Last spring, when Cameron asked if I was interested in being the next Editor-in-Chief, I had to take a week to weigh the time commitment with my workload for school. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I would not have it any other way. Which is why your new EIC is super excited to start off this term!
Let me tell you, I love the paper. I signed up for the Iron Warrior mailing list during frosh week, and since then was the dedicated kid who wrote for every issue, but sat quietly in the corner during meetings. On co-op, I would meticulously read through the draft of the paper every Monday morning after production weekend, because who needs to do real work? By the way, I get a kick out of editing. My friends never ask me to read their papers last minute, because my feedback takes several days to implement.
Since joining, I’ve learned some things about myself. For one thing, I suck at writing news articles: I cannot handle a news piece without giving commentary. I am also very opinionated, and love controversial topics. Which is why I want to hear your opinions as well! If you have a comment on anything you read, send a Letter to the Editor to iwarrior@uwaterloo.ca
I want to start by paying tribute to Alan Rickman. I woke up that Thursday morning to two texts that “Snape died :(”, which confused me because of course Snape dies in the seventh book. Shortly afterwards a notification from my BBC app clarified the situation. As the day progressed and I reflected on the loss of this amazingly talented actor to cancer, I felt more and more sad. He was a great man both on and off the stage: those who knew him spoke very highly of his compassion and loyalty, which contrasts the dark characters he played. I also have a very personal childhood connection to Snape, and Alan Rickman’s death made me feel like the Half-Blood Prince had died all over again. Rest in peace, Alan Rickman. You will be missed.
Secondly, I have to thank my awesome team, which includes three past EICs on campus this term. In particular, I want to thank Cameron, who was EIC in Spring of 2015. He is incredibly helpful, putting up with my daily texts and always stepping up to do more than his role requires. This paper would not have been possible without his layout help, as well as Elizabeth’s dedicated copy editing. This weekend was made even more hectic by the AFC and NFC championships, which quickly turned depressing with the Patriots’ loss… Moving on… On the bright side, I am very pleased with the content in this first issue of the term! Make sure to check out our PCP regarding the referendum to sever ties with Israeli institutions: you can find both sides of the argument, written by Josh and Filzah, on page seven. I realize this is a complicated, controversial and two-sided topic, but Cameron’s overview of the conflict’s background on page six is a great way to gain a general understanding. After getting informed, don’t forget to vote on the referendum! Voting is open until January 27.
And now, to get into the “meat of the potatoes” (to quote my highschool history teacher) of my editorial.
I think birthdays and Christmas are a big con. Seriously.
So what’s the deal with birthdays? Once a year, you are supposed to invite your friends over to bring you presents, as long as you provide the cake and possibly pizza. And what’s the deal with Christmas? You are expected to buy a present for everyone. Some opt for more economical traditions, such as the Secret Santa gift exchange, but many do not. My family doesn’t celebrate Christmas, so I was rather shocked when I discovered that it is normal to buy a present for everyone you know. The amount people spend in the holiday season is slightly insane. Now, I get that Christmas is good for the economy, along with Halloween, Boxing Day, American Black Friday, and all the other days on which people unnecessarily splurge. But personally, they all seem like overkill to me.
So why do we buy presents for each other? To avoid the awkwardness of being the one to arrive empty-handed? Because the calendar says the person is officially “older”? To be honest, it is partly my inner student speaking, but sometimes I am reluctant to attend a birthday dinner because I either do not know what to buy as a present, or I’m too cheap.
Now don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying there is anything wrong with celebrating birthdays. I just don’t agree with what has become the norm with regard to celebrating birthdays. I think well-planned gifts or celebrations are meaningful and can be really touching, but I hate hearing complaints when one doesn’t receive a present, I hate the awkwardness when you are the only one who didn’t bring a present, and more than anything, I hate ill-received presents.
When I was seven, I really wanted a stroller for my doll, and proceeded to throw a fit when I received said stroller that Eid because it didn’t have a basket. My mom attached a bag to the bottom for storage, but I was still very upset. I think this incident is so clear in my mind because I am still disappointed with my younger self for lacking appreciation. If I understood at seven that I shouldn’t have overreacted, then anyone older should have the maturity and discipline to show grace, even when receiving a gift they did not want. At the end of the day, it’s the thought that counts, so appreciate what you receive.
The slightly more extreme example that comes to mind is Dudley Dursley from Harry Potter, who throws a fit on his birthday when Uncle Vernon announces they bought him thirty-six presents, because “But last year, last year I had thirty-seven!” I know this is an exaggeration, and most people are not this spoiled. However, I think there is an inherent element of selfishness surrounding the birthday tradition. Birthday gifts have become an expectation, and entitlement automatically sets the bar high.
I’m going to slightly shift gears now.
Support for Syrian refugees was pouring in at an incredible rate towards the end of the 2015. The picture of the little boy who washed up on a Turkish beach really tugged at people’s hearts, and the holiday season always inspires the spirit of giving anyway. In November, I heard about a Toronto couple, Samantha Jackson and Farzin Yousefian, who cancelled the expensive traditional wedding they had scheduled for this coming March including the venue, caterers, etc. Instead, they had a small wedding celebration at city hall, asking family and friends for donations instead of gifts. The money they raised went towards sponsoring a Syrian family of four.
Weddings are worth going all out for, as (most) people only plan on marrying once, so they want it to be special. A dream wedding is generally a grand event. But this couple was so selfless that they did not twice consider their sacrifice after coming to the decision that sponsoring a family was definitely the right thing to do. I think the satisfaction associated with this act of generosity is beautiful.
I obviously don’t think this applies to us as students, considering most of us are not getting married right now and come on, we’re all broke. But it is the principle that spoke to me.
When I think about how fortunate we are, I realize to what extent our habits are wasteful. My full closet is an all-too-accurate representation of this consumerist society, and I am ashamed to admit that I still have a constant urge to shop. Lately guilt has forced me to return all my recent purchases. I definitely did not NEED new clothes, just like no one NEEDS birthday presents. Let me tell you, groceries are the only items on my wishlist.
So if you want to celebrate your birthday, just have everyone pitch in and order pizzas. Expecting people to buy you birthday presents is a stupid and unnecessary tradition, so let’s break the habit of wastefulness and stop acting so entitled.
Leave a Reply