SportSImprInt 29 Friday, october 6, 2006

sports@imprint.uwaterloo.caSports Editor: Shawn BellSports Assistant: Doug Copping

Ellen Ewartstaff reporter

On the weekend of September 29, the varsity women’s volleyball team failed to qualify for the final round of the pre-season Waterloo Invitational Tournament.

Despite their lack of experience together, the young UW women’s volleyball team has all the essentials for a successful season.

The disconnect between their strengths and the win may exist for any number of reasons. On the part of the team itself, they are a very young team adjusting to each other as players. Gaby Lesniak, an OUA all-star last year and returning varsity player points to this adjustment saying that “It’s tough because last year we had all returning girls and we all knew each other and how we played and that’s a very important thing on the court. This year we have so many new girls so it’s kind of tough — court awareness and who’s going to get balls or not — it’s about trusting the players beside you. But the team chemistry is good, we are a pretty tight-knit team.”

In a way, this fresh beginning is a blessing. The departure of the former coach Jason Grieves was sudden, but new coaches Gaby Jobst and Judi Laprade with the help of Stephen Green bring a wealth of experience. This team has all the essentials of an OUA qualifying team.

Jobst’s team goals reflect this sense. She pushes the team towards bettering themselves overall. “I believe the team is strong enough to be top three in Ontario” she notes. The ele-ments are certainly in place for this goal to be achieved. Jobst says the results of the weekend are “solid proof that we can compete against the higher ranked teams.” The competition that the Warriors provided for the tournament’s finalists is evident of that belief.

Lesniak’s goals are directly on par with Jobst’s expectations. “The first two years I was here we were getting better as a team,” she says. “Our goals were to win by the time I was in my graduating year. Things change, we have a new team, some girls left but we have great recruits so my goals are still the same. I want to win by this year or next year. We want to go out there and try to win OUAs or at least come in top four. My goals changed a little personally, like hitting balls or digging, but my team goals are still the same. I

expect my teammates to give 100 per cent because I know I’m going to give 100 per cent too.”

So what happened at the tournament?Although the tournament was a good repre-

sentation of the competition ahead this season, it isn’t an indication of the placement for rest of the season. Lesniak explains, “The tournament’s pretty good cause you get to see other teams: what players they have, what recruits they have what plays they run. But this is the first time we’re playing together as a team, all the other teams have been playing together for the last 4 years. So because we’re so new together, I feel the more we play the better we’ll get, and hopefully we’ll peak by the time we need to in winter term, and that’s when it’s important to get in the top 4 spots to go to OUAs.”

It is very early, with one more pre-season tournament before opening against Guelph on October 20. Laprade reminds us of the benefits of such a fresh team: “A young team means you have much potential.” The coaches say they saw significant improvement in team dynamics simply from Friday’s games to Saturday’s play. “Each opportunity to play together leads to better communication and work” says Laprade.

A sense of leadership is also important for this team. Kate Flanagan, a 6’0” middle player and one of the team’s four new recruits, explains the importance of the different roles on the team. “Working with the older girls — it’s a lot different because they know what they’re doing and they’re leading and because these people know more than me, I need to let them help me out with what I can do, so it’s good in that aspect.”

As one of few returning team members, Lesniak is valuable member of the team. Jobst calls Lesniak an “offensive leader and a go-to player.” Despite being an OUA all-star last year, both coaches agree Lesniak has “a lot of room to grow.” As the newly appointed cap-tain, sharing the role with Hilary Lemieux and Amanda Verhoeve, Lesniak has the opportunity to provide a leadership role to her team. She shows this even in practice, grouping the girls and keeping their focus on the game while the coach’s attention is momentarily elsewhere. She is aware of how time can be to their advantage and that there’s “a lot of time for us to improve, get that court awareness. For the younger play-

ers, a lot of them are on the court right now, so it builds their confidence.”

With a brand new coaching staff and eight first-year students on the team, the girls know they need to conquer the basics before they can advance. They practice daily for two hours and are responsible for their own weight training outside of practice hours. Jobst, an intense coach, stays focused in practice by peppering against the wall while the girls take a water break. This dedicated coaching staff leads an effective practise, keeping the team focused and aggressive while fostering a sense of team togetherness, having the girls cheer each other on as they run lines.

The girls show their dedication by attending these late night practices and putting in the time. Flanagan has felt the difference it takes to play at this level compared to high school and club volleyball. “You need to be in overall physically in better shape because you are training every day. It’s a lot more dedication.”

The attention to practice and dedication has paid off even this early in the season. Utilizing more offensive strengths such as the backcourt attack is exactly what the coaches want from the girls. They hope the players will “always think about aggressive use. The backcourt at-tack is a way of turning an easy free ball into something aggressive.”

Laprade notes of Flanagan’s time on the court that “she really came through when needed, she is consistent and calm.” Jobst says she “has a quiet strength about her.” It is only her demeanor, though, that is quiet. Flanagan is a strong force at the net. “I like how quick and intense it is,” she says, “it’s not a slow game. People think there’s a lot of standing around but there really isn’t. You’re always moving.”

With all the elements of a successful team, the only thing missing are the fans. The bleach-ers in the PAC are seriously underused and spirit is a much needed sector of a successful team. Having more people in the stands may have helped the Warriors with their spirit, yet, few spectators were donning black and gold. You could argue that a kill is a kill is a kill. I disagree. The crowd cheering brings energy that is transferred into every play.

eewart@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Fresh start, high hopes

RichaRd Shih

RichaRd Shih

RichaRd Shih

RichaRd Shih

Gaby Lesniak attacks the ball as teammates Lana Vanderlee and Kate Flanagan and Bojana Jasipovic cover.

Bojana Jasipovic and Kate Flanagan block an attack for the point.

Setter Lana Vanderlee takes pointers from coach Judi Laprade.

Sue Murray passes a deep serve while Libero Amanda Verhoeve looks on.

FEATURES WINTER 20071 FEATURES 2SPECIAL FEATURE

the Features sectionThat’s right, Features is a great place for anything and everything, we’ll take it all — within reason.

Kinga JakabSTAFF REPORTER

Content is:Relevant and interesting to students: This is how you make and maintain connections to UW students, your most important critics. All articles pertain to students or student lifeWaterloo and Area coverage; Canadian content: Local and area coverage is most im-portant (see previous note); however, if there is an issue broader than the Waterloo area that you feel students would nd interesting or would be affected by it, it is acceptable.Not quite applicable to any other section: Coverage of special events or special people, etc. that may encompass all or none of the charac-teristics of our other sections. i.e. charity events, reviews, fashion, lifestyles. Maintain a human connection Preserve your humanity in your writing, even if you’re writing about something infuriating.

Writing is:Creative and Diverse: The work re ects a thought process. The work is applicable to more than one group of people and the article clearly demonstrates why and how. Sincere and with an appropriate tone: The content is straightforward and honest. The tone re ects the mood of the story accurately (if it’s a funny story, the article contains humor and a light tone, etc.) Narrative-like: This makes the articles in the features section distinct from news or opinion, for example. Tell a story as you might to a friend. Rather than merely offering facts or opinion, combine the two methods and get creative. Unbiased: The work should present every side of the story, regardless of your own opinion. Correct spelling and grammar : Make sure to proofread and edit your own work, keeping in mind the pitfalls of spell check.

Of high quality (publishable): The work shows evidence of the three C’s: courtesy, conciseness, and clarity. Evidence of connections and a network (sources): Quotations and references are vital to a good article. Let your reader know what others think, what others have done or said about your topic in the past, etc. The quotations are accurate and appropriate to the article and its tone.

Ellen EwartFEATURES EDITOR

The entire paper should represent the student body — your interests and issues. If these interests are over-looked it is either because students don’t voice their concerns or because they don’t contribute.

Whether your interests are to learn more about journal-ism and gain experience, to exercise your skills and teach others, to expand beyond your eld of study or to meet people and share in a friendly environment, the Features section is an ideal place for

any student to pursue their personal goals.

The Arts, Sports, News and Science sections each cater to speci c interests

but the Features section is wide open. Stories that don’t t anywhere else are likely perfectly at home in the Features section.

The Features section is where the paper can most

clearly present itself as a student newspaper. I mean this in respect to re ecting the interests and issues of students at UW.

The section is a forum for bringing the subjects that students feel most passionate about to the forefront.

This can be achieved in the form of showcasing talent or accomplishments in the

your section, your voice

form of in-depth articles, or by sharing fascinating hobbies, facts or knowledge about our campus.

The fact is our campus is full of interesting and amaz-ing people, each one unique. We are each involved in a diverse range of activities, social scenes, sub-cultures and faculty mixes.

The Features section is a place in the paper that dis-plays this range of student interests and issues in a way that re ects how our com-munity lives while creating a more meaningful dialogue within it.

Features is a forum for bringing to the forefront the subjects

that students feel most passionate about.

Submission standards

email features@

imprint.uwater-loo.ca anytime with any idea for a story

Deadlines:Production nights are Wednes-

days and deadlines for stories are Tuesdays at 5 p.m. Make sure you run your ideas by the section editor so that they can work with you and plan space in the layout. Come to the of ce to nd out of ce hours

of each section editor.

When in doubt, send

an email to our editor-in-chief at editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca — a bombard-

ment of emails in his inbox each morning gives him a feeling of

self-worth and makes him feel popular.

Send your address

to editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca to receive a complete list of leads

(time-relevant story ideas) for each week.

Tidbits:

Adapted from Lynn Eaton’s article Hold the Front Page, written for studentBMJ, 2003.

Grab your reader’s attentionAlthough nding that “hook” is one of the

hardest aspects of feature writing, it is only one element of what makes a good feature writer. Think about how you are going to achieve your goal of communicating to your audience in a way that — to cite the guiding principles of the BBC — educates, informs, and entertains.

Finding out what works where Think about the features that you have read

and enjoyed.What made you want to read it in the rst place? How did the intro grab you? And what makes you carry on reading it? Is it the clever phrases used by the writer? The fact you know you can believe what they have told you? The fact they make you laugh? Finally, were you convinced by the argument? Has it made any difference to what you think about the topic? Would you save the article, or suggest someone else read it?

The brief Make sure you and your editor are clear about

what they are expecting you to submit. Check with them what sort of tone they want. Some-thing serious? Or is it a lighter, more humorous piece? If possible, con rm the brief, including the word count, and deadline by email.

Once you have agreed to a brief, stick to it. Do not write more, or less, words than you are asked for. Always make sure you deliver your copy on time — and be prepared to answer any queries about it after that.

Doing your research You may well be asked to write on something

you have only the haziest notion about. Make sure to get an expert to comment. This is al-ways going to carry more gravitas than merely repeating information from the internet or your lecture notes. It also helps break up the narrative pace of the article.

Even though you may have a strong personal opinion on the subject you are writing about, you should always remain impartial, fair, and accurate. Get quotes from others — preferably experts in the eld — that back up the argu-

ments you are trying to make.News features should be authoritative and based

on facts that you have checked and can substantiate. If the information is unclear, check it.

Getting those quotes Getting direct quotes is essential for a good

feature. As a feature writer you have to become an instant expert and rarely have time to get involved at the level you would in academic research. Plan your research time carefully, leave time for people to call you back, and leave time to write and polish your nal result.

Remember, too, to make a note of where you found the information you are using in the piece. You may need to nd it again if there is a query about it from your editor.

The introduction An anecdote, or an interesting observation,

or even a clever play on words will often make a good introduction. Sometimes a direct quote will do the trick. Try to avoid the plodding “once upon a time” style. It is worth spend-ing time on your introductory paragraph. Play around with ideas and images until you hit on one that works. But do not wait for the perfect intro before you start writing. Sometimes you just need to get it down on paper, then hone the introduction later.

Keep it coming Your reader has a million and one reasons to do

something other than spend the next 10 minutes reading your article. Why should they bother?

This is where your art as a writer comes in. Unlike news stories, where there is a standard formula to follow, features can, and should, be more creative if they are to keep the reader’s attention.

Powerful endings Unlike news stories, where the ending is cut

if space is short, a good feature should end memorably. It may reiterate a theme in the introduction, or return to an analogy which runs throughout the feature. But it should not — unlike for an essay — be a summary of your piece.

How-to features-style writing

Pitching a storyLearning how to effectively pitch a story will not only increase your likelihood of getting “hired” but will help begin the process of shaping your article in terms of creating an out-line. Remember, however that the of ce is always open for you to walk in and chat with us.

Your pitch should be limited to 150 words in length and should address the issue of why the editor or readers should care about this topic.

You should explain why you, particularly, should write this article. Are you a sociology student writing about the Facebook phenomenon? Or a political science student writing about election issues? Why are you best suited for this? Take into account background information, current involvement or proven interest. If you are involved, you may not be able to write an objective piece.

Finally, make sure to include at least two sources that you plan to interview and how you will get in touch with them.

Your student paperThis winter term, the Features section will be undergoing radical improvement. We want to cover relevant, new, racy and unknown topics. Our goal is to push the envelope in every sense.

Our weekly list of leads seeks to spark interest but is by no means exhaustive of the pos-sibilities. All ideas you might have are welcome. Even if you have an idea or a photo but don’t want to write the story yourself — pitch your idea and we’ll nd someone for it.

Think of it this way: what do you want to see in your newspaper? The bottom line is that the paper is only the sum of its volunteers. If you are intimidated, don’t be, come learn from the many experts. If you think Imprint is crap, what can you do to improve it? Bring your brillian self in and be apart of creating the most exciting section in the paper!

Drink recipesFarrah’s vs other grocery storesBest Martini in KWWhere to go to rate profs“Better know” UW clubsStudent survival guidesStudents with part-time jobs50th themed anything

••••••••

Bring architecture students into focusUW “student” radioWicked (& useful) websitesReading week exploration guide10 things you’ve learned this yearParty/bar sceneFaculty unions/societiesAnything... anything... anything!

••••••••

Possible story ideas:

SPORTS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 200630

Ellen EwartSTAFF REPORTER

Skill, know-how and guidance have helped the Warriors’ Varsity Women’s Volleyball team prove their strengths against some of the top OUA teams. But tenacity prevented the team from reaching the nals at their own Waterloo Invitational tournament this weekend.

The Warriors began the tournament on a low note, losing to McMaster 25-20; 26-24; 24-26; 25-19. However, their play against the

two nalists of the tournament showed their strengths and abilities as competitors despite being such a young team.

The Warriors quietly held the lead in their rst set against Queen’s. The Gaels’ starting power hitter had the Warrior defence hustling as she soared over the blocks. But great digging and very few unforced errors kept Waterloo on top as they took the set 25-20.

Careless errors put Queen’s in the lead to start the second set. Lesniak, Megan McKenzie and Jenny Querney scored some serious blocks. A succession of kills and great serving brought the Warriors to the lead at 18-15 but ineffective passing prevented the girls from fully utilizing their hitters — they couldn’t maintain their lead and lost the set 24-26.

The third set saw more inconsistent passing and lack of blocks. However, strong serving, forced the opponents into error and some morale-lifting kills brought the win at 25-17.

The Gaels dominated the fourth set. Water-loo didn’t seem to have the excitement needed to pull off a win. Rookie Kate Flanagan came in and proved her abilities by running some beautiful quicks in the middle. A few power blocks by Querney and Sue Murray garnered lots of energy and the presence of some of the men’s basketball team provided much needed support from the stands. Yet energy quickly drained at 18-21 and the Gaels took the set at 20-25.

In the nal set Vicki Bouwers came in and Flanagan earned her place yet again. Vanderlee ran many backcourt sets with Lesniak putting them away. Energy was high with a succession of great attacks, blocks and effective coverage. Bojana Josipovic recovered a tip and Lesniak

Young Warriors nish 2-2 put it away with an aggressive kill for the tie at 13-13 bringing spectators to their feet with applause to take the win at 15-13.

The next day saw Waterloo facing undefeated Western. Lesniak proved yet again her force at backcourt attacks while improved passing al-lowed the setter to run quicks and step-arounds with Murray. Flanagan also saw glory, maintain-ing her place in the lineup and racking up the blocks. After coming back to tie the game at 18-18, the Warriors’ lost the set 20-25.

The second set was a nail-biter with the

Warriors offence coming at the Mustangs with fury. Murray showed her experience and strength with effective blocking and quicks. Court chemistry was high as each player kept their game competitive, covering the holes, run-ning plays and keeping Western scrambling to keep up. Waterloo stretched a 15-15 tie pushing Western to its limits but nally Western took the set at 27-29.

In the third set the Warriors earned each of their points. The attention paid to backcourt attacks in practice paid off as Lesniak and Mur-ray scored several points. Great placement and covering allowed the setter to run every option as the Warriors took the set 25-18.

This high energy was carried over to the fourth set but a lack of communication on the court led to the opening of holes and Waterloo lost their lead at 10-12. Unable to recover that energy needed, Waterloo fell to Western at 16-25 ending the game 1-3.

Despite an easy win against Guelph Satur-day evening, 25-12; 25-17; 25-17, the Warriors were prevented from advancing to the nals Sunday afternoon after Queen’s unexpectedly beat Western in pool play October 1 pushing Waterloo into third place.

The disappointment was indicative of the girls’ luck most of the tournament. Had Western prevailed against Queen’s Sunday morning, it would have been the Warriors up against Western in the nals. But if the girls want to win, they can’t count on the errors of their opponents but instead grab the vic-tory themselves — something they are clearly capable of doing.

eewart@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

RICHARD SHIH

features WINTER 20071

the Features sectionThat’s right, Features is a great place for anything and everything, we’ll take it all — within reason.

Ellen Ewartfeatures editor

The entire paper should represent the student body — your interests and issues. If these interests are over-looked it is either because students don’t voice their concerns or because they don’t contribute.

Whether your interests are to learn more about journal-ism and gain experience, to exercise your skills and teach others, to expand beyond your field of study or to meet people and share in a friendly environment, the Features section is an ideal place for

any student to pursue their personal goals.

The Arts, Sports, News and Science sections each cater to specific interests

but the Features section is wide open. Stories that don’t fit anywhere else are likely perfectly at home in the Features section.

The Features section is where the paper can most

clearly present itself as a student newspaper. I mean this in respect to reflecting the interests and issues of students at UW.

The section is a forum for bringing the subjects that students feel most passionate about to the forefront.

This can be achieved in the form of showcasing talent or accomplishments in the

your section, your voice

form of in-depth articles, or by sharing fascinating hobbies, facts or knowledge about our campus.

The fact is our campus is full of interesting and amaz-ing people, each one unique. We are each involved in a diverse range of activities, social scenes, sub-cultures and faculty mixes.

The Features section is a place in the paper that dis-plays this range of student interests and issues in a way that reflects how our com-munity lives while creating a more meaningful dialogue within it.

Features is a forum for bringing to the forefront the subjects

that students feel most passionate about.

email features@

imprint.uwater-loo.ca anytime with any idea for a story

Deadlines:Production nights are Wednes-

days and deadlines for stories are Tuesdays at 5 p.m. Make sure you run your ideas by the section editor so that they can work with you and plan space in the layout. Come to the office to find out office hours

of each section editor.

When in doubt, send

an email to our editor-in-chief at editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca — a bombard-

ment of emails in his inbox each morning gives him a feeling of

self-worth and makes him feel popular.

Send your address

to editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca to receive a complete list of leads

(time-relevant story ideas) for each week.

Tidbits:

Pitching a storyLearning how to effectively pitch a story will not only increase your likelihood of getting “hired” but will help begin the process of shaping your article in terms of creating an out-line. Remember, however that the office is always open for you to walk in and chat with us.

Your pitch should be limited to 150 words in length and should address the issue of why the editor or readers should care about this topic.

You should explain why you, particularly, should write this article. Are you a sociology student writing about the Facebook phenomenon? Or a political science student writing about election issues? Why are you best suited for this? Take into account background information, current involvement or proven interest. If you are involved, you may not be able to write an objective piece.

Finally, make sure to include at least two sources that you plan to interview and how you will get in touch with them.

Your student paperThis winter term, the Features section will be undergoing radical improvement. We want to cover relevant, new, racy and unknown topics. Our goal is to push the envelope in every sense.

Our weekly list of leads seeks to spark interest but is by no means exhaustive of the pos-sibilities. All ideas you might have are welcome. Even if you have an idea or a photo but don’t want to write the story yourself — pitch your idea and we’ll find someone for it.

Think of it this way: what do you want to see in your newspaper? The bottom line is that the paper is only the sum of its volunteers. If you are intimidated, don’t be, come learn from the many experts. If you think Imprint is crap, what can you do to improve it? Bring your brillian self in and be apart of creating the most exciting section in the paper!

SPORTS FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 200728

Ellen EwartSTAFF REPORTER

We all know the Physical Activities Complex hosts programs apart from varsity. But few have ventured into its studios to explore the potential of the wellness programs.

This is exactly what the Try It session, orga-nized by the department of athletics and recre-ational services, is designed for: getting to know the classes beyond their short descriptive blurbs on the website and meeting the instructors on a personal level. This is especially true for classes that may be unfamiliar to some students, such as belly dancing.

Raveet Jacob, an instructor at a belly dancing studio downtown, is taking on the position for the rst time at UW. The crowd, though seemingly shy and reluctant, can’t hide their excitement about this class. “Do you know what class is being held here next?” I ask a few girls who are standing around. “It’s belly dancing, we think, we hope.”

Jacob begins by explaining what belly dancing is. “Belly dancing, rst of all, is a Middle Eastern art form; it’s a performance art, but it’s also a won-derful anaerobic activity. There’s a lot of muscle isolation and inner core strength building.”

The appeal here, apart from the irtatiousness of the dance, is its openness to all sorts of body types. “Having a six-pack is not one of those things that belly dancers have,” Jacob notes. “Any shape and size is completely ne — actually, we welcome more full- gured women in this dance.” Certainly, we are not all gym-going, nutrition bar-eating, get-the-required-amount-of-sleep students, and this class understands the stresses of academic life. Belly dancing, as Jacob explains, is “a great stress reliever, but it’s also very good for personal expression once you learn the steps.”

This acceptance is not unique to belly danc-ing. Any of the other dance classes are open to beginners. Though my uncoordinated steps did appear out of place in my mind, no one pointed or laughed and we stumbled through the combina-tions with good humour. The main focus here is “stress relief,” as instructor Kristin Valles points out. “It’s a chance to express yourself through movement rather than tness. It’s more focused on performance and learning how to use your body and move your body.” She stresses the value of the social aspect of dance classes, and the self-expression that comes from learning.

And then there is yoga. Despite its recent explo-sion of popularity in recent years, the instructor for relaxation yoga, felt it necessary to begin by de ning the practice. She drew her class in close to her and explained the main focus of mind-body connection. “Student life is generally one of the ‘mind.’ The downside of this can be that students begin to live in the mind and disassociate from the body. Students are also frequently stressed and competitive, and yoga encourages them to focus inward, as opposed to comparing themselves to the bodies and abilities of their fellow yoga students, so it can sometimes seem antithetical to the culture they are immersed in daily.” Though the goals

of her classes depend entirely on what aims and outcomes the students would like to accomplish, she notes an overall objective: “to bring the body into balance.” She says, “I’d say my classes are for tness, fun and relaxation.” This is true not only within each class but also in the array of choices for yoga classes, ranging from relaxation to power yoga. To learn more about each class, visit www.campusrec.uwaterloo.ca.

The grand nale of the evening came in the form of a vibrant new instructor, Keriece Harris, who was excited about sharing her style of dance, labeled “Creative Jamaican Folk.” It was clear that her major focus was enjoyment and pleasure. “Just feeling connected to the rhythm and releasing a lot of tension that comes in with the daily tasks. Binding your soul to a whole new experience and your body. I think even though I’m doing it all for the fun of it and just pushing and showing another side of our Jamaican culture, it is a very physically challenging class.”

The entire class, staying an extra 15 minutes to complete an eight-combination routine, felt the high energy of the dance. “These dances were performed by actual slaves and this is a form of dance they used to rise themselves against the struggles they were having,” said Harris. She de-scribed the dance as full of energy with a natural, earthy quality. Technique is less important in this style as the dance “is just like move and feel.”

Annette Bryndza, the conditioning and special interest co-ordinator for the department of athlet-ics and recreational services, was also impressed by Harris’ demo class. She is excited about other new classes this term: the revival of “Flare” dancing and “Yoga for Athletes.”

The addition of these classes re ects a grow-ing demand that keeps the co-ordinators busy. Bryndza acknowledges the issues that arise from drawing a market from students only. “The demand is there, for sure, but sometimes what happens is if we offer several classes then we end up with only two people in each class and we do have to have the numbers to cover our costs. Unfortunately, sometimes when we offer too many courses things are cancelled because of that. So it’s a ne line.”

By the time you are reading this you’ve likely missed the “deadline” for registration. Fear not. That deadline is set in order for the conveners to schedule classes, drop any lacking in interest and add more classes if popularity is great. As long as the class is not at capacity, you may register at any time.

These classes are not just about learning some-thing new and having fun in a safe environment. The morning after these four 20-minute intro sessions, my thighs were very sore!

“I highly encourage students to continue do-ing the activities they’re doing outside of their studies,” Jacob urges, “because it’s so important to balance the academic stresses with something that’s good for your body and just gets your mind off everything else.”

eewart@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Campus rec, buffet style

Raveet Jacob demonstrates belly dancing steps while students follow along.ELLEN EWART

FEATURES FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 200616

Proper essay writing for any circumstanceEllen EwartSTAFF REPORTER

Most students are lucky enough to never encounter a failed essay mark with a comment like, “This is not a proper essay.” This is most likely because essays are not simply marked based on form or style, but for content. It is your ideas and arguments that are the moneymakers.

Working to improve your es-say-writing skills as the vehicle of these stellar ideas of yours will make the transmission of your argument more persuasive and effective. If that alone doesn’t blow your skirt up, think of this: the possibility of gaining an extra 5 to10 per cent on each essay or simply diminishing your stress-level when writing papers.

Improving your writing skills is essential for any discipline. Cath-erine Briggs, a history professor, notes, “Most professors want to see clear, effective and correct style and grammar.” Regardless of the area of study, learning to write effectively can improve the clarity of your argument thus making it more powerful.

The rst and most important step of any paper is planning. Even if you’re attempting to write a pile of bullshit, coherent and ordered bullshit is more likely to persuade.

Even if you are writing a paper at the last minute you can still follow these guidelines for planning and organizing.

For those of you who believe that last minute work means beginning to write imme-

diately, consider this exam context: 15 minutes spent on a great out-line can prepare you to write an essay clearly and succinctly in, say, one hour and 45 minutes.

C o n t r a r i l y , an essay writ-ten without the

proper guidelines yields muddled thoughts and unlinked ideas. It also wastes immense time between paragraphs and arguments as you collect and re-collect your main thesis. A focused argument is almost never acheived this way.

Moreover, if you can hone your outlining skills when preparing essays for submission, you will become swift-er at writing an exam essay without the luxury of time and revision.

Researching and collecting mate-rial requires its own how-to article. For advice, seek hints from your professors, TAs or the websites and resources listed below.

Now, assuming you will take more than one evening to prepare before writing your essay, it’s a good idea to have quotes pulled from your sources and then categorized.

I prefer to collect the quotes I’ve highlighted while reading (for reasons of argument, logic or that I simply like the way an argument is worded) and type them into a document, then begin cat-egorizing by the cut-and-paste method.

This is the rst develop-ment of your outline. It is im-portant because it will clearly show where the strengths of your arguments are and may reveal that a point you were hoping to make is insuf -ciently supported.

Jacqui Smyth teaches her stu-dents that “it takes a good writer to sacri ce a good line for the bene t of the piece.” This is extremely important since an idea, an argu-ment or even a single line that you are hanging onto may be directing your essay away from the bulk of your evidence.

It should become clear by your content and by this rst step which structure you will employ. Choices range from chronological, classi ca-tion, cause and effect or comparison and contrast.

A tip that has stayed with me for nearly a decade is an analogy I learned from my grade nine English teacher.

She set up a scenario of an impor-tant rst date in which three events were to occur: a perfect kiss, the acquisition of free concert tickets and a drink spilled all over you. The class spent some time discussing which order would be best and a consensus was nally reached.

The ticket should be received

initially to begin the date with a spark of interest. The spilled drink should occur in the middle so that the date doesn’t begin or end on the wrong foot. The kiss is the best event and should be the last thing to happen, so it lingers in the minds of you and your date.

This analogy can be applied to several aspects of your essay. Firstly, if you are not employing a speci c structure based on logic or time, you may order your set of argu-

ments in this way, keeping the best and most persuasive argument last and sandwiching any weaker argu-ments in the middle. However, you can also use this “ticket, pop-slop, kiss” technique to each argument and paragraph within the essay. This keeps your work controlled and readable.

Because there are so many style guides and variations thereof, it is best to follow a simple rule of catering to the professor. Ask your professor which style guide is pref-erable.

Buy The Little Brown Compact Handbook or visit sites such as Purdue University’s OWL or www.aresearch-guide.com and refer to the applicable sections.

If your professor is asking you for both in-text citations and footnotes don’t bother pointing out that this is a mixture of two styles, simply adopt this Frankenstein style while you smile and nod.

Even if you cannot always write an essay a week before its deadline,

you should consider the possibility of preparing a rst draft, walking away for awhile and revisiting it with a fresh perspective.

Getting a friend or roommate to proofread is helpful even if he or she doesn’t know the difference between “you’re” and “your.” Having an outsider point out confusing parts or shaky transitions is helpful when you’ve been deep in the material for hours on end.

One last word of advice after all this: beware of over-planning.

This pitfall applies to both time and content. Though the outline is essential to your paper, make sure to leave enough time to actu-ally write and revise your work. And always remember to cover only what is pos-sible in the scope of your paper.

Briggs stresses the im-portance of the student’s

own ideas and interpretations and the ability to critically analyze. Don’t become cluttered in evidence at the expense of spontaneity.

For more hands-on advice, UW’s ELPP, English Language Pro ciency Program, offers a wealth of services. Katherine MacLean provides of ce hours on Mondays between 1:30-2:30 (or by appointment) for students who would like their papers reviewed or have questions.

Revision of papers is also avail-able through the Writing Centre where students can book consul-tation meetings with Masters and PhD students, as well as retired professors.

The ELPP is also hosting a popular workshop on essay writ-ing. Registration for the workshop is required by visiting Counselling Services in Needles Hall, room 2080. Two sessions of the same workshop will take place on October 3 and November 13.

eewart@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Even if you’re attempting to write a pile of

bullshit, coherent and ordered

bullshit is more likely to persuade.

CLAIRE MOUSSEAU

“It takes a good writer to sacrifice a good line for the

benefit of the piece.”

— Jacqui Smyth, English professor

FEATURESIMPRINT 15 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2006

features@imprint.uwaterloo.caFeatures Editor: Kinga JakabFeatures Assistant: Ellen Ewart

Fed Hall Fantasy returns

After the bar closures in 2003, students were left to nd bars in the community that t their needs. When Bomber nally reopened students ooded the gates — and yet Fed Hall remained empty. Perhaps the push into the community enabled us to nally see that there was a wide range of choice available outside of campus and we never came back.

What has happened to Thursday nights? I remember many students excited about danc-ing the night away in North America’s largest student-owned bar.

Well, for those of you not camped outside Fed Hall doors, the bar was indeed open Thursday nights all of last year. Where is the hype? Fed Hall’s website makes no mention of Fantasy Thursdays but if you backtrack to the Federation of Student’s home page you might stumble across an ad for Fantasy Thursdays returning this fall.

The downside to this iota of good news is a $5 cover. Why would we pay for our own bar? The poster indicates no more information than “Stay tuned for more details.”

What else is there to do on Thursday nights? Ceasars’ popularity is borderline ridiculous, espe-cially considering there is never any toilet paper in the bathrooms after 11:30. Could Fed Hall step up and provide an alternative to the crazy line on University Ave. on Thursday nights?

As Feds’ vice-president Renjie Butalid points out, there has been a major shift in trends to-wards an intimate pub atmosphere rather than the over-sized dance hall.

Currently, the Feds are trying to promote the catering aspect of Fed Hall. The fact remains that Fed Hall is a great venue and when students come for events they have a great time. We may begin to see some positive changes if the newly appointed Fed Hall manager can take on a role of leadership.

The Feds would like to see Fed Hall utilized more for special events and catering as a venue rather than pushing the nightclub scene. Having special guests and comedians once a month would likely be very popular as previous at-tendance has proved.

Thursday nights will indeed continue this fall despite the low-key marketing efforts. As for the 19+ rule, it is true and completely the result of the alcohol committee and the university taking greater control over the student establishments. The Feds had no hand in dictating or deciding this.

The $5 cover, although offsetting the enormous xed operations costs of Fed Hall, may perpetuate what Butalid notes as the main problem of attendance. “The number one issue is that students don’t go to Fed Hall.”

Existing in the shadow of Bomber’s popular-ity, it’s hard to see clearly and realize that 200 people at Bomber is a great success, but 200 people at Fed Hall isn’t much due to its size. You need at least 400-500 people to make Fed Hall look like it’s moving.

If you want an active role in shaping the future of Fed Hall, show up on Clubs Day, nd Dave McDougall, the clubs director, and join the UW Crew that deals with event planning. Since this is the direction Fed Hall is taking, get involved and make sure these special events are frequent and awesome.

If you just want to party, have hope and stay tuned for Fed Hall’s $2.75 nights: $2.75 cover, $2.75 food, $2.75 “everything else.”

— Ellen Ewart