Just last month, the world’s population reached an astounding 7,000,000,000. It’s mind-blowing to think that, despite the long chain of zeroes in that number, each and every individual is unique with their own distinct personality and characteristics. Regardless of this variety, the world is undoubtedly becoming culturally homogenized. We know that we can strut our [...]
Going home for the holidays? Lucky!
It’s that time of year: Christmas music is blaring everywhere around you, it’s getting colder, and decorations are popping up everywhere. But what about those who can’t go home and be with the family? Here are some guidelines to still have a good holiday away. Skype it up. Thanks to social networking, you can catch [...]
Are ya listening?
We’re not walking in a winter wonderland just yet, but Christmas music has begun to play on the radio, at coffee shops, and in shopping malls. From “Jingle Bells” to “Deck the Halls”, the carols and seasonal songs remind us that Christmas is coming in less than a month. For some, the traditional holiday music [...]
Luke’s Languages #6
Hello, everyone! (Oh, look, a weird new script is on the banner! Don’t be frightened; it just says “Luke’s Languages” in IPA—that is, the International Phonetic Alphabet). Well, this is The Medium’s final issue this semester, and with it the closing of this run of the series. Let’s wrap up the year by stepping back [...]
It can feel like all we do is type
Type, type, type. For many of us, around this time of year, it can feel like all we do is type. We type term papers and test notes and emails. We then go and type Facebook statuses complaining about all the term papers and tests and emails. You’ve probably figured out or heard by now [...]
True leaders do the right thing
When I received a mass email in early October from the Office of Student Life, saying “You can attend a leadership conference in Calgary for FREE!”, I was immediately captivated. The Office of Student Life and Student Housing and Residence Life at UTM was going to sponsor two undergraduate students (one off-campus and one in [...]
Do rankings really matter?
Every student wants to get into a top university… right? Why is that? Who determines which universities are prestigious or not? Though finding out if a university is the right “fit” for you requires factoring in numerous things, many people think that looking at where a university sits on a university ranking list is a [...]
New, innovative uses for SMS
In 2008, Canadians sent 2.8 billion text messages. By the end of 2009, this number had risen to 3.7 billion messages. With about 122 million text messages sent daily throughout Canada, it’s clear that we love to text. Texting has gone beyond deciding where to meet friends, asking what to pick up at the grocery [...]
Building bridges between Kenya and Canada
Abdikadir Ali spent a year waiting before he received the good news: he was to leave Kenya to take up residence at UTM. Nearly two years ago, Ali gave his mother and siblings a goodbye hug and left the refugee camp. “My family was very happy when I got accepted. My mother helped me study. [...]
I’m tellin’ y’all it’s sabotage
You have six hours—six hours until your 30% paper is due. You stare at your screen. You only have two paragraphs down. You tentatively tap out another sentence. You think you could probably take a break, have a snack, watch a bit of Big Bang Theory. But “a bit” becomes six episodes. You finally sit [...]
