University is a time to explore and narrow down your interests, but trying to balance prioritizing activities and future endeavours is a slippery slope
When you start university, you’re given close to a million different pieces of advice from all kinds of different individuals. Your parents, high school teachers, friends, therapists will all have something to say. In all the advice I received one thing was for sure though — university was a time to find out who I was by pursuing things that interested me. Now that I’m graduating and looking back, I can confidently say that it was much easier said than done.
Another one of the most frequently offered pierces of advice was to ensure that I knew how to manage my time. I was told that as long as I learned to prioritize between extracurricular activities and schoolwork I’d have no problem navigating my first year.
My approach in first year was quite conservative, in that my primary focus was to get accustomed to the difference in workload rather than indulging too much in fun activities. I quickly realized, however, that this was not the way to go about it. Although my grades were good, I soon found myself on the brink of mental exhaustion and lacking in stimulation from alternative sources.
Coming out of high school, I knew that my interests were multifaceted. Being involved in sports teams, student council and various clubs, I had already established that my interests were definitely broad and that focusing solely on schoolwork would not last long.
Coming out of high school, I knew that my interests were multifaceted. Being involved in sports teams, student council, and various clubs, I had already established that my interests were definitely broad and that having only a sole focus on schoolwork would not last long.
Subsequently, I came up with a plan: even though I had felt I had wasted my first year in terms of having a life outside of school, I was determined to change that in second year and finally broaden my horizons as one would say.
Clearly, the pandemic had other plans.
There wasn’t much to do other than continue doing what I did in first year. Although everyone around me was looking into which hobbies to take part in that restrictions would allow, I knew that the activities that I truly wanted to do wouldn’t be possible. Even still, I hiked, spent time outdoors, saw friends when it was possible and joined a few clubs.
But I was bored out of my mind. My grades were better than ever, but like many others, I’d assume, I wasn’t happy. It wasn’t enough.
Like the world had a wake-up call after World War I and entered the Roaring 20’s, I too, had my own epiphany once restrictions were lifted in third year (bold comparison, I know). I knew I had to make up for lost time, but my enthusiasm led me to spread myself too thin across various activities.
In the pursuit of satisfying my interests, by the end of third year, I found myself to be a student-athlete on the women’s football team, a Silhouette writer, an McMaster Student Union Maroons representative, an amateur snowboarder and an executive for a number of clubs.
In my opinion, this was a bad approach, but a necessary one nonetheless.
I was convincing myself that I had a lot more free time than I did, resulting in decreasing performances in each activity. Like the Great Depression following the Roaring 20’s, I too, entered my own. I knew that something had to change in fourth year.
Throughout all this, it gets difficult to navigate the line between living in the moment and thinking about your future. Especially in my final year, knowing that this era is coming to an end, the pressure of having a good time and enjoying the moments as they come is at an all-time high. Grades and schoolwork, although more important now than ever, start becoming secondary activities.
Throughout all this, it gets difficult to navigate the line between living in the moment and thinking about your future. Especially in my final year, knowing that this era is coming to an end, the pressure of having a good time and enjoying the moments as they come is at an all-time high. Grades and schoolwork, although more important now than ever, start becoming secondary activities.
As I know most fourth years can agree, the looming thought of what comes after never entirely leaves your head. Nonetheless, you push it further and further back as impulse decisions in the pursuit of fun make themselves more and more comfortable in your mind. Isn’t that what university was supposed to be all about though?
Now, however, instead of having my interests narrowed, I think I might have even more. In retrospect, while I am grateful for the myriad of experiences that university has afforded me, I recognize that I might have benefited from a more measured approach.
I leave you with this final piece of advice, the quality of which is for you to decide and for you to take how you will. Regardless of how important something may seem to be in the moment, times will continue to change. Although memories and experiences are important, be mindful of what you prioritize them over.
Amidst the surge of viral infections in Ontario, McMaster University reminds students of free masks on campus and encourages students to wear masks when indoors
On Nov. 14, Ontario’s chief medical officer, Kieran Moore, strongly urged Ontarians to wear masks in indoor public spaces and take other safety precautions, such as screening for symptoms and staying home when ill, to avoid spreading viruses.
“That means [wearing masks] on transit, at work, in schools and daycares, even at home if someone is sick,” said Moore in a press conference.
This recommendation from Moore comes amidst the massive surge of viral infections in Ontario and across the country, due to the convergence of RSV, influenza and COVID-19. This wave of illness has placed especially great strain on children’s healthcare, as unprecedented numbers of children have gotten sick and children’s hospitals have struggled to keep up.
This recommendation from Moore comes amidst the massive surge of viral infections in Ontario and across the country, due to the convergence of RSV, influenza and COVID-19. This wave of illness has placed especially great strain on children’s healthcare, as unprecedented numbers of children have gotten sick and children’s hospitals have struggled to keep up.
At the McMaster Children’s Hospital, wait times for emergency services are advertised on the website as being longer than usual. As well, the hospital announced on Nov. 12 that it would transfer 16- and 17-year-old surgical patients needing to be admitted from the MCH to adult sites at Hamilton Health Sciences. Further, as per recommendations by the province, critically ill patients ages 14 and older are being transferred to other HHS sites as well, when medically appropriate.
In response to the increased number of viral infections this season, McMaster University released a statement on Nov. 15 reminding community members that they are strongly encouraged to wear masks and remain up to date on vaccinations for both COVID-19 and influenza. However, the university has not mandated that students wear masks anywhere on campus, with the exception of healthcare spaces.
“McMaster has been consistent in promoting the use of masks and continues to consult with our faculty experts for their insights and advice. They are recommending the university continue with its current directions to encourage the community to wear masks, especially in crowded settings,” said the university in their statement.
At the University of Western Ontario, masks are currently required in instructional spaces. Ontario Tech University currently requires masks in all university buildings. Many other Ontario schools, such as Queens University and Toronto Metropolitan University, do not have mask mandates in place but are instead strongly recommending that students wear masks indoors.
At the University of Western Ontario, masks are currently required in instructional spaces. Ontario Tech University currently requires masks in all university buildings. Many other Ontario schools, such as Queens University and Toronto Metropolitan University, do not have mask mandates in place but are instead strongly recommending that students wear masks indoors.
McMaster's statement also reminded students that the university is continuing to give out free masks at various locations on campus. Finally, it pointed students to resources for booking their flu shots and COVID-19 bivalent boosters.
Flu vaccination clinics in Hamilton can be found here, and COVID-19 vaccination clinics can be found here.
C/O Mohammad Shahhosseini (Unsplash)
When looking to the future, it’s crucial to reflect on what we’ve overcome thus far
By: Ardena Bašić, Contributor
This past school year brought a lot of hope for many. With mandates and restrictions to keep us safe, we could finally return to in-person learning.
Of course, this did not go as smoothly as expected. An increasing amount of rules and an abrupt switch back to online learning was a bit of a shock — especially as we were finally beginning to adjust to our “new normal.”
Yet, with that in the past, we can now enjoy the most freedom we have had in a while and use the skills we have fostered for these past two years to our advantage.
Yet, with that in the past, we can now enjoy the most freedom we have had in a while and use the skills we have fostered for these past two years to our advantage.
Students are used a lot of volatility as we learn and grow through different experiences. Yet, it can certainly be argued that COVID-19 was the most potent influencing factor that most of us have ever experienced.
The things we could look to as our "rocks” in times of uncertainty — such as playing team sports or spending time with friends — were no longer available to us. Of course, the virtual world of Zoom gave us somewhere to pivot, but the novelty of our surroundings and new behaviors were a constant reminder of the state of the world.
Our education, normally one of the most routine things in our young lives, also changed dramatically. Looking back at the 2020-2021 school year, we were still hopeful to return to in-person. However, the disappointment in hearing announcements about both the fall and winter terms was yet another unexpected announcement for all of us.
Now that we have returned to at least a semblance of normality in this regard, with most educational institutions now offering fully in-person learning, we can begin to more deeply reflect on what all this volatility has taught us.
For one, we often talk about resiliency after working harder due to getting a bad grade or returning to a sport after an injury or loss. Yet, this is a skill that can be developed through major life events as well.
For one, we often talk about resiliency after working harder due to getting a bad grade or returning to a sport after an injury or loss. Yet, this is a skill that can be developed through major life events as well.
Despite our classrooms turning into our bedrooms or living rooms at home, we still stayed engaged with our education, albeit to varying degrees due to a myriad of psychological and socioeconomical factors.
Although most of our hobbies and other pastimes had to change as well, we still found ways to stay in tune with our passions. Consider the unique home workouts, new pastimes in art or make-shift home renovations. Even while the world was in turmoil, we still found ways to exercise our uniquely human traits of wonder and imagination.
The other major thing to consider is the overall adaptability of human beings. Of course, we all have preferences regarding our surroundings.
Some of us prefer crowds and people, whereas others enjoy the quiet and a more tranquil way of life. Regardless, we all found a way to stay true to ourselves. Ideas such as online coffee chats or endless books to go through allowed us to stay true to ourselves, even though our favourite things were not necessarily available to us.
When it comes to school, this is a bit more controversial. The majority of individuals would say that they do thrive much better in an in-person learning setting. Though, again, we found ways to adapt.
Study sessions over FaceTime, turning on our cameras to make our virtual classrooms seem slightly more humane and understanding that this is a time to build our technical skills allowed us to progress through these difficult times. With schools pondering on maintaining both online and in-person options, we will be able to continually foster both our interpersonal and technological abilities.
However, it is understandable that not everyone was able to find some solace in the chaos of what the world has been during the pandemic.
The most important thing to remember here is our imperfection as human beings. There are going to be obstacles that we cannot face on our own and those that intertwine with the foundation of our lives without ever leaving.
The most important thing to remember here is our imperfection as human beings. There are going to be obstacles that we cannot face on our own and those that intertwine with the foundation of our lives without ever leaving.
Yet, just as our body can adapt to exercise or learning, we can adapt into our surroundings as well. Every single event or process we encounter is meant to teach us our change us. Although it may not seem as though it is immediately for the better, our mindset is what can remind us to stay positive on any road ahead.
Overall, this may not be the last time we find ourselves in a completely novel situation with nary an idea of how to progress. Yet, looking at how the world has changed, we can see that we are capable of so much — no matter our environment or the barriers we face.
Looking ahead to the future, we should always keep in mind the mountains that we have climbed when looking to the ones that we will be able to conquer again.
C/O Geert Pieters (Unsplash)
How music can foster connection in end-of-life care
By: Ryan Ziae, contributor
The pandemic has added another layer of isolation to residents in hospices and palliative care. For some, heightened COVID-19 restrictions have deepened feelings of loneliness. Hospices are medical settings that deliver palliative care to individuals at the end of their life, combining the medical expertise of a hospital and the coziness of your home.
A hospice, often misunderstood as a place of death, is instead dedicated to providing the best quality of life before someone passes. COVID-19 restrictions, such as reduced guest visitations, have compromised these goals, leaving residents feeling isolated and their days empty.
Music therapy can address these gaps. This clinical practice performed by credentialed music therapists uses music as a medium to achieve personalized therapeutic goals.
Annilee Baron, an accredited music therapist and a McMaster University professor who currently teaches Introduction to Music Therapy Research shared how music therapy can help during this time.
“One of the ways that music therapy helped with mental health was reducing isolation. I was able to go in and meet with them [while] keeping a distance [and] connect with them through music,” said Baron.
"One of the ways that music therapy helped with mental health was reducing isolation. I was able to go in and meet with them [while] keeping a distance [and] connect with them through music."
Annilee Baron, an accredited music therapist and a McMaster University professor who currently teaches Introduction to Music Therapy Research
Those who work in palliative care say reduced access to music therapy and heightened restrictions lowered residents' quality of life in long-term care homes.
Avalon Harris, an accredited music therapist who currently works with a long-term care home initially faced many limitations at the beginning of the pandemic, including being restrained from providing face-to-face music therapy sessions.
With COVID-19's initial wave of chaos, hospice staff were too overburdened to set up virtual music therapy sessions. With the sudden disappearance of music therapy, hospice residents and their families lost a crucial element of their hospice experience.
“Music therapy in a hospice is a special time for families to participate together. Especially when people get to the state where they're not responsive anymore, families often struggle with connecting to their loved ones. Music therapy is a way to [connect] without a lot of pressure on the family,” said Harris.
"Music therapy in a hospice is a special time for families to participate together. Especially when people get to the state where they're not responsive anymore, families often struggle with connecting to their loved ones. Music therapy is a way to [connect] without a lot of pressure on the family."
Avalon Harris, an accredited music therapist who currently works with a long-term care home
The pandemic has changed many aspects of music therapy sessions in a hospice. Group sessions which provided a medium to socialize, were stripped to one-on-one sessions.
“Pre-pandemic, I would often have ten family members sing to their unresponsive loved ones [at the bedside], but now, it's just me singing to the unresponsive loved one,” explained Harris.
Many current music sessions focus on addressing the resident's feeling of isolation rather than end-of-life work like saying goodbye or tying up loose ends. The residents' spiritual needs are not being addressed, which is especially important at the end of one's life.
“A lot of times now, [due to many restrictions], the person is bored because their family can't come,” said Harris.
Music therapy is often confused with general listening to music or a form of entertainment. Harris wished that more people would understand that music therapy is instead a clinical practice with a basis in science and research.
“I wish that people understood what music therapy is. A tiring part of our job is explaining [the profession],” said Harris.
"I wish that people understood what music therapy is. A tiring part of our job is explaining [the profession]."
Avalon Harris, an accredited music therapist who currently works with a long-term care home
To learn more about Harris and her involvement with community-related initiatives, students can visit her website at symmetrymusic.com.
At McMaster, there are currently two introductory music therapy courses offered: MUSIC 2MT3 and MUSIC 2MU3. Baron recommends students interested in this field consider taking those classes.
“McMaster is unique in the fact that it offers these undergraduate introductory [courses],” said Baron.
C/O Kat Williams
By: Emma Shemko
Justin Langlois’s new exhibition explores how stories and language have shaped our experiences during the pandemic
Justin Langlois' exhibition No Exaggerations takes text-based art and turns it into an interactive event to help viewers process, understand and reflect on living with the Covid-19 pandemic. His artwork — a set of posters showing statements that have become common throughout this global health crisis — asks folks to reflect on how the pandemic and the specific statements included in the posters have made them feel. Viewers are then given a chance to vote with a sticker on whether they agree, disagree or are indifferent towards the statement.
"I think interactivity [within artwork] is a way to certainly engage the viewer — the audience — but it's also kind of like an invitation, right? I don't see the work as done until it has that level of interaction or participation," said Langlois.
C/O Kat Williams
The conversations and responses arising from the interactive nature of Langlois' work offer himself and others a new way to view what it means to live through tough and trying times. These interactions and connections to his audience are one of the aspects of artwork that Langlois enjoys the most. He has enjoyed watching his work evolve and transform as people from many different communities interact with it.
Before any audience interaction, his artwork is akin to an incomplete painting ready for the creative process to continue. Interactive artwork is beautiful because it allows the audience converse with the artist more directly and, in doing so, the audience becomes artists themselves.
The artwork in Langlois' does more than just communicate a narrative about living through the pandemic. It offers folks the chance to tell their own stories about the moments of change they have experienced throughout the pandemic. Langlois likened the artwork in No Exaggerations to a collection of short stories about the people within the Hamilton community.
"Storytelling is just another way to think through what we experienced and what we have been experiencing and I think, in this case, the idea of creating the short stories and really kind of like framing them in that way just creates an opportunity for [viewers] to hopefully be understood as those texts are not only about my experience, but they may be just abstract enough that folks can kind of see themselves in them, or that they might have their own understanding of them," explained Langlois.
C/O Kat Williams
No Exaggerations also fosters new ways of thinking about change. Langlois’ work opens many doorways for us to give thought to the shifts in our lives, whether small or dramatic, in deeply human ways.
“Change in a deeply human way, I think, is about recognizing that [change] is a very dynamic process and something that affects us not just in noticing that something is different from one moment to the next, but to really understand that it has other implications and impacts on our lives and how we feel,” explained Langlois.
Langlois hoped to his audience leaves feeling they are part of something bigger than themselves. He wanted his audience to notice the moments of change during this pandemic that have affected them and reflect on how they perceive those moments of change.
"I think it's a way to maybe kind of take stock of what the last couple of years have meant and to maybe start to imagine what it might continue to [mean] over time in the future," said Langlois.
No Exaggerations can help us understand past, current and future moments. Someone who visits Langlois' exhibition may come to know that though we have all been separated by a physical distance, we have all had similar experiences to someone else somewhere else.
No Exaggerations is on display at the Workers Art and Heritage Centre until April 16, 2022.
C/O Jorge Franganillo, Unsplash
Anti-vaccine misinformation on social media has costed many the ultimate price
Cw: death, COVID-19
In the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, our society has become divided. In a time when some trusted the words of the medical community, others also displayed signs of skepticism.
From wearing masks to following restrictions, it seemed as if not everyone agrees with the mandates. Slowly, our communities started to branch out and go against one another.
“Anti-vaxxers” and “COVID-deniers” went head to head with those who support immunization and the use of masks. However, this was far from a friendly debate as misinformation put forth generated irreversible consequences for our society.
Many individuals who denied COVID-19 as a whole and deemed the virus as government propaganda used social media to voice their opinion. In the beginning, I observed that most of these posts seemed rather harmless in the format of humorous memes.
“Anti-vaxxers” and “COVID-deniers” went head to head with those who support immunization and the use of masks. However, this was far from a friendly debate as misinformation put forth generated irreversible consequences for our society.
KIMIA TAHAEI, OPINIONS STAFF WRITER
Alas, these seemingly harmless posts rapidly escalated into widespread misinformation.
Some started suggesting that the prediction models are fake, the test kits are contaminated and the media is exaggerating the virus as there is no pandemic. Others started suggesting how the vaccine will alter their DNA and stated how this is not a risk they will take.
There were even “factual checklists” suggesting the vaccine has not been tested on animals but is tainted with aborted human and monkey cells. Unfortunately, as the title of this article suggests, such mass amounts of misinformation came with a fatal price.
The prominent subreddit, r/HermanCainAward has been exclusively following the stories of individuals who did not trust the science and passed away as a direct result of COVID-19. This online discussion forum was inspired after the passing of Hermain Cain, a former presidential candidate for the Republican Party.
The prominent subreddit, r/HermanCainAward has been exclusively following the stories of individuals who did not trust the science and passed away as a direct result of COVID-19. This online discussion forum was inspired after the passing of Hermain Cain, a former presidential candidate for the Republican Party.
KIMIA TAHAEI, OPINIONS STAFF WRITER
He was against masking mandates from the beginning of the pandemic and was seen maskless in large Trump rallies. Unsurprisingly, he soon contracted COVID-19, was admitted to the hospital and died after two days.
Influenced by Herman Cain’s story, the member of the forum decided to share stories similar to Cain’s in order to exhibit the dangers of misinformation.
One of the most recent awardees of the “Herman Cain Award” was Czech folk singer, Hana Horka. An unfortunate victim of misinformation, Horka passed away after deliberately getting infected with COVID-19.
Horka was told she couldn't perform unless she showed proof of vaccination or recent recovery from COVID-19. Sadly, because of misinformation and downplaying the repercussions of COVID-19, she chose the latter and passed away shortly.
“I know exactly who influenced her. It makes me sad that she believed strangers more than her proper family,” Horka’s son, who shared pro-vaccine views, stated.
Members of the Herman Cain Award subreddit are begging users to get vaccinated in order to prevent stories like Horka’s. And while many have taken offence to this community, labelling them as unempathetic and callous, I believe they have done more good than bad.
Although many posts harshly judge unvaccinated individuals, the community has motivated a lot of people to receive the vaccine. The community sincerely wishes and hopes this subreddit is deleted as soon as possible with no more unfortunate stories to share.
For the most accurate information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and guidelines, students and community members should refer to the federal government website on COVID-19 here.
C/O Mateus Campos, Unsplash
The evolution of society is cultivating the different childhoods of youth today
Young adults today often observe the emerging wave of teenagers and adolescents with mixed feelings of frustration, confusion, disgust and awe all at the same time. Throughout the first two decades of the 21st century, Tamagotchis have somehow turned into the iPhone 13, playing at the park has been replaced by scrolling through social media and better yet, no one ever foresaw a day where children can attend school from their beds.
Though these new practices shock the young adults of today, it only makes sense for an evolving society to yield different childhood experiences for newer generations. After all, every generation will have unique markers based on differing common experiences.
What many find difficult to comprehend in adolescents, however, is their changing behaviour, rise in mental health issues and declining social skills. Through personal investigations, parents and other adults are quick to point technology as the leading culprit, but there’s much more to the picture.
In addition to the rapid evolution of devices since the early 2000s, the world has also seen increased importance laid upon social media, influencers and remote communication.
Of course, no conversation nowadays is complete without factoring in the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s completely valid in this case though, because it is arguably the defining historical event for this new generation, much like the World Wars, the Great Depression and American presidential elections have been for previous ones.
The pandemic has effectively magnified both the causes and effects that have resulted in the colourful palate of children and adolescents today. It has enforced an increased reliance on technology and social media communication, even enlisting the few things that remained “normal” such as school into the same category.
The pandemic has effectively magnified both the causes and effects that have resulted in the colourful palate of children and adolescents today.
Hadeeqa Aziz, Opinions Staff Writer
With schools and childcare programs coming to a halt or shifting online, children growing up in the pandemic are lacking sufficient social and cognitive stimulation which directly affects their habits and behaviour. Like many issues, this is also an intersectional one wherein children of different races, family incomes and neighbourhoods are affected differently.
This is true for both young children as well as teenagers in high school who are now finding themselves in difficult situations in university classes. For example, last week, an alleged fourth-year McMaster student shared their experience and concerns on the university’s unofficial subreddit, r/McMaster, after attending a first-year online course.
The fourth-year student claimed that the younger students were spamming the online chat feature with disrespectful comments aimed at both the professor and TA during the lesson. The Redditor claimed that the students were “disgusting” and that it’s time for them to take off the “pampers.”
Though it serves as no excuse for such behaviour, experiencing the latter two years of high school online may play a role in the inability to recognize and adapt to different social situations. The same concept can be extended to younger children who experiencing critical stages in life, including elementary school and pre-school in a pandemic.
Children of this new era also differ greatly in social conformity as it pertains to the virtual aspect. With the rise of TikTok in the last couple years (and even more through the pandemic), it has made it increasingly convenient for influencers to post unachievable standards of beauty, looks and lifestyles that are nothing but meticulously designed highlight reels of reality.
Nonetheless, it has effectively resulted in children gaining an increased urge to conform to these standards. Where many of today’s adults can recall dressing themselves in Disney-themed t-shirts as kids, they’re shocked to learn that their younger siblings are sporting the latest TikTok outfits, complete with Nike crewnecks and Air Jordan 1s.
Whether this conformity is rooted in self-esteem issues or something more positive in nature will differ from person to person.
Whether this conformity is rooted in self-esteem issues or something more positive in nature will differ from person to person.
Hadeeqa Aziz, Opinions Staff Writer
Some of the admirable things that have resulted from placing social media on a pedestal are the increased conversations surrounding social issues such as mental health, racial and gender discrimination and climate change.
Today’s youth have become more comfortable with speaking out and having difficult conversations about these issues that generations before them may have been rather hesitant to.
It seems that adults can’t make up their minds on whether they wish to applaud today’s youth or condemn them. The only certain thing is that their lives and the lives of future generations will continue to evolve much like the world will. There’s no stopping that.
It seems that adults can’t make up their minds on whether they wish to applaud today’s youth or condemn them.
Hadeeqa Aziz, Opinions Staff Writer
C/O Georgia Kirkos
McMaster experts share insights about the updated guidelines and their effects on the spread of Omicron
After relatively steady COVID-19 case counts throughout the fall, the highly contagious Omicron variant was identified in Ontario at the end of November. Since then, case counts have skyrocketed, surpassing 10,000 cases for the first time on Dec. 25.
In response to the increase in COVID-19 cases, the Ontario government has updated public health guidelines, putting in place more restrictions for Ontario residents. This includes stricter gathering limits, closure of events and businesses, shortened quarantine times for individuals tested positive and limits on who can access a PCR test.
The gathering limits in Ontario have been reduced to five people indoors or ten people outdoors. Weddings, funerals and religious services, when held indoors, are limited to 50 per cent capacity of the spaces they are held in. When held outdoors, they must allow for full social distancing between all attendees. Further, businesses and employers must ensure that their employees are working remotely, assuming that this is feasible.
In terms of business closures, indoor dining, theatres, gyms and other similar spaces are required to close completely. Other spaces such as retail settings and public libraries can remain open at 50 per cent capacity.
Zain Chagla, Associate Professor of Medicine at McMaster University, emphasized the importance of these closures for Ontario. According to Chagla, the highly contagious Omicron variant will likely infect a large portion of the population, regardless of public health measures; however, the public health guidelines should slow the spread of Omicron to prevent placing a strain on the healthcare system.
“The hope is [that] public health measures might delay or slow down some of that spread, so [that the Omicron variant spreads] over two to three months, as compared to one month, where hospitals [could] easily become overwhelmed,” said Chagla.
“The hope is [that] public health measures might delay or slow down some of that spread, so [that the Omicron variant spreads] over two to three months, as compared to one month, where hospitals [could] easily become overwhelmed.”
Zain Chagla, Associate Professor of Medicine at McMaster University
Chagla also noted that slowing the spread of Omicron should ensure that essential services still have enough people to operate them in the meantime.
“People, even if they are mild with COVID, still need to isolate and that has downstream impacts on the ability to staff hospitals, police, fire stations, grocery stores, etc. Again, spreading that out a little bit would at least allow some of those essential industries and essential care services to stay open,” explained Chagla.
In addition to stricter COVID-19 related restrictions, Ontario has also made changes to their rules surrounding testing and isolation.
Publicly funded PCR tests, previously available to anyone with symptoms of COVID-19, are now only accessible to symptomatic individuals deemed high-risk by the province. As well, most people who test positive for COVID-19 using a rapid antigen test will no longer be expected to confirm their test result with a PCR test; instead, the province has instructed those people to assume that they have COVID-19 and to isolate for the recommended period.
The recommended isolation period, which was previously ten days since the onset of COVID-19 symptoms, has been shortened to five days since the onset of COVID-19 symptoms, for vaccinated individuals and children under twelve. Ontario was not the only province to implement this change; British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick have announced shorter isolation periods as well.
Chief Medical Officers and Health Ministers of various provinces have given a range of reasons for the shortened isolation time, such as a far lower risk of transmission after five days, greater incentive to self-test when the quarantine time is shorter and prevention of unmanageable disruptions to the workforce.
In terms of what the changing restrictions will mean for students at McMaster, Chagla pointed out that McMaster’s decision to delay the full return to campus to Feb. 7 will allow students extra time to obtain their third vaccine doses.
“I really want to reassure people, especially young individuals attending Mac, that [if] you get your booster [and] get your two doses, yes, there's a good shot that you would still get COVID in the next few months, but the outcomes are going to be really, really benign,” said Chagla.
According to Lori Burrows, Professor of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at McMaster, obtaining a booster shot is one of the most effective ways to combat the Omicron wave.
According to Lori Burrows, Professor of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at McMaster, obtaining a booster shot is one of the most effective ways to combat the Omicron wave.
Burrows emphasized the importance of being careful in the meantime because, while Omicron is generally less severe for vaccinated individuals, it is still dangerous.
“The natural course of evolution for any virus or pathogen is to become less pathogenic over time because if you're a virus, your goal is to infect as many hosts as possible. If you kill your host, that's a bad strategy from an evolutionary standpoint. So, most pathogens become less pathogenic over time, but better at transmitting,” explained Burrows.
Burrows added that, while this seems to be the direction that Omicron is heading in, it isn’t there yet.
“It's still killing people, so we have got to keep that in mind and we still have to be careful,” said Burrows.
“It's still killing people, so we have got to keep that in mind and we still have to be careful.”
Lori Burrows, Professor of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at McMaster
Despite this, Burrows emphasized that some level of optimism is important because we have made significant progress in fighting COVID-19 over the last two years. As Burrows explained, we did not have vaccines, medications or any understanding of COVID-19 when the pandemic first began. Now, two years later, we are far better equipped to handle the pandemic.
“We are in a better place than we were two years ago,” said Burrows.
C/O Yoohyun Park
With several new rules and regulations, sports have looked much different for the athletes.
After more than a year without sports due to the pandemic, university athletes across Canada were beyond excited to hear that they would be returning to play in the 2021-2022 season. Lower-year students would finally get their first chance to represent their university and upper-year students would finally get to return. It was a very exciting time.
Although athletes were thrilled to get back, they were also left in some confusion, as there would be several new COVID-19 protocols in place, not just affecting playing conditions, but also their season as a whole.
Many teams would see shortened seasons, alternative formats and reduced playoffs. Other teams saw their divisions realigned to limit travel and would play their regional championships in facilities other than their own. It was a very strange time that left many athletes and teams attempting to figure out how “normal” their return would really be.
Alexander Cowman, a member of McMaster’s rowing team, was surprised to find his season to be fairly normal and very similar to what he had experienced prior to the shutdown.
“I don’t think there were any hurdles that came with COVID. It was more so just the regular screening and masks and then that was about it. It’s been fairly close to normal this year,” said Cowman.
When asked about the big differences he noticed, he quickly pointed to the lack of socialization at regattas from team to team and described it as the most abnormal aspect of the season.
“I think the biggest difference is the lack of socialization between the different teams. Everyone just stays with their team and doesn’t interact with the other teams as much [as they used to],” said Cowman.
Although sports are full of competition, it is also an opportunity for athletes to socialize, get to know their peers and competitors and learn from one another. This is something that athletes from many sports have noticed as the human element of the game has slowly disappeared.
When asked about how the year long break from sports affected the team, Cowman suggested that it may have actually been a positive, allowing the team to become more competitive and perform better under a new coaching change.
“This year’s been pretty good. We had a change of coaches that has made a big difference in the atmosphere around the team . . . I think the year with COVID also helped to build into this with the change that came through COVID and the change through our team,” explained Cowman.
With so many changes having come through the pandemic, Cowman was also asked about what he would like to see return back to normal in the new year, should circumstances allow it.
“I’d like to see our practices go back to normal. Last winter we were only able to train at home and alone, so I’d like to get back to practicing inside all together. I’m really excited to get back into there with the team weight sessions. I’m also looking forward to hosting some of our indoor regattas,” said Cowman.
With many indoor sports beginning to take place leading into the break, such as basketball, water polo, volleyball and more, it should be interesting to see how much leniency both U Sports and McMaster allow for and how “back to normal” the lives of athletes can truly get.
From the explanation of Cowman, sports have seemingly largely returned to normal. However, this largely applies to outdoor sports as these are the ones largely being allowed to proceed. Here’s hoping the same will be said as indoor sports begin to take charge.
C/O McMaster Sports
As the Cross Country season ends, there is a lot to be proud of and a lot to look forward to
Over the past couple of months, the cross country and track teams have been finding significant success through several points in their season. Previously, Alex Drover, a fourth-year cross country veteran, won the first Athlete of the Week award of the season in recognition of his exceptional performance at an Ontario University Athletics competition, where he placed first overall.
On Nov. 20, the cross country team took part in the nationwide U Sports Cross Country/Track Nationals. This year, the event took place in Quebec City, at the historic Plains of Abraham. The competition featured numerous turns and hills, which made the race very challenging for the schools involved.
Throughout the Cross Country Nationals, the best performer for the McMaster Marauders was Andrew Davies. Davies finished just short of fourth place in the men's eight kilometre race, with an impressive time of 24:38, which had him 10.5 seconds off the winner of the race, Mitchell Ubene, of the Guelph Gryphons.
Although Davies did miss out on the podium for the 8k race, he did not miss the chance to end up at the podium with the rest of the team, as the Marauders ended up third on the podium, earning themselves a bronze medal with a collective score of 79 points. The only schools to place above the Marauders were the hosts, Université Laval Rouge et Or and Guelph Gryphons, finishing first and second respectively.
Davies, the best runner among the Marauders at the nationals, and his teammate, Max Turek, were both awarded an All-Canadian Bid for their amazing performances in Quebec.
Although the overall results of the Marauders were impressive, Davies did express some level of disappointment with the final results.
“Although we did make the podium, I can’t say that I was particularly happy with our performance as a whole. I personally think that we could have won the whole nationals. We definitely have the potential to do so, but it just wasn't our day,” said Davies.
When asked about his achievement of earning an All-Canadian bid, Davies suggested that he expected to win it based on his strong performance in the race.
“I sort of knew that I was going to get it because I was near the top in the first team. My personal performance was good that day so I saw it coming. Obviously, I am honored to get something like this and it does mean a lot to me,” said Davies.
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the runner and his ability to train were mixed. The lockdowns had both physical and mental impacts and changed the way he trained and performed later on.
“To be honest, COVID-19 did not have a massive training effect on me. I was still able to train alone, since we are runners and we don't need partners to do so. If anything, it did sort of help me physically stay in shape because there was no pressure of any race coming up, so I had more time to prepare for whatever was coming next,” explained Davies.
However, Davies did state that the pandemic did have a toll on his mental wellbeing and created a lot of difficulty for his training and mental preparation.
“It was a very rough period for all of us because there was consistent cancellation of events every now and then and it was tough for us to keep up. I personally did not know when to expect any competitions to come back and it was all on one big loop for a year and a half. Especially in the winter, there was literally nothing going on and it had a huge toll on me,”
Andrew Davies
When asked about the future, Davies explained he is certain that there is much more potential within the team and that they could return even stronger next year.
“I think that we can do even better next season. Although some of our runners won't be eligible, many of our best athletes will be staying for another year. There are also some younger runners who have a lot of potential. So, I see us excelling over the next couple of years for sure,” said Davies.
Although the nationals are over for this year, there will be plenty of opportunities for the track and cross country athletes to show their worth next year, when the new season will bring plenty of excitement for all involved.
