EDITOR LAUREN BOOTHBY | THURSDAY, FEB. 23,2017 | THE VOICE 5 Attendees look for an organic connection and discuss their reasons for going vegetarian or vegan at a Veg Speed Dating event at Buddah-Full restaurant in North Vancouver on the Friday before Valentine's Day. Participants had until midnight to find a mutual match. syoney MorToN PHOTO Vegetarian and vegan singles search for dates who share their lifestyle = By SYDNEY MORTON egans and vegetarians look- ing for love are igniting a new dating trend. Despite Vancouver being one of the most vegan and vegetarian-friendly cit- ies in the world, looking for love with someone who shares a plant-based life- style can be a challenge for vegan and vegetarian singles. That’s why restaurant owner Leanne Ringer hosted a Veg Speed Date event at Buddha-Full, a vegan res- taurant in North Vancouver, the Friday before Valentine’s Day. Ringer said she wanted to create a sense of community through events catering to vegans and vegetarians. The g7 excitement as the ten men fs and twelve women foraged through potential matches to find their veggie soul- mates. Each pair mingled for five minutes until a bell signalled it was time to move on. “T have actually gone on dates with guys online and they told me that they room buzzed with “I'm not the vegan police: you have to be more forgiving.” — RENEE SAMSON, SERVER considered not even messaging me back because I’m a vegan,” attendee Stevee McDade said. “It deters guys. They think it's high maintenance.” But diet is not restricting for every- one. “It’s really hard to find a good veg- etarian guy for sure, especially in Van- 5 couver,” attendee Renée Samson said. “Tm not the vegan police: you have to be a little more forgiving.” Vegetarian Meetup group Meatless Meetup also hosts events and an online community to make meaningful con- nections for anyone interested in learning about plant- based meals. Organizer RS “A lot of social activities revolve around food,” attendee Lois Salmond said, who has been to 25 meetups. “It’s a good group of people who are politi- cally aware, and aware of the environ- ment and concerned about animals too.” growth.” Zend Conscious Lounge in Yale- town is hosting a Veg Speed Date Nancy Callahan thinks on March 9 for straight its important to create a AS and LGBTQ community where people = = Ez <=. singles. can feel safe to ask ques- <—~ , tions and make pressure ae Ss “ip without finding a romantic partner. Athleisure clothing hot for spring Vancouver brands embrace casual-chic trend = By LAURA BROUGHAM thleisure is a popular trend for A spring in the Lower Mainland with athletic wear jumping off treadmills to join the workforce. Vancouver-based companies like lu- lulemon athletica and Kit and Ace have begun stocking clothing for the both business and leisure. Fashion blogger Samantha Sito said the distinction be- tween work and athletic clothing at the office is not as clear as it used to be. “That line is now blurred as athlei- sure is a comfy alternative to workwear and [yoga pants] can look professional when paired with a blazer,” she said in an email. Leah Emmott, owner of local yoga apparel company Inner Fire Apparel, said the West Coast style of black leg- gings paired with tops with elaborate designs can have a multi-purpose func- tion. “T think what’s cool about [leggings] is you can dress them up. They look re- Pairing leggings in neutral tones with a conservative top, blazer or jacket and accessories make athletic wear acceptable as business casual. pixagay PHOTO ally great with heels. They look good underneath a long tunic or dress or a more casual long shirt,” Emmott said. As students look to enter the profes- sional word, athleisure can be a modern and casual way to update their ward- robes. Langara career de- co-op and velopment instructor Dionne Or- range said athleisure may be ac- ceptable for some jobs, but not if they interact with customers. “There definitely are certain work- places where it is appropriate,” Orrange said. “Most [work] environments, I smart apps, Smart brains Digital tools may help students prepare for midterms = By SHOJI WHITTIER S tudents returning to tackle mid- terms after spring break may want to give their studies a digital boost. Study apps like Listastic, Quizlet and Evernote, help some students keep track of assignments, studying, and take notes to supplement instruction in the classroom. While some students prefer traditional pen and paper, others find the electronic approach more appealing to help them perform their best. Economics student Arthur Egeoz uses online tutor app Khan Academy with videos and exercises to help him study and stay focused. “Online [study apps] make you con- centrate more,” Egeoz said. “It’s good like that.” Langara political science student Vedrana Tomié said she uses language apps Babbel and Duolingo to practice French. “[Study apps are] a lot more engag- ing, because it does it repetitively and it’s more catered towards you,” Tomié said. “Your prof can’t be with you 100 per cent of the time.” David Porter has worked with edu- cation technology for the past 20 years and is the CEO of online course pro- vider eCampusOntario. He said learn- ing apps can improve student produc- tivity and the quality of their work, and can better accommodate students’ schedules, both helping to ease aca- demic stress. “I think [study apps are] a good thing,” he said. “I would encourage stu- dents to bring devices to class always, and to use them actively in the class.” But study apps are not for every- one. While language student Matthew Chow uses language apps in his spare time, when it comes to the classroom, he sticks with his pen. “I prefer handwritten notes,” Chow said. “Just because it allows me to ab- sorb the material a bit better.” Porter said the popularity of learn- ing apps will only increase in the future. STUDY APPS » Organization List-taking apps like Wunderl- ist, calendar apps like Google Calendar, and homework-tracking apps like myHomework Student Planner » Note-taking Evernote, Bear, and Microsoft OneNote are examples of cross- platform note apps.