Brandon University Announces Return of Jazz Celebrations!

Brandon University Announces Return of Jazz Celebrations!

BU News

The return of Brandon’s biggest jazz celebration is less than a month away.

The Brandon University (BU) Jazz Festival will take place from March 16 to 18, 2023 at the BU School of Music and the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium (WMCA), with tickets to the showcase concerts now available at WMCA.ca/Bjazz2023.

The event marks the first jazz festival in the city since 2019 and the first to be hosted by the BU School of Music. It succeeds the Brandon Jazz Festival, which has been a highlight for aspiring musicians across Manitoba and beyond since 1983.

“Our faculty have put a tremendous amount of work into preparing for this event. Music educators who brought their students to BU year after year tell us how much they’ve missed the jazz festival, and we’ve missed their presence on our stages and in our rehearsal rooms,” said Greg Gatien, Dean of Music at BU. “The jazz festival is a great opportunity for our BU students to share the stage with professional performers and to share their love of jazz with a new generation of musicians.”

The Brandon Jazz Festival was a non-competitive event, first held in 1983, bringing together thousands of participants from across Manitoba as well as other provinces and the United States. They would perform and receive instruction and adjudication from educators and professional musicians from across Canada and the United States, as well as take in concerts featuring visiting musicians and students from BU’s School of Music.

“I grew up with the Brandon Jazz Festival, first as a school-age student, and later as a university student,” said Anna Penno, who is a member of the organizing community and will serve as an adjudicator at this year’s festival.

“The festival has always been one of my favourite events of the year and played a huge role in inspiring my love for music. I’m so happy to have it back and to be a part of it as we welcome students, new and old, back to BU.”

The rekindled festival will follow a similar format to the previous event, highlighted by evening concerts featuring the Brandon University Big Band, under the direction of Diogo Peixoto and Gatien, performing alongside internationally acclaimed guest artists at the WMCA. This year’s star-studded concerts will feature Grammy-nominated vocalist Sara Gazarek and Canadian jazz luminaries Karly Epp (voice) Erin Propp (voice), Luis Deniz (saxophone), Rachel Therrien (trumpet), Kelsley Grant (trombone), and Claire Devlin (saxophone).  The concerts will take place on Thursday, March 16 and Friday, March 17, with shows at 6:30 and 9:00 each evening.

“The Brandon Jazz Festival occupied a special place in the School of Music calendar for nearly 40 years, and we’re excited to be bringing it back,” said Gatien. “Hosting the festival is a boon to Brandon businesses, a chance to welcome the public for spectacular performances, and a great way to introduce students to Brandon University and our Music programs. We’re going to show everyone a great time next month.”

Gender and Women’s Studies Department Throwing Valentine’s Day Social

Gender and Women’s Studies Department Throwing Valentine’s Day Social 

By: Mallory Johnson

The Gender and Women’s Studies (GWS) department is throwing a Valentine’s Day Social! The party is being hosted on Friday, February 17th, 2023, from 9:00pm until 2:00am at Houston’s bar at 3130 Victoria Avenue. The fun includes three local drag performances, including Mercy Hex, Luna Hex, and the debut of Saturn Lynch! It is an 18+ event. Tickets cost $10, and can be purchased by direct messaging @gwsstudentsbu, @mallory10100, @therealcaitlinbaker, @luna_hex_, or @saturn.s.lynch on Instagram. This social is a great way to kick off reading week and unwind!

The GWS Department is also hosting bi-weekly study nights in the BUSU Student Lounge (by the mingling area across from the campus bookstore). This is a wonderful opportunity to hang out with fellow GWS classmates, chat/get advice, and make some friends! These events take place every other Monday, from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Follow @gwsstudentsbu on Instagram for more information about when these events take place.

BU Queer Bingo Event

BU Queer Bingo Event

Ft. House of Hex

Drag Bingo @ Brandon University’s Bailey’s Cafe

February 11, 2023

6:00 PM

FREE ADMISSION

A Room in This House featuring Claire Morrison

A Room in This House featuring Claire Morrison

Friday, February 10th @ 7:30 pm

Brandon Chamber Players presents new music from Marika Galea, centring around the idea of  “home”. This concert is an exploration of the home we come from vs. the homes we build, our relationship with stillness considering lockdowns and the new travel paradigm, the sacred ‘home’ we all return to inside ourselves when everything else is up in the air, and whether as child of distant migrations, home is ever a physical space at all – or an ever shifting feeling.

Featuring a few arrangements of Claire’s original songs as well. The ensemble also features Jennifer Thiessen, Leanne Zacharias, Diogo Peixoto and Eric Platz.

Tickets are $40 ($20 for students) and can be purchased at www.brandonchamberplayers.ca or by calling (204)727-9631.

Doors open at 7pm for a cash bar. Table seating of 4-8 people.

Seating arrangements are first come, first served. Coat room in foyer.

CONCERT LOCATION: The Firehall, 637 Princess Avenue

Short film reveals joy of dance for those living with dementia

Short film reveals joy of dance for  those living with dementia

BU NEWS

Date: January 25, 2023

Time: 4:30 pm

Location: Evans Theatre, Brandon

A new short film that celebrates creativity, joy, playfulness, community, and connection — for people living with dementia and their carers — will make its Brandon debut later this month.

The film springs from a long-running research collaboration with Brandon University, and the free public showing will be followed by a dance demonstration and a discussion.

Dr. Rachel Herron is a BU researcher who recently completed a four-year research project with Dr. Mark Skinner at Trent University and Dr. Rachel Bar, Canada’s National Ballet School Director for Research. Their research explored how “Sharing Dance Older Adults,” a dance-based program for older adults developed by Canada’s National Ballet School and Baycrest, improved the social inclusion of people living with dementia and their carers.

“This project is about the power of creativity and collaboration to address health and social problems,” said Dr. Herron. “We were excited about the opportunities that Sharing Dance could offer people living with dementia, carers, and community organizations. One of the most valuable learnings from our research was the role that the program played in stigma reduction.”

The collaborative research project was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and also produced a new book that is free to the public online. The book explores how the Sharing Dance program was developed as well as the ways the program enriched the lives of people with dementia, carers, and staff in active living centres and long-term care facilities involved in the research project. It is co-written with members of these groups and offers something to anyone interested in learning more about the creative teamwork and impact of Sharing Dance.

The new film, “Dancer Not Dementia,” from filmmaker Anthony Grani and presented by Canada’s National Ballet School, captures the extraordinary stories and experiences of dancers living with dementia and their carers. Viewers can witness the impact of dance through the eyes of residents and staff of Alexis Lodge Dementia Care Residence and Cedarhurst Dementia Care Home, as well as through experts in the health and arts spaces.

“Like every community we work with, when dancing with people living with dementia, they are dancers”, said Dr. Bar. “And we encourage them to express themselves as dancers. The film is an opportunity to show what can happen when instead of seeing people as their disease, we see them as dancers.”

No tickets are required for the free showing, which will take place at 4:30pm, on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. The Evans Theatre is located in the George T. Richardson building on the Brandon University campus (access from the same foyer as the library) and is open to the public.

January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, a time when the Alzheimer Society encourages everyone to learn more about dementia. Although many people are aware of dementia, people living with dementia continue to face discriminatory policies, practices, and attitudes in their day to day lives. For example, ageist and ablest attitudes toward people living with dementia can influence what opportunities are prioritized and invested in as well as how older adults see themselves and what activities make them feel safe.

Too often, we focus on what someone with dementia can’t do—reimagine your perception of dementia and discover the vibrant communities challenging dementia-related stigma with every dance movement. 

The Menu: A Delicious Yet Disturbing Movie

The Menu: A Delicious Yet Disturbing Movie 

By: Mallory Johnson 

Assistant EIC

The Menu is a horror comedy movie that came out in November 2022, and I saw it in theatres with a friend; we experienced a range of emotions while watching it. The movie stars Anya Taylor-Joy (Split, The Queen’s Gambit), Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Constant Gardener), Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies, About a Boy), Hong Chau (Downsizing, Watchmen), and more. The film follows a rich couple who travel to a remote island to go to a very expensive, very fancy restaurant who experience more than they planned. Before I go any further, SPOILER ALERT. Also, trigger warnings for: suicide (graphic, more than once), discussion of sexual violence, murder, people getting burned alive, blood, gun violence, entrapment, a cult, gaslighting, discussion of past child abuse, addiction and alcoholism, a hostage situation throughout, drowning, cheating, jump scares, childhood trauma, self-harm, and general claustrophobia. 

I was very pleasantly surprised by this movie! I had seen trailers and generally knew the plot, but I made an assumption that was very wrong beforehand (I had prepared myself for it but was not prepared for what had actually happened in the film). It is wild from start to finish, and is chock full of twists, turns, and social commentary. The movie comments on social class and sex work particularly, fandom culture, and the violence that sex workers risk in their field. All the acting is great, but Anya Taylor-Joy really stole the show and did an outstanding performance as the bold main protagonist Margot. Margot was brave and stood up to the employees at the restaurant, which made me nervous and happy at the same time. I loved how the courses were described with text on the screen; it made me feel like I was watching a show like Chopped or MasterChef on the Food Network. 

I am providing another SPOILER ALERT here because I will be discussing an aspect of the movie that is a MAJOR spoiler! 

One part of the movie that has stuck with me is how Tyler, who is played by Nicholas Hoult, hired Margot, a sex worker, to go to this extravagant restaurant with him while he knew everybody at the restaurant would die. I kept thinking: he hired a sex worker to kill her (although he personally was not killing her himself, but still; it is horrifying to think about). Sex workers are forced to risk and experience brutal violence from their patrons because they are rarely (if ever) able to vet their prospective customers. The film does not make this comment through an intersectional lens, as Margot is a white, straight (passing) cisgender woman, but the rates for violence for Black transgender women sex workers are concerningly high. The movie tackles this subject in a classy way, with the head chef subtly asking Margot privately if she enjoys doing her ‘services.’ At one point I whispered to my friend, “I know these two movies aren’t similar at all, but this is giving Midsommar.” Midsommar is a cult horror movie that is incredibly disturbing and brutal, but the cult connection reminded me of it. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie and highly recommend it if you want a wild film for your next movie night. It is now streaming on Disney+ in Canada which is great! I give it a strong 10/10 and I cannot wait to watch more movies similar to this one.

Book Launch at Brandon University

Book Launch at Brandon University 

by Ronnie Neiman

Editor-In-Chief

Head to the campus library gathering space on January 12th where a former chancellor from is launching their book in Brandon. The event takes place from 2:30-3:30 pm at the John E. Robbins Library Gathering Space. It is completely free!

The former chancellor, Michael Decter has began his launch of the book; Shadow Life. it is intended to be the first book in what will become a trilogy. 

It’s the debut novel from Decter, a former Chancellor of Brandon University. Shadow Life is described as a taut, searching story of guilt, family secrets, and new love, perfect for fans of John Updike’s Rabbit Angstrom series, Robertson Davies’ Deptford Trilogy and Pat Conroy’s The Prince of Tides.

Shadow Life was recently named one of the best Canadian fiction books of 2022.

The book follows Matthew Rice – a successful sixty-year-old Toronto politico who finds himself suddenly unmoored after serving jury duty on a devastating child murder case. A good book to analyze how humans are so easily unravelled especially to circumstances outside of our control. 

Micheal Decter is a Harvard University graduate, Decter was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2017 and the Order of Canada in 2004. He has written three non-fiction books on healthcare, three on investment, a memoir, and Tales from the Back Room, a collection of political stories. Decter has also written about health and healthcare in the Literary Review of Canada, contributed OpEd pieces to the Toronto Star and The Globe & Mail, and for several years he wrote a column for Osprey Media.

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Decter now lives in Toronto and is a dual citizen of Canada and Ireland. Decter served as BU Chancellor from 2013–2021.

BU Family & Friends Holiday Luncheon

BU Family & Friends Holiday Luncheon

(brandonu.ca)

Friday, December 16th @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Harvest Hall

$23-Tickets required

Please join us for a warm winter welcome at the BU Family & Friends Holiday Luncheon. All BU faculty, staff, and retirees are invited.

Friday, December 16, 2022, from Noon- 1:30 p.m. in Harvest Hall. Tickets are $23 per person and the deadline is Friday, Dec. 9 for tickets.

A big thanks to the President’s Office for their contribution to offset the luncheon cost

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT:

Faculty of Arts General Office (CHO 100)

Faculty of Science (BB 1-41 and 1-05)

Faculty of Education (EB 102)

Faculty of Health Studies (HSB 112)

School of Music (QEB 1-03)

Student Services (MCK 102 – Reception)

Main Library (Circulation Desk)

Healthy Living Centre (GYM 101R)

Campus Books (KDC)

MENU:

Carved Turkey with Sage Gravy

Cranberry Orange Ginger Salsa

Focaccia Stuffing

Whipped Potatoes

Cabbage Rolls

Honey Glazed Carrots

Assorted Dessert Trays – Dainties and Tarts

Coffee / Tea

FOR DIETARY REQUIREMENTS CONTACT: Heather Teeple at (204) 727-9608 or teepleh@brandonu.ca

Brandon University is committed to accessibility. Please contact Sylvia Henry at henrys@brandonu.ca or 204-727-9677 with any accessibility consideration, or to receive this communication in an alternative format.

Student Writing Workshops

Student Writing Workshops

By Ronnie Neiman

This week there are a number of workshops that students can attend to help better their academic skills. All workshops are online, free, and open to all BU students.
Check out the Learning Skills webpage for details. The ones listed below are only for October 3rd until October 7th. There are more workshops in the following weeks. 

Essay Basics

The essay workshop I find to be particularly useful as someone who loves to write but didn’t have much experience with academic writing prior to university. The workshop is described as: students will soon be able to identify the basic parts of the essay, the introduction, body, conclusion; and describe how they function. Along with the basic structure, this workshop will cover the following: purpose of the essay, selecting and narrowing a topic, levels of English and use of scholarly language, formulating a thesis statement (brief introduction), evidence and how is it used, and how to access additional resources both on campus and online.

Monday, October 3rd-10:40 am - 11:30 am

How can I get through my textbooks?

One workshop also offered is to learn how to effectively make the most out of your textbooks. Sometimes a textbook can seem a bit daunting, especially considering the size of some of them. Reading the textbook well and finding the important information will go a long way in helping you in your classes. This workshop will help you do that. 

Monday, October 3rd- 1:40 pm - 2:30 pm

How can I take effective lecture notes?

From taking 50-minute classes to the three-hour long lectures, there is usually a need to take notes. If it’s not in the textbook, it’s in what your instructor presents and what they say. Figuring out what to write or type can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. Learn how to identify what’s important in your university lectures, and best techniques to take notes so you set yourself up for success for your first midterms.

Thursday, October 6th-10:40 am - 11:30 am

Brandon University Plans In-Person Homecoming

Brandon University Plans In-Person Homecoming 

September 22, 2022 

(Brandon University Website)

(Picture credit: Brandon University website)  

Brandon University (BU) will be hosting its first in-person Homecoming celebration since 2019, from October 13 to 16, 2022. 

The weekend will be filled with a multitude of events including the usual favourites such as the Homecoming Dinner and Awards Ceremony, the Athletics Wall of Fame Brunch, and the Pro Series concert featuring BU’s Megumi Masaki, who was named to the Order of Manitoba this past spring.
“It’s been too long since we have seen many of our alumni, and we’re excited to be welcoming everyone back!” said Carla Eisler, BU’s Director of Advancement and Alumni Affairs.

This year’s Homecoming celebration will also be a chance to recognize the centennial of the Citizen’s Science Building, now known as the Knowles-Douglas Students’ Union Centre. The building was the third building built on the Brandon University Campus, in 1922-1923, and is a rare example of late gothic style architecture in Manitoba. The celebrations in the Knowles-Douglas Centre will include a Beer Garden serving locally brewed beer, a Trivia Night hosted by BU’s new Advancement Officer Nick Brown, and a 1920s themed social, the 100th Birthday Bash.

“I worked in that building for four years while on student council, and I’m thrilled to be back running events in a space that has meant so much to students over the last century,” Brown said.

Homecoming this year will also include participation from some of the groups on campus. The Inter-Residence Council will be hosting a Bonfire Night after the Banquet next to the new sculpture by renowned Cree/Metis artist Kevin McKenzie. The Brandon University Gaming Association will host A Nintendo Afternoon, a lighthearted and fun afternoon where you can drop-in, grab some snacks, and relax while playing Mario Kart or Smash Bros. The Indigenous Alumni Chapter will host a Bannock and Tea event at the new Ceremonial Fire Pit, and some of Bee-U’s first batch of honey will be served.

“One of our biggest joys this fall has been able to welcome everyone back to our campus, and I can’t wait to see our proud alumni in-person again at Homecoming,” said BU President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. David Docherty. “We’re highlighting some of the best that our community has to offer, and I’m looking forward to sharing BU’s new and old favourites with our alumni and other guests.”

The full Homecoming Schedule and Registration form can be found at BrandonU.ca/Homecoming/Schedule.

Brandon University students present virtual Dungeons and Dragons Adventure

Brandon University students present virtual Dungeons and Dragons Adventure

BU NEWS — March 18, 2022

BRANDON – Despite the ongoing challenges of creating art during a pandemic, students at Brandon University (BU) have persevered to present She Kills Monsters: Virtual Realms – an online performance where adventure and mayhem can be enjoyed from the comfort of your home. 

In this high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and five-headed dragons, acclaimed playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek within us all. Two years after the death of her teenage sister Tilly, Agnes Evans discovers a mysterious notebook containing her sister's home-brewed Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Newly born hero, Agnes the Ass-hatted, undertakes an epic quest to save Tilly's soul and to learn about her sister's hidden life. ***This production contains mature content and language. Viewer discretion is advised.

In response to the global pandemic and the subsequent closing of theaters worldwide, playwright Qui Nguyen released a new adaptation of his play She Kills Monsters intended for online performances.

“Dungeons and Dragons is a game often played online, so this story translates to a virtual platform quite easily” says BU theatre professor and director Jacqueline Russell. “I chose this wildly fun piece because I knew we would be able to make it happen no matter what. Flexibility and adaptability are two of the greatest skills theatre teaches us — if you know how to improvise, you can find ways to have fun even during times of great struggle”.

Filmed from a variety of bedrooms and living rooms around Brandon, She Kills Monsters: Virtual Realms will be available for online viewing from March 24 to April 2, 2022. Tickets are free; however, donations are welcome and go toward future productions at Brandon University Theatre. Tickets can be acquired at BrandonU.ca/english/drama-program.

The performance also includes a virtual post-show talk back with audiences on March 26, at 3 p.m., featuring cast members and guest speakers from the Brandon community. This discussion panel is presented in partnership with SERC (Sexuality Education Resource Centre) and is supported by Brandon University, BU Student Services, and the Gender and Women’s Studies Committee. 

In addition to the performance, students and community members are invited to join Fight Choreographer Jacquie Loewan for a free, two-day workshop to learn the basics of stage combat. The workshop takes place March 26 and 27, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Evans Theatre (located in the George T. Richardson Centre at BU). To register, please visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/stage-combat-workshop-with-jacquie-loewan-tickets-293142315557. *Please note: Participants must show proof of double vaccination and wear masks for this in-person workshop as per Brandon University policy. 

@brandonutheatre on Instagram

@theatreBU on Facebook

Success is built at Brandon University. Our growing, progressive campus welcomes a diverse and inclusive community that combines proud tradition with shared ambition. Through our excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship, we educate students to make a meaningful difference as engaged citizens and leaders. Join us at BrandonU.ca

CONTACT US:

Jacqueline Russell

Assistant Professor, English Drama and Creative Writing
RussellJ@gmail.com

Rob Henderson

Marketing Communications Officer

204.727.9762
HendersonR@BrandonU.ca

To receive any BU publication in an alternate format: Communications@BrandonU.ca

Louis Riel Room receives namesake portrait

Louis Riel Room receives namesake portrait 

BU NEWS — February 17, 2022

BRANDON – Brandon University’s Louis Riel Room is now the proud home of a large portrait of the famed Métis leader, donated to the university by the Manitoba Métis Federation.

The portrait was originally presented to the university during Louis Riel Day celebrations in 2020, but its placement was delayed due to the pandemic. BU President David Docherty and the MMF’s Leah LaPlante came together to put up the portrait earlier today, on the two-year anniversary of its presentation to the university.

Both said it was emotional to see the Louis Riel portrait prominently placed on the brick wall at the end of the room. Flanked by portraits of former BU chancellors, along with a large wooden carving of the university’s coat of arms, and a poster of the university’s commitments to Truth and Reconciliation, the Louis Riel portrait has place of pride and is in good company.

“I never would have through that when I came here in 1997, that I would be looking at him, there,” said LaPlante, the vice-president of the Southwest Region MMF. “There’s been some major changes in this city.”

“This is a ‘wow’ day,” Docherty said. “It is so appropriate for us to honour Riel’s great legacy, and it is long overdue.”

The Louis Riel Room is adjacent to BU’s main dining hall, Harvest Hall. Formerly known as the BU Private Dining Room, it was renamed the Louis Riel Room in 2008 in recognition of the continued support from the MMF and the Louis Riel Institute. Pre-pandemic, the room was often used for meetings, small receptions and events — all of which the university hopes to welcome back in the near future.

Success is built at Brandon University. Our growing, progressive campus welcomes a diverse and inclusive community that combines proud tradition with shared ambition. Through our excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship, we educate students to make a meaningful difference as engaged citizens and leaders. Join us at BrandonU.ca

Searching For Writers

Searching For Writers  

by Ronnie Kayla Neiman

Hello students, faculty and other readers of The Quill. The past two years has been different, difficult and cause for society to adapt to the increasing changes. 

No matter where you are or whether you are a student or an employee, your life has changed dramatically amid the COVID-19 pandemic where social distancing is key. Most people now rely on their laptops for studying and working, and have to meet their teachers, classmates and colleagues online. The Quill has been part of that online adaptation. While we were partly online prior to the pandemic, it has been a challenge to adapt to the new reality. 

Many students who are writers with The Quill have had to deal with the changes. With long-distance learning, internet stability and instability, very few in-person classes and the inability to travel reliably. Faculty have had their troubles as well with time and city differences, and to adapt to a different style of teaching. 

This means that not everyone has been able to attend the university either online or in-person as some had to stay in their home provinces. International students and even students across the country had trouble with the time differences. 

As a result, The Quill cannot hold meetings, or hand out physical issues of the newspaper. Everything is online, which makes recruitment for new writers difficult as well. 

We are always looking for new writers to contribute to The Quill. The only requirement is that our writers are a student at Brandon University.

A love of writing is also a plus and being a writer at a university newspaper looks great on a resume!

Brrrr It’s Cold in Here: Preparing for the Cold Weather

Brrrr It’s Cold in Here: Preparing for the Cold Weather

By: Maria Garcia Manzano, AEIC of the Quill

Photo Credits: Google Images

As we settle into the first week of November, we all know what it means. It’s time for us to wake up earlier and start our cars to warm them up, scraping the ice off the windshields to see. Winter is coming. Manitoban winters are harsh. At times we hit 50 below zero. Even if we are outside for 20 minutes, uncovered parts of our faces/bodies are susceptible to severe frostbites. Many Brandon University Students left last year to move in back home since the year was online. However, this year everyone had to come back to resume in-class learning. Some may have forgotten how harsh Manitoba winters can be (If you were lucky enough to move to a warmer place) and might need a reminder of how to prepare. Here are a few common-sense tips that you can all follow to stay warm during the colder months. 

1. Get a warm, high-quality winter coat

And get it before it’s too late! All the best styles, sizes and high-quality coats will be gone by mid-November. It may seem a bit obvious that a winter jacket is necessary for winter. Still, most students don’t seem to understand what a ‘good winter jacket’ is. Hit up Shoppers mall for the wide selection, Sportchek, Winners, or any place that sells durable winter jackets. Make sure the coat is well insulated, well made, and waterproof (if possible). High-quality jackets may be expensive, but they are worth it during a Manitoban winter. If the jackets are still too expensive (even with sales and coupons), stop by value village or Super Thrift and search through their jacket sections. You will honestly be surprised at how many nice, warm, and well-made jackets they have to offer for under $30.00.

2. Get some winter gear

Boots, gloves, hats, and scarves will be your best friend during the harsh winter months. It will be reminiscent of your elementary school days on the playground but without the fun. Waterproof, lined boots tend to be the best. As for gloves, there are a lot of cheap options. You can get fingerless gloves that are also mittens, wool mittens, leather gloves and so on. Pick gloves that aren’t just thin pieces of fabric. Your hands are sensitive to temperature changes, so make sure you have a warm pair of gloves. You can get reusable/rechargeable hand warmers (or create your own) to stick in your gloves as well. Use them in your shoes, use them in your gloves, and rub them on your face. They’re great for everything! Scarves are your next need. And I’m not talking about those thin, silky fashion scarves. Visit Value Village and Super Thrif for a cheaper selection. Your lungs can take quite a beating with the dry and cold winter air. Wrapping a scarf around your nose and mouth helps keep out the cold, dry air and promotes healthy breathing! No more frozen nostrils on the way to class.

3. Plan on leaving earlier

Though it may not seem like it, getting to class in winter takes quite a bit longer than expected. The snow, ice and wind will slow you down on your way to class, as well as all your warm winter gear. Make sure you give yourself an extra five minutes or so to get to class. Also, you will need to let your car warm up. I tend to leave my heat settings on max in the evening if I know I will be going to class in the morning. 

4. Plan for the weather the day before

Plan your wardrobe and daily activities based on the temperature and conditions. Check a day in advance to be extra prepared, and make sure you have warm enough clothes for that day.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

By Mary Okorie

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

Thanksgiving holiday is a set-aside day to give thanks to God for a bountiful harvest during the

summertime and generally for anything else to be thankful for. It is a tradition in Canada and usually

features gravy, turkey, mashed potatoes, and many other delicious meals. Being an international

student, I had only seen thanksgiving in movies and had never experienced it until I came here. To

people who are new to Canada, thanksgiving might just be an additional holiday to rest or work, but it is

of great significance to Canadians. There is usually a vast feast and gatherings of the family filled with

laughter and joy. I had the opportunity to spend my first Thanksgiving in Canada with a wonderful

Canadian family and was able to finally experience what I usually saw in movies. All the meals were

already prepared by the time I got there, there were also many people I got to meet, and the turkey was

enormous and delicious. Thanksgiving is incomplete without a turkey ��. I hope that many othe

international students will get this kind of experience and be able to see the significance of the

Thanksgiving holiday. It is not a day to spend alone but with family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving!

City of Brandon’s 4R Waste Ambassador Program

City of Brandon’s 4R Waste Ambassador Program

By Maria Garcia Manzano, AEIC of The Quill

Photo Credits: Brandon.ca

Over the summer, I joined a pilot community ambassador program aimed at promoting conscious waste

diversion. The 4R Waste ambassador program was launched by the City of Brandon and sponsored by

Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba. This program hopes to reach environmentally minded individuals

with interests in promoting the 4Rs Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rethink.

This volunteer pilot program provides training and resources to its volunteer ambassadors to help

educate and inform the rest of the community about the City of Brandon’s waste diversion programs.

Overall, the main goal of the 4R Ambassador Program is to educate residents as to what goes in our

garbage bins to increase efficiencies at the Eastview Landfill.

I joined this volunteer experience because I believe in the importance of educating our community

about conscious waste diversion. As a result, I will be posting tips on The Quill about certain activities we

can all do to achieve more sustainable waste diversion habits over the school year.

My first tip is your local Brandon University 4R ambassador pertains to our Thanksgiving waste.

Thanksgiving is a time where a lot of food is consumed, and we often think a lot of the containers in

which the food we use is packaged in recyclable packages. However, there are a lot of things that are

not recyclable. Therefore, I encourage all of you to look upon Recyclopedia whether the packages you

are unsure of are recyclable or not. Recyclopedia is a valuable tool for all of us who want to ensure we

are correctly recycling. https://simplyrecycle.ca/recyclepedia/ Another tip I have for you is, for all of

those fats and oils that might be used up while cooking the thanksgiving dinner, please DO NOT pour

them down the drain! They are incredibly damaging to rivers and lakes as well as water treatment

facility plants. Instead of running them down the drain, pour them in a can, let them cool, then throw

them out.

*If you are interested in becoming a 4R ambassador or collaborating with me on a project, please feel

free to contact me at: eic.thequill@gamil.com

Video Games; Simple, Complex and Fun

Video Games; Simple, Complex and Fun

By Ronnie Kayla Neiman

Gaming has a lot of choices in genres, styles and platforms.

There are many with a lot of time to spare right now, and boredom can be easily achieved. However, there are a few ways to overcome boredom and use up some free time. One of the ways to overcome boredom is of course video games. There are advantages of gaming include promoting healthy lifestyles, increasing social activity, slow the aging process, and make the participant a better decision-maker. Video games can have amazingly positive effects. They can also potentially help those who have multiple sclerosis with balance and improved cognitive function. There are video games on just about everything. There is a huge variety of options, ranging from idle games to app games to larger computer games. 

There is a large library of games that are available on your smartphone and downloaded through app stores on Android and Apple devices. 

Bitlife simulator, where you take a person through their entire life, making decisions to go to school, make friends, commit crimes, and continue their family legacy. 

TapTap Music games are quite fun. They are the smartphone version of the DanceDance revolution and come in a wide variety of options. You follow the beats to songs and try to hit it each time to get a perfect score. 

Fruit Ninja is an addicting mobile game where you literally slice fruit for points and do your best to avoid bombs. 

Then there is the classic Tetris, trying to get the maximum amount of point by completing lines and some versions have levels that become faster and faster in an attempt to keep you focused. 

Games on your phone can be played anywhere and almost anytime. Some use up more battery power than others but just keep on eye on the levels and you’ll still be able to have fun.

Other games are available through various consoles like PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo. There are so many options to look at here. 

Horizon Zero Dawn is a recent release, a beautiful open-world game where the world is ruled by machines. That is a game where you are playing a single character and trying to figure out her past. 

A popular game right now is Animal Crossing: New Leaf. It is played on the Nintendo Switch and has a multiplayer option that allows people across vast distances to create together.

Mass Effect is played on multiple platforms for all four games in the series. It is almost a decade old and remastered several times. It is among the first games where choices mattered in the long run. 

Stardew Valley is a farming style, pixel game that rose quickly in popularity due to its in-depth story, simple gameplay mechanics, and LGBTQ inclusivity. 

Minecraft is another popular choice where survival and creativity can be done on their own or at the same time. It is a game that started out as a simple indie game that has evolved to inspire creativity in various mindsets, such as building, coding and entertainment. 

There are also massive multiplayer online role-playing games or MMORPG that are usually free with various subscription options or in-game purchases. 

Games like World of Tanks, DOTA 2, Hearthstone, and Star Wars: The Old Republic are popular around the world. There are many options in the games and even stories to follow. These games are generally only available on PC platforms with a constant internet connection. They can help to create social connections that are otherwise lacking in the world right now.

There are so many games to chose from and video games can be beneficial in the way they engage with different aspects on a day-to-day basis. Some of the benefits are physical, psychological, and social. With video games, you either win or you keep trying, learning from your mistakes as you progress until you reach the goal. They can improve cognitive abilities, such as increase visuospatial cognition, mental rotation, attention, and help individuals overcome cognitive limitations. Video games can also prime natural positive aggression, helping behaviors, and prosocial behaviors. Not only are there benefits from a scientific standpoint, but they are also a great deal of fun. Having fun will keep you coming back to your favorite games and build a multitude of skills. Perseverance is of key importance in playing video games, building skills for those games, and for real life, and it's important in having fun playing these games.  

Amazing SciFi Shows That Are Still Great To Binge Watch

Amazing SciFi Shows That Are Still Great To Binge Watch

By Ronnie Kayla Neiman

Science Fiction is an amazing genre. It is often called “sci-fi,” and it is a genre of fiction where the content is imaginative but based on some degree of scientific realism. It relies heavily on scientific facts, theories, and principles as support for its settings, characters, themes, and plot-lines, which is what makes it different from fantasy.

There are a number of SciFi shows that range from a few episodes to numerous seasons. Science fiction seems to bring out such an intense fanbase, no matter the success of the show on networks. A good example of that is Firefly which lasted only 14 episodes but was so popular with fans that it received its own movie years later. Star Trek also has a number of series, each had its own range of success with the fanbase. The original series lasted only three seasons but is very popular and celebrated sixty years after it first aired. 

Image Credit: wall.alphacoders.com 

1.Stargate SG1

A show that followed a low--budget film from 1994 simply titled; Stargate which starred Kurt Russel, and James Spader. A movie where a ring-like object nearly two stories tall was found in Egypt and allowed an air force team accompanied by an archeologist to another planet inhabited by humans lorded over by an alien species that looked human on the outside. The show changed the casting but kept the original premise of other-worldly travel through a wormhole, saving humans and other species from a race of aliens that portrayed themselves as gods. The series follows a team, called SG1, the primary team for the Stargate program as they travel to other worlds, make allies and fight their enemies. 

The team remains largely the same for the entire ten seasons of the show, though lead Richard Dean Anderson left at the end of season eight, but continued to make guest appearances for the rest of the series and one of the movies that followed. 

The series lasted ten seasons and had two movies and two spin-off series.

Image Credit: Creative Commons 

2.Stargate Atlantis

Stargate Atlantis is the first spin-off series related to Stargate SG1. This show was originally supposed to follow right after the end of Stargate SG1 as a series but the other show continued and Atlantis aired simultaneously with the last few seasons of SG1.

This show followed the primary team of Atlantis but also focused on the running of the City of Atlantis, which was a technologically advanced city designed to sit on the surface of a massive body of water with the ability to sink under the surface and would also function as a massive spaceship.

This series only lasted five seasons and sadly had no movie to follow, though a third series, Stargate Universe followed the year after the cancellation of Atlantis. It was much less successful than SG1 and Atlantis.

Image Credit: art.alphacoders.com 

3.Battlestar Galatica (2003)

A show that was remade from its original series that aired in 1978. The show was remade shortly after the horrible events of 9/11 and this show focused on a lot of political, economical, and human rights issues of a group of people trying their hardest to keep their species alive while been chased by the enemy that destroyed their colonies. Battlestar Galactica is a three-hour miniseries starring Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell with an ensemble cast.

The series follows immediately after the destruction of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol by the Cylons, a race of mechanical beings that developed the ability to have human-like Cylons. The survivors of humanity search for their original home; Earth while being chased by the Cylons and dealing with numerous issues that plague the fleet. 

The pilot was a two-part mini-series followed by four more seasons and two prequel movies titled Razor and The Plan. This series is placed on a lot of most-watched lists because of the issues the show dealt with which include abortion, domestic terrorism, and election stealing. It received large amounts of awards for its special effects, storytelling, and acting.

Image Credit: wallpaperaccess.com 

4.Star Trek: The Next Generation

This series was the spin-off to the original Star Trek series, though it was over twenty years after the Original Series aired. As with the original Star Trek, TNG was still very much about exploration, "boldly going where no one has gone before". Similarly, the plots captured the adventures of the crew of a starship, named the USS Enterprise-D.

There were 178 episodes produced over a total of seven seasons, making it the longest-running Star Trek series to date, and the adventures of the crew continued onto the big screen in four movies.

Image Credit: wallpaper-house.com 

5.Star Trek: Voyager

This series of star trek was aired when Star Trek Deep Space Nine was half-way through their own series, though finished years after that series had finished. Voyager was the third spin-off to the Original Series. Star Trek: Voyager (VOY) focuses on the 24th-century adventures of Captain Kathryn Janeway and her crew aboard the U.S.S. Voyager. The crew of Voyager combines forces with the crew of a destroyed Maquis ship in order to find their way home. Stranded over seventy thousand light-years from Earth, the crew tries to make the journey home while also adhering to the doctrine of exploration that Starfleet prides itself on. 

Due to its great distance from Federation space, the Delta Quadrant is unexplored by Starfleet, and Voyager is truly going where no human has gone before. Voyager is fast and powerful and has the ability to land on a planet’s surface. It is one of the most technologically advanced vessels in Starfleet, utilizing computer circuitry that incorporates bio-neural circuitry. 

Voyager aired 172 episodes over seven seasons from 1995 until 2001. While it didn't run for as many episodes as TNG did, Voyager was able to discover numerous new alien species and was better balanced with its gender ratio, with a female lead and several strong supporting female characters.

Image Credit: wall.alphacoders.com 

6.Warehouse 13

A unique series in that its genre is considered Science Fiction but it is also described as a dramatic comedy and supernatural. The series follows U.S. Secret Service Agents Myka Bering and Pete Lattimer when they are assigned to the secretive Warehouse 13 for supernatural artifacts.  As they go about their assignments to retrieve missing artifacts and investigate reports of new ones, they come to understand the importance of what they are doing.

Somewhat of a short-lived series with six seasons, but only 12 episodes in season 1, 13 in both seasons 2 and 3, season 4 was its longest season with twenty episodes and just six episodes in its fifth and final season.  

These are only six possibilities of different Science Fiction shows to watch. There is always more to find, more to watch, and many more to love As Warehouse 13 is described; "Welcome to Endless Wonder."