“I’m probably going to be playing video games”: how York University students are making the best of the strike

For the fourth time since 1997, York University is on strike. With all classes cancelled and 3,700 contract faculty and teaching assistants on the picket lines, nobody is sure when life at the school will return to normal. If history is anything to go by, it could be a while: York’s last strike, in 2008, endured for three months before it was ended by provincial back-to-work legislation. Now, students are nervously eyeing the calendar, hoping against hope that a lengthy labour disruption doesn’t delay graduation. Still, a little time away from school is never entirely a bad thing. We visited the campus to ask people what they plan on doing during their surprise reading break.

SHOW CAPTION

• RETURN TO ARTICLE

Read More

308391

<strong>Matthew McManus, 26</strong><br /> <br /> <strong>Studying:</strong> Socio-Legal Studies<br /> <br /> “Unfortunately, I’ll be busy and cold. I’ll be working on my dissertation and striking."

(Image: Giordano Ciampini)

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/MATTHEW_MCMANUS_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6582-150x150.jpg

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/MATTHEW_MCMANUS_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6582.jpg

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/MATTHEW_MCMANUS_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6582.jpg

1200

800

{"aperture":5.6,"camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":1425474887,"focal_length":"24","iso":"125","shutter_speed":"0.003125"}

https://torontolife.com/city/im-probably-going-playing-video-games-york-university-students-making-best-strike/slide/matthew_mcmanus_2_gciampini_yorkstrike-6582/

matthew_mcmanus_2_gciampini_yorkstrike-6582

0

0

308393

<strong>Terrance Luscombe, 28</strong><br /> <br /> <strong>Studying:</strong> Law at Osgoode<br /> <br /> “The strike is a welcome vacation of sorts, but the longer it goes on the more difficult it gets. I’m trying not to be pessimistic.”

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/TERRANCE_LUSCOMBE_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6561-150x150.jpg

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/TERRANCE_LUSCOMBE_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6561.jpg

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/TERRANCE_LUSCOMBE_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6561.jpg

1200

800

{"aperture":4,"camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":1425473663,"focal_length":"24","iso":"125","shutter_speed":"0.001"}

https://torontolife.com/city/im-probably-going-playing-video-games-york-university-students-making-best-strike/slide/terrance_luscombe_2_gciampini_yorkstrike-6561/

terrance_luscombe_2_gciampini_yorkstrike-6561

0

0

308392

<strong>Shawn Aghajani, 30</strong><br /> <br /> <strong>Studying:</strong> Chemistry<br /> <br /> “I’m catching up on work and personal affairs. I live on campus and haven’t had the need to leave.”

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/SHAWN_AGHAJANI_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6537-150x150.jpg

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/SHAWN_AGHAJANI_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6537.jpg

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/SHAWN_AGHAJANI_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6537.jpg

1200

800

{"aperture":4,"camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":1425472269,"focal_length":"24","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.00125"}

https://torontolife.com/city/im-probably-going-playing-video-games-york-university-students-making-best-strike/slide/shawn_aghajani_2_gciampini_yorkstrike-6537/

shawn_aghajani_2_gciampini_yorkstrike-6537

0

0

308390

<strong>Kristie Dube, 32</strong><br /> <br /> <strong>Studying:</strong> Humanities<br /> <br /> “I’ll be on the picket line, but, as a TA and student, I’ll have to balance that with working on and preparing course papers and my 600-pages-per-week readings.”

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/KRISTIE_DUBE_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6601-150x150.jpg

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/KRISTIE_DUBE_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6601.jpg

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/KRISTIE_DUBE_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6601.jpg

1200

800

{"aperture":5.6,"camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":1425477993,"focal_length":"24","iso":"125","shutter_speed":"0.005"}

https://torontolife.com/city/im-probably-going-playing-video-games-york-university-students-making-best-strike/slide/kristie_dube_2_gciampini_yorkstrike-6601/

kristie_dube_2_gciampini_yorkstrike-6601

0

0

308389

<strong>Gary Kaplun, 28</strong><br /> <br /> <strong>Studying:</strong> Education<br /> <br /> “I’ll be striking. The situation is precarious because nobody knows what will happen, if it will last three months or more. I’m a research assistant, and all research has been cancelled.”

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/GARY_KAPLUN_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6578-150x150.jpg

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/GARY_KAPLUN_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6578.jpg

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/GARY_KAPLUN_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6578.jpg

1200

800

{"aperture":5.6,"camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":1425474013,"focal_length":"24","iso":"125","shutter_speed":"0.00625"}

https://torontolife.com/city/im-probably-going-playing-video-games-york-university-students-making-best-strike/slide/gary_kaplun_2_gciampini_yorkstrike-6578/

gary_kaplun_2_gciampini_yorkstrike-6578

0

0

308388

<strong>Doris Pozo, 26</strong><br /> <br /> <strong>Studying:</strong> Philosophy and Professional Writing<br /> <br /> “I don’t know how long the strike will take. I should be studying and I need to keep up on reading materials, but I’m probably going to be playing video games.”

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DORIS_POZO_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6588-150x150.jpg

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DORIS_POZO_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6588.jpg

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DORIS_POZO_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6588.jpg

1200

800

{"aperture":5.6,"camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":1425477292,"focal_length":"24","iso":"125","shutter_speed":"0.005"}

https://torontolife.com/city/im-probably-going-playing-video-games-york-university-students-making-best-strike/slide/doris_pozo_2_gciampini_yorkstrike-6588/

doris_pozo_2_gciampini_yorkstrike-6588

0

0

308387

<strong>Brandon Chihota, 19</strong><br /> <br /> <strong>Studying:</strong> Undecided<br /> <br /> “I’m going to be at the library most of the time and keep on top of assignments. There’s nothing we can do but finish our work.”

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/BRANDON_CHIHOTA_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6548-150x150.jpg

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/BRANDON_CHIHOTA_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6548.jpg

https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/BRANDON_CHIHOTA_2_GCiampini_YorkStrike-6548.jpg

1200

800

{"aperture":4,"camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":1425472493,"focal_length":"24","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.002"}

https://torontolife.com/city/im-probably-going-playing-video-games-york-university-students-making-best-strike/slide/brandon_chihota_2_gciampini_yorkstrike-6548/

brandon_chihota_2_gciampini_yorkstrike-6548

0

0