Becky Connell

On April 2^nd, 2013, the Redeemer Union of Compatriots (RUC) announced that the professional community of Redeemer University will be going on strike starting September 2013.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or “winter depression” affects 2% of Canadians at a serious level, and another 15% to a milder degree throughout the winter season, according to Vancouver’s UBC Hospital Mood Disorder Clinic.

She is the welcoming face that greets you early mornings as you purchase that absolutely necessary coffee. She is the woman who you know will grant you a smile whenever you're waiting in line or even when you're ordering your complicated “earl grey latté, one sugar, tea bag out, with a shot of vanilla please" beverage (or as some like to call it: a London Fog).

The Redeemer Athletic Centre is looking into making active classes such as pilates, zumba, and yoga, available to students. Currently, no such courses are offered at Redeemer but students are eager to participate if they are implemented. Fourth-year student Annie Stollery, said, “If it was free…[expletive] yes, I’d go to all of the classes offered!” Michelle Coghill agrees: “I’ve always felt that fitness classes, like step classes, have been missing from Redeemer. If we had them, students would definitely go!”

With the release of his EP “Another Love” in the fall of 2012, 22-year-old singer-songwriter Tom Odell from Chichester, England, has quickly gained popularity and respect in Britain and abroad.

He has already racked up a Brits' choice award and made it onto the BBC sound of 2013. He is the first male artist to receive the Brits critics’ choice award. Previous recipients include Emeli Sandé in 2012, Jessie J in 2011, Ellie Goulding in 2010, Florence and the Machine in 2009, and Adele in 2008.

With few opportunities for students to perform at university, Battle of the Bands is unique in its creation of a space where students can enjoy performing and can transform the cafeteria into a classroom of music performance. Micah Vandijk, coordinator of the engaging culture weekend, said, “The judge’s main comment to bands is usually to work on performances in front of people. We want to give a critique that is public because it helps bands and the audience in knowing what to work on.”

It’s 10am on a Saturday and the Farmers’ Market is full of hipsters with burlap bags, loud Italian men, and young energetic families. This may be the only place where such people gather under one roof (that’s right, it’s inside), but this is no surprise as the market is known for its diversity, providing local produce, European delights, and affordable prices. The walkway which guides shoppers around the outskirts of the market is full of people who are careful not to touch as they maneuver through the thin crowd; this place is full of life.

You’ve spent hours in the cold, white wilderness searching for the perfect tree: a fresh, sharp pine with a strong, sturdy base, and of large but transportable size. You casually take out your saw and cut the tree down. A single drop of sweat runs down your forehead but you continue to saw until that tree is yours, patting it gently as it slightly moans at your victory. You drag the tree to a waiting truck and tie it on top, crafting each knot with the utmost delicacy until you are sure it is safe to journey home with you.

Bored of your holiday traditions? Looking for a globally aware, creative way to celebrate this Christmas? Forget hot chocolate, Santa Clause, and Christmas trees; read on to discover some of the world’s most interesting and bizarre holiday traditions.