*Spoilers ahead for The Super Mario Movie and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie*

On April 1st, the Super Mario Galaxy movie was released in theatres as an extension of the Super Mario Brothers franchise, created in Japan by Nintendo nearly 45 years ago. It was also released as a sequel to the Super Mario Bros. movie, which was released in theatres nearly three years ago to the date that the Super Mario Galaxy movie was released; April 5th, 2023.

The first Super Mario Movie starred Jack Black as Bowser, Mario’s primary antagonist, Chris Pratt as Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi, Mario’s brother, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Peach, both Mario and Peach’s love interest, and princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. In this movie, Mario and Luigi are plumbers in Brooklyn, and while they are repairing a pipe, they are sucked into a warp pipe that transports them into two different universes: Mario in the Mushroom Kingdom, and Luigi in the Dark Lands. Luigi is captured by Bowser, who wants to marry Princess Peach, whereas Mario teams up with Princess Peach, Toad (played by Keegan Michael-Jay), and Donkey Kong (played by Seth Rogan) to rescue Luigi, and together they engage in a battle that ultimately falls back into Brooklyn, rescuing Luigi and shrinking Bowser into a jar, ultimately rescuing both worlds.

In the 2026 sequel, Mario, Luigi, and Peach travel into the far reaches of space, inspired by the Super Mario Galaxy game released years prior, one of the most beloved establishments in the Super Mario Bros. franchise. A galactic crisis occurs when Bowser’s adoptive son, Bowser Jr., vows to free his shrunken, imprisoned father, and goes about this by capturing Princess Rosalina, the protector of the Lumas, magical beings that can transform into planets, items, and even galaxies. Mario, Luigi, and Peach team up with the dinosaur Yoshi, possibly the most loved character in the Mario franchise. Mario and his family and friends engage in an interstellar battle that does unshrink Bowser, but they ultimately defeat the Koopas (Bowser’s army) and restore order once more, saving Rosalina.

One of the most appreciated aspects of both movies was the stellar animation by Illumination Studios, bringing the animated franchise to life in very fluid and colourful graphics that were very true to the core identity of the Mario franchise. Additionally, Jack Black’s comedic performance was very enjoyable for all audiences. As well, the movie had Easter Eggs for the whole Mario franchise hidden all over, which were both entertaining and a good tribute to the source material. Lastly, composer Brian Tyler’s orchestral score was praised by both critics and audiences alike for blending the original Mario Galaxy soundtrack, composed by Koji Kondo, with sweeping, cinematic scores that added to the already-striking visuals. However, there were also many aspects of the movie which viewers and critics both did not enjoy. The movie is being criticized for its thin and predictable plot, with many people pointing out that, despite the fact that it is largely targeted towards children, it does not mean the movie should be stripped of nuance. As well, the movie was shown to be heavily marketed as a kind of ‘fan service’, being cited as having little to no individual hype of its own. To contribute to the movie’s lack of nuance, many audiences noted that Mario and Luigi (the main characters) had no character growth, giving off a general feeling of futility around the movie. And, lastly, Chris Pratt’s voice work as Mario was criticized for being flat and uninteresting, taking away from some of the movie’s whimsy.

In general, the Super Mario Galaxy movie was a massive commercial hit, grossing $980,000,000 worldwide on an estimated budget of $110,000,000, becoming the current highest-grossing movie of the year, easily ahead of hits such as Project Hail Mary. While a massive hit with audiences, it achieved a low critical score of 42% on Rotten Tomatoes. Thus, while the Super Mario Galaxy movie was a very good movie for the audiences it targeted, there are still debates over what kind of legacy it will leave behind, or how long said legacy will last, as well as if it is just an objectively ‘good’ film.

To conclude, the Super Mario Galaxy movie was a solid addition to the Super Mario franchise, adding more than it removed, despite its thin plot. The animation was also very inspiring, and with a whole world of unexplored 3D Mario movies that the films did not adapt, as well as more on the way, this medium of video-game-adapted films could very well become a full, prosperous and nuanced industry in the not-too far future.

Corsets were, and still are, essential to wearing historical clothing from the 19th to the early 20th century. These garments changed significantly over the centuries, changing with new inventions and fashion trends.

Contrary to popular belief, corsets were very safe, especially since the average person would only wear them as a way to support their clothing at the time. In fact, it was very common to see anywhere from no waist reduction to, at the very most, 3 inches. The only people who would lace their corsets tightly would be very rich, would have started at a young enough age that the body would not be too harmed, and/or would have only done so for special occasions for a short amount of time. As the waist became smaller and more defined, waist reduction did become a lot more common, however women at the time had more of what we would refer to as “squishiness”.

Corsets themselves have been worn and can technically refer to many different garments over many different eras. The earliest recording in history of a “corset” was back in Ancient Greece. This garment was a strip of cloth used only for bust support and was still quite far from looking anything like corsets from the 19th and 10th centuries.

It wasn’t until the 16th century in Europe that the earlier forms of corsets started emerging. These corsets were called stays and gave the illusion of a long, lean silhouette that was almost cone-like. This is where something called boning or whalebone began to be commonly used. This boning was actually whale baleen, which is the cartilage from a whale’s mouth. These “stays” would have either been laced up at both the front and back or only at the back with a wooden busk, which was used commonly until the end of the 1840s.

As the 19th century quickly approached, stays became much shorter with less whalebone since the silhouette at the time did not require much shaping to the body, only needing bust support for the empire waist. Once the year 1800 hit, the term corset grew significantly in popularity, but it wasn’t until 1809 that it was used worldwide. The empire waist silhouette was popular up until the 1820s, when the waistline went back down to where it would naturally sit, causing the corset to go down to the hips.

Due to the waistline going back down, a smaller waist was desired. Instead of achieving this through more dangerous means, women at the time would use proportional illusions of big sleeves and big skirts, along with a very small waist reduction. Even then, it would be very hard for any sort of tight lacing until near the end of the decade in 1828, when metal eyelets were invented, allowing corsets to become tighter without breaking.

The corset did not change too much through the 1830s and 40s, although the outer layers did. In the 1830s, sleeves had a lot of volume, and since corsets had started to have metal eyelets, there was the ability to lace them slightly tighter. However, once the 1840s hit, the big sleeves disappeared, but an early version of the crinoline (a type of hoop skirt) became popular. The crinoline replaced the big sleeves for proportional illusion, also causing fewer petticoats to be used.

Once the 1850s hit, the corset became curvier, also looking much closer to the corsets that people today would recognize. These corsets gave more definition to the waist with more boning, but since the crinoline gave shape to the hips, the corset became slightly shorter than those of the previous decades. They also had begun to use a split metal busk instead of the solid wood one used in previous decades. Although they were still curvier, by the mid-50s, these corsets began to follow the natural shape of the body much closer than before.

By the time the 1860s hit, there was actually a difference between the corsets of France and the USA compared to the corsets of England. French and American corsets became shorter with more focus on the waist, compared to the English corsets, which stayed nearly identical to the corsets of the 1850s.

Once the 1870s arrived, corsets became more form-fitting to the body as proportion illusions went out of fashion. As the decade progressed, corsets began to cover the hips, waist, and upper torso, along with having more boning inside of them. In 1873, a spoon-shaped buckle was invented in order to keep the stomach tucked in with a roundness to the lower abdomen.

In the 1880s, whale bone became steel boning to prevent the breaking of corsets due to the difference in the size of the waist and the bust/hips. Corsets at the time could commonly be made using gussets and a basque or with separate shaped pieces. The corsets of the 1890s became more lightweight and flexible, although still looking very similar to corsets from the 1870s and 1880s.

Once the 20th century hit, corsets lost the rounded lower abdomen, becoming flatter, and were generally made using separate, shaped, tapered pieces. Around 1911, once the Edwardian era ended, so did most of the common things in the construction of the earlier corsets. Long underbust corsets with little boning and a less defined silhouette became popular to wear, along with a separate padded “bust improver”.

As WWI started, corsets became much less common to see in garment making, going out of fashion entirely in the 1920s. They were still seen with older people and those who could not afford to keep up with the latest fashion trends, but it was still very uncommon.

Corsets did not make a comeback in fashion again until the 1950s, when fashion similar to that of the Victorian era became popular. However, once the 50s ended, boxier silhouettes were favoured, leading to the corset never going mainstream again. Starting in the 80s and 90s, as alternative fashion grew, corsets began to be seen again in goth and punk. This non-mainstream trend was popularized by the fashion designer Vivienne Westwood.

Nowadays, the most common corsets worn are extremely cheap fast fashion creations with a very boxy silhouette that can become painful from the chest and hips being compressed the same amount as the waist. Corsets should be as painless as possible, which is why if you are interested in wearing one, the safest way would be to make your own (expensive but still more cost-effective) or buy from reputable, high quality brands/creators (very expensive, especially if custom-made).

From February 6th to 22nd, athletes from across the globe put on their skates, skis, and warmest coats to compete at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. This elite sports competition takes place every four years in a different host country, this year’s being Italy. It featured over 3500 athletes from 93 countries, competing for only 195 medals. Out of these 3500, 207 sported the maple leaf. Canada placed in 11th place overall, taking home 5 golds medals, 7 silver medals, and 9 bronze medals. The Olympics aren’t just a competition for a prize, but a culmination of the hard work of thousands and a source of pride for our country.

Mikhail Kingsbury won our first gold in a brand new event: dual moguls. In this event, two skiers race down a hill covered in large bumps as well as having to land two jumps. This was the Quebec native’s fourth Olympic games, 2nd gold, and 5th Olympic medal. A second gold medal in freestyle skiing was claimed by Megan Oldham in Women’s Big Air. The 24 year old took home two medals at her second olympic games, with a bronze in addition to her gold medal. Canada would then take to the ice for short track and speed skating, earning 5 medals in each event. Steven Dubois secured the gold medal in men’s 500m short track. Dubois was also a member of the mixed relay team that took home the silver medal. The gold for women’s team pursuit speed skating was taken home by a lineup consisting of Ivanie Blondin, Valerie Maltais, Isabelle Weidemann, Beatrice Lamarche, and Laura Hall. It was a close race, only beating the Netherlands by one second, but a massive success for the athletes. Finally, Canada’s final gold medal was in men’s curling against Great Britain. Despite some struggles in the round robin, including accusations of cheating, Canada managed to come out on top in a fair game against Great Britain. The team led by Brad Jacobs played a very close match before securing 3 points in the ninth end that ensured their win. 

Other highlights include 2 silvers in hockey, a bronze in figure skating, and a silver in snowboarding. Canadian athletes performed very well at these games, sparking a sense of pride for the whole nation. If you are looking for more international sports action, make sure to tune into the paralympic games from March 6th to 15th! Congratulations to all Canada’s athletes for all of their hard work and success at the Milano Cortina Olympic Games.

Valentine’s Day, while celebrated today mainly as a commercial celebration of love, has its roots in ancient ritual, Christian tradition, and medieval poetry, interestingly enough. 

Right now, many historians trace the origins of Valentine’s Day to Ancient Rome, primarily in the festival known as Lupercalia, a harvest festival dedicated to the founders of Rome, the brothers Romulus and Remus, as well as the Roman god of agriculture, Faunus. This festival was celebrated in mid-February, right around Valentine's Day, and involved rituals to purify the city and promote good health and fertility. Additionally, some accounts describe a ‘matchmaking lottery’, where young men and women were paired together, occasionally leading to marriage. 

At this time, the Roman Empire had a massive influence over all of Europe. However, as the Roman Empire fell and Christianity spread, this ritual was ultimately adopted through a more Christian lens, particularly through introducing the legend of Saint Valentine.

There are many stories about Saint Valentine, but the most popular one describes him as a priest around 300 CE in Rome, under the reign of Claudius II. According to many historical accounts, Claudius II believed that single men made better soldiers than married men, and as the majority of Rome’s strength came from its military in those days, he outlawed marriage for young men. Saint Valentine, however, curbed this by performing marriages for young couples in secret. When he was discovered, he was thrown in jail and was later executed. There are additional stories that suggest that he cured the jailer’s daughter’s blindness and signed a letter to her as ‘from your Valentine’ shortly before his execution.

While it is ambiguous what parts of this are true and what parts are embellished or just hearsay passed down through generations, Saint Valentine eventually did come to be known as a symbol of love and devotion, especially when, in 496 CE, Pope Gelasius I declared February 14th as Saint Valentine’s Day, although his goal was mostly likely to ‘Christianize’ pagan festivals such as Lupercalia after the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 CE.

Despite Pope Gelasius I’s declaration, however, Valentine’s Day did not become widely popular or associated with love, for that matter, until the Middle Ages. This was a time when courtly love traditions were beginning to flourish, primarily in England and France. One such contributor in shaping this association to Valentine’s Day was Geoffrey Chaucer, a poet who wrote in the 1300s.

In his poem ‘Parliament of Fowls’, Chaucer noted a link between Valentine’s Day and the fact that birds choose their mates in mid-February. As poetry was one of the main creative mediums at the time, this poem aided in popularizing Valentine’s Day as a day of love, and over time, this became a new courtly tradition, with both nobles and commoners exchanging handwritten notes and gifts.

By the fifteenth century CE, ‘valentines’ meant both somebody you were romantically involved with and the note sent to that person. These early messages were often meant to be handmade, and they were typically decorated with lace, ribbon, and other such intricate designs.

Although it has its roots in multiple ancient traditions and rumours, they have all amalgamated today to create the Valentine’s Day that is celebrated here, making it all the more interesting to note the influence that various ancient cultures have upon the modern era, and how this influence has persisted through generations.

Each February, music lovers from around the world tune in to see which of their favourite artists will take home a Grammy. On November 7th, the Recording Academy announced the nominees for the upcoming 68th Annual Grammy Awards via livestream, which will take place on February 1st, 2026. These awards are considered the most prestigious music awards in the world, and include categories such as Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Album of the Year. 

The Best New Artist award highlights an upcoming musician who has made a significant breakthrough in the music industry this past year. This year's nominees are: 

Olivia Dean

KATSEYE

The Marias

Addison Rae

Sombr

Leon Thomas

Alex Warren

Lola Young

Song of the Year is an award that recognizes excellent songwriting. This year's contenders are: 

Abracadabra, by Lady Gaga

Anxiety, by Doechii

APT., by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars

DtMF, by Bad Bunny

Golden (from KPop Demon Hunters), by Huntr/x

Luther, by Kendrick Lamar and SZA

Manchild, by Sabrina Carpenter

WILDFLOWER, by Billie Eilish

Record of the Year honours the performance of the song. This year’s nominees are:

DtMF, performed by Bad Bunny

Manchild, performed by Sabrina Carpenter

Anxiety, performed by Doechii

WILDFLOWER, performed by Billie Eilish

Abracadabra, performed by Lady Gaga

Luther, performed by Kendrick Lamar and SZA

The Subway, performed by Chappell Roan

APT., performed by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars

Finally, Album of the Year is an award given to the best complete album, taking performance, writing, and production all into account. The chosen albums this year are:

DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, by Bad Bunny

SWAG, by Justin Bieber

Man’s Best Friend, by Sabrina Carpenter

Let God Sort ‘Em Out, by Clipse

Mayhem, by Lady Gaga

GNX, by Kendrick Lamar

MUTT, by Leon Thomas

Chromakopia, by Tyler, the Creator

These are just 4 of the 95 categories that span genres from classical to Latin to rap. These nominations have sparked excitement, disappointment, and everything in between. If you are interested in seeing who will take home the iconic gramophone-shaped trophy, make sure to tune in for the award ceremony in February!

As snow glistens from bare branches and delicate flakes melt on our windshields—one thing’s for sure. It’s beginning to look a lot like Chris a long and excruciating winter that will freeze you to the bone.

It’s time for us to put up our wreaths and enjoy some hot chocolate and cookies chock-full of sugar. We’ll cozy up and pick from an assortment of movies—from comedic, to heartwarming, to unsettling in a way that makes you rethink your choices and wonder whether or not they will leave you fulfilled or painstakingly alone… Okay, that was pretty specific.

Remember ‘A Christmas Carol’? That one with the mean old man and the four ghosts? Fun Fact: It’s been adapted over 300 times since its original publication in 1843. Why? Because of its depiction of the very real consequences that selfishness brings, the concept of ghosts, strangely paired with the supernatural, has remained an intriguing one to humans. Additionally, deeper meaning lies behind the original narrative, enhancing its impact.

Imagine you’re in England, 1843. Where the wealthy flourish, large manors are teeming with servants, and entertainment like soirees and theatre to pass the time. Just toeing the line of affluence, streets brimming with extreme despair and poverty.

Despite being a previous rising sensation, Charles Dickens’s written works were no longer taking London by storm. His publishers were unhappy with him, his newest story was a failure, and he grew continuously more worried that he would fall into the common rhythm of unemployment and extreme economic struggle. Already struggling to pay off his debts and care for his family, Dickens could not afford any slip-ups.

The author campaigned often for change within Britain, but was struck through the heart when he learned of child labour so horrid that children were being put to work as soon as they could walk. Charles himself had to work in a shoe-blacking factory at 12 years old, since his parents were in debtors’ prison. Many  had written about the emerging issue of child labour, but none had experienced this firsthand, as or Dickens had.

Charles wanted to raise awareness of this issue, in the most impactful way possible. He had endured much hardship as a child, and he had also visited a school for impoverished children which  painted such a bleak picture, as if to seal out any childlike wonder. This was a key inspiration for A Christmas Carol explaining its prominent themes of ignorance and great poverty. Dickens wanted to remind his readers that to ignore a child was to rob them of their dreams and their future.

During a quick trip to Manchester, Dickens observed his disabled nephew, Henry,  and this visit led him to  an epiphany about the difficulties encountered by  families with disabled members.  This sudden awakening led to the creation of Tiny Tim—the son of Scrooge’s clerk, Bob Crachit. 

Eventually, Dickens was able to print his story—sans the help of his publishers—and all 6,000 copies of the book were gone by Christmas Eve. A Christmas Carol earned much bravado, as well as harsh criticism for the irony surrounding his claim of elevating those less fortunate, when the book itself was a luxury. Charles went on to speak about his book at public engagements, and these were actually more profitable for him than the book sales).  He also did a few readings each year until he passed in 1870.

  While the novella can be viewed as a one-dimensional tale, at this time of year, it is essential to note the significance of this classic being borne from empathy and kindness, especially during this giving season.

Dīpāvalī, also known as Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is a major festival that occurs in October or November, in accordance with the Hindu lunar calendar. 

Dīpāvalī originates from the Hindu epic of the Rāmayaṇam, in which the Hindu God of preservation, Viṣṇu, takes a human form on Earth as Rāma, the prince of a kingdom on the banks of the Sarayū River, Ayodhyā. In this epic, Rāma’s father is forced to banish him to the forest for fourteen years, in which Rāma’s wife, Sītā, the incarnation of Viṣṇu’s wife, Lakṣmī, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity, was kidnapped by the demon king of Lanka, Rāvaṇa, at the start of their fourteenth year of exile. Dīpāvalī commemorates Rāma, his brother Lakṣmaṇa, and Sītā’s return to Ayodhyā after Rāma defeats Rāvaṇa alongside Lakṣmaṇa and an army of monkeys. Dīpāvalī comes about as the festival of lights due to the detail in the Rāmayaṇam that lamps were lit to guide Rāma’s path home. 

Another reason that Dīpāvalī is commemorated is due to Kṛṣṇa, the incarnation of Viṣṇu after Rāma, and his wife, Satyabhāmā, an incarnation of the Hindu goddess considered to be the Earth, Bhūmīdevī, defeating the demon, Narakāsura, showing the main message of Dīpāvalī as the victory of good over evil. As summarized in the Harivaṃśa, a Hindu text, Narakāsura was the son of Bhūmīdevī and Varāha, an incarnation of Viṣṇu. He grew into a tyrannical king, conquering tens of kingdoms and imprisoning 16,000 women, as well as stealing the earrings of Aditi, considered the mother of the Hindu gods. Narakāsura had received a boon from the Hindu god of creation, Brahmā, that his mother, Bhūmīdevī, would be his only cause of death, believing that no mother would kill her own son. Satyabhāmā, upon learning of Narakāsura’s tyranny, sought Kṛṣṇa’s permission to wage a war against Narakāsura. Thus, Kṛṣṇa and Satyabhāmā went to battle against Narakāsura. Kṛṣṇa, aware of the boon granted to Narakāsura from Lord Brahmā, pretended to swoon during the course of the battle, in order to fully provoke Satyabhāmā against Narakāsura. Successfully enraged, Satyabhāmā attacked Narakāsura, allowing Kṛṣṇa to slay Naraksura, fulfilling Brahmā’s boon. 

Interestingly, Dīpāvalī is not only celebrated by Hindus, but also commonly celebrated by Sikhs, Jains, and some Buddhists. Sikhs celebrate Dīpāvalī as it is also known as Bandī Chōr Divas, or the day when the sixth spiritual leader, or Guru, of the Sikhs, Guru Hargōbiṅd Siṅgh, was released from prison after his wrongful arrest, freeing fifty-two political prisoners alongside himself. Jains celebrate Dīpāvalī to commemorate the liberation of Lord Mahāvīra, the last tīrthaṅkara, or Jain teacher of dharma (the righteous path). And, lastly, some Buddhists celebrate Dīpāvalī to mark the day that Emperor Aśoka-the former emperor of the Mauryan empire in India-converted to Buddhism from Hinduism. 

Today, most people celebrate Dīpāvalī by visiting and decorating places of worship, with Hindus praying to the goddess Lakṣmī and the god Gaṇeśa-considered the remover of obstacles, as well as the god of intellect and new beginnings-Jains to Lord Mahāvīra, Sikhs to the one universal creator, and those Buddhists who celebrate to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas-beings who have reached enlightenment-as beings for inspiration and guidance. People also meet with family and friends, cook feasts, and, as Dīpāvalī is considered the festival of lights, light lamps-primarily clay lamps, called dīyās-and fireworks. 

It is fascinating to observe how events that occurred up to 7,000 years ago, now define a moment in a year for millions of people worldwide, showing, on a wider scale, the impact that culture and/or religion can have on the world.

*Historical events mentioned in this article may vary depending on the account*

Many are familiar with the celebration of Diwali, and were probably taught the history behind it in school. However, not as many know the story of Bandi Chhor, the Sikh celebration that happens around the same time each year. Learning the origins of Bandi Chhor means taking a deep dive into Indian history, specifically the 1600s, where our story begins with the 6th of the 10 Sikh gurus.

Origins & History:

Guru Hargobind Singh Ji was quite young when he succeeded his father, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, but his age was no match for his natural leadership. In the early 1600s, he recognised the growing threat of the Mughal Empire, just as his father had before his untimely death in 1609 (when Guru Ji was 11). Before passing on his title and responsibilities to his son, he’d understood that the differences in religious beliefs may lead to conflict in the future. Guru Hargobind Singh Ji’s response was to militarise the Sikhs, not to readily engage in battle, but to defend themselves and their ideologies if needed.

Although tragic, the loss of his father shaped him as a leader, and led him to take on the symbol of Miri Piri. This was shown by his wearing of two kirpans (swords), one representing political power, and the other spiritual power. By adopting this symbol, he taught all Sikhs to find balance between their religious beliefs and knowing when to engage in the events of the physical world, such as the defense of their faith. The significance of this symbol would be tested in the war that was about to begin, one that would last well over a century.

Guru Ji began to teach the Sikhs to fight and defend themselves, eventually forming the first Sikh military force which came to be known as the Akaal Sena. “Akaal” means “timeless” or “eternal”, and is used as part of many Sikh terms. Meanwhile, the Mughal leaders came to realise that he was training them for warfare, and decided to arrest him. However, this arrest had no real cause and was mainly fueled by political and religious controversies. None of the battles Guru Hargobind Singh Ji had led had been attacks, but defense against those attempting to force them to compromise their beliefs. It was that same refusal to give them up that led to Guru Arjan Dev Ji’s death.

One of the reasons that the Empire arrested him was his establishment of the Akaal Takht (eternal throne) next to the Harmandir Sahib (golden temple). It was a symbol of worldly authority, and further supported the symbolism of Miri Piri by being next to the golden temple. By having their main places of spiritual worship and political/worldly decision making in the same place, Sikhs further understood the balance they were meant to live by. Before his arrest in 1612-1613 (dates vary depending on the account, and there are no official records), Guru Ji had begun to ally with communities that had conflict with the Mughal Empire, who saw this as a direct challenge.

After about 6 years in prison, Guru Hargobind Singh Ji was finally offered release, but refused to leave unless he could bring the many kings that were imprisoned there with him. There were over 100 of them, but Guru Ji refused to leave without them. Wazir Khan, a nobleman and military commander of the Empire brought this condition to Emperor Jahangir, who agreed to release those of them who were short term prisoners (this was about half). However, he stated that if he wanted to free any more, Guru Ji could only take as many that could hold onto his robe.

While this presented an obstacle, Guru Hargobind Singh Ji came up with a clever solution. He had a robe made that had 52 tassels, and he and the kings walked free the following day, October 26, 1619. Bandi Chhor translates to “Prisoner Release Day” or “Day of Liberation”, and I can think of no other name to be more fitting for this event that shaped Sikh history.

Celebration:

While their origins are vastly different, Diwali and Bandi Chhor are celebrated in very similar ways, such as the lighting up of homes and gurdwaras (Sikh temples) with diyas and candles. The uniqueness comes from the Nagar Kirtan, a religious procession, and Langar, a community kitchen (open all year round but is emphasized on Bandi Chhor). Religion and culture are defined by history, and significant events like these are too often forgotten. I hope that one day, Bandi Chhor will no longer be forced into the same category as Diwali, and instead be recognised as its own holiday for its unique story and moral lessons.

Sources:

https://dvnetwork.org/page/guru-hargobind-ji-the-warrior-saint#:~:text=Guru%20Hargobind%20Ji%20was%20arrested,to%20political%20and%20religious%20reasons%20.

https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/blog/art-culture/akal-takht 

https://www.sikhnet.com/news/detention-and-release-teghzan%C2%A0guru-hargobind-sahib-gwalior-fort

Halloween, the time of year to wear costumes, carve jack-o-lanterns, trick-or-treat, and get spooked at haunted houses. But why do we even celebrate it? How did it even come to be?

Well, Halloween began as a tradition for the ancient Gaelic Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced SOW-in or SAH-win). This was to mark the midpoint between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice, also known as the end of the harvest season and beginning of the dark half of the year, also translating to summer’s end. It is still celebrated to this day from October 31st to November 1st by Pagans and Wiccans.

Samhain was one of the major fire festivals of the ancient Celtic calendar, the others being Beltane in May, Imbolc in February, and Lughnasadh in August. The Celts would celebrate with bonfires, animal sacrifices, communal feasts, and rituals for protection over crops and livestock in the dark months ahead. Pagans and Wiccans who celebrate normally use practices such as tarot readings and ancestor altars. A tradition these groups all have in common is Dumb Supper. This supper, the dumb part meaning silent, is held after inviting the spirits of ancestors in where children would play games in order to entertain them, with the adults updating them on the past year’s news.

They believed that the veil between this world and the spirit realm was at its thinnest, so spirits, mainly mischievous ones, would be roaming around. In order to keep peace, offering of bread, whisky, or milk would normally be made. Children tended to dress up on that day too, usually as the dead or the sidhe (pronounced shee) singing songs and reciting verses in order to receive gifts of food, normally cakes. Another reason as to why people would dress up was in order to scare off the spirits, which is also why we have jack-o’-lanterns! Although, the original ones were made of turnips, not pumpkins.

After Christian missionaries came to convert the Celtic people, they had wanted to get rid of all Pagan practices; however, they decided it would be much easier to do so if the already existing festivals and celebrations were changed to be of the Christian faith. This meant that festivals such as the Winter and the Summer Solstices were changed to Christmas and St. John’s day. Samhain was then branded as being satanic, along with the people who still celebrated it. The Christian version of Samhain was named All Saints Day, also known as All Hallows for November 1st. This was more of a substitute feast for the Celtic people, but most still did not participate, opting for Samhain instead. As a response, the missionaries added All Souls Day, which was to be celebrated on November 2nd. This date was put in order to pray for the souls of the dead, although it still was not extremely common to celebrate. Alternatively, since the day before All Saints Day was considered to have the most activity of evil spirits and humans, so the Celts celebrated that with the same traditions as Samhain, now calling it All Hallows Eve. 

Now, you may be wondering how this holiday and its traditions came to North America. This started during and after the Great Famine, also known as the Irish Potato Famine. The Irish came to North America in order to support and improve their lives, along with escaping the massive famine. With this, their traditions and celebrations also came, including All Hallows Eve which in the time between the coining of the term and coming to America, changed to Halloween. After a while, the traditions and practices of this holiday became more secular and less sacred. The tradition of giving out cakes changed to giving out pre-wrapped candy, carving turnips to pumpkins, and the holiday became more “spooky” than celebrating and honouring the dead.

Nowadays, the only people you will see actually celebrating similar to the original way are Pagans and Wiccans, however it is still interesting to see how much the holiday has changed from a sacred practice to a fun little tradition for all.

https://iso.mit.edu/americanisms/halloween-origins-and-current-traditions/ 

https://www.pagangrimoire.com/what-is-samhain-how-to-celebrate/ 

https://www.history.com/articles/samhain 

https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2021/10/the-origins-of-halloween-traditions/ 

https://www.ccsna.org/samhain-halloween-and-the-day-of-the-dead 

https://archives.oxfordcounty.ca/blog-archive/history-of-halloween-in-canada/ 

On October 3rd, 2025, Taylor Swift released her twelfth studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” This is her first album since the iconic Eras Tour, and it reveals the behind the scenes of her life as a performer. The album was announced on August 12th, 2025, on her fiancé Travis Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast. Swift explained how proud she is of this album, and how each song holds great meaning to her. She told the podcast that this album would not be complete with one more or one less song. Every song was carefully crafted by Swift and her producers. “The Life of a Showgirl” features twelve tracks, which are individually dissected and explored below.

The Fate of Ophelia

The opening track of the album, as well as the lead single, is a love song inspired by William Shakespeare's “Hamlet.” The character Ophelia, tragically drowns after going through a spiral of insanity. Swift sings, “And if you'd never come for me, I might've drowned in the melancholy,” referencing the drowning and how her heart was saved from death. “You dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia.” Shakespeare's character inspired the cover of the album as well, as Swift lays submerged in a tub of water. She explains, “I really love this song because it blends Shakespearean storytelling, drawing on the legend of the tragic hero Ophelia, with a modern twist that imagines escaping her fate.”

Elizabeth Taylor

The second track on the album, “Elizabeth Taylor,” is about how it is not always so glamorous to be in the spotlight. “Oftentimes it doesn't feel so glamorous to be me.” Swift sings about her past partners leaving her due to the pressure of the spotlight, and asks Hollywood star Elizabeth Taylor if her current relationship will last, “Elizabeth Taylor, do you think it's forever?” Elizabeth Taylor was an American actress and icon, and Swift spoke to her in this song because of their shared connections. They both struggled with building lasting relationships, while being the focus of so much public attention. Elizabeth Taylor was a woman who had eight marriages and seven divorces, making her a person who would understand Swift's concerns. “In this record, there’s a song called 'Elizabeth Taylor,' which is sort of my emotions and my issues with fame through the lens of cosplaying the life of Elizabeth Taylor, so you kind of meld the two experiences together.”

Opalite

“Opalite” is a track about building your own happiness, rather than expecting it to come naturally. The title was inspired by the opalite crystal, which is manmade. Swift admired the idea of this beautiful rock being created by man, and used that as inspiration for creating your own happiness. “Opalite is a song on my album that radiates an irresistibly joyful energy. It’s truly an expression of happiness. The song is about deliberately choosing happiness, especially in the face of adversity, and finding your own unique path to joy instead of waiting for it to happen by chance. Opalite itself is a man-made opal, and I used that as a metaphor: just as opalite is crafted, happiness can also be something you create for yourself. I loved drawing this analogy, and it became the inspiration for one of my favourite tracks on the album.”

Father Figure

The track “Father Figure” is about the strength of being a protective mentor. This is proven with lyrics such as: “My dear protégé, I'll be your father figure.” "You remind me of a younger me, I saw potential.” and “I dry your tears with my sleeve, leave it with me, I protect the family.” This is also a song about taking power as a woman, which is something Swift feels passionately about. This was discussed mostly during her “Lover” era, back in 2019. Specifically with the song “The Man,” which is about how her success would have come easier if she were a man. At the end of the song, Swift takes back power from betrayal, “Mistake my kindness for weakness…this empire belongs to me.” Overall, this is a song about personal strength and growth. 

Eldest Daughter

Since the beginning of her career, Swift has been known for the track five rule. Every track five on each of her albums is a vulnerable and emotional song. "Eldest Daughter" is about the need to fit in and seem strong. Acting in a way you think you have to, to appear cool. “I have been afflicted by a terminal uniqueness, I've been dying just from trying to seem cool.” Then she admits in the song she doesn’t have this careless and tough persona she appears to have, and she’s actually quite soft and caring. “But I'm never gonna let you down, I'm never gonna leave you out.”

Ruin The Friendship

“Ruin the Friendship” is a song about taking that risk and telling that person you have feelings for them. Swift sings about a high school crush, and how she “should've kissed you anyway.” Near the end of the song, the lyrics grow deeper, as she mentions her high school best friend calling with bad news. “Goodbye, and we'll never know why…I whispered at the grave, should've kissed you anyway.” The person passed away, and Swift will never know if he had feelings for her as well, because fear held her back. “My advice is always ruin the friendship, better that than regret it for all time…and my advice is always answer the question, better that than to ask it all your life.” Swift speaks on this song and her meaning behind writing it. “Ruin the Friendship is a song that wistfully looks back at moments in life where hesitation, fear, or anxiety held you back from doing something you were truly curious about. It explores the idea that if you confessed your feelings to someone or kissed them, you might ruin the friendship. The song goes back over those moments, questioning what really would have been so bad if you’d taken a chance. Ultimately, it’s a beautiful story about embracing opportunities when they arise and not spending your life wondering what could have happened if you’d acted.”

Actually Romantic

The next track, “Actually Romantic,” is about drama manifested on one side of a relationship, and how it’s “actually romantic,” how much time the person on the other side has spent obsessing over you. “Actually Romantic is a song about realizing that someone has been in a one-sided, adversarial relationship with you without your knowledge. Suddenly, they begin acting out and making it clear that you’ve been living in their head rent-free all along. What presents itself as animosity or conflict is really their way of focusing intensely on you. Instead of resisting it, the song reframes this dynamic as attention, even affection, almost flattering in its intensity. When you think about it, being such a central part of someone else’s reality, without even trying, can actually feel pretty romantic.” Swift sings about how the hate given to her doesn’t hurt her, it flatters her. “It's actually sweet, all the time you've spent on me.”

Wi$h Li$t

This track is a love song, about Swift's hopes and wishes for the future. She explains she hopes that everyone else gets what they want, but this is all she wants. “I just want you.” It’s an affectionate song, wishing for her and her partner to create a family and grow old together. “Have a couple kids, got the whole block looking like you.” In an interview with Jordan North and Sian Welby, Swift confesses this is her favourite song on this album. It aligns with her current relationship status, her and Travis Kelce being engaged, and soon ready to start a family. "It's a song that was actually the last song that we made for the album, and it was the song where after I finished it, I was like 'Oh, we're done. We're good. We're done with this. This is the final piece.’ It's a really dreamy song, it's a really romantic song. It details all these different things that people aspire to have in their lives, and all the wishes that people are making all over the world of things in their lifestyle or things they wanna buy. Or places they want to go."

Wood

“Wood” is a song about superstitions and overcoming unlucky romance. “I'll admit I've been a little superstitious, fingers crossed until you put your hand on mine.” There is a saying that goes, if you say something that could be jinxed, you knock on wood. But Swift says “we make our own luck…I ain't gotta knock on wood,” meaning her current love life is stable, and she does not have to worry about the jinx curse. “The curse on me was broken by your magic wand.”

CANCELLED!

The next track, “Cancelled,” is about her own personal experience with hate, and her compassion toward her friends in similar situations. “They stood by me before my exoneration, they believed I was innocent, so I'm not here for judgment.” Swift is supportive of her friends facing the same things she experienced, and helps them come back stronger. “Now they've broken you like they've broken me, but a shattered glass is a lot more sharp,” is a personal favourite lyric of mine, which takes us back to the meaning of coming back stronger. This song feels similar to her hit single “Look What You Made Me Do,” from “reputation.” With the lyric “But I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time. Honey, I rose up from the dead, I do it all the time.” No matter what happens to her, she always comes back stronger.

Honey

The song “Honey” is a love song about changed meanings. From the lyrics, “If anyone called me "Honey" it was standing in the bathroom, white teeth, they were sayin' that skirt don't fit me, and I cried the whole way home,” to “You can call me "Honey" if you want because I'm the one you want…you give it different meaning 'cause you mean it when you talk.” In the past, nicknames such as honey or sweetheart were said to her in a cruel and condescending way. This caused those words to seem vicious and hurtful in her mind, until someone came along and changed those meanings. Honey is no longer seen as a hurtful word, but as something that makes her feel loved and treasured.

The Life of a Showgirl (feat. Sabrina Carpenter)

The final track, “The Life of a Showgirl,” is a summary of Swift's performative life. Swift explains, “The last track, and the album’s title track, is The Life of a Showgirl. It tells the story of a fictional showgirl named Kitty, and my character goes to see her perform, becoming totally inspired by her. Instead of responding with superficiality, Kitty tells it like it is, warning me about the reality of this lifestyle, which goes far beyond glitter and glamour. The song is an ode to the women who navigate the challenges of show business, facing its pitfalls and obstacle courses.” This track is the only one with a feature, artist Sabrina Carpenter. “For this track, I invited the ultimate showgirl, Sabrina Carpenter, and thankfully she agreed. She’s incredible on the song.” The ending of this song touched many fans’ hearts, as she included a clip from The Eras Tour crowd on the last show. The Eras Tour was the biggest performance she or any artist or performer had ever put on, and it deeply changed her life. “One of my favorite parts is that we ended it with actual crowd noise from my last Eras Tour show in Vancouver. It’s a deeply nostalgic touch that brings me right back to that memorable moment on stage. As the closing track, it’s a really special part of the album.” 

Imagine harnessing a passion for Egyptian history so strong, you discover a literal egyptian tomb—holding the boy king—Tutankhamun, no less.

I happened to stumble upon the discovery of King Tut’s tomb online a while back—I found it pretty interesting, so I thought I’d summarize it in this article to save you the internet rabbit-hole. 

After developing poor physical health in the late 19th century, a young boy named Howard Carter was sent from London to Swaffham, Norfolk, for most of his childhood. There, he was able to view many historical artifacts that kindled an ardour for Egyptian history. This led him to pursue a career in Egyptology and become an archaeologist.

After many ups and downs in his field of study, Howard made the acquaintance of George Herbert, otherwise known as Lord Carnarvon. Thanks to him, Carter had the funding necessary to commence extensive research and find King Tut’s tomb in Egypt. All of a sudden, a new development was made when a boy carrying water tripped over a rock to find that it was the beginning of a series of steps! Upon hearing of the discovery, Carter hid the entrance and phoned Carnarvon immediately.

On November 26th of 1922, Howard anxiously held a candle for light as he peered through the small hole he had carved into the door—Lord Carnarvon in tow. Some would say that this was the defining moment of Howard’s entire career. Carter was ecstatic to find many precious treasures within the concealed space, however, their search did not halt there.

On February 16th, 1923, Carter finally opened the door to find the near-pristine sarcophagus (tomb) of the king himself. In the tomb, Carter and Carnarvon discovered a collection of beautiful objects—chariots shrouded in gold, jewelry, personal shrines, furniture embedded with precious stones, and more. The tomb itself was primarily intact, but spots of mold were visible, hinting that the paintings weren’t completely dry before the tomb was secured. This mold may have also been the cause of Lord Carnarvon’s blood poisoning and death, subsequent to the full discovery. Not many people knew about the mold and thus, rumours of the ‘mummy curse’ spread like wildfire. Howard did not appear to be similarly affected, as he died a peaceful death many years later after dedicating his life to the discovery of King Tut’s Tomb.

The story of King Tut is also pretty interesting, considering his succession and how he died. His original name was Tutankhaten—before changing it to Tutankhamun three years into his reign. He was coronated due to the deaths of Smenkhkare and Tut’s alleged father, Akhenaten, with whom he co-ruled. Tut ascended to the throne at nine years old (not joking), and married his half-sister (still not joking) when he was ten. The boy king tragically died not even ten years later at nineteen. This is widely believed to be due to malaria and degenerative bone disease.

While separated by thousands of years, Carter and Tut shared their determination to rise above adversity. Both were only children when faced with great struggle — Carter with sickness and Tutankhamun with the weight of the monarchy. Carter was faced with many challenges in his childhood and in his career, yet he still studied his passion above all else and ended up making history in the archaeological world. After his father’s unorthodox movement and negligence of Egyptian tradition, King Tutankhamun made a monumental difference in his short life by helping to restore sacred places of religion and art that had been previously destroyed.  Both truly inspiring stories — And if you didn’t know, now you do.  

SOURCES:

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Howard-Carter-Tutankhamun/ 

https://www.metmuseum.org/met-publications/tutankhamuns-tomb-the-thrill-of-discovery 

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna43355357 

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tutankhamun