A bit of a breather this week, after the monster issue that was last week’s issue. Still, we have room for a lot of good stuff including the third part of Alek Golijanin’s investigation into recycling numbers, including his own experience with getting the number of a dead man, and the responses he got from various organizations who should be getting Canada prepared for a digital age where a phone number is increasingly an inseparable part of a person’s identity.
We also have the Council Connection from February, and if that feels soon, it’s because we just had January’s last week, and soon to come (though not next week) will be March’s report. We saw in the survey just how many of you look to our Council Connection for reporting on AUSU, so we’re doing our best to make sure you get the information you use.
And speaking of our survey, with over a thousand responses, it’s taking us a bit of time to go through everything, but we should soon start sending out notifications to those who won our drawing. Congrats to you, and thanks again to all who filled out the survey, some of the responses so far have taken us a bit by surprise.
However, getting back to this week’s Voice Magazine, our feature article is a look at cultural frame switching. Would you be a different person if you’d have been raised learning Spanish instead of English? Can your language affect your personality? Natalia Iwanek takes a look at this question, and it’s an interesting article not only for the ideas and thoughts it brings forward but for how she opens up with her own experience and what she’s learned about the question simply by being a multi-lingual person.
And when it comes to the idea of language affecting who we are, that’s almost home to our resident Fly on the Wall, who this week looks at how our language can take on its own meaning while simultaneously losing real meaning as it divorces us from nature. I don’t agree with the idea myself, but maybe I’m missing something about it.
Also this week, if you’ve been looking for something to do as spring finally comes into town, we’ve got a few options, whether it’s Xine Wang’s ideas for a cheap date, or Barb Lehtiniemi’s introduction to bird watching, an activity that’s great for the whole family, especially if you can convince the kids to try it and so get a break from the noise while you study.
Plus, we of course have advice, humour, scholarships, events, and much more.
Now some housekeeping, I’ll be taking a vacation the week after next, so there’ll be no April 14th Voice Magazine. I’m sure you’ll make it through just fine, but I thought I’d let you know that it’s me, not you, ahead of time. Also, we’re still looking for students who are willing to be interviewed for Minds We Meet. You get some fun swag and a chance to share your story with an interested student audience. Write mwm@voicemagazine.org if you’re interested in knowing more!
Finally, we’re still having some email trouble, so if you’re expecting a response from me for anything, be sure to check your spam folder and please excuse me if there’s a bit of a delay, as about half the messages I send are getting bounced now before ever reaching a mailbox. Meanwhile, enjoy the read!
