Latest News

Basketball, Sports

The Toronto Raptors dribble into McGill’s home courts for pre-season practice

by Anoushka Oke, Lialah Mavani on

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This past Friday, Oct. 4, the Toronto Raptors visited McGill’s Love Competition Hall for an open pre-season practice. Their visit marks the team’s first time holding a training camp in Montreal and their seventh pre-season game before the start of the regular National Basketball Association (NBA) season. Proceeds from the sales of the open practice tickets will be used to send underserved youth to McGill’s summer sports camp for free, making sports like basketball more accessible to these communities. The team’s trip to Montreal was packed with other community initiatives, including running a Community Impact Clinic at Kateri School and opening up a newly refurbished court at Parc Oscar-Peterson.

The NBA also used the team’s visit to Montreal to honour the Raptor’s 30th season in the league with “Maison NBA,” a three-day interactive experience including games, photo walls, meet-and-greets and more with past and present NBA and Women’s National Basketball Association legends. The exhibition included meeting players like Raptors star Vince Carter in Old Montreal.

During the practice,half of the players wore grey jerseys while the other half wore black jerseys, indicating early signs of the upcoming scrimmage. Expectant students and fans packed the hall, eager to watch the Raptors battle it out on the court.

Before the match, the players warmed up. They lined up doing plyometrics before moving to ball handling. After a few drills, players split into their respective teams and practiced some shots. The warmup sequences were rhythmic and synchronized—almost dance-like on both ends of the court. As players put up shots, they would occasionally bounce the ball hard against the floor or the backboard using the momentum to dunk the ball midair, drawing cheers from the crowd and leaving spectators on the edge of their seats.

The teams then began scrimmaging, with upbeat music playing in the background generating an electrifying atmosphere. A fast-paced play ended the first quarter with a 22-18 scoreline for the black-jersey team. RJ Barrett (#9) was particularly strong offensively, as he made his second-season debut with the team.

In between periods, North Side Crew dancers threw shirts into the crowd, prompting spectators to stand up and eagerly hold their hands out in anticipation.

The second period saw a comeback from the grey-shirt team, ending tied at 38-38 and featuring a strong performance from Jared Rhoden (#8). The quarter ended in a drama-filled sequence in which a stoppage left 0.6 seconds left to play. In the short amount of time remaining, the team wearing black managed to get a shot off but missed, temporarily injuring D.J. Carton (#3) on the grey team in the process.

During halftime, Raptors mascots kept the excitement high, pumping up the crowd in anticipation for the last bit of the scrimmage. 

The Raptors skipped the third quarter entirely, instead opting to immediately follow halftime with a five-minute fourth quarter in which they changed the scores up to 90-90—presumably to simulate the high-pressure last five minutes of a tied game. Following those five minutes, the scrimmage ended with a score of 102-98 in favour of the grey-jersey team.

The Raptors are building up a young team this year to try and come out strong for their 30th season. Throughout both the warmups and the game, the rookies tried to prove themselves. However, many of the returning players like Gradey Dick (#1), D.J. Carton (#3) and RJ Barrett (#9)—whose name has been floated for the most improved player for the 2024-2025 season—stood out in particular amongst the team. Looking ahead to this season, the Raptors’ returning players are still the ones to watch. 
The Raptors finished their week-long visit to Montreal with a pre-season match against the Washington Wizards on Oct. 6. Finishing their visit on a high, the Raptors beat the Wizards 125-98.

Student Life

Indigenous Ojibwe Anishinaabe art on campus fosters continuing conversations of reparations

by Yasmine Mkaddam on

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McGill’s Indigenous Awareness Weeks kicked off with multiple Indigenous scholars and speakers offering students a chance to learn about the various intricacies of Indigenous culture, stories, and testimonies. On Sept. 24, a crowd gathered at the Redpath Library to listen to guest speakers Carmen Robertson and Robert Spade discuss Centering Ojibwe Anishinaabe Art. 

Carmen Robertson, Scots-Lakota Professor of Art History at Carleton University in Ottawa, presented in depth the life and works of Norval Morrisseau, the renowned Ojibwe artist also known as Osawa Bego Binesa (Copper Thunderbird). She focused on his use of colours, symbolic elements like water and manidoog (spiritual entities), and his connection to the land. Robertson also touched on the visual storytelling of the artist and his journey of artistic self-discovery. 

Robertson’s presentation resonated with many students, as it explored the powerful symbolism behind Morriseau’s art and its connection to Indigenous worldviews. Mylee Downey, U2 Education, shared her thoughts in an interview with The Tribune.

 “The visual and the talk of colour were so clear in how they related and it was powerful to see its intricate meaning of life and land,” Downey mentioned.

Afterwards, Robert Spade (Keeshigooninii), an artist-educator from the northern Ojibwe territory in Northern Ontario (Obuckimaakang), shared his personal experience. Currently a professor at McGill’s Schulich School of Music and a specialist in Indigenous music, he offered attendees a personal and thought-provoking testimony of his childhood and his passion for art. He demonstrated a persistent sense of self and his community through his paintings, describing his persistence with art despite systemic barriers. 

Yigit Akalin, U2 Education, shared that he is glad that Indigenous experiences and histories are finally being discussed, as they have often been sidelined or erased in mainstream education. 

“[They are] no longer swept under the rug and Indigenous perspective is possibly slowly being integrated into the university culture,” Akalin said.

During Indigenous Awareness Weeks, McGill seemed resolved to acknowledge its role in the alienation and continued oppression of Indigenous people in Canada and its campus. But is the university truly meeting its responsibilities? By opening spaces to the Indigenous community with discussions and other events on campus, McGill appears to be pursuing the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action to address injustice and recognize the rights of Indigenous peoples. But is this effort truly so sincere?

In 2018, McGill’s men’s sports team changed their name from “Redmen” to “Redbirds” after nearly 80 per cent of students voted in favor of the change in a referendum held by SSMU. This decision reflects the integrity and solidarity of the McGill student body in supporting progress and systemic improvement within McGill culture.

While the McGill student body is advocating for meaningful changes, many feel that McGill’s Indigenous Awareness Weeks may not be sufficient on its own.

“It is nice to see that there are steps taken towards reconciliation, but I think there is always more to be done,” Downey said, regarding the event. 

Theresa Kannuthurai, U4 Education, also acknowledged that there is still significant room for improvement in how Indigenous issues are addressed at McGill, particularly in amplifying Indigenous voices. 

“Not everyone’s voices are heard enough. McGill should contribute more to promoting these events,” she said.

The powerful art showcased at the event made it inevitable to be affected by a multitude of profound and intertwined feelings regarding identity, community, and resistance. The continuing legacy of McGill and Canada’s oppression of Indigenous people complicates their attempt to showcase Indigenous art. No one is free until everyone is, and the celebration of culture is essential for this journey.

Campus Spotlight, Student Life

Lettuce leaves falling: Who was crowned fourth Head of Lettuce?

by Lis Bergfors, Auxane Bussac on

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While the leaves turned orange and red in the city, the Lower Field was filled with green on Sept. 27. Students enthusiastically gathered for the fourth annual lettuce eating contest, and this year, competition was more fierce than ever. Although midterm season was right around the corner, a dedicated crowd turned out to compete and cheer on the participants.

The McGill Lettuce Club lays out clear-cut rules about how to participate in their event crowning the fastest lettuce eater—and they are very specific about their lettuce. Of course, the competition is BYOL (Bring Your Own Lettuce), but not just any type of lettuce is welcome. The head of iceberg lettuce should weigh around 600g. Cheating is not an option as a weigh-in period is scheduled starting 30 minutes before the countdown. Still, word spread about how some dipped a smaller lettuce in water to make it heavier. Participants are also allowed to bring dressings and utensils, depending on the technique they plan on using.

This contest has become an iconic part of McGill’s annual rhythm for some students. While some were regulars and knew the event well, the peculiar absurdity of the competition is what truly captured the attention of most spectators.

Bee Budrean, U2 Arts and Science, underlined the importance of having such an event to break the daily academic monotony in an interview with The Tribune.

“As university students, we are really able to find joy in the most absurd, innocuous things.” Budrean said, “One can be a Rhodes Scholar, and one can be the Head of Lettuce, and we are here to celebrate that.”

Participants had a variety of backgrounds in terms of their relationship with lettuce. Some had been training for the event, others randomly decided to join at the last minute. In fact, a highlight of the event was Anwyn Li’s, U1 Science, spectacular run towards the last lettuce available. The Tribune had a chance to ask her why she decided to race for the last spot.

“Vibes! I was thinking about ‘Oh what a shame, I wanted to do this next year!’, but why do it next year when I can do it now?” Li said, panting after her mad dash.

Malak Oualid, U1 Engineering, also jumped on the occasion without notice.  

 “I was with my friends and I said ‘If you do it, I’ll do it’, because why not?” Oulaid told The Tribune. 

As the contest finally started, participants rushed to their lettuce and began digging in. The leading lettuce eaters quickly stood out from the crowd. The competition was ferocious, but it was James Levitsky, U1 Science, who pulled ahead, and secured the title of Head of Lettuce, finishing in just two minutes and 58 seconds. 

Surprisingly, Levitsky did not prepare at all. “I didn’t know the strategies, I didn’t know what to do; I tried to eat the lettuce as fast as I could,” he said.

After his victory, the new champion stood proudly, having the honour of wearing the exclusive lettuce suit—a white lab coat with green fabric hanging like lettuce leaves—and signing it like his predecessors had done in previous years.

“I’m feeling ecstatic, I’m over the moon right now,” Levistky said. “[This new title is] going on the CV, it has to, [but] I’m not eating lettuce until like ever, I’m never having a salad again.”
While Levitsky lets the fame sink in, The Tribune cannot wait to meet him again for next year’s lettuce event (which he is expected to organize—the prestigious Head of Lettuce title doesn’t come without its responsibilities).

Rugby, Sports

Game recap: Martlets rugby lose 115-0 against the Ottawa Gee-Gees

by Alex Hawes Silva on

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On Oct. 5, Martlets rugby took on a challenging game against the undefeated Ottawa Gee-Gees. McGill team captain and third-year flanker Olivia Ford led the team in a noble effort on home turf to try and overthrow the 6–0 Gee-Gees. In the end, however, the Martlets lost 115-0.

McGill’s Percival Molson Stadium provided the perfect atmosphere for the game, with the sun shining and fans decorating the stands. The Gee-Gee’s got an early lead, scoring four tries within the first 15 minutes. They carried this energy forward throughout the rest of the half and ended the first 40 minutes with 58 points ahead of the Martlets. 

Ottawa had several scorers, among which centre Aurora Bowie stood out, being both the team kicker and a key leader on the scoreboard. For the McGill Martlets, second-year fullback Emma Piers dazzled with her consistency and determination on the defensive side. Throughout the match, the Martlets struggled to transition to more offensive plays but put up an admirable fight defensively. 

In a highlight moment of the game, Ottawa’s prop, Deborah Oyetoran, battled through about five attempted tackles and slid the ball down the left corner of the field to make a try.

Despite the Gee-Gees’ seemingly endless amount of tries, the Martlets kept up their morale throughout the game, even through the final minutes when Ottawa’s centre, Ella Blyth, snuck in one last try as the final whistle was blown. Aurora Bowie then successfully made the final conversion, capping off an undefeated season for the Gee-Gees. 

This match concluded the regular season for the Martlets, leaving them with a record of 0–6. The graduating seniors were honoured in a flower ceremony at the end of the game, where players had their final send-off on the McGill field. 

McGill, Montreal, News

McGill student contingent joins Montreal-wide protest demanding justice for Palestine

by Mairin Burke on

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A crowd of approximately 150 McGill community members chanted, “McGill, McGill, you can’t hide! We charge you with genocide!” outside the university’s Roddick Gates on Oct. 5. The demonstrators formed the McGill student contingent attending the International Day of Action march and rally organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM)’s Montreal branch. Beginning at Roddick Gates, the group marched to the Place des Arts, where it met up with the larger PYM protest. After several speakers addressed the crowd on the corner of Rue Saint-Urbain and Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, the protest moved down Boulevard René-Lévesque toward the Montreal Consulate of Israel. 

While the PYM march was meant to mark one year of the Israeli state’s genocide that has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, McGill community members aimed in particular to address the university’s response to pro-Palestinian activism on campus. The refrain of “Disclose! Divest! We will not stop, we will not rest!” recurred throughout the protest in reference to McGill’s investments in companies complicit in Israel’s siege on Gaza and Lebanon, such as weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin, which is a direct arms supplier to the Israel Defence Forces.

In an email to The Tribune, the McGill Media Relations Office (MRO) explained that McGill’s Board of Governors’ (BoG) Committee on Sustainability and Social Responsibility will review potential divestment from companies that derive a dominant portion of their direct revenues from the production of military weapons in December 2024. Until Oct. 1, staff and students were able to provide input on this issue to the BoG through a webform. 

When asked to comment specifically on McGill’s commitment to review their direct equity investments, an organizer of the McGill student contingent who wished to remain unnamed expressed frustration that after decades-long calls for divestment, feedback is only being solicited now.

“This is just another tactic for McGill to delay and shut down the student movement, and we will not let them,” they said.

The student cohort—organized largely by Solidarity for Palestine’s Honour and Resistance (formerly Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights) at McGill and Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) McGill—aimed to address other McGill-specific issues, including the increased security measures McGill has taken in response to pro-Palestinian student activism. Addressing a group of cycling police officers monitoring the protest at Roddick Gates, the student coalition chanted, “Who keeps us safe? We keep us safe!”

The MRO wrote that McGill’s decision to restrict campus access and to move as many academic activities as possible online on Oct. 7 was devised in close collaboration with Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal.

“[The measures] facilitate the continuity of teaching, research and other activities, support the wellbeing of all at McGill, and seek to deter and prevent activities that violate the law and our policies, thereby destabilizing our campus at a very sensitive time,” the MRO wrote.

The contingent representative further stated their views on McGill’s decision to restrict access to campus. 

“It’s very odd that McGill wants to avoid class disruption by disrupting every class at McGill,” they said. “I think it sets a dangerous precedent that an academic institution can choose to shut down any protest it likes under the pretext that it might be a security concern. This gives leeway for any university to basically shut down whatever freedom of speech they desire based on their agenda.”

The MRO affirmed McGill’s commitment to permitting freedom of expression and assembly within the bounds of the law, McGill policy, and the university’s code of conduct. If breached, “McGill will act,” the MRO stated. 

A Dawson College student wishing to remain anonymous explained that they joined university students at the protest because of their frustration about McGill’s “dehumanization” of Palestinians.

“I think that [how] McGill is responding is very immature […] and that they should be ashamed of themselves.”

McGill, News

Jewish students reckon with antisemitic incidents on campus

by Titouan Le Ster on

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Content Warning: Mentions of antisemitism and violence

Students and McGill community members have reported acts of antisemitism on campus in recent weeks. In an email sent to the McGill community on Sept. 20, Provost and Executive Vice-President (Academic) Christopher Manfredi and Vice-President (Administration and Finance) Fabrice Labeau stated that the university had reported antisemitic graffiti to the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal. The Montreal Gazette wrote that the graffiti included a swastika written on a sign for the Redpath Library.

“In recent days, our campus has seen hate incidents, ranging from graffiti to intimidation of members of our campus community, acts which any reasonable person would consider antisemitic,” Manfredi and Labeau wrote in their joint statement.

McGill’s Media Relations Office did not offer further comment to The Tribune on the incidents and referred back to Manfredi and Labeau’s communication.

In response to these events, Hillel McGill emphasized the emotional toll on students, stating that many have sought support in Jewish student organizations.

“Jewish students were confronted with swastikas vandalized on campus buildings,” Hillel McGill wrote in an email to The Tribune. “Incidents like these […] have led many Jewish students to increasingly turn to Hillel for support and solace.”

Some Jewish groups on campus, such as Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) McGill, maintain that there must be a distinction between Jewish identity and the state of Israel.

“In the past year, we have noticed a strong uptick in the McGill administration’s tendency to conflate antisemitism with anti-Zionism,” IJV McGill wrote to The Tribune. “[McGill administrators] continue to argue that anti-Zionist political movements like Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) are antisemitic, not only mischaracterizing an anti-genocide political movement and thereby trivializing real acts of antisemitism, but ignoring the numerous Jewish voices and organizations that support and participate in the movement.”

Alex*, a Jewish student at McGill, explained that they feel uneasy about displaying religious symbols.

“There’s a growing polarization in campus discourse, particularly around issues related to Israel and Palestine, which has made it more difficult to navigate my identity as a Jewish person,” Alex wrote in a statement to The Tribune. “While I don’t feel unsafe in the physical sense, I do feel increasingly uncomfortable and isolated due to the charged environment [….] I haven’t experienced direct acts of antisemitism, but I have felt the need to avoid displaying visible symbols of my Jewish identity, like my Star of David necklace.”

IJV McGill called on the university to recognize the diversity of perspectives within McGill’s Jewish community and not treat it as a monolith.

“We would like to see McGill revise its policy on antisemitism to prevent the dangerous conflation of antisemitism with anti-Zionism,” IJV McGill wrote. “The Jewish community at McGill is incredibly diverse, and when the administration claims to act in our interests, they speak over the voices of the many anti-Zionist Jews in our community, and even worse, they claim to speak for them.”

*Alex’s name has been changed to preserve their anonymity.

Resources: 

For faculty and staff:  

For students:  

  • The Student Wellness Hub offers counselling services for students  located in Montreal.  
  • GuardMe is a service accessible 24/7 whenever you need to speak or text with a mental health professional for support. You can access GuardMe from anywhere in the world.
Off the Board, Opinion

The pill, the personal, and why we need better birth control

by Kellie Elrick on

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The rash was not improving. I was crying, laughing, shaking, and not sleeping; I didn’t want to go outside; I developed joint pain. I felt like I was losing my mind. 

I had been taking the birth control pill for four months. Side effects were to be expected. I felt that it was the price I had to pay to be in control of my body. 

At the end of November 2022, I admitted that something was wrong—my childhood eczema returned with a vengeance, and the joint pain was such that I could barely bend my arms. The best course of action was for me to fly home the same day to get an immunosuppressant prescription in Ontario. I was petrified.

After the plane landed, I blindly followed another passenger through Toronto Pearson Airport and soon found myself—having flown domestically—in the international baggage claim. The ensuing events led to a customs officer taking me to the interrogation room. Sobbing, I desperately wanted to tell them I was smart, but that I felt like I couldn’t think. I explained that I hadn’t meant to discover a serious security flaw in their airport; they eventually determined that I was not an international security threat, and escorted me out the back. 

That night, I stopped taking the pill. At the ER in Fergus, Ontario, I explained to the triage nurse that I had been taking the pill and felt like my mind and body had gone rogue. When she told me I wasn’t crazy, I cried.

For the months I was on the pill, I doubted myself constantly; I was horrified by the idea that my body wasn’t cooperating. Birth control was supposed to be empowering, and I felt terrible for not feeling empowered by it. Part of me—enchanted by fictional images of beautiful sick women with ambiguous diseases, punctuated only by demure coughing that kept them lovely and made them tragic—was upset that I had not developed a more poetic health condition. The infected rash was not sexy.   

My experience has led me to advocate not against birth control, but for better birth control. For some, the pill is wonderful. But too often, birth control is prescribed with a trial-and-error approach: You’re prescribed a dosage, and you hope it works for you. Reproductive healthcare is increasingly de-individualized and difficult to access. To advocate for better birth control, we have to talk about it—and have someone willing to listen.

I now have an IUD, Kyleena. (Kyleena, Mirena, Skyla, Twirla—I do not know who decided to give birth control AI-generated millennial baby names.) When I picked up the prescription, the pharmacist handed me a box the length of a standard fireplace log. I was horrified. I was not well-acquainted with my uterus, but I was sure that it did not have room for the log. 

To my relief, Kyleena was only 3 cm long. I had tried to have an IUD inserted months earlier, before I began the pill, but the insertion didn’t work. This time, my gynecologist prescribed me painkillers, and I brought my mom with me. I listened to The Chipmunks Christmas Album during the insertion to distract myself from the pain of the pointy metal medieval tools (gynecological instruments).

This isn’t a comfortable topic for me—I’m sweating writing this, and reading this piece will likely be how many of my family members discover I was taking birth control in the first place. But, to my bewilderment, nearly everyone I’ve spoken to about my problems on the pill revealed that they or someone they knew had struggled with its side effects. I suppose I wasn’t as difficult as I thought; it was the system that made me feel difficult—that advocating for myself was inconvenient, that women taking control of their bodies was supposed to be painful.

Birth control can change. Researchers are developing new methods, including birth control for men. Pieces appeared in The Walrus and The Atlantic earlier this year calling for a “Birth Control Revolution.” A new world is forming, wherein birth control could provide reproductive autonomy without sacrificing well-being.

All Things Academic, Student Life

Learning beyond the classroom with the Arts Internship Office

by Coco Usher on

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In 2002, responding to popular demand, Anne Turner inaugurated the Arts Internship Office (AIO) to provide services meant to prepare Arts undergraduate students for that daunting and amorphous next step: Life after a BA degree. 

Housed in the Leacock Building, the AIO helps returning Arts students access and apply to internships aimed at enhancing their academic experience. For students hoping to pursue academic research, the AIO’s Arts Undergraduate Research Awards Program (ARIA) offers a unique opportunity to work on high-level scholarship under the direct supervision of a professor or faculty member. 

Throughout the application process, the AIO hosts workshops over Zoom to teach students the concrete skills they need to succeed. Charlotte Petitjean, U3 Arts, described the benefit of these workshops in an interview with The Tribune. 

“They offer a lot of workshops, like how to write a CV, how to do a letter of recommendation,” Petitjean said. “I feel it’s really helpful [.…] It motivates you to update your CV or implement a lot of recommendations, which are super important skills.” 

The AIO has also established an Arts Internship Mentorship Initiative (AMI) in collaboration with the Arts Undergraduate Society. The program pairs students with an AMI mentor—an undergraduate who has recently completed a successful internship or academic research project. These mentors guide students through the application process for obtaining internships and funding through the AIO, creating a network of support for navigating the complex application process and succeeding in unfamiliar research tasks. For interested Arts students, applications to become an AMI mentee are open until Oct. 14. 

Theresa Decius-Timothée, U4 Arts, spent her 2024 summer internship with the Montreal-based non-governmental organization Éduconnexion, working on gender-based violence and social healing.  

“This was one of those jobs where I was really able to apply my McGill knowledge into the workplace […], so it was really nice bridging that gap,” Theresa said in an interview with The Tribune. “It made me realize that embracing education doesn’t just mean getting a degree, it means seeking to be curious in every aspect of your life.” 

Describing her own internship experience as an undergraduate student, the AIO’s Liaison Officer Jade Perraud Le Bouter suggested that, whether good or bad, an internship teaches you about your own interests and capabilities. 

“You can learn from doing an internship you don’t love, because that can teach you a lot about what you want in the future, so it’s very valuable,” Perraud Le Bouter explained.   

These opportunities to grow in a new context can also be exciting, challenging, and memorable. Thelma Caye, U3 Arts, echoed this blend of nerves and excitement when describing her trip to Columbia for her internship this summer with Solidarité Colombie Québec. 

“I was on the plane to go, and I was like, ‘oh my god, this is not possible.’ I was shaking,” Caye said in an interview with The Tribune. “But after that, I realized there was a bit of nervousness, but I was mostly excited.” 

For Arts undergraduate students, the path after university can often seem nebulous and uncertain. In the sea of essays and theory, it can be difficult to discern what the real-world application of an Arts degree actually looks like. Decius-Timothée, Petitjean, and Caye, each suggested that their internship experience played a vital role in refining their own personal goals. 

“I think it’s imperative in terms of understanding what you want to do with your career. I know for myself, my career decisions have been heavily impacted by my work experience, and by my internship experience,” Theresa said. 

Whether you’re unsure about the process or already hoping to apply for a summer internship, the Arts Internship Office is there to support you throughout your decision, providing a space for each student to grow and learn.

Ask Ainsley, Student Life

Ask The Trib: Overcoming the fall season flu

by Auxane Bussac, Malika Logossou on

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Dear Tribune,

I caught a cold a few days ago and as the days pass by, my runny nose and rusty cough keep getting worse. I don’t feel like I can skip classes because we’re in the middle of midterm season, and I badly need to study. How can I recover as fast as possible?

Sincerely,

Ill Academic Weapon  (IAW)

Dear IAW,

The Tribune has you covered. Fall is officially back: Some were dreading it, others could not wait. Slowly but surely, sunny days are fading away while students’ spirits drop every morning when they open their weather app. Apart from the constant din of construction on campus, the invading sounds of sneezes and coughs fill the ears of students who are courageous enough to brave the rain and declining temperatures. Fall entering the scene also means that the season of colds is back. 

After trying to escape the “Frosh flu,” first-years will now discover the joy of stepping into a library filled with viruses floating in the air. Looking around, it’s hard to miss the traces of microbes—the astonishing amount of tissues in the bins, a classmate’s unstoppable coughing fit in the middle of class, or the bright red colour of friends’ noses. Colds are all around, so here are some tips to cure them and be ready to face midterms. 

Honey-lemon hot tea

Most of us have been told—probably by a grandmother—that honey is good for soothing a sore throat. Making hot tea with lots of honey is a great way to soothe a sore throat, or you can skip the tea and just make hot water with honey, optionally along with the juice of a lemon. Ginger is also a classic for home sore-throat remedy recipes. Although the research on honey, lemon, and tea for sore throats is spotty, and there’s some concern that the acidity of the lemon may be irritating for certain sore throats, follow your grandma’s advice and do what works for you.  

Steam inhalation*

Blowing your nose into a tissue when it’s all stuffed up can be frustrating, and it can get painful if your runny nose lasts for more than a few days. Some may use salted water to clean their noses, but using a homemade inhalant is the best way to go. 

Ingredients:

  • 10 cups of boiling water (or enough to fill up a large bowl)
  • 2 tbsp each of peppermint, lavender, and thyme
  • 2-3 drops of essential oil (optional but recommended)

Steps:

  1. Pour the boiling water into a large heatproof bowl.
  2. Mix all the herbs together and put into the bowl. Add the essential oil.
  3. Cover the bowl and let it steep for 10 minutes.
  4. Place your face over the bowl and cover your head with a towel to keep the steam in. Make sure the water has cooled a little bit first—you don’t want to get burned from the steam!
  5. Close your eyes and inhale through your nose for 10 breaths, then inhale through your mouth for 10 breaths and repeat. Do this for a maximum of 10 minutes.

Sleep

Another crucial way to overcome a bad cold is by sleeping. While it can be hard to make time for sleep during midterm season, our bodies combat infections when we are asleep because that is when we produce cytokines—a type of protein in our immune system that targets infections. Getting a good 7-9 hours of sleep is vital to boosting your immune system for recovery. 

Protect yourself and others

While it’s best to stay home from classes if you are feeling sick, if you must go to campus, it’s important to wear a mask when you enter a shared space such as a library or a classroom. Masks are available for free in several buildings on the downtown campus. And don’t forget that at the end of the day, your health comes first. If you are too sick, don’t hesitate to go to the hospital or take a few days off. It may not seem like it, but your studies can wait.

Get a flu shot

As they say in the medical industry, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. While it can be easy to forget about yearly flu shots when living away from home, it’s a crucial part of keeping yourself and others healthy for the winter. Go online now to schedule an appointment at your local pharmacy—pharmacies typically book one to two weeks out. Also, it’s often possible to book a COVID-19 vaccination at the same time as your flu shot.

*The inhalant recipe was adapted from Herbal Reality’s steam inhalation recipe.

In Competition With, Sports

McGill Squash(es) the competition at home opener

by Zain Ahmed on

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The McGill Squash team had a weekend to remember, hosting their only home match of the season against the Ottawa Gee-Gees and the Queen’s Gaels. The energy at the Webster Squash Courts was palpable as the players took to the court, eager to showcase their skills and lay down statement victories in front of home-crowd support. 

The men’s team kicked off the tournament with a convincing 6-1 victory over the Gee-Gees. The match was highlighted by dominant performances from several McGill players. Grayson Wheeler, U3 Arts, cruised to a straight 3-0 win, showcasing his exceptional shot-making and court coverage. Co-captain Mo Kamal, U3 Science, also delivered a commanding performance, utilizing his powerful shots and tactical awareness to overwhelm his opponent. The Gee-Gees battled valiantly but ultimately fell short against a determined McGill side. The second match against the Queen’s Gaels proved to be a much closer affair. The men’s team fought hard but ultimately fell by a narrow 4-3 margin. Kamal and Zachary Llewellyn, U0 Management, led the way for McGill, securing emphatic wins. However, the Gaels proved to be a formidable opponent.

Speaking to The Tribune about the progression in quality and dedication of the team, Kamal explained the consistent improvements to the McGill Squash program in the last few years. 

“Our first tournament, we show up in cars, unmarked clothing, everyone’s wearing random stuff,” he said. “And then we became more and more legitimate throughout the season, we were training more, winning games, and here we are. McGill squash is on the rise.”

The Redbirds will look to bounce back from their disappointing loss to Queen’s and continue the season in good form. Kamal is hopeful for the rest of the season.

“The women’s team were the only team last year to beat [Queen’s], and so we finished first in the league,” he said. “On the men’s side, we finished fourth last year. So we’re hoping to start to push that, maybe get top three, aiming for second at least to Western.”

The women’s team also enjoyed a successful weekend, sweeping both the Gee-Gees and the Gaels. Against Ottawa, the women’s team dominated from start to finish, winning all seven matches in straight sets. Co-captain Ava Bicknell, U2 Arts, was particularly impressive, displaying exceptional skill and athleticism to cruise to a 3-0 victory against her opponent. 

The victory over Queen’s was a more challenging test for the women’s team, but they ultimately prevailed by a score of 5-2. Bicknell and Lialah Mavani, U2 Arts, led the way, winning their matches in straight sets. Bicknell fought hard to a 3-0 victory. Meanwhile, Mavani pressured her opponent, Gabriella Waite, to a four-game victory for the first time in the pair’s four-match history—a huge moment for her in front of the home crowd. Bicknell shared her story on the squash court.

 “It’s a family sport for us [….] I started when I was eight years old,” Bicknell recounted. “After playing the Junior League in high school, I stopped during COVID, [and] I didn’t know I was going to pick it back up until I came to McGill. I’m so happy that I tried out. The team is my family.”

As the season progresses, the McGill Squash program will look to build on this weekend’s success and achieve even greater heights. With a talented group of players and a supportive home crowd, the future looks bright for the team.

Moment of the game: 

Mo Kamal had back-to-back victories against the UOttawa and Queen’s number 1 seeds (one of whom was ex-McGill Squash player Sayeed Mavani). 

Quotable:

“One of my favourite parts of the day was getting to see the rookies’ first tournament experience as a team. Seeing their nerves turn into energy and excitement built up so much momentum for the rest of the season.” — Women’s co-captain Chloe Stoneburgh.

Stat corner: 

McGill’s women’s squash team won 12 of 14 matches , and the men’s team won nine of 14 matches. 

Current Sports Editor Lialah Mavani is on the women’s squash team but was not involved in the writing of this article.

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