UpbeaT

This year, I really wanted to try one of them new-fangled exercise routines. I’ve been saying for years and years and year that I should get myself out of my chair and just do it (no copyright infringement intended), and now, I’ve finally done it.

At first, I wanted to try Zumba. I’ve heard a lot of good things about it – my aunt loved it so much she became a Zumba instructor! Heck, everyone, an UpbeaT blogger and their dancing cat is doing Zumba. Being the trailblazer I am, I wanted to try something different. I love Latin music and all, but I need something more… zen. But not so zen that I fall asleep.

This is how you get a cat to dance. Please don't try this. At all.

And then there’s Nia.

I came across Nia while looking at the drop in schedules for Hart House and the Athletic Centre. Not gonna lie, I was drawn to it because of the pretty name. It sounded like a name of a kind of zen-ish practice or something. I was partly right – Nia incorporates yoga into their routines. There’s more to Nia than yoga though. It’s a combination of yoga, dance and martial arts, and according to my instructor the whole point of Nia is (be mature now) to move in such a way that brings you to a state of pleasure. She encouraged us to tailor all the moves to whatever we’re comfortable with.

I walked into the Sunday Nia class at Hart House not knowing what to expect. I’m not a dancer (been there, fell on stage, traumatized for life), but I have been doing yoga on and off for about 5 years now, and I spent about 6 years before that doing martial arts. I was curious as to how they put all those movements together to create routines.

The music started, and I kept my eye on the instructor. I wasn’t ready to watch myself dance in front of the mirror just yet. We started off with simple movements, things to get us going. Bend down, roll your spine, deep breaths. Then the moves got faster. We started spinning, kicking, punching. Lots of grapevines and cha-cha-chas. Bend the knees, go low, drum the floor. Swing a sword, push your hands up, point your elbows. The songs kept changing, and we kept moving. It was quite amazing how well the music matched the routines and, I have to admit, I was smiling a lot throughout.

(For those who can’t remember the grapevine, let’s revisit awkward social dance classes in junior high school, shall we? Step, behind, step, touch – you know want to do it.)

We ended off with stretches on the mat. I may have two left feet and nearly collided with someone, but it was fun. I had a good time, and it was the perfect combination of huzzah and zen.

One thing I wasn’t prepared for was how sore I would be the day after. I’m writing this the day after the class. My shoulders and legs are aching, and I swear my hip is about to fall off. It’s the good kind of sore, though. Just enough to make me want to go again.

-Crystal

Summer Nia drop-in classes are offered Wednesday from 12:10-12:55 at the Athletic Centre, and Sunday from 12:10-1:00 at Hart House.

Sometimes being a student while being employed by the university can put you in a weird position. You can have all these frustrations with your institution, but then you get a job with them, and suddenly you need to look at (and write) things from a different perspective.

Case in point:

I used to believe that I’m at U of T just for the degree. That’s changed now. Some of my most valuable experiences at U of T don’t involve papers, exams or grades. But sometimes  it’s not easy getting the information we need to make the most out of it.

I know for a fact (and don’t you dare deny) that there are thousands, literally, that agree. Have you ever gone for help, only to be directed to the website that you’ve already been on and pretty much memorized? And what does the website tell you? Go visit another office. This kind of disjunct can be expected once in a while from such a large institution, and I think deep inside we all know that registrars try their best, but it can be frustrating..

Has anyone noticed that we have a lot of websites, and a lot of twitter accounts, and a lot of Facebook pages that all, frankly, melt together into one ball of pixels and characters? Do you wish we knew who to follow, or where to go? Most of the time, I have to comb through multiple sites just to learn about one thing.

There are so many things at U of T I never even knew about. For example, did you know the university has an events page? How about an ArtsZone? Did you know that, just as we have rights and responsibilities as Canadians, we also have rights and responsibilities as students of U of T? I didn’t know about any of this until I picked up a copy of Life @ U of T.

It’s this kind of circular, drawn out kind of information seeking that can make me, and I’m sure you, feel like we’re getting nowhere.

And this is where that new perspective starts to come in. When I started working here, I found out that U of T actually really wants to improve the way it communicates with students.

In fact, it turns out that administrative staff and students from all over the university are meeting this month for a “Communication Summit” to create a roadmap that will help them – and us – better communicate what we need to know, when we need to know it.

Most of us (read: 95% of us) don’t realize that there are active  U of T staff members across all three campuses that are really trying to understand and engages with us. We’ve spoken (sometimes unceremoniously), and they’re listening.

Here is my request for you, fellow UTian:  Tell U of T how you communicate with the school, and what you wish could be done better.

Is there anything you would like to see changed?

Is there anything you like or dislike about how we communicate now?

Get on twitter, and tweet your ideas and suggestions with the hashtag #listenUT.

Comment below, or even on the communication summit’s blog.

U of T administration will be watching the Twitter feed, and reading what you have to say. Be frank, be candid, and most of all, be constructive. They value your opinions, and it will help them in years to come.

Here is a sample of what other students have already started saying.

I must admit, I was trying to go for the “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!” thing, but I guess that didn’t work out too well.

That’s okay though, because the sentiment is there. Congratulations, U of T! We have completed yet another year of school. How did it go? Did anything amazing and mind-blowing happen to you? I think it’s good to just take the time to look back, and just think about the most interesting things you’ve done in the past year.

For example, this last year I:

• Built a tent inside the Great Hall of Hart House.
• Met a lot of people through twitter and social media, and learned the power of the Internet.
• Tried to pull an all-nighter at Robarts but chickened out at the last minute. I love you guys and all, but you’re all nuts during exam season.
  
• Successfully pulled 5 consecutive all-nighters (at home) and handed in one of the best papers I’ve ever written.
• Was president of a campus group, which is not as easy as I had initially thought.
• Discovered an all-you-can-eat sushi place 10 minutes from campus.
• Finally got to blog about hot dogs. You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for a chance to do that.
• Did my own op-ed coverage of the UTSU elections  on blogUT (which is another amazing U of T blog, by the way!).
• Figured out (ish) what I want to do after undergrad.

I know a whole bunch of you are going to tell me all about the woes of summer school. Look, I’m going to be in summer school too. It’s just like U of T students to be downers when there’s a lot to be up-y about. How about we not be pessimistic and be happy about what we’ve done through a year?

So yeah. That’s my year. How about yours?

Hi everyone. Nice to meet you! I’m Crystal, your new summer UpbeaT blogger. I’m pretty excited – it’s not every day you can say you’re blogging for U of T. How’s that for a unique resume? I’m planning to explore Toronto and U of T a lot more this summer, and am hoping that I can blog about it. If there’s anything you want me to find out about, or write about, let me know in the comments below and I’ll see what I can do. I’m not a native Torontonian, so anything and everything is an adventure to me.

I think I’ll start off my UpbeaT blogging career with one of my first memories of U of T. They say that our sense of smell is keenly linked to our memories. For me, that’s always been the case. The smell certain laundry detergents remind me of my mom. A whiff of cologne can me remind of my friends back home. The smell of lemongrass always reminds me of Asia. The smell of hot dogs always reminds me of my first year at U of T.

One of my favourite memories of first year was figuring out that the trucks and stands were here to stay. I remember being completely fascinated with the concept of truck food. Did you really buy food off of trucks? That is actually a thing here in Toronto? Back where I come from (it’s called Edmonton – have you heard of it?), truck food didn’t exist. If I wanted a hot dog, I would have to walk across the street to the mall and get one from Orange Julius; none of that “hundreds of toppings” business. It was either a chili dog or it wasn’t.

My first-year suitemates had to reassure me, “Crystal. Those trucks will still be there in the winter.”

“But it’s so cold!”

“Don’t worry, they’ll be okay,” they replied with a comforting pat on my back.

“But–”

“Shh. It’s okay…” And that was that.

There was always this one guy at the corner of College and St. George, in front of Koffler Centre, that I would always go to. I was convinced his sausages were the best – back then, he had the cheese sausages, and everyoneknows that they’re absolute heaven. He still is the nicest hot dog guy I’ve ever met. Many of my classes and exams happened at that end of campus, so it became a thing for me to have a “lucky hot dog” before every exam.

Since then, the smell of grilled hot dogs has been etched into my mind. Every time I walk down St. George Street, I am reminded of all the hard work and harder times I’ve been through since I got here. Call it a literal walk down memory lane. It wasn’t not easy getting into U of T, and I daresay it’s even harder to stay in. When the going gets tough, I get going… to a hot dog stand. Its little things like a yummy piece of street meat during a study break that really helps me put things in perspective.

Overworked? Over stressed? Have a hot dog.

-Crystal

Interested in truck food? Join the Toronto truck food movement. They even came to U of T!

This is always that bittersweet time of year when we say goodbye to the year’s bloggers, and say hello to a new summer blogger.

We’re so sorry to see our bloggers go! Chad, Desiree, Erin, Jennifer, Jon, Laura and Lori have spent the year revealing the amazing opportunities and experiences you can have at U of T, and I’ll miss them all. Thanks for your help everyone!

And with that in mind, please welcome our summer blogger, Crystal! Look for her posts every Wednesday.

- Chris Garbutt, UpbeaT supervisor

My final post could not have come at a more opportune time. In the torrent of change and conflict and joy that has come in the last few months, I feel as if I have at last been reborn. It feels weird to write my final post so I’m trying not to overthink it – in the words of John Cage, “don’t try to create and analyze at the same time; they’re different processes.”

In almost every possible way, my world has inverted and its horizons have been stretched toward the abyss. I have meditated on the uncertainty of the paths of our lives, and have been shown so many ways in which my life can be deliberate, rebellious, compassionate, and kind.

We come to university to try and be something. Sometimes it is something that our family or friends or society has asked us to be. Sometimes it is the something that we believe our future selves to be, and we come here to articulate that. Often, though, we don’t know precisely why we are here. Or, upon our arrival, we realize that this place can give us radically different things than we initially believed to want or need.

It’s okay if university changes you. That means that it’s doing its job. It’s okay if you change your major over and over; if you grow each time; if an elective course or a chance meeting with a professor brings out a side of you that you hadn’t found yet. It’s also okay if you fail.

Not knowing you, reader, based on statistics alone I can say that at some point while you are here, you will struggle. There will be days where you will feel anxious, depressed, misunderstood, or alone. There will be other days that are bliss beyond compare; when you will find places and people and ways of living and ideas that seem to materialize from the ether and are ready to embrace you when you are ready to do the same. There will be classes in which you’ll excel, and there will be other times when you wonder how you’ve even gotten this far. You will lose yourself, sometimes. You’ll be tempted to dissolve into an identity on the basis of your gender, major, religion, socioeconomic class, history, or ethnicity. At these times, I hope you will remember two things. Firstly, that you will always be capable of more. Secondly, that you are enough, right now, exactly as you are. Enough.

Your GPA is high enough. You are a good enough writer or speaker or athlete to chase after the things you want to do. The people I’ve seen excel here weren’t always the best – they were just the least inhibited. They recognized how intensely free they are. Chances are, the people in your classes will probably really like you if you talk to them. Generally, people don’t want to hurt you, and if they do, you will survive. They will teach you to be forgiving yet unapologetic when the world calls for that sort of thing. You will find compassion in unexpected places.

It’s important that you don’t forget about who you are, because that person has been there for your whole life and is just waiting to flourish. Stop waiting. You must learn how to bloom where you’re planted. It is the greatest skill you’ll ever know – and besides, you’re in fertile soil.

Don’t go quietly. The things that you’re most afraid of are the ones that control you. If you’re uncomfortable with math, or with asking for what you need, or with saying “no” when you mean it, you need to realize these things. You need to practice them. This is a good place to practice and make mistakes. You need to know the kind of power that comes from finding the bridges that are your weaknesses, fortifying them, and crossing over to the other side.

And so, to everyone who has read my posts this year: thank you for sharing your time with me, it’s so strange to share my life with strangers; but more so, it is liberating. To those who I know personally – those who are the essence of “U of T” in my own mind – thank you for the lectures you made me attend, and the books you made me read, and all of the faith, wisdom, and empathy you could manage. There has been an incredible number of people who have truly shaken and shaped my world in ways far beyond the scope of this post. Everything that has happened – both good and bad – we must eventually release and let go completely, carrying only the ways that it has changed us. As strange and uncertain as it all feels, I am ready for this, and far more brave as I depart than when I arrived.

This is a very good thing. A lot of love and talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage.

Jennifer

My unofficial anti-graduation photo courtesy of Cry School Yearbook:

I often think of a quote I came across by Pico Iyer in Room Magazine that began with “we travel most when we stumble.” The writer expanded on the phrase, saying her best travel experiences were the ones that were unplanned, unexpected and even uncomfortable at times. I couldn’t help but think of my own stumbling (and falling) this year. It hurt. It felt painful. There were moments when I was brought to depths of darkness I never knew existed within me. The journey was tough and uncontrollable. Luckily, when I stumbled, I had many crutches to help support me so I could continue my journey: family, friends, students, even professors. Who knew I could survive? I certainly didn’t feel I could in my worst moments.

My final post isn’t a warning to prepare for the worst but to prepare for the unexpected. What I am saying is if you think life is going to unfold in an order like A-B-C-D-etc, etc, you’re dead wrong (or an extremely boring person). Life is more like A-B-X-T-C-Y-Y-WHY?!?-O-K. Life is about the stumbles, the different paths you notice when you decide to take a risk and shoot off of the main road. I’d say U of T is a pretty mainstream road to head down as an undergraduate. It’s a road that many of us feel safe being on because we believe it will lead us to bigger and better things. In fact, a lot of students I know don’t want to leave U of T after four years because they feel so secure here. I think we all go through university at our own unique paces; some of us speed through U of T on cruise control as we listen to GPS voices telling us exactly what to do while others struggle to keep up with the pack. A few of us even want to fast track, racing towards the finish line, wherever that may be. We all envision final destinations, the dreamland of the future but there will be bumps, crashes and breakdowns along the way. That’s life.

During my own drive down the U of T highway, I’ve bypassed undergraduates who have crashed and burned, hit by disappointment and devastation over things that at the time, seemed major. One conversation in particular stands out in my mind. It happened last school year when I was walking through Queen’s Park with a fellow classmate and asked him what he was planning to do after graduation. He told me that after spending a year studying abroad at Oxford, he fell in love with the school (who wouldn’t?) and was applying to their incredibly competitive English Masters Programme. To increase his chances of getting into Oxford, he told me that he was applying to two different strands in the English programme.

“Where else have you applied?” I asked him.

“Nowhere else,” he said.

“Isn’t that a little risky?” I asked, sounding like an insurance salesman.

“It’s Oxford or nothing,” he retorted. And that was that.

I suppose I felt a little shocked by his attitude and that his future, his world, revolved around one school. In his mind, he was on a one-way road to Oxford. No turning back.

The thing is, he didn’t get accepted into Oxford. But I think that rejection was probably the best thing that ever happened to him. Yes, rejection can hurt in any situation and I’m sure he thought his ABC life plans were ruined but I think he became a stronger and more openminded person. Now he’s at another school in England and miraculously has a girlfriend. There are ups to the downs in life. Truly.

I think my favourite moments in life have been the ones where I have looked around and thought to myself, how did I get here?  The times when I’m pinching myself because I’ve realized that a month prior, I had no idea that I would be doing whatever I was doing in that moment. Those are my favourite times in life that I freeze in my mind while I continue to move forward. I’ve had a few of them while I’ve been studying at U of T. I live for those moments.

As many of the bloggers this year get ready to graduate, I’m being left in the dust because I dropped a credit requirement I needed for my degree. As I hit the button on ROSI to officially withdrawal from the course, I knew my decision to drop probably meant summer school or returning to school next year for a victory lap. It wasn’t something I was anticipating and I don’t know where it will lead me, but I kind of love that uncertainty.

I just want to extend my thanks to the readers of this blog, especially those who felt compelled to speak up and comment. Whether you’re continuing down the U of T route or are switching gears and graduating, I hope everyone has a safe and happy journey to wherever they want to be.

Erin

I carry some secrets with me, I mean, I think its only human to have things you wish to only share with your inner self, or those closest to you. But what I want to tell you is something that yes, is close to my heart, but something that I also think you can benefit from. Something I wish I knew before I started university, something I wish somebody had told me. But, alas, the transition from innocence to experience is a solitary one.

Life isn’t easy. Ok, that I already knew, believe me. But, what I didn’t know, and what felt like a secret, was how many emotions are involved in the process of growing up. The ups and downs, the tears and smiles. For some reason I thought it would be so much easier, I expected a smooth ride into adulthood, at least after what felt like a turbulent adolescence. But, as we grow older, the disparity between the ups and downs grows bigger. The decisions we need to make are astronomic, the hearts that can break will fall into a million pieces, but the happiness can be insurmountable. We need to ask ourselves if the reward is worth the sacrifice, and university is a paradox in that way, because it can be seen as both a sacrifice and reward (at least for some).

Take the time in university to discover yourself; don’t let your own identity be kept secret from you. It’s not just about learning what you like to study, but learning about what things in life you want. Now that I’m on the brink of graduation, I look back at my x number of years in school, and I realize that I have overcome so much, I went from doing so badly in my first years to doing extremely well now. In my last year I have also figured out a small particle of truth about myself (now that’s just for me), perhaps because when we are faced with endings we force ourselves to reflect.

With graduation upon me I am getting kind of sentimental. Before, I couldn’t wait until I could leave, and don’t get me wrong, I still do, but with a bittersweet flavour in my heart. I spent so long here, I’ve grown attached to the certainty of classes, essays, stress and the few wonderful people I’ve gotten to know. My advice is to appreciate the experience while you are still here, and not let it pass you by. Get to know yourself so that when you are done your time at U of T, you feel confident in your experience. Have no regrets.

I want to say thank you to all of my readers for giving me the outlet to express myself, to my Upbeat team for inspiring me, and to Andrea, you helped me rediscover my passion for writing, I will be forever grateful.

Desiree

It’s hard to believe the end is here! I can distinctly remember hanging at camp and applying for this job, preparing a fancy little sample post filled with tricks for how to “bench press” and an application detailing why a PHE kid with a personal training, camping, socializing, soon-to-be-nursing background should be part of UpbeaT!

Upon reflection (something that nursing has hammered into me this year), I thought it might be neat to see what I’ve gained from this prestigious position and maybe what I’ve left behind? Sticking with my blogging style (which has been likened to Gossip Girl-style?!),  I will include a list and cat memes that I can laugh at a bigillion times. Here we go:

Lesson 1. Drop-in classes are actually a good workout. Alas, as with all things exercise- related, the benefits you gain are directly proportional to the effort you put in. You can dog a Frosh Fit class by just casually cycling through each station, or you can find a partner who will really push you to sweat more and hit exhaustion sooner.  I’ll let you figure out which one reaps results.

Lesson 2. Exercising with others helps with adherence to the game plan. Having a buddy to work-out with or joining a club or team really makes you stick with it. Joining the triathlon club turned out to be my smartest goal yet! Working-out with a group of people has really made me step up my triathlon game, not only to impress my lovely teammates but to prove to myself that I can compete…even if it is against myself because triathlon’s a pretty individualized sport. Nbd!!

Chem cat courtesy of http://chzmemebase.com

Lesson 3. There are some sweet places to get great deals on sport swag in Toronto. SVP Sports on Queen W has unbeatable deals not to mention getting an extra 15% off gear at the Varsity Sport Store when you’re registered for classes at the Athletic Centre.

Lesson 4. The more exercise you do the easier it is to stick with it and even do more. More exercise makes you feel good and exercise more. This trend has enabled me to: move closer to that ever elusive six pack; make friends with athletically-inclined people; decrease my screen time in a screen time-dominated world; increase my academic efficiency to accommodate more exercise time; sleep better; eat more; feel happier; be healthier. Geez, I literally could go on for days. What happens when you Google “benefits of exercise” – it improves your mood, stamina and sex life! I hazard a guess you’d be interested in at least one of my aforementioned bennies!

Seductive Cat image thanks to cheezburger.com

Lesson 5. Writing for Upbeat makes you a creep. I have become an exercise creep. This is similar to your classic Facebook creep, but specializes in creeping on people who are working- out or doing some funky moves. This job has made me ever watchful for my next UpbeaT topic on how to move around at U of T. Not only am I creeping though, I suppose I’m ‘researching,’ finding  new running routes, different techniques and contagious energy from my compatriots.

Lesson 6. Be grateful for what you’ve got. This year has really driven home how fortunate I am. The contrast of working with sick people and writing about being healthy has provided me with a pretty unique perspective. It has made me super grateful to have the option to exercise. Not only for the extra calorie consumption opportunities has it presented, in the form of chocolate and mini loaves and all things cheese – but in the whole choice of the matter. With a PHE background I know the benefits are enormous when you break a sweat for at least 30min, 3-5x/week, so I feel very fortunate to have that option.

Cute diggy thanks to unboundstate.blogspot.com

If nothing else, I have gained huge health benefits from writing with UpbeaT – I can’t thank you readers enough for forcing me to try new things, get energetic and share active secrets! Hope you’ve had a blast with us this year, best of luck with exams!!! P.s. if you’re looking for some exam support (or free snacks!) try out the Exam Jam at Sid Smith on the 9th and 10th of April!

That’s all she wrote folks, until we meet again!

XOXO Laura (aka Lime Cat)

Lime cat. The one and only. Great thanks to knowyourmeme.com

Yesterday I received an email from the Office of Convocation. It’s almost time. So, with the threat and/or promise of graduation becoming a clearer and more prominent figure on the horizon, I’ve compiled a list of essential U of T experiences to have before graduation*.

* many of which are inspired by a true story ;) … can you guess which ones?

—-

#1: Go to a toga party and wear the same toga to a classics lecture the morning after. Feel appropriately dressed.

#2: Witness the Lady Godiva Memorial “Bnad” invade one of your first year lectures and march through, banging drums and drowning out your professor’s lecture with the same ungodly, hilarious 8 bars of music over and over until they exit through another door.

#3: High five an academic idol. Feel nerdy.

#4: Make pies on Pi Day (March 14th!) and share them with mathies. Feel nerdier.

#5: Order pizza to your second-floor balcony seat during a lecture in Con Hall.

#6: Wander through the halls of the Faculty of Music at night and listen to them practice. Let chills run down your spine for all of the particularly beautiful parts.

#7: Find a physicist and have them show you around all of the contraptions in the basement of McLennan Physical Laboratories.

#8: Find an engineer and have them show you around the roof of McLennan Physical Laboratories.

#9: While you’re at it, spend some time on a roof garden. Maybe even check out the urban agriculture projects.

#10: Take a field course. Preferably one that involves going into the sea in rubber-boot-pants.

#11: Write controversial articles in your college newspaper and/or the Varsity. Just for fun.

#12: Sing in your college/course union’s talent show. Especially if you have no vocal or theatrical talent, because in all honesty, this is probably your last chance.

#13: Dance on the front lawn of University College at night, in the rain. Get muddy shoes. Regret nothing.

#14: Have an “Iron Chef” during a late night at your residence. Make something gross, like chocolate-covered carrots.

#15: Study abroad and go on as many unplanned train rides with new friends as you can possibly fit into a semester or two.

#16: Make something cool. Robots. Solar car. Concrete canoe.

#17: Put your name in the hat for everything, even if you feel underqualified. You’re going to be given a chance far more often than you think you are.

#18: Take a course as far outside of your major as you can possibly get. Push your boundaries and grow into the space you’ve created.

#19: When the upper years in your college try to drag you out of your room in the middle of the night and make you sing outside of other college’s residences during frosh week, let them. Laugh. Sing the loudest.

#20: Start putting your hand up in class when you really want to know something. Stop putting your hand up in class when you really want to show everyone that you know something.

#21: Go on as many organized weekend trips with strangers as possible. Not a skiier? You are, now!

#22: Ask as many professors as you can to tell you the most important thing that they know. Write it down.

#23: Give up on the hope that ROSI will ever let you get through course registration without crashing. Accept fate.

#24: Learn about all of the forms that sex and God and gender can take. Try some on for size.

#25: Go to Trinity College High Table dinners and wear an academic gown and pretend you’re Harry Potter. Act nonchalant. Know that half of the other people in the room are doing the exact same thing.

#26: Learn all of the things you want to carry with you after you graduate: how to give a speech, organize a protest, perform a scientific experiment, write convincingly, talk to strangers, use math and statistics, cook a signature dish, stand up for yourself, interview for a job, start a company, evaluate information, respect people you don’t agree with, publish findings, create meaningful relationships, say “thank you” and have it understood, and decide what you think defines a life well-lived. We’ll never have more time for it than now.

Jennifer

PS: Feel free to share your “essential U of T experiences” in the comments! Let me know what I’ve been missing!