SPOKEMONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2016 CONESTOGA COLLEGE, KITCHENER, ONT. WWW.SPOKEONLINE.COM 47TH YEAR — NO. 2

Rare skin disorder can be life-threatening. Page 8

Allergic to the cold

A L E A R N I N G N E W S R O O M F O R J O U R N A L I S M S T U D E N T S

Leadership students depart in February.Page 9

Volunteering in Guatemala

BY ASHLEY NEQUEST

As second semester begins students are already planning how they will be spending their Study Week, more commonly referred to as Reading Week or spring break. That week away from campus is a time students look forward to all year-long. Those who have been waiting for their vacation will be happy to know that starting in the 2016-2017 school year, some programs at Conestoga College will be receiving a second week off, and a third for those enrolled in spring semesters.

The college has labelled these weeks, as well as the week off in February, “Student Success Weeks.” The new breaks will take place Oct. 24-28, 2016 and June 26-30, 2017, though they will not be for all programs.

Amy Kendall, an academic administrator at Conestoga College, referred to the addition of the October break as a pilot run. Programs from the School of Business, the School of Media and Design and the School of Liberal Studies will be the first to try it out. Kendall said the college does not want to go back to having just the break in February, but to roll out these breaks to as many programs as possible as quickly as possible. They anticipate additional programs joining the new scheduling in the 2017-2018 school year.

The additional breaks, as well as the name of all three, are all about the students. The goal is to enable students to get support, catch up and breathe.

“We do a lot of project-based learning, having a lot of projects coming in and not really the opportunity to sit back and reflect on all the learning that’s occurring,” said Mark Derro, dean of the School of Media and Design. “This will give the students the opportunity to take that breathing space and do that. It’s a time for reflective analysis and to look at where their own strengths and weaknesses are, give them a chance to take a breath and pick up the skills they are missing and integrate the learning that is happening across multiple courses into their bigger projects. It’s really the opportunity to regroup, regather your thoughts and go onto the next part of the marathon.”

During the time off Student Services will still be available. With the entire goal behind the extra time off being to support students, tutor-ing, counselling and other support services will be at the ready for students who need it.

With only some of the programs taking part in the pilot project there may be some concern as to how the material being “missed” that week will be made up. Quite simply Conestoga’s edu-cation plans rely on covering course outcomes, thus the hours that are missed will not be an issue. According to Kendall, classes and assign-ments will still cover the necessary outcomes, just with a few less class hours.

In terms of workload, the time off is for students to catch up and plan ahead, not a time for new assignments. “We’ve actually made it very clear that no new assignments will be assigned for that week,” said Kendall. “This is an opportunity to take a look at where they are … work on existing assign-ments but also look at if they need to adjust their study skills or other aspects of their schooling.”

New Study Weekset for October

PHOTO BY MATT LINSEMANLaura Black, Student Life programmer for community initiatives, is helping to facilitate the Human Library. It is an opportunity for students to have a conversation with “human books” and learn from their personal stories.

Don’t judge a book by its coverBY MATT LINSEMAN

The Student Life Centre is holding a Human Library in the Library Resource Centre on Feb. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Human Library is a chance to borrow a human “book,” have a one-on-one conversation with the person and learn from his or her personal story. It’s all about break-ing down stereotypes and chal-lenging assumptions, and it’s a chance for students to get to know someone in their local community.

Students can meet people who are experiencing different things, learn more about them and possi-bly even share similar experiences.

“We’ve moved the event up a little closer in the semester than we have previously,” said Laura Black, Student Life programmer for community initiatives. “The reason being is that we want to give students a chance to create those relationships and connec-tions earlier and build on them throughout the semester. The ear-lier the better and that way the respect that you’ve created and the values you’ve gained will help you learn and benefit you in the future.”

Megan Pries, a design founda-

tions student, hasn’t been to a Human Library event before but said she’s been to a leadership conference which offers the same opportunities to get to know people one-on-one in different ways.

“I went barely knowing anyone and met so many amazing people that I’m incredibly close with to this day,” said Pries. “The first day was all about leadership and what that looks like. As a first-time attendee, I was not expecting what came the second day (in the best way pos-sible). The second day was all about breaking down walls, standing in our truth and coming together as leaders. It was a really emotional day for myself and many others, but it’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. To have an opportu-nity to meet like-minded individuals through such an intimate experi-ence was so important for me and will be absolutely unforgettable.”

The Human Library gives stu-dents a chance to openly ask ques-tions in a safe environment.

Some stories being told this year include a female illusionist’s story, surviving sexual assault, dealing with addictions, travelling the world, surviving domestic violence and identity recognition.

These people gather to share

their stories and expect very chal-lenging questions, some of which may even come across as offensive. It’s important to tell these stories because there’s a certain stigma when it comes to certain topics. The event aims to break down those stigmas and tries to get them out in the open.

“Their courage to share their stories is amazing and it’s such a valuable opportunity to take part in a Human Library,” said Black. “You don’t get this every day. Their experiences, their challenges, the barriers that they face and how they’ve overcome them tell a story that’s worth sharing.”

Black said for some human books, this is the first time they’re sharing their stories and some haven’t even shared it with people close to them.

Everyone goes through something and it is important to remind stu-dents of this. You can’t judge a book by its cover because everyone has a story and it’s important to share it so that we can all learn from each other.

Students can reserve human books ahead of the event by con-tacting Student Life or by emailing Laura Black at lblack@conestogac.on.ca. Walk-ins are also welcome during the event.

Page 2 SPOKE Monday, January 18, 2016NEWS

Now deep thoughts... with Conestoga College

Random questions answered by random studentsWhat makes you smile?

“Coffee.”

Kaitly Kelly-Carruthers,fi rst-year

general arts health science foundation

“My cats.”

Carly Thibodeau,second-year

pre-health science

“My girlfriend.”

Naween Mehanmal,second-year

software engineering technology

“Sunny days spent outside.”

Kara Bonisfi rst-year

business administration accounting

“Food.”

Chelsea Miller,fi rst-year

general arts health science foundation

“Being with my friends.”

Andrew Horvath,fi rst-year

accounting audit information technology

Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!

FILBERT CARTOONS

BY EMMIE SIROKY

You can have your cheese curds and eat them on cam-pus too, thanks to Conestoga College’s new café addition, – Smoke’s Poutinerie.

“It’s a new concept, poutine is a huge trend right now,” said Jennifer Bruder, food service director. “People are loving it all over the place. It’s something that is fun and funky, it’s also the brand itself that’s really upbeat.”

Smoke’s was founded in 2008 in Toronto. It was one of the first exclusive poutine-only restaurants. There are over 30 locations as well as food trucks that stop by places

such as Conestoga College.“It’s been popular. We did

bring the food truck here a few times last year just to test it out and it was something that was well received,” said Bruder. “That was another reason why we decided to bring it to the campus. It’s a fresh cut fry which is totally different then a frozen fry which is what we had. People like the fact that it’s a fresh cut.”

Smoke’s Poutinerie has a mascot who has a personally all of his own.

“Smokes, the man, the myth, the legend. He is a bit of a recluse, stuck in the ’80s. He loves his ’80s Glam Rock, but he loves his poutine more,”

said Brenda Kingsley, super-visor. “We, as his messengers, are here to spread his love of poutine.”

The new business has been going through a lot of poutine. Although they don’t make all the kinds of poutines that the other locations have they still have a lot of variety, including traditional veggie and bacon cheeseburger.

“We get 50-pound bags of fries. We probably go through 15 of those bags every day and probably four 10-pound bags of gravy,” said Kingsley. “It’s amazing and insane.”

The eatery is inside the café where the rest of the hot food is sold.

Smoke’s Poutine is here

Monday, January 18, 2016 SPOKE s Page 3NEWS

Pill causes scary moment for staff memberBY SEAN MALINOWSKI

The afternoon of Dec. 18, the Friday before Christmas, Erica Stoermer was alone in the Support Staff Union office at Conestoga. Busy work-ing, she decided to take an Advil because of a headache. Immediately after swallowing the pill she knew something was wrong.

“It didn’t go down properly, it was stuck in my throat,” Stoermer said. “I swallowed a few times to see if I could push it down my throat and it

wasn’t really moving.”Stoermer than attempted

to cough the pill back up. While doing so, the pill was sent up her windpipe. She could no longer breathe in air, only produce short gasps.

“I thought to myself, I just blew all the air out of my lungs. Now my heart is start-ing to pound because I’m in panic mode, and I’m here alone,” she said.

Stoermer flung open the office door looking for any type of assistance. She imme-

diately noticed a doorway at the end of the narrow, locker-less hall. It was the back door to the cafeteria prep area.

She walked directly to it. Unable to speak, she entered the room with her hands around her neck, the interna-tional sign for choking. The cafeteria staff noticed her right away.

Cafeteria staff member Claudia Wicks was the first to respond.

“She was hunched over, and in a panic,” Wicks said. “I asked her if she was OK, and

she didn’t answer.”“I’m not too sure what hap-

pened after that,” Stoermer said.

Wicks does have CPR train-ing, but luckily she didn’t have to use it. Moments after appearing at the back door, Stoermer spat up the pill her-self.

“We sat her down, calmed her down, rubbed her back, and got her a glass of water” Wicks said. “She was just in such shock.”

Suzanne Wildfong was another staff member who

witnessed the scene.“She was traumatized,”

Wildfong said. “Claudia took care of her. Everyone love’s Claudia, she’s the best.”

The following Tuesday Stoermer gave the staff a bou-quet of flowers, to thank them for their help.

“What else can you do?” she said. “I’m just glad they were there, and wanted to give them the recognition they deserved.”

Stoermer said she will now dissolve her pill capsules in water.

BY SARAH VEENSTRA

It turns out community involvement and the act of volunteering can do just as much or more for the volun-teer as it does for others, and Conestoga College is showing students how.

It’s called the Get Involved Fair, where twice a year the college invites community orga-nizations and clubs on and off campus, to showcase multiple ways students can get more involved in not just their school, but in the community.

“We have over 90 ven-dors coming for the week to all four campuses,” said Laura Black, Student Life programmer for community initiatives at Conestoga’s Doon campus. “They range from working with children up to seniors to business opportunities in the com-munity or even to working at THEMUSEUM or art gal-leries. We also have engi-neering, media or religious opportunities. There really is something for everyone and it just depends on what your preference is and what you feel would best use your skills.”

Black started her posi-tion at the college three years ago after her vol-unteer work with the Sexual Support Centre of Kitchener-Waterloo led her to represent their booth at Conestoga’s Get Involved Fair.

“I’ve kind of come full circle,” Black said. “From being here and working with these students at the fair to now actually working here at the college. I know I wouldn’t have gotten this job if I hadn’t been volun-teering. In a lot of roles in community development and social service, they’re looking for volunteering on your resume. They want to see that you’re connected in the community and that involvement in different

organizations. Volunteering gives you that experience and applied learning you need. What we actually find is, the more involved you are while you’re in school, the more likely it is that you’ll be successful outside of it.”

Francesca Pedler, a fourth-year bachelor of community and criminal justice student, has been volunteering for 15 years, the past four of which were with the Get Involved Fair.

“When I came to Conestoga, I started volunteering in an attempt to fit in,” Pedler said. “I didn’t know anyone and I was alone in an unfa-miliar city. I often felt like an outcast and I remember looking around the halls one day at all the people and really seeing people from all walks of life. I realized that regardless of our differences, we all struggle with the need to belong and feel connected. I wasn’t alone. I started vol-unteering at Student Life’s Respect Campaign because it gave me the chance to be part of a team that shares my values and interests while being able to use my skills, creativity and imagination to help encourage individual respect throughout the col-lege.”

Currently on campus, Pedler is a Student Life leader, a leader-ship ambassador for Conestoga Students Inc., a member of Waterloo Interprofessional Healthcare Student Collaborative, president of SAFE (Sexual Acceptance For Everyone) House, an active agent for Conestoga In Action, a member of the Save a Life Club and is also a volunteer for the International Women’s Day committee. Her involvement also extends beyond campus as she also volunteers for St. John Ambulance, Canadian Blood Services, the Canadian Cancer Society and more.

“To be honest, you name it and I’ve probably volun-teered with it,” said Pedler.

“There is something for everyone. You just have to be brave enough to put yourself out there. To get involved doesn’t mean you have to commit a lot of time either. Start with something you’re passionate about or a club that inter-ests you and get started now because you don’t know what you’re missing out on. Volunteering is a huge part of who I am and I can’t see myself ever stopping.”

The Get Involved Fair will travel throughout Conestoga’s four campuses this week, starting today at the Cambridge cam-pus, then to Waterloo and Guelph, finishing on Jan. 21-22 at the Doon campus in the E-wing’s Student Life Centre.

St. John Ambulance, Habitat for Humanity and the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Kitchener-Waterloo are among the listed organizations that can be found online at the col-lege’s website, along with 40 club and volunteer opportuni-ties on campus.

“I just found that volun-teering gave me the overall confidence that I needed and a more fine-tuned career path,” said Black. “I was in a broad program that incor-porated psychology, social work and sociology. Jobs and placements put a lot of pres-sure on you, especially when they’re tied to your program. Volunteering gave me the freedom to explore my field and find the direction I want-ed my career to take.”

According to Black, the

fair will also issue students a passport that once filled, can be entered into a draw for a chance to win a prize. Students will need to collect three stickers on their pass-port, each from a different organization, and can only be issued if the student has asked a question. The pass-port activity is designed to encourage students to find out more about their avail-able options.

“The Get Involved Fair is really just about connecting students to meaningful oppor-tunities that allow them to grow,” said Black. “Whether it’s building skills personally or if it’s making those net-work contacts professionally. I think volunteering is skill building, easy, fun and we have something for everyone.”

Should you be more involved?

PHOTO BY SARAH VEENSTRALaura Black, Conestoga College’s Student Life programmer for community initiatives, stands in front of the Student Life bulletin board at the Doon campus, where students can find out more about how to get involved at school.

Page 4 s SPOKE Monday, January 18, 2016COMMENTARY

“You’ve got a pizza my heart,” reads a Ninja Turtle Valentine’s Day card, much like the ones we used to receive back in elementa-ry school. Remember those days? Back before we got caught up in the idea that Valentine’s Day is just for couples to celebrate. We would decorate a bag or box for our classmates to put cards in and give each and every one of our classmates a card, maybe even some heart-shaped candy. We didn’t feel bad about our-selves for being single on Feb. 14, we loved that day. Oh, how times have changed.

Valentine’s Day now has a reputation for being an over-ly commercialized holiday, meant only for couples. This leaves a sour taste in the mouth of many people.

This reputation is unde-served. Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate all kinds of love. Celebrate not only with your significant other, if you have one, but with your fam-

ily, friends, classmates and colleagues too.

If you’re feeling down for being single, make plans with someone to have a night in. You could have a spa night at home, watch some movies and indulge in a little chocolate. If that’s not your thing, you could play some video games or have fun baking some yummy treats.

If you do have a significant other and you plan on celebrat-ing with him or her, money may hold you back from enjoy-ing Valentine’s Day.

It’s well known that college students don’t have a lot of money to spend. We’re pay-ing for tuition, rent, grocer-ies, textbooks, a bus pass or

a parking pass and the list goes on.

Valentine’s Day plans don’t have to be extravagant. If you’re celebrating with your significant other you can stay at home, light some candles, dim the lights and have a romantic home-cooked meal together.

If you do want to go out and spend some money on each other, discuss it first. Set a spending limit for Valentine’s Day. Maybe one of you will pay for dinner and the other will pay to go see a movie.

That way you’ll each spend roughly the same amount and one of you won’t end up feel-ing bad for spending less than the other person or breaking your bank.

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be the overly com-mercialized, only for roman-tic love day that it’s por-trayed to be in the media. Show love to whomever and however you want this Feb. 14.

Why I love Valentine’s Day and you should too

Give winter a hugBY PAUL BOREHAM

Brrrr … It’s cold outside. Waves of white steam pour from peoples’ noses and mouths with each breath as they painstakingly negotiate icy pavements, wearing tortured expressions, before making a final, desperate sprint for the warm and toasty indoors.

Do we have to go through another winter? That’s the pre-vailing sentiment as Earth wobbles around to the far reach-es of the sun once more, with us in the northern hemisphere tilted away and denied its warmth and light. While winter may be a pain in the butt and a licence to complain, the belief here is that winter is an opportunity for awakening.

It all starts with dress. Clunky galoshes, drooping hats of all colours, over-sized mitts, and layers of unseen undergarments are essential – the kookier and wilder the better. Winter can be an ongoing Halloween ball. We need an extra skin and loads of artificial fur.

The region is full of opportunities at this time of year. Chicopee ski hill is just one, right in the heart of Kitchener. Students will want to take advantage of $20-$30 deals Mondays and Wednesdays. It’s worth a go.

Winter can be really tough for some people, though, says Pauline Loucks, a counsellor at Conestoga’s Doon campus. Normal routines are often abandoned because of the cold; the outdoors becomes a hostile place to avoid. The lack of sunshine and exercise results in a general malaise, which can become debilitating. “About 15 per cent of people suf-fer from the winter blahs,” she says, and that number is probably higher. Seasonal affective disorder is the worst-case scenario, requiring medication and therapy.

Healthy eating, exercise, outdoor activities and social interaction will all go a long way in staying happy and healthy through the cold and dark winter. Balance is the key word she emphasizes.

The rec centre, while still under construction, has a large fitness room with various treadmills and weight equipment just waiting to be used. An extra benefit is a nice view, with floor-to-ceiling windows letting in large doses of sunshine – just the jolt required for a perk-up.

If not that, curl up with a good book and dream of those “faraway places with strange-sounding names,” as an old song goes – places like Machu Picchu and Timbuktu. Or start planning a glorious career. However, do get outside and create snow angels in the snow, tongue stuck out for a taste of the heaven-sent cotton candy. It might be delightful.

One aspect of this winter that is providing some com-fort is that it’s turning out to be very interesting due to the El Nino weather pattern blowing our way. So sit back and enjoy the show.

The views herein represent the position of the newspa-per, not necessarily the author.

Michelle Maisonville Opinion

Spoke welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be signed and include the name and telephone number of the writer. Writers will be contact-ed for verification.No unsigned letters will be published.Letters should be no longer

than 500 words.Spoke reserves the right to edit any letter for publication.Address correspondence to:

The Editor, Spoke, 299 Doon Valley Dr., Room 1C30, Kitchener, Ont., N2G 4M4

Letters are welcome

Canadians need to embrace winter.

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Editor: Chris HusseyAssignment Editors: Matt Linseman, Jenna BraunAdvertising Managers: Christel AllisonSpoke Online Editors: Emmie Siroky, Sean Malinowski, Marissa CuddyProduction Managers: Sarah Veenstra, Garrett

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Monday, January 18, 2016 SPOKE Page 5

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BY KANDACE GALLANT

Fans of retired NHL play-ers, and just simply hockey, flooded the Sleeman Centre in Guelph on Jan. 9 to see the annual Pro Hockey Heroes game.

This was the 22nd annual Pro Hockey Heroes event fea-turing the Guelph Firefighter All-stars and former NHL hockey heroes. Over those years, the firefighters have raised more than $750,000 to support those in need and aim to hit the $1-million mark next year.

“The money goes towards hospitals and supplies,” said Mark Mitchell, chief train-ing officer for the Guelph Fire Department. “We’ve pur-chased things like emergen-cy room supplies, televisions for chemotherapy treatment rooms, new equipment that has been made to help diag-nose pregnant women with possible early issues, and we’ve donated things like machines and monitors as well.”

Though the turnout varies each year, Mike Richard, the event planner, said last year they had an audience of 2,000 people.

“This year turned out to be a bit less,” said Richard. “But we still got to see a lot of happy fans. Usually the audi-

ence is a bit older because they’re the ones who used to watch the retired players play for the Toronto Maple Leafs or other popular teams. Children like to come too to see the different games and pranks the players have in store for one another.”

This year, as the players waited for the puck to drop, a pie was thrown at one of their faces. They also faked fist fights and pushed the young-er players around.

“All in all, it’s a fun experi-ence and people love it,” said Mitchell. “It’s fun getting to be on the ice with the retired players who actually have a lot of professional hockey experi-ence.”

Players this year included Craig Muni, who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs before becoming one of the strongest defencemen for the Edmonton Oilers. His name has appeared on the Stanley Cup three times. Another player was Gary Leeman, who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and was said to be a “scoring machine.” His name is on the Stanley Cup after playing for Montreal. Tom Fergus also made an appearance. He was known for his centre-line scoring and became Toronto’s top centre, setting career high goals in

1985, 1986 and 1973. “I know the game we play

isn’t serious,” said Kyle Mitchell, a Guelph fire-fighter who played against these retired stars. “But it’s still really intimidating. I’m honoured at the same time though. I grew up watching and knowing these players and I’m glad I got to watch

them on the ice and joke around with them and shake their hands.”

“As each year passes, I look forward to continuing to be able to purchase equipment and help out the people in our community that need it,” said Mark. “Our Guelph firefight-ers are proud of the amount we’ve been able to raise.”

“I can’t thank the Guelph firefighters enough,” said Richard. “They’re such great people to work with and watch on the ice. And, of course, I can’t thank the players enough for agreeing to come and play. They’re awesome to watch skate around know-ing that they’ve held Stanley Cups in their hands.”

BY MIKE STROMME

Red plastic pucks were fly-ing and the unique clink and clank of plastic hitting plas-tic filled the Sanctuary on Jan. 6 during an air hockey tournament hosted by CSI. Conestoga students took their turns at challenging each other atop the stage as fellow students filtered in and out. The arcade-like competition, Top 40 music playing through the loud speaker, complimen-tary cotton candy, and vari-ous tables set up by organiza-tions and businesses gave the tournament an atmosphere reminiscent of a carnival or county fair.

The objective of the tourna-ment was simple in nature, have the longest winning streak of the day and you’re the champ. The prize? The very playing surface used to defeat the competition. The NHL-themed air hockey table with an electronic scoreboard was awarded to the cham-pion. The victor was Tim Runstedler, an accounting audit information technology student from the Doon cam-pus. Runstedler’s winning streak of eight was enough to

win the tournament, with the next highest being six.

“It’s a nice little prize for the new year,” said Runstedler. “I guess I can say, all the prac-tising and competition with my three younger brothers paid off.”

In past years, CSI has hosted

a variety of activities and events during the first week back from winter break. This included everything from live musicians and comedians to video game tournaments. However, this year CSI president Jeff Scherer said the organization decided to change things up a bit.

“(CSI event programmers) wanted to do something active, but they realized that with the cold weather, not many students would want to participate in an outdoor event,” said Scherer. “With the arrival of the winter season and the World Juniors freshly

finished, air hockey was a suit-able theme for an event.”

Similar tournaments were held at the Cambridge, Guelph and Waterloo cam-puses on Jan. 7.

Activities and events of this variety give CSI an oppor-tunity to spread informa-tion on the services offered on campus. CSI, in addition to Toothworks Dental Clinic, DrinkSmart and the Doon Presbyterian Church, all had information tables set up at the tournament. All organiza-tions work alongside CSI in various capacities.

“We have a sponsorship program that gives commu-nity businesses the opportu-nity to come in and advertise their products and materials to students,” said Scherer. “We try to have these services represented at appropriately themed events. For example, Counselling Services has a program built around men-tal health, so we schedule their space with our Mellow Monday programming.”

For future CSI events, visit www.conestogastudents.com, follow CSI on social media or download the CSI mobile app.

Page 6 s SPOKE Monday, January 18, 2016SPORTS

Old-timers still got game

PHOTO BY KANDACE GALLANT Members of the Guelph Firefighter All-stars practise before facing a team of retired NHL hockey heros during a charity fundraiser at the Sleeman Centre in Guelph on Jan. 9.

Conestoga students score new air hockey tables

PHOTO BY MIKE STROMMETim Runstedler, an accounting audit information technology student, won CSI’s Doon campus air hockey tournament on Jan. 6 in the Sanctuary. The prize was the air hockey table he played on.

Monday, January 18, 2016 SPOKE Page 7NEWS

New college library a beehive of activityBY TAYLOR SCHWEITZER

When you walk into a library, you expect it to be silent. At Conestoga College, that is not the case.

The newly renovated space is a beehive of activity, with students gathered in groups, discussing projects, or pho-tocopying and printing docu-ments.

The Doon Library Resource Centre is a vibrant place, thanks in part to a major renovation that involved two phases last year. Its grand opening took place Dec. 10.

The renovation maximized the effectiveness of the space to include areas that are more conducive to group work, technology use and quiet study, and improved the over-all esthetics and traffic flow of the B-wing corridor.

The renovated library also has after-hours study space, with 84 seats in the Learning Lab and Quiet Study room that remain accessible from the hallway any time after the library closes, up until 11 p.m. Each room contains USB ports for charging mobile devices, and outlets to con-nect laptops.

“Even if the library is closed for the evening, students can still have a safe place to access (to) study,” said Rachel Caldwell, the manager of cli-ent services and operations.

If you need to get together

with a group, you can book a meeting room. The library has four collaboration rooms, each equipped with an LCD monitor and cords to connect devices, and six work rooms containing tables, chairs and whiteboards. All rooms can be booked in person or online up to a week in advance, for a maximum of two hours per group per day.

If you enjoy reading books on your electronic device, you’ll be happy to hear the library has nearly tripled its e-book collection. They now have approximately 260,000 e-books which can be searched by title using their Discover Service, or by searching the full text of each collection individually.

If you want to read a novel or watch a movie, that is pos-sible too. Many students don’t know that the library has fic-tion books available as well as new film releases.

And students can now sign out the print magazines and journals.

“If a student wanted to sign out a magazine, for exam-ple, design magazines, stu-dents weren’t allowed to sign those out,” said Trish Weigel-Green, director of the Library Resource Centre. “Now, with the new phase, magazines are offered to students to be signed out.”

All of this can be done by presenting your ONE Card

at the library, or by access-ing online resources while off campus.

Your library PIN number is now the last four digits of your student or staff ID num-ber, as found on your ONE Card.

One of the most popular new features is the addition of a room for photocopying, black and white printing and scan-ning documents.

During the grand open-ing it was announced that Conestoga president John

Tibbits was providing a lead-ership gift to the library to be used to support its technology and resource needs including the new collaborative lounge and learning lab, which will be known as the Dr. John Tibbits Collaboration Suite.

PHOTO BY TAYLOR SCHWEITZERSteven Patrick and Megan Murray, both second-year broadcast television students, search for books in the library at Conestoga College on Jan. 7.

PARKING APP MAKES PAYING MORE CONVENIENT

PHOTO BY JESSICA PETTConestoga College has partnered with HonkMobile, which allows students to pay for metered park-ing at the school’s Doon, Cambridge, Guelph and Waterloo campuses via the app on their mobile devices. They will receive an alert 15 minutes before their time expires, so they can add money using the app. It also stores and manages parking receipts. It can be downloaded for free on both iOS and Android at HonkMobile.com or via the App Store or Google Play.

NEWSPage 8 s SPOKE Monday, January 18, 2016

Allergic to the coldBY JENNA BRAUN

Perilous, life-threatening, dangerous – these aren’t words that are typically asso-ciated with winter here in Kitchener. For my sister, however, they are accurate. Skating at city hall, hunting down the perfect Christmas tree and sledding down Mount Trashmore are activities that could literally result in her death.

Shana Braun is allergic to the cold. She has cold urticar-ia, a rare, chronic skin disor-der in which the skin’s surface reacts to cool temperatures.

Itchy, red hives appear on the exposed part of her skin whenever she is subjected to anything under 18 C. Most people with this disorder react to temperatures below 4 C.

Accompanying the hives are many other uncomfortable and even painful reactions.

“On days like today, when the air is really dry and cold, my chest hurts,” Shana said. “It’s hard for me to breathe. The inside of my nostrils and my ears swell up.”

Whenever there is moisture in the air like rain or snow, she has to wear a balaclava over her face, otherwise in minutes her face will become swollen, red and painful. When her feet get cold, she says it feels like she’s walking on glass.

Things weren’t always this tough for her though; these reactions only began to occur this past summer.

Throughout July, Shana would complain of swollen and sore hands while she was working or driving. She figured it was an allergic reaction, she just wasn’t sure to what.

She really didn’t feel like anything was overly wrong until we took a trip to Grand Bend that same month.

It seemed like any other beach visit; we enjoyed lots of sun and refreshing cool lake water, but after spending just 20 minutes swimming, Shana noticed patches of red, coarse bumps surfacing on her legs, arms and torso, eventually covering most of her body.

After that day, she sched-uled a doctor’s appointment, deciding it was time to find out what her body was react-ing negatively to.

Her family doctor, Rodney Bruce, informed her that the cool temperature of the water had caused the hives. Her swollen hands over the previ-ous weeks had been caused by holding iced cappuccinos. He diagnosed her with cold urti-caria after performing an ice test on her arm, a test done by placing an ice cube or pack

on the forearm for a couple of minutes. A distinct, red, swollen welt develops almost immediately.

“I was stunned. I’ve never had to deal with this before,” Bruce said. “I only learned about it back in medical school.”

Shana says Bruce escorted her around the office, showing the other staff her welt. She was told to refrain from swim-ming again, and Bruce some-what jokingly advised her to consider moving to a warmer climate.

Her entire life has changed drastically since she was diagnosed. Even the simplest of daily activities can be prob-lematic for her.

“When I’m cooking, frozen chicken hurts my hands,” she said. “I can’t use cooling face masks or chew minty gum because menthol makes my brain think I’m cold. I always have to ask for no ice. I can’t wear any necklaces that are made of metal. In every area of my life, something is messed up from it.”

There are two forms of the disorder: essential (suddenly acquired) and familial (hered-itary). Shana has essential cold urticaria, as hers began to develop at the age of 27. No one else in our family suffers from this allergy. It is cur-rently unknown as to how a person develops cold urticaria seemingly out of the blue.

According to allergy and clinical immunology special-ist Dr. Harold Kim, Shana’s allergy will remain anywhere from 10 more years to the rest of her life. She has to carry two EpiPens with her at all times.

Except for our family and Shana’s close friends who have physically seen her hives and swollen skin, peo-ple don’t immediately believe her. Shana often gets accusa-tions that she exaggerates, or people miscomprehend the disorder entirely.

“In the summertime, the temperature went down a lit-tle and my arms got a rash,”

she said. “My friend was like, ‘Am I going to catch this?’ They just don’t understand.

“I started a new job and they put me in a hotel where I had to walk a few blocks to get to the workplace, but I said no, that I needed to be put in the hotel right across the street. When I explained why, they were like, ‘Are you going to be calling sick into work?’ It’s embarrassing. I feel like I come off as very high mainte-nance.”

According to rarediseases.org, with each pregnancy there is a 50 per cent chance that a person with cold urti-caria will transmit the disor-der to their offspring.

As someone who has yearned to have children for a few years now, Shana may have a child suffer the same way she does.

Though my family and I can’t really relate to her situ-ation, we try to help her when we can. For Christmas this year, she received multiple scarves and thick wool socks to help keep her warm. Our mom keeps a close eye on her to ensure she’s avoiding those iced cappuccinos she used to love.

“I have to do so many things differently,” Shana said. “And there are so many things I love that I can’t do anymore. Swimming, overnight camp-ing, hiking. It really, really sucks.”

PHOTO BY JENNA BRAUNShana Braun has to be cautious when leaving the house. Temperatures below 18°C can cause red, itchy hives to form on her skin and even cause difficulty breathing.

PHOTO BY JENNA BRAUNShana Braun’s arm reacts to an ice cube after it is placed on the skin for 60 seconds. She suffers from cold urticaria - an allergy to cold temperatures.

PHOTO BY PAUL BOREHAMEmily Buchenauer (left) and Rachael Beaver, both first-year nurs-ing students, work the treadmills in the rec centre’s fitness room, Feb. 7. They’re eager to get back into shape after Christmas cel-ebrations. While the rec centre is under renovations, many options are still open to students to help beat the winter blues and stay in shape.

NO PAIN NO GAIN

Monday, January 18, 2016 SPOKE Page 9

BY JESSICA PETT

Guatemala is a highly populated country in Central America, with approximately 484 people per square kilometre. With this dense a popula-tion, living and working conditions can take a large toll. Many groups from all over the world travel to plac-es like Guatemala to lend their help in an effort to improve the standard of living there.

Global Service Leadership is a component of the CSI Leadership Program. Fourteen students will be participating in the group’s third annual mission trip on Feb. 13, this time to Antigua, Guatemala. A few of them took part in the No Borders: GSL trip to Costa Rica last year.

Erica Newbigging, a second-year police foundations student, looks for-ward to bonding with fellow Conestoga students while making a difference in the lives of the impoverished on her third trip.

“I love working through Conestoga because it’s a great way to meet new people and volunteer. Through going to developing countries I have gained knowledge about these countries and I can be a part of the change, which is a great feeling,” she said.

According to worldbank.org, approximately 75 per cent of the population in Antigua, Guatemala is estimated to live below the poverty

line. The students will be taking part in several construction projects in an effort to provide some relief to those in need.

The trip costs $2,200 per student, which Newbigging says is partially subsidized by corporate sponsors. The group is planning and has already held several fundraisers on and off campus leading up to their departure, which will help offset the cost.

“Giving back to other people or cultures is one of the greatest things you can do. Helping a fellow human, aside from new friends and relation-ships, can make you feel so good,” said Reese O’Brien, a third-year energy systems engineering technol-ogy student.

O’Brien also travelled to Costa Rica with GSL last year and urges other students to go on mission trips as well.

“If you are able, I would say try and go. Don’t let a fear of travel or the cost (of the trip) scare you off. If even in the deepest parts of your heart you think you would want to go then you should try,” he said.

Lisa Steele, the trip’s co-ordinator, has set up a FundMyTravel account, which can be found at www.fundmy-travel.com/Lisa-Steele 1448389136/campaigns/GSL2015/. The website allows the public to donate money to help fund a friend or loved one on their next trip abroad.

Leadership students are on a mission

PHOTO SUBMITTEDA young boy rides on the shoulders of second-year police foundations student, Erica Newbigging. She and several other students travelled to Costa Rica with Conestoga’s Global Service Leadership group for a mission trip last year. This year they are going to Guatemala.

Page 10 s SPOKE Monday, January 18, 2016FUN & GAMES

AriesMarch 21 -

April 19

AquariusJanuary 20 - February 18

TaurusApril 20 - May 20

LibraSeptember 23 -

October 22

GeminiMay 21 - June 21

ScorpioOctober 23 - November 21

CapricornDecember 22 -

January 19

SagittariusNovember 22 - December 21

CancerJune 22 - July 22

LeoJuly 23 -

August 22

VirgoAugust 23 -

September 22

PiscesFebruary 19 -

March 20

Your creativity level will be at an all-time high this month. Do not be afraid to voice your opinion when it comes to projects.

Your thirst for knowledge will be renewed this month. Immerse yourself in your studies, whether self-guided or otherwise.

Take time to be by yourself this month. Listen to your intuition, do not let out-side sources influence your decisions. Trust yourself.

Happiness is important to you. It will be a theme this month. Make sure you do not spend all of your time trying to please others. Take time for yourself.

A month of contemplation; that is what January has in store for you. It is a good time to look into your financ-es, the moon will sharpen your senses.

This month you should put more emphasis on physi-cal fitness. You will receive strength from the Sun, new moon, Pluto and Mercury.

Go out and enjoy yourself this month. January has all sorts of tricks up its sleeve for you, all pointing in the direction of good luck and a lot of socializing.

Ephram Strange dabbles in forces beyond mortal comprehension on a regular basis. He also enjoys young

adult novels and taxidermy.

Horoscope Week of January 18, 2016

January is a month to focus on your career. Now may be the perfect time to revisit projects previously put on hold.

This month the urge to trav-el and experience adventure may become overwhelming. You will benefit greatly from a change of scenery.

This month you are in full control of your destiny. You call the shots and people will be more than willing to hear what you have to say.

The scale is your sign. This month you may find your-self acting as a peacekeeper between loved ones. You see both sides of the story, do not let yourself be swayed.

For Cancers in relationships, this month may bring com-plications. Do not worry, all will work out. For single Cancers now is the time to go out and mingle.

Useless FactsOh Cliff!

Sudoku Puzzle

Word Search

Fill in the grid with digits in such a manner that every row, every column and every 3x3 box accommo-dates the digits 1-9, with-out repeating any.

During its lifetime an oyster changes its sex from male to female and back several times.

Cleveland spelled backwards is DNA level C.

Winston Churchill was born in a ladies room during a dance.

Daniel Boone hated coonskin caps.

More people speak English in China than the United States.

All the swans in England are the property of the Queen.

BY JESSICA HAMMER

With winter weather final-ly here, some students are finding it difficult to get motivated for the winter term.

After a few weeks of classes and assignments, even the most excited and energized students may start to lose focus and enthusiasm.

“The motivation and the energy that you find in September lasts a little longer than in the winter,” said Lynn Robbins White, a guidance counsellor at the school.

The winter months can bring people down because of a number of things, like driving in bad conditions, staying indoors instead of going out to the gym and doing heavy homework loads.

“I find in the winter I don’t want to do as much,” said Caroline Wysocki, a first-year nursing student. “I’m trying to go to the gym to keep my energy levels up.”

To get through the winter

blues there are a few ways to stay motivated. One thing to do is to try and stay active and go to the gym because it helps you focus on other tasks that have more of a mental strain. A way to get motivated and go to the gym is to find a friend to go with and motivate each other.

White said it is good to get organized right away and balance your time and develop some good habits of getting enough sleep, exercise and eating healthy foods.

It is hard getting back on track so setting up a sched-ule and creating goals will help students ease back into a routine. It is also help-ful to tap into the school resources and support for any additional help whether it be for graduating stu-dents looking into jobs when they graduate or if a stu-dent simply wants to speak with a counsellor.

If seeking help visit the Counselling Services office in Rm. 1A101 or call them at 519-748-5220, ext. 3360.

Monday, January 18, 2016 SPOKE Page 11NEWS

How to get over the winter blues

PHOTO BY JESSICA HAMMERAfter winter break, some students feel less energized and need more motivation when they get back to school. Students can get in touch with the various support services at the college regarding any concerns they have.

ICED CARS LEAVE DRIVERS FRUSTRATED

PHOTO BY MARISSA CUDDYThe terrible weather last week left drivers in a bad mood because they had to deal with not only icy roads, but a thick layer of ice on their vehicles. This car had more than a two-inch layer of ice. Old man winter continues his icy grip on the region this week, with today’s temperatures being below average. The expected high will be -9 C, but with the wind chill it will dip to -18 C. There will be scattered flurries throughout the day. The good news is we will see sunshine later this week.

Page 12 SPOKE Monday, January 18, 2016NEWS

BY JOSHUA VAN OSTRAND

The Mindfulness Group is being run again for its fifth semester as part of an effort to help students manage stress and function in high-stress environments. The group is offered by Counselling Services and led by Shawna Bernard, a counsellor, and Linda Juodvalkis, community services faculty.

“The goal of the Mindfulness Group is to help teach stu-dents mindfulness strategies,” said Bernard. “To give stu-dents an opportunity to prac-tise mindfulness techniques in the group and also for stu-dents to be able to support one another. It’s a combination of an educational skills-building group and a support group.”

Some of the skills covered by the group include various forms of meditation from walking and labyrinth meditation to breath-ing meditations. The group fol-lows the protocols set by the University of Massachusetts’ mindfulness-based stress reduc-tion program.

According to Bernard, posi-tive effects of the mindfulness strategies include the ability to manage stress in a posi-tive way, helping students to feel more present and to help enhance mental well-being.

“By learning about this, peo-ple will learn that mindfulness is a practice of being able to pay attention in the moment, as well as being able to self-regulate your body. It’s very common if we feel very stressed or anxious that we can feel scattered or have the anxiety response in our body but (these strategies) help people to feel more present and focused.”

“(To manage stress) I take deep cleansing baths,” said Tyler Cox, a second-year jour-nalism broadcast student. “I

try more and more to be less impulsive. I try to think posi-tive and ward off any kind of big situations that occur from being stressed out.”

During the first meeting, stu-dents introduce themselves and are taught about mindfulness. Students practise the tech-niques they’ve learned and then talk about how it has affected them. Going forward, students are asked to provide updates on their progress and the suc-cesses they’ve made with these techniques.

“I think we talk about how all of us experience stress and that there’s good stress and bad stress. I think it’s normal that when people are studying, when they’re in a place of tran-sition or balancing school and other responsibilities outside of school, I think it’s historical that stress is part of a student’s life and what we’d like to do is provide support to students.”

The deadline for registration is Friday, Jan. 22. Interested students can register by ema-ling Counselling Services at counsellingservicesreception@conestogac.on.ca or in person at the reception desk in Rm. 1A101. The free eight-week group will begin meeting on Thursday, Jan. 28 at 4 p.m. and will meet each week after that.

Outside of the Mindfulness Group, there are other great ways to manage stress as a student.

“The best way to manage stress is to be balanced, to have a good time-management system,” said Bernard. “Take care of yourself in terms of exercise. Students can access the rec c entre. Exercise is one of the best ways to man-age stress. It’s also important to eat healthily and to sleep adequately. We have lots of resources on campus to help students manage stress.”

PHOTO BY JOSHUA VAN OSTRANDShawna Bernard, a counsellor at Conestoga College, is running a free mindfulness support group for students to help them manage stress and feel more present starting on Jan. 28.

Mindfulness matters

Monday, January 18, 2016 SPOKE s Page 13NEWS

BY JOE WEPPLER

Last semester, 28 teams of Conestoga students from the management, purchasing and supply chain programs raised over $11,000 for United Way Kitchener Waterloo & Area (UWKW) as part of their proj-ect management course. That number brings the fundrais-ing total for project manage-ment students in the schools of Business and Media & Design up to $60,000 since 2012.

“It’s a great way for students to learn by doing. If you stop at planning, anything seems possible. It’s in the execution that the validity of your plan becomes apparent,” said Dave Barrett, the head of the proj-ect management course.

Barrett’s decision to use fundraisers as a method of teaching project management was twofold. Firstly, he need-ed a project that everyone could participate in from a general business background. Secondly, there was the added benefit of raising money and doing good for the commu-nity.

According to Conestoga’s website, the project manage-ment course aims to provide students with the knowl-edge and skills to manage projects from inception to completion. The fundraiser project involved months of planning and required stu-

dents to apply what they had learned from the pro-gram.

“They have to develop it from the ground up. They have to come up with the con-cept, they have to plan it and they have to execute it,” said Barrett.

The project was certain-ly no cakewalk for the stu-dents.

“It was extremely challeng-ing,” said Alexis Biermann, a second-year business admin-istration management stu-dent. “We had to apply theo-retical content into our real, live event almost immediate-ly – there was a very steep learning curve.”

Biermann was one of a group of four students who planned an event called Bids 4 Kids. The event, which was hosted at the Waterloo Inn and involved a professional auctioneer raffling off 30 gift baskets donated by local busi-nesses, raised a whopping $2,300.

“Being able to bring Bids 4 Kids to life was very reward-ing,” said Biermann. “The best part of all was getting to work with UWKW and being able to raise money to actually benefit our com-munity.”

Another event, Pancake Circus, was held in New Hamburg and raised $950 through a pancake breakfast, silent auction and children’s

activities. The proceeds of the events

all went to United Way KW & Area. The association is the largest funder of social service programs outside of the government, and all funds raised are invested back into the Kitchener-Waterloo area to help sustain community programs, services and initia-tives.

“UWKW were always sup-portive and helpful through-out the planning process and it was a pleasure to work with them,” said Biermann.

In the past, students were allowed to choose the char-ity they wanted the money from their events to go to. According to Barrett, advan-tages of that include firing up the students to really support something they believed in. However, he feels that one lump sum of money to a specific char-ity can be more impactful, and talks are already under way with United Way to see how Conestoga students can support their 2016 cam-paigns.

PHOTO SUBMITTEDConestoga business diploma students in the management, supply chain and purchasing programs hold up a cheque for $11,000 they presented to United Way Kitchener Waterloo and Area at Conestoga’s Doon campus. The fundraising was completed by 28 student teams as part of their proj-ect management course.

Students raise $11,000 for United Way

BY ETHAN KOMPF

This is the final part of a three-part series on sleep. This part covers the benefits and pitfalls of naps, the different parts of naps and how to effec-tively nap.

Besides being famously suc-cessful for their accomplish-ments, Winston Churchill, Napoleon Bonaparte and Thomas Edison all had one thing in common – they were avid nappers.

“Nature has not intended mankind to work from eight in the morning until midnight without that refreshment of blessed oblivion which, even if it only lasts 20 minutes, is sufficient to renew all the vital forces,” Churchill famously said.

Naps can be extremely powerful tools with impor-tant benefits, especially in our sleep-deprived society. They can improve alertness, improve working memo-ry and creativity and pro-vide an extra energy boost. Unfortunately, naps are often seen as pastimes of the lazy

and unemployed in our work-aholic culture. Fortunately this is slowly changing. Some companies, such as Google, are supplying their employees with time and places to take naps.

A 2005 NASA study done on pilots and astronauts found that a 40-minute nap improved work performance by 34 per cent and alertness by 100 per cent. Naps were also shown to improve work-ing memory, which is the abil-ity to focus one’s attention on a task while holding other tasks in memory.

The optimal nap should be 90 minutes long and taken between 1 and 3 p.m. Any later in the day and it may affect your night-time pattern. Ninety minutes is approxi-mately one full sleep cycle. Shorter naps should last 20-40 minutes. Sleeping for these amounts of time ensures that you wake up in a lighter sleep stage. Being woken up in a deeper stage leads to sleep inertia, which leads you to feel more tired and groggy than when you went to sleep. A lack of planning proper naps

may be one of the reasons that naps get a bad rap.

“I nap sometimes when I get home from school around four-ish,” said Jessica Heaysman, a first-year general arts and sci-ence health option student at Conestoga College. “I usually nap for an hour and it usually makes me more tired after.”

“I don’t nap,” said Walberto Ramos, a second-year adver-tising and marketing com-munications student at Conestoga College. “Usually by the time I get home it’s later in the day … The rare

occasion I do it’s usually 1-3 hours and I usually feel grog-gy and slow (afterwards).”

Different types of naps can be more effective for different purposes. Longer, 90-minute naps can be extremely effec-tive both for long-term memory as well as gaining some of the rejuvenative benefits of longer periods of sleep. Deeper REM sleep is when information is stored for long-term memory.

Shorter caffeine naps can be extremely effective for improv-ing alertness. A Laughborough University study which looked at alertness in drivers found that the caffeine nap was the most effective means of improving alertness. The tech-nique consists of consuming caffeine and immediately nap-ping for 15-20 minutes. The caffeine does not kick in until after waking up, giving the napper the benefits of both.

Most mammals are polypha-sic sleepers, which means that instead of sleeping in one large chunk their sleep is broken up into multiple, shorter seg-ments throughout the day and night. It is unclear whether humans are naturally polypha-

sic sleepers, but according to Matthew J. Wolf-Meyer, asso-ciate professor of anthropology at the University of California Santa Cruz and author of the book The Slumbering Masses Sleep, Medicine and Modern American Life, it appears humans were biphasic sleep-ers up until the Industrial Revolution. Before that time, people generally slept for a period of 4-6 hours throughout the night and had an hour and a half to two-hour nap during the day. There were also very few documented cases of sleep disorders, such as insomnia. This changed after the Industrial Revolution. Employers didn’t want their employees to stop working to take naps, so the institution of sleep changed so that people were forced to sleep in one long stretch throughout the night.

With the reintroduction of nap allowances in the work-place and further studies into the process of sleep, naps are becoming more acceptable. With proper planning, they can be effective tools, instead of just a way to pass a Sunday afternoon.

Napping can be a powerful tool

PHOTO BY ETHAN KOMPFNaps can be extremely effec-tive tools for improving alert-ness and cognitive function.

PHOTO BY JOE WEPPLERDave Barrett, the head of the project management course, shows off a Bids 4 Kids folder at his Doon campus office.

Page 14 s SPOKE Monday, January 18, 2016ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined is Meyer’s last-ditch effort

Looking into the futureWINTER FESTIVITIES ON CAMPUS

PHOTO BY MARISSA CUDDYCatalyst Yoga had a booth in the Sanctuary where students could learn more about yoga and the business. Julie Norcott, a co-owner and teacher at Catalyst Yoga, was on hand to talk to students. The booth was part of the Winter Carnival held by Conestoga Students Inc. on Jan. 7. Students could participate in games with the chance to win varying prizes. For video story, go to www.spokeonline.com.

BY MICHELLE MAISONVILLE

Over the past decade the Twilight saga has gained quite the loyal following, but it also received its fair share of criticism. One was that Bella was just a damsel in distress.

At the end of 2015 Stephenie Meyer released Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined, a novel that swapped all genders in Twilight, with the exception of Charlie and Renee, Bella’s parents, and Beau’s parents.

In Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined Beau moves from Arizona to Forks, the rainiest town in Washington, to live with his father. Beau made this sacrifice so his mother could travel with her husband, Phil, an ama-teur baseball player, to his games.

It’s there in Forks that Beau meets Edythe, a beautiful and mysterious girl. He later finds out that her and her fam-ily are vampires. Being with Edythe puts Beau in immedi-ate danger and some difficult decisions need to be made.

I went through a stage where I was obsessed with Twilight and all things vam-pire, as I’m sure many girls did in their teenage years, so

when I received this novel for Christmas I thought I would give it a chance and read it. I was thoroughly disappointed and left with a bad taste in my mouth.

Regardless, Meyer deserves credit to how well she reminds us that gendered biases and assumptions still exist today.

The book begins with an introduction written by Meyer where she talks about the criticism that’s surrounded Bella since Twilight was first published. Meyer dismissed the idea of Bella being a dam-sel in distress.

“She’s also been criticized for being too consumed with her love interest, as if that’s somehow just a girl thing. But I’ve always maintained that it would have made no difference if that human were male and the vampire female – it’s still the same story,” she wrote.

She also challenges us with the gender swap of the char-acter Emmett, known for his incredible strength. In the new novel Emmett is now called Eleanor. It is admitted-ly harder to picture a woman with more brute strength than a man.

However, there’s very little difference between Twilight and Life and Death:

Twilight Reimagined, other than the gender swaps until you reach the ending.

The huge plot twist would have stopped New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn from being written, had it been used as the ending to Twilight.

I think it would be safe to assume that Meyer prob-ably would have explored this alternate ending when writing Twilight so it would have been easy for her to plug this alternate end-ing into Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined.

I don’t think the gender swap and alternate ending was deserving of a whole new novel. In its place Meyer could have just released the alternate end-ing as an e-book. The gen-der swap was an interesting concept but I could have done without it.

Overall, the book comes off as a bad attempt by Meyer to hold onto the Twilight saga and the success that came with it.

If you’re a die-hard Twilight fan this novel may be of more interest to you but I don’t suggest going into it with high hopes. I give it two and a half out of five stars.

INTERNET PHOTOStephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight saga, came out with a new book a few months ago, called Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined. The novel swaps all genders from the previous books with the exception of Charlie and Renee, Bella’s parents, and Beau’s parents.

BY SARA SASILA

Ever wonder what it would be like to talk to someone who can communicate with the dead? If so, the 24th annual Psychic Fair was where you needed to be.

The fair was held at Bingemans in the Conference Centre from Jan. 8 to 10.

The room was filled with dozens of psychics, mediums, healers, readers and clairvoy-ants.

According to Amanda Meder, a psychic medium blogger, psychics have the ability to read someone by using clairaudient (percep-tive hearing) and clairvoyant (perceptive seeing) to give an accurate and clear reading. Mediums on the other hand, receive information from a different source or spirit, to provide people with answers, support and guidance.

Admission was $8, which gave you the opportunity to go around and see exhibi-tors, lectures and vendors. Readings from psychics ranged from $40 to $180.

Guests roamed around the room, getting the answers to all of their questions. “I didn’t believe in psychics for a very long time,” said

24-year-old Marissa Schmidt. “But, I came to the fair three years ago and since then, I’ve showed up to every event.”

One of the most interesting people at the fair was Dorothy Kesseler, also known as The Moon Lady, a woman who shows you what the moon looked like when you were born and what it meant.

“I’ve been a moon reader for many years,” she said. “The day you were born says a lot about you. From the shape of the moon, I can predict what type of soulmate you will have and identify any future lunar birthdays.”

In the middle of the room, a display showing a Healing Crystal Skull had dozens of guests mesmerized. It is said that the skull has healing powers and anyone who comes in contact with it, will experience healing energy.

“I’m always skeptical about these sorts of things,” said Jared Clarke, who was visiting the fair with his wife. “But, it is cool to look at, and I’ve ready a lot about it actually helping people.”

Judy Abbott, a psychic medium, had her first psychic experience when she was four and has been a part of the

Psychic Fair for 17 years. “I’ve had this gift for a very

long time,” she said. “I’ve been doing this for 21 years, on and off since I was a child.”

Abbott said she has the abil-ity to see the future based on people’s energy, as well as talk to spirits.

“There have been a lot of crazy ones that I have done,” she said. “Sometimes through every reading, I go through something that amazes me.”

Abbott said although some-times her visions scare her, her job is something that she loves to do.

“It’s my job to give people warning if the visions don’t tend to be positive,” she said. “There are days where I go, ‘How do I know this’ or ‘How am I able to do this’. It’s some-thing that is intriguing and different.”

The Psychic Fair hap-pens three times a year in Kitchener, and every year it seems to get more interesting for visitors.

“I tell my friends that I get readings and they think I’m crazy,” said Schmidt. “But, I was uncertain about psy-chics once and now that I’ve talked to some, they have helped me in a lot of ways.”

Monday, January 18, 2016 SPOKE Page 15ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

BY CHRIS HUSSEY

It was a warm December evening in Waterloo, and the Royal Streets were going through another typi-cal rehearsal. At least, that’s what they would tell you. But the Royal Streets are any-thing but typical.

The Waterloo-based band was going through their set list prior to their show at the Starlight Social Club in Uptown Waterloo. The band’s rehearsal space is an incon-spicuous warehouse located at 636 Colby Dr., and walk-ing in, one might think he had gotten lost or received incorrect directions. The band practises in Unit #7, and walking in the front entrance, it resembles more of a workshop than space for a band. But anyone look-ing for the place would have heard the relentless beating of the drums and the soulful harmonies long before arriv-ing.

Venturing farther back, there is a small room that sharply contrasts the wood-working materials and work-shop environment. There are Christmas lights up on the back wall. And on the right, there are many posters highlighting many bands and describing various tour dates. There is just enough room to fit the six members of the band, including their amplifi-ers and various instruments.

The band members are quite familiar with one another, and that is clear to see in the way that they laugh and talk amongst one another. The Royal Streets started sev-eral years after group mem-bers left high school and went their separate ways. Algernon Friolet, lead singer and gui-tarist, reconnected with Mike Demsey, guitarist, and the two of them found that they had some chemistry.

“We kind of realized we had something that clicked … and we said, ‘Alright, let’s see what we can do with this,’” said Friolet.

From there, everything just seemed to fall into place, and not long after, the band was comprised of six members.

The band released its debut album on March 6, 2014, and toured across the coun-try, performing perhaps most notably at the Osheaga

Festival in Montreal and the Jasper Folk Festival. They followed that up with a three-song EP entitled Story Weekend, and are prepared to return to touring. Now, with the two compilations under their belt, the Royal Streets are looking to release their third album in the next few months. Their biggest single has been the song Hoes in Mexico, which has amassed 56,153 hits on YouTube alone.

Part of the reason for their success may be attribut-ed to their unique dynamic and sound. The best way to describe their sound might be as folk-rock, but that simply does not do the band justice. The band is driven by acous-tic melodies and harmonies, particularly between Friolet and Jillian Dowding, who is also a vocalist in the band. Demsey and Eric Stirtzinger are the other two guitarists, with Demsey occasionally taking over duties on bass. Sam Keating plays drums, and Julia Bannard, the last member to join the band, fills in the sixth slot as keyboard-ist.

The unique folk sound is only part of what makes the band work so well together, as they also have a great deal of cohesion. During rehearsal it isn’t uncommon for the group members to joke and laugh with one another. This cohe-sion goes even so far that each member has his or her own role with the band. For exam-ple, Demsey, who is perhaps the quietest member dur-ing rehearsal sessions, also serves as a bonfide band man-ager. He often handles media requests, setting up gigs, and ensuring everyone’s wellness and state of mind.

“Mike is the band dad,” said Stirtzinger.

On the other hand, Friolet is the one who leads the group on stage. It’s these positive rela-tionships and clearly defined roles within the group that help make the Royal Streets successful. But the group is quick to remember their roots and members keep in mind where they come from.

“Waterloo is fantastic for us,” said Stirtzinger.” We always get so excited because the support we have in our hometown is wicked. It’s been two and a half years and it’s still going strong which is so cool to see.”

A royal road to success

PHOTO BY CHRIS HUSSEYRoyal Streets band members (from left) Algernon Friolet, Julia Bannard, Mike Demsey, Jillian Dowding, Sam Keating and Eric Stirtzinger are shown after their rehearsal in Waterloo on Dec. 1, 2015. The band is set to release their third album later this year.

Local band set to go on a national tour to promote

their upcoming album

Page 16 s SPOKE Monday, January 18, 2016STUDENT LIFE

IT’S A GREAT DAY WHEN YOU GET SOMETHING FOR NOTHING

Michelle Duchesne (left) and Aimee Calma serve pancakes to students as part of Conestoga Students Inc.’s free pancake breakfast and free agenda giveaway on Jan. 5, the first day of the winter semester.

PHOTOS BY MICHELLE MAISONVILLEThe lineup for the freebie event was long. Students who want more free food from CSI can attend the CSI annual general meeting on Jan. 26. A pizza dinner will be pro-vided for all who attend and participate.