How Taylor Swift’s earworms infiltrated academia

Plus, Sheridan College braces for impact, what Putin and Zelenskyy’s latest moves tell us and how to prevent home invasions [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. Like most epic weekends, today’s edition starts at a desolate North York shopping plaza, where [Karon Liu pours one out for a beloved ... Pickle Barrel franchise]( Here’s the latest. MUST READS Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star Education [Sheridan College anticipated this moment — and the feds’ international student cap still jeopardizes its future]( Five years ago, long before post-secondary institutions became the focal point of Canada’s federal approach to immigration, Sheridan College implemented its own cap on international students. Forecasting the host of current issues, like rising food costs and dwindling housing supply, the college looked to scale up its capacity first, Nicholas Keung reports. Despite its foresight, [Sheridan College’s president says it’s bracing for “catastrophic impact.]( Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP MUSIC [Haters are gonna hate (hate, hate, hate, hate) but Taylor Swift’s earworms have infiltrated the halls of higher learning]( Given Taylor Swift’s ubiquity, it’s no surprise that at least 13 North American universities in the past two years have created entire courses around the 34-year-old’s artistic output. Harvard recently joined the trend with a literature class called, “Taylor Swift and Her World,” Abhiraj Lamba reports. [Here’s why academics say Swift’s music is worthy of closer examination](. Supplied Labour [Ontario’s teachers take Ford to school over capped wages, earning retroactive raises]( An arbiter awarded the province’s public school teachers a 2.75 per cent retroactive pay rise, following three years of wage caps that the courts found unconstitutional, Kristin Rushowy reports. “This decision reinforces what we have known all along — our members have been underpaid and undervalued for years,” said Karen Littlewood, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation. [Here’s what the province must do now](. Toronto Star file photos War in Ukraine [What Putin and Zelenskyy’s recent moves indicate about their shifting approaches to the war]( Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made on-camera appearances this week. Allan Woods notes that while Zelenskyy appealed directly to the people of Ukraine, his counterpart used a lengthy interview with ex-Fox News host Tucker Carlson to try to crush Western support for the Ukrainian war effort. [Here’s how their appearances underscored the struggle of values underlying the struggles on the battlefield](. Toronto Police Service CRIME [How to dissuade potential home invaders — and keep your cool if a break-in is in progress]( With 31 home invasions in Toronto this year so far, compared to just eight this time last year, how should you prepare for the possibility of a home invasion? According to one U.K. study, implementing four specific security strategies can lower the threat of a break-in by 50 times, Manuela Vega reports. If those tactics fail, [here’s how to handle an active attempt](. EAT THIS Karon Liu/Toronto Star Happy Lunar New Year! Let’s start the year of the dragon off right; in this week’s Food Crawl, Karon Liu breaks down [four dishes worth eating at local Toronto restaurants](. Thanks for reading. One quick note: Wednesday’s edition featured a link to a story touting Toronto’s 12 most romantic restaurants. There were in fact only 11 restaurants on that list. Send questions and comments to the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_208678), and I will see you back here tomorrow. If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](