Grief and Gratitude

I originally conceived this piece as a reflection on fandom, on collective suffering and celebration, in the wake of yet another monumental collapse by the Toronto Maple Leafs. This was before the news of the horrific and premeditated murder of four members of a London, Ontario family, and…

Reflections on a summer unlike any other

As I sit here on the auspice of fall, with leaves falling and the weather changing, I am struck by the peculiarities of time in this moment. It has been five months since I prematurely said goodbye to my university friends and moved back home from Hamilton…

It’s March Again…

Depending on who you are, your reaction to Monday morning was either “It’s March already!”, “It’s March again?!”, or “What do you mean? It’s never not been March!” With the anniversary of the first shutdowns in North America approaching I thought I would take a moment to reflect on a year nobody…

The Value of a Liberal Arts Education

Depending on who you talk to, the future of education will be one of two things; it will either be the development of soft skills and the ability to quickly learn and adapt to changing circumstances, or it will be shown through certificates and the developing of…

On Hope and Insanity

Everyone has heard this quote a million times: “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result.” The idea that change is what necessitates innovation and improvement, that repetition breeds stagnation, that continuing on the current path will…

Another revolution around the sun.

I am 23 years old today. I am not entirely certain how one should feel at 23, but I am pretty positive this isn’t it. I definitely am experiencing the passage of time, but mostly as if it is happening independently from my own movement, like sitting backwards on a moving train. Having a May…

Imposter Syndrome and the Importance of Others

It is human nature to care about what others think. Our ancestors in their pre-historic villages recognized that their best hope of survival was to remain part of a group. If you were cast out, you were unable to procreate and your genes would be…

The Social Inequalities of Healthcare

The overwhelming truth about the COVID-19 pandemic is that while the virus itself does not discriminate based on race, gender, or socio-economic status, it has done an excellent job of exposing the presence of these inequalities. In Toronto, BIPOC individuals make…