Take some Ls in your blame game with your prof

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January 16, 2017

Success is a touchy subject, and this is only compounded when your gambles for success cost a few thousand dollars per year, followed by gross investments of time. It’s only natural for perceived obstacles to frustrate you — and when it comes to your less-successful courses at SFU, sometimes those obstacles appear to be the people who ostensibly want your success.

When you do poorly enough to miss out on that scholarship or passing grade, it’s very easy to place the blame in your prof or TA’s lap. Sometimes, this is even a pretty reasonable way to feel. Sometimes, it’s a gigantic load of crap.

There are very real and good reasons to criticize your teachers, and then there are cringe-worthy reasons. The latter are designed to accommodate your self-righteousness about your 13-week study break, and the lust for excitement that made you hide from all your lectures in the spiritual depths of your hangovers.

I don’t want to invalidate anyone’s shitty experiences where legitimately unfair factors screwed them over. But some complaints are just a bit entitled, and that’s something to be conscious of.

“They wouldn’t bump me up to the next letter grade”

I mean, I get the frustration if it’s the difference between a pass and a fail, and it’s not wrong to ask depending on the circumstances. But if you’re salty about it, you need to put it into perspective: 2% between your grade and the next might not seem like a lot, but on grading scales where the difference between letters is often roughly… 5%, no wonder they don’t feel inclined to bump you up.

Nobody’s obligated to ‘be a bro’ and bump you up. Missing out on scholarships might suck, but you need to consider that thousands of students pass through this system regularly; boosting some people’s grades and not others isn’t fair or sustainable in the long run.

“I can’t understand anything they say through their accent”

If you’re doing everything you can to rectify this problem – sitting as close to the speaker as you can, asking for clarification once in a while, going to office hours to talk in a one-on-one setting where it’s easier to bypass the potential issue things like that, reading your textbook — sure, complain. But in a staggering number of cases, the ‘problem’ is not as bad as people present it as.

No, a lot of the time, it’s just a convenient way for people to make fun of someone they don’t like. So many classmates have tried to commiserate with me on how impossible it is to learn in so-and-so’s lecture or tutorial that I sometimes wonder if I’m watching this shit with subtitles or something, because apparently I didn’t notice that my prof secretly stopped speaking English in favour of whalesong.

“It’s just so boring”

I’m sorry, but your naive dreams of only studying things you like with people you like in university should’ve been on life support ever since the first time SFU’s online resources tried, and failed, to seductively whisper “WQB” into your ear while fingering your wallet.

School is boring. This is not new. It shouldn’t be boring, but have some sympathy: there’s honestly only so much a professor can do to make certain material exciting. If every prof had to be a master comedian or a bestselling author to get their job, our course selection would be much more sparse than it is now.

I’ve taken the time to outline these because until you recognize these icy realities of academia, you work through them. Complaining is healthy, but not to the extent of just being a dick to people without trying to improve yourself. These are lifelong obstacles in and out of university that you have to deal with, and sooner or later you won’t be able to find catharsis on SFU Confessions.

A hard pill to swallow

By

EIC

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January 16, 2017

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[dropcap]A[/dropcap] 2013 survey conducted by the Canadian Organization of University and College Health found that 90% of students feel overwhelmed by their schedules, and 50% of students reported feeling “hopeless.” All of us experience enormous amounts of stress during our education — be it academic, financial, or other — and when it comes down to exam crunch time, for some, a small, non-prescribed pill is a solution.

You can choose between the orange pill and the white pill

Study drugs, also known as smart drugs, are prescription medications — typically Adderall or Ritalin — used to increase concentration, stamina, and productivity while studying. These meds are prescribed to those with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), in order to help them concentrate, but the kinds of highs they can provide have caught the attention of students looking for additional academic support.

Those using these pills for academic reasons describe feeling focused and motivated, but the drugs can leave the user feeling exhausted, hungry, anxious, and sleepless afterwards. When asked why they began using study drugs, students said that feelings of self-consciousness, an inability to concentrate, and an overall feeling of stress with regards to academic performance led them to prescription drug abuse.

The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse classifies both drugs as stimulants, and finds them to be as dangerous as cocaine and methamphetamines when used outside of prescriptions. Consequently, getting these drugs come with varying levels of difficulty.

“It did take a lot of effort,” Jason,* who regularly uses study drugs, began. “You can get a prescription. To do that, get your parents to say ‘oh, you have ADHD’ or you can go to a pharmacy and act fidgety [. . .] I’ve known people who have done it and it’s not easy.”

In a series of interviews, other SFU students mentioned either having a minor disability that gives them access to the drugs or buying it off of a colleague or friend.

Looking at the numbers

It’s difficult to find one solid statistic to represent study drug use. Different universities and colleges have different rates, and it’s hard to draw a line between a student with ADD taking their prescription and one abusing their prescription.

A study conducted at the University of British Columbia found that one in 30 students there have at some point during their studies used study drugs, with a spike in usage around exam time. The national average in 2013 sat closer to 4%.

“I got an essay done, I read The Communist Manifesto, and I think I just started writing insane gibberish down on paper, because I just needed to do something.” – SFU student

A 2009 report from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that “full time college students, ages 18–22, were twice as likely as their part-time counterparts to use study drugs.” 56% of college students report that they feel study drugs are “easy to obtain” from their peers, and many students with prescriptions report being asked by classmates to share or sell their prescription drugs.

What are the rules?

What a lot of students and administration ask themselves about study drugs is quite simple: is it cheating?

“I don’t think it’s really cheating, because it’s not making you any smarter, it’s not giving you extra time. You’re cheating yourself, definitely, out of being able to actually learn the material,” Madison* said. Many universities seem to agree as most post-secondary institutions don’t mention the use of study drugs in their honor policies, despite being aware of the substance abuse issue.

“Non-prescribed use of prescription drugs is not addressed explicitly in our academic integrity policy. Use of these drugs without prescription is dangerous and can lead to significant harm,” said Dr. Peter Keller, SFU vice-president (VP) academic and provost.

Dr. Keller feels it’s a poor reflection of society — “it saddens me to think that there are athletes, students, and others who will put themselves and others at risk by turning to non-prescribed use of prescription drugs in order to compete.”

This can leave many students wondering: if a peer is using study drugs, and you aren’t, are you actually putting yourself at a disadvantage?

The law, on the other hand, is a little clearer and stricter on policies with prescription drugs. Possession of a drug without a prescription, obtaining prescription drugs by fraud, selling prescription drugs or prescriptions, and doctor shopping (visiting many doctors for multiple prescriptions) are all considered criminal offences in Canada. Depending on drug type, concentration, and amount, charges range from fines to imprisonment to drug therapy.

The good, the bad, and the addictive

Students have different reasons for using study drugs. Some use study drugs to level the playing field and overcome a learning disability. Some students just want to be able to do their school work more quickly because of time constraints.

“The way I describe it to people who ask, people who were curious. . . It’s like when you can think of something perfectly in your head, but you can’t get it out,” Jamie* described her past experiences with the drug. “It’s like everything just comes out perfectly. . . it’s like the best cup of coffee you’ve ever had.”

There have been reports of students using, and continuing to use, these neuroenhancers for months, even years, as an academic and social crutch. With regards to the admission of a transfer or high school student who is using study drugs, Dr. Keller said that information with regards to drug use is not disclosed.

“It was actually a friend who got me into it, she was like ‘Oh you’ve got to try this. This is gonna save your life,’” Madison* said. However, in other interviews conducted, the common trend was that students were keeping their use of study drugs a secret from friends, family, and significant others — not encouraging others to experiment as they were. “If they did know, they definitely would have said ‘you’re an idiot,’ so I was definitely like, I’ll keep this to myself,” Paul* said.

One student, though, speaks of her open-minded parents and friends, and how her experiences talking about drugs made her realize how common it is: “Most people’s reaction when I bring it up is to ask where they can get some. It’s very popular.”

Students described their first experiences as “scary, yet effective” as well as compared it to a scene from the movie Limitless. For some it’s like “that feeling when the whole room lights up and everything becomes instantly clear.”

“I got an essay done, I read The Communist Manifesto, and I think I just started writing insane gibberish down on paper, because I just needed to do something,” Jason* said with a laugh. After a first experience, many students continued to use the drugs, describing the pleasure, concentration, and confidence the drugs gave them in both school and social environments. Many interview participants also spoke to the negative effects in the long term.

A promising Beedie student recounts some more negative experiences,“I know one guy who would take them everyday, two or three a day, and he couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t watch a 15 minute video because his mind wanders too much. That’s a really incredible adverse side effect in that way. He’s also been hospitalized twice because of it.

Multiple participants noted the addictiveness of the drugs. “It’s pretty obvious that there are adverse negative effects to using them. I decided that it’s really not worth it,” Andrew* said, mentioning the exhaustion and feelings of dread he would experience in the days following him taking a pill. Another student studying biomedicine stressed the negative impact it had on her health and how it was “screwing with” the way she did her schoolwork.

What are stress-relieving alternatives for SFU students?

At SFU, there are multiple clubs that address the mental health of the student body. The SFU Stress Reliever Club is a shining example, hosting events that help students escape from school-related stress.

“We provide a few events per semester for students with different personalities. . . We offer yoga, meditation, hiking, and biking events,” said Parmida Atashzay, a club member. “We have get-togethers and dinners. We also have fun events like bowling, laser tag, paintball, etc. These events all destress students and make them escape from school life for a while.” There are also events such as Puppy and Kitten Therapy. The Stress Reliever Club emphasizes the need for a healthy diet, a friendly environment, and talking about your problems in order to reduce your academic stress.

When asked how SFU’s administration would respond if it was found that SFU had a study drug problem, VP Dr. Keller offered a well-thought out plan. “SFU would work with its partners to implement harm reduction activities aimed at educating on the risks of inappropriate/illegal drug use, as well as the risks associated with illegal drug purchasing and dealing. SFU would also promote and offer supportive alternative lifestyle choice and study skill workshops, and perhaps counselling groups,” he suggests.

“The number one thing on our mind is the safety of our students.”

*Names have been changed to protect the anonymity of the source*

Ellen Kett determined to lead women’s basketball to new heights

By

EIC

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January 16, 2017

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ellenWEB — This season, Kett leads SFU in a host of categories including minutes played, assists, and rebounds, as well as free throw and three point percentage.

“It was hard. I cried a lot.”

Ellen Kett remembers her first semester here as one that was challenging for a number of reasons. The native of Melbourne, Australia decided to come to SFU to play for the women’s basketball team, as well as pursue a degree in health sciences. The transition was tough not only from an academic and athletic perspective, but also for being so far away from home.

Initially, Kett was hesitant about even coming here at all.

“I wasn’t too sold on the idea of coming. I didn’t really want to come. I kind of liked my life back home and wasn’t super into basketball. It wasn’t really my life. I was kind of happy to fizzle out and let it slide, but my mom [was] like, no, you’re going.”

Kett eventually did take her mom’s advice. After exchanging emails with head coach Bruce Langford, she committed to SFU and came to the campus for the first time in August 2013.

“My first four months were pretty hard. With basketball, that was a whole new ball game. Everyone was so much stronger. I didn’t come in super fit, so I was already behind.

“I know especially around Christmas time, I got super homesick. I remember going to [head coach Bruce] Langford’s office saying I want to go home.”

However, the turning point came with a visit from her mother that first Christmas away from home.

“She said ‘you’re not missing out on anything at home. We miss you, but you’re having a great time here.’ I had a lot of great friends and a good support system my first year which helped a lot.”

Since then, Kett has evolved into arguably the team’s most valuable player. This season, she leads SFU, or is near the top, in nearly every major statistical category — including rebounding, a rarity for someone who plays her position of point guard.

“A lot of the times I’m in the right place at the right time,” she explained on her rebounding prowess. “I do work hard and I do play a lot of minutes so that kind of helps, but credit to [Rachel] Fradg[ley] and everyone else. They are the ones who [are] boxing out and I’m just lucky sweeping through.”

“We definitely have the potential to [win the GNAC championship] if we keep improving and keep on the same track.”

The importance to her team is reflected in how often she’s on the court. Kett’s average minutes per game this season thus far is 32.2, and she’s the only SFU player to average over 30. It’s a far cry from last season, when due to a shortage of players, she averaged just under 38 minutes a game and on some nights, even played the entire 40 minutes.

“It’s only a few minutes, but it is definitely making a difference,” said Kett on the difference in playing time. “I had really bad shin splints last year, but this year I am feeling a lot better, a lot fresher every game. It’s great because we have people that can come in and it doesn’t drop off or anything.”

With this new crop of talented newcomers and a solid core of returning players, the team this year currently sports a 14–2 overall record, 5–1 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC). If this pace continues, it will surely be the team’s best record in the NCAA era. Kett attributed the great start to the season to this mix of veteran and new talent.

“We have six new people coming in, but we also had the same core” she explained. “So while we were teaching new people new things, a lot of us already knew what was going on and how to do things. I think that the rookies are really good in a way that they really want to learn and are trying really hard. They push everybody at practice and there is nothing worse than starters knowing they are going to start every game, so it’s nice to have the rookies come in and give everyone a run for their money.”

In her last season of eligibility, Kett knows exactly what her goal is: to win a GNAC championship and go on a run in the national tournament.

“I think that would be an awesome way to go out,” she commented. “We definitely have the potential to do that if we keep improving and keep on the same track.”

However, her plans after graduation are still up in the air. Although she is keen on pursuing a career in nursing in the future, whether it takes her back home or keeps her here is yet to be determined.

“The closer my leaving date comes, the more I don’t want to leave,” explained Kett. “The grass is green here, and when I’m home, I don’t want to come back. So it’s weird for me, in a way, that I don’t know where I want to go. This place has become my home, and all the people around are my family. If I was to leave on a plane and not book a return ticket, it would be like leaving my family behind.”

Fun Fact: Favourite TV show?

“The Office, the US Version. My team is obsessed with it. Well, half of my team is obsessed, and half of them want to kill us.”

World News Beat

By

EIC

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January 16, 2017

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SYRIA – Truck bomb in rebel-held Syrian city

An explosion occurred around 11:40 a.m. on January 7 in the rebel-held city of Azaz in northern Syria, killing 50 and injuring 80. The truck bomb exploded near a courthouse and a grocery shop, even though a nationwide ceasefire had begun via efforts from Russia and Turkey. The Free Syrian Army is being blamed by locals for failing to protect them, despite having set up many checkpoints in the area. On December 30, 2016, the Syrian National Army and Syria’s National Negotiations Committee alleged that the truce had been violated more than 30 times within 24 hours of it coming into effect.

With files from CNN

NORTH KOREA – North Korea threatens to fire nuclear missile

North Korea stated that it is capable of launching an intercontinental ballistic missile “at any time.” On the Korean Peninsula, since December 2016, high tension has been felt across the country, when Kim Jong Un said in his new year’s message that North Korea was “close to testing an intercontinental ballistic missile” that had a range which could cover mainland USA. The North Korean Foreign Ministry positioned the blame for the development of its missile program solely on the USA. Both China and South Korea have denounced the test and warned of further sanctions.

With files from CNN

VENEZUELA – Venezuela hikes up its minimum wage by 50%

Venezuela’s minimum wage was increased by 50% on January 8 by President Nicolás Maduro. This is the fifth increase in minimum wage the country has witnessed within the span of a year. This comes after Venezuela saw an acute food shortage for the first half of 2016, and the situation has not yet normalized completely. Inflation in Venezuela is expected to go beyond the current 1,660% and may end up nearing 2,880% by next year, as forecasted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Meanwhile, President Maduro has stated that the situation is a result of “an economic war” waged by his detractors, according to AVN.

With files from CNN Money

CHINA – China’s Mars Ambitions

China’s space agency, in a press conference held on January 3, outlined the Chinese government’s goals for exploring deep space. The deputy chief of the National Space Administration, Wu Yanhua said that they hope to launch their first Mars probe around 2020 to carry out “orbiting and roving exploration.” He also announced a second mission that would focus on collecting ‘surface samples’ from Mars. Yanhua also mentioned plans of sending space probes to Jupiter and its moons. Yanhua added that “our overall goal is that, by around 2030, China will be among the major space powers of the world”.

With files from CNN

NEW MUSIC FRIDAY

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EIC

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January 15, 2017

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Follow The Peak on Spotify to stay up to date on New Music Friday.

“Doing Good” – Milky Chance

Jessica Pickering: Hipster, indie, boring. I literally forgot I was listening to this. (I mean I got distracted by a Facebook video, BUT STILL.)

Paloma Pendharkar: This song catches the ear right away with that poppy guitar riff. I can only understand about half of the lyrics, but I don’t really care because I don’t think the singer is saying anything revolutionary. It’s basically your run-of-the-mill four-chord pop song to give a slightly peppy start to your morning.

Rita Ovis: If you’re wondering how Milky Chance is doing, “he’s doing doing doing doing doing doing so good.” There’s not much to this jam, but the funky guitar riff does a decent job of hooking in the listener, I’ll give it that.

“Paris” – The Chainsmokers

JP: Maybe I’m confused about who The Chainsmokers are because this is not what I was expecting. It’s better than I thought it would be, but I still don’t care for it.

PP: The only thing that makes this song catchy is how repetitive it is. The lyrics also seem unrelated to each other. So they were in Paris, and if they go down they’re going down together? What exactly went down in Paris?

RO: This seems to be a less-catchy variation of the song “Closer” set in Paris, except Halsey couldn’t make it due to a family reunion or something. The drop leads into an Owl City-esque mish-mash of twinkling and I’m definitely left a little disappointed.

“Not Afraid Anymore” – Halsey

JP: Halsey, babe, what are you doing? Why did you sell yourself out like this? This song is terrible, which is good because it’s for a terrible movie. Halsey, please find your self-respect again soon #Pray4Halsey

PP: I love Halsey’s voice. Something about her tone or the way her vocals are edited make her sound like a glittering martian from the beyond. This song also has a nice ebb and flow. Unlike some of the other songs on this list, I didn’t feel like I had heard everything after a verse and a chorus.

RO: Oh there’s Halsey! This song definitely has an air of mystery and sexiness, I can definitely understand why this is on the Fifty Shades Darker Soundtrack. The second half sorta gets Rihanna-y. Honestly, this song is better than I expected.

“Brave For You” – The xx

JP: I miss when my old roommate Sarah Finley use to do NMF with me because this is totally the kind of song we would have annihilated together. I guess I’ll just have to tell you how shitty it is by myself. It’s super shitty.

PP: Is the guitar out of tune? I do feel that the xx’s raw vocals and home-baked sound is part of their trademark, but sometimes their vocals still turn me off. There are moments of sweetness in this song, though, both vocally and in the buildup after the chorus. I’d listen to it again.

RO: This song is quite simple and inspiring almost. Her voice is wispy and charming in all the right ways, which with the guitar melody that weaves throughout the song, creates an effective duet. I feel braver after listening to this :’)

“Wild Fire” – Laura Marling

JP: I can’t believe I’m wasting my limited free time with this terrible song. I have things to do Laura Marling, hurry this trainwreck up.

PP: What sweet, sultry vocals. Something about the way she strings the words together feels really honest. I love the comfortable, slow groove. Is that a washboard? This song uses a nice array of sounds. Sonically, it has a nice blend of acoustic and ethereal vibes.

RO: I’m very into the chill talk-singing in this bad boy. When she does sing it’s like “Ooh girl, you go get it!” It’s a mix between jazz and folky country that really works — I could really see it as a soothing winter jam and I’m digging it.

“No Diggity” – Alice Jemima

JP: Ah yes, because if there was ever a song that needed a slowed down cover, it’s “No Diggity.” Copy and paste my response from the last song.

PP: I’m a sucker for a good cover of “No Diggity,” but who isn’t? While I don’t usually appreciate artists changing lyrics to fit their gender, in light of the current political climate, the choice to change “perfect ten” to “perfect man” strikes me as thoughtful rather than inauthentic. The sparse arrangement suits her vocal style really well. I dig it.

RO: Who hasn’t covered “No Diggity?” This is a very subtly groovy rendition. Alice Jemima’s soft voice teases the listener as the chill electronic beats soothe you into the depths of this sweet, sweet jam.

“Sex for Breakfast” – Life of Dillon

JP: This guy sounds like a really entitled prick. This is just a list of stuff he wants, a shout out to how Jesus is his best friend, and a slightly reworded Drake line. I don’t care how your sentence ends, if it starts with the phrase “started from the bottom” it’s not original.

PP: I’ll be honest, this song is not my cup of tea. I mean, come on, “I get so high I’m friends with Jesus?” He’s really scraping the bottom of the lyrical barrel. I also really hate the clapping. Whose idea was that? Get your act together.

RO: What is this song about? References to religion, sex, drugs, texting, life problems — just pick a topic please. I do like the surprising banjo cameo. Otherwise, the lyrics are borderline nonsensical and I’m just not feeling it.

“Saga mig” – Linnea Henriksson

JP: The cover art looks like young Meredith Grey from Grey’s Anatomy. Overall, this song is. . . not English so idk. The lyrics could literally mean anything, but they seem nice?

PP: It doesn’t matter that I have no idea what she’s saying because whatever it is, I feel it in my heart and soul. Her voice is sweet and pure, and then powerful. This is one of those songs that will give anyone the feels.

RO: This Swedish ballad is killin’ it! I have no idea what it’s about, but I guess that’s irrelevant ‘cause Linnea Henriksson kills it with her powerful voice and I can tell she’s either really excited or mad about something.

“Bite My Tongue” – The Beach

JP: I would kill for a song I like on this playlist. I’m so done with this weird folk-electric-whatever-it-is genre that all sounds the same. All the singers look the same, too: denim jacket and in need of a shower.

PP: The general style of this song is suspiciously reminiscent of the Lumineers. Gang vocals, simple melody, that four-on-the-floor feel. . . you’ve basically got a “Hey-Ho” formula with a few more synths in the post-chorus. I’m sure the general public will drink it up, but it’s not a song I would want to listen to a million times.

RO: This song includes all the ingredients for an indie pop hit: harmonies, acoustic guitar, clapping, heartbreak, and an electronic breakdown. It’s super addicting to listen to; I could see this playing in frozen yogurt shops left and right!

“Ultra Violet” – The Katherines

JP: This feels like the 2017 version of The Veronicas. I’m not sure why, but that’s the vibe I’m getting. Maybe it’s the all dark haired women group pandering to the most popular music genre? Or it could be something else.

PP: I feel like this song is a ballad trying to be a club anthem. It has a catchy melody, but I feel like it would work better with a more sparse arrangement or as an acoustic piece. Her voice just doesn’t really complement the beat behind the choruses for me. I’m sure after a few listens I wouldn’t be able to get it out of my head, though, so someone did their job.

RO: This fast paced song sort of sucks you in like a vacuum and then you’re bobbing your head and just can’t stop. It reminds me of a modern version of early 2000’s girl pop.

“Fuck It Tho” – Keshia Chante

JP: I am here for this title. Fuck it. Fuck everything. I mean, fuck this song, too (and entire playlist tbh), but like, bless that title.

PP: When I saw the title, I expected to hate this song. It surpassed my expectations, though. It really is the perfect mood for ceasing to give a f***. There are some playful beats in there as well. I would dance to this quite happily.

RO: Unpredictable pacing keeps things super fresh in this song. I’d still qualify it as a banger, but it has an extra element of interest. Then, there’s a surprising almost dubstep-like breakdown, again keeping things interesting! If you haven’t caught it yet ,I think this song is interesting!

“Awake” – Freedom Fry

JP: I just don’t care. Like this isn’t bad, but every song before this has made me too apathetic to describe it further. Everyone please treat yo’ self and listen to your favourite artist after this. Self-care is important, especially after bullshit like this.

PP: Here is another carefully formulated indie folk-rock anthem, complete with whistling. Why is whistling so catchy? Also, what’s with the rampant use of ukulele these days? I would be interested to see some scientific research on these topics.

RO: A ukulele, a duet between a girl and a guy, whistling, these are all elements of a cute song. It sounds like it could be in a commercial featuring baby animals, it’s just so cute.

Women’s basketball dominate Saint Martin’s 92–61

By

EIC

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January 15, 2017

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sfubball-december29th-87 — Elisa Homer finished with 12 points on four for five shooting.

This could have easily been a so-called “trap” game for SFU women’s basketball. After a testing and hard fought victory against Seattle Pacific, it would have been easy to overlook a Saint Martin’s team that was last in the conference.

“We said that could happen,” said head coach Bruce Langford on whether he was worried his team would take for granted a win against the Saints. “We said that we have to be really guarded and careful.

“Our habits are what we’re worrying about, that our habit could carry over from one game to the next. If we have any slippage in habits from one quarter to the next, why wouldn’t that slip to the next game? That’s what we are fighting against, so [we said] let’s be sharp, be focused, and be smart.”

What ended up happening was perhaps the team’s most dominant performance of the season. They never looked troubled against the visiting Saint Martin’s Saints, winning 92–61. It was the team’s biggest margin of victory this season, and biggest since a 84–54 victory against the same team last season on the road.

“I thought we came out slow for the first couple of minutes, but then we got together in that quarter and came together a little bit better,” said Langford afterwards. “We had a lot of good people mak[ing] some good decisions and executing really well.”

After the visitors jumped out to a quick 4–0 lead, SFU never really looked back. They went on a 7–0 run afterwards, opening up the lead to 21 by the end of the half.

In the second half, it was more of the same. With the lead up to 39 at one point, it gave players who, in a tight contest wouldn’t be getting much playing time, an opportunity to showcase themselves. Samantha Beauchamp was one of those recipients, recording a season high 11 points in 20 minutes of action.

SFU’s most impressive player on the night though was senior Meg Wilson. The senior from London, Ontario finished with team highs in points with 21 and minutes played with 35. She also went three for four from beyond the arc, and had a couple of impressive coast-to-coast buckets off steals.

“Today she hit some threes for sure, she was on fire there for a while,” said Langford. “She’s dangerous because she can go by people and she can score inside really nicely; she’s got really good finish inside. And she gets a lot of easy baskets off of good steals that allow her to go coast-to-coast.”

One thing that could have troubled SFU in this one was their three-point shooting. Saint Martin’s was tied for the best three-point defence in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) coming into tonight’s game, allowing just 0.275 of opponent’s attempts. However, they weren’t able to contain the Clan, as SFU went 14 for 29 to finish with a 48.3 shooting percentage.

“I think we’ve been shooting the ball better and better,” said Langford on the team’s fortunes from downtown. “But I think that we have some size inside there that can score and therefore they have to pay attention to that, which opens up some stuff, and we got some penetration that opened up some stuff. And then we hit shot early which gives everybody motivation.”

NEXT GAME: Perhaps the biggest game of the season is next for SFU, as they take on Western Washington in a rare Tuesday night contest. With both teams coming in with 7–1 conference records, the winner will get sole possession of second place in the GNAC.

“It’s a huge game for both of us,” said Langford. “[Western Washington] are big and physical, and they’re older than we are, they’re more mature than we are. They’re well-coached and they’re a good team. They’ve got the leading scorer in the country. It’s going to be [a] challenge.”

Indeed if SFU is to be successful, they’re going to have to find a way to shut down Taylor Peacocke — which no one so far this season has seemed to be able to do. She’s averaging 22.4 points per game, and is especially dangerous from three-point range. Last season, she put 24 and 18 points in the two games against the Clan, both of which were SFU losses. It will likely come down to how much SFU can contain her on the night because she will get her points.

Talk the Talks: Multilingualism at SFU

By

EIC

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January 15, 2017

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SFU is located in one of the most culturally diverse cities in Canada, a mixing bowl of languages and cultures, a place populated with people from across the globe; yet it is still limited by an English-dominant mentality. Obviously foreign students come to Vancouver to live and study, but why is it that SFU has yet to use multilingualism to its full potential?

After speaking with multilingual students at SFU, a few things became abundantly clear. The first thing is that SFU actually has a lot of students actively using two or more languages on a day-to-day basis. The second is that SFU is slowly making strides to include more language-diverse forums.

Through culture and language clubs — like Korean Storm (K.STORM), the Chinese Undergraduate Association (CUA), and Chinese Link — as well as through university programs such as Tandem (a social project that pairs two people up with contrasting language skills to facilitate language learning in a relaxed and social environment), students are welcome to take part in multilingual events and workshops on campus. Any and all linguistic backgrounds welcome.

SFU has a significant international student population. According to SFU’s most recent report, almost 20% of undergraduate students at SFU completed secondary school abroad, and international students represent an additional 17% of the undergraduate population. Further, SFU’s Centre for English Language Learning, Teaching and Research (CELLTR) found that about 60% (of students surveyed) speak at least one additional language at home.

The university has a responsibility to make sure that those students have the same opportunity to learn as everyone else. Often, international students –– especially those who have a feeling of inadequacy in their English-speaking ability –– can feel segregated from the English student population.

SFU students can learn a lot about language and culture from each other, SFU should prioritize this kind of educational experience

Jack, a member of Chinese Link, told The Peak, “I joined the club in my first year. I came from Hong Kong and was looking for a community that could speak Chinese, as I was not very confident in my English skills.” This is a common occurrence, and many clubs cater to students who need a platform for boosting their ability and confidence in speaking English.

Multiple clubs are stepping up to the plate, helping students who want to improve their English feel comfortable, knowing that they are surrounded by peers who understand their situation and needs. Ivy Liang, from CUA, said, “I joined the club because I wanted a platform to get into local clubs and communities. I wanted to practice English, but I was nervous about jumping right in.” Liang further explained that her club, and many others, are welcoming of all students that are interested in learning more about specific languages and cultures. Liang wants to start a program within the club where members can get together in pairs and converse in English and Chinese, in a coffee-date kind of environment.

K.Storm is another club at SFU, invested in spreading Korean traditional and pop culture. John Xing, the club’s vice-president, welcomes everyone. “Members of any ethnicity are welcome to join to meet others with the same interests during events and to engage in fun and social activities.” K.Storm also offers free Korean language classes.

Michael Rogers, the director of cultural ambassadors for the club, explains, “K.S. and its Cultural Ambassador team is dedicated to teaching free Korean classes and including Korean culture in every event that we do. However, K.S. should continue to become a club that not only brings Korea to SFU, but also helps new Koreans learn about Vancouver and all the amazing things our city has to offer.”

Chinese Link is a club whose goal is to bring people with mutual lingual and general interests together, making friends and volunteering. It is one of those clubs that you might see hanging out in the AQ. One of its members said, “If you feel like you would like to learn the language or more about culture, and make some friends in the process, clubs like Chinese Link may be a good place to start.” He recalled one of his friends, who was learning Chinese, joined the club for a couple of years, and by the end of it had significantly improved his competence.

One way in which SFU, specifically, is working towards fostering multilingualism is the implementation of the CELLTR, which provides SFU’s students, teachers, and faculty services that support their teaching and learning in SFU’s multicultural and multilingual environment. Their program Tandem enthusiastically embraces multilingualism as an asset. Using a casual learning environment — free from the stress of a graded, classroom setting — participants are free to progress at their own pace in a fun, low-stakes way.

But Tandem is not only about learning languages. Dr Joel Heng Hartse, a founder of Tandem at SFU, suggests that it can be a place to make friendships across divides that would normally not be crossed. Unlike SFU’s various language and culture clubs, which focus on only one or two languages and cultures, Tandem’s outreach is particularly diverse; thus allowing a wide range of students to come together to teach and learn.

Clubs and active programs are not the only way the community can promote SFU’s multilingualism, however. CJSF, SFU’s radio station, features many language shows including, “Il Sole Italiano” (an Italian language show), and “That Chinese Show.” Another example is The Lyre, the World Literature program’s magazine, which is currently accepting translations to or from English for its upcoming issue. Dr. Heng Hartse, a lecturer of English, affiliated with CELLTR, suggests a new idea for the future: “What about a non-English newspaper at SFU? A Chinese, French, Punjabi newspaper?”

SFU’s language and culture clubs are full of students that want to improve their English and gain knowledge of Canadian culture, as well as celebrate their heritage. Many of SFU’s English-speaking students, similarly, are looking to learn more about other languages and cultures. As members of SFU’s community, we should look towards bringing these people together.

Think of the collective “we”: We want to learn more about each other’s language and culture; we can mutually benefit from each other’s cultural and linguistic knowledge. So, go out and join a club, join Tandem; learn a language. Embrace a multilingual SFU.

Politics Central: Justin Trudeau chooses Chrystia Freeland to replace Stéphane Dion as foreign affairs minister

By

Peak Web

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January 13, 2017

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By: Manon Busseron

Stéphane Dion, one of the most influential Canadian politicians, has been replaced by Chrystia Freeland, formerly in charge of international trade, in the position of foreign affairs minister. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau justified his decision on the basis of keeping strong relations with the US after the election of president-elect, Donald Trump.

Indeed, Dion has been highly critical of Trump’s potential decisions, especially the proposition of preventing Muslims from immigrating to the US. Furthermore, the US is Canada’s main trade partner, and their exchanges involve roughly 9 million jobs. All these factors may partly justify Dion’s removal from his key position.

Trudeau defended his position by highlighting the shared interests with the US. Chrystia Freeland, was chosen to handle Canada’s foreign affairs. She is a former journalist who previously lived in Russia for four years and speaks fluent Russian (among four other languages).

Freeland is already seen by some experts on international affairs, such as Dominique Arel, chair of Ukrainian studies at the University of Ottawa, as an unwise tactical choice given her clearly anti-Russian position. Freeland has been highly critical of Russia’s politics in Crimea — which can be partly explained by her own Ukrainian roots. She also wrote a book describing Russia as a plutocracy. In response, Russia blacklisted her, meaning she can no longer enter the country.

The consequences of this nomination can not entirely be known now. However, it seems that Canada-Russia relations will not be in total appeasement in spite of both countries’ public wish to normalize their relations. Russian officials already declared that Freeland’s removal from the blacklist will only happen as a response to Trudeau’s government lifting of sanctions regarding Russia.

According to Piotr Dutkiewicz, the former director of the Institute of European and Russian Studies at Carleton University, consequences might also be strained regarding diplomatic relations with the US since Trump has declared himself pro-Russian and Putin-friendly. His Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson — former chief executive officer of the oil corporation ExxonMobil — received the Order of Friendship, one of Russia’s highest distinctions, in 2013.

Although Freeland declared that she “loved Russian culture,” her nomination does not seem to lead to a normalization of Canada-Russia relations, which could provoke diplomatic disagreements with the US and isolate Canada on the international stage.

Canada’s decision to foster its relations with the US rather than with Russia was explained by Trudeau by the important common interests shared with US. Nevertheless, adopting a public anti-Russia position might not be in Canada’s best interests regarding the increasing global role of Russia. Indeed, the assertion of Moscow as a key global player is now a factor to be taken into account as far as North-American diplomacy is concerned.

With files from CBC, Lemonde, Lactualite

SFU women’s basketball defeats nationally ranked Seattle Pacific 71–61

By

EIC

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January 13, 2017

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womensbasketballWEB — Meg Wilson finished with 14 points, six assists, and six rebounds in SFU's 71-61 win.

It was a game that truly could have gone either way.

But early on, it looked like SFU would win in comfortable fashion, like many of their games so far this season. Late in the second quarter, the Clan had a 13 point lead against a Seattle Pacific team that came into this game nationally ranked and had only lost one game all season. The Falcons cut the lead to nine by the end of the first half — by the end of the third quarter, it was tied at 51.

“Basically he looked us all in the eye and said ‘do you really want this?’” said senior point guard Ellen Kett — who had another terrific game — on what was said to the team before the fourth quarter. “He said this is it, this is the time, this is what we play for. Dig deep and we can do this.”

“I thought we didn’t let what happened in the second and third quarter get to us,” commented head coach Bruce Langford on what changed in the last quarter. “We dug a little deeper and we tried to communicate a little bit better, and tried to talk about how important some fire in our belly was, because they were really out-working us.”

“We had to get back to team defence. You can’t just play hard, you have to play smart.”

– head coach Bruce Langford

SFU came out flying to start, with redshirt junior Elisa Homer getting the Clan’s first points of the contest. It even featured good performances from bench players such as Samantha Beauchamp.

But to begin the second half, Seattle Pacific seemed like they couldn’t miss a shot, while SFU couldn’t make any. If the visitors didn’t make their shots, they were drawing fouls and going to the line. The Falcons came out flying, putting up 23 points to take the lead by, at one point during the quarter, four points before SFU tied it up to end the third.

“We were making mistakes and we were paying for it,” said Langford on the first three quarters. “We had to get back to team defence. You can’t just play hard, you have to play smart.”

SFU was able to put up 20 points in the fourth quarter, of which Kett got 10 and assisted on six others. It was another great performance from Kett, who led the team in points with 23 and minutes played with a recorded 39 — although it appears she was subbed out for more than one minute in the third quarter. The 71 points SFU scored was only the second time this season Seattle Pacific has let in more than 70.

And not only did SFU put up the points, they played great defence as well — they didn’t allow a single Falcons basket for the last 5:08 of the game.

“They’re really in your face out on the perimeter,” said Kett on a tough Seattle Pacific defence. “They deny the lane, so I think we had great success pressure releasing, back cutting, [and] looking for different options off our set play.”

“I think we have some versatility in our defence” commented Langford on the defensive effort not only tonight, but throughout the season. “[Rachel] Fradg[ley] is lighter and moving better than she ever has, which helps us in being able to switch up some stuff. Ozi [Nwabuko] is a very versatile defender [as well. . .] I just thought we did a really good of job of just keeping our composure and coming back with some fire in our belly.”

Now 6–1 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) play, and with a victory over a nationally ranked opponent under its belt, SFU will likely be in the top 25 of the national rankings — if all goes well their next few games. It’s been a fantastic season so far, and they’ll need more of what happened in the fourth quarter if they want to make it a memorable one.

Next Game: SFU takes on the Saint Martin Saints this Saturday at 7 p.m. The Saints currently sit tied for last in the GNAC with Central Washington, and have lost eight of their last nine games. They sit in the lower half in a lot of major categories, but do have one thing going for them — they have the best three-point defence in the conference, even better than powerhouse Alaska Anchorage, at .278. Despite that, it should be a very winnable game, and a good warmup before a big matchup against Western Washington next Tuesday.

NFL Blitz with Jason Romisher: Divisional Round Preview

By

EIC

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January 13, 2017

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4245600956_7b42dd7c31_o — Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have won seven straight, and don't look like slowing down anytime soon.

2–2 last week with the picks, as the Seahawks and Steelers took care of business while the Raiders and Giants did not. The Giants caused some controversy in the loss because their receiving corps, led by Odell Beckham Jr., decided to fly down to Miami on their day off last week and party with Justin Bieber on a yacht. The group as a whole did not play well, dropping several passes in a 38–13 beat down by the Packers. Last week, all of the games lacked drama, with the closest finish being the Texans’ 27–14 win over the Raiders.

This week, three of the games could go either way in really intriguing matchups. The fourth game sees Houston as a 15.5 point underdog with little chance of winning. Because I absolutely will not be picking the Texans, none of these games can produce a result worthy of “upset of the week” status which is a recipe for great games and some unexpected outcomes.

Seattle 11–5–1 at Atlanta 11–5, Saturday 1:35 p.m.

After their resounding win over the Lions, the Seahawks travel to Atlanta to take on a rested Falcons team led by their former defensive coordinator, Dan Quinn. In his second season as the Falcons’ head coach, Quinn will look to lead his squad to the National Football Conference championship game for the first time since the 2012 playoffs where they defeated the Seahawks 30–28 in thrilling fashion during Russell Wilson’s rookie season. Since that campaign, Wilson and company have won one Super Bowl and have come within one yard and a Malcolm Butler interception of winning another. The Falcons haven’t since qualified for the playoffs until this season.

Quarterbacking Atlanta is Matt Ryan, who sports a 1–5 career playoff record. His chances of improving upon this record are quite good due to his MVP-calibre play this season and an array of weapons, which include talented dual threat running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, as well as the ever dangerous Julio Jones. The Seahawks finally established a running game last week with oft-injured running back Thomas Rawls rumbling for a Seahawks playoff game record 161 yards. They also have a skilled tight end in Jimmy Graham and a very underrated wide receiver in Doug Baldwin. The Seahawks’ defence is good, but not at the level it has played at in recent years. An interesting matchup will be between the always intense Richard Sherman in coverage against Jones.

I like the Falcons in this one, despite their weak team defensive rating, because of the presence of pass rusher Vic Beasley who led the league with 15.5 sacks. The Seahawks’ weakness is their offensive line and Beasley should be able to harangue Wilson enough to give his team the edge. Atlanta is always tough to beat in their home dome and will send the Seahawks to defeat in the divisional round for the second consecutive season.

Prediction: Falcons 31 Seahawks 26

Houston 10–7 at New England 14–2, Saturday 5:15 p.m.

This game also sees a former assistant coach returning as head coach against his old team. Texans coach Bill O’Brien resigned as Patriots’ offensive coordinator after the 2011 season to take the head coaching job at Penn State. He then moved to the Texans and now has the chance to defeat his former team on their field in what would be a miraculous victory.

The reason the Texans — despite having the number one defence in the league, a good running back (Lamar Miller), and an elite wide receiver (DeAndre Hopkins) — are such underdogs is due to their quarterback play. Yes, Brock Osweiler played a decent game last week against the Raiders, but overall his play this season has been, without being too disparaging, sub-par.

The Patriots have one of the best coaching staffs in professional sport and their defence led by coordinator and former engineer Matt Patricia devises a new game plan with different looks each week to take away the main strengths of their opponent. Of course, the Patriots’ key strength is quarterback Tom Brady who has played as well this season as at any point in his career, after serving the ridiculous four-game deflated balls suspension. Brady finished with 28 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. In contrast, Osweiler respectfully had 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

The Patriots will take care of business in a fairly low-scoring game which will have a lot of defensive highlights.

Prediction: Patriots 24 Texans 9

Pittsburgh 12–5 at Kansas City 12–4, Sunday 10:05 a.m.

Most people who are sports fans and don’t have much experience playing or coaching at a high level cannot comprehend how, in a given season, a team can get blown out one week and then beat the team that destroyed them later on. This is the challenge which is facing a Kansas City team that got pummeled 43–14 by the Steelers in week four.

The Chiefs have a lot going for them since that defeat. They went 10–2 and saw the emergence of tight end Travis Kelce and receiver/return man Tyreek Hill. Kelce produced the best statistical season for a tight end this year and Hill is simply a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He is one of the most exciting players in the league and it will be a treat to watch him play on this stage.

The Chiefs also got healthier on defence as the season progressed, and have a unit with big play super stars such as Eric Berry, Justin Houston, and Tamba Hali. They are quarterbacked by the experienced and dependable Alex Smith. Smith does not put up gaudy numbers, but takes care of the football and has a knack for making key plays in clutch situations. Smith’s finest playoff moment came during the 2011 season when he was the 49ers’ quarterback and led his team to a victory in a seesaw shoot out with New Orleans.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid is also extremely experienced and has produced good teams in Philadelphia and now Kansas City, which have won a lot of playoff games, but never a Super Bowl. They will also be buoyed by one of the best home field advantages and crowd noise in all of football.

The Steelers will be a formidable opponent. They have a young defence that has improved throughout the season and have three potential hall of famers on offence in Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, and Le’Veon Bell. Bell may be the best running back in football right now which doesn’t bode well for a Chiefs defence which struggles stopping the run. Roethlisberger with all his playoff and regular season experience has not played as well of late on the road as at home.

I like the Chiefs to keep it close throughout the game and avenge their early season loss on the basis of their superior special teams. Look for Tyreek Hill to return a kick for a touchdown as he demonstrates his greatness for the first time on a big time stage.

Prediction: Chiefs 27 Steelers 24

Game of the Week

Green Bay 11–6 at Dallas 13–3, Sunday 1:30 p.m.

These two teams also met in the divisional round in the 2015 playoffs with the Packers winning 26–21 led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers had 316 yards and three touchdowns in that victory which took place in Green Bay. This game will be played in Dallas with the teams similarly constructed to their matchup two years ago. Rodgers is the key factor in this game because he simply has been unstoppable during the Packers’ seven-game winning streak. With Rodgers in peak form, the Packers shredded an outstanding Giants defence last week to the tune of 38 points and 406 yards of offence. Unfortunately, star receiver Jordy Nelson sustained a rib injury and is questionable for this week’s game.

The Cowboys meanwhile are well-rested and will be at home with high expectations. Because of the mentality of owner/GM Jerry Jones and the fan base, it always seems to be Superbowl or bust in the big D. The question will be how these expectations and the pressure associated with them will affect rookie starting quarterback Dak Prescott and rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott. Both Prescott and Elliott had spectacular seasons, landing each in the Pro Bowl.

Overshadowed this season by the rookies, but not to be overlooked, is star receiver Dez Bryant who could have a very big game against a suspect Packers secondary that was lit up several times this year.

The reason the Cowboys have such a prolific offence is not because of their skill position players. Their offensive line is one of the best units in the league. The key question in this game is whether the Dallas offensive line can control the line of scrimmage and enable the unit to put together long time-consuming drives and keep Aaron Rodgers and company off the field. After watching what Rodgers did last week, the Cowboys will need to put up 40 points or more to beat Green Bay and even that might not be enough.

The Packers look like a team of destiny that can only be stopped right now by an incredible force of nature (or a certain AFC team coached by Bill Belichick). For those of you who love learning about football lore, the production crew for this week’s game is currently preparing footage of the 1967 NFL Championship game which was the last NFL title game before the Super Bowl era. That game will forever be known as the “Ice Bowl” because of the -26 degree Celsius conditions at Lambeau Field.

The clip you undoubtedly will see is Bart Starr’s last minute quarterback sneak, which gave the Packers the 21–17 victory over the Cowboys and the title. The Packers, like in 1967 and in the 2015 playoffs, will prevail over the Cowboys in a shootout.

Prediction: Packers 42 Cowboys 38