issue 26// vol 45 opinions // no. 15 Nowhere to go, no one to impress >» The quality of your summer shouldn’t be defined by what you do Roshni Riar Staff Writer A the winter semester winds down and summer break quickly approaches with promises of fun times and wild adventures ahead, the number of questions I'm having to field about my summer plans is spiking through the roof. I find that around this time of year people start comparing their itineraries— sizing them up to see who’s going to have the “best” time off. I’m normally a last- minute traveller and as of yet have no plans for the summer break because I'll be taking summer classes. I made that decision because I wanted to do it. Yet every time I tell someone that work and school are the only things on my agenda right now, I’m met with, “Aw! That’s too bad!” I dont get it—why is it “too bad” that I feel like being productive and want to save some money? It’s become increasingly frustrating to me that so many people define the quality of their summer by how much they do and where they go. I even had a classmate—upon telling her What gets your goat? my apparently “boring” plans—respond with, “Oh, so you're not up to much then!” As if two jobs and a couple of classes require the absolute minimal amount of effort compared to a two-week trek across Southeast Asia. While I don’t get embarrassed by the fact that I have nothing exciting going on, I know that there are people who do and that really sucks. Whatever you elect to do with your summer is up to you and the only opinion that should matter when deciding your plans is your own. You don’t need to craft an eclectic summer full of expensive travel just because youve scared that people will think youre boring. We live in a unique city with tons of hiking trails, beaches, and » People who stare at or film car accidents Jessica Berget Opinions Editor et me preface this with a story. Recently, I was on my way to a meeting when the bus I was riding was hit by a car. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the car involved in the collision was wrecked and the family that was in the car looked to be, understandably, a little traumatized. It was a stressful situation, and everybody was in a bit of shock about what just happened. However, something about the way people reacted to the collision irked me. Many people got off the bus and began to film or take pictures of the aftermath of the collision. At the same time, many cars that drove by were either going really slowly or people were staring at the family and the scene of the accident. Parsley sucks as an herb T understand something like a traffic collision is an exciting event to witness in our otherwise mundane lives. However, what is the purpose of filming it or gawking over such a thing? Furthermore, is it really appropriate or helpful to film or stare at people, much less crying children who were just involved in a situation as frightening as a crash? I dont think so. Taking pictures or recordings for insurance purposes is one thing. However, I'm talking about people who gape and tape simply due to curiosity, people who have no stake in the insurance ramifications of the accident. The term for people’s tendency to turn and stare at accident scenes is “rubbernecking” and it’s something I see far too commonly when driving. In this context, I often see people gawk or crane » It’s only good as a garnish and even then, it sucks other major cities nearby for long weekend road trip adventures. There are so many interesting events taking place in the Lower Mainland that can be easily attended and taken advantage of. If you want a break Illustration by Cara Seccafien their necks trying to look at accidents while they’re driving to the point where they slow down or stop traffic to get a better look. This is a form of distracted driving, which as we know has the potential to be incredibly dangerous. When people decide to take photos or film these accidents, this is known as “digital rubbernecking.” It’s unsafe, annoying, and kind of rude. I mean, do you really have to get that good of a look or photo of a traffic collision? What are you going to do, put it on your Instagram? Just mind your own business and move on. I understand people are morbidly curious sometimes. Believe me, no one knows that better than me. However, being so preoccupied with something while driving is a major hazard. You could end up being involved in a collision yourself if but can't afford to fly somewhere, you could even have your own little staycation (those are seriously underappreciated). Be a tourist in your own city. Sometimes it’s fun to rediscover parts of town that you generally avoid because they're busy. You don’t need to travel all summer to have a good time and you certainly don’t need to jam-pack your schedule with a bunch of seemingly exciting things to impress others. Do what you feel comfortable with—whatever makes sense to you. Just roll with it. Ifyou can travel and you feel like it, then of course you should do it! Just remember that shaming people for not going anywhere is kind of ignorant and dismissive and it doesn’t mean they're boring, There are plenty of reasons why someone may not travel the world with every school break. Instead of making them feel lame or trying to one-up them, think about the fact that their plans may be guided by different constraints or considerations. Don’t brush them off just because their summer doesn't feel exciting enough to you. you are more focused on an accident on the side of the road than the road in front of you. Furthermore, I think it is incredibly annoying when people do it. They act as if they have never seen an accident in their life. It’s not that interesting and there are more important things to focus on—like maybe your driving. I think it’s also important to consider people’s feelings after a car accident. Do you think if you were involved ina collision, you would want people staring at or filming you? I know I wouldn't. The next time you're driving and notice an accident, it’s normal to be curious and take a gander, but please refrain from staring or getting your phone out to take pictures of the scene. It’s rude, and you don’t want to be the next accident on the side of the road. Jessica Berget Opinions Editor know the jury is still out on over whether the herb cilantro is tasty or not; some people love it and others think it tastes like soap. However, it’s not their fault—people’s disdain for the herb may be attributed to their genetics. Personally I love cilantro and would put it in all of my food if T could, but I’m not going to hate on others for not having the genetics to enjoy its taste, which is entirely outside their control. So, I say we put the cilantro debate to rest. The real herb enemy I think everyone’s taste buds can agree on is parsley. I know it is a vital ingredient of many delicious dishes and foods... oh wait, no it’s not! Besides maybe a chimichurri sauce, it’s practically never needed as an ingredient in another dish except as a garnish. Even then, its only purpose is to make the dish look fancy, and even then, it still does a bad job! Yet almost every recipe Isee with an accompanying picture of the food in question has that sad, pathetic, little sprig of suck on top of an otherwise appetizing dish. I won't stand for it any more. Why must everything be garnished with parsley? It is a useless, cast-off herb; it might as well not be there at all. Also, I find it has absolutely no taste except perhaps slightly leafy. I don’t know why recipes still list it as an ingredient because I find it hard to believe that anyone actually purchases it and uses it in their dishes. Seriously, who has ever chomped down on a leaf of parsley and thought, “Oh this is delicious?” No one. Normally I’m not a picky eater at all and will try any food at least once. However, I’ve tried parsley enough to know that I don’t want it anywhere near my food. Parsley was once a symbol for death to Ancient Greeks and Romans. If you ask me, I think we should be regarding it just the same because it essentially kills any dish you put it on. If you are ever reading a recipe and it says you need parsley, just ignore it. Photo by Billy Bui