It’s funny to watch. If you’ve ever seen Salari around, you’ll know his shtick is typically to make people laugh and as a member of the Comedy Club here at Western, Salari leads a motley crew of comedians better known for their offside humour than for raising awareness. But if their upcoming comedy show is any indication, there’s a logical fusion between the two.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT CHARITY, I TOUCH MYSELF. Members of the UWO Comedy Club strike a few poses before a performance. Check them out again this week for their “Chomedy” show –– a mix of comedy and charity. (Corey Stanford/Gazette)

“Chomedy,” as the show has been dubbed –– a mixture of comedy and charity, Salari explains –– marks a partnership between the comedy troupe and the Western Microcredit Society.

The unique collaboration allows Salari and company to provide the laughs while Microcredit provides philanthropic direction. “We’re comedy people,” Salari says with a laugh. “We’d give [the donations] to Clowns Without Borders or something.”

Jokes aside, Salari gets serious when discussing his involvement with the microcredit system. He emphasizes the tangible difference made by microcredit to entrepreneurs in underdeveloped areas of the world.

“Microcrediting [means] we hand over small loans overseas because our money here has more buying power,” he explains.

It’s really not charity, he adds, since all the loans are eventually repaid once businesses get off the ground.

“They take the money and make money with it […] We’re creating real grassroots development,” Salari says. “It’s helping people overseas in a very real way, in a very transparent fashion.”

But whether you’re into helping create sustainable development or you just need a good chuckle, the Chomedy show this Thursday night promises to deliver with a full lineup featuring standup comedians and the improv troupe.

Reverting back to his class clown persona, Salari stresses it’s absolutely a wet event.

“So be sure to get toasted,” he says. “People always laugh more when they’ve been drinking.”

Chomedy takes place Thursday at 9:30 p.m. at the Wave. Tickets are $5 and available at InfoSource.

You couldn’t have picked a more inconvenient time to have a natural disaster.

Come on, who decides to get hit by a quake during the Olympics? The Olympics! Didn’t you know the whole world would be distracted? Not to mention you’ve copied Haiti, minus the massive death toll. That’s a disaster faux pas, Chile, in case you didn’t get the memo.

In light of your colossal screw-up, please take note of the following guidelines for future reference. (Other countries feel free to listen up, too. I’m sure some of you African states are just dying to have another drought.)

First and foremost, don’t have a natural disaster during other major events. The Olympics were a no-no for obvious reasons. But interrupting a finale of Dancing with the Stars or The Bachelor with breaking coverage of your tragedy wouldn’t be any better. With one exception: should you have an environmental catastrophe while being the country featured in an upcoming season of Survivor, that is just good TV for us here in North America — all the drama, none of the nagging sense of obligation.

Second, don’t rip off other disasters. The earthquake thing, with its shocking death toll and widespread devastation, was hip the first time around. Kind of like that 2012 movie –– you don’t make a sequel for something like that. And guess what, Chile: right now, you’re the sequel that nobody’s going to watch.

Third, give us a breather! There are only so many disasters our poor hearts can handle. Haiti took a huge toll on our emotional well-being, not to mention our wallets. We threw fundraisers, raised the cash, and we’re feeling pretty darn good about ourselves. Couldn’t you have given us a bit more time to bask in our philanthropic successes before plopping another tragedy in our laps?

Overall, Chile, your timing couldn’t have been worse. Maybe next time you can have a natural disaster at a more convenient point in the year. The off-season for hockey, perhaps. Or at least give us a little variation to spice things up — why not a volcano or a monsoon? At the rate you’re going, you won’t be capturing the international spotlight any time soon.

Better luck next time, Chile.

The bride and groom, from the 13th season of ABC’s perennial hit The Bachelor, will likely draw a big audience for their “I dos.” The last televised Bachelor wedding of Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter had 17 million viewers, and this latest happy ending is far more exciting.

Malaney was actually the runner-up of the show, whom Mesnick brought back on a dramatic follow-up episode. He also dumped his previous fiancé-of-five-minutes in front of the entire television audience.

But it’s totally cool that he found love in a dozen episodes! And dumped someone in front of the world! It’s all in the name of true love!

Okay, maybe not. We’re all smart enough to see through the rose ceremonies and the staged romance of reality shows like The Bachelor, More to Love, and the many date-a-celebrity schlock flooding airwaves these days. And yet we can’t get enough of it, or so ratings suggest.

Romayne Smith Fullerton, an associate professor in the faculty of information and media studies, says we connect with reality shows because the contestants –– or characters, depending on your perspective –– are more like ourselves.

“You start to think of those people as sort of your circle of friends, which is odd and bizarre,” she adds. “The connections that people construct to reality TV […] seem to me to be more intimate.”

The world of reality television is appealing for another reason, too –– it seems to be a better version of our reality.

“They don’t deal with realities of life on reality TV […] they don’t do the dishes [or walk] the dog –– the things that people don’t want to admit are a part of their daily lives,” Smith Fullerton says.

“That might translate into people thinking that when they find the perfect person, [things like] laundry will disappear.”

It’s the same thing as getting your relationship advice from a Disney movie, says psychology professor Guy Grenier.

“Relationships are complicated. Learning about people is complicated. What you’re going to learn about a person in an artificial circumstance… for most of us, in life, is a lot more complicated,” he explains.

Smith Fullerton agrees. Reality shows aren’t very good at exploring subtleties and nuances, she says, and they rely mostly on stereotypes.

“One of the myths they’re portraying is beautiful people dating beautiful people and living lifestyles of the rich and famous,” Grenier echoes.

“It does perpetuate that life is easy and there’s lots of opportunity if you’re good looking –– and those of us who are mere mortals can only hope to have those kind of options.”

But it’s not all bad.

Anything that starts dialogue can have value, Grenier says –– and reality TV certainly starts dialogue.

“It’s supposed to be entertainment and it could be used as a talking point about relationships and developing our social etiquette,” he explains.

“Anything that gets the dialogue about relationship discussion going is not a bad thing.”

Half the time, the cast of the Grand Theatre’s current production is up to the task.

Starring as ambitious young writer Jamie Wellerstein, Mark Uhre is near perfect. His side of the story is told through song from the beginning of Wellerstein’s relationship with his girlfriend-turned-wife, a struggling actress named Cathy Hiatt, to the end of their marriage five years later.

Uhre captures the evolution of his character with brilliant comedic timing in his light-hearted early numbers and increasing depth and maturity as the show progresses. While his voice is reminiscent of Norbert Leo Butz, who originally played the role off-Broadway, Uhre grants Wellerstein some unique quirks and youthful exuberance.

You’d also swear Uhre ages in the course of two hours — partially thanks to the costume design of Patrick Du Wors, but primarily due to Uhre’s knack for capturing the essence of Wellerstein’s complicated character.

The Last Five Years jumps back and forth between the perspectives of Wellerstein and Hiatt. The female lead’s songs provide a backwards account from the couples’ breakup to their relationship’s beginning, with the two characters meeting in the middle for a duet on their wedding day.

Starring as Hiatt, Julie Martell was a disappointment. Her voice seemed strained and incapable of handling some of the more powerful numbers in the show.

Emotionally charged scenes where Hiatt accuses Wellerstein of selfishness and potential infidelity, for instance, require an equally compelling voice. But Martell, as a delicate soprano, just couldn’t belt out songs like “See I’m Smiling” effectively.

Nonetheless, the beauty of composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown’s score and the fresh complexity of the storyline shines through despite Martell’s shortcomings. This is largely facilitated through the direction of Vikki Anderson, who uses Du Wors’ sparse yet effective set design to portray the emotional gulf between the characters in a physical setting.

From beginning to end, the Grand Theatre’s current production captures the essence of Brown’s musical without adding any unnecessary trappings. The focus is on what it should be –– the characters.

And, while we know how the relationship ends from Hiatt’s first song “I’m Still Hurting,” this modern love story is far more compelling than many of its big-budget Broadway counterparts.

Overall, in our fast-paced society where happy endings seem fleeting all too often, The Last Five Years rings painfully true.

“It would be carnage,” says Richard Haggins, a manager of operations at InCharge Debt Solutions, in an interview with the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.

To Haggins, that’s what it’s like to give uneducated young adults access to credit cards.

In his time at InCharge, Haggins has seen it all –– from an 18-year-old client already burdened by debt, to someone saddled with payments on over 20 credit cards.

Haggins says that, for students, accumulating credit card debt can be easier than you’d think.

“While people are still going through school, if they’re getting themselves into a debt hole it’s something they ignore,” he explains.

“[Students] have little or no income,” adds Pat White, executive director of Credit Counselling Canada.

Given these factors, the shock of debt usually doesn’t hit until students are in their early 20s.

“[Then they’re] out of school, their job’s not that great and they’re left wondering how they’ll ever get their debts paid off,” says Haggins.

It’s a dire situation, but one that can be prevented with some credit smarts.

Haggins says it’s good to keep in mind credit cards are just a tool –– they’re not good or bad. But they’re definitely not an income source.

“With a credit card, you are getting somebody else’s money and they are going to charge you for that […] What’s the cost of that credit? What are they going to charge you for that? It comes down to the interest rate,” Haggins explains.

Certain banks have cards specifically designed for students which tend to have lower interest rates, meaning you’ll be charged less for your borrowing. Other banks provide incentives for student cards like reward programs for maintaining a higher interest rate.

However, even if the card has a lower rate, Haggins recommends steering clear of paying for big purchases –– like tuition –– on plastic.

“Ballpark $5,000 [for tuition], and we’re looking at interest rates of $1,000 per year,” he says. “You might as well take a bunch of hundreds and wad them up and toss them out the window.”

White says the key to using a credit card safely is making full payments, and doing it on time. It’s easy to do with electronic banking, she adds.

According to Haggins, the minimum payment equals banks’ maximum profitability point. “It’ll keep the debt out in your hands and generate the maximum profit to them […] they will leave that out in your hands for the longest possible amount of time.”

Most importantly, White recommends having just one credit card with a $500 limit. “One card is a lot easier to manage […] than a wallet full of cards,” she explains.

“Some people are a little bit in love with all forms of plastic,” adds Haggins. “There’s a propensity to spend more on plastic than pulling out your wallet.”

Properly used, however, credit cards are highly beneficial for establishing a good credit rating. When it comes to making big purchases down the road, like a car or a house, a good credit rating will come in handy to obtain a loan –– and maintaining a credit card can serve as a quick and easy way to build credit.

“You want to be considered the best creditor out there,” says Haggins. “If you’re Joe Safe, [banks will] give you the Joe Safe interest rate.”

Canada’s major banks, such as CIBC, TD Canada Trust, Scotiabank, Bank of Montreal and Royal Bank, all provide information about the importance of building credit.

Many banks also point out the importance of building a good relationship with your financial institution, which will make the process of obtaining additional credit — in the form of more cards or loans or mortgages — much easier.

Thankfully, Canada has a very robust information system for banking, as opposed to other countries like the United States, according to Maura Drew-Lytle, director of media and communication relations at the Canadian Bankers’ Association.

That might explain why the majority of Canadians statistically do not pay interest on their credit cards. In a study released in January of 2009, 70 per cent of Canadians did not carry a monthly balance, a trend that’s been consistent throughout this decade.

“I think Canadians are pretty prudent borrowers,” Drew-Lytle says. “The banks are the lenders so they look very carefully to make sure you can pay it off.”

However, she cautions potential credit card applicants to be aware of the implications of signing up for a card. Though banks are legally required to disclose everything about fees and interest rates, the language may not always be the plainest.

“When you sign up for a credit card, you’re signing onto a legally binding agreement,” Drew-Lytle says. “It’s important that anyone, regardless of age, understands there’s an onus on them to be informed.”

It became apparent why the charity he’s supporting through the show –– Western’s Habitat for Humanity chapter –– is such a worthy cause.

SOMEONE LOOKS A BIT CHILLY. Local musician and Western student Sam Allen is one of the performers to take part in the Habitat for Humanity fundraiser concert at the Spoke on Jan. 17 (Photo by Corey Stanford/Gazette)

Because, while it might’ve seemed crazy to send Allen outdoors to frolic in the snow, it’s harder to imagine living through this winter without a proper roof over your head.

Mark Duckworth, music chair for Western’s Habitat club, said the motivation behind the charity concert happening later this month is to raise money to launch a build in London.

The city has a lengthy waiting list for its subsidized housing program and its homeless shelters are often full to the rafters. It’s no surprise, then, that local acts jumped at the chance to give back to their community.

Along with Allen, Jessi Pigeon, Ryan Hollenbeck, Kate Schroder & Sean Kelly, Daniel Sherkin and Coconut will all be playing at the event.

“It’s great anytime you get an opportunity to get involved in a certain event, especially if it’s a local one,” Allen said.

“I think it’s really awesome to help out the London community.”

The concert, dubbed “Hands Up for Habitat,” has a special meaning to those involved.

“We’re giving [people] an opportunity, rather than a handout,” Duckworth explained.

Through Habitat’s efforts, people don’t get a free home –– but they get a home they otherwise couldn’t afford.

Worldwide, Habitat has built over 200,000 homes around through a network of volunteers, businesses and communities. The organization grants interest-free, long-term mortgages that are continually recycled to build more houses.

According to Duckworth, one build costs something in the area of $60,000.

While the concert itself is free of charge, the club will be collecting donations at the door and holding a silent auction to raise funds.

“There will also be a ‘Habitat Combo’ pitcher deal,” Duckworth added, with a portion of its proceeds going straight towards the upcoming build.

While the amount of money to be raised may seem daunting, Duckworth is confident. “The goal is just to get the word out and raise as much money as possible for the local build in London.”

Hands Up for Habitat is happening at the Spoke in the University Community Centre on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 8 p.m. No cover. Donations will be accepted. Venue becomes 19+ after 9 p.m.

Do your research

Grad students tend to agree the most important thing when applying to a master’s program is to start exploring your options early.

“This includes e-mailing the schools months ahead to introduce yourself,” notes Josh Morrison, a women’s studies and feminist research master’s student at Western.

“Start with the graduate chair and tell her [or] him your general interests, and what professors you might want to study with.”

Beforehand, spend time carefully researching the schools through their websites and learn about the professors you want to work with through Google Scholar, he adds.

Personalize your personal statement

Most grad programs require letters of reference, transcripts and a personal statement where you express your intended area of study.

“Look at each point required in an essay or personal statement, think of your answers to each, jot them down and write a statement around it so you know you are hitting each point,” suggests Jenna Cameron, a Western master’s student in computer science.

According to Western alumnus Jeff Hynds, now a master’s student in English at Queen’s University, it’s good to keep in mind your statement of interest isn’t binding on your course of study.

“It’s meant to test your writing skills and demonstrate some capacity for complex thought,” he explains.

The structure of the statement, and the quality of your writing, are the crucial factors.

“The committee has to read so many applications, [so] if yours is short, concise, smart and academically sexy, it will stand out,” says Morrison.

“Even consider the order of your statement of intent. Research first, reasons for choosing school second is my suggestion.”

Cameron says it’s also important to give yourself time to review and rewrite your application, and have peers or professors you trust read it over.

“Also consider asking profs in the same department but with different specialties than you to look at it,” Morrison adds.

“The committee selecting you will have a broad range of interests, so your statement needs to be specific enough to show you have a firm knowledge of what you want to do […] but must be accessible to everyone at the table.”

It’s all about connections

Solid marks and admission essays will get you a long way but references can make or break your application.

If you’re applying this year, choose professors whose class you did well in and who know you best.

If you’re applying down the road, start developing a relationship with profs as soon as you can by chatting with them during office hours and regularly participating in their classes.

“I had been developing the connections for good reference letters since my second year,” says Western grad Eric Taylor, now a master’s student in cognitive sciences at Purdue University.

“I can’t imagine trying to do all that and applying within one semester. When I came knocking for reference letters, they knew I was coming.”

It’s a good idea to give your references all the information they need, Morrison adds, whether it’s the address to which they’re sending the reference –– and who the grad chair is so that they address it properly –– and the information on recommendation forms.

According to Taylor, the most important thing in the entire process of getting into grad school is that you develop a good rapport not only with your references, but the person or people you are applying to work with.

“Supervisors realize that you are a huge investment, and they want to be sure that they are getting a good deal out of you,” he explains.

“I had previously volunteered with my supervisor when she was at Western, and so she knew we would work well together –– in fact, she was one of my reference letters.”

In summary: if you don’t already know the people you are going to apply to work with, e-mail them and ask if they’re taking grad students this year, tell them about yourself and why you are interested in their research and ask if they require anything specific in their applicants.

However, it’s good to keep in mind that teaching is competitive — and even getting into teachers’ college can be a challenge. Keep reading and give yourself a leg up on the competition.

Making the grade

You can’t be expected to teach subjects you don’t have a handle on yourself. Getting good grades throughout university is, not surprisingly, an important prerequisite to teachers’ college.

According to Western history and English grad Dave Ward, now in his first year of teachers’ college at Nipissing University, schools look at your marks first and foremost.

“Nipissing is supposed to be a school that focuses more on the person and less on the marks, and a teacher told me the other day they don’t even read your application,” he said.

Having ‘teachable’ courses from your undergrad is also key. It’s important to check the specific requirements of different teachers’ colleges to ensure your courses stack up. See the Q&A for more information on determining teachable courses.

Gaining relevant experience

Well roundedness is also essential, Ward noted. Grades show you are capable of being a teacher, while your interests and extracurriculars show you want to be one.

Western science grad Kevin Limeback, now in teachers’ college at Western, echoed Ward’s sentiment.

“The more work or volunteer experience you have, the better — especially if you can demonstrate how that experience can make you an effective teacher,” he explained.

Limeback noted experience such as coaching a sports team, working at a summer camp, tutoring, day care or anything with customer service would be beneficial to your application.

Repeated or long-term volunteering experience shows dedication –– just don’t forget to keep track of individuals who can act as verifiers for your application and vouch on your behalf.

Seeing where you fit

Teachers’ college isn’t a one-size-fits-all atmosphere, and teaching tykes the alphabet is far different from explaining high school chemistry.

“Choose an age group that you work best with,” Limeback said. “You’ll find your practicum placements more enjoyable and rewarding if you relate well with the students.”

Ward noted volunteering with children is crucial. “You can discover if working with young people is actually something you enjoy, or if you are just looking for something to keep you in school for another year.”

Figuring out what you’re interested in teaching is important too –– and some areas are more likely to land you a job down the road than others.

“Advice I can tell you is that everyone is saying right now that the teachables you want are French and music,” said Ward.

According to the Ontario College of Teachers, the demand for English language elementary and secondary school teachers is declining.

“Some specialty areas such as French as a second language and technological education offer greater prospects for regular, full-time work,” the OCT notes in their “Thinking about Teaching?” brochure.

Where to Start

The process of applying to law school starts years before the application deadlines.
Keeping your grades up through university is half the battle, according to Steph Ramsay, second-year student at Osgoode Hall Law School at York University.
Second-year Western law student Chris Sinal offered a different perspective. “My average was monstrous,” he says. Yet, with a stacked resumé including the University Students’ Council presidency, he presented himself as a well-rounded candidate.
“Do not construct your undergrad experience […] based on the fact that you want to get into law school,” Sinal says.
“Law schools can tell; they see it all the time. And does that really differentiate you? No. Because everyone else is doing it.”
Extracurriculars balance your application, first-year Western law student Tyler Wagg says, since well-rounded experience is important. “They don’t want to see you’ve spent the last four years in your room studying. That 85 per cent doesn’t look so amazing anymore.”
However, this doesn’t mean resumé padding. “Having 10 clubs on your personal statement isn’t going to help as much as one club that you got a lot of experience out of,” Sinal adds.

Acing the LSATs

Law school hopefuls must take the LSAT, or Law School Admission Test, to assess their logical and verbal reasoning skills.
With five 35-minute sections on subjects like logical reasoning, logical games, reading comprehension and a written component, the LSAT is a challenging and time-consuming test to prep for.
And according to Ramsay, there’s no right way to do it.
While some find LSAT courses helpful, she says, others find them confusing. “What worked best for me was to study from a guide-type book that used actual LSAT questions.”
“Buy an LSAT prep book a year ahead of time, and read it, just to see if you find it vaguely interesting,” Sinal agrees. “If you don’t, you probably won’t like law school.”
Wagg used both prep books and took an Oxford LSAT prep class, which he says forced him to understand the reasoning behind the exam.
Regardless of their method, law students agree the most important approach to studying is to practice, practice, practice.
“The test has a lot to do with timing, so writing real tests, under real time constraints, was the most helpful, in terms of getting into the rhythm of the test and feeling comfortable for the real thing,” Ramsay says.
“It’s like playing a sport,” adds second-year McGill University law student Malcolm Aboud. “You can’t have anyone tell you how to do it, but the more you do it the better it gets.”
In terms of the test itself, Sinal says the LSAT doesn’t penalize you for skipping questions — so you need to be smart enough to remember the time constraints and skip questions you’re unsure about.
It’s also good to keep in mind there’s no shame in writing it again.
“A lot of my classmates wrote [the LSATs] twice,” Ramsay says. “Some people even wrote it five times. Anyone can have a bad day or get nervous.”

The Application Process

While schools out-of-province require separate applications, the Ontario Law School Application Service will allow you to apply to all Ontario law schools.
The applications vary slightly between schools, but typically require a personal statement, references and a verifier for everything mentioned on the application.
Picking the right referees is crucial, according to Sinal.
A good referee, he says, will back up what you say in your personal statement. A great referee will discuss any problems you might have, augment your personal statement and advocate on your behalf.
So how do you determine who’s a good reference? “Just ask them flat out,” Sinal says — they won’t mislead you.
Ramsay suggests law school hopefuls should prepare a package for their referees with their grades, a resumé and samples of their written work.
As for the rest of the application, she found it helpful to ask family and friends to edit various drafts of her personal statement.
“Aside from typos and stuff like that, it was good to have someone tell you if you are being unnatural or wordy or highlighting the wrong types of experiences,” Ramsay says.
“For example, I had someone tell me that instead of talking about my writing skills, I should just show the admission’s committee by submitting a well-written statement. That was great advice.”