Whether we strive to be the smartest, the fastest or the beer pong champion, it can be a rare thing to find oneself in a social context completely devoid of any contest.
Most of us can’t even recall having been to a house party that didn’t at some point feature a chance to prove your superiority over your friends via some drinking game or other.

Styna Tao was in Edinburgh on exchange this fall. She’s be sharing her experiences every three weeks as a regular contributor to Lifestyle.
As the crowd chanted the New Year’s Eve countdown, I looked all around me to take in the moment.
I’m sitting on a railing on Tower Bridge, an iconic London landmark, surrounded by old and new friends staring at the fireworks peeking out from behind city buildings.

When it comes to fashion, Queen’s students have two options: throw on whatever’s on top of your laundry pile or wear an outfit.
Ryan Peng is decidedly in the second camp. In the worst of times, when most of us would recoil into sweats and cover our three-day-old hair with the nearest beanie, Peng, ArtSci ’16, always looks like he’s stepped right off the pages of some underground fashion ’zine you’ve never heard of.
Seeking some inspiration, I sat down with Peng to get his perspective of fashion at Queen’s.

For fourth-year fine arts student Morgan Campbell, making art has always come naturally.

Nestled within the walls of the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, “I Hope Humanity…” is a meaningful exhibition that makes a sobering point about humanity’s destructive impact on the global environment.

Studio 22 Open Gallery always displays and encourages innovative and unusual artwork in their space on King Street East.

We’re halfway through brunch season, and the playoff picture seems to be cementing itself.
Throughout our years at Queen’s, we’ve amassed a treasury of knowledge on Kingston’s greasiest spoons – from gritty campus joints to undervalued waterfront eateries. Now, the pieces have fallen into place for end-of-term power rankings.
To qualify, establishments must conform to the following criteria:

With only a few days left before exams kick off and final papers are due, sleep is the last thing on many students’ minds.
It’s a time-honoured tradition on campus, as many forgo sleep to cram for an exam or finish up that last essay before classes wrap up. I’m just as guilty of this as any other student, constantly staying up until the early hours of the morning to finish writing stories or studying for an exam.

GROWAlex Watt, ArtSci ‘15
Thinking about ditching that Movember ‘stache? Before picking up the razor, consider the benefits of growing your facial fur into December and beyond.
Given the lack of awareness surrounding men’s mental health and prostate cancer, coupled with the stigma associated with these issues, many men frequently ignore their symptoms.

At Queen’s, Movember season means valiant attempts at sprouting facial hair and several students ready to pinch their pockets to donate to a good cause.

“Radio friendly but noisy,” are the first words that come to mind when describing the sound of Kingston-native five piece band Listen Up Kid.

Visual art is perhaps one of the most powerful mediums of abstract communication. Queen’s fine art student Katherine Boxall hopes for her newest visual-art project Bite Your Tongue to speak to audiences on changing the way society looks at female beauty and expression.

After running over the Edmonton Eskimos last weekend, the Calgary Stampeders are facing the Hamilton Tiger-Cats this Sunday for the 102nd Grey Cup. What better way to celebrate than by hosting a barbeque blowout?
Barbeque season is drawing to a close so it’s important to take advantage of the weather while it’s still here. This Grey Cup meal is cooked entirely on the grill and features a balanced mix of protein and veggies.

Nothing is more comforting during the long, barren winter than a homemade soup, especially when dealing with an abundance of essays and exams. This soup will warm you up, keep you full and is quick and easy to make. Most importantly, you’ll have plenty of leftovers. This recipe can also be altered for veggie or meat lovers, those who can’t handle spice and those who put hot sauce on everything.
Ingredients
Yields approximately 8-10 servings

Queen’s Global Village is an excellent example of an organization run by dedicated students looking to extend their impact from a local to global scale.
This year’s Queen’s Global Village team is composed of two co-presidents, a fundraising executive, a sponsorship executive and 12 volunteers. The team will be travelling to Guatemala this February during reading week to build a home for a family in need.

“You know a lot of girls be … thinking my songs are about them.”
Sometimes I’m sure Drake was thinking of me when he wrote these lyrics for his 2009 single “Best I Ever Had”. Only I know others are too. Feeling connected to a musician or celebrity is something most of us experience at some point in our lives.
I follow Drake’s every move. I often scream when he posts a picture of him in Toronto. But it’s only because I love him.