Hello!
This is my final editorial. It is a bittersweet end. We’ve had our share of ups and downs in this office including non-existent e-mails, annoying crusades against flies and some random last-minute scrambling for content, but overall I think it has been a positive experience for most of us.
Recently the Toike Oike, the UofT’s Engineering Society newspaper, had some issues with their content and appropriateness. Now, I am not sure about you, but when you start talking about beating your wife within an inch of your life, it is a little inappropriate for a newspaper, regardless if it is a satirical paper. I am sure glad that we did not have to deal with anything like that this term, but The Iron Warrior has not always been free from inappropriate content that gets pulled from the stands. Back in the day, Enginews, our current newspaper’s predecessor, stirred up some major issues. There are more details in the last issue of The Iron Warrior in the special 30th anniversary insert. It seems like most of the engineering newspapers have gone through similar transitions. In fact, I was recently given a copy of the Iron Times, Carleton University’s Engineering Society’s newspaper, it has a similar look to The Iron Warrior from the 1990s.
Moving on from the past of The Iron Warrior, just the other day my sister showed me a video about the modern day student and what we deal with. Here’s the link: youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o. The video actually brings up some pretty good points. According to the video, we spend almost 26.5 hours doing various things, including social networking, sleeping and attending class. This means we have to multitask to get by. There’s no other way to do it. Upon reflection, I realise that without multitasking, I probably would not have made it through this term. I think the only time I focus on only one thing is when I am writing an exam. I am always doing multiple things. How about you, how much do you multitask?
Another thing the video brings up is the cost of education. I don’t know about you, but I have already accumulated a good amount of debt for school. In Alberta, the government is a bit more generous than in Ontario, but that only means that the average student, mainly those coming out of the middle class in Ontario, is only having more financial issues. What does this mean for a generation that is suppose to confront increasing strains due to the ageing population? We are starting off in debt and inheriting the world’s problems before we are ready to take them on. Does this mean that we are screwed for the future? I hope not. While I am on this topic, bursaries are for those who have the financial need and scholarships are for those who have outstanding marks. For those who have mediocre marks and do not qualify for financial need, what do we get? Student loans… Yay?…
Now flu shots came up a few weeks ago and with a mom and two sisters in the medical industry or on their way to the medical industry, you learn that flu shots are important, so are all other types of vaccines. Vaccines work best if the entire population takes the vaccine, this provides certain extent of immunity for everyone. Go get a flu shot, it will prevent the rest of your class from getting sick. On the same note, you need to consume ALL your pills for any antibiotic medicine that you are prescribed. It is even more important when you get anti-viral drugs. Just because you feel better, does not mean that you have been 100% cured. By only taken a portion of your drugs, you are putting the entire human race in danger! This is because you are allowing the bacteria, that has only been partially weakened by a partial dose of the anti-bacterial drug, the chance to develop an immunity to the drug. The bacteria can then pass on this immunity to their bacteria; thereby creating a super bug, which is bad. Very, very bad.
Finally, it’s December! Go out and play in the snow! Reconnect with your inner child and make a snowman! Don’t let exams get you down, you’re almost done this term! Good luck on exams and enjoy your winter break!
Cheers,
Roy Lee
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