Opinions

In praise of winter

Like an old god’s curse, winter has descended once more. The northern half of the province at least has the pleasantries of snow—that innocent pillow stuffing that smooths out the…

Class distinctions and the shrinking middle class

The apparent absence of class distinction is a peculiar feature of university life. Socioeconomic class is something we dislike discussing yet remain fascinated by. Daniel Craig’s rebooted James Bond is…

Geek commodity and gender equity

Geek culture is becoming a part of the mainstream. With the rapid adoption of video gaming and the commercial success of movie adaptations of popular comic books, among other growing…

Beauty marketing is wrong

The other day I was waiting for an appointment and grabbed the closest magazine to distract myself. I was overwhelmed by all the beauty-related ads. My heart breaks over the marketing…

Niqab discrimination does not foster social cohesion

The niqab is a veil, worn by some Muslim women, that covers the whole body and provides a thin slit for the eyes. Many Muslim women state that they are…

Vote ‘Yes’ to making UVic come alive

When I ran for the position of Director of Events for the University of Victoria Students’ Society (UVSS), I knew the long hours and small events budget would be a…

Exams: is there a better way?

Like many learning institutions, the University of Victoria has strict schedules for final exams. Students must all file into their designated rooms at the same scheduled time, presumably to avoid…

Citizen science as peer review

One of the goals any citizen scientist should have is to obtain the clearest information possible, before making any decision on an important issue. Obtaining information crucial to making decisions…

It’s food, not waste

Every day in Victoria people go hungry, food bank shelves stay empty, and low-income families struggle to put food on the table—especially around the holidays. What if I told you…