Features

<p>As the first month of the new year reigns in and an election looms near, the rent and housing crisis concerns grow larger. The beginning of 2024 marks a full year without a rent cap in place in New Brunswick, and with rises in rent, lack of housing and issues like “reno-victions”, many people – [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Cold winter air, the sound of skates gliding along the ice and joyous applause for a snowy marriage proposal. These were some of the sights and sounds of Fredericton’s Grande Soiree. The Grande Soiree, hosted by Fredericton Tourism as part of the annual FROSTival, took place on Jan. 20 and featured free winter delicacies, live [&hellip;]</p>

<p>During his 17-year career in the Canadian military, Michael Daniel rose to the rank of master corporal, which often put him in stressful situations. From working at the Infantry School at Base Gagetown where explosives are stored, to mentoring his young subordinates in realistic training exercises, this kind of work has created hypervigilance in troop [&hellip;]</p>

<p>The room was filled with singing and dancing as 12 students showcased their talents. For some, it was their first time on stage, while others had performed for audiences twice as large.  From guitar duos to dancing and piano solos, STU&#8217;s Got Talent took place on Jan. 15 at the Ted Daigle Auditorium and was [&hellip;]</p>

<p>As media consumers, we’ve witnessed the world of entertainment and how live award shows tend to be magnets for drama. We’ve had our fair share of hosts that announced the wrong winners for best picture, have been slapped by an actor and given awkward performances. This year, the Golden Globes were hosted by Jo Koy, [&hellip;]</p>

<p>As winter gets colder, the sound of coughing and sniffling gets louder. Typically, the culprit is the common cold or the flu, but this year, COVID-19 is once again on the rise. According to CBC and New Brunswick&#8217;s most recent Respiratory Watch, eight people died from the virus, while 48 were hospitalized – four of [&hellip;]</p>

<p>It’s a brisk October afternoon. The smell of spices and fresh vegetables cuts through the chill in the air as Cecilia Brooks, Indigenous Foodways Instructor with Hayes Farm, stirs her zu-bay-gen (sunchoke) soup. She cooks in a makeshift kitchen in the farm’s barn, a hot plate gifted to her by her son set upon a [&hellip;]</p>

<p>On the night of Nov. 16, the St. Thomas University International Students Association (STUISA) hosted the annual Food Fest at Sir James Dunn Hall. The Food Fest offered an opportunity to discover new culinary experiences while connecting with different cultures. Alberto Chávez, a third-year student from Ecuador and president of STUISA, said the event had [&hellip;]</p>

<p>This November, St. Thomas University has added purple lights in the cupolas of two campus buildings, George Martin Hall and Holy Cross House, in recognition of Family Violence Prevention Month.    Proclaimed by the Government of New Brunswick in partnership with the Fergusson Foundation, the month aims to raise awareness of the impact that family violence [&hellip;]</p>

<p>In times of stress, students often look to different outlets to manage it. And for many students, having a furry friend to play with is the perfect stress reliever. On Thursday, Nov. 9, dogs from the River Valley Obedience Centre came to visit students in George Martin Hall to provide joy and stress relief over [&hellip;]</p>

<p>An unexpected intergenerational alliance was formed when volunteers from Leo Hayes  came together in solidarity with the Pine Grove Nursing Home after suffering a robbery that saved their annual Festival of Lights. Every year, the nursing home puts forward an event to light up the place with holiday-themed lights and fundraise money for the residents. [&hellip;]</p>

<p>The St. Thomas University Student Union (STUSU) hosted the Global Connections Challenge in Sir James Dunn Hall on Nov. 15 as part of the International Education Week.  The event consisted of a five-minute conversation between an international student and a domestic student where they tried to find the most things in common so they could [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Walking into St. Thomas University&#8217;s James Dunn Hall, something immediately noticeable is the vast wall of flags on display that hangs above the downstairs study area. For some, these flags are just decoration, but for many international students, these flags provide a sense of home. Thursday, Nov. 16 marked STU’s annual Wall of Flags changing [&hellip;]</p>

<p>While for many, October&#8217;s “spooky season” is ideal for horror movies, for André Loiselle, St. Thomas University dean of humanities and top horror film academic in Canada, horror films are a year-round delight. Loiselle has been a horror movie enthusiast since childhood, when he discovered the genre through movies and comic books such as Creepy [&hellip;]</p>

<p>On Halloween night, Oct. 31, around 10 volunteers took to the streets to trick or treat, but with a twist. Instead of accepting candy like most trick or treaters, St. Thomas University volunteers said “trick or eat?” and asked for non-perishable food donations for the campus food bank in their annual Trick n’ Eat event. [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Every year, people around Fredericton grab their friends, their red flannels and a camera to go apple picking. It’s an autumn staple. But what they may not know is the long and illustrious history of apple orchards around the city. Everett Family Orchard is a U-Pick farm just outside of Fredericton. Owned by the Everetts, [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Every Thursday, Claire Morrison and her volunteers cook a meal for St. Thomas University students. She asks international students to suggest recipes from back home so she can bring them a sense of &#8220;home away from home.&#8221; On Oct. 26, around 10 students from all around the world gathered to share Morrison&#8217;s dishes. She made [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Pirates, waitresses and Taylor Swift on roller skates — these were just some of the costumes seen at Roll-O-Ween roller disco on Oct. 19. Roll-O-Ween, hosted by local skate shop Sunshine Rollers, was a spooky skate for all ages and experience levels. This year, the event was held at the Fredericton Exhibition Centre. “It was [&hellip;]</p>

<p>A recent whiteboard question at the University of New Brunswick’s Harriet Irving Library read “what are your thoughts on campus parking?” The student responses were overwhelmingly negative. One response reads “We already pay for everything else. We shouldn’t have to pay just to get to school.” Other responses mention how few spots are available, how [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Coming to a different country is never an easy transition. Luckily for St. Thomas University international students, STU’s international student coordinator Carrie Monteith-Levesque is here to support whoever needs it. “The idea of getting to interact with, meet and support students coming from all around the world with their transition to university life… that was [&hellip;]</p>