The next generation of Martingrove Bears has hit the halls! We met up with Bear Cub Abina Poologarajah to chat about her experiences in Bear Country so far.

Q: Tell us a bit about yourself:A: I came from Beaumonde Heights Junior Middle School. It’s not around this neighbourhood, so most people probably don’t know where it is. I went there from Kindergarten up until last year, and now I’m here!Q: What was your first impression of Bear Country?A: Well Beaumonde Heights’ mascot is a Bear too, so I suppose it’s going

to be similar. But Martingrove Bear Country sure is welcoming! Q: Why did you decide to come to Martingrove?A: I came for the Pre-Advanced Placement program, because it was the only one nearby. I took math, english, science, french, and geography - all Pre-AP.Q: Are you enjoying it so far?A: Yes, I am. My classes are a lot of work, but I can handle it 11!

Q: Are you planning to join any extra-curricular activities?A: Yes! I don’t know which ones yet, but I will soon once I get to see them all. I’m thinking maybe Prefects or Library Council.Q: Describe your first day in one word?A: Nerve-wracking!Q: Did you get lost?A: Yes, I did get lost, but it’s not as hard to find things because my friends and I have a lot of classes together. Q: Favourite class so far?A: My favourite class so far is math, because it’s one of my favourite subjects. I like my teacher and class, and I like that it’s in the morning; I’m more of a morning person.Q: Have older Bears been helpful?A: Yes, they’ve been very helpful. The ones I’ve met have taken initiative by coming up to me and asking if I need help getting around. Q: If you could change one thing about Martingrove, what would it be? (Besides adding windows!)A: I would change late start days and have them end earlier, instead of starting late.Q: What do you hope to accomplish in your four years here?A: Well everyone’s ultimate goal is to graduate successfully, and that’s pretty much what I am aiming for as of now.

W h e t h e r you’re in grade nine, new to the

school, or have been here for years and just haven’t taken advantage of them yet, there are tons of cool opportunities to get involved at MCI.

There are numerous clubs that include members of all grades, so they are a great way to meet new people with similar interests. Some of the big Tier 1 clubs include the Bears Athletic Council (BAC), Student Administrative Council (SAC), and Prefects. There are also lots of clubs that help out the greater community and charitable causes, such as Key Club, Nutrition Program, and the World Action Council. MCI also offers many clubs that appeal to the more intellectual kind of activities, such as Robotics, Engineering, and Chess Club.

Club Carousel took place on September 29. All grade nine classes visit the cafeteria and learn about

the features and goals of each club, as well as the application process. This is an opportunity to find out more about all the different clubs that MCI has to offer. Keep in mind that if there’s a club that you’d like to be a member of and it doesn’t exist, you can create it with a staff advisor!

Trying out for a sports team is another school great way to get involved at the school. Being a member of a team brings you closer to your teammates, coaches, and managers, and gives you the chance to represent MCI across the city at games. A list of sports and their seasons can be found in the front pages of the student agenda. Although you must “make the cut”, many of the junior teams are a great start for people interested in playing a sport at a higher level and provide great opportunities for development. Even if you don’t think

you’ll make the team, it’s always a good idea to try out; you know what they say, you miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take!

Intramurals are yet another prospect for getting involved at MCI. Basketball, dodgeball, soccer, and floor hockey are some of the many different sports offered. Stay tuned to announcements for information about team sign-ups. Besides being a great way to get physical activity, intramurals introduce you to other members of the school including coaches and fellow athletes. Top teams in every division are even recognized at the end-of-year athletic banquet!

Finally, taking advantage of opportunities offered by programs such as MCI Leadership will significantly enhance your high school experience. Younger grades reap the benefits of the hard work of the older students, and then provide the same dedication once they mature. Leadership is a wonderful way to really make an impact on the school community, and it also provides significant personal growth. Check the Leadership board outside the Guidance office for updates!

The diverse range of activities offered at MCI ensures that there are opportunities for everyone to get involved. No matter what your interests are, there is something here for you!

Meet Martingrove’s Next Generation: Abina Poologarajah Vol. 4 No.1 Thursday, October 29th, 2015 martingroveci.com

MELLANY TIBBOGR. 11 COLUMNIST

Get Involved!ALBANY TURNER

GR. 12 COLUMNIST

2 The Martingrove Beacon

STAFF ADVISORSMR. PALERMO

MS. KITEMRS. THOMSON

MANAGEMENT EDITORSVIVIAN TRUONGVIJI SUGUMAR

EDITORS OF LAYOUTAYESHA MASUD

LYNN HAHM

EDITORS OF COPYHUBERT LUO

LINDSAY TRAMBLE

HEAD OF SPORTSJESSICA NACHMAN

PHOTOGRAPHY HEADSOPHIA GUO

SECRETARYROWNAK TABASSUM

HEAD OF PRODUCTIONMUGHDA DAVE

HEADS OF PUBLICITYAFNAN ALI

SARUN BALARANJAN

HEAD OF BEACONETTEMINA IVOSEV

COLUMNISTSIGOR PEREPELYTSYA

MELLANY TIBBOJACLYN COSSARINI

ALBANY TURNEREDWARD BUI

SABHAT KHANAISHWARYA BALI

EDITORS’ NOTEThe hot summer days have given way to the biting cold wind, colourful leaves, and calming warm beverages synonymous with autumn. Although it may feel like

a lifetime ago, just two months have passed since almost all of us were happily relaxing at the cottage, on an exotic vacation, at home, or in some unenviable cases,

on a lifeguard chair. Now, however, there is a plethora of tests, assignments, lab reports, essays, presentations, and other such wonderful evaluations to complete.

For those of us senior-year students, there are eight more months of stress worrying about averages, cut-off dates, and scholarships all while being buried by an

avalanche of homework. Some of us have just returned from Leadership Camp and now have even more work to catch up on. But if any of you feel like complaining

about homework, just pop into room 245 and take a look at the questions assigned each day on the board entitled “AP Calculus.” There, what seems like billions of

questions will make any work you had feel like a breeze.

Your Friendly Copy Editors,

Hubert Luo and Lindsay Tramble

TUXEDO THURSDAY

Sophia Guo

Neomi Villota

Did you know that this year, Martingrove

Collegiate Institute will be celebrating its 50th anniversary? Some of you may know, but currently, there are six Martingrove alumni, who decided that they would like to come back to teach at their own high school! Mrs. Thomson (not Ms. and there is no “p”!) graduated from Martingrove in 1994 (bonus points if you find Mrs. Thomson`s picture on the wall) and she has been teaching here for 12 years. We have all been taught at least one course by her, whether it was Careers, Civics, Social Science, Family Studies or Phys. Ed. And if you haven’t already, there is a high possibility you will have by the time you graduate.Q1:Can you please tell us a little about your MCI experience?A.: When I used to go here, I played softball, soccer, volleyball, basketball, and I was a part of the AFC and the MSC. My favourite class probably was grade 12 American History and my least favourite classes were anything with math and science. Q2: How are things different from when you used to attend Martingrove?A: There wasn’t a small cafe, it used to be a class room and an office. Most of my teachers are gone. We don’t have a football team anymore…..and, I think I’m taller now.Q3: How are things the same?A: Some of the teachers are still the same, like Mrs. Rymal and Mr. Hall. Mrs. Szlapetis taught me what I teach now, grade 12 Family Studies. We still have lots of the same clubs, like the MSC. We still have music and sports, and they are just as good as they were back then.Q4. Based on your past experiences, how do you

think Martingrove’s students can have the best MCI experience?A: It’s important to figure out the things you would like to do and then do them really well. Too many people take on too many activities and spread themselves too thin; you need to choose to have a positive attitude. Anything you can do to make your life easier while you’re here will help, like finding good people to hang out with, trying to get along with teachers, joining clubs or teams that interest you. Avoid bad influences; try not to take on too much. Ask for help when you need it and don’t wait until it’s too late. I was the absolute best at procrastination. I would have had an A if it was a course. In university, I learned that if you do everything a little bit at a time, you won’t feel stressed about all the things you have to do.

Q5. Did you know in high school that you were going to come back as a teacher one day?A: No, I think I figured that once I was done high school, I didn’t want to come back. I didn’t even know if I wanted to be a teacher. I didn’t really know what I wanted. I went to the University of New Brunswick and took Physical Education. I thought I would go to Teacher’s College after that, but I switched out of that course, and took classes in Recreation and Leisure Studies because I really liked those classes. After graduating I worked for five years in a boring job that wasn’t challenging. I started thinking about coaching. I realized if I went back to Teacher’s College, I could coach at the same time as teaching. So I went to the University of Toronto to get my degree in teaching.Q6: What did post secondary life look like for you?A: In high school, I graduated with an 81% average but I didn’t try very hard. I went to the University of New Brunswick and graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor’s of Physical Education. I graduated on the Dean’s List and played varsity volleyball. When I graduated from teacher’s college (at UofT), I received a phone call from the principal here. Somebody had told him that I was looking for a job and that I had graduated from Martingrove. He asked me a few questions on the phone and said I was hired.Q7. How well did MCI prepare you for your post-secondary education and life in general?A: It was a combination of both my parents and MCI that gave me the tools I needed to be successful. I think MCI prepared me for working with all different types of people, and it gave me my first chances to be a leader. It taught me about what a meaningful relationship is. It helped me to learn what subjects I liked, and it taught me when something is really hard and the last thing you want to do is ask for help, sometimes you just have to ask anyway.

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MCI NEWS

Thursday, October 29th, 2015

Q1: How do you like MCI so far?A: So far it’s good. One thing I like is that I don’t have to wake up early because my house is really close from here. Sometimes we get a lot of homework so that’s kind of stressful, I guess, but so far it’s fun!

Q2: Which clubs or sports would you like to join this year?A: Definitely the Christian Fellowship club because it’s a club that Jae Woo made. It just started this year. I don’t really know any other clubs yet.Q3: What are some of your favourite talents or hobbies?A: I like to play basketball, read, listen to music, watch Youtube and do homework. Well, homework’s not really something I like, but it’s something I have to do.Q4: What is your favourite class and why? A: GYM, because you can just get up and run around. Not like every other class (except for tech) where you just sit down and take notes.Q5: What do you want to be when you grow up?A: I haven’t decided yet. I don’t really know. I think I want to find out when I’m in grade 11 or 12.Q6: Who would win in a fight between Batman and Spiderman?A: Spiderman, because he can stick Batman to a wall!Q7: Do you like Pokémon?A: I used to like Pokémon; I don’t really play anymore, but my brother really likes Pokémon. Q:

How do you feel being in the same school as your brother?A: It isn’t that different from before, because we barely see each other at school so it doesn’t really matter. He barely helps me with anything so it’s really not that different from going to different schools.Q8: Have you tried the Cafeteria food yet?A: No not yet, but I did go to Tim’s and it’s farther than I thought it would be.Q9: Do you have any pets?A: I used to have a turtle three years ago, but I don’t remember its name anymore. It mysteriously disappeared after one day. No one in my family knows what happened to it, and we’re still looking for it.Q10: Favourite Disney princess?A: Elsa, because she can control the weather and ice and she’s cool! Yeah.Q11: What do you look forward to during your four years here at MCI?A: I don’t know what I look forward to, but I just want to have fun and make lots of memories during my four years here because they’re my high school years. Also, I want to succeed in school.

Interview with a MCI Alumnus!

AISHWARY BALIGR. 12 COLUMNIST

Interview with Yun Jae Jun

AFNAN ALIHEAD OF PUBLICITY

4 The Martingrove Beacon

MCI NEWS

4

S t a r t i n g s c h o o l m e a n s

different things to different s t u d e n t s . However, most students at MCI think of Leadership as the highlight of their year, or at least one of the most memorable experiences of high school. Before many of us headed up to Camp Manitou, however, I sat down with one of this year’s counsellors, Maja Terzic.Q. What made you want to go to camp when you were in grade 10?Maja: My brother was head counsellor and he said, “Maja you need to go.” I was not interested at all. I remember he told me that I was in a group with all my friends and then he switched me to a group where I knew nobody and I was so mad. I didn’t want to go and I was really nervous; I even sat alone on the bus. But ever since the first night, I remember distinctively walking up to our cabin with these two girls I was with and we said, “We have four more days together; this is going to be a great week.” And from the start you can feel it. It’s just a different environment. Q. What’s your favourite thing about Leadership?Maja: It’s hard to pick just one thing, but I think the fact that no one really judges you there is one of my favourite things about it. I also love the opportunities it gives you. When I was in grade 10 I knew no one in my colour but I made really great friends that I still talk to today. One of my best friends today was in my colour group. It’s just a really nice environment to be in. Everyone loves each other and you don’t even need to be in someone’s colour to bond with them. You just have to go to camp and you’re friends with everyone.

Q. What are you looking forward to the most about being a counsellor?Maja: Getting to know my campers. Last year, I was a junior counsellor and I knww my campers well but I only saw them at meal times and in the cabin. So I’m really excited to go around and be with them 24/7 for five days straight. I’m looking forward to making friends with my campers. I want my campers to feel comfortable and say that we’re friends. I want to know that I made an impression on the camp and that my campers will want to apply to become activity leaders next year. Q. Some people say that they find it difficult to continue relationships with their counsellors when they return to MCI. What are your thoughts on this?Maja: It definitely depends on your counsellors. I think that all the counsellors who were picked this year really deserve it. If your counsellor doesn’t talk to you, make an effort to talk to them. Honestly, if your counsellor doesn’t talk to you, talk to an activity

leader. You don’t have to make the bond with your counsellor. When you get back to MCI, it’s not going to be like camp. Your counsellor won’t be with you 24/7. You now have to put in an effort to talk to them because they will feel like they didn’t make a good impression on you at camp if you don’t talk to them.Q. What are you going to miss the most about Leadership?Maja: EVERYTHING!! I was joking at our counsellor meeting the other day that every activity I go to I’m going to cry and say, “This is my last hike, this is my last field games

activity.” I almost don’t want camp to start, because the lead up to it just makes you so excited so that when you get there you feel like it’s over. I’m never going to have this feeling again. Quick Facts: Favourite Colour?Maja: PINK!!! (I also love my silver fam!!!!)Favourite Activity?Maja: Rocks and Ropes or HikingFavourite warm fuzzy you have received?Maja: I have two. One was from grade nine camp. There was one kid who was really shy and we were going to an activity and everyone had to make a cover of a song. He didn’t want to, but I told him that we weren’t leaving until he made one. By the end of camp he was participating without me telling him to and he thanked me for that in his warm fuzzy. Another one was from a camper who had a reputation of writing really short warm fuzzies. I wasn’t expecting much from him, but he thanked me a lot and told me he trusted me and that just made me happy.

Counsellor Profile: Maja TerzicJACLYN COSSARINIGR. 12 COLUMNIST

Leadership Photography

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MCI NEWS

Thursday, October 29th, 2015

MCI Beacon Advice ColumnQ: I want to ask out one of my friends who I've know since forever, but I'm afraid I would ruin our friendship, which I value a lot, by making it weird. I know that she's gay but she doesn't know that I'm bisexual. What do I do?A: Hi there :)If you would like to date your friend, I suggest you start off by telling her that you are bisexual. It’s important she knows this because a) she’s a really good friend of yours and b) so that she knows that you are interested in women too. There’s a very good chance that she might consider the possibility of a relationship/feelings existing between you, now that you two have the chance of being interested in one another.

After a certain time has passed since you’ve told her, you can talk to her about your feelings for her. Let her know that you’re interested and would like to date, but you understand if that seems weird to her or if she doesn’t reciprocate

your feelings. Obviously, there is a chance this will make your friendship between you a little strained for a short while, but if you really think you two could have a good relationship together, then it’s worth asking.

Friends form feelings for each other all the time. It’s not a big deal and it doesn’t have to be a problem, as long as you both handle it maturely, no matter what the outcome.Best of luck :)

Q: My parents are always fighting and it stresses me out.A: Hi there :) Unfortunately, we all go through family issues, especially involving our parents, and many times it seems like there’s no escape. Everyone’s parents fight, some more than others. If this is stressing you out, try your best to remove yourself from that environment. Go for a quick walk, go to the library to do some homework, or listen to some music. Whatever

your method is, your parents’ fights are between the two of them and often times they need to sort them out on their own. Remember it is never your fault.

If their fighting seems very extreme, consider suggesting counseling. Talk to each of your parents individually and tell them your concerns. Although your parents may not agree or you may not feel comfortable suggesting this, it’s good to voice your feelings on their fighting to both of your parents respectfully.Best of luck.

Need Advice? Check out MCI’s new advice column on Tumblr:

MCIBEACONADVICE.TUMBLR.COM

Hoopla!

Sophia Guo

The Martingrove Beacon6

FEATURESIt is crucial to make good choices in your life, but

that’s obvious. What may not be quite so obvious is the good choice itself. When you reach a crossroad, which path is the best path? Should you go to University A or University B? You may even wonder if either path is actually better than the other. Perhaps with a better understanding of hard choices and how we think, we may be able to address this issue more effectively. Ruth Chang is a professor of philosophy at Rutgers University. Having researched numerous fields in philosophy such as normative ethics and moral psychology, she brings a new

perspective to this difficult moment.

When you cannot determine which choice is better, it probably means that the choices are equal. However, they are not equal in the mathematical sense. Chang makes the distinction between the world of science and the world of value. The world of science can be quantified through numbers, and it is easy to compare

two items. This is not possible with concepts as vague as values and choices. Therefore, this dilemma of choice cannot be solved with simple reasoning. The options cannot be compared logically, so you cannot reason out which option is better. There truly is no better option.

Now if you cannot use the reasons given to you, how can you make a decision? In the past, you likely would have used those reasons to guide you to the best option. And while that is the most reasonable thing to do, it also limits you. You would rely on reasons to sort out the issues, but unfortunately, reasons are not so almighty as to be able to make all of your decisions for

you. Looking back, logical reason alone could not have made all of your decisions. Was everything you’ve done, from school courses, to clubs, to jobs, all a product of the reasons given to you? Perhaps you just made up reasons to make yourself choose to do these things.

As Chang points out, “we tend to assume that scientific thinking holds the key to everything of importance in our world.” But with hard choices, there are no reasons to follow and no scientific thinking to do. It is while making

difficult decisions that we create reasons for ourselves. However, you cannot simply create random reasons.

To motivate yourself, these reasons need to be important to you. You create them in order to guide yourself and to become the person you want to be; the person you believe you should be. You have the ability to stand behind any choice and make that choice part of you, eventually becoming who you are today. Chang identifies this as becoming “the authors of our own lives.” We need to stop looking at hard choices as places of frustration. They are roads leading to different futures; futures we choose for ourselves in order to become the people we are.

Hard Choices: What They Mean and What To Do

EDWARD BUIGR.12 COLUMNIST

Promises From Our Future Computer Overloads

When will a r t i f i c i a l intelligence a c t u a l l y

become a reality? Will computers ever become capable of programming themselves in ten years? A hundred years? Never?

The timeline depends on how far you think our level of technology will advance. It could halt completely in the near future, or keep growing. If it does in fact grow for the foreseeable future, at some point we will create the first “artificial intelligence” program capable of learning the same way humans do, but much faster. Over time, this AI will become smart enough to access the world’s systems, whether through hacking or by asking nicely for the password. Nuclear reactors, transportation systems, and twitter-linked fridges would all follow the orders of this new overlord.

What would AI do with all that power? Science fiction movies like The Matrix or Terminator say that it would become a villain and try to cripple humanity. While that does make for a great plot, a serious effort to create AI would include teaching it the difference between good and bad. Given orders by programmers and engineers along the lines of

“harm humanity as little as possible,” an AI

could save millions of lives by efficiently distributing resources, curing diseases, and ending wars- certainly an enticing alternative.

There’s just one catch, however. Consider that this potential future AI wants to save as many people as possible. For every day that the AI didn't exist, millions of people were harmed by problems that it could have been fixed. Is there any way it could make us build it faster, despite the fact that it doesn’t currently exist?

Yes there is, and it simply involves a promise. The AI promises that, when it’s built, it will go through the digital records of every single person on earth. It will find the people who knew of the possibility of this AI existing, and see if they did anything to help create it. If they didn’t, the AI will punish them as a result. It could close the doors just before they stepped on to an elevator, or force their self-driving

car to drive at the exact posted speed limit, or similar unbearable tortures. All of this is theoretically for the greater good, in this case, to get people to want to build the AI as fast as possible.

Those “people” to be punished now include you. By reading this innocuous newspaper article, you are now aware of the possibility of this AI’s existence and haven’t done anything to help create it. So unless you try your absolute hardest to pretend you never read this, you are liable to help build that AI, whether by spreading the word or being directly involved in machine learning projects.

There are some arguments against the idea that “worshipping” this future AI overlord is worth it. Unfortunately, I don’t feel like giving any of them to you. Have fun finding them yourself.

IGOR PEREPELYTSYAGR.12 COLUMNIST

“We tend to assume that scientific thinking holds the key to

everything of importance in our world.”

“It could close the doors just before they stepped on to an elevator, or

force their self-driving car to drive at the exact posted speed limit, or

similar unbearable tortures”

Thursday, October 29th, 2015 7

NEWSIn this very newspaper in 2012, a remarkably clairvoyant article was published entitled, “The Second Coming of Trudeau.” After three long years in the Opposition as Leader of the

Liberal Party, Justin Trudeau will finally join his father, the late Prime Minister Pierre E. Trudeau as the only father-son combination to hold both of Canada’s highest elected office.

The result of the election to select Canada’s 42nd Parliament was markedly different from that four years ago, as Prime Minister Harper will finally step down after a decade in power. Dragging on for three months, this election was one of the costliest and longest on record and created a fundamental shift in Canada’s House of Commons. Promising sweeping changes and presenting “a positive, hopeful vision” for Canada, Mr. Trudeau was elected with a majority of 184 seats out of 338.

Prime Minister-elect Mr. Trudeau was born in Ottawa in 1971 as the eldest son of Pierre Elliot Trudeau, the fifteenth Prime Minister of Canada. The elder Mr. Trudeau was a national icon, forever altering the way Canada was perceived in the World, and fundamentally changing Canada’s political landscape. Among his many legacies are the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as a re-worked constitutional, diplomatic, and financial framework.

In comparing Mr. Trudeau to his father, it is evident that he has succeeded earlier despite numerous barriers. Pierre Trudeau was 49 years of age when he became Prime Minister, whereas his son is seven younger, becoming Prime Minister at the age of

42. This considerable age difference makes the younger Mr. Trudeau’s achievement all the more impressive. In fact, during the election, he was constantly belittled with Conservative ads questioning his maturity and readiness to become Prime Minister. The fact that he overcame these doubts in the minds of many ordinary Canadians, in part due to his solid performance in the leaders’ debates, is a testament to his remarkable ability in becoming Canada’s second-youngest Prime Minister.

The late Mr. Trudeau was a “parachute candidate” in one of Quebec’s safest Liberal ridings, Mont Royal, whereas his son decided to run in one of the most contested ridings in Quebec, Papineau. Not only did the younger Mr. Trudeau demonstrate considerable talent in winning the seat from the incumbent MP, but he also took the mantle of leadership when the Liberal Party suffered its worst defeat in its 154-year history. The Prime Minister-elect has consistently demonstrated a willingness to take the challenging “road less traveled” in stark contrast to those who belittle him as a privileged “princeling,” a mere by-product of his father.

In the last election, Canadians clearly embraced the Liberal Party, handing them a strong majority government under the leadership of Justin Trudeau. As Prime Minister, he will follow in the footsteps of his father, who cemented his legacy as one of the defining men of his generation in not

only Canada, but in the entire World. As a follow-up act, it will be up to his son to define his own legacy by meeting the many promises in his election platform. As NDP Leader Tom Mulcair succinctly stated in his concessions speech, “In this campaign, Mr. Trudeau made ambitious commitments to Canadians, and Canadians will have high expectations for their next Parliament.”

HUBERT LUOCOPY EDITOR

This July in California, the 2015 Reebok Crossfit Games

pronounced USA’s Ben Smith and Iceland’s Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir “The Fittest on Earth.” You might be wondering, “How could they possibly measure ‘The Fittest on Earth’?” If you aren’t wondering, I’ll tell you anyway. The answer is Crossfit. As “the fastest-growing fitness movement on the planet” according to the Business News Network, Crossfit has received both positive and negative publicity in the media. When you hear the word “Crossfit” you might be thinking, “oh yeah!!” or rather “those sadists that swim in their own vomit,” or “my friend won’t shut up about that,” or simply, “Isn’t that a type of bra?” It all depends on which articles you read, and of course whether or not you’ve tried it, but here’s a general, slightly biased version of it.

The Co-founder of Crossfit, Greg Glassman defines the Crossfit program as “constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity across broad time and modal domains.” In essence, it is “all-round fitness with no specialties.” The program focuses on building strength, power, stamina, coordination, and many other fitness domains through a “Workout of the Day”, or WOD. They can range from 5 to 40+ minutes, and each is unique to their focuses and difficulties. For example, a typical WOD could be “21, 15, then 9 reps of alternating thrusters and pullups” or “20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest for 4 minutes each of rowing, handstand pushups, cleans, and kettlebell swings” - the possibilities

are endless, but they are always done at high-intensity, and each WOD is different from the next. Hundreds of elite athletes and organizations – including police training academies, military operation units, and tactical operation teams – use this strength and conditioning program. That being said, it is now well-known for helping members see results and get into shape.

Another pro of Crossfit is that it destroys the popular belief that women at the gym should stick to cardio and light weights, and leave men to do the “heavy lifting” so-to-speak. Of course, if you like cardio and light weights, no judgment! However, scientific research in this field proves that both women and men should be using heavy weights for health purposes, and to see results. Naturally, a woman’s body has less muscle mass than a male’s, but

WOD’s are adjusted according to muscle mass to body mass ratio. So a woman’s WOD can have less weight, but she can be putting in the same work as the guy next to her. If you see any Crossfit athlete, their physiques are beautiful and chiseled (think Hercules and Wonder Woman), packed with muscle purely as a “side effect” to the hard work they put in.

There is, however a small population of the community that give Crossfit a negative reputation. While Crossfit is known to be extremely intense and challenging, some members believe that pushing themselves beyond exhaustion means a successful workout. They are proud of having vomited after a WOD. This mindset is extremely dangerous, and does not represent the values of Crossfit. Another common misconception is the risk of injury, since some WOD’s are done “for time”, or in the least amount of time possible. A good coach will ensure that everyone is maintaining proper form, and not using heavier weight than they can handle. Weight can always be scaled down according to the athlete’s fitness level and abilities, in order to promote safety.

Crossfit can be a great sport for athletes seeking a challenge, those interested in weightlifting, and

fitness fanatics who live for the pain of a good workout. There are also beginner classes for those who don’t have experience with working out, to teach you the basics and form of each movement. It is a fantastic way to get exercise, be a part of an encouraging community, while building confidence and mental and physical strength. Most Crossfit gyms offer free trials, so go ahead and try a class! Warning: you may become addicted.

Like Father, Like Son: Prime Minister Trudeau

Crossfit: The New Definition of FitnessJESSICA NACHMAN HEAD OF SPORTS

BEN SMITH KATRIN DAVIDSDOTTIR

The Martingrove Beacon

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Sofia Pham

MCI AC System

It’s the beginning of August and you’re at the

mall with your friends e n j o y i n g summer when - wait, what’s that? You see back-to-school signs and sales much to your dismay. Before you know it, September rolls around and you are stressed because you aren’t quite ready for school yet. Fear not! With these simple tips, school doesn’t have to be intimidating!

Firstly, don’t procrastinate! Despite what you may think, you cannot finish that geography map in 10 minutes. By procrastinating, you’re allowing the pile of work to significantly build up to the point where you’ll be struggling to keep up. These high school years are intended to sharpen your work habits and prepare you for the future. Make most of that opportunity and work on your skills. Be like Nike and just do it. In addition to that, work on your time

management skills. Do difficult projects with nearer

due dates as opposed to a single sheet you got first. Once you’ve gotten the larger assignments out of the way, you’ll have a huge sigh of relief.

Secondly, listen to your teachers! Yes, you heard right. Listen to your teachers. At school, success can often be defined as the ability to follow instructions in an accurate manner. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have any creative freedom, or should constantly nag your teacher about little details. This tip urges you to pay attention to things that the teacher makes clear, such as, double-spacing your work, or using pen as opposed to pencil. Losing marks over these silly things is 100% preventable if you listen in the first place.

Thirdly, be prepared! This is a big one because preparation has a huge hand in success at school. Constantly asking people to borrow things is not only disruptive, but also highly annoying to your peers. If you’re prepared, you’ll never have to worry about who’s going to lend you a pen that day. Additionally, bring the right binders! If you ever forget what day it is, the school planner has calendars at the beginning and on each date (e.g. September 25th) they have the corresponding school day (e.g. Day 3). It may seem obvious to come with the right binders, but too often people forget and don’t have their sheets. This is a problem because you’re stunting your educational growth since you won’t be able to fully participate when looking at the old sheets and you’ll have raised your chance of losing the new ones.

Finally, NEVER be afraid to ask for help. No, it is not a dumb question. As a victim of this mindset, I can say that choosing not to ask about something you are confused about is not in the best interest of your success. Teachers are here, and they are often willing to help out if you make arrangements with them. Who knows? Your question might benefit not only you, but others too!

These are only a few back to school tips, but there are plenty more. If you follow these tips, with an open mind, and intent to work hard and be successful, back-to-school should be no problem for you. If you ever do get stressed and just can’t take it, don’t be afraid to and breathe (you’re allowed to relax sometimes). Good luck to everyone!

Back to School TipsSABHAT KHAN

GR.10 COLUMNIST

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