PHOTO BY SARA SHEIKH / THE SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY “You keep cutting out.” “Your screen is all blurry.” “There’s an echo in your audio.” “It must be your Wi-Fi.” At this point in the online school year, we have […]
Slow internet in a virtual classroom
A future cop’s take on defund the police
GRAPHIC BY SARA SHIEKH / THE SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY Disclaimer: This is Humberto’s personal opinion and does not reflect the opinions of current or aspiring police officers. He is currently at Laurier Brantford in the criminology program. The phrase […]
Same tuition cost; lower educational quality
MICHAEL PIRILLO / THE SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY As we make our way through another online midterm season, I’m realizing just how little I have learned since last March. This time last year, I was fully engaged in most of […]
Exploring the widespread lack enthusiasm for online clubs
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / THE SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY Beyond the obvious negative effects that being forced to earn our university degrees from our bedrooms has had on all of us, the pandemic has resulted in an overlooked yet equally unfortunate consequence: […]
Why are we in the midst of a queer awakening?
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE / THE SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY Trigger warning for mention of hardships experienced as a result of the pandemic as well as LGBTQIA+ discrimination from systems of power. Please self-care and reach out for support if needed. It […]
There can only be one (poppy)
PHOTO BY MICHAEL PIRILLO / THE SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY November 11 is here. You are hopefully going to take a pause for the solemn day of remembrance and gratitude for those that laid down everything in service of this country. […]
Too fool for school
Photo of inside Ottawa high school during COVID-19 pandemic./ Contributed Image, The Sputnik Photography. Christian is a recent graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University with a BA in the Dept. of Human and Social Sciences. As you all have just […]
Experiencing a concert in 2020
Sara Sheikh, The Sputnik Photography Music is something everyone enjoys, unfortunately due to the COVID-19 pandemic people have not been able to experience live concerts anymore. September 26 of this year I had the pleasure of attending a concert […]
I don’t think I’m an inspiration, and why should there be a hierarchy?
Photo by Tejas Singh, The Sputnik Photography Upon signing up as a writer for Laurier Brantford’s student newspaper, I was unsure as to what my first article would be about. The Editor-in-Chief brought up the idea of speaking on my […]
Saving the Earth
When I first moved to Brantford for school, I wasn’t really surprised that people around here recycled. But when I found out that Brantford had a two-sort recycling program, I was a bit surprised. I had never heard of such […]
Following the rules during COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19 was recently raised to a worldwide pandemic by the World’s Health Organization (WHO) and as such, many countries have begun closing borders, canceling events, closing businesses and encouraging social distancing. There are a lot of pictures showing grocery store […]
The Acade-money Awards: a 2020 Oscars review
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE I dislike awards shows in general, not because of lack of representation or the incredibly annoying political commentary of those who win the awards. No, I dislike awards shows because the main determinant of the winners […]
Proud Boys postering prompts pushback
PHOTO: SPUTNIK ARCHIVES When the Grand River flooded Spring 2018 many communities in Brantford were in need of help. Regardless of who the people were and what they stood for, the community came together to aid those in need. This […]
Why I don’t agree with the concept of Valentine’s Day
February 14, the one day of the year, where buying chocolates, flowers and heart shaped anything is a must. The one day of the year, every person in a relationship needs to celebrate being in love. The entire year, you […]
The extinction rebellion is our only hope to fight climate change
PHOTO BY KATELYN THOMSON / SPUTNIK CONTRIBUTOR In December Premier Doug Ford was left a steaming pile of dung hand-delivered by climate activists known as the Extinction Rebellion. The activists emptied an entire truckload of manure on the driveway in […]
Why there is no point to having a new year’s resolution
New years resolutions are mindless and dumb and the tradition of it has been circling our world for years. Although I do love the sentiment of tradition, the pledges to become a better version of oneself, and going out with […]
Is Laurier doing enough for its students?
Laurier Brantford turned 20 this year and students still feel as if they are regarded as second best to the Waterloo campus. The two Laurier Campuses feel like two different universities. Wilfrid Laurier isn’t doing enough to include Laurier Brantford […]
Assumption College allegedly responsible for homophobic photo
A group of high school students, from Assumption College in Brantford, are being held accountable by the school board for their participation in an Instagram photo containing homophobic and racist language. To be more specific, the group of all-white […]
Some tips to pick yourself back up this exam season
As we approach the end of the Fall term here at Laurier, students tend to share some common anxieties across the campus: with exams coming up, tests, essays and etc., it can be nerve-racking and stressful. Outside of school, we […]
Time management: how to get more out of your studying this finals season
Do you ever feel like 24 hours in a day are simply not enough? There’s just so much to do, and so little time. Whether you live at home or by yourself, there’s never enough time to get everything accomplished. […]
Is the “freshman fifteen” really that scary?
Over the past few years, the body positive movement has taken hold of social media, which has slowly but surely diversified online spaces and given exposure to bodies that aren’t just the hyper sexualized fantasies and below average sizes that […]
Breaking down the first year frame
This is but a breath, but a moment, but a glimpse into eternity. There is time to stumble, to stutter and to start again. The task of entering university can be daunting, leaving behind all that is familiar in the […]
The polarity of politics: a deadening discourse
The infantile behaviour of President Trump has been demonstrated yet again through his refusal to communicate or visit with the Prime Minister of Denmark after being denied the sale of the territory of Greenland. Though he is not the first […]
President’s Note: finding your place at your own pace
Four years ago, when I began my undergrad, I never expected to end up working for Student Publications and enjoying my involvement with the organization as much as I have. I could have never imagined the tremendous impact that it […]
Leaving will be harder than expected
I started this school year reflecting on how university has been the best and worst time of my life. Now that the school year and my undergraduate career are almost over, I want to reflect on my last four years […]
The epidemic of social media reposting
Hello Snapchatters, Instagrammers, round the clock texters and the other screen slaves who were not addressed in the previous three titles. I am here today to tell you about a social epidemic that has plagued social media platforms. Yes, I […]
Mandatory Indigenous studies classes
I remember the first time I heard the land acknowledgement crackle through the decades-old speaker in my Grade 12 English class after morning announcements. I recall being confused and somewhat irritated with the puzzled whispers and murmurs that engulfed the […]
I’m hesitant to call myself a Christian
I believe in God. I’m a follower of Jesus, but I’m embarrassed to call myself a Christian. This is because lately, the definition of Christianity has gone haywire. It’s a shame as my faith has always been a significant part […]
Keep your slut shaming to yourself
Sex: a taboo topic that everyone seems to have an opinion about. I think it’s pretty obvious that everyone has their own experiences and preferences that influence their opinions on the topic, myself included. However, I think one of the more annoying aspects of sex […]
Chocolate scams in a heart-shaped box
There is nothing romantic about Valentine’s Day. Yup, I said it. Let’s face it: you know it’s true. Take a second; brush the sequins out of your eyes, pry the rose from between your teeth, turn down the Marvin Gaye vinyl and pull […]