


Turning the Page
You’ve seen them. The posters, the wire racks, the newspaper boxes. You’ve seen their name in the VIU newsletters and on social media. The Navigator. Also called The Nav, VIU’s student press published its first issue in 1969. Starting as a biweekly newspaper, it transformed into a monthly full-colour magazine in 2017. Then, The Nav … Continued

Goodbye Earl(s)
Late on a Monday night three years ago, I was behind a $10k bar, getting yelled at by a balding, overly sweaty 40-year-old man. I stood there with my feet swelling twice their size from the heels I was wearing; my dress pants and uncomfortably tight shirt made me feel foreign in my own body; … Continued

Creating Revolution
Zan. Zendegi. Azadi. Woman. Life. Freedom. Tape edges the hard canvas. A wide mink brush quickly coats the snow-white surface in cerulean acrylic. By Sogol’s hand, delicate and soft, the image of an evening sky over the horizon begins to form. The smell of cool paint coils around her in the air. In a … Continued

Protecting BC’s Native Biodiversity
Vancouver Island is home to many non-native, invasive plant species that threaten biodiversity, human health, and personal livelihoods. We met with VIU student Hunter Jarratt (also known as @invasivespeciesguy on Instagram and TikTok) to go on a nature walk and to discuss what people can do to fight invasives and support native biodiversity. Check out … Continued

Skipping School
Jack sits down with his roommates, Ocea and Amy, and two fellow Homeschoolers from VIU to discuss the public perception of homeschoolers and their presence/lifestyle in a university setting. Personal accounts, stories, and discussion of organized education commence!

Madi Duncan & Amateur Hour
We were blessed to have Madi Duncan & Amateur Hour stop by our office to play us a few of their groovy tunes. Timestamps 0:08 – Another Day Alone, Except 4:09 – Tall, Dark, And Grusome 7:03 – Venetian Red Check out Madi here: https://linktr.ee/madijduncan From madiduncan.com: “Having shared the stage with Foo Fighters, Dave … Continued

Love at a Distance
It’s Valentine’s Day. You’re hyper aware of all the couples on campus: the girls holding hands, the guys exchanging a kiss, your classmate shyly handing an envelope to their partner. A lump comes to your throat as you think of your significant other, another country and time zone away. Dropping into your seat, you send … Continued

Cooking with Kenna Deo
Join Mike as he follows Kenna Deo through making a delicious date night meal. Kenna is a recent VIU Grad who was the champion of Season 2 Episode 4 of the Food Networks Wall of Chefs. Kenna prepares a delicious meal of Shrimp Fettuccini Alfredo with tomatoes, asparagus, and fresh baked focaccia bread. Follow along … Continued

Mika Yamada
The Nav’s Austin Heidt sits down with Mariners newcomer Mika Yamada to find out what high school volleyball is like in Japan, how she balances her busy schedule, and how excited she is for Nationals. The VIU Mariners host the Women’s Volleyball National Championships from March 8 to 11. Find out more information at https://mariners.viu.ca/landing/index. … Continued

Acclimatizing to Change
Canada issued a ban on the manufacture and import of plastics in December of last year. By December 2023, all non-reusable plastic materials such as checkout bags, cutlery, and foodservice ware can no longer be purchased or sold. Though Canadians throw away over three million tons of plastic waste every year, only nine percent of … Continued

VIU Turns Its Back on International Tuition Commitments
On December 15, 2022, the VIU Board of Governors pushed through a surprise tuition increase of 5% for international students in the 2023-2024 school year. This increase comes despite their commitment, made only a few months prior, that international student tuition increases would remain at 2%—the same as their domestic counterparts. This commitment was made … Continued

Memoir of a Desperate Fishwife
“Sharing parenting tips with the other moms while our babies crawled in our laps and put sand in their mouths. The older kids would lift up rocks to find tiny crabs or chase each other half-naked through the warm, shallow waters. I had found a community and it was incomparable.” — Margot Fedoruk, Cooking Tips … Continued

Dear Mom and Dad, I Want to Be a Writer
At four years old, I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was in kindergarten—barely able to leave my mom’s side for five minutes without crying. But somehow, they wanted me to choose what I wanted to do for the rest of my life? I dressed up as a cop … Continued

RPG Rookies
Have you ever wondered what happens when you pair a room full of people who have never played a roleplaying game with an experienced Dungeon Master? Well, we have answers… Character Illustrations by Celia Brand