It’s 2009: The early internet days. Poptropica and Club Penguin are booming, Microsoft released Windows 7, and Disney XD hit cable services. But then came social media, along with a lasting novelty that prompted an ineffable sense of enthusiasm to the extent that it is now an inextricable component of[Read More…]
Tag: Relationships
Word on the Y: Migrating to Montreal
With the end of August fast approaching, thousands of incoming first-year students are preparing to begin their studies at McGill and, for many, their new lives in Montreal. While this period of transition can be daunting, upper-year students have been through the same thing: Facing the struggles of missing home,[Read More…]
Campus conversations: Resistance
Resisting silence Sepideh Afshar, Opinion Editor Resistance, to me, is to be vocal about the injustices you see and experience. For about a year, I was part of a sorority at McGill. In this predominantly white space, I found myself silenced concerning the overt racism I was experiencing. I felt[Read More…]
The enemies to lovers trope: Tried-and-true or time for something new?
From impassioned kisses in the rain to meet-cutes in high school hallways, romantic literature and entertainment have never failed to engage audiences through beloved clichés. One that continues to withstand the test of time is the enemies-to-lovers trope, in which two characters’ mutual hatred toward one another progressively transforms into[Read More…]
The treacherous trend of celebrities dating teenagers
Music fans far and wide rejoiced on Nov. 12 over Taylor Swift’s re-recording of her 2012 hit album Red, rebranded as Red (Taylor’s Version). This redux country-pop album joins Fearless (Taylor’s Version) on the singer’s journey to finally own all the rights to all her music. Die-hard fans were especially[Read More…]
Let’s talk about sex, baby
Everybody seems to be talking about sex. It saturates the media; from tv shows to movies to video games to event advertisements—it’s inescapable. From a young age, many children are exposed to ‘sexual education’ tactics that emphasize abstinence and fear-mongering: “Don’t have sex before marriage! Don’t have sex without being[Read More…]
Love and relationships IRL
Small acts of love and affection were most certainly taken for granted before the pandemic hit in 2020: No one ever thought that we would be denied dinner dates and hugs for a year and a half. With rising vaccination rates in Montreal allowing for the return of some in-person[Read More…]
Ask Ainsley: How do I maintain connections with peers virtually?
Dear Ainsley, With most of my days spent indoors without the usual hustle and bustle of campus life, I am finding it difficult to stay in touch with acquaintances. On-campus classes and parties were what brought us together, so it’s been harder to maintain relationships in their absence. What can[Read More…]
Valentine’s Day, we need to talk
Dear Valentine’s Day, Hello, it’s me. We meet again. You’d think that by our 18th anniversary I’d have gotten used to you. Apparently not—I still don’t like you, and wish that you would go away, but like that guy in my class who will not stop DMing me, you’re incredibly[Read More…]
When AI slips between the sheets
Last week, I finally watched the 2015 sci-fi and artificial intelligence (AI)-themed movie, Ex Machina. Providing viewers with an in-depth look at the possibilities of AI in a not-so-far future, the film centres around the relationship between a young programmer named Caleb and a seductive robot, Ava. Caleb is mandated to[Read More…]
