A Musical Treasure Hunt

Posted on July 23, 2014 by Elena

John Southworth playing in St. Andrew’s Church, Poor Pilgrim Island Show 2014.

I spent this past Sunday on a musical treasure hunt on Toronto Island. The Poor Pilgrim Island show has been running for seven years, and I’ve made it a summer tradition for the past three. After a brisk ferry ride, a crowd of a hundred or so people gather at a series of scenic locations – Snake Island, Ward’s Beach, St. Andrew’s Church – to experience a diverse set of bands.

As I listened to Doomsquad build songs around windchimes, I found myself thinking about how live music has been the single most central and important part of my experience at U of T and in Toronto. Easy access to cultural events was a big part of why I chose to come here in the first place, and I’m glad that I’ve taken advantage of that!

I’ve always been a dedicated music fan, though my first forays into concert-going were defined by nervousness. I was still carrying many misperceptions: that all ages shows didn’t exist, that you had to go with friends, and that students can’t afford to go to many shows regularly.

Prince Nifty circa 2013.

Yet a week after my 19th birthday I heard about a show that I didn’t want to miss. None of my friends were willing or able to come along, so I was faced with a choice to venture out solo or stay home and watch a movie. I mapped out my TTC routes and went anyway, bringing along a book to fill the time in between bands. Doing what is normally a social event by yourself can be nerve-wracking at first, but seeing new and familiar musicians create magic live made me feel so full that I just kept doing it.

I started to write about the shows I was seeing for a local music blog and U of T’s music magazine. Mostly in an attempt to share how excited I was about the music I was seeing, but also to give me motivation to keep seeing as many shows as I could. At my high point in second and third year, I was averaging 2-3 shows a week and binge-covering major festivals.

OG Melody at Poor Pilgrim 2012.

The misperceptions I had at the beginning disappeared: all ages shows are everywhere (check out anything that takes place in a record store, or outside), no one notices if you’re on your own (it can actually be even better to not have to worry whether the friend you dragged along is enjoying the music), and ticket prices run more in the $5-10 range if you explore venues like Handlebar or The Silver Dollar rather than the ACC.

And though I’ve slowed down a bit to focus on other writing (anyone want to hire a full-time concert reviewer? No?), the most important thing I found in Toronto’s music scene is community. It’s been amazing meeting like-minded people to share amazing cultural experiences with.

It’s so important to find your niche at a big school like U of T, and you’ll find it by exploring things that ignite a fire in you. Be brave! Explore!

In case you need some places to find concert listings, try NOW Magazine, blogTO’s music section and Mechanical Forest Sound’s weekly concert listing roundups.

A History Student’s Guide to UTSG Campus

Posted on July 23, 2014 by amie

The other day I was thinking about the summer before my first year and how excited I was to start at U of T; at this point 2 years ago, (2 weeks into my summer vacation) I already had a detailed packing list, thought I had my entire degree planned out, and was just all around super keen. I knew where I would be living and had toured my college a couple of times however one thing that I didn’t know much about was where my actual classes would be. I had heard a lot of History classes were at Sid Smith (which I vaguely remembered from my U of T tour) but aside from that I was clueless.

Now halfway through my History Specialist I’ve taken quite a lot of History classes in a variety of buildings so I thought I would put together a post showing some of the locations of History Classes. If you aren’t planning on being a History major you may still find this useful as a lot of VIC, English, History and Philosophy of Science, and French classes take place in these buildings at Victoria College as well.

Isabel Bader Theatre (BT) only has one lecture hall but it’s probably the nicest lecture hall I’ve been in at U of T. If you take HIS109 it will probably be in here along with some of the larger second year classes.

Northrop Frye (NF) has a mixture of lecture halls and smaller classrooms plus a lot of professor’s offices. DSCF3613 DSCF3615

Emmanuel College (EC) is also at Vic and is mainly used for tutorials. It’s super handy when you have a class at Bader or Northrop Frye and a tutorial right after at Emmanuel. DSCF3568

Sidney Smith Hall (SS) is where the History Department is located (up on the second floor) and also hosts quite a few classes and even more tutorials. I don’t think I’ve had a semester go by without a tutorial in here. Sid Smith also houses the Linguistics, Political Science, Psychology, Stats, and Geography departments and due to it’s location on St. George, it’s ample seating areas, and the Sid Smith Cafe it’s a pretty busy hub of student life.

The history department (including the student lounge where TA’s will often hand back/accept essays) is behind these doors. It’s on the second floor when you go up the stairs at the north end of Sid Smith and took me about 20 minutes and 5 text messages to find it in first year.

Lash Miller Chemical Laboratories (LM) doesn’t seem like a spot in which you would find people learning about Russian History but because U of T is a mysterious place in which many things do not make sense many a history course takes place here right along side science classes. It’s right next to Sid Smith on St. George street so it’s pretty convenient if you have a block of classes in a row that are all in mysterious science buildings. DSCF3655

mysterious window decorations

McLennan Physical Laboratories (MP) is another example of U of T not making sense. There is a tiny little place in this building where you can buy snacks and also chocolate soymilk which is a necessity on days when you have long blocks of class and no time to eat.

Lillian Massey Building is not a history building but I just love the history behind it. It used to be the department of household sciences for the women at U of T in the early 1900s but now houses the classics department (who couldn’t have picked a more appropriate building) and a Club Monaco. The inside is basically all marble and has really pretty stained glass windows.

Convocation Hall is also not a history building but if you’re entering your first year at U of T it is very likely that you will have a class in here. It’s big and imposing but if you sit near the front or on one of the sides you forget about the fact that there are 1200+ students sitting in there too. I’ve also heard many a tale of it having wifi now but I don’t know if I believe that. DSCF3672

So there you go! A little post that hopefully helps you see where you might be taking classes come September. Once you enrol in your courses on ROSI you’ll be able to see the location codes and plug them into this map so that you’re ready for September!

Ondiek’s Declassified Non-Res School Survival Guide

Posted on July 22, 2014 by ondiek

You’re finally done high school! But you have one “problem”… and no, it’s not that Ariana Grande song. The problem is that you’re not living on residence next fall. You’re probably experiencing a major case of the FOMO.

Well, don’t.

No, no, no! Trust me! via: http://tinyurl.com/cwfwhqt

You’ve got 99 problems, but not living on res won’t be one.

Once upon a time, when I was young, and thought quarter life crises’ were a joke – I too experienced the same first year non-res worries.

But, as tacky as it sounds, your university experience is shaped by how dedicated you are. Non-res or not!

Me getting ready for the non-res life. via: http://tinyurl.com/ngvvzor

Here’s what I did to make the most of my non-res experience!

1. FROSH WEEK! You’ve probably heard the word ‘frosh week’ a zillion times now. I cannot stress how important frosh week was to me in having a brilliant non-res experience in my first year. It was especially vital considering the fact that I attend the very tight-knit Slyther—I mean Trinity College. Having a small community like Trin means it’ll inevitably be a little bit like high school – you’ll want to get a sense of comfortability, since you’ll end seeing these people very frequently. It’s at frosh week where you’ll meet your peers, and eventually break that metaphoric brick of ice. Now, I’m not saying you’ll meet all your friends at frosh week, or even stay friends with some of them, but what I am saying is that it’s important that you feel comfortable enough to visit your college or faculty after frosh week is over. If you feel comfortable enough to visit your home-away-from-home on a regular basis, then you will be able to avoid the dreaded non-res abyss! Also, I haven’t stated the obvious, frosh week is really, really fun!

For all you Trin frosh!

P.S. If you don’t feel comfortable attending frosh week at your college or faculty for personal reasons – don’t fret. U of T has a wonderful alternative orientation called Kickstart. It’s geared towards students who feel the same way you do. There you’ll meet people you have common interests with and you’ll experience your own version of fun.

2. GO TO EVENTS! GET INVOLVED! No, not just your college or faculty sanctioned events (but try and go to those too!). One great thing about going to university is the magic of attending rad student-run parties on res. On top of having a really great time, you’ll feel like you’re a part of the res community. Like it or not, you will become a fixture!

Viva Adore Delano via: http://tinyurl.com/leengg2

And if you’re not the “party” type, there are other ways to get involved! Getting involved will make you more comfortable in establishing relations with your peers. This year, I started the Trinity College Finer Things Club, and I got to bond with my friends over Space Jam while eating McDonald’s Olympic boxes! Also, writing for the Varsity let me attend their many fun (and totally professional) holiday get-togethers!

3. STAY OVER! I know you’re all going to find friends; like, those attached-at-the-hip Zoey 101 type of friends. But, instead of talking about Vespas and LaSenza Girl clothing, they’ll probably be asking you if you want to stay over instead of relinquishing you to the mythical blue midnight buses. These friends will be your rocks. You’ll find solace in knowing you’ll have a place to sleep after a long night of first year shenanigans. Trust me – nothing builds camaraderie like walking around with in your pajamas with your peers at 3pm on a Sunday.

Sometimes your friends give you a whole cake to eat in the privacy of their rooms. Bad idea.

So, good luck my fellow non-res frosh! I hope to hear all your stories soon!

Choosing Your Courses for the First Time!

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Rachael

It was only a year ago that I was an incoming freshmen, so when I say I “remember feeling anxious and nervous about choosing my courses” I actually mean it. It was literally only twelve months ago. I remember the uneasiness of not knowing which courses to take, the anxiety of waiting to find out your start time, and that feeling of disappointment when you don’t get into a class you really wanted to take.

But I’m here to tell you I survived, and you will too! I ensure you that it’s not as daunting as it seems, but you’re also not crazy for being anxious about it. I hear rumours that even the mystical fourth years (who often seen to us like they have this whole University thing down pat) get nervous and anxious too.

I survived course selection and even made it to my first day of class. (where I was clearly more concerned with getting the perfect instagram picture, I couldn't even remember how scary course selection had been!)

I survived course selection and even made it to my first day of class. (where I was clearly too concerned with getting the perfect instagram picture, I couldn’t even remember how scary course selection had been!)

So while this post won’t secure your a coveted early morning time slot, or help you choose between Intro to Mythology and Introduction to Physical Geography, here’s what I learned from going through course selection for the first time.

#1: Do Your Research!

Course selection is different for every faculty, and even every program, so depending on what you’re studying plan to make one of the following websites your new best friend;

Engineers
Music
Architecture
Rotman Commerce
Kinesiology and Physical Education
Arts and Science
for other faculties and graduate programs, check out this page

I learned the hard way that there’s nothing worse than spending the entire night before course selection trying to navigate through subjects and choose your courses! Get familiar with the calendar and write down the course codes of any and all the courses that interest you. You can go back and narrow down this list later, but it helps to feel comfortable navigating the abyss that is the U of T course calendar.

#2: Make a draft schedule! And then another… And then another…

You can never have too many schedule options! Using tools like Griddy, or even just an excel document on your computer, make your perfect schedule. Now repeat this same process, but using almost entirely different courses. Now repeat this again. And again.

Griddy is an awesome tool that helps you plan our your schedule! Check it out by clicking this picture

Griddy is an awesome tool that helps you plan our your schedule! Check it out by clicking on this picture

I tried to have about four different variations of what my schedule and courses could look like. And while they got less and less appealing (the last schedule I made consisted of courses I would only take if I had to) I ended up with something in between my first and last choice.

#3: Check your times and set an alarm!

Arts & Science students can use this webpage to find when their start time will appear on ROSI (ROSI will add another menu option on the left hand side of the page that says “view start time”).

Once you have your start time, make sure to set a couple of alarms in case you need to get up early – or stop what you’re doing in the middle of the day. I know a lot of people also book off their course selection day from work. This may be a good option if you don’t have a flexible work environment with access to a computer and internet

#4: Do the Prep Work!

While it might seem a little crazy, last year I set up a work station. I laid out my essentials; a computer, a print-out of my potential schedules (a calendar version and a list of the course codes), and a list of some other courses that I could use as fillers and back-ups.

Then I made sure my computer is fully charged, my wifi connection was strong, and I began to brave course selection.

I think I just really like organized work stations…

This is how I survived first year course selection, and it’s how I plan to survive again this year. Hopefully I was able to de-bunk some of the course selection myths, and give you a couple tips and resources to make the whole process go easier. If you still have questions, don’t forget that there are hundreds of resources out there designed to help you through this! You can always call or email your registrar, talk to your program sponsor, or even check out tools like FastAnswers (for A&S students) where you can type in questions or choose from the most frequently asked!

How do you prepare for course selection? Is there anything I’m missing that I should add to my regime this year? Maybe some extensive finger stretching and strengthening in preparation? Or an ergonomic keyboard that allows me to type my course code 0.01 seconds faster? Leave them in the comments below or share them with me on twitter at @Rachael_UofT

An Ode to the Work-Study Program

Posted on July 18, 2014 by apit

As the summer unwinds, we get closer and closer to that time of year! No, I’m not talking about course selection, or frosh week or even Ribfest (although I should be, I mean have you tried those ribs?!). As the end of the summer draws closer, it means it’s time for…WORK-STUDY POSTINGS! Do you want to have a cool, fun job, where you can pretend to ‘adult’ (whatever that means), while still getting the most out of university? Then fear not my friends, for you have come to the right place!

Nothing quite says ‘adult’ like taking selfies at your desk during work

A quick background on the work-study program: The work-study program is offered to help students develop their professional skills through various jobs on campus. The jobs run for the majority of the term (either summer or fall/winter). To be eligible, you need to be taking a minimum of a 40% course load. The best part is that you only have to work a maximum of 12 hours per week, so you have plenty of time to study, participate in student groups, or pursue other things you love!

In my first two years here, I didn’t think I would really benefit from a work-study position, since I already had a part time job. I finally decided to apply during my summer school term. and trust me, it was no easy task, but definitely worth it. The first day the positions opened on the Career Learning Network (CLN), there were over 500 postings. Thankfully, the CLN has some pretty nifty filters that you can use to find jobs that suit you. Cover letters and tailored resumes tend to feel like the bane of my existence, so I ended up using some of the online resources from the CLN and U of T’s career centre website. Tucked away in Koffler Student Services Centre is the Career Centre, where you can even get one-on-one help with a career educator!

Actual early version of my cover letter.

After polishing up my resume and cover letter, and applying to about 12 different positions, I landed a few interviews. Finally, I got an amazing research assistant position at the the Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evalution (AKA my dream job as an undergraduate in health studies).

This is why I love the work-study program so much, and I regret not applying to it earlier. You get the same experience without the time commitment of a full-time job. Although some people take to balancing school, work and life really well, for me, it’s not the easiest thing to accomplish. The work-study allows you to have more time. I used my time this summer for another job, summer courses and some relaxing!

#TBT to that time I relaxed a little too much

So mark your calendars, U of T! Postings go up on Monday, July 28th. Don’t miss out! If you have and questions or concerns about how to apply or how it works, let me know in the comments, or on Twitter at @Api_UofT!

The Apartment Hunt

Posted on July 17, 2014 by Elena

If only finding an apartment in Toronto was as easy as building a house for your Sims! (via modthesims.info)

I think that one of the scariest, most adult-like things I have ever done is find an off-campus apartment. I loved living in residence for my first two years, but all I had to do to get my pre-furnished room was sign up and pay the bill. Venturing out into the competitive waters of Toronto’s housing market was terrifying at first, but was ultimately so rewarding once I realized I could handle more independence than ever before.

And it’s that time of year again: you should start your search anywhere between 2 weeks and 2 months before your desired move-in date. For September, that’s now!

(via housing.utoronto.ca)

So you’re looking to move off-campus, but don’t know where to start? Whether you’ve got some friends together or need to find roommates, Housing Services at U of T has some great services and resources to help you out!

If you’ve never embarked on an apartment hunt before, you should consider attending the Explore Off-Campus Housing workshop offered by Housing Services. It’s running on a number of days throughout the summer, and should be a great introduction to important topics. You can also learn more with their useful and thorough Resources section.

Here are the common steps of the process:

1. Do you need to find roommates? Create a profile on U of T’s Roommate Finder or pay attention to ads looking to fill one bedroom of a multi-bedroom apartment.

2. Find some apartments! Check out U of T’s Housing Finder. Tell it what you’re looking for (how many bedrooms, price, etc.) and browse through the listings. You’ll find some great stuff in here, but widen your search too. Check Craigslist, Padmapper and ViewIt for more listings. And don’t forget good old word-of-mouth! Ask your (Facebook) friends if they are planning on moving out or know of any places that might not have ads listed.

Some results from the Housing Finder. Look at how many apartments there are near campus! (via housing.utoronto.ca)

3. Set up some viewings! Call the number on the ad and let the landlord know you’re interested in coming to see their place. The Toronto housing market moves fast, so try and choose a date and time as soon as possible, though it’s best if all of the people you are moving in with can go so you can make a decision together. Don’t be afraid to go see apartments without pictures in their ads – I got my first 4-bedroom apartment right next to campus because many people didn’t bother to go and see it based on its picture-less ad!

4. Visit the apartment! Bring a copy of this checklist from Housing Services to help you know what to look for. Ask the landlord lots of questions!

You walking into your new apartment. Congrats! (via cuteanimalpicturesandvideos.com)

5. Make it yours! If you want the place, you’ll probably have to submit an application. Bring your cheque book to every apartment you visit so you can apply on the spot if you want to. A lesson I learned the hard way is to keep looking at other apartments until you hear back about whether your application was successful; you don’t want to put all of your eggs in one basket!

Good luck out there, U of T! It will all be so worth it when you settle in to your new apartment. Share your tips for finding off-campus housing in the comments.

Digging into Campus Grown Food

Posted on July 16, 2014 by amie

I wasn’t quite sure what my post would be this week Monday when I woke up and checked twitter to find my feed looking like this…

I love a good Farmers Market so I knew I had to go check it out

That afternoon I wandered over to 41 Willcocks Street and went around to the side where the patio was to find the market.

This market was hosted by the crew from Campus Agriculture who grow food right here on campus. On Monday they had a variety of greens, some cucumbers, mushrooms, and a few bunches of litlle flowers all at really great prices. This is a great way to support small-scale urban agriculture and eat food grown right in our (very large, very populated) backyard!

The crew! Thanks for putting on a great market!

DSCF3552

My purchases: a bag of greens and some adorable flowers for under 5$.

This was the first market they’ve done this year but they told me that they plan on doing another in a few weeks so give them a follow on twitter @DigIn_UofT so you can check it out!

The Freshman 15

Posted on July 15, 2014 by ondiek

So, you’ve been accepted to UofT, you’ve planned all the courses you want to take, and you know where you’re going to live in the fall. Nothing left to worry about, right? Wrong.

You probably still have just a few questions to ask!

via: http://goo.gl/vLShaV

But one thing stands out – times 15 — you still have 15 things on your mind. One for every pound. The mythical “Freshman 15.”

via: http://goo.gl/jxHfUf

I know… Trust me, I know. Going into university in my first year, that was one of the most important things on my mind. Between classes, friends, living situations, and blah blah blah — the Freshman 15 was what stood out to me the most.

I’ve shared similar experiences. via: http://goo.gl/hddG3B

My entire life I have struggled with my weight, and until high school I was always the chubby kid. By high school, I found control — I learned how to eat healthy and exercise as much as I could (by exercise, I mean run on my elliptical while watching America’s Next Top Model). So, I found myself the healthiest I’ve ever been. It was pretty Vogue.

Me, before. via: http://goo.gl/gi9IOO

So when it came time for university, I was freaking out. How was I going to maintain control of myself when thrust into an entirely new environment — one filled with parties, buffet-styled dining halls, and brunch. Did you know it’s not socially acceptable to eat brunch after you eat breakfast and half an hour before you eat lunch? I didn’t.

Me, after. via: http://goo.gl/6eK8pd

Yeah, it didn’t go so well. But, I soon realized that didn’t matter. The Freshman 15 is not real. You will not gain 15 pounds in your first year – unless you go out of your way to do it. In fact, an Ohio State University study showed that the average student only gains 2-3 pounds in their first year.

But I didn’t care, because you know what, all the experiences I gained far outweighed the number of pounds I actually gained. I would never trade the memories I made camping out at Strachan Hall during pierogi night with my fellow pierogi enthusiasts for the world. And I sure as heck do not regret attending those parties where I made some of my best friends at UofT, even if I stained some of my favourite animal-print button-ups with red wine. It’s all worth it.

NEVER FORGET. via: http://goo.gl/4KeMM1

The point is, do not let your fear of gaining weight in first year shape your experiences, because as cheesy as it sounds, a few extra pounds does not define you.

If you’re still worried, our university does offer many free resources that can help keep you active. Trust me — the list is endless. In addition to the many drop in classes available, both the Athletic Centre and Hart House have gyms available to all students. If you’re feeling a bit lazy (no judgement!) some student residences come equipped with gyms!

But, guess what? Everybody else is worrying about the Freshman 15 too. No one will be judging you! Eventually, those folks will get over that too!

Until then: keep dancing, keep eating, and keep living.

Still concerned? Let me help! Leave a comment below or tweet me at Ondiek_UofT!

Summerlicious: The Student Edition

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Rachael

As University students, I think most of us could agree on three things;

We like to save money
We like to eat
We don’t like to cook

Forms kind of an oxymoron doesn’t it?

Last week I decided to explore a Toronto event that might be the cure to this seemingly improbable situation; Toronto’s 2014 Summerlicious.

Summerlicious is a city-wide program that offers delicious food at exceptional prices. Over 200 restaurants throughout the city of Toronto participate in the program by offering a unique menu for a fixed price. It’s an opportunity for people to explore restaurants outside their comfort, and price, range.

For me however, it was an excuse to try a new restaurant, and some yummy new food, all in the hopes of sharing it with you!

You can filter the map based on things such as neighbourhood and price range. Click this map to check it out.

There are well over 30 restaurants within walking distance of U of T, ranging in price and location. I decided to try out Insomnia Restaurant and Lounge at 563 Bloor St. W.

Insomnia’s Summerlicious menu offered a 3 course dinner, including a starter, main, and dessert for $25, including taxes and gratuity.

I started off with a smoked chicken taco on a soft tortilla with avocado, chipotle aioli, and a mass of other delicious ingredients.

I thought I was already sufficiently full after just the starter, until I saw this delicious plate come through the restaurant. The insomnia burger is an Ontario grown beef patty with all the fixings, served with hands-down some of the best french fries I’ve had. (dipped in the garlic aioli I think I would have paid $25 just for a bucket of these!)

Luckily I had some friends around to help me with the final course, a pink velvet cake which is essentially a glorified excuse to eat about a pound of cream cheese icing. Regardless, it was delicious.

The ratio of cake to icing was about 2:1 (not that I’m complaining)

So while I walked out of the restaurant about 5 pounds heavier, my wallet wasn’t quite as light as if I had gone to Insomnia on a normal day. To get the exact same meal, including tax and gratuity, you would pay $36.39 – which means I saved around $11.

I think Summerlicious is a great way to get out in the city and explore some restaurants that are normally out of your comfort zone, or better yet out of your price range. Some restaurants even offer a 3 course $15 lunch! The event runs until the end of this week, so make sure to check it out – and share it with me on twitter if you do! I know that I already have a couple places I want to check out before it’s over, but how about you? Are there any restaurants participating in Summerlicious that you’re dying to try? Let me know in the comments below!

A U of T Student’s Recipe for Success

Posted on July 11, 2014 by apit

I’d like to consider myself a borderline foodie, and as a result, I refuse to let the quality of my meals slip just because of a few trivial things like ‘exams’ or ‘homework.’ I have a few go-to methods and recipes to make sure that even when heading to Robarts at 8AM for a 12 hour study session during midterms, I’ll still be able to have a healthy and preferably home-cooked meal to eat. Apparently cake pops and Frappucinos are not part of a balanced meal.

When it looks this good, anything can be a part of a balanced meal.

I’ve come to the realization that the problems with being healthy while busy (for me at least) can be narrowed down to a few issues:

Money
Flavor
Time

Sometimes, it may just be easier to grab a cheesy poutine from the food truck, but I still try to make myself decent food despite these issues. After many failed attempts with expensive veggies, bland food and simply just sleeping in too late to cook anything, I’ve finally figured out a system that works for me. So here is one of my favourite recipes, along with some of my useful shortcuts to go along with it!

Couscous Salad!

Let me take a minute to express my outright love for couscous. All you have to do is add boiling water, and it cooks in 5 minutes. Even if a 5-minute cooking time isn’t short enough, this is the perfect food to make in big batches on a Sunday night, for a daily grab-and-go during the week. It’s also super customizable. So if kale or celery isn’t your thing, you can add whatever vegetables you love (or whatever vegetables are cheapest to buy!). I have a flyer app on my phone called Reebee that gets me all the grocery store flyers, so I scan it to stock up on fruits, veggies, and anything else I might need thats on sale.

Recipe: Amounts can vary depending on how much you want to make but here are the general ingredients! Enjoy!

-1 cup of cooked couscous

-1/2 cup of chopped kale

-1/2 cup of scraped carrots

-1/2 cup of scraped zucchini

-1 tomatoe, diced into small pieces

-1 small onion diced into small pieces

-1 tsp chopped ginger

-salt and pepper to taste

-lemon juice

-2-3 tbsp of olive oil

Instructions: Sauté ginger, carrots and zucchini and kale in a large pan. When cooked to your desire, add salt and pepper to taste and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, mix together the tomatoes and onions with a little lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Once everything has cooled down, mix together in a large bowl and store in the fridge! This will save cooking time in the morning so you can be more relaxed. Or, you can always sleep in longer and rush out the door, but either way, you have a meal ready to go!

To make it extra special (this is where the flavor comes in), invest in some flavourful ingredients such as sriracha sauce, balsamic vinegar, sesame oil or fresh coriander (or other herbs). Most of these don’t go bad very easily and last in the pantry or fridge for a long time. It’s comforting to know that the $4 I spent on sriracha was well worth it.

Just kidding, I never regret the sriracha.

Sometimes, even despite our best efforts, life can get too hectic to even make time for cooking (see: Finals week). If you ever need to find somewhere to eat on campus, there’s a app for iPhone and Android with the UeaT Campus Food Map! You’ll have all of the campus restaurants and cafés at your fingertips!

Makes it easier to find Harvest Noon <3

So tell me U of T, what are your go-to healthy recipes? Let me know down below in the comments or tweet me your suggestions at @Api_UofT on Twitter!

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