When I rowed in university, I generally avoided the lightweight rowers. 

They tended to be stressed out and uptight all the time, and I don’t blame them. They wandered through their days hungry. I remember one lightweight in particular, who was trying to shed 20 pounds in 20 days so she would make weight at the upcoming regatta, setting a “Three-S” rule for herself: When she was hungry, her options were to shower, sleep, or have sex.

He has an old-fashioned way about him—an old soul—and he wasn’t sure how to approach things. He wanted to “man up” and be bold in his pursuit, but society had taught him to be almost meek in his approach to dating so girls would know he’s a respectful guy, as opposed to the apparent alternative: An asshole. 

Other men, who could see he was struggling and trying too hard to be nice, started offering advice:

“Tommy, you just gotta piss on her. She’ll love it.” And, “Just go up to her, grab her, and take her home.”

While I certainly do not wish to be peed on, I wasn’t offended because I believed these men were onto something. These men knew that traditional women still exist—women who appreciate being hunted, and caught, aggressively.

While I’m certainly thankful for, and wouldn’t trade my upbringing for anything, I can’t help but wonder: Had my parents been shitty parents, my mindset today might be: “I’m ready to be a mom. How hard can it be? Just try not to mess my kids up too badly.”

But instead, I’m hesitant. Hesitant to believe I’m willing—or even capable—of doing what my parents did for me and my sister.

Volunteering isn’t as altruistic as it seems. 

Some people volunteer just to beef up their med school application. Others enlist because a friend guilt trip’s them into it. And other times, like during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, volunteers flocked because of the promise of free Olympic clothing.

The odd person, though, volunteers just to be a good, helpful person. Alex Alami is one of them.

We were naked.

Doing thrusters and pull-ups.

On the beach.

Suddenly, she looked embarrassed. Not because she was naked. The nudity, she seemed cool with. She was embarrassed because she needed to scale the weight and do assisted pull-ups.

I’m talking about Rachel Forbes of CrossFit 604, an athlete who has beco

Are you allowed to be opposed to a pipeline? Of course. Is it your right to protest? I guess so, although I question the lifestyle of a person who is just sitting around mid-day, mid-week, waiting for an opportunity to shit disturb. But since when is it ok to show up while someone is doing his legitimate job and kick, scream, accuse, and immaturely throw yourself under his van?

Gill admits that her life today is much different than she ever would have guessed it would have been five years ago. Five years ago she was hell bent on holding a traditional media job—a full-time position with a TV or radio station. But today, she wouldn’t trade her life for the world.

Between her CTV appearances, her gigs with companies like Reebok and Can Fit Pro, her writing endeavours, her personal training expertise, and the launching of her new company, Gill has managed to think outside the box and piece together her perfect lifestyle.

Even though the job market is changing and it seems to be harder to land an allegedly stable 9 to 5 career job right out of university, there are so many new opportunities arising to replace the more traditional job. For example, although newspapers might be dead and the supply of teachers way out paces the demand, there are tons of new ways to earn a living that didn’t used to exist. 

For one, think about how many different kinds of consultants exist these days. People—and businesses—hire consultants in every field imaginable: from health and wellness experts to interior landscaping specialists to social media marketing consultants. I mean, we live in a world where you can make a living as a Closet Organizer! Fifty years ago, nobody even knew the needed someone in their closet, and today they’re spending big bucks paying someone to shuffle their shoes to a lower shelf.

Although different, I think my generation needs to start viewing our time as a time of possibility in the job market. And from our end, my generation needs to stop complaining and accept responsibility for our current failings.

I know way too many people in their twenties who are living an entitled existence, bitterly pouring vodka sodas five nights a week, angry that their degree didn't come with an automatic job offer. Since when did a degree earn you anything more than a handshake that says, “Congratulations, you managed to hunker down for a few hers and stay sober enough to pass your exams?”

It’s time we start thinking outside the box, thinking beyond the traditional 9 to 5 government job, to create our own opportunities.

Asking for money is never a ton of fun, and getting clients to sign contracts isn’t the most satisfying part of my job, but it’s sure a lot easier to ask a client for money who I had drinks with the night before than to showing up unexpected when he’s under local anesthetic to shamelessly grab a signature just to make my monthly number.

“Be more like Emily Abbott.” 

My boyfriend said that line to me more than once over the course of the week in Carson. At the time, I wanted to swat him across the face (I may have once) because I felt so insecure that week as it was; I didn’t need him telling me to be more like someone else. 

But at the same time, I knew his words were meant to help me. And I couldn’t have agreed with him more. 

I wanted to be more like Emily Abbott that week—not because she won an event at the Games, but because of how she won it: Fearlessly.