the reckoner - october 2013

4
P1 www.thereckoner.ca Please recycle October 2013 VOL. 2 NO. 1 New Year, New Sweater On Friday 27 September, Marc Gar- neau’s boys’ tennis team played their third game of the season against East York Collegiate Institute. The team played outstandingly and won all four matches. The first match was won by the Grade 10 pair, Adam Lee and Daniel Pekar. They won their match 8-3, providing a boost of morale to the team. The re- maining matches were won 8-6 and 8-4 respectively, while the last match was forfeited to Garneau, as East York C.I. did not have enough players. “A lot of hard work and dedication pays off,” said team captain Tariq Haji after the game had been won. And it certainly did. After a slow start to the season, the team was at the top of their game. The two coaches, Ms. Gupta and Ms. Yoganathan, were present at the game providing support for their players. They were proud of the success of the team and all the players. “The students are very supportive, respectful, and hardworking,” said Ms. Yoganathan, who has been coaching Garneau’s tennis team for seven years. “They have good manners, good academics, and are able to resolve tension on the tennis courts without help from teachers.” This game was the last before the play- offs, where MGCI’s boys’ tennis team will play against three other schools. Congratulations on the win against East York, and best of luck for future games! Vicky Xu poses with her winning design. Photo: Jackie Ho by CLARENCE LAM On Thursday 26 September, students voted for Marc Garneau’s 2013-2014 sweater designs in their home form classes. The winner of this year’s sweater design is Grade 10 student Vicky Xu. Many thanks to all the candidates for their submissions. A total of seven designs were submitted to Student Council for screening. From Monday 23 September to Wednesday 25 Septem- ber, the designs were posted around the school and on the SAC Facebook page. The inspiration behind Vicky’s design was simple. “There were quite specific guidelines as to the words we were to use (MGCI and the year), and I knew I wanted a cougar for sure, and that was basically the design. You don’t want too many words and you don’t want to over- crowd the words with too many pictures either, thus came my design. MGCI, 2013-2014, with a cougar.” The other designs did not go unno- ticed for their efforts. Vicky commented: “I really liked the variety there was be- cause all the designs were so different and this gave the students a lot to choose from as to what they wanted. I thought everyone’s would end up pretty similar, but no, not at all! It’s pretty cool to see how creative and different everyone can be.” See SWEATERS on P2 Boys’ Tennis Team Wins by a Landslide by SHERRIE CHENG It was in September 2011 when the first class of the Business and Social Achieve- ment Program (BSAP) walked through the doors of Marc Garneau CI. Since then, a BSAP community has formed through yearly traditions, such as the organization of “Parents’ Night” or the camping trip to Etobicoke Outdoor Ed- ucation Center. Despite its gradual growth, the ques- tion remains: What is BSAP? When asked, Mr. Sutherland said, “BSAP was initially supposed to be two separate programs – business and so- cial justice. However, it wasn’t until we started to do them together that we thought of the interesting connections between business and social justice – two things that most people think of as contradictions.” He added that the founders, a committee of teachers and students, wanted to create a program to specifically stress the importance of the integration of two wholly disparate concepts. According to Mr. Sutherland, the vi- sion of BSAP was twofold – to create a collaborative program at the junction of business and social justice, and also to create long-term relationships between students and their teachers, mainly through a new specialized curriculum and enrichment activities. This concept of combining business and social justice has been well-received by BSAP’s students. “We have been taught about corporate social responsibility and have learned how to build a business while helping communities,” said Selina McCallum, a Grade 11 BSAP student. See BSAP on P2 What is BSAP? by TAKHLIQ AMIR Mr. Haid, the first BSAP ACL, addressing his BSAP English class. Photo: Cindy Cui NEW THIS ISSUE Advice Column on P3 Inspired by the popular Humans of New York blog, The Reckoner is start- ing a photography project to bring Marc Garneau CI closer as a community. We all have different paths, thoughts, and feelings; we just don’t have the chance to tell them to others. We want to share these stories. Maybe the girl sitting behind you is an artist too scared to publish her art, or maybe the boy by the library is terrified of public speaking. Who knows? By providing little glimpses into the lives of others at this school, we’d like to remind everyone that there’s more to people than what meets the eye. -Jackie Ho Humans of Garneau Field Hockey: A Promising Start by ALIE TEACHMAN Marc Garneau’s girls’ field hockey team enjoyed its first win of the season against Malvern Collegiate last Wednesday 25 September. The girls won 3-2, despite Malvern’s rally in the second half, with goals scored by Katrina Ha, Ella Plante, and Leslie Maiden. They then went on to win a game against Monarch Park on Monday 30 September, this time 2-1. Field hockey is a developing sport for most high schools, which means that most players are new to the game when they join a team. The women’s sport is similar in nature to soccer, but is played with a hooked stick. It is at times tricky to follow because of its abundant fouls and extremely fast paced nature. The team was forced to take a season off last year due to the teachers’ strike. But they have returned this year with a new coach, Ms. Bhandarkar, new sticks, and their old winning attitude. The field hockey season is a short one. The team only plays three more games in the next two weeks before qualifying for playoffs. After a promising beginning they hope to reclaim their 2010 title of regional champs. MGCI struggles with Monarch Park for possession of the ball. Photo: Abigail Chau Team captain Tariq Haji prepares a serve. Photo: Kasra Koushan

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Page 1: The Reckoner - October 2013

P1

www.thereckoner.caPlease recycle

October 2013 VOL. 2 NO. 1

New Year, New Sweater

On Friday 27 September, Marc Gar-neau’s boys’ tennis team played their third game of the season against East York Collegiate Institute. The team played outstandingly and won all four matches. The first match was won by the Grade 10 pair, Adam Lee and Daniel Pekar. They won their match 8-3, providing a boost of morale to the team. The re-maining matches were won 8-6 and 8-4 respectively, while the last match was forfeited to Garneau, as East York C.I. did not have enough players. “A lot of hard work and dedication pays off,” said team captain Tariq Haji after the game had been won. And it certainly did. After a slow start to the season, the team was at the top of their

game. The two coaches, Ms. Gupta and Ms. Yoganathan, were present at the game providing support for their players. They were proud of the success of the team and all the players. “The students are very supportive, respectful, and hardworking,” said Ms. Yoganathan, who has been coaching Garneau’s tennis team for seven years. “They have good manners, good academics, and are able to resolve tension on the tennis courts without help from teachers.” This game was the last before the play-offs, where MGCI’s boys’ tennis team will play against three other schools. Congratulations on the win against East York, and best of luck for future games! ■

Vicky Xu poses with her winning design. Photo: Jackie Ho

by CLARENCE LAMOn Thursday 26 September, students voted for Marc Garneau’s 2013-2014 sweater designs in their home form classes. The winner of this year’s sweater design is Grade 10 student Vicky Xu. Many thanks to all the candidates for their submissions. A total of seven designs were submitted to Student Council for screening. From Monday 23 September to Wednesday 25 Septem-ber, the designs were posted around the school and on the SAC Facebook page.

The inspiration behind Vicky’s design was simple. “There were quite specific guidelines as to the words we were to use (MGCI and the year), and I knew I wanted a cougar for sure, and that was basically the design. You don’t want too many words and you don’t want to over-crowd the words with too many pictures either, thus came my design. MGCI, 2013-2014, with a cougar.” The other designs did not go unno-ticed for their efforts. Vicky commented:

“I really liked the variety there was be-cause all the designs were so different and this gave the students a lot to choose from as to what they wanted. I thought everyone’s would end up pretty similar, but no, not at all! It’s pretty cool to see how creative and different everyone can be.”

See SWEATERS on P2

Boys’ Tennis TeamWins by a Landslide

by SHERRIE CHENG

It was in September 2011 when the first class of the Business and Social Achieve-ment Program (BSAP) walked through the doors of Marc Garneau CI. Since then, a BSAP community has formed through yearly traditions, such as the organization of “Parents’ Night” or the

camping trip to Etobicoke Outdoor Ed-ucation Center. Despite its gradual growth, the ques-tion remains: What is BSAP? When asked, Mr. Sutherland said, “BSAP was initially supposed to be two separate programs – business and so-

cial justice. However, it wasn’t until we started to do them together that we thought of the interesting connections between business and social justice – two things that most people think of as contradictions.” He added that the founders, a committee of teachers and students, wanted to create a program to specifically stress the importance of the integration of two wholly disparate concepts. According to Mr. Sutherland, the vi-sion of BSAP was twofold – to create a collaborative program at the junction of business and social justice, and also to create long-term relationships between students and their teachers, mainly through a new specialized curriculum and enrichment activities. This concept of combining business and social justice has been well-received by BSAP’s students. “We have been taught about corporate social responsibility and have learned how to build a business while helping communities,” said Selina McCallum, a Grade 11 BSAP student.

See BSAP on P2

What is BSAP?by TAKHLIQ AMIR

Mr. Haid, the first BSAP ACL, addressing his BSAP English class. Photo: Cindy Cui

NEW THIS ISSUE

Advice Columnon P3

Inspired by the popular Humans of New York blog, The Reckoner is start-ing a photography project to bring Marc Garneau CI closer as a community. We all have different paths, thoughts, and feelings; we just don’t have the chance to tell them to others. We want to share these stories. Maybe the girl sitting behind you is

an artist too scared to publish her art, or maybe the boy by the library is terrified of public speaking. Who knows? By providing little glimpses into the lives of others at this school, we’d like to remind everyone that there’s more to people than what meets the eye.

-Jackie Ho

Humans of Garneau

Field Hockey: A Promising Startby ALIE TEACHMAN

Marc Garneau’s girls’ field hockey team enjoyed its first win of the season against Malvern Collegiate last Wednesday 25 September. The girls won 3-2, despite Malvern’s rally in the second half, with goals scored by Katrina Ha, Ella Plante, and Leslie Maiden. They then went on to win a game against Monarch Park on Monday 30 September, this time 2-1. Field hockey is a developing sport for

most high schools, which means that most players are new to the game when they join a team. The women’s sport is similar in nature to soccer, but is played with a hooked stick. It is at times tricky to follow because of its abundant fouls and extremely fast paced nature. The team was forced to take a season off last year due to the teachers’ strike. But they have returned this year with a

new coach, Ms. Bhandarkar, new sticks, and their old winning attitude. The field hockey season is a short one. The team only plays three more games in the next two weeks before qualifying for playoffs. After a promising beginning they hope to reclaim their 2010 title of regional champs. ■

MGCI struggles with Monarch Park for possession of the ball.Photo: Abigail Chau

Team captain Tariq Haji prepares a serve. Photo: Kasra Koushan

Page 2: The Reckoner - October 2013

www.thereckoner.ca

October 2013P2 VOL. 2 NO. 1

NEWS

Students have also commented on the contest this year. Zameer Bharwani, a Grade 12 student, said: “I really like a few of them. Definitely beats what we used to have last year and the whole thing engages people, so it’s fun.” Nabeel Ahsen, SAC President, com-mented: “I think that it is amazing that we got these submissions. I feel that Arora, our External Affairs Officer, suc-cessfully held this contest in light of the overwhelming requests she had gotten last year for MGCI students to be al-

lowed to submit their own designs. The sweater design that has been elected was submitted and democratically chosen by the students.” Arora was pleased with the results of this contest. “I thought the designs were all very unique, and much effort went into the preparation of each. We can sadly only have one winner, but I definitely think all deserved a round of applause. The competition went well overall, though some last minute adjust-ments and several inevitable difficulties

arose.” Arora hopes to continue this tradition to encourage student involvement in building school spirit and give everyone a chance to have their say in decisions. “Student Council will continue to en-courage student participation in events and I look forward to seeing more events which may empower students to be held in the coming year.” Be on the lookout for this new design when sweater sales open in the near future. ■

The Cougar’s New ClothesSWEATERS

Continued from P1

The program is cultivating a group of leaders who excel at the peak of business and social justice. Mr. Barrington, the Business teacher for the Grade 11 BSAP students for three consecutive years, has been crucial for the teaching of business skills. Under him, many BSAP students have successfully participated in the Ju-nior Achievement Program. BSAP has also thrived in achieving its first goal: to create a community. “The Grade 11 BSAP class has been wel-coming and informative. The members of the class act like members of a large family – while they are close and sup-portive, they can also be direct and ar-gumentative,” said Mr. Haid, an English teacher and the first Assistant Curricu-lum Leader of BSAP. Due to the collective progression of the BSAP students since Grade 9, they have now become accustomed to each other’s good qualities and bad, growing together as a group first and then as in-dividuals. Currently, the program is trying to raise awareness of its mission state-ment, especially amongst the students of BSAP’s “only feeder school,” Valley Park. By increasing knowledge of the program within Valley Park, BSAP is providing the students with the oppor-

tunity to select a program specifically created to meet their needs. BSAP has not only become vital for the present students of MGCI but also the newcom-ers. The program, however, is still in its early years. Mr. Haid stated, “I suppose that one of the most important distinc-tions between BSAP and other programs offered here at Garneau is that it is in its infancy. The future remains untested. Both the remainder of this year, and the entirety of next year, will be exciting as we enter into uncharted territory. Be-cause no one has “lived,” or experienced the entire program, we all need to be part of its future.” The BSAP teachers are certain of one thing, though—the program’s fu-ture is dependent on its students. Mr. Sutherland said, “The loudest voice for the future of BSAP is coming from the students themselves. They have a lot of ideas about the future and many of these ideas involve acting upon what they have learned.” BSAP is a new initiative with a unique perspective, aiming to enable its stu-dents to succeed at the crossroads of business and social justice. Despite the dissimilar combination, it has so far been a success. ■

Business and Social Achievement Program

BSAPContinued from P1

On Thursday 26 September, MGCI par-ticipated in the annual Terry Fox walk. Students took time out of their Period 2 classes to watch a short presentation on what Terry Fox accomplished in his life. After, students completed a distance of approximately 4 km. Mr. Fox established this now annual event 11 years ago. Apart from having the same last name as the hero in ques-tion, he is very devoted to his cause. “I have respect for Terry Fox and what he accomplished,” commented Mr. Fox. “Everyone is affected by cancer, and it’s important to know that. This walk is to raise money for cancer research.”

The MGCI Cancer Society, previously called Youth Sarcoma Initiative, also took part in the event. “Our goal is to educate everyone—most people know about cancer, but they don’t know exactly what it is,” said club president Henry He. “That’s why we have events like these.” Students of the leadership class were stationed throughout the course. In ad-dition to showing the way, they cheered on many of the runners. “This run is a great way for us to un-derstand what Terry Fox went through,” commented Aimen Iqbal and Sara Az-imi, students of the leadership program.

Aside from raising awareness for can-cer, the Terry Fox walk has other pur-poses. Because Marc Garneau is such a big school, it is rare for a whole grade to be able to get together and socialize. “This event can really help with school spirit and team unity,” said Mr. Fox. Mr. Fox hopes to raise $1200. The school has raised between $600 and $700 thus far, but fundraising will con-tinue through Friday 4 October in hopes of reaching the goal. The money will go straight to the Terry Fox Foundation, where 98% of it will be used for research. The rest of it will go towards administra-tive purposes. ■

A Walk to Remember

by SHELA QIU

Students walk down Don Mills Road during the Terry Fox Walk. Photo: David Tang

Welcoming Back Familiar Faces

After the summer break, students and teachers alike came back to Garneau in time for the new school year. But some teachers didn’t just take the summer off. Let’s see what they were up to and what they feel has changed about Garneau: Last year was supposed to be Ms. Brennan’s final year at Garneau, but to the relief of many of her students, the school board pulled her back just in time for the new school year. She had a regular summer at her cottage reading great classics. Ms. Lesser took second semester off last year to spend more time with her two young daughters, now ages 3 and 6. After being at Garneau for 13 years though, she was sure she was coming back this year. Ms. Mexis-Lumsden was at Garneau 3 years ago. She left to teach English at Winston Churchill CI, and also ran an AP English Club there. She applied for the position of ACL of the library this year and was accepted. She noted that there are far more portables now. Mr. Soltes bought a condo and ren-ovated it for 6 months. He enjoyed sleeping at 5 AM and sleeping in until 3 PM. He also visited his brother and went to Las Vegas and New York. He relaxed, watched a lot of movies, hung out with his friends, and worked out. “I didn’t really do anything special,” he says. Mr. Soltes told us he was on a pro-gram known as 4/5, which allowed him

to work for four years for reduced pay and then take one year off with pay. He’s glad to see that the attendance is more organized, and with respect to the new timetables, he said he’s glad to see Ms. Durani making it to her 8:15 classes. Ms. Tharshan went on maternity leave for 6 months last year to take care of her baby boy. Her husband is taking over for the other 6 months, so she was able to return to Garneau. During his year off, Mr. Winn had a baby on Canada Day 2012 named Becket. He also traveled to Belize, Que-bec, and spent 5 months in Europe visiting everywhere from Spain to Nor-way. He returned this year to continue guiding visual art graduates to their top post-secondary school choices. Mr. Winn told us that the biggest changes he’s noticed at Garneau were “that The Reckoner is widely read and hugely suc-cessful. Also, new staff, murals, and that the unhealthy 7/11 is now 0/0.” Mrs. Wismer spent last year at Forest Hill CI and AY Jackson SS working in the main office and guidance. She also visited St. Lucia and New York. She told us the reason she returned this year was because “I love it!” She is truly glad to have come back to her family, and she missed the kids a lot. Mrs. Wismer also noticed that the main office has changed. To staff both old and new: Garneau is happy to have you. ■

by LILY SONG

SAC Semester PositionsElection Results

Grade 9 Representative – Zaid BaigGrade 10 Representative – Helen Feng

Grade 11 Representative – Takhliq AmirGrade 12 Representative – Barkhaa Talat

Junior Representative – Eric SuSenior Representative – Gavin Xu

Advertising Coordinator – Mara GagiuSecretary – Summiya Asif

The Reckonerof Marc Garneau C.I.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFKASRA KOUSHAN

NEWS MANAGER &DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SABRINA BERTSCH

LIFE MANAGERVASILI MANIKAS

EDITORIAL MANAGERALIE TEACHMAN

DIRECTOR OF PRINT DEVELOPMENT

SUSIE LIU

BUSINESS MANAGERLILY SONG

MEDIA MANAGERJACKIE HO

DIRECTOR OF WEB DEVELOPMENT

QUINCY LAM

STAFF MEMBERSABIGAIL CHAUANANNA RAFABOBBY CHIANG

BOSHEN CUICATHY ZHANG

CHRISTINA CHENCINDY CUI

CINDY ZENGCLAIRE HAMILTON

CLARENCE LAMDAVID HAO

DAVID TANGDEIFILIA TO

ERIC SUFAHIM MOSTAFA

FARZEEN SALEHEENFRIEDA RONG

GABRIEL IPHENRY HE

INDRANEEL SARKARJOY WANG

KAARTHIC PULOGARAJAHKAISHENG HUANG

KEVIN JIANGKHADIJA AZIZMARA GAGIU

MICHELLE YEUNGNAWAL ALIM

NICHOLAS BLAKENOOR MAHSHELA QIU

SOPHIA SONGTIANYI MATOM WEI

VAIBHAV SINGHVALIANT CHANWANRU ZHANG

YANING TAN

APPRENTICESADELA LAMCINDY ZENG

DAVID LIDAVID LU

EMMA WHEATONEVA LIU

JASON HUANGJENNA WONG

KASHIFA AHMEDMORRIS CHEN

NICHOLAS VADIVELUNISHAT KAZI

REBECCA WONG

RILING CHENRYAN LIN

SHERRIE CHENGSOPHIA LIU

TAKHLIQ AMIRUPAL RUSHDEE-HAQUE

YILIN ZHU

Page 3: The Reckoner - October 2013

www.thereckoner.ca

EDITORIAL

October 2013 P3VOL. 2 NO. 1

Do you have a response to an article in this issue? Make your voice heard! Contact us at [email protected].

The Parti Quebecois is proposing new legislation that would prevent state workers from wearing any “ostenta-tious” religious symbols. Earrings, small pendants, and necklaces are fine. Tur-bans, head scarves, and burqas are not. Naturally, items like the giant crucifix hanging in the National Assembly and Christmas trees are exempt on account of their cultural significance. Also ex-empt are municipal workers, university staff, and elected officials, on account of no reason whatsoever. The intent of the legislation is two-fold. Firstly, the promotion of cultural unity. This is, of course, best achieved by passing legislation that subjugates other cultures, in favour of Quebec’s precious French Catholic heritage. The legisla-

tion prohibits wearing excessively large crucifixes as well, to be sure. But life-size crucifixes aren’t usually required by one’s religion; a head scarf or turban may be. The second purpose is to promote the secularism of the state. The state is sup-posed to have no religious affiliation, so of course state workers wearing large religious symbols compromise its neu-trality. Small items do not, though, as those obviously aren’t religious at all. Apart from its strange logic, the legisla-tion misses an important point entirely. A secular state is one that does not pro-mote a religion, not one that promotes no religion. Secularism is not state athe-ism. In case you’re worried, this phenom-

enon won’t spread outside of Quebec. It’s uncertain it’ll get passed in the first place, and the Tories have promised to investigate its constitutionality if it does. Specific to Ontario, Premier Wynne has come out against it. What does the proposal seek to ac-complish, then? Does it have a purpose other than the flimsy, inconsistent jus-tifications already mentioned? The only explanation other than the Parti being raving lunatics is that they are pander-ing to their base; the population that voted for Premier Marois seems strongly in favour, while everyone else expresses distaste. Fox News has nothing on the Parti when it comes to pandering. Say, has anyone seen Romney recently? ■

A Freeze on Tolerance

How do I tell a girl I like her without making a fool out of myself?- Zipper

Well, Zipper, I don't think it would be possible. You have to just embrace it. You are a fool; a fool for love. Sharing your feelings puts you in a vulnerable position, there's no point in lying to you about that. But sometimes in life we just have to open that Facebook chat, type in the preeminently rattling phrase "i like you", close the window, catch our breath and hope for the best. That being said, don't rush into telling her. There are a few things that you should do first. Most importantly: show her that you like her. Everyone knows the age-old proverb that actions speak louder than words, but strangely few people heed it. Hang out with her, talk with her, listen to music with her, even make music with her. Out of the blue confessions of devotion don't always go over so well, as I'm sure you are aware. Besides, if you can't spend time with this girl then why do you think you like her anyway? So here is my advice in a nutshell: once you've flirted yourself onto a pla-teau, it's time to embrace your inner fool, and tell that girl that you like her. Be casual. Be cool. Be yourself. Best of luck, my friend.

Why do we have pillows?- DT

DT, it's funny you should ask this. When I was younger I read a book once at the library about ancient Egypt. Apparently Egyptians used pillows made of stone - strange torturous-looking rock headrests. These pillows were often placed under the heads of the deceased to keep their blood flowing. If I hadn't been convinced of the ridiculousness of these stone contraptions already, I was as soon as I read that. So to answer your question, I'm not sure why we have pillows, but at least they aren't made of rock. And if I had to guess, I would say for neck support, or maybe just because they feel nice on our faces.

What do I do if one of my teacher scannot teach? I feel like I'm not alone when I say this and I'm scared I won't be able to pass with a high mark.- Johnny

Ah, the age-old dilemma of poor teaching. I have been in your shoes before, Johnny. It is unfortunately true that certain teachers just cannot teach. Some are unclear, uninterested, unknowledgeable, or worse a combination of the three. But before we consider the worst case, I first recommend that you ap-proach this teacher: ask him or her about what you’re having trouble with. You might find that he or she will be very helpful in explaining the concepts to you individually. Many teachers are happy to offer extra-help sessions, so you should make use of this first. You can also explain to the teacher what you believe they are doing wrong, and they might be able to improve. Now let us consider the worst case. Suppose this teacher really cannot teach or improve their teaching inside or outside of class. You still have a plethora of options, Johnny. You can talk to another teacher. You can talk to guidance. You can try to learn from a textbook. If your class uses one, that would be the first place to go. You might find that seemingly difficult concepts in class are actually quite simple. Now, there is also the chance that your textbook is dull or as ineffective as your teacher is at teaching. Remember that you can always consult other textbooks. You can find one at a local library, or you can search the Internet for a copy. The great thing about textbooks is that they are specif-ically made for you to understand them and have been edited and written by experts in their fields. Is reading textbooks not your thing? Well, Johnny, you’re not out of options yet. You can find more on the Internet than just textbooks. Take a look at the vast library of instructional videos on the Khan Academy website. Check out the Crash Course channel on YouTube and watch one of their dozens of mini-lectures (the TDSB might ban you from going to the Staples website, but you’re free to go on YouTube). Heck, you can just search the topic you’re hav-ing trouble with on Google and you’re likely to find dozens of useful results. You see Johnny, learning resources are everywhere, and the Internet makes them laughably accessible. Never in human history has it been a better time to have bad teachers.

How do I get senior girls? - GavinXu

Call me ;)

If you seek counsel from The Reckoner like the individuals above, send us a question at www.thereckoner.ca/ask-thereckoner

ASK

“Name: Wei, TomGrade: 12Locker: No Locker AssignedGrade 12s can apply to Ms. Liebster for a locker starting Sept 10th” School’s back, and even in what is (hopefully) my last year at Garneau, I feel none too welcome here. I trust a lot of Grade 12's shared this sentiment, given the news that they would have to line up for locker applications like aliens in need of visas, but perhaps the worst part about waiting until the 10th to get lockers was having to carry every text-book and notebook to and from class for an entire school week. That’s 5 days too many. Before it seems like I’m complaining about the unchangeable, let me first make clear what I’m not complaining about: the need for an application. Over-

crowding has been a major problem at Marc Garneau Collegiate for several years now. It’s the reason the stairwells are saturated with people moving at a snail’s pace between classes; it’s the rea-son friends from other schools ask us questions like, "How do you have a spare in Grade 10?” In a school with more stu-dents than lockers, having to apply for lockers on a first-come, first-served ba-sis comes as no surprise to anybody; if the current system is any indication of what’s to come, it won’t be long before students at Garneau will have to apply for textbooks, or seats. I’m sure most locker applicants would have preferred an earlier application date: the first day of school perhaps. Most students receive textbooks from their courses on the first day, and hav-ing to lug them around for the rest of the

week doesn’t really make sense when hundreds of lockers go unused on the third floor. Yet this is the way things have transpired. Twelfth graders plod through the hallways with backpacks bursting at the seams and those not present on locker application day are left wondering if they will get a locker at all. To those in Grades 9 through 11 read-ing this and asking themselves why I’m wasting their time with an article con-cerning twelfth graders, I extend my sin-cerest apologies—you must be planning to drop out of Garneau before Grade 12. To everybody else, however—including those in charge of locker registration, please—do whatever it takes so that the seniors of next year won’t have to wait a week for somewhere to stash their books. The students of MGCI thank you, and my aching back thanks you. ■

Locked Out

by TOM WEI

by BOBBY CHIANG

Photo: Jenna Wong

Illustration: Susie Liu

THE RECKONER

Page 4: The Reckoner - October 2013

www.thereckoner.ca Please recycle

October 2013VOL. 2 NO. 1P4

LIFEPlot Twist

There once was a hedgehog in a distant universe.

by FRIEDA RONG

It was insatiably curious and yearned to explore its surroundings.

To see another side of the world! To experience life with a new perspective!

Its entire view of the universe was a coin ready to be flipped.

The greenness of the grass on the other side would at last be revealed.

And so the hedgehog set off, its little quills quiv-ering with excitement, its wandering eyes darting unceasingly, its hedgy mind filled to the brim with

speculation on what it may discover.Four paws skipped eagerly across the earth. It

reached the first bush—the bush that marked the invisible line that had never been crossed.

The hedgehog crossed to the other side of that momentous line.

The hedgehog was on the other side of that momentous line.

It had succeeded! It was there!And everything it had imagined was true, all true!

The bushes, it could immediately tell, were nothing like those ordinary bushes from the ordinary side.

The hedgehog had never seen those shapes of leaves before. The earth too was different. The scents

were fresher, cleaner. And the grass! The grass was greener.

It marvelled upon its newly enlarged world with awestruck eyes.

Eventually, it stepped forward and continued on its journey once more, although at a much slower pace

to better appreciate its new environment.Step. Pause. Look. Step. Pause. Look.

The hedgehog discovered more and more new, nev-er-before-known things.

Step. Pause. Look.But the greatest discovery was soon to come.

Step. Pause. Look.Step.

Pause.Look.

Something seemed familiar.Step.

Pause.Look.Pause.

It discovered its world was a Möbius strip.

Pensive LoveHe is a horribly inconsistent lover. I think his mind is busy and he forgets certain things sometimes. I can’t argue that we don’t spend time together; ev-ery day his thick coarse hands reach down and draw me out of my darkness. Every time I see that latch open, my heart races and my mind spins with the wondrous possibilities that await me. But when he is done with me, back I go into that dark cavern desecrated with pencil shavings and spilt ink, with erasers and highlighters as my only companions against the steely cold of that case I call a home. But that’s not true, that’s not my home, my home is that firm embrace between his thumb, index, and ring fingers. That’s where I belong, where I feel safe, where he loves me. He presses my lips against the fibrous white page, and I let go, I just…let go, and let him do with me whatever it is he wants. It is remarkable to watch; he is the source, the well, and as his tendons con-tract and his shoulder muscles flex, I slide from right to left across the page and become his conduit, the connection between his mind and the world, the key to his immortality. What more could I ask for? His ideas, his hypothesis, his assignments, his work, his documents, they all come to life at the touch of

my inky lips. Every deed of good and evil that is contained within his mind, every poem, comes out through me. Yet he never writes me poems. He never writes me songs or kisses me gently, the way it says across all those pages. And unless he’s in a spell of creativity, he never holds me gently. He grasps me, like some ob- ject, firmly in his grip. He bites down on me; he drops me on the floor. Why? I do anything for him, everything for him, live my lonely existence just to make him be something, just to let him live. Don’t I deserve something? Something more than that superficial grasp he places upon me with his thumb, his index, and his ring finger. Don’t I? But everything is fine I suppose. He’s taken so many courses. He writes so many poems. And he has all his university applications. As long as he refills me, as long as that latch keeps opening, as long as I can still be his, everything will be okay. It is okay, I know that, I do. He’ll be there, and I’ll be waiting, waiting to fall in love. ■

by VASILI MANIKASIllustration by CATHY ZHANG

17 SOUTHBOUNDby SUSIE LIUWhat lies at the end

Of this long and lonesome road?For me, Finch Station

False prophets fed youLies, false hope, it was supposed

To come at 8:10.

The perennialStruggle, for those red thrones the

Elusive bus seat.

I am in the darkBelly of the beast. It moves

Slow, the TTC.

Driver, time lord, lateOr early, with one bathroomBreak, he seals your doom.

Stormsby KHADIJA AZIZ

Khadija Aziz experiments with jagged pen lines on a beautiful watercolour palette to produce the unique artistic pieces presented below.

“Everyone finds their own inspiration. I found mine in my passion for ice hockey. It inspired me to quit smoking, to lose weight, and to go to the gym. I’m now stronger than I’ve ever been before.”

“Umm, can I answer you on Facebook later?” Later he sent us this message: “I am very much inspired by my past and I want to prove to myself that I can do even better.”

What Inspires You?

Photos: Jackie Ho