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a, Hockey, Sports

10 Things: The Winter Olympics

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1

The first Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, a winter resort town in the French Alps in 1924, where 285 athletes from 16 different countries competed in six different sports. Charles Jewtraw, an American speed skater, won the first gold medal in the history of the Games in 500m speed skating.

 

2

East German speed skater Christa Luding Rothenburger became the first and only athlete to earn a medal in the same year at both the Winter and Summer Olympics in 1988, the last time both Games were held in the same year. Rothenburger won gold and silver medals in Calgary in speed skating, her primary sport before switching gears and joining the track cycling team in Seoul.

 

3

The 2014 Winter Olympics taking place in Sochi, Russia will be the warmest (expected average temperatures of 8°C) and most expensive games held to date, with an estimated cost of more than $50 billion. It also represents the first time after the breakup of the former Soviet Union that Russia has hosted the Olympic Games.

 

4

The first Russian to carry the Olympic torch in this year’s relay was NHL star Alexander Ovechkin. The torch will travel over 65,000 kilometres and pass through all 83 regions of Russia, making it the longest relay in the history of the Winter Olympics.

 

5

The Winter Olympics have never been held in the southern hemisphere, but, unsurprisingly athletes from regions with frigid northern climates such as Scandinavia, North America, and Northern Europe have been historically dominant on the podium. Austria, Canada, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and the United States are the only countries to have medalled in every game since Chamonix.

 

6

Even with the influence of Cold War politics hanging over previous Olympics such as Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984, the Sochi Games stand to be one of the most controversial Olympics to date. Numerous heads of state, including American President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, have refused to attend on the basis of Russia’s anti-gay laws.

 

7

Since 1992, numerous sports have been added to the Olympic palette and have increased the worldwide appeal and marketability of the Winter Games. Popular mainstays from X Games sports such as freestyle skiing and snowboarding have crossed over onto the international stage and have seen increased parity in medal standings.

 

8

The 2010 Vancouver Olympics was only the second time that Canada had hosted the Winter Games—the first being in Calgary in 1988. Canadians garnered 14 gold medals in Vancouver to lead the medal board. This total broke the previous record for most gold medals—13, held by both the Soviet Union (1976) and Norway (2002).

 

9

Sadly, the Winter Olympics have seen the deaths of multiple athletes throughout the Games. Two skiiers and two lugers have died in the 90 years since the Games were created. Nodar Kumaritashvili, a Georgian luger, is the most recent athlete to have passed away, following an accident at the Whistler Sliding Centre during the Vancouver Games.

 

10

Canada’s most successful sport at the Olympics has been ice hockey, in which the red and white have earned 11 gold medals. The women’s team has won the past three tournaments, while the men’s squad has emerged victorious in two of the past three Olympics.

a, Student Life

Staying fit without the fitness centre

by Max Berger on

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If one were to do a Family Feud-style poll of the most common New Years resolutions, getting in better shape would probably take the number one spot—and rightfully so. Especially during winter, when getting to class can feel like a burden in itself (residents of Lorne and Aylmer excused), committing to frequent physical activity can take some serious motivation.

To many people, “getting in better shape” is synonymous with “going to the gym”—hence the Monday after New Years traditionally is the most crowded day of the year at gyms. There’s nothing wrong with going to a gym, especially if building up muscle strength—or more bluntly, getting jacked—is your intended goal. But for those students who aren’t set on that particular result, McGill and the downtown Montreal area offer plenty of alternatives that will keep you fit through the winter semester—and maybe even save you some money.

Using the Fitness Centre in the McGill Sports Centre requires a $27 membership fee from undergraduate students and a $37 fee from graduate students each semester. If you’re mostly interested in a good cardio workout and don’t feel like forking over the money or potentially waiting in line for a treadmill, the track in Tomlinson Fieldhouse might be a better option for you. Certain time slots are booked for varsity team practices, but the six-lane ovular surface is available pretty frequently, even when intramural games are taking place in the centre of the track.

Another free, viable cardio option in the Sports Centre is the Memorial Pool. Although water polo season takes up some extra pool space on weekends, there’s usually a minimum of three time slots available on weekdays for recreational swimming. Slow swimmers have no need to worry about keeping up in a crowded lane, since lanes are divided and marked by pace. Other perks include the assortment of flutter boards available for use and the stream of generally good songs blasting from the speakers. I recommend swimming head-up breaststroke to take full advantage of the music.

For those who are more sports-oriented, there are a variety of free pick-up games available in the Centre. On Friday afternoons, recreational badminton and basketball are offered in the gymnasiums, and volleyball and soccer are offered in the Fieldhouse. Squash courts are available most days of the week, provided you book a court online in advance.

If you’ve also resolved to relax in the year or increase your flexibility and strength, free or inexpensive yoga classes are available around the city. Lululemon holds free yoga classes once a week at their four locations. The classes differ each week and have a different focus including a meditation class. They have mats you can borrow if you don’t have your own, but be sure to go early to grab a spot since the space fills up quickly.

Hitting the ice is a classic Montreal winter fitness activity—no, navigating the treacherous ice-capped sidewalks doesn’t count. Skates don’t necessarily come cheap if you don’t have them already, but they’re a great investment and also one of the best ways to be active and outdoors. There are small fees involved for skating and shinny (pick-up hockey) at McConnell arena, and there are also public rinks available nearby like Beaver Lake on Mount Royal or Jeanne-Mance Park. If you’re a casual skater and don’t feel like gliding around for an hour is enough of a workout, try walking over to Parc La Fontaine. It’s a scenic skate over a winding frozen pond and walking there and back from the Milton-Parc area is a workout in itself.

Staying fit until the snow starts to melt is no easy task, but at least there are lots of options available. Whether you end up running laps around a track from January to April, skating in the Plateau, or taking up an obscure sport like squash simply because it’s available, best of luck to you.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

James Vincent McMorrow — Post Tropical

by Morgan Alexander on

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Irish singer-songwriter James Vincent McMorrow is set to release his new album, Post Tropical, only his second full-length album since the 2011 release of Early In the Morning. The album is jam-packed with soulful folk ballads woven with delicate lyrical themes and a breezy breathlessness alluded to by its title. This is the type of music you can allow yourself to be absorbed into—slow, poetic, and undeniably beautiful.

The signature sound in this album is without a doubt McMorrow’s longing falsetto, lingering through each verse and allowing for tracks to flow smoothly from one to the next. Playing with themes of lust and longing, McMorrow’s lyrics melt out over simple instrumental tracks, allowing the listener to meld into the music without feeling suffocated by it.

While the album is relatively slow, it still exhibits some pop-like themes and maintains individuality from song to song. Some highlights of the album come from the enticing strong drum riffs of “Repeating” and the heart-wrenching hymn-like lyrics within “Outside, Digging.”

By combining strong vocals with simple yet powerful instrumentals, McMorrow has produced an ethereal soul album with a contemporary feel.

a, Features

Snowed out: a guide to Montreal in the wintertime

by Ben Pidduck on

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As Montreal becomes entombed in snow and the cold creeps deeper into our bones, many McGill students thoughtlessly write off the Quebec winter as devoid of life. While the cold may hinder our motivation to venture out, it can also unearth many fantastic winter activities, for which Quebec is renowned internationally. So before you curl up under your covers for another season of One Tree Hill on a Saturday afternoon, consider the wide assortment of winter activities around you! From discovering all that Mont Royal offers to heading out further into the surrounding area, push yourself to escape the McGill bubble and discover the winter wonderland that is Quebec.

Mont Royal and Parc Jean-Drapeau play host to the majority of winter activities within the city, dispelling the myth that such destinations can only be accessed by car. In reality, some of the best lie right at the doorstep of the McGill campus and many are accessible with public transportation.

Chris Conery, a U3 Management student and avid snowboarder, emphasized how accessible winter activities can be here in Montreal.

“We are so lucky to go to a school in a city whose winter has so much to offer,” Conery said. “It is amazing how many exciting events are downtown throughout the winter.” Parc Jean-Drapeau is only a short Metro ride on the yellow line (Stop: Jean-Drapeau; single fare: $3). Access to both parks is free of charge, with activities such as cross-country skiing or snowshoeing costing a few bucks more. Mont Royal activities will stay open until late April. However, attractions at Parc Jean-Drapeau are only open for the duration of Fête des Neiges (Snow Festival), on the four weekends starting Jan. 18.

Winter sports in the city

With the plummeting temperatures comes ice, and the Canadian pastime of skating could not find a better home than Montreal.  There are plenty of places around the downtown core to practice your skills. For beginners, Lac-Aux-Castors (Beaver Lake) on Mont Royal is the best, offering the cleanest ice surface, affordable skate rentals ($9/2hrs), and beautiful views of the city. For more advanced skaters or those looking to learn how to play hockey, Parc Jeanne-Mance and the McConnell Arena offer great shinny (pick-up hockey) games.

Humbly accepting its role as the butt of many jokes, curling has carved itself out a unique niche in the sports world. Canada has back-to-back Olympic gold medals for curling, and more and more people are trying out this curious sport often dubbed “Chess on Ice.” The game is competitive, tactical, and above all, much harder than it appears. Stewart Museum on St Helen’s Island (near Parc Jean-Drapeau) rents out curling ice rinks for $20, which can each hold a group of eight to ten people.

Mont Royal also offers unparalleled accessibility for snowshoeing and Nordic skiing, both of which are great ways to get exercise while enjoying the great outdoors. Mont Royal has 22 kilometres of groomed cross-country skiing trails. Skis and snowshoes can be rented from the McGill Recreation desk in the Sports Complex for $10/day. Alternatively, Parc Jean-Drapeau has several kilometres of trails and offers rentals for $19/2hrs.

Another popular winter activity is snow tubing, which involves riding a large inflated rubber inner-tube down a slope either solo or with friends. Mont Royal features Montreal’s best-known and most accessible park, where it costs $9 to participate. For the intrepid tuber, Parc Jean-Drapeau and Mont Avila feature more precarious slopes.

For those looking for an even more exotic adventure Fête des Neiges offers hour-long dog-sled tours around the island for $12. Aside from the experience of harnessing the power of 10 sled-dogs, the tour will also allow you to meet and spend time with the majestic dogs at their kennel before and after the ride.

Those interested in terrain-park skiing and snowboarding can seek out Parc Jean-Drapeau, which has recently installed a new cable-pulley system (télétraction) to sharpen your skills on rails, jumps, and boxes. Though not cheap, it’s a great alternative to night-skiing and will help you quickly prefect skills to later show off at the mountain.

Destinations Outside of Montreal

Those willing to move further outside Montreal are rewarded with a rich and diverse set of winter activities. Though feared by many for its brutal and biting cold, Eastern Canada is also internationally renowned for fantastic skiing and snowboarding. As residents of Montreal, we are uniquely situated near various mountains that span out to the north, south, and west. Great skiing is not only reserved for those with cars; there are many forms of public transportation from Montreal’s core to the surrounding mountains.

The popular mountain Bromont is less than 45 minutes from Montreal’s core and is large given its proximity, boasting 102 runs serviced by nine lifts. A mountain for all skill levels, it plays host to great learning facilities for skiers and snowboarders alike as well as a large terrain park and glade skiing for more advanced riders. Bromont is also one of the few hills to offer night-skiing, which runs until 10 p.m. Runs are lit with floodslights and lift tickets are cheap, making night skiing a great evening activity following work or class.  The mountain is serviced by the Students’ Society of McGill University’s Ski and Snowboard Club (SSMUSki), but can also be accessed with public transport from Transdev Limocar (limocar.ca), which drops you off in the Bromont village and offers student discounts (approximately $20 one way).

Mont Tremblant is only an hour and a half from Montreal, yet it offers some of the best skiing in the entire Northeast. It is not uncommon to find French nationals and American tourists venturing to Tremblant to discover their fantastic hills, beautiful views, and vibrant village. The Tremblant village is a staggering network of everything one could desire, from hot tubs to coffee bars, high-end shopping to microbreweries. With more than 650 acres of skiable terrain serviced by fourteen lifts, Tremblant is the crown jewel of Quebec skiing and is internationally acclaimed. New skiers will love the diversity of terrain available to hone their newfound skills, while more advanced riders will stay ever enthralled with the glade skiing, diving black diamonds, and gigantic terrain park. The mountain is serviced by SSMU Ski and Snowboard Club as well as by public buses. The Gallant Bus company services the route from Station Centrale (1717 Rue Berri), leaving at 7:30 a.m., and making stops at Mont Blanc, Mont Sainte-Sauveur, and finally at Tremblant Village at around 10:15 a.m.

If you’ve brought your passport with you to school, a gem lies just beyond the Vermont border for all of your winter sport needs. Jay Peak, renowned for skiing with its 1,200 metre mountain, also hosts a variety of other winter sports, including cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing. For those looking for something a little different, Jay Peak features a massive new indoor water park with several slides, hot tubs, a lazy river, and an artificial wave pool.

Other Festivals and Attractions

If your skills have been honed at Jeanne-Mance enough for the big leagues, put your team to the test and sign up for the Montreal Pond Hockey Festival on Feb. 8 and 9. Located in the picturesque town of Old Lachine, Quebec (only a 10 minute drive from Montreal), the tournament draws over 50 teams from across the province. So whether you’re there for the glory, the “Best Bucket” competition, or the free Moosehead, there’s something beautifully Canadian about hockey that can be cherished by all.

The Barbegazi Winter Action Sports Festival is also a great option for those looking for an adrenaline-infused weekend of lumberjack, snowskate, and freestyle snowmobiling competition. Set on the backdrop of Olympic Stadium and running on Feb. 15 and 16, it’s a glimpse into the world of extreme sports for those willing to take the plunge.

For the bravest souls, the Montreal Ice Canoe Challenge is a canoe race over ice, snow, and water in the Old Port of Montreal. On Saturday, Feb. 22, competitors in groups of five will run and paddle their 25-foot canoes across the arctic waters of the St. Lawrence. This challenge is part of the “circuit québécois de canot à glace,” an intense ice canoe racing competition, and is a perennial hit amongst fans looks for thrills, spills, and revelling in others’ misery.

Getting Involved On Campus

There are a variety of resources at your disposal to help facilitate your introduction to the Quebec winter wonderland.

SSMUSki runs weekly trips on weekends to mountains throughout Northeast Canada. With your $100 membership comes free coach transportation to and from hills, reduced lift ticket fees (30-50 per cent off), as well as use of their tuning equipment.

As Sebastian Groenhuijsen, Co-President of SSMUSki points out, “SSMUSki caters to any and all skiers and snowboarders, doesn’t matter if you shred every week, or only once a year. We provide super cheap lift tickets and transportation and let you decide what you want to do at the mountain.”

For those looking to push themselves further outside their comfort zone, McGill Outdoors Club (MOC) facilitates a variety of winter trips, including snowshoeing, winter camping, ice-climbing, ski touring, ice-fishing, ice-breaker canoeing and many more. MOC runs trips on an ongoing basis and is accessible to all with a $20 membership.

Finally, the McGill International Students Network (MISN) offers overnight ski trips specifically for international students to mountains around Quebec.

Lara Bailey, Treasurer of MOC, explains why life is better in the great outdoors.

“Being in the snow, fresh air, and sun clears out the cobwebs in your brain and gets your blood pumping.” Bailey says. “A day of wading through snow sharpens the mind for a week of academic assault […it is] better battling mother nature instead of the books.”

We are constantly overwhelmed by information; tweets, texts, messages, notifications, emails, phone calls, articles, readings, essays, and group projects alike. Sometimes the best thing to do for yourself is to step away, breathe deep, and enjoy the simpler things in life.

For more information, check out:

www.mcgilloutdoorsclub.ca

www.ssmuski.com

www.misn.ca

Full disclosure: Benjamin Pidduck is the Co-President of SSMU Ski and Snowboard Club

a, Martlets, Sports

Basketball: Martlets steamroll Laval in consecutive victories

by Remi Lu on

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The McGill Martlets (6-0) cruised to back-to-back wins over the Laval Rouge et Or (1-5) last week, winning at both Love Competition Hall and Laval’s Centre PEPs. At home Thursday evening, the Martlets claimed a 52-34 victory spearheaded by sophomore Mariam Sylla’s 18 points and nine rebounds. Helene Bibeau added 17 points, and Françoise Charest tallied six assists as the Martlets managed to stay undefeated in the season.

Dating back to last season, McGill has now won 13 straight games against RSEQ opponents. After finishing in fifth place at the CIS Final 8, the team has stuck with its young core of Sylla, Dianna Ros, and Gabriela Hebert, while leaning on veteran talents Bibeau and Charest to lead the way. However, the Martlets also brought in a number of new pieces this year, including Montreal native Jennifer Silver and University of Massachusetts transfer student Carolann Cloutier. So far this season, Silver and Cloutier have managed to seamlessly integrate themselves into the lineup.

“[Both of them] have been good additions to our program,” said Head Coach Ryan Thorne.

Although McGill has managed to jump out to early leads to begin games so far this season, the team struggled to start with the same urgency against Laval on Thursday evening. Sloppy play resulted in a number of early turnovers by both teams, leading to a narrow 24-16 edge for McGill at halftime. However, the Martlets caught fire in the second half, with Bibeau converting four of her five three-pointers after the break. Sylla went a perfect 6-6 at the free throw line to help the Martlets pull away from the Rouge et Or and put the game away in the fourth quarter.

“[Bibeau] allows us to stretch the defence inside, so she allows us to bring their bigger players to the perimeter,” said Thorne. “Mariam right now is playing like our best player. She’s a great perimeter scorer [….] And it’s just understanding when to attack and when to defer to someone else. When she does that I think that she’ll be really outstanding.”

(Wendy Chen / McGill Tribune)
(Wendy Chen / McGill Tribune)

The Martlets currently lead the RSEQ division by four points, with UQAM and Concordia trailing in second and third place respectively. McGill has blown out its division opponents so far this season, winning games by an average of 14 points. The team has shown a natural ability to play together; at this point in the season, the new player acquisitions have meshed seamlessly with the members of last year’s team.

“The players know each other well,” Thorne said. “They spend a lot of the time in the off-season playing together, going to little tournaments, and having fun together. There’s a pretty good chemistry—they genuinely like each other on this team. That puts them in a position where they will do whatever needs to be done to make sure the other one’s successful.”

However, the team is currently ranked seventh in the nation, and in order to make a real run at the CIS Championship, the Martlets will have to learn from their mistakes from the Final 8 last year.

“The biggest thing was understanding that we can play with anyone in the country,” Thorne said. “Our fifth-year players [Charest and Bibeau] coming back and understanding what they need to do to be more successful and how to manage and lead this team [….] We know that in this conference we’re pretty strong, and that we just need to make sure that we take care of the details of the game throughout if we want to be successful [….] I think that the experience we gained at nationals we need to carry forward to every game we play here in Quebec.”

After squeaking out a 57-53 win against Laval on Friday—by far their closest match of the season—the Martlets will take a short break from league play before facing off against the Concordia Stingers on Jan. 23 at Concordia Gym.

a, Science & Technology, Student Research

Get A Seat released in time to ease add/drop period woes

by Caity Hui on

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With over 22,000 full time undergraduate students at McGill and limited course registration, the first few weeks of January—also known as the add/drop period—can be stressful. After forgetting to check Minerva one time too many, Noah Lackstein, a U2 Management student at McGill, developed the app Get A Seat to make the add/drop period easier.

“I’m terrible at remembering to do things, and I was trying to get into a course last Winter and I just never checked Minerva,” said Lackstein. “It would be midnight and I would be getting into bed and I would realize, ‘Oh shoot, I forgot to check if I can get into this course that I want.’”

In response to this problem, Lackstein wrote an app that would send him an email to remind him when space opened up in the classes into which he was trying to enrol. Lackstein was surprised when his friends asked if they, too, could use the app after they saw how well it worked. Due to the growing interest in his program, he decided to take the time over the break to make the app available to all McGill students.

“When I get into Bronfman I see tons of students lined up to see advisors to try to get into a course,” said Lackstein. “I felt that clearly, there was a market for this [app].”

Get A Seat is not the first app Lackstein has designed. In 2008, he started a website for music enthusiasts. Although he is no longer actively involved with the site, it has expanded to over 160,000 active users.

“I’ve been programming since grade five,” Lackstein said. “I was always fascinated with websites—how you get them on the Internet, how they work. My elementary school had a course that taught you how to make a website; and from there, I knew enough to look on the Internet and teach myself.”

This passion for programming was a major factor in the development of Get A Seat.

“I’d say [I worked on it for] about 100 hours over the break,” said Lackstein. “It was a good break from my break. [As] I had not done much programming over the past few years, this was a good way to get back into it.”

The app is designed to provide students with a simple method of monitoring their course registration and class availability. Lackstein entered all of the course information from McGill, so that when students type in the course information that they want and click submit, the app will pull down all the sections that are offered for the course.

“Three sections might fit your schedule, for instance,” said Lackstein. “At most, every five or six minutes the app will check who has dropped the course. If [the app] finds out that any section that you wanted to be notified about have opened up, [it] will send you a notification, text message, or email.”

Lackstein released Get A Seat on Dec 28 2013, and since then, over 870 students have signed up for the app. While the app was free until last Tuesday night, to cover the costs of running it, Lackstein is now charging students two dollars to sign up for the program.

“Next semester, I hope to partner up with a used book exchange,” said Lackstein. “If I get you into a course, you will need the books for [it]. If I can get those to you [through a partnership], I can make the app free for students and have the app sponsored by used book companies. That would be much better for the students, and that would be much better for me.”

With the success of the app, Lackstein is looking to bring it to Concordia in the Fall, with the hopes of eventually expanding across Canada and to the U.S.

For more information and to download the app, visit https://getaseat.ca.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Igloofest preview

by Kia Pouliot on

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As January reaches its midpoint, it seems fair to assume that winter is getting to you. Going out becomes increasingly less appealing when it’s 30 degrees below zero and the icy streets make walking anywhere downright treacherous. You’re likely getting to the point where you’d much rather get cozy with a movie than head out for a night on the town. The last place you want to spend a night like this is at an open-air concert right? Wrong!

Igloofest, a winter wonderland of electronic music in Montreal, returns for its eighth installment beginning this Thursday, Jan. 16, and will continue every weekend until Feb. 8. Located at the Jacques-Cartier Quay in the Old Port, this unique event brings thousands of electronic music fans together to dance under the stars while sporting their most colorful snow gear.

This year’s edition promises to be the most exciting yet, as along with the main stage—which will continue to showcase some of the best international and local artists—a second stage will be added to the venue, designed to highlight local acts exclusively.

Headlining the festival’s opening weekend are artists from around the globe. Thursday night, the Toronto based duo, “Art Department” will set the crowd grooving with their raw deep house beats. Techno-pop connoisseur Matthew Dear will take the stage Friday, and to Saturday night belongs UK DJ Skream, whose unpredictable genre manipulations will be sure to keep you on your toes.

Some of the local acts to look out for this weekend include Mono-Poly, monthly resident at Mount-Royal night club Salon Daomé; Christian Pronovost, veteran of the Montreal underground electronic music scene; and Compton Chic, who will inspire you to get low with her hip-hop inspired house beats. This is just a handful of the talent that will be gracing the stage over the course of the festival, so get your one-piece snowsuit ready, and be sure to check it out.

Igloofest runs for four consecutive weekends from Jan. 16 to Feb. 8. Sets begin at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $18. 

a, Student Life

Despite cold weather Defrosh provides warm welcome to new students

by Marlee Vinegar on

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The back-to-school event line up is packed, from the organized ski trip Snow Jam to Carnival, Management’s weeklong fundraiser. Now add Defrosh this coming weekend—hosted by Power to Change, Newman Students’ Society, McGill Christian Fellowship, and Initiative 22—to the list.

The weekend-long event presents new McGill students with the chance to get to know new people and the city through a series of planned activities, including playing board games, dancing, a warm beverage party and—a notable favourite from last year—a trip to Fête des Neiges at Jean-Drapeau Park.

“The original vision behind Defrosh, two years ago, [was] we saw that there wasn’t any frosh welcoming students,” Rachel Lin, head coordinator of Defrosh, said. “We wanted to give new students and international students a chance to explore Montreal and make friends and get plugged in to a community. The same opportunities frosh people in the Fall semester have.”

Rachel estimates that there are roughly 200 students who begin university at McGill each Winter, most of whom are international or on exchange. They are given a McGill orientation and have resources to help them get settled, but Rachel says there is a lack of resources from a social perspective. While Winter semester events such as Carnival allow returning students to cut loose as they ease back into their school routine, new students are—for the most part— left out in the cold at the start of the semester.

“When you come in the Winter it’s kind of unnoticed,” Rachel said. “If you’re new [in the fall], normally everyone is trying to know each other and make friends, but in the Winter people already have their community so they’re not as eager to go out and make friends [….] There are events to help you explore, but it’s hard to seek out each event, and try to put yourself out there doing it alone.”

Despite the original vision as an event for incoming students in the winter, they only represent the minority of participants. Rather, the majority of those taking part are first-year students, many of whom did Fish Frosh in the Fall. This was the case for U1 Nursingstudent Maggie Lin, who participated last year and intends to volunteer this year.

“I found that last year was really helpful,” Msggie said. “This year I kind of wanted to serve the new people and first-years as well [….] I received a lot of love and care, and I want to do that in return.”

Defrosh also sets itself apart from other frosh-like events. Unlike some of the other January events— that revolve around the consumption of alcohol—Defrosh is a dry event.

“Being able to build relationships that last, even after you graduate, is really important,” Rachel said. “When there is alcohol, it becomes the main thing and that’s why [students] come. We want to offer something more, for people to actually talk.”

Maggie noted that the alcohol-free nature of the event provided a more inviting social setting.

“I don’t drink a lot,” she said. “This would be a great way for students that don’t enjoy drinking that much to still feel comfortable.”

Saturday also includes a planned worship night, where students can pray and worship together, and a church swap where students can attend different churches together. While the spiritual aspects could be perceived as exclusionary, Rachel maintains that they can serve as a means of getting to know other students. She stresses that everyone is welcome regardless of their belief system.

“We want to open it up to all new students […] but letting them know that there are events like worship night and church swap,” Rachel said. “The point is to get to know each other, and just make friends and relationships that last throughout the entire year.”

This year, Rachel expects approximately 80 students to participate in Defrosh. She said she would like to see Defrosh expand in future years.However, unlike Frosh in the fall, advertising and publicity have presented major challenges. Currently, Defrosh organizers primarily hand out fliers and speak to students at winter orientation as well as advertising through social media and listservs.

“I can see it becoming really valuable for new students,” Rachel said. “The goal is for having them know about it, whether they come or not. Even that goal, if every single student knew that there were people that wanted to welcome them in, that would be really cool.”

Defrosh runs Jan. 17-19. Registration is $10. See http://justinezed.wix.com/fishfrosh#!defrosh-2014 for details.

a, Martlets, Sports

Track and Field Preview

by Mayaz Alam on

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Following a fairly successful season that saw both the Martlets win their first RSEQ Championship in six seasons and the Redmen place third in their conference, the McGill Track and Field program will look to build on the foundation it laid last year.

On the Martlet side, the primary challenge will be replacing the talents of team captain and long distance runner Sarah McQuaig as well as those of Alana Battison, a multi-discipline star who left her mark in the record books in the pentathlon. Stepping up to the table will be sophomore jumper Caroline Tanguay, who showed much promise last season.

For the Redmen, multiple athletes have demonstrated the capacity to qualify for Nationals. In the Martlet Open held in the Fall, Max Beaumont-Courteau won gold in the pole vault while Redmen athletes took five other medals in a range of disciplines. Notably, third-year Scott Hancock garnered silver medals in both the 60m sprint and the long jump.

McGill has a very young squad, which could prove to be either problematic due to a lack of experience or an asset to the program’s future if the nearly 30 underclassmen on the roster can reach their potential. Head Coach Dennis Barrett also returns for his 29th season in charge of the McGill Track and Field program. Barrett is noted for his ability to develop middle and long distance runners, and should be expected to have both the Redmen and the Martlets competing at a high level down the stretch.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Deep Cuts

by Haviva Yesgat on

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Sweatpants

Artist: Childish Gambino

Album: Because the Internet

Released: December 6, 2013

With the release of his new album, Because the Internet, Childish Gambino introduces us to head banger, “Sweatpants.” ‘Bino uses his intelligent wordplay, and ghostly beat to create a musical aura of contagion. Rapping about the luxuries of the rich is sure to sound addictive to even the most modest of people. With a dry wit accompanying an impressive flow, “Sweatpants” will surely have you pressing the replay button.

All that I’ve Got

Artist: Rebecca Ferguson 

Album: Freedom

Released: December 2, 2013

Ferguson has created a breakup anthem for women everywhere with the release of “All that I’ve Got.” Her raspy tone allows for a vivid portrayal of recovery following episodes of immense heartbreak. With the help of a subdued tempo and dramatic instrumentals, this track sets itself apart from the rest of the album. Ferguson’s war-like portrayal of a bad breakup is sure to have every woman chanting.

Games

Artist: Rosie Lowe

Album: Right Thing EP

Released: December 2, 2013

A newcomer to the music scene, Rosie Lowe seems to have created the perfect niche for her unique sound. “Games” is a rare hybrid between the genres of R&B, soul, and Indie pop. The track hypnotizes with the melodies of its verses and lures with the soul found in its chorus. Lowe will undoubtedly have listeners hooked with the distinctive approach she takes to her craft.

All Your Reasons

Artist: Jake Bugg

Album: Shangri La

Released: November 18, 2013

At 19 years of age, Bugg’s lyrics leave listeners pondering the depths of his musical talents and his ceiling as an artist. “All Your Reasons” has a bluesy chord progression, and folk-like sound. With a style that recalls the likes of Donovan, Jake Bugg impresses with his raw talent. Live acoustic performances of “All Your Reasons” will entice you to delve deeper into Shangri La.

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