“I’m probably going to be playing video games”: how York University students are making the best of the strike
“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.
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- <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."
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- <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.”
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- <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.”
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- <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.”
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- <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.”
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- <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.”
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- <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.”
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![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/im-probably-going-playing-video-games-york-university-students-making-best-strike/&title=“I’m probably going to be playing video games”: how York University students are making the best of the strike&picture=https://cdn.torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/york-university-streeters-intro.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_308404" align="alignnone" width="656"] (Images: Giordano Ciampini)[/caption]
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.
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