The Student Wellness Center is more than just a safety net, it's a proactive tool for building resilience and fostering a supportive community
With the increasing emphasis and research on mental health in recent years, the Student Wellness Centre has expanded its role to offer a variety of wellness programs. these programs work to support students at every stage of their wellness journey.
However, many mistakenly view these resources as a “last resort” for severe cases, overlooking the SWC’s primary role as a preventative and ongoing support system.
Balancing overall health can be extremely challenging while actively growing as a student.
Mental health is often neglected at the expense of deadlines and desires like staying up late to scroll on social media. With this neglect comes the misunderstanding that our mental well-being does not need to be consistently worked on.
Similar to how we try to stay physically fit through consistent efforts like working out, students need minimal effort ways to keep their mental needs met. The SWC is an underrated resource of the McMaster Student Union that is there to be part of your university journey.
Misconceptions and stigma around preventative care hinder the SWC’s aim to provide consistent and accessible support for students to thrive. Beyond counselling services, the SWC incorporates diverse therapeutic approaches like psychoeducation to help students manage emotions and stress effectively.
This approach shifts wellness from being something we think about only when we are particularly stressed to a long-term strategy. This can help students build resilience and maintain a balanced life alongside their university coursework.
Such preventative strategies engage students in actively identifying key stressors within their lives and building coping skills to adapt. This can prevent the buildup of challenges that might otherwise lead to burnout or severe stress.
This approach shifts wellness from being a one-time solution to a long-term strategy, helping students build resilience and maintain a balanced life alongside their university coursework.
The SWC’s reach goes beyond traditional mental health therapies, it includes sessions where students discover tools for self-expression and foster a sense of community. This supportive network is designed to empower students in their personal growth and well-being, emphasizing that help is there for everyone, no matter where they are on their journey.
This supportive network is designed to empower students in their personal growth and well-being, emphasizing that help is there for everyone, no matter where they are on their journey.
During the challenging transitions of university life, where students might be far from family and familiar support systems, the SWC is a place that students can turn to. It provides various community platforms for different backgrounds like women of colour and 2SLQBTQ2IA+ folks and works to foster an affirmative space to explore various aspects of your identity.
By engaging with the SWC early, students can build lasting habits that help them balance personal wellness with academic demands. Ultimately, the SWC is there for every student, nurturing a supportive environment where students can learn to thrive both academically and personally.
Making plant-based foods on campus affordable for everyone can empower both students and the university as a whole to reduce our environmental impact
As plant-based diets gain popularity worldwide, many people are embracing these choices for their health benefits and positive environmental impact. Yet, for many students, adopting a plant-based lifestyle feels out of reach due to the perceived high cost of vegan and plant-based foods.
With more students than ever concerned about climate change, it seems counterproductive to make these sustainable choices financially inaccessible to students. By making plant-based meals more affordable, McMaster University and other institutions could help students take small, impactful steps to reduce their environmental footprint.
Reducing animal-based foods helps cut greenhouse gas emissions significantly. According to Oxford University, shifting globally to plant-based diets could reduce food-related emissions by up to 70 per cent.
Yet, the costs of vegan meals are high on campus and elsewhere, often exceeding the prices of conventional meat-based meals. This high price tag is due in part to high marketing costs and limited availability, keeping plant-based foods in a price category that’s out of reach for many students.
One reason for high prices is the limited access to affordable plant-based ingredients. Industry analysts explain that smaller demand and fewer large-scale suppliers lead to higher costs at checkout.
Additionally, many retailers add high markups to vegan options. Market data shows that plant-based meat can be up to 38 per cent more expensive than traditional meat. This means students are often priced out of sustainable choices, even though they may wish to support more ethical and eco-friendly options.
If McMaster’s food services prioritized affordable plant-based options, the university could make a powerful impact.
Case studies from other universities and studies show that small changes, such as reducing markups or offering vegan specials, have made plant-based eating accessible to all students. Lowering these prices could enable students to make healthier and more sustainable food choices while staying within budget.
When vegan food options are cheaper, students are more likely to include them in their diets. Making these foods financially accessible encourages more people to choose them, which can contribute to reducing the university's overall environmental impact
As McMaster students push for more sustainable dining options, the university has a unique opportunity to empower students to reduce their own environmental impact through their diet. Lowering the price of plant-based foods could make a lasting impact on both the student body and the environment.
McMaster hosted the first wrestling open of the season, where the Marauders performed outstandingly
The Marauders women’s and men’s wrestling teams dominated their first open on Sunday, Nov. 3. The competition featured 40 teams across Canada, with the Marauders collectively finishing in first place.
The women’s team took home three gold medals while the men secured two bronzes and a silver. Fourth-year engineering student and member of the team, Luken Lawson, praised the team, especially the younger competitors.
“[There] were a lot of new guys on the team, but a lot of our rookies did pretty well. I was impressed with everyone," said Lawson
[There] were a lot of new guys on the team, but a lot of our rookies did pretty well. I was impressed with everyone.
Luken Lawson, fourth-year wrestler
McMaster Wrestling team
On the men’s side, Sarpartap Lally took home the silver while both Lawson and team member Irman Kang won bronze. Lawson’s performance stood out, competing in eight matches throughout the day and winning seven of them, resulting in him being named a Marauder athlete of the week.
“I knew it was going to be a long day . . . but I was pretty impressed with my performance. My coaches were pretty impressed [as well] with how I was moving and I felt really fast,” said Lawson.
Lawson, who is in his fourth year of competition, acknowledged there were still things he wanted to work on. But, he was glad he could go out there and both have fun and take home a medal. After a long day of competition, the exhaustion did not hit him until the next day.
“I was running off of a lot of adrenaline during the day and I was looking forward to the next match. I wasn’t really feeling [tired] until the next morning where I spent a couple extra minutes in bed,” said Lawson.
There will be five more opens ahead of the OUA championships, which will be on Feb. 8. To qualify for the championships, a team must compete in at least two opens, which the Marauders have already done.
According to Lawson, while the team’s performance in these opens does not matter in terms of making it to the OUA championship, it does helps with seeding. If team members place high in the opens, they will not have to face some of the tougher wrestlers early during the OUA tournament.
With their most recent performance, they have a lot to look forward to. The Marauders earned 73 points to place atop the standings. The women won 54 of those points, finishing in first place, while the men contributed 19, finishing in fourth.
Lawson pointed out the increased focus of this year's team and praised the culture of comradery they’ve developed thus far. “Our team is really close this year, especially with the mentality we all share. I found that we are very focused; there’s not much chit-chatter in practice, but after practice we like to joke around,” said Lawson.
Our team is really close this year, especially with the mentality we all share. I found that we are very focused; there’s not much chit-chatter in practice, but after practice we like to joke around.
Luken Lawson, fourth-year wrestler
McMaster Wrestling team
Next, the Marauders will be travelling to Toronto on Saturday, Nov. 16 to participate in York University’s wrestling open.
OPIRG hosts movie screening for McMaster alum's documentary about the history of student activism at McMaster
On Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, the film Peace Love (Unicorns) & Communism had its on-campus premiere. McMaster’s Ontario Public Interest Research Group Outreach branch, formerly known as the McMaster Social Issues Network, hosted a free screening of the film for students in the Burke Science Building.
McMaster alum Adeola Egbeyemi wrote, produced and directed Peace Love (Unicorns) & Communism. Egbeyemi is a 2022 McMaster graduate and one of the founders of Climate Justice McMaster, formerly known as MacDivest.
The film explores the activism and struggles that marked her time at McMaster, but also that of past generations. Egbeyemi is particularly passionate about climate activism. "When I learned Mac was investing in fossil fuels . . . myself and a couple of housemates started [what is] now known as Climate Justice McMaster but formerly MacDivest and that was the start of a long journey of organizing stuff and not winning it,'" said Egbeyemi.
Jiya Rawal and Nimra Atiq, the co-presidents of OPIRG Outreach, discussed OPIRG’s involvement in both the production and screening of the film on campus. “OPIRG Outreach really wants to help social injustices within our community and help to bring awareness about that, especially about student-led change,” said Atiq.
“A good portion of the documentary is funded through OPIRG McMaster. We also gave her other support,” said Rawal.
Egbeyemi discussed the documentary's reflection of the broader university student experience. “I feel like it’s a documentary that tries to not only talk about university issues, but it also feels like you’re in university where so much info is hitting you at so many corners. Where you’re kind of overwhelmed but you’re like, "Okay, this is what it’s like,"” said Egbeyemi.
I feel like it’s a documentary that tries to not only talk about university issues, but it also feels like you’re in university where so much info is hitting you at so many corners. Where you’re kind of overwhelmed but you’re like, “okay, this is what it’s like."
Adeola Egbeyemi, McMaster graduate
producer, writer and director of Peace Love (Unicorns) & Communism
The documentary features powerful testimonies from students and activists who over the past 20 years worked hard to create a safer, more inclusive environment on campus. “It was cool to be able to now, looking back, document what — at the time when I was in middle school — people at Mac were doing to make the campus safer for people like me eventually when I would get there,” expressed Egbeyemi. “I think one really important thing they tried to make better is just making campus safe for women.”
It was cool to be able to now, looking back, document what — at the time when I was in middle school —people at Mac were doing to make the campus safer for people like me eventually when I would get there.
Adeola Egbeyemi,
producer, writer and director Peace Love (Unicorns) & Communism
As the writer, producer and director of the film, Egbeyemi had to juggle many different roles, each demanding a different set of skills. She credits her experience working on student musicals at McMaster with helping her learn how to manage a large, complex project.
"One aspect that I really feel like I gained was the spaces that are still there that foster skills in the arts . . . and one of those being McMaster’s faculty musicals in which I was able to learn what it means to be responsible for so many moving pieces in a musical and then to transfer those skills outside of Mac to a film," said Egbeyemi.
For Egbeyemi, the film represents more than just a personal project. It’s an expression of the collective student effort that has shaped McMaster over the years. She reflected on the powerful role that activism has played in transforming the campus. “They are the documentary. It’s almost hard to say this is my documentary because so many people contributed to it,” expressed Egbeyemi.
While Peace Love (Unicorns) & Communism showcases only McMaster’s campus, its themes can resonate and extend to student activism globally. The film touches on universal themes of social justice, environmental activism and the ongoing struggle for equity and inclusion. If you missed this documentary screening, keep an eye out for future upcoming screenings on the film's Instagram page.
By expanding and improving provincial transit, Ontario could help students access affordable housing beyond campus limits and commute from home more easily
As Ontario’s housing crisis worsens, McMaster students are feeling the effects of skyrocketing rents and a lack of on-campus housing. Though it won't solve the housing crisis, reliable and fast public transit could mitigate the increasing demand for student housing by making commuting more feasible.
Transportation isn’t always considered when discussing solutions to the housing crisis, but it could play plays a crucial role for students. The ability to live in more affordable areas away from campus or with their parents depends on easy access to public both fast and reliable transit.
By improving and expanding services like GO Transit along with municipal transit such as the Hamilton Street Railway, Ontario could open up more affordable housing opportunities for students without forcing them to sacrifice convenience or accessibility. With better transit making longer commutes more feasible, students wouldn’t be as limited to a shrinking pool of expensive rentals near campus.
Currently, many McMaster students face a tough choice: either struggle with high rents on or near campus or commute long distances to find affordable housing. With transit that pails in comparison to that of many other countries in terms of both reliability and travel time, students either have to bite the bullet of paying high rent or make long and tiring commutes every day.
The lack of affordable housing close to McMaster is part of a larger trend. A report from the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations found that nearly half of all Canadian students struggle to find affordable housing. For McMaster students, this statistic is all too real.
Other cities have already begun to recognize the link between transportation and empowering housing. According to the University of British Columbia Alma Mater Society, in 2023, 33% of UBC students had commutes exceeding one hour.
The SkyTrain extension project to the University of British Columbia, currently under construction, aims to make getting to the university from far out in the city easier and faster. By linking the university directly to Vancouver’s rapid transit network, the extension could make more distant commutes easier and more feasible, increasing the options of where students can live and making commuting less difficult.
The benefits of expanding public transit go beyond just providing students with more affordable living options. Investing in transit infrastructure strengthens communities, fosters economic growth, and reduces traffic congestion.
For Hamilton, a more connected transit system would improve the quality of life for all residents, not just students. As Ontario plans for the future of its transit networks, the needs of students must be a part of the conversation.
Of course improving transit will not itself solve the housing crisis. At the end of the day, solving the housing crisis requires building more affordable housing. But as construction takes time, making commuting a more feasible and easy option for a great number of students now could reduce the student demand on the local housing market in the short term.
This Anishinaabe ceremony calls for perseverance in connecting with the water, giving hope for healing the polluted water of Hamilton Harbour
The Hamilton Water Walk is a four-year Anishinaabe ceremony that inspires participants to connect with a body of water, in this case the Hamilton Harbour and Cootes Paradise. Once a year during the cycle, a multi-day walk around the body of water begins at daybreak and concludes when the whole of the body of water have been encircled.
This year, the Hamilton Water Walk completed its second cycle on Oct. 12 and Oct. 13. Throughout the two days, a sacred fire was kept ablaze at Princess Point while participants walked around the perimeter of the harbour. To commemorate the end of the ceremony, a feast was held at Princess Point.
The water walk ceremony was developed by Josephine Mandamin in 2003 for the Great Lakes. Mandamin, an Anishinaabe elder, was a water activist famous for walking around the entirety of the Great Lakes starting from the Wikwemikong First Nation in Ontario.
Danielle Boissoneau, who has had the teachings of Mandamin passed to her, is a McMaster alumna and an organizer of the Hamilton Water Walk. She cites the connection that Indigenous women have with the water as a motivation for the ceremony. "Indigenous women, particularly, have a very close relationship with the land and the water in terms of observation and relationships and experiences," said Boissoneau.
Indigenous women, particularly, have a very close relationship with the land and the water in terms of observation and relationships and experiences.
Danielle Boissoneau, organizer
Hamilton Water Walk
The first cycle of the annual water walk around Hamilton Harbour began in 2017. Boissoneau explained how the walk came to be in Hamilton with her fellow activist Kristen Villebrun. "Kristen was able to determine that something was wrong with the water in the harbor because of the amount of human waste that she was seeing on the shorelines," said Boissoneau.
Boissoneau shared that she and Villebrun wanted a way to draw attention to this issue that would disrupt people's everyday lives. "Historically that would have been through protests, rallies or marches and at that point in time Grandma Josephine Mandamin started to do water walks, she inspired me so greatly because she was so peaceful, so determined, but she was still making such a huge presence," said Boissoneau.
The second cycle was initiated in response to information about the water quality of Hamilton Harbour that was reported by a 2019 article by The Hamilton Spectator. The piece exposed a four-year cover up of 24 billion litres of human waste being leaked into Chedoke Creek and Cootes Paradise over that period of time. This news incited Boissoneau and the other organizers to begin the second water walk, this time around Cootes Paradise in addition to the Hamilton Harbour.
Boissoneau outlined her frustration with the increased development around the harbour and its effect on the ceremony. "There's not much to see and be grateful for because of the amount of destruction and the industry. Around Burlington side, you just see country clubs and golf courses. Both of these things stand in the way of us getting close to the water, and our ability to maintain our focus, a huge part of our ceremony," said Boissoneau.
There's not much to see and be grateful for because of the amount of destruction and the industry. Around Burlington side, you just see country clubs and golf courses. Both of these things stand in the way of us getting close to the water, and our ability to maintain our focus, a huge part of our ceremony.
Danielle Boissoneau, organizer
Hamilton Water Walk
Boissoneau added that the water walks and their work are not complete. "The situation in the harbour is not getting better, there's still sewage being leaked, especially when it rains a lot. I don't believe that the wastewater system that Hamilton has is equipped to deal with the population or the industry that it currently has," said Boissoneau.
Boissoneau encourages anyone to make a connection with the water and give offerings through one's presence. "It doesn't need to be this gigantic ceremony for you to go down and make a relationship with the water and make your own offerings for the water. Just let the water know that you're there," said Boissoneau.
It doesn't need to be this gigantic ceremony for you to go down and make a relationship with the water and make your own offerings for the water. Just let the water know that you're there.
Danielle Boissoneau, organizer
Hamilton Water Walk
The importance of making a personal, individual connection with the water was emphasized by Boissoneau. She emphasized that the work is not finished and that a third cycle of water walks is likely.
New policy aims to prioritize local students and address physician shortages by reserving medical school admissions for Canadian applicants
The Ontario government has announced that, beginning in 2026, international students will no longer be eligible to enroll in Ontario's medical schools. Premier Doug Ford stated that this measure aims to prioritize Ontario residents in medical school admissions to help address the province's ongoing physician shortage, especially in underserved regions.
Ontario has faced a persistent shortage of physicians, particularly in rural and remote communities, where healthcare access remains a significant issue. Sylvia Jones, Ontario's health minister, remarked that the policy aims to ensure that medical education slots are allocated to Ontario residents more likely to stay in the province and work within the province's healthcare system.
International students currently represent less than one per cent of admissions in Ontario medical schools in the 2023-2024 school year, with the remainder being Canadian residents. The policy shift intends to reallocate these seats exclusively to Canadian students to address the province's healthcare needs. The province will reserve 95 per cent of seats for Ontario residents, with out-of-province admissions accounting for the remaining five per cent.
The province will reserve 95 per cent of seats for Ontario residents, with out-of-province admissions accounting for the remaining five per cent.
With this ban, many international pre-med students will need to seek alternatives. Riya Patel, an international undergraduate student at McMaster, spoke to the Silhouette about how this will effect international students with aspirations of applying to medical school in Canada. "I know so many people who are crushed by this because what are [they] supposed to do now? They went into these good schools [for] pre-med and now, what are their chances, what are their future paths?," said Patel.
I know so many people who are crushed by this because what are [they] supposed to do now?
Riya Patel, international undergraduate student
Alongside the new ban, the Ontario government is introducing a series of programs to encourage Ontario-trained physicians to work in Ontario as family doctors. The government will cover the cost of 1,000 of these students' tuition for those who agree to stay and practice family medicine in Ontario, costing the government $88 million. This subsidy is expected to be put in place starting in 2026 along with the ban on international students.
Imposter syndrome is often viewed as a personal struggle, but for BIPOC students it’s deeply intertwined with societal expectations and barriers that influence their academic journey
Imposter syndrome is not a new phenomenon for many. It’s a sentiment that follows you through your academic journey. While imposter syndrome is often dismissed as self-doubt, for BIPOC students, it’s a complex issue shaped by societal barriers and stereotypes that have a life-long impact on their mental health.
For BIPOC students, imposter syndrome is often tied to anxiety over race and ethnicity and how these may affect you as a student. It is the hyper-awareness towards how you present yourself, interact with others and try to balance the burdensome feeling of knowing you are different that makes imposter syndrome uniquely challenging for BIPOC students.
From an early age, many BIPOC individuals feel a pressure to minimize their racial identities to make others feel more comfortable. This can begin with distressing experiences, such as comments being made about one's accent or about different cultural foods they may bring for lunch. For BIPOC students, these experiences lead to a hyper-awareness of how one is perceived and feeling a need to adapt and try to fit in as a means of self-protection against ignorance and intolerance.
From an early age, many BIPOC students become aware of the pressure to minimize their racial identities to make others feel more comfortable.
This feeling is further exacerbated in highly competitive environments like universities, where the feeling of the need to adapt is exacerbated by the pressure to perform. In this context, it’s the feeling that you have to work harder than your non-BIPOC peers to be seen as equally valuable. It’s the feeling of the need to defy the implicit bias of others that groups you with harmful stereotypes.
Constantly being hyper-aware of and adapting your behaviour produces a chronic sense of worry. This seriously impacts the mental health and self-confidence of many BIPOC students. The mental burden causes a heightened sense of imposter syndrome by reinforcing the narrative of race undermining your value. Additionally, the stigma surrounding mental health in many BIPOC communities often leads students to tough it out and endure the struggles that come with their identities.
The stigma surrounding mental health in many BIPOC communities often leads students to tough it out and endure the struggles that come with their identities.
As a BIPOC student, challenging these norms can be even more mentally taxing and isolating. So, surround yourself with friends, mentors and educators who validate your experiences and who help you feel seen, supported, and empowered to stay true to yourself. Such communities gives BIPOC students the courage to integrate racial and ethnic perspectives within academics, helping them to forge their own way. There is no need to justify taking space, or to wait for others to build their tolerance and make a space for you.
Imposter syndrome for BIPOC students is not just a personal battle but a reflection of deep-rooted societal pressures and persisting racial biases. The experiences of many BIPOC students surpass typical self-doubt and become a mental and emotional burden which ultimately impacts their societal views and academic experiences.
Despite the many spots available for a quick bite, the vegetarian and vegan food options at McMaster are very limited and leave many of us hunting for greens
By: Maya Elfizy, Opinion Contributor
It is safe to say that, at one point or another, most of us have found ourselves famished on campus and not really sure what to eat. The food options vary from a $5.00 pizza slice from Pizza Pizza to a $20.00 bowl from The Chopped Leaf. This does not offer much variety for those trying to eat healthy while on a student budget.
Not to mention the difficulty in finding plant based vegetarian and especially vegan options. Many students cannot eat animal products for religious or ethical reasons. The few vegan and vegetarian options on campus tend to cost more and few of the vegan options have a decent amount of protein.
A reoccurring frustration in the realm of campus food is the price. McMaster claims to care about student mental health, but makes it so hard to access healthy and affordable food as prices have increased since last year. This is especially significant considering research showing the relationship between a healthy diet and mental health.
A study done at the University of Middlesex discovered that what we eat now is strongly linked to our health later in life. Researchers at the University of British Columbia also found that poor eating habits specifically in post-secondary students are linked to poorer health throughout their lives. For these reasons, the university should ensure that healthy and religiously considerate food options are accessible.
An obvious solution would be to bring food from home. But this argument does not consider students with busy schedules, a lack of culinary skills and a lack of cooking equipment. Not to mention, the increasing grocery prices that force many students to opt for the cheaper fast food or instant noodles.
It is only fair to assume that a university for which we pay thousands in tuition could put more effort into ensuring students can access affordable, healthy and vegan options.
Fortunately, in the meantime, there is an MSU affiliated organization, called the Food Collective Centre, which is a food security resource. Students can access an on-campus food bank and cooking workshops, to provide them with the skills and ingredients to make healthy meals themselves. This is a great way to solve some of the limitations to bringing your own food on campus.
However, the general student body might not access this resource due to stigma surrounding food assistance. So, the responsibility falls back to McMaster University to ensure that students can eat healthy while also observing their religious and/or ethical convictions. The food options on campus should both be affordable, inclusive and equitable for both students who do and do not eat meat and dairy products.
Residents urged to mask and get vaccinated amid rising risk of COVID-19, flu and other respiratory viruses
With the onset of colder months, Hamilton Public Health Services is advising residents to take steps to protect themselves and their families from common respiratory illnesses, including influenza, COVID-19 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus.
According to a news release from Hamilton Public Health Services, increased indoor gatherings in the fall and winter raise the risk of these illnesses spreading. To address this, the city is urging residents to adopt a multi-layered approach to prevention, which includes vaccination and masking.
In a public statement, Hamilton’s medical officer of health, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, emphasized the importance of protecting the community through preventative actions. “We encourage everyone, especially those in high-risk groups, to get both influenza and COVID-19 vaccines,” said Richardson
Public health officials advise all residents aged six months and older to get both the COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same time to maximize protection. Additionally, they recommend regular handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, staying home when unwell and frequent hand sanitizing.
COVID-19 and flu vaccines are now available at participating pharmacies and Hamilton Health Services vaccine clinics.
The McMaster Student Wellness Centre is offering flu shots by appointment for students on Nov. 4, 11 and 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students must book in advance and bring their student ID and a valid UHIP card.
For more information on nearby pharmacy vaccine locations, visit the Government of Ontario’s website.
