On Wednesday June 24, the Sanderson Centre was filled to the brim with graduating students, delighted family members and robed faculty. Convocation had arrived for a slew of Wilfrid Laurier University students, with approximately 2533 students meeting their program requirements and qualifying to graduate. Over 350 of those degrees went to Laurier Brantford students, who graduated from programs including Journalism, Criminology and Leadership. Two ceremonies - one at 10:30 a.m. and another at 2:30 p.m. were held to accommodate these...

Whether students choose to commute to campus or live nearby, becoming familiar with a new city is both an exciting and a nerve-racking experience, especially if it's far from home. Prior to beginning the university application and registration process, it's likely that many new students had never visited Brantford before. Some probably hadn't even heard of Brantford. Although it is certainly modest in size, Brantford is a city with tons of character and a true community feel. And, with a...

Before the first day of university actually begins, there’s a week of fun activities available exclusively for first-year students: Orientation Week, also known as “O-Week.” During O-Week, you get an opportunity to meet tons of wonderful people such as your Ice Breakers, who will guide you to various activities throughout the week, to all the first-years on campus! A special theme is held every year, and the theme for 2009 was “Transform Your Destiny” that included Green Zombies, Gold Mummies,...

Fifth year. If you’d told me in September 2006 I would be here in the fall of 2010, and that I would be telling you what I learned too late to help you avoid similar problems, well, I probably wouldn’t have said anything. I kept quiet most of my first year. University intimidated me, I guess.

Really, though, I didn’t say much because I was planning on leaving. Raised in Brantford, I wanted to transfer to the Waterloo campus after...

Living on residence doesn't mean resigning yourself to a routine of PB&J sandwiches and Ramen noodles. As this writer and amateur chef shows you, turning undergrad grub into mealtime magic is all about thinking outside the box.

“Rainbow Veggie Pasta with Sauce”

Okay, maybe a rainbow of vegetables doesn't appeal to you now, but after a couple of weeks of living off of Kraft Dinner and a wide assortment of liquids, you’ll come crawling back to the cutting...

When starting your university career, there are droves of new things that come your way. New school, new classrooms, and sometimes, a new city. However, the thing that the majority of people look forward to is the moving out. All of us finally get to leave our childhood bedroom which may still have the dinosaur wallpaper up from when you were a kid and you can finally escape those parents who are constantly asking you where you’re going and when...

Students living in Post House and Wilkes House are woken up at seven o'clock every morning to the sounds of machinery and workers, as the new Brantford Research and Academic Centre (BRAC) building rises higher and higher out of the once-infamous empty hole.

There have been many changes at Laurier over the past year and many more coming, the most noticeable of which has been the great mass of steel and concrete going up in between Post House and Wilkes...

Living in residence, I’ve heard quite a few rumours throughout the school year regarding who is sleeping with who and the hook-ups at the latest party. Normally I’d ignore these stories and move on to more important things such as my dinner plans for the night, but I couldn’t help but be bothered by a few things. Girls who sleep around are generally referred to as "sluts," "whores" and "loose," whereas men who have the same reputation have much tamer...

Saving the world might seem like a daunting mission, but environmental responsibility often starts small. Here are some practical and easy ideas you can put into action this summer:

1. Plant a garden Not only does this save you from having to go buy veggies and herbs, it also helps the environment (stay pesticide-free!) And it’s always good to have more oxygen-producers around.

2. Do your own composting Instead of throwing out rotten fruit and veggies, toss them in a...

The school year may be ending, but Project Empathy is nowhere close to winding down; some of the organization’s busiest times are just ahead.

On February 27, the organization hosted their sixth annual gala fundraising dinner. Laurier Brantford staff and faculty, friends and family of Project Empathy members, and members of the Brantford community, including Brant Member of Parliament Phil McColeman, gathered at the Sherwood Restaurant for dinner, live music, a silent auction, and a preview of the organization’s upcoming...

We’ve all had it happen. You’re in the moment with your partner, trying to make magic and then it happens. Your iPod changes songs and suddenly you’re faced with the sweet musical styling of Weird Al Yankovic’s, “Eat It." The mood is gone and so is your erection.

Don’t fear, my highly horny friend, I’m here to help! Below is a list of a few of my favourite songs that get the juices flowin’ and the lovemaking going. You can...

Downtown barber and Laurier Brantford student Martin Sitko is running for Brantford city council.

"I think I could help both the downtown and this ward," Sitko said. "I understand the economics of owning property downtown, the ups and downs, the help to the economy from the influx of students. I go to Laurier, so I've seen both sides."

Sitko has been a part-time student at Laurier - pursuing a double major in contemporary studies and criminology - for five years....

Megan Murphy brushes a strand of strawberry blonde hair out of her face and begins: “We were supposed to spend around 60-80 hours on the project, but as of Wednesday it’ll be around 160. I’ve put a lot of work into this!” She then explains how her files went from a folder to a 1-inch binder to a now massive binder brimming with paperwork. We’re both laughing at the thought of this binder-zilla.

We’ve been friends for the past three...

New club hopes to improve awareness for LGBTQ community

I walked into Therapy Lounge feeling confident. It’s the Thursday before Valentine’s Day and I have been asked to cover a speed dating event that’s being held in support of War Child. I’m hoping to get a couple quotes, find some inside information on the event and get home. And then I’m asked to participate. Immediately, I begin to sweat profusely and nervously giggle about how I’m underdressed and didn’t have time to mentally prepare. What are we going to...