Reading Time: 2 minutes…the world! Saint Nick traditions from other countries SANTA CLAUS PLAYS a big role in every child’s Christmas, but how much do you know about the jolly old man from the North Pole? Santa Claus is based on St. Nicholas of Myra, a fourth-century bishop known for giving gifts to the poor. Over centuries, the …
Features
Reading Time: 2 minutesYour soundtrack for the season THERE’S FINALLY SNOW on the ground, exams are starting to wind down, and Starbucks’ eggnog latte has returned at last. This can mean only one thing: The holidays are upon us. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or prefer to curl up with a steamy mug of spite and watch …
Reading Time: 9 minutesThe phenomenon faced by students across the country So you’re in university, working toward a degree… Then what? Do considerations like paying back student loans, settling into a career, or moving in with a partner sometimes feel like too much to handle? You’re not alone. More university students than ever before are struggling with fears …
Reading Time: 6 minutesStaying safe in a digitized world IN OUR GADGET-OBSESSED society, the daily use of technology has become second nature. Seeing people listening to music, texting, or updating their Facebook status while walking down the street is commonplace. The benefits of living in a technologically advanced world are abundant, but there are also dangers associated with everyone’s favourite electronic favourite electronic toys and …
Reading Time: 7 minutes The five-finger discount THERE’S NO SET profile for an amateur shoplifter, the name given to those who steal items for their own personal use. Mid- dle-aged career men, famous actors (Winona Ryder, anyone?), and university students have all been caught red-handed. A 2007 study by the Retail Council of Canada claimed $3.6 billion worth …
Reading Time: 7 minutesLiving with your partner while in university IN THE NOT so distant past, living together outside of wedlock could damage a person’s reputation beyond repair. As time marches on and that stigma fades, more and more university-aged couples are choosing to move in together. The Fulcrum asked professors and students—those who are happily cohabiting and those who ended their relationship after signing a lease together—to weigh in on the common-law lifestyle. Thinking about moving in together Why do so many students choose to forgo living by themselves or with friends in favour of renting a home with their partners? Diane Pacom, a sociology professor at the U of O, thinks the growing divorce rate in Canada may play a part in a student’s decision to live with his …
Reading Time: 6 minutesStudents share their coming-out stories Complied by Edward Roué WE LIVE IN a country where same-sex marriage has been legal since 2004. In light of the recent victories for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in New York and within the U.S. military, some may assume that homophobia is waning throughout North …
Reading Time: 3 minutesIt is possible to have a kick-ass one-day vacation YOU’RE BROKE, YOU’RE swamped with midterms, or your boss won’t give you time off. Whatever the reason, you’re stuck in Ottawa this reading week while your friends traipse around the world and, needless to say, you’re pissed. You could sit alone in your room, blogging angrily …
Reading Time: 2 minutesPitching a tent in the middle of October WITH FALL READING week just around the corner, many students are ready for a change of scenery without breaking the bank. Instead of eradicating your savings account, why not consider going camping? Fall camping is a great opportunity to get away from your dorm room or apartment …
Reading Time: 8 minutesEVERY YEAR, HUNDREDS of Canadian students migrate south like geese, flocking to tropical destinations to spend their reading weeks sipping margaritas on sandy beaches. Sure, heading south is great… But did you know you can meet Anne of Green Gables in Prince Edward Island or that you can see wild polar bears in northern Manitoba? …
Reading Time: 3 minutesBreezing through security and fighting boredom THE FACT OF the matter is, while planning a trip, most people prefer to focus on the destination and choose to put the actual travel time out of their minds. Many travellers dread airports and view any flight longer than an hour as a scheme on behalf of the …
Reading Time: 6 minutesExperts suggest steps students can take now to avoid a decade-long repayment process WATERLOO (CUP)—ANYTHING WRITTEN ON financial planning and debt among university students is likely to be riddled with sound bites that seem to be common sense, as though students intelligent enough to enter a post-secondary institution should be able to budget and manage …
Reading Time: < 1 minute1. Terrible spelling and grammar Nobody is expecting to find a perfectly punctuated, Pulitzer Prize-winning essay on your profile, but at least make an effort to be coherent. 2. The “trying too hard” pictures The pouted lips, awkwardly angled body shots, pounds of makeup, and greased up pecs and abs? Yeah, they need to go. …
Reading Time: 8 minutesThe ins and outs of online dating ACCORDING TO THE standards set by romantic comedies, we’re all supposed to experience love at first sight standing in the produce aisle of the grocery store or checking out a book in the library. But let’s face it: We’re not going to meet anyone with headphones in our …
Reading Time: 3 minutesRick Mercer continues to encourage the youth vote RICK MERCER, A Canadian comedian, producer, and an avid advocate of the youth vote is at it again. In an interview with the Fulcrum, Mercer gave his thoughts on student voting, the upcoming election, and the issues at hand. “It’s a consistent message that I’ve always been shouting into the wind: That everyone …
Reading Time: 7 minutesStudents share their biggest regrets “NEVER REGRET ANYTHING because at one time it was exactly what you wanted.” Sorry, inspirational quote enthusiasts, but it’s time to call bullshit on your “no regrets” posters, Facebook photo captions, and tattoos. Experience may be our best teacher, but refusing to acknowledge we’ve all screwed up in the past isn’t …
Reading Time: 8 minutesMANY OF US admit to doing it at least once and most of us believe we will never be caught or properly disciplined. It is a crime that is supposed to be taken seriously but is sometimes swept under the rug; it’s an offence that tarnishes reputations and lands students in a world of trouble. …
Reading Time: 6 minutesAdvice to help you stay on track this semester Ah, September. The leaves begin to fall, the air cools, and the smell of fresh textbooks lingers in the air. Although we’re all busy constructing new IKEA furniture and scrambling to attend as many back-to-school keggers as possible, most of us university students manage to find …
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe Fulcrum gives you the down-low on the d-town Starting university can be an overwhelming experience. There are classes to register for, textbooks to buy, IKEA furniture to put together, tuition to pay, and if you’re from out of town, there’s a city to uncover. But never fear, froshies—the Fulcrum is here and we’ve compiled …
Reading Time: 4 minutesA Gee-Gee’s bucket list that’s guaranteed to get you props Whether you’re just entering university or starting your sixth year, there are certain university challenges you must complete. The Fulcrum compiled a list of 30 things you should do before entering the real world. 1. Participate in 101 Week. Whether you’re new to the university …
Reading Time: 2 minutesDi Daniels’ message to the newcomers WELCOME, FROSHERS, TO the University of Ottawa. Your university experience here will be the best of times, the worst of times, and—it is my sincerest hope—it will also be the sexiest of times. Most students come to school prepared to fill their heads with equations, quotations, and solutions. I’m …
Reading Time: 2 minutesMake staying at home sweeter FOR MOST FIRST-years, starting university means moving to a new city and living away from home for the first time. But not all students move away for their post-secondary studies; some decide to go to university while living at home. Though there are tons of advantages to staying home, most …
Reading Time: 2 minutesDiscovering Ottawa through the U-Pass Another year, another U-Pass. Though returning students already know what to expect—that mandatory $290 bus pass tacked on to all full-time student fees. But all you first years have yet to decide whether you love it or hate it. Some of you will wonder, “What do I do with this U-Pass? I live on or near campus. I’m central to it all!” Well, the Fulcrum has come to save the day—as usual—by compiling this year’s top five places to use your U-Pass. IKEA Need I say more? Maybe bringing a new Trondheim dresser home on the bus isn’t the best idea you’ll have over the next four years, but I guarantee it won’t be the worst. Something to write home about! Scotiabank Place, a.k.a The Bank Hockey lovers—rejoice. And all music lovers too. Oh, you’re …
Reading Time: 2 minutesTaking a look at who has the best 101 Week events YEAR AFTER YEAR, the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) dominates the 101 Week calendar. As the official organizers of frosh week fun on campus, the SFUO has by far the most well-known—and well-attended—101 Week events. But despite the popularity of the …
Reading Time: 3 minutesMaking memories you’ll never remember Finally, after a long week filled with assignments, early morning classes, and readings, the weekends has arrived. Although it couldn’t have come a moment sooner you’re still slightly unsure what to do with your weekend in a new city. If you’re interested in what’s hot in Ottawa on the weekend, …
