Jul 2, 2020

Sharing Together

Between social distancing, working from home, and general anxiety regarding the pandemic, we're all impacted by COVID-19. To share is to care, so we're asking Langara alumni to share their top tips and recommendations to help each other survive and thrive in the of COVID-19. We'll be compiling the tips on this page (newest on the top) as we receive them. 

If you've got a tip or link to share, let us know here. Let's get through this together!!!

Sep 2020 - Contributor - Jackie H (Film Arts)

Podcast:

  • Keep It - a show about pop culture, politics, and what happens when they smack into each other at alarming speed

Audiobooks:

Magazine:

  • SAD magazine - a local gem of a magazine. An independent volunteer run Vancouver publication featuring stories, art, and design. Features local contemporary and emerging artists and writers with a focus on inclusivity of voices and views.

July 2020 - Contributor - Wendy W. (Project Management)

  • James and the Giant Peach - Looking for relaxing ways to be entertained? Even adults will enjoy this celebrity rendition of the children's story James and the Giant Peach. Pull up a glass of wine and have a listen.
  • Virtual Disney Rides - At the risk of outing myself for being a giant kid at heart, this site is my go-to. For those that like a little more adventure than the passive reading of a children's story, bring the thrills of the Disneyland adventure into your own living room. Works for me! 
  • Broken Record Podcast - If you love music and find yourself frequently diving deep into the backstory of your favourite band or artist, or researching how musicians achieve their unique sound, Broken Record podcasts by Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, and former New York Times editor Bruce Headlam will satisfy that desire.

02 June 2020 - Contributor - Katie M (Langara Falcons)

15 May 2020 - Contributor - Yvonne O (Publishing)

  • Chunk the Groundhog - Chuck is master of the small garden rodent mukbang. It's so relaxing watching him eat his weight in veggies. Sometimes his girlfriend Nibbles shows up as well. Chewing makes the heart grow fonder
  • Rick Beato's What Makes This Song Great series - It's an amazing behind the scenes look at music production. Really interesting even if you're not a musician. A great way to connect with different music outside your wheelhouse. So addicting.
  • Legal Eagle - A great way to have some fun and think like an (American) lawyer. It does really engaging in-depth dives into topics ranging from intentional infections to Tiger King while somehow managing to be both educational and engaging. Snarky and sharp, imagine John Oliver was a lawyer. 
  • HauteLeMode - Its a fun, sassy, b**chy, and analytical channel about fashion. It's part roast, part fashion history, and all pop culture diva. It made me appreciate that fashion is more than just clothes. At its best it is contemporary art.

29 April 2020 - Contributors - Alex H / Duncan A / Erica B (Journalism)
Real or Fake? Recommended sites and tips on how to verify your news and information

  • Fact check your news source
    • InVID Verification Plugin - A handy free plugin toolkit provided by the InVID European project to debunk fake news and help journalists verify social media content and image sources.
    • Snopes.com - The oldest and largest fact-checking site online, widely regarded by journalists, folklorists, and readers as an invaluable research companion.
  • Worldometer - Up-to-date data on COVID-19 worldwide from active cases and deaths to graphs on transmission, case progression by country, and more.
  • Google Coronavirus (COVID19) map - This site combines the pure data of Worldometer with the visuals of Google Maps. It gives you a great way to drill down to learn more about the global and more regional spread.
  • Tips to verify the legitimacy of your source:
    • Type the publication's name and wiki into the google search bar.
    • Check to see the founding date, size of readership, and what what is said about it. For instance, The Boston Tribune might sound like a respectable publication, but is in fact a recently created right-wing biased website that is attempting to sound like a legitimate newspaper. Some of the stories on its website are real but many are not.  
    • If a story sounds bizarre or you can't identify the source, consult a verified fact checker, such as snopes.com. They are a well-regarded reference for sorting out online myths and fake news. They maintain a list of known fake news websites.

09 April 2020 - Contributor - Brendan G. (Publishing)

Podcasts:

  • The Adventure Zone - okay this one is a bit weird. It's a series of podcasts of Justin, Travis, and their dad Griffin playing Dungeons and Dragons. I know it sounds odd but trust me. It's like eavesdropping on a pick you own adventure complete with dice rolling and brotherly taunting. Good clean fun of the nerd variety.
  • Inside of You - Michael Rosenbaum (of Smallville fame) invites celebrities, athletes, musicians, or anyone he finds interesting for a chat to talk about personal mental health and their opinion on a variety of things. It's very pro mental health

Youtube:

  • Some Good News With John Krasinski - Feeling overwhelmed and bummed out by the news. Actor/comedian John K shares everyday stories that will restore your faith in humanity and make you smile. A rejuvenating Youtube tonic for a chaotic world.
  • Lessons From The Screenplay  - Run out of things to watch on Netflix? Why not take a deeper dive into your favourite movie? Part educational series and part love letter to awesome film, Lessons From The Screen Play analyzes movie scripts to examine exactly how and why they are so good at telling their stories. 
  • Unraveled - A guy breaksdown concepts with hilarious results. For example, he puts every smash bros level up again OSHA regulations or every piece of Zelda media, canonical and non-canonical, into the timeline.
  • Defunctland - Video essays discussing the history of theme rides and attractions that no longer exist. Mini docs on thrill rides.
  • Tested: Adam Savage's One Day Build - Adam from Mythbusters build unique props and costumes from movies in his workshop.

01 April 2020 - Contributor - Jessica S.
5 Resources to help you Work from Home (all free)

  • For grammatical mistakes and spelling download Grammarly. This app/extension to Chrome spell checks and grammar checks as you write. It also provides short explanations as to why you should change something and gives you impressions of how your writing sounds (i.e. cheerful, professional, informative etc). 
  • For those of us who have trouble concentrating, Tide is an excellent app, allowing you to set a timer to focus. For example you can set it for 25 mins of work and a 10 minute break. If you move away from the app, it’ll send you a reminder that you’re in Focus mode.
  • For those of us who need sound/music but don’t want to listen to something with lyrics, check out A Soft Murmur. The site helps you remix your own mix of sounds.
  • If you want to send a private note but want to make sure only the person you send it to reads it? Check out Privnote. The notes self-destruct once they've been opened and viewed by the person who clicked the link.
  • Finally, if you need to take a moment and pause to get your thoughts together, try Calm Breath to help out with that.