having a good day” or something could stop me from wondering if he was alive while I’m stuck up on this mountain for school. Also it would help me to help him. But that didn’t happen.

So, I broke it off. Well, I tried to. Boy did not take a hint. You would think that grabbing all my belongings from his home (except that necklace I forgot . . . I still don’t have that back) and telling him I did not want to talk to him would be enough. Nah. It was multiple manipulative “hey, I know you don’t walk to talk to me, BUT . . . ” texts and messages a day. When I need space, I need space. He did not acknowledge or accept this.

I conclude my tale with some of the oh-so-cringy passive aggressive attempts this boy made to get me back. Almost right after I ended it, I went out with my friends to a really cool club night playing emo music. Despite my vocalizing that I wanted nothing to do with him that night, he sends the message:

“Hey, my friend invited me to this event, would you mind if I came?” Bruh. What can I say to that?

Needless to say, if I lost a centimetre of height for each passive-aggressive tweet that proceeded in the fallout of this, I finally wouldn’t be taller than him. Did I mention this only occurred over two months? —  PR

Fresh out of a long-term relationship, I knew I had to do something to fill this empty void. After a long period of sadness, loneliness, and a lot of work devoted to improving myself, I was ready to get back in the dating game. 

And personally, I really only date for marriage. But I said, “fuck it. Let’s just try and expand my taste and find out what I like in men and what I don’t.” 

My thumb swiped left on guys flexed in a dirty gym mirror, had a girl on their profile, or someone who just wanted a rave or drinking buddy. 

I was picky. 

A couple of hours went by and the classic Tinder match chime went off, with ‘Tom.’ 

“Tbh I’m just looking for something casual. Got out of something serious recently so I wanna chill for a bit, hbu?” 

To me, this sounded like a perfect match since I, too, just got something out of serious. 

He soon asked, “Hold up. Are we talking about my place or yours?” 

After a series of panic and confused text messages to my best friends, they explained to me what Tom meant when he said casual — meaning “sex.” 

I was shook. I was in no way ready to lose my virginity with a guy I met on Tinder. 

A failed match only brings another. The Tinder algorithm combined with luck worked its magic and off went another chime. 

‘Leon,’ was the next dating candidate, emerging during my 30-minute lunch break. He blabbered the entire time, ranting away about his failed Tinder experiences with girls who blocked him online. Rather than being attracted to this guy, I just had pity over him. 

Red flag after red flag . . . this was the saddest, shortest, and most unsuccessful date ever. 

Before clocking back in, my thumb hovered over the app, held down on it, and tapped the “x” on the top right corner. 

My Tinder experience was tragically over. 

I still have some hope in me that I can find someone on this campus naturally and have a meet-cute story. Crossed-fingers, knock-on-wood, and wish me luck. — NT

 

Sex Education returns with another season of ground-breaking stories, sex positivity, and much more

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Arts
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Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix

by Lubaba Mahmud, Staff Writer

Content warning: sexual assault

Netflix’s Sex Education is back with a bang and it doesn’t hesite to come straight for our hearts. The British show’s second season was released on January 17, 2020, and has been the talk of the town ever since. It’s a brilliant medley of romance, endearing friendships, authentic portrayals of mental health struggles, and of course, a wide variety of sexual representation.

To briefly recap, one of the show’s central premises is that the formal sex education at Moordale High is highly inadequate, so students have no experts to rely on for advice. That’s when Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield) and Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey) come to the rescue. They open up a secret sex clinic fueled by the second-hand knowledge Otis has gained from his sex therapist mother Dr. Jean Milburn (Gillian Anderson). In a twist of events in season 2, Dr. Milburn starts working on the Moordale sex-ed curriculum and inadvertently threatens Otis’s clinic. While the clinic is a crucial aspect that teaches us a great deal about sex, the show also has a lot more to offer now more than ever. 

Many characters engage in a journey of self-discovery where they not only discover, but embrace their sexual orientations, be it homosexuality, bisexuality, or — drumroll please — asexuality and pansexuality! The latter two are seldom, if ever, celebrated in mainstream media, but Sex Education is here to change the norm.

This season also approaches the topic of sexual assault. It highlights the trauma that Aimee Gibbs (Aimee Lou Wood) faces after a man ejaculates on her leg on a bus. She initially thinks that it’s no big deal, but it inevitably takes a toll on her. When Aimee breaks down and exclaims “I can’t get on the bus,” she and her friends have an intimate conversation about sexual harassment. This scene is not only heartbreaking, but also powerful because it sends the message that there is no “hierarchy of sexual assault,” the idea that some forms of sexual violence are more serious and damaging than others.

Even though the name of the show may suggest otherwise, sex-related content isn’t the only focus for creator and screenwriter Laurie Nunn. There’s an honest portrayal of depression and anxiety through star student-athlete and prefect, Jackson Marchetti (Kedar Williams-Stirling). When he uncovers that his adoptive mother puts pressure on him to perform well in swimming due to her own anxieties about spending time with him and forging a parent-son connection, they are able to begin their path towards healing together. We also see another main character, Eric Effiong (Ncuti Gatwa) continuing his journey to love and self-acceptance, in all his neon-clothed glory, after being bullied for a long time.

It’s safe to say that Nunn does not shy away from difficult topics. Even though there’s a range of storylines, all of them are keenly developed and the character arcs are convincing and pleasing. What’s more, representation of race and the LGBTQ2+ community isn’t just done for the sake of it, it is actually genuine and effortless. This show is not throwing a bone to minorities, they are giving us a thoughtful invitation to the feast. 

Sex Education is a milestone in the portrayal of sex-positivity in shows. It is educating without being preachy, and it is heart-warming without being cloy. This series walks this fine line with utmost grace, so much so that it sets a fantastic precedent for shows that want to tackle sex on screen. We’re not accepting first-timers having flawless sex scenes on TV anymore because that shit just doesn’t happen, and if Sex Education can celebrate and empathize with human flaws and the raw realness of sex, then so should every other show.

Luminesque stuns in heels, glamour, and a healthy dose of femme empowerment

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Arts
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Photo via Instagram
Photo via Instagram

by Kelly Chia, Features Editor

Intrigue and excitement.

Those were the two emotions that dominated my mind as I first entered the doors of Celebrities Nightclub to see Absinthe, Luminesque’s heels performance show. Heels performances are characterized by the fact that each dancer wears heels the entire performance. Dressed in black and green, the performers took their routines through R&B and tango music. But the dancers’ talent wasn’t what made me come back to the venue.

It was their diversity: there were so many performers of different sizes and ethnicities. What really impressed me were the older performers, including many mothers. Each person on that stage was able to embrace their sexuality. Not to mention that these were not pros but instead students part of a heels dance class. 

Over and over, the host reminded the audience to keep their hands to themselves, truly teaching me what it meant to be in a healthy, sex-positive environment. Having never been to a nightclub before, I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but I left the show feeling empowered and sexy.

Flash forward and I was back at Celebrities for the second time, and I wanted to see if these feelings would come back. It was a Christmas-themed show named Scrooged, a heels performance that was split into five different eras, with the overarching theme inspired by A Christmas Carol. 

The show follows the main character Ebi, who loses inspiration for her dance show. In an attempt to revitalize her passion, the “ghosts of music’s past” whisks her, and the audience, through cabaret, disco, rock and roll, hip hop, and modern pop. It was a bit cheesy, but it was really wholesome and fun.

Then there was the execution of the show. The venue itself isn’t that large, but the performers took advantage of both the floor and stage to create a dynamic performance. I remember my jaw hanging dumbly as I stared at the dancers on the stage holding the ponytails of the dancers on the stage floor to create a sort of wave effect to Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy.”

Donning garter highs, light-up body harnesses, and glittery bodysuits, these performers deserved the cheers and awe from everyone in the room. They were sexy, and the choreography moved so fluidly that you could hardly tell the difference between the beginner classes and the advanced dancers. This is not to dispute the talent of the dancers, but to highlight how thought-out the choreography was. Everyone hit their cues, and everything looked really clean. My friend and I would later discuss how some of the moves were probably done by advanced dancers amongst the beginners, but in the moment, it really was hard to tell among Luminesque’s talent.

This was probably what made both of us want to join Luminesque for its next show. Actually, the overwhelming feeling of both shows was not its promiscuity, but the warmth that seemed to overflow from its large community. At the end of both Absinthe and Scrooged, Luminesque’s company owner, Vanessa Young, would join the dancers as they did their bows. She would ask how many performers had joined Luminesque for the first time that term. Both times, I saw almost all of them raise their hands, and I was inspired by the amount of people who were trying something new. 

I had wanted to try heels dance for awhile, but going to Absinthe and Scrooged only affirmed my desire to join this community. The one thing I miss about musical theatre in high school (hold for cringe) is the community I would form with my fellow performers. Watching these performances made it evident that this group was very tight-knit; the dancers all looked like they were having a lot of fun, and they were so much fun to watch.

I came into my first show having never been in a nightclub before, holding on to my jacket as a security blanket. I am proud to say that the next time I will be at Celebrities Nightclub, it will be as a Luminesque performer.

So, in a few months, I hope you’ll catch me at Luminesque’s next show, Haute Couture! It takes place at Celebrities Nightclub on March 19, 20, 21, and 26, 27, 28.

CONFESSIONALS: I’m a resume template harlot

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Humour
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Illustration of a closed envelope, with the text, “Confessionals”
ILLUSTRATION: Marissa Ouyang /The Peak

Written by Dominic Wildebee, SFU Student

I’ve had my back blown out by three different resume templates in the past week.

I know you’re sitting, judging me, prudes of SFU. But my career-bent promiscuity is the norm for those of us who actually work to build futures for ourselves. Better to eat ass than be a bottom-feeder, I say.

I’d been dating my first template since 2015; my high school sweetheart, if you will. For the first year, the hookups were intimate, simply outstanding. My skin was clear. Sweetheart’s font never looked more Times New Roman. I was hired three different times.

Then we didn’t touch one another for four years. 

I found myself looking for new side hustles last March, and I wondered why it wasn’t working out. It might’ve had to do with my tendency to skip out on 90% of the job openings I saw, because they looked boring or the building was too humid or I felt like I was smarter than the manager. But mostly, I blamed Sweetheart, who after these long years no longer knew anything accurate about me or about what I liked. 

In the end, I met Student Oriented Resume Template on a Thursday, as I typed feverishly away on Craigslist.com. I had just been greatly excited to finally hear back from a prospective employer, only to draw back from the precipice as I realized that he was just a Sauder School of Business student running a pizza-fueled multi-level-marketing scheme. I needed a way out of this never-ending job hunt and I needed it now. 

I was desperate to find something, and Student Oriented Resume Template gave me hope, quirky purple accent bars, cute headers, and also some serious head. 

Months later, Student Oriented Resume Template began to bore me, so I moved on to the lascivious advances of Pacific Resume Template, who also bored me, but at least that template sounded pretty. I bounced around for a bit between the siblings, Bold Resume Template and Managerial Resume Template, but that just felt like hollow pleasure, as we all knew I was neither bold nor managerial. 

Today, I woke up nestled between Diamond, Minimo Style, and Enfold. It felt peaceful to wrap my arms and legs around Enfold, the resume template tailored to detailing my years of pointless, soul-absorbing customer service. 

I really am at peace with my resume slatternity, SFU. And as Chronological Classic Resume Format and I discreetly toy with one another instead of paying attention in lecture, I know that someday the jobs my resumes keep doing on me will lead to an actual, paying job — maybe.

UmbraCity launches its service in SFU

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News
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Photo Credits: Gurpreet Kambo

Written by: Lubaba Mahmud, Staff Writer

UmbraCity, an umbrella-sharing service, started operating at SFU as of December 2019. Their  kiosks can be found in West Mall Centre and the Applied Sciences Building at SFU’s Burnaby campus. 

To become a member, users can simply follow the on-screen instructions on the kiosk to register. The borrowed umbrella is free for 24 hours, however students will be charged $3 a day until the umbrella is returned to a station, with the maximum total charge being $30.

Mark McLaughlin, Chief Commercial Services Officer of Ancillary Services, told The Peak via email that the partnership between UmbraCity and SFU initially started as a BUS 361 class project. According to McLaughlin, the student group approached Ancillary Services about setting up the company’s stations across Burnaby. He noted that “the students proposed a business model, helped identify locations, and did some marketing.” 

“We see this simple umbrella-sharing service as an easy way to make life on our campuses a little better for folks on rainy days.” wrote McLaughlin.

The Peak also interviewed Amir Entezari, Founder & CEO of UmbraCity. When asked about the inspiration behind starting this business, he said that he and co-founder Babak Assadsangabi found that there were two main weather-related problems that they were dealing with in Vancouver: not having easy access to umbrellas when they needed one, and the hassle of carrying one around when it wasn’t raining. They were inspired by the bike-share and car-share programs and wanted to try the same model for umbrella-sharing. After UmbraCity’s launch in 2014, they realised that users were happy with the service since they had had the same problems.

Entezari said, “The pilot was really successful and a lot of people started using the service. University administration had received positive feedback. We’re working with them to expand the service in many locations.”

He noted that they are hoping to open 15 locations in total, with 8 of them being at Burnaby campus, and others at the Surrey and downtown campuses. 

“SFU students specifically will receive free 24 hour rental [service]. Everytime they take out an umbrella, they have 24 hours to return it — not only at SFU locations, I but anywhere in lower mainland locations. With the account created through SFU network, students can borrow from other locations at no cost, and they can return it at SFU or anywhere else in the network.”

Entezari also explained that UmbraCity has multiple sustainability initiatives in place. They collaborate with different partners to collect broken umbrellas of any kind to properly recycle them by separating the canvas, plastic, and metal parts of the umbrellas. 

In another program, they work with non-profit organisations to upcycle umbrella canvases to make grocery bags, seat covers, etc. 

“We will be working with SFU administration so we have a designated bin specifically for [this sustainability] program. We will announce that as soon as it’s finalised.” he added.

Talking about the eye-catching yellow colour of the rental umbrellas, he said, “Our vision is to make communities more vibrant. Especially on a gloomy day, having these bright yellow umbrellas change the mood when you have so many of these walking around.”

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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