At first, going to the opera in 2016 felt like going to a Nickelback concert, well, any time after 2005. Presented with the opportunity to get two free tickets to Die Tote Stadt, a German opera currently playing at the Jubilee, my initial pique in interest can be mostly attributed to the sheer randomness of the idea, as…
I have a bone to pick with the #Oscarssowhite movement that has taken social media by storm for the second year in a row. Imbalances in racial diversity shouldn’t only be noticed when all the nominees for an awards show are white. Though I’m appreciative of the media and Twitter users for finally getting the…
You are going to run out of time. In today’s day and age, it’s so easy to get caught up in scheduling and missing important pivotal life moments. With Instagram and Facebook and trying to get the perfect image, we too often fail to be a part of the moment we are trying so desperately…
The traditional Japanese art of kintsugi supposedly originated in the 15th century, when shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa sent a broken bowl to Chinese craftsmen in hopes for its repair. When the bowl returned to him from China, he was dismayed to find it awkwardly put together with… staples. Large, bulky staples, which frankly did not improve on its…
Strikingly, many high achievers told me music opened up the pathways to creative thinking. And their experiences suggest that music training sharpens other qualities: Collaboration. The ability to listen. A way of thinking that weaves together disparate ideas. The power to focus on the present and the future simultaneously. – From NY Times article “Is…
A breath of fresh air and a brand new start; 10 words to describe the approach of second semester. Unlike first semester, this time around you probably remember how to hold a pencil, you know where you’ll be devouring lunch, and you’ve probably learnt how to survive with as little as six or five…
Roses, subtle pecks on the cheek, holding the door, talking over coffee, love letters, saying goodnight over the phone, waking up to a cute good-morning text. All simple acts of romanticism that have been reduced to relationships established within the corridors of instant messaging. As a generation, and I’m sorry for generalizing, but both males…
I have an enormous respect for anyone who has the drive, determination and motivation to make a significant change to their lives for whatever their reasons may be. However, the one issue that I find myself having a bit of a beef with is the choice to go vegan for ethical reasons, specifically for animal…
When we are children we seldom think of the future. This innocence leaves us free to enjoy ourselves as few adults can. The day we fret about the future is the day we leave our childhood behind. – Patrick Rothfuss, from “The Name of the Wind” Do you wish you could return back to childhood?…
Surprisingly, this is not a snapshot from a raging nightclub that I managed to catch before my baby-faced friends and I were escorted to the exit. That’s right; this new and exciting venue doesn’t aim to attract crowds of hip, party-loving young adults, but of 6th graders. At the site of the Calgary Police Interpretive…
Exam break is ending soon, so as our time of freedom (and laziness) quickly disappears and a new semester begins, it’s important to begin catching up on amazing TV shows we might not have time for later. To help you catch up on some amazing series that you may not have heard of, or ignored temporarily…
Walking into the ConnecTeen office on a mid November evening, I was met with the calming sound of mild conversation and the tapping of fingers against keyboards. Immediately I was met with kindness and felt right at home. In a situation that should’ve made me feel nervous for not knowing anyone, Vanessa De Souza, and…
“Contrary to what most people think, an introvert is not simply a person who is shy. In fact, being shy has little to do with being an introvert! Shyness has an element of apprehension, nervousness and anxiety, and while an introvert may also be shy, introversion itself is not shyness. Basically, an introvert is a…
As new doors open in one’s life some doors musts be closed in their past. Almost nine months ago it came to my attention that I needed to leave the sport that had been my life for 10 years. Figure skating was a demanding sport that took around 25 hours a week of training on…
Certain factors that cause climate change come to mind when you think of global warming, like the burning of fossil fuels, excess usage of water, overuse of landfills, etc., and these factors are all covered by the news and government workers attempt to fix and cut back on these issues mildly every year. It has…