OtherPress. Room 1020-700 Royal Ave. Douglas College New Westminster, BC V3L 5B2 TELEPHONE: 604.525.3542 WEBSITE: theotherpress.ca EMAIL: editor@theotherpress.ca STAFF LIST Natalie Serafini Editor-in-Chief Meditor@theotherpress.ca Eric Wilkins Assistant Editor Massistant@theotherpress.ca Angela Ho Business Manager Now Hiring! Distribution Manager Mike LeMieux Layout Manager Joel McCarthy Graphics Manager Cara Seccafien Production Assistant Ed Appleby IHustrator Jony Roy Social Media Coordinator Angela Espinoza News Editor Minews@theotherpress.ca Michael Sopow Sports Reporter Cheryl Minns Arts Editor Marts@theotherpress.ca Chitwan Khosla Features Editor Mfeatures@theotherpress.ca Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor Mlifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca Elliot Chan Opinions Editor Mopinions@theotherpress.ca Sharon Miki Humour Editor Mhumour@theotherpress.ca Staff Writers Cazzy Lewchuk Mercedes Deutscher Senior Columnists Jerrison Oracion Adam Tatelman Joshua Grant Andrea Arscott Lauren Paulsen Columnists Allie Davison Contributors Megan West It's anew dawn, it’s anew da | traditionally been something of a cynic when it comes to the New Year and New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps it’s from paying witness to so many earnestly pursued and doomed- to-fail resolutions, or perhaps I Regardless, my attitude towards wait for January to do what you can do now; if you put it off, you probably aren’t actually going to do it.” used to attack self- improvement projects with a ferocity, whether that meant going to the gym and working out consistently, dedicating time to school, eating healthily, or being more environmentally friendly. Ever since I moved out though, I haven’t had as much time or energy for the perpetual self-improvement projects that I would do when I was living on my parents’ dime. All of it was easier when I wasn't the one buying my groceries, cleaning the apartment, and earning money for rent. Not only do I not have the energy to enthusiastically cross to- dos off my self-improvement © Getloknowus! © The Other Press has been Douglas College’s student newspaper since 1976. Since 1978 we have been an autonomous publication, independent of the student union. We area registered society under the Society Act of British Columbia, governed by an eight-person board of directors appointed by our staff. Our head office is located in the New Westminster campus. © The Other Press is published weekly during the fall and winter semesters, and monthly during the summer. We receive our funding from a student levy collected through tutition fees every semester at registration, and from local and national advertising revenue. The Other Press is a member ofthe Canadian University Press (CUP), asyndicate of student newspapers that includes — : list, I can’t always keep up : with my base expectations of : regularly moving my body and : breaking a sweat, keeping the : apartment clean, or dedicating : hours to school. Now I feel like : I can better understand the simply veer towards the dubious. : : which to write new habits and resolutions has long been, “Why : temptation of a blank slate on patterns of behaviour. I know, boohoo, this is the : same problem that everyone : faces. The myriad pushes and : pulls of life’s commitments keep : : usall struggling, racing pell- : mell to do everything and be : everything; and I do have plenty : : of improvements to make in : my life and myself. When I do : hit this new-year reset button : that’s begging to be pushed : though, I know I'll do it with : the resolution that I won't : be as enthusiastic in my self- : improvement as I used to be. Part of it (in addition to : an unhealthy dose of laziness) : is that I know all too well my : obsessive tendencies. I’m : generally inclined towards : the all-or-nothing, which : can be either beneficial : or detrimental—usually a : questionable cocktail of the two. My obsessive tendency papers from all across Canada. © The OtherPressreservestheright to choose what we will publish, and we will not publish material that is hateful, obscene, or condones or promotes illegal activities. Submissions may be edited for clarity and brevity if necessary. All images used are copyright to their respective owners. : think a lot of people suffer from, : is seeing our self-improvement : improve in various ways, and : our characteristics do combine : to make us the whole and : complete people we are. Those : characteristics combined make : us who we are though, so it’s : unfair and unrealistic to see : ourselves as failures, imperfect, : or less-than because of our : supposed flaws. : everyday, I wasn’t happy, and I : certainly wasn’t happy with my : body despite the fact that] had: : reached my weight-loss goal. I’m : : is what helped me become : : healthier, eat more fruits and : veggies, and exercise everyday; : but it’s also what caused me to : lose 25 pounds when I didn’t : need to, and had me striving to : lose more. My obsession with : environmental friendliness did : get me using reusable bags, : composting, and becoming : avegetarian; but | also felt : disproportionately guilty : anytime I was at all wasteful. The problem, and one that I as emblematic of ourselves. “I’m We all could stand to When I was working out going to feel a bit bad about the : pizza I eat and the workouts I : skip whether I weigh no pounds, : 130 pounds, or more. Our dissatisfaction is what : motivates us to improve—and : that’s wonderful! Do eat more : veggies, get a gym membership : (and use it), recycle, learn : something new, travel, do : whatever it is you’ve been : wanting to do. The problem is : with losing sight of that aspect : as an aspect of yourself. If you : don’t accomplish what you want : to, that doesn’t say much about : you as a person, it simply speaks : not good enough unless I fix this : : aspect of myself?” to your strategy—hey, change : is hard. Don’t let that general : dissatisfaction that both plagues : and motivates us take over your : resolutions. You wouldn't think : less of your friend because they : ate a slice of cake, forgot their : reusable water bottle, or let : their Spanish-language textbook : gather dust in the back of their : closet, would you? So don't : blame yourself either. Hello gorgeous, ates ancpom Editor-in-Chief @ theotherpress.ca | +f facebook.com/DouglasOtherPress | twitter.com/theotherpress youtube.com/user/theotherpress instagram.com/theotherpress