Back To School

Local crafters are a growing and vital community, including everyone from hobbyists who went pro, people who studied in the NSCAD ceramics department to those who took up felting as a hobby while completing a physics degree. It’s a movement as vital as Dumbledore’s Army arrayed against Delores Umbridge’s venom, a major moment of DIY […]

Hufflepuff More than any other attributes, Hufflepuffs value fair play, patience and loyalty. When applied to their wardrobes, this translates into non-exploitative manufacturing processes and eco-friendly, preferably recycled, fabrics. Begin by sifting through the first rack left of the door into Lost and Found (2382 Agricola Street, 446-5986). Hanging there are some 20 loose-fitting boxy […]

Maybe you eagerly anticipated this summer’s final Harry Potter movie because you’re ready to sock the next person who uses words like “muggle” in daily life, or maybe you’re actually stoked to see Harry vanquish Voldemort on the big screen. But one thing’s for sure—Harry Potter fever has a stronghold in Halifax. Here’s why. Quidditch […]

Acadian Bus Lines acadianbus.com Alcoholics Anonymous aahalifax.org Bin doctor bindoctor.com Clean Nova Scotia clean.ns.ca The Coast thecoast.ca Crime Stoppers halifax.ca/police/crcp/crimestoppers Ecology Action Centre ecologyaction.ca Environment Canada weatheroffice.gc.ca Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia novascotia.ca Feed Nova Scotia feednovascotia.ca Halifax Public Libraries halifaxpubliclibraries.ca Halifax Stanfield International Airport hiaa.ca Halifax Sexual Health Centre HSHC.ca Harry Potter Wikia harrypotter.wikia.com […]

If you’re a new student, you’ve probably been told at every turn about how great this city is—that Halifax is so much more than the quaint hamlet overrun with lobsters that your friends back home warned you about. There’s a lot to enjoy here, from pastel north end neighbourhoods, postcard harbour views, a hearty community […]

After a summer that passed all too fast, Halifax’s students have started arriving in the city, their boxes and suitcases bulging with the clothes, books and school supplies they’ll need for the coming months of classes. Look closely, and you might just glimpse a few trunks, owls, wands and robes, too. Most of this year’s […]

When J.K. Rowling outed Albus Dumbledore a few years ago during a Q&A session at New York’s Carnegie Hall, the news went viral. Readers had their suspicions confirmed and members of the queer community held their wands high with pride. Dumbledore’s queerness made Hogwarts a safe place for sexual exploration. “University is naturally conducive to […]

A warning to all students enrolled in post-secondary education: your risk of weight gain is significantly higher than that of the general population. Luckily, it’s not as high as you may think. Weight gain during university has been researched for over 25 years. Numerous studies have shown that university students gain more weight than their community counterparts. […]

As Hogwarts headmaster, Dumbledore stood up to government influence within his school and made sure that the seven years of education it offered would be relevant to students after graduation. Halifax needs a Dumbledore to stand up for accessible education and relevant jobs for students, but it’s a tough role to play when you’ve got […]

Fred: “George, I think we’ve outgrown full-time education…Time to test our talents in the real world, d’you reckon?” George: “Definitely.” Fred and George Weasley are an interesting pair of wizards in the Harry Potter universe, but one thing makes them stand out from most of the other characters: They never graduate from Hogwarts. The twins […]

In the dusky August sunshine, eight Dal students sit in a living room on Cedar Street debating the finer points of garlic presses. One insists they are a godsend to harried chefs. Another retorts, “A garlic press is too bourgeois!” They are The Loaded Ladle, a food co-operative preparing for its first semester as a […]

We feel for you, you who are reading The Coast’s Back to School issue with no foreknowledge of Harry Potter. It’s hard to imagine there are any of you left out there. Maybe one or two. Well, you aren’t forgotten. Pay attention to what follows. It’s 2011 and the nerds are in charge, where what […]