december 7, 2011 issue 8 | volume 22 nexusnewspaper.com camosun’s student voice since 1990 Overcoming holiday turmoil Student-loan cheer page 6 page 3 Musical gift guide page 8 Tasty truffles page 10 ali hackett VIEWS December 7, 2011 editorial open space All- or- nothing approach camosun’s student voice since 1990 Variety for the to college doesn’t work Next publication: January 11, 2012 holidays Deadline: noon January 4, 2012 Address: 3100 Foul Bay Rd., Victoria, BC, Dylan Wilks sexual health clinic on page 3, and V8P 5J2 StuDent eDitor Location: Lansdowne Richmond House 201 also towards the women’s centre Phone: 250-370-3591 We’ve all been there. We’ve column (entitled “Good vibra- Email: [email protected] participated—either willingly tions”) on page 10. Website: nexusnewspaper.com or unwillingly—in some kind of On a totally unrelated note, Publisher: Nexus Publishing Society festive holiday disaster with our there’s a story on “hipsterology” families (and if you haven’t, I call on page 5 where a Montreal writer NEXUS PUBLISHING SOCIETY shenanigans). tries to suss out where the moniker STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS This makes the winter holiday “hipster” even came from, and what Ali Hackett season especially challenging for it really means. Carol-Lynne Michaels some of us. The very idea of going On another pop-culture note, an Adam Price home to spend time with your family east-coast professor wrote a book Chesley Ryder can be a lot for some people to bear, of academic essays about zombies, Clorisa Simpson adding stress to a holiday season and it’s generating much attention. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF that’s supposed to be about having That story is on page 9. Greg Pratt a great time. The end of the fall term at MANAGING EDITOR Of course, we do what we can Camosun means the end of printed Jason Schreurs to overcome this baggage, and issues of Nexus (until January 11), STUDENT EDITOR staff writer Carol-Lynne Michaels but that doesn’t mean we aren’t Dylan Wilks has a feature about some Camosun interested in your input! STAFF WRITERS students who have done just that Our weekly editorial meetings Ali Hackett on page 6. are open to all students; they take Carol-Lynne Michaels As the fall term at Camosun place in Richmond 201 every Tues- STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS winds down and the New Year day at 11:30 am, ending this semes- Ali Hackett approaches, the last batch of films ter on December 13. Come meet us Carol-Lynne Michaels NEW MEDIA COORDINATOR hoping to win Oscars comes out. and we can dissect the latest issue Rose Jang We didn’t talk about those, but we and talk about upcoming stories. ADVERTISING SALES did cover all the films that are going And if direct participation isn’t Jason Schreurs to be awesome this holiday season your thing, but you’d still like to give 250-370-3593 on page 8. your input, contact us at 250–370– Campus Plus (national) Sex! Now that I have your atten- 3591 or editor@nexusnewspaper. 1-800-265-5372 tion, I’ll direct you to Nexus’ story on com and let us know what you think. DISTRIBUTION the uncertain future of Camosun’s Happy holidays. Simone Mehra CONTRIBUTORS Nicole Beneteau jessica tai/Nexus Michael Evans Marina Glassford Ali Hackett Call, email, stop by. Libby Hopkinson We want to hear your story tips. ali Hackett Rose Jang This kind of schooling teaches Staff Writer Luke Kozlowski students how to produce medi- Sophia Lenarduzzi Bored, lethargic, forgetful, and ocre work quickly. Taking on this Ken MacKenzie unsure of one’s direction in life: amount of work in the “real world” Carol-Lynne Michaels 250-370-3591 TJ Nyce [email protected] these aren’t the things most people would never make sense: most Adam Price Richmond House 201, Lansdowne imagine when they sign up for people under this much pressure Chesley Ryder college. Hollywood portrayals of end up submitting unsatisfactory Clorisa Simpson sex, drugs, booze, and epic mis- end products. Jessica Tai Dylan Wilks adventures in college are totally Some students have now given Keira Zikmanis misleading: the majority of student up on the notion of quality of life. life comprises reading, writing, We’re often irritable, and we don’t and studying, or the procrastina- often have time to talk about the tion of all three. Most people are day-to-day things that happen out of shape, running late, and in outside our bubble; student life a constant state of general anxiety leaves little room for celebration, because the workload is unreason- hobbies, cooking, or non-student ably heavy. relationships. The effects of stress on the body To be fair, there’s been a resur- are highly documented. People gence of the slow-food movement, under a lot of stress often suffer from and there’s definitely a place for camosun’s student voice since 1990 all editorial content appearing in Nexus is property of the an elevated heart rate, insomnia, yoga and meditation in our culture, nexus Publishing Society. Stories, photographs, and artwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without written permis- chronic headaches, indigestion, and but they’re still niche. These activ- sion of the nexus Publishing Society. the views and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors, not of Nexus. Nexus neck and back pain. The hormones ities emphasize the importance of has no official ties to the administration ofc amosun college. one copy of Nexus is available per issue, per person. secreted during stress cause un- technique and the journey along the Nexus is printed on recycled paper. necessary long-term wear and tear way, not just the end goal. Nexus is a member of canadian university Press. on the body. Colleges and universities end Nexus is a member of associated collegiate Press. The mental side effects of stress up teaching the opposite. There’s Send a letter can be even more detrimental to a mentality that if a person’s not Nexus prints letters that are 250 words or less in response to previous stories. Nexus reserves the right to refuse publica- students: forgetfulness, low pro- willing to “give it all up” for some- tion of letters. letters must include full name and student number (not printed). Nexus accepts all letters by email to ductivity, lack of creativity, lethargy, thing then they don’t want it badly [email protected]. We reserve the right to edit all letters. and confusion can be reactions to enough. Editorial meetings stress. Students are required to live in come out to our weekly Nexus editorial meetings, where GRAB A NEXUS all camosun students can get involved in their student As the semester progresses, it a way that will never be expected of newspaper. Meetings take place every tuesday at 11:30 am nosedives into a pathetic race just them in the future, just as proof that in the Nexus office, richmond house 201, lansdowne. call copies of Nexus 250-370-3591 or email [email protected] for to hand in anything that passes for they are worthy of an education. more information. are also located satisfactory work by the due date. Ultimately, this method detracts 250-370-3591 [email protected] on the outskirts The goal is to get things done, not from many students’ learning ex- nexusnewspaper.com Help build Richmond House 201, Lansdowne of campus in to actually explore ideas or be pas- perience, and doesn’t serve any our team our handy blue sionate about learning. practical purpose in the long run. nexus needs student volunteers 250-370-3591 boxes. Something on your mind? Send Open Space submissions (up to 400 words) to [email protected] camosun’s student voice since 1990 [email protected]. Include your student number. Thanks! camosun’s student voice since 1990 nexusnewspaper.com [email protected] NEWS financial aid BC student loan amendments help students The first amendment allows “i’m glad they’re no underage students to get a loan longer penalizing without a signing guarantor. The second amendment eliminated students for being in non-sufficient fund fees, which are situations of financial usually applied if your account is overdrawn when paying back your need.” student loans. jereMy Mcelroy Despite the changes, the pro- UBC alMa Mater Society gram still has a lot of shortcomings, according to Jeremy McElroy, pres- ident of the UBC student union, the Alma Mater Society (AMS). “It’s great that [students] can now apply for funding independ- ently at the age of 18, and I’m glad Micki coWan they’re no longer penalizing stu- the ubyssey (uniVerSity of BC) joSh curran/ubyssey dents for being in situations of Some positive changes have been made to the BC student loan program. VANCOUVER (CUP)—Two financial need,” says McElroy. “But amendments have been made to the there is still a lot of work to do with ultimate elimination of expected dent loans,” says McElroy. “Those dent loans at UBC, welcomes the BC student loan program that look the program and we’ve got all kinds parental contribution,” he says. of our students who commute in changes. to take the pressure off underage of ideas for that.” Another issue the AMS is tack- from Abbotsford, Mission, and “When I first tried to apply it applicants or those facing financial McElroy says the AMS is lob- ling is how liquid assets are evalu- Chilliwack, they either have to sell was kind of difficult… especially if hardship. bying to also change the expecta- ated. “Right now, if a student owns a their car, go to school somewhere you don’t get a lot of support from The changes were made to com- tion that parents should be paying car that is worth more than $5,000, completely different, or not go to your parents,” says Manson.