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BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS+REVIEW:0

Suhani Gupta
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Let’s get things straight, picking up a book is hard, varying genres and authors making it overwhelming. Just remember : “the great thing about books is there are no commercials” – very wise site Wisdom of Life. As a result of my calculations from this quote, books are way better than the movies. Overall you just can’t deny it. I can start a whole debate on how books are better than the movies but this article isn’t about that so here are my top and I mean TOP suggestions of books.

My #1 favourite book:

Starting off with The Fault in our Stars by John Green. This is a for sure 5 star book  giving me the ride of emotions which I needed during my need of getting out of reality. Basically it’s about 16-year old Hazel Grace fighting cancer and the challenges plus emotions which occur due to cancer. She meets a boy named Augustus Waters who also has a type of cancer. Though I am not telling you what it is because I need to let you guys figure somethings out. Hazel and Augustus are inseparable and go through a mission together  It’s a perfect book for people looking for a romantic, emotional yet adventurous book.

My Second Book I recommend:

Next book which I recommend is Divergent and the whole series. If I am being honest the first book is the best book, second book just doesn’t give the same excitement. Though I definitely recommend the first Divergent book. This is about a society which is divided into 5 factions. Each featuring their own motives which they follow. Every year 16 year olds must choose the faction which they want to be part of. It can be really challenging as your whole life depends on this one decision. Beatrice (also known as Tris) had to choose between staying in the same faction as her family or going into a faction which truly represents who she is. I almost forgot Tris also has a secret and this is another thing which I am gonna leave it to you guys to find out.

My third book I recommend:

Moving on to Speak, my favourite motivational book for middle and high school or any other students. It’s about an outcast, friendless but very intelligent girl who has gone silent. Due to her busting the end of summer party by calling the cops. She called the cops because she got raped by a student who still attends the same school as her. Overall this is a powerful book that speaks up for the quiet teenagers who haven’t spoken up for themselves.

My fourth book I recommend:

I Know What you did Last Summer is a thriller+horror book. It’s about 4 terrified friends who have done something which they shouldn’t have. Someone found out about their secret and is threatening them. However will that person just stop at threatening them or will he go more further? This is 5 on 5 star book, I love it so so much. Most horror books aren’t able to create that feeling which we look for in a horror book. This one was able to create that feeling. Little fact: this was a book which got me into reading again.

Finally the 5th book I recommend:

As well as I know what you did last summer this is also a thriller+horror book. It was also able to create that “feeling” which I look for. When it comes to that “feeling” I am very picky so I was so happy when this book could also fulfill that. It’s about John Wayne Cleaver who knows that he is dangerous. Adding on he is obsessed with serial killers and knows a lot about dead bodies. He could find out right away that there was something different about the dead body which the police found. Also John has a crush and he deals with his crush in a very different way. I am going to just leave it at there and just saying the ending is so interesting. Something you wouldn’t expect, FINALLY not an obvious ending.

These are my book recommendations all of the ones I mentioned are my 5 on 5 star books. These are the only books I have ever given 5 stars on. Hopefully you like them as much as I did and get excited over them, whenever you get a chance to talk about them.

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My Deep Dive Into Meditation

Iman Alvi
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As the world slowly transitions to a cautious reopening, I find myself re-examining some of the most intense lockdowns because of Covid-19. From the boom in popularity of the video-chatting app ‘Zoom’, or the craze in mullet hairstyles, to even the mass sharing of sourdough recipes across social media, the trends and habits formed during the worldwide lockdowns changed the people that took part in them. For me, none of these effects are more obvious than the way my introduction to meditation during 2020 helped me. 

It is safe to say that 2020 was not a particularly calm year for anyone; between a massive economic crisis involving the stock market, an outcry for political and civil rights across social media, and lockdowns forcing everyone to self-isolate, it is not surprising that the mental health of many Canadians suffered. In a survey launched by Statistics Canada, over half of the participants reported that their mental health had worsened over the course of the pandemic, with almost all of them reporting at least one symptom of anxiety. It was during this time, stuck inside and trying to rapidly adjust to online classes, that I discovered meditation. More specifically, I found an app with some very cute animations.

Headspace is one of the top mindfulness apps available, and it prides itself on making meditation simple and teaching life-changing mindfulness skills. I downloaded the app in the summer and have not regretted it since. 

Headspace allowed me to dip my toes into meditation, and I committed myself to a 30-day challenge very early on. Soon enough, I started to see the results pop up in both my school and personal life. While some were expected, and others I could have never seen coming. 

I started meditating every day, often taking advantage of the breaks between classes to refocus my mind. Even completing a session for just two minutes left me feeling both calmer and refreshed after the long hours on a screen. It gave me the chance to clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to stress. As early as day 4, I started to notice that not only had I started feeling more refreshed, but my sleep pattern had improved remarkably. 

However, you don’t simply have to take my word for it. Multiple studies have been conducted stating the different benefits of meditation on mental and physical health. One of the biggest techniques that meditating developed was a sense of mindfulness, which is simply the focus on being intensely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling in the moment. This has proven to significantly reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as reduce chronic pain, improve sleep, and alleviate gastrointestinal difficulties. 

Even to this day, I try to meditate at least once or twice a week, and I would recommend meditation to even those who don’t feel like they need it. Out of all the differences that were caused because of the pandemic, my exploration and further dive into meditation was an unexpected but completely welcome change. 

We can’t control everything that happens, but we can change our experience of those things.

– Headspace

 

Sources: [1] [2] [3][4] 

 

The Stunning Return Of Violet Evergarden

Nayena Sen
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Violet Evergarden: The Movie is the first movie released by Kyoto Animations after the arson attack that occurred in 2019. This film has been awaited by fans worldwide and carries a large amount of emotional weight; on and off-screen.

Violet Evergarden is a wonderful anime series that follows a slice of life format that has a main plot underneath; the question of “what love is”. The series based on the light novel follows the story of a girl named Violet who was trained in the army during a time of war at a young age. When the war ends, years later, she is left alone without the one person she relied on, a man named “Major Gilbert”. To learn more about the world around her, she takes up the role of an “Auto Memory Doll”; a person who writes letters on behalf of clients who either cannot write or have troubles expressing themselves. By doing this, she hopes to be able to understand the emotions that people feel and be able to learn about love.

Warning: This is not spoiler-free!

Violet Evergarden: The Movie is the last installment of the series and is to be considered as the “second season” of the show as well as the second movie to be released. Animation-wise, it is aesthetically breathtaking. Violet Evergarden is known for its beautiful animation and this movie did not disappoint. The colour schemes, locations and direction prov,ided by the director complimented each other perfectly. The sensitivity to detail is amazing; flowers blooming, the waves in the ocean sparkling at night, the bustling streets, and the grass being paired with the morning light. The soundtrack was also quite wonderful. The music paired with the scenes well and the lyrics to the declaration/poem at the start called “a hymn to the sea” effortlessly introduced to the movie to the viewers.

The movie continues the story of Violet and how her job as a doll has touched many people emotionally. The film displays how much Violet has grown as an individual and how she has finally learned the true meaning of love. However, as all of this occurs, it is clear that she cannot let go of her past and her feelings towards her mentor “Major Gilbert”; the man who essentially raised her and told her that he loved her. He is the one and the only thing she has ever obsessed over and cannot seem to forget him at any point in time. The problem here is that the Major is missing in action and is presumed to be dead. Violet Evergarden has always been a tragic love story between these two characters due to their separation and the fact that Violet did not know what love was.

The anime does not follow the light novel exactly so the movie is different than the contents in the novel. Major Gilbert is alive which is the same however the fact that no one knew in the anime is different than the novel. In the book, people knew that he was alive however they did not inform Violet because he wanted her to escape her life in the army. This differs from the movie because no one knew and he ran away instead so that she could live without being held down. They meet in the film, to which they were able to convey their feelings for one another which cleared their misunderstandings/guilt that was present. In the end, Violet became a well-known “Auto Memory Doll” and was able to live with Gilbert happily.

The film is on the slower side, however, the soundtrack, plot, and animation make up for it. The anime series is also slow so for fans this shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Violet Evergarden: The Movie is definitely worth the watch and the wait! It is highly recommended and can be watched in select theatres, Netflix, Funimation and Crunchyroll.

 

Click On Images For Sources

 

 

Woolf, Words, Wonder: A Creative Memoir

David Shao
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I am awake at eleven in the evening holding Woolf’s To the Lighthouse open in my left hand as I sit with my right leg crossed over my left, uncomfortable, still staring down at the pages mindlessly—what a strange book this is, I wonder. Words glide before my eyes and what is the point of it all? What is the book about? I do wonder.

What’s with Mr. Ramsay, who quotes Tennyson as often as he does, and why does Lily Briscoe admire Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay’s marriage and paint never quite to her satisfaction?

I cannot imagine a more boring read in the evening, but they tell me what a wonderful book this is and how imaginatively each line fuses with the next. Yes, wonderful; wonder-filled; filled with wonder; and I wonder why To the Lighthouse is on every classic books list and why the Ramsays all have to go to the lighthouse and why they get to leave while I have to read about “weeds that had grown close to the glass” windows and how a feather might fall and weigh down the roof of the house, collapsing the world into oblivion.

I’m lost between the streams of consciousness and thoughts spewed forth like a tiny knot for me to untangle. I want none of that, want not to feel my mind dangling precariously above a pit of befuddlement. But I fall in still and every other word, every metaphor and indecipherable shift fatigues me.

How difficult it is to keep going. I put down the book and pull out my phone and spend the next hour lost in the screen and fall asleep in the end feeling no better.

And—imagine this!—to wake up in the morning with sunlight in the room, desperate to nudge my eyelids open:

The pages flip to where I left off, and fatigue still wearies me. The constant shifts from place to place, as waves carry my thoughts here and there, sans orientation or direction, just now. The decade the novel spans has left me adrift in time, disembodied to be transported into the streams of thought of each character—only to be found again; wisps of wonder still linger in my mind, but before I can ponder them for long a different wonder appears.

There are plenty of experiences that are dismal. But Woolf is no dismal writer. So I wonder why reading about the Ramsays and the lighthouse feels so dismally incomplete.

I’ve kept reading this whole time and the novel has rewarded me with the lucidity of “Part III: The Lighthouse”, but my satisfaction is empty with lost words that have slipped past me on previous pages in little wisps of wonder.

It may be best just to read the last words “I have had my vision” and end it there. Put a period. on it and end it now. Let the words and wonders be what they are and give my valediction to several hours of my life which have but become memories. The streams of consciousness within the lighthouse flow as rivers continuous, and they converge among themselves and merge with my own.

A confluence of characters, dreams, whispers, times, wonders, my life.

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Did You Know: These Movies & TV Shows Were Filmed In Alberta

Daniyal Sait
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According to HuffPost, Toronto and Vancouver rank in the world’s top five most filmed cities. While Alberta isn’t quite there yet, we have been on the rise when it comes to our place in the film industry. It could be because major American film studios have looked north as a result of drawbacks caused by COVID-19. Or, particular tax credits have made Alberta a more attractive shooting location. Regardless of the cause, our province has grown in this field and presumably won’t slow down anytime soon. In fact, another season of CBC’s Heartland, the series Guilty Party, and a Fraggle Rock reboot are among projects located in the Calgary area in the near future. However, this article highlights some of the most notable films and TV shows that have been filmed in Alberta in the past.

Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

Where: Kananaskis, Banff, and Calgary, AB

The latest addition to the Jumanji franchise was partially filmed in the snowy mountains of Kananaskis. This film, the sequel to Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, featured an absolutely stacked cast and was also filmed in other parts of Banff and Calgary. Many different settings and landscapes were featured in this movie, and the scenes with the cold, icy mountains were filmed not too far away.

Some Notable Cast Members: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Nick Jonas, Karen Gillan, Awkwafina, Danny DeVito

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2020)

Where: Fort MacLeod, AB

This film just hit theatres, and is also part of a famous movie franchise. The cast of Ghostbusters: Afterlife contains some pretty big names as well, and it’s pretty cool that they were all filming nearby quite recently.

Some Notable Cast Members: Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Carrie Coon

Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

Where: Banff, AB

Featuring climates similar to those mentioned in regards to Jumanji, Game of Thrones was also filmed in parts of Banff. Running for almost a decade, this series is seen as one of the most famous TV shows of all time – and for a significant amount of scenes, Alberta was home.

Some Notable Cast Members: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams

Cool Runnings (1993)

Where: Calgary, AB

Cool Runnings is a story about a Jamaican sprinter and his Olympic experience. Just five years after Calgary hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics, this film was shot right here in YYC.

Some Notable Cast Members: John Candy, Leon Robinson, Doug E. Doug, Rawle D. Lewis, Malik Yoba, Raymond J. Barry, Peter Outerbridge

Inception (2010)

Where: Kananaskis, AB

I’m not even going to try to explain this film. However, it starred Leonardo DiCaprio and was filmed in Alberta – and that’s all you need to know.

Some Notable Cast Members: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy

Superman (1978)

Where: Calgary, AB

Downtown Calgary was the perfect match for the Metropolis skyline. One of the most iconic superhero films of all time was filmed in Calgary, with our downtown views as a main element.

Some Notable Cast Members: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper

All in all, these movies and TV shows have helped put Alberta on the map. And it goes beyond the film industry – our city and province is making big impacts in music, sports, and more. The fact that these works were shot in Calgary is rather exciting – not only can we spot some familiar places on the big screen, but some people had the luck to run into some of these famous celebrities while they were shooting in Alberta. These events generate income for the province, and overall, are pretty cool to read about in the news.

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Podcasts You Should Listen To

Hannah Kuipers
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Podcasts have been gaining popularity due to the pandemic, and lately, I’ve been hooked. Whenever I need to get ready, clean around the house, or if I’m just chilling on the couch, I like to throw on one of my saved podcasts. I like to listen to a variety of different types, mainly because what I want to listen to really depends on my mood that day. There are so many interesting ones out there, so I’m sure you can find something you will enjoy as well. For those of you who don’t know where to look, I created a list which features some of my favorite podcasts I’ve listened to or heard about. Most of these are available on Spotify, even with a basic account. Happy listening everyone 🙂

Philosophize This!

This is a beginner friendly podcast all about philosophy. It talks about the ideas that have shaped the world we live in today, all in chronological order. It is super easy to follow if you start from the beginning, but you definitely don’t need to be a graduate-level philosopher to understand these episodes. I have to be honest, I didn’t think I would enjoy this podcast at first, mostly because I have a very hard time staying awake in social studies class, but the way this is spoken is actually super interesting. I can feel that this has helped me in understanding more subjects, not just social studies, because it covers a wide variety of useful topics. 

The Murder Squad  

This is a true crime documentary series hosted by Paul Holes, a retired cold case investigator, and Billy Jensen, an investigative journalist. Each week they talk about old cases that have never been solved, and try to examine them again using various techniques such as social media geotagging, DNA searching, and so on. The best thing is that people send in tips and theories about the cases, which Holes and Jensen include in their podcast, making it a truly immersive experience. Please note that this might be triggering for some people as it talks a lot about violence, death, etc. 

Beyond the to do List

This podcast is hosted by Erik Fisher, and he talks about how to deal with the troubles of life, and how to implement different strategies to help. Productivity is something that comes up a lot, and I believe we have all had a lack of that from time to time. He also has guests that star on the show, who are professionals in productivity and how to incorporate that in both your work and social life. I just discovered the podcast, so personally I cannot say much about it, but I have heard so many great reviews and I’m super excited to dive in. 

Real Pirates

This podcast is super new, so as of now there are only two episodes, but I’ve listened to a bit of both of them and they have definitely grabbed my attention. It talks about people such as the great Blackbeard, who was portrayed in Pirates of the Caribbean, and it tells listeners the actual truth behind fact and fiction. If you are a pirate fan, and want to learn more about the backstories and legends behind some of the greatest pirates, I think you would definitely enjoy this podcast.  

Ted Talks Daily

This podcast is a compilation of different TED Talks which cover many different topics such as zoology, artificial intelligence, and so on. They are short episodes of real people giving speeches about things they are passionate about, and it is a great one to listen to if you want to learn something new, or find some new perspectives. 

 

Some more websites that have great podcast recommendations are Good Housekeeping, Time, and Vogue Magazine.

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Jokes to Make Your Day!

Bhavani Potdar
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On stressful and difficult school days or just in general, we all are in need of some good humour. So, in this blog, I present to you some of the funniest jokes I’ve heard. Even though these may not be the best, I hope these jokes cheer up your day or at least bring a smile to your face!

When does a joke become a dad joke? 

When it becomes apparent.

What kind of tea is hard to swallow?

Reality.

What did the fish say when he swam into a wall?

Dam.

Did you hear about the Italian chef who died?

He pasta-way.

I sold my vacuum the other day.

All it was doing was collecting dust.

I like elephants.

Everything else is irrelephant. 

Did you hear the story about the claustrophobic astronaut?

He just needed some space.

Why can’t a nose be 12 inches long?

Because then it’d be a foot. 

I don’t trust stairs.

They’re always up to something.

I can cut a piece of wood in half just by looking at it. 

You might not believe me, but I saw it with my own eyes. 

Today I gave my dead batteries away.

They were free of charge.

Why do ghosts love elevators?

It lifts their spirits.

Why do you tell actors to break a leg?

Every play has a cast.

I’m terrified of elevators…

…so I’m going to start taking steps to avoid them.

What happens when a frog’s car breaks down?

It gets toad.

Parallel lines have so much in common.

It’s a shame they’ll never meet.

Time flies like an arrow.

Fruit flies like a banana. 

Sources 1/2

Reading the News isn’t a Burden

Shreya Ivaturi
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Oftentimes, people say that you should avoid watching the news because it’s depressing. Well, I would disagree with that. In a world that’s rapidly changing, we must ensure that we are staying educated and engaged to live our most worldly and open minded lives yet. 

Our parents used to read the newspaper or watch the news on TV. Older generations just seem to put an effort into checking the news each day. Younger generations like us need to put in the same effort. Now I know, this may be easier said than done. Between balancing our academics, extracurriculars, and social lives, it is hard to find time in the day to dedicate to  staying updated about the world around us. This is why I wanted to give you all a couple tips and tricks to make staying educated less tedious and eventually routine!

1. Utilize Your Socials

With social media platforms, especially Tiktok and Reddit, you have to be extremely careful about being fed false, glorified, or biased information. Despite what you may think, everyone has some sort of bias, so be sure to read about the same issue from another source, preferably one with contrasting pollical views (left vs right).

One of my favorite ways to find the news on social media is to follow major news outlets. That way, all of the information I am getting (although, some will inevitably be biased) is reliable. Subscribing to a few news outlets on Snapchat is my go to, especially because its harder to get lost in the realm of scrolling like with Instagram or TikTok. Following individuals may be helpful but again, make sure you double check their accuracy and reliability.

If you are the type of person to wake up already scrolling on your phone, try to include your daily dosage of the news during this time. Obviously, try to avoid using your phone in the morning, but for the days where your sheets are especially warm and cozy, this may be helpful!

Start Conversation

Almost every morning as I am dropped off for school, I have a conversation with my mom about a current issue or interesting thing I saw on the news. This may seem insignificant, but exposure to the opinions of others can be extremely helpful when it comes to your understanding of an issue.

I can almost guarantee that at whatever school you go to, there is a group of kids obsessed with foreign affairs, governments, etc (maybe you’re one of these kids yourself). I know it may be a little intimidating, but try engaging in conversation with those kids about topics you are unsure or unfamiliar with. Most of the time, they will be more than happy to share their knowledge with you.  Don’t be afraid to ask a question because you will look dumb. You are going to look dumber if you know nothing about the topic in the first place.

I hope you enjoyed this quick post! Now go check the news! Maybe write a post about it, I would love to read it!

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3 Movies That’ll Make You Step Into The Dystopian World

Sally Wang
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Whether they’re books, movies or short films, all dystopian genres draw my attention. Ever since Covid busted into my life without a warning, movies are mostly what keep me entertained during the tedious lockdowns. While all my friends are going on trips and camps, I don’t quite blend in with those physical activities. Instead, I spend my time in my house watching movies. It also didn’t take me very long to realize that Netflix is the main reason that my screen time is above 8 hours daily, and I’ve been a couch potato ever since. But I’ve still taken that time as an advantage and discovered the 3 best dystopian movies that will blast your mind. 

1. The Platform

“Hunger unleashes that madman in us. It’s better to eat than be eaten.”—Trimagasi

 The Platform, a movie directed by the Spanish director Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, shows the cruelty of a world where people are frightfully placed into an unbalanced hierarchy. The film is known to be set in a “Vertical Self-Management Center” inside a large tower building. The platform is structured in a confined space and the only limited exit is a moving table that passes through each different floor(a total of 333 floors). It is also known as “the pit” by the living residents. A variety of food choices will be placed on the table daily. For every 24 hours, the table will lower itself through each floor with a maximum time limit of two minutes. The amount of food will not be changed, even if there is none left. The food supply of the residents living on the last few floors all depends on the actions of the people above them.

Based on the movie, it’s clear to analyze that food is enough for the two residents living within all floors of the building. But the residents on the top floor began to show their true human nature and a sense of greed and selfishness overtook their kindness. This leaves scraps of nothing for the others. Residents are also known to be switching floors every new month. Meaning that you can be swapped from the first floor all the way to the last. 

This movie symbolizes real circumstances that are currently happening in parts of the world. Certain groups of people are unfairly treated based only on their different opinions and thoughts. Those thoughts are what make them unique in society, but society does not seem to take in their dissimilarity. The residents in the movie symbolize the survivors of the broken system and fighting to survive and maintain their sanity.

This dystopian movie shows the true horror of what humans are capable of and a world with no existence of kindness. 

2. Gattaca

“He had everything except desire” – Vincent Freeman, ‘Gattaca’

Gattaca, directed by a New Zealand director Andrew Niccol. This movie takes place in the future where society judgements are based on how perfect your DNA is. Society has categorized itself into different classes and has set everyone on a different life path the moment they were born. The world no longer accepts imperfection and every newborn are customized into being perfect. The “perfect world” is nothing but an endless abyss of unfairness and cruelty. No one has the ability to choose their life path and their future cannot be changed. This movie symbolizes a biased world of classes and a failed system, as no one has the right to do what they love and what they desire. 

This movie takes you through a short journey of an individual trying to surpass the unfair system of perfection and still chases his lifetime desire. 

3. Alita: Battle Angel 

“The Strong Prey On The Weak Down Here. You Gotta Stay Focused On Your Dream.” – Hugo

This movie took place in 2563, known to be three hundred years after the devastating societal collapse “The fall”. The start of the movie took place in a messy junkyard filled with broken cyborg pieces. A scientist was strolling along when he found a young female cyborg. When he took the cyborg back into his laboratory, he discovered an organic human brain hiding within it. He named it after his deceased daughter, Alita.

This movie mostly symbolizes a future world in which cyborgs have taken over some percentage of the population. Cyborgs and other highly advanced technology are what surround the daily lives of the citizens. It is also what controls them the most. The movie mostly takes you through the story of a cyborg who has lost her memory and fights to find the missing puzzles of her past.

Sources: 1/2/3

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The Life of Tycho Brahe: Distinguished Astronomer and Druken Moose Owner

youthareawesome
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I love talking about niche stories in history that are so absurd, a documentary would feel exaggerated and unrealistic. Today I’d like to speak about Tycho Brahe, one of earth’s first math based astronomers, and his oddly eccentric life. 

Let’s Start This Like a Normal Biography

Tycho was born December 14th, 2021 in Denmark. His childless and wealthy uncle, Jorgen, abducted Tycho from his home at age two. It is unclear why, but after the initial shock wore off, Jorgen casually raised Tycho as his own. 

Tycho set his aspiration for astronomy upon seeing a total solar eclipse. From then on, Tycho ‘studied law’ (as desired by Jorgen), but secretly actually pushed his attention toward astronomy. 

Tycho then jumped from school to school, and eventually lost his nose in a drunken duel, Him and  Manderup Parsberg had argued about who was the superior mathematician. They decided to later settle this with said duel, which clearly proved who was better at math. From then on Tycho wore a prosthetic brass nose, glued to his face. He also wore a gold or silver one for special occasions. 

Tycho was also incredibly rich, though married a peasants daughter named Kirstine. Britannica speculated Tycho just wanted someone to tend to the household, as he barely mentioned her outside.

King Frederick II offered to build an entire observatory for Tycho on an island called Hven. Tycho recieved the title of royal astrologer for the lord of Hven. In total he received about 1% of the annual GDP in support. 

In 1591, Lantgrave Wilhelm, one of Tycho’s friends, asked about a rix, a type of  cryptid, which was a slightly faster deer with slightly smaller horns. Although he didn’t have a rix, he kept a pet moose with a strong acquired taste for alcohol. However, Tycho couldn’t send Wilhelm the moose, because this behemoth animal fell absolutely intoxicated at a banquet, climbed the stairs, fell down and died.

Later on when King Frederick also died, Brahe’s income ceased. And thus his research dwindled. 

 

Some of his scientific developments included:

  • He discovered a ‘new star’ in the constellation Cassiopeia, which turned out to be a supernova (Which could be seen by the unaided eyes at the time) He showed that stars could change, which shocked the scientific community at the time because they thought stars were perfect and unchanging. 
  • He developed the (iconic) Tychonic system, which advocated for a modified Copernicus geocentric heliocentric solar system. That is, to have all planets orbiting the sun, which then orbits the stationary earth. No one really cared about the Copernicus model until 1700’s, however, the Tychonic system was generally accepted.
  • Very accurate positioning of some 1000 stars only using math and taking into account concepts such as refraction. 

 

Brahe died in Prague after a bladder infection. It was custom to not leave royal gatherings until the kind had left, and the kind seemingly just stayed. So when Tycho finally got the chance to return home, he simply couldn’t relieve himself, and died eleven days later.

Sources

 

Images Featured Image/First Image: Brahe Portrait/Second Image: Observatory/Third Image: Tychonic Model

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How to Study

Samarah Kanji
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How to Study:

As a grade 11 student, I have gotten to a point where I have taken several tests and have an idea of how to prepare for different subjects. I have studied for things such as AP exams, the DELE exam, and just your average unit tests. From these experiences, I can conclude that each subject requires one to use different study techniques. After many days of online school over the past two years, people (even myself) may have forgotten efficient techniques to help you study and succeed! But, have no fear! Below are some strategies I have used to help me get good grades on my tests.

  • Review your notes the day you learn something new: I know it can be difficult to review your notes in a limited time; however, this will help your memory later on when you are studying for tests. Subjects like math, biology, social studies, and languages may be the type of subjects you take notes on. If that’s the case, rereading your notes the day you learned them will also help you have a better understanding of what is going on in class. Multiple sources have also shown that if we review our work consistently, then we work on helping our long-term memory instead of our short-term memory. According to the curve of forgetting, one should review their notes the day they learned something, then two days later, two weeks later, a month later, and so on. This can all depend on your schedule, so it is crucial you stay organized. 1

 

  • How do you review your notes for tests? I know I said simply reading it on the day you learned something new helps your memory; however, when you are closer to the test date, it is important to study them earlier instead of cramming them the night before. I know we all cram, but in the event that you don’t, you should try testing yourself on what you wrote in your notes. For something like this, I highly recommend the Cornell Notes method. While rewriting notes may make you feel like you are studying, it is time-consuming and is not the most effective (I am guilty of this). Instead, ask yourself questions based on the notes and try creating 1-page summary sheets based on everything you know for the unit. When you make these, try not to let yourself look at your notes or textbook, as you can see how much you know and do not know before the test. These methods fall under something called active recall. Active recall is the process of testing yourself after learning new information.

 

  • Do practice tests: Along with active recall, doing practice tests for the subject you are studying for allows you to see if you are missing any information or are missing any gaps, this will allow you to help you prioritize which areas you need to focus more on if you are short on time. For those of you who are AP, or IB students, there are tons of practice resources online if you search up what you are learning. Even for regular students, there are many practice resources to use, such as questions in textbooks and Exambank. Practice tests also help you decrease the anxiety you might feel before taking a test and boost your confidence. Especially for subjects like math and chemistry, doing as many practice problems as possible will allow you to become more efficient in problem-solving and help you improve on your weak areas.

 

  • Review past errors: If you have old quizzes or tests, reviewing where you went wrong will help you remember not to make the same mistakes again and it will help you determine if you understand why you got things wrong. If you can explain why your error was incorrect, chances are, you have learned from your mistakes!

 

  • Teach someone what you learned: Personally, I find teaching a friend or saying things out loud really beneficial. This also shows you know the material well enough for someone else to learn it, showing a level of mastery of what you have been studying. When you hear yourself speak, you also have a better chance at remembering things. This has been proven in numerous studies, including a study from the University of Waterloo.

 

  • Make a study schedule: If you have midterms and finals, like me, it is useful to create a schedule for all the things you want to review each day leading up to important exams. This will help you stay on track and you can try and maintain balance. Do not forget to give yourself breaks! I highly recommend following a technique called the Pomodoro technique, where you study in 25-minute intervals and take five-minute breaks. This is likely to increase your focus and help you avoid fatigue.

 

  • Reward yourself: Simple things such as giving yourself time to exercise, catch up on a show, or something fun will motivate you to keep going! For example, if you finish writing a paper, maybe reward yourself with an episode on Netflix.

 

  • Limit distractions: I know it can be difficult; however, when I do homework, I try to put my phone in a different room so I do not feel tempted to see my notifications. Around critical exams such as midterms, finals, or AP exams, I also delete apps such as TikTok to help me maximize my study time.

These are just some of the tips I had about studying! I know it can be difficult to continue, but I find thinking about where you want to be in the future a big motivator to continue studying to ace your tests so you can succeed. Also, do not be hard on yourself if you get one bad mark. Take it as a learning opportunity as you continue to grow and use experiences to help you learn! Studying is not always easy, but if you put in the time, it can be useful! Good luck with your next test, exam, or quiz! You got this!

Source for feature image: https://ar.pinterest.com/pin/630222541588242357/

Poetry From Pictures: An Exercise in Beating Writer’s Block

Lara Mylde
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One of my first posts ever on this site was a post about beating writer’s block. That post suggests that if you’re feeling drained, take a break and consider using a prompt to get the juices flowing again. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the college applications process, my creative well has been pretty drained—I thought it was about time for a refill. So I dug through the archives and came up with this old prompt I did for English class back in Grade 10. Here’s what I came up with:

THE GHOST TRAIN

I step up, over the yellow line
I lug my luggage, laminated leather,
One foot through the door and the other dangling behind
The train doesn’t know where it’s headed
It won’t mind if you’re the same person you were yesterday or someone new entirely
It knows you all the same
And it will take you as you come.

We pull away.

A lit window sign
Buzzes like a fat bulge of
neon bumblebees
(My aunt, she stepped on one and called it kind).

I struggle to make out
The stencilled silhouettes of people backlit by the washing, glowing, strung between the balconies
And when the sky is calm they flit
Like autumn leaves or moth wings or wraiths
(Banshees, screaming, they flee at the first sign of trouble)

The night is blue and tattered
Like the moquette of the seats and the delicate paper lining the headrest and the scuffed vinyl floor,
The tough rough stuff,
The cool to the touch,
And you know it’ll never be enough but
The siren’s song scent of hard plastic
Glowing yellow glass
A cavern like a candle
(Reality dictates it gives you away more than it’ll ever help you see)

That’s how they get you
A voice chitters in a foreign language, broken only by static feedback and that little lull between heartbeats
and the memory of something you’ve lost
(In retrospect, I think that I forgot to feed the cat)

Eventually, we glide again into the station
You and I and our little ghost train
Superimposed over a million others in a million other moments
As the first streaks of pink and gold begin to shade the clouds
Our yellow cavern blending with the day
Not yet, not yet,
All magic is found in the in-between, indolent, irreverent
I am not ready to leave
(My uncle, he was on death row and he said just the same to me)

We stop.

I look at you
You look at me
We twine our fingers without speaking
I step down, over the yellow line
(I arrive in the silence, and it is sweet)

Women in STEM Throughout History

Shraavni Patankar
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Throughout history, women have made countless discoveries and advancements in the fields of STEM. Growing up, I did not know the names or faces of most of these women. Therefore, in today’s blog, I wanted to help you and I explore the accomplishments and lives of several females in STEM throughout history.

 

Marie Curie

Polish-born chemist and physicist known for discovering polonium, radium, coining the term radioactivity and winning 2 Nobel Prizes.

On November 7, 1867, Marie Curie (a.k.a Maria Sklodowska) was born in Warsaw, Poland. After several years of general education, she travelled to Paris to study at the University of Sorbonne. It was here that she met her husband Pierre Curie who was a professor at the School of Physics in 1894. In partnership with her husband, the two studied radioactivity by adding onto the work of physicists such as Roentgen and Becquerel.

In July 1898, the two discovered polonium, named after Curie’s home country. At the end of the same year, the two discovered another element called radium. In 1903, the Curies won the Nobel Prize in partnership with Becquerel. After the death of her husband in 1906, she took up his teaching position, becoming the first woman to teach at the Sorbonne. Throughout her later years, she worked hard to continue her research, earning another Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1911. Not only that, but her efforts were crucial in the development of x-rays. Therefore, while she faced opposition as a female scientist, her efforts were crucial advancements in the field of STEM.

 

Dorothy Hodgkin

1964 Nobel Prize winner for the discovery of the atomic structure of insulin, penicilin and many others using X-ray crystallography.

At a young age, Hodgkin was given the opportunity to explore the worlds of archaeology, botany and many more. In 1928, Hodgkin studied the crystal structure of dimethyl thallium halides during her fourth year at Somerville College, Oxford. It was at this time that she was thrust into a world of crystallography.

Later, she took on a position at this same college and began studying the structure of insulin, proving to take more than 3 decades to discover. During this time, she used crystallography to uncover the structure of cholesterol, becoming the first person to discover the complete structure of a complex organic molecule. In 1945, she analysed and discovered the strucuture of penicillin during the time many individuals were finding ways to refine the use of antibiotics. After this discovery, several other structures such as Vitamin B12, and numerous proteins were uncovered by her. Despite her struggle with rheumatoid arthritis, her work was significant in the world of STEM.

 

Katherine Johnson

American mathematician known for calculating the flight paths of countless spacecrafts during her time in NASA.

Born on August 26, 1918 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Johnson loved counting. Starting high school at the age of 10 and college at 15, she studied mathematics. After graduating, she went on to become a teacher. However, after learning that NACA (now known as NASA) was hiring African American women to solve math problems at the age of 34, she applied. These people were known as computers. Upon getting hired, she worked alongside a group of females. However, due to her curiosity and love of math, she began attending meetings that only men attended at the time. Later, she left her position as a computer and began working on a variety of NASA projects.

In 1962, when the U.S. wanted to send individuals to the moon, Johnson used geometry to find paths for the aircraft to orbit Earth and land on the moon successfully. While this was an extremely tough job that had many obstacles, her method worked! After working with NASA for 30 years, her efforts were crucial in helping astronauts reach the moon successfully.

For the sake of keeping this blog informative, yet concise, here are a few other names that I ran across during my research. These include:

  • Rosalind Franklin: English chemist and crystallographer
  • Chien-Shiung Wu: Chinese American physicist
  • Mary Anning: English paleontologist
  • Janet Taylor: English astronomer and mathematician
  • Barbara McClintock: American scientist and cytogeneticist
  • Inge Lehmann: Danish seismologist and geophysicist
  • Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin: American astronomer and astrophysicist

 

It is important to note that there are countless more women who have made amazing discoveries that have furthered our understanding of the world and so much more. As always, I hope you enjoyed this blog and learned something new.

 

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Sources: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12

The Study of International Relations: A Crash Course

Lara Mylde
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International relations, or IR, is the study of interactions between the entities of the world—usually sovereign states. As a subject, it involves several schools of thought, some more well-known than others. If you’ve been through high school social studies, you’ve probably heard of a few. But this semester, I’ve been taking a course on international relations, and it’s actually clarified a lot of things which I wasn’t quite clear on before. So here I am to share my knowledge; without further ado, here’s a breakdown of two of the most well-known IR theories and what they mean.

Liberalism, aka “Can’t We All Just Get Along?”

I’m convinced that most high school students (current or former) will have at least a basic grasp of this one. But there’s actually a bit more to this theory than most of us were taught, at least in the context of international relations.

Liberalism is the theory of international politics which sees the fundamental driving force behind world politics as globalization (Social Studies 10 throwback!). Globalization, as you may be aware, is the process of the world becoming increasingly interconnected. The Silk Road or the Internet are obvious examples. And this interconnectedness leads to something else, something key to liberalism: interdependence.

Liberalists believe that states have varied preferences (i.e. a national interest), which are influenced by various factors. These preferences can align with those of other states or entities like religious groups and corporations, creating a harmony of interests. Liberalism believes that this harmony should be a goal for states to work towards as an alternative to war—it’s all about community and cooperation.

That said, liberalism also has an ideational aspect to it, saying that states have a responsibility to intervene when something unconscionable occurs. This sounds moral (there’s the autonomy/sovereignty debate, but that’s a discussion for another time), but part of ideational liberalism is the inherent desire of entities to impost their ideas on others aka the tolerance paradox. Liberalism also believes that while the potential for good exists in the world, there is just as much potential for evil.

Realism, aka “Don’t Come Near Me; I Have A Knife”

A little known fact is that liberalism actually came as a response to another school of thought known as realism. Liberalism is a bit of a “yes, but,” an optimistic shift in ideas stemming from the relatively optimistic decade which was the 90s. So what’s realism all about?

Realism has some fairly old roots—when we studied it, we looked at the Melian Dialogue by Thucydides, a general from the fifth century BCE, as an example. Realism is fundamentally a theory about power and security, and believes that the only entities with the power to create change on the world stage are states. Everyone except these states don’t matter. Individuals don’t matter—including individuals within states. According to realism, your favourite corporations are powerless. Religious orders are powerless. The secret underground societies we always see in the movies who have been secretly pulling the strings on the world all this time have no power. I mean in theory if those societies existed none of these theories would because the concept of the international system would be rendered somewhat… useless. But I digress.

If liberalism is about community and cooperation, realism is exactly the opposite. With realists, life is all about anarchy, conflict, and the honourable pursuit of killing anyone who stands in your way (well, haha not really… unless?). Think back to Thomas Hobbes: life in the state of nature is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” Ignore the fact that Hobbes is a liberalist and the fact that a lot of these classifications can get very confusing very fast; the nasty/brutish/short part is the spirit you want to take away here. Realists posit that we exist in a world where the strong lead and the weak bleed, and that states are programmed to pursue their own interests and seek power relentlessly.

States are thus prone to betrayal, and should in turn trust no one; your friend of today may be your mortal enemy tomorrow. In this world, there is no such thing as utopia and there is no such thing as a natural harmony of interests. And everyone in the world simply has to suck it up and deal with it. Fun!

I probably go on for a little while longer, but I’m running out of word count here, so that’s as far as we’re going to do today. This has been your daily (read: twice monthly) dose of Lara’s Blog Posts On Cool People Things (Trademarked. Registered, copyrighted, etc. It’s mine, don’t steal it or else.) Next up in this series—I just decided that it’s a series—is crowd favourite Marxism, aka “Hey Guys? I Think We’re Being Exploited Question Mark? We Should Probably Do Something About That Question Mark? Gee I Sure Hope We Don’t Do Something Drastic.” as well as a couple of others. Ciao!

Appreciating Calgary Public Art

Pareen Cheema
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As you may have seen, Calgary has many diverse art pieces located around the city. Some are vibrant modern pieces describing natural phenomena or the human condition, while others convey important messages about the past. With that said, today I wanted to highlight some of these artworks from different quadrants in the city.

Conversation

The sculpture titled, Conversation, is part of The Businessman Series by William Hodd Mcelcheran, located at the Stephen Avenue Mall. It is one of my favourite art pieces in Calgary as it depicts two business colleagues having a conversation. The unique part of this art installation is that it shows a person reassuring their colleague who seems unhappy. This piece is unique as it shows the emotions people experience, especially in a work environment. At the same time, the man’s colleague reassures him by lightly touching his arm, which reminds me of the importance of friendship. Overall, Conversation is an art piece that conveys a working person’s dilemma when facing difficult situations. Make sure to check it out if you are in the downtown area!

Self-Made Woman

Self-Made Woman is a carved art piece created by Paul Slipper, and it is at SAIT Polytechnic. I find this art piece very intriguing because it depicts a woman carving herself out of granite. Therefore, this piece has a beautiful and inspirational meaning behind it as it appreciates the effort, determination, and hard work individuals put into their work. Its placement at SAIT Polytechnic also brings light to careers in trade, technology, and the service industry.

Chinook Arc

The Chinook Arc is an interactive art installation in southwest Calgary. You can find it at Bob Scott Park! It is a modern art piece that responds to human interaction by displaying different coloured lights. This is due to the optical sensor that projects human movements and surrounding colours it senses. For example, if you wave your phone in front of the sensor, you can see an amazing light sequence play out. The artists behind the artwork are Joe O’ Connell and Blessing Hancock with Creative Machines. You don’t want to miss out on the opportunity of seeing this unique artwork!

Wolfe and the Sparrows

Wolfe and the Sparrows is a cast bronze sculpture by Brandon Vickers inspired by a statue of General James Wolfe by John Massey Rhind. You also want to note that General James Wolfe was an army general who led the British in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. When I first saw this sculpture in Inglewood, I thought it was a historical monument. But, I then noticed that multiple sparrows cover the figure, which dissolves the facial characteristics of a person. Hence, the sculpture depicts a symbolic meaning not a dedication to a historical figure. The symbolism behind the sparrows might mean power and the importance of community. But, in this case, it is up to the viewer to interpret the meaning.

Kawa’pomahkaiks

Kawa’pomahkaiks- Animals That Roam the Prairie, is an art installment in Forest Lawn showing animals that once roamed that area. The artist behind this installation is Adrian Stimson who is a member of the Siksika (Blackfoot) Nation in southern Alberta. In the Forest Lawn area, you can see the steel silhouettes of a badger, beaver, swift fox, and more animals in many different locations. I think this is an important artwork that commemorates the land Calgary is situated on, and the animals that were present in that area. Keep an eye out for these animal silhouettes the next time you visit Forest Lawn!

 

I hope that in the end, you have come to know more about the artworks that make Calgary unique. All of these artworks convey aspects that are true to everyday life and Calgary’s history. The best part about art is the deep connections you can make with the pieces based on life experiences and emotions you embrace throughout the process!

 

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