The Truth About TCards

So I had to replace my TCard. The little photograph of my face had turned into a blurred mess of white and blue. But visiting the TCard office at Robarts Library was an air-conditioned treat on a hot Monday afternoon that gave me much more than merely a new piece of plastic identification. It made me realize the truth about TCards. The TCard is magical! Just flash it here or swipe it there and you are in! It’s basically a VIP, all-purpose access card for U of T. It seems I have gone four years without fully appreciating this. I’m hoping the rest of you don’t make the same mistake. What’s the TCard all about? I have no idea how many times I have entered a U of T library, or how many times I’ve ascended the heights of the Robarts stacks. But I do know that every single time my TCard was the key. My TCard allowed me to take books out of the library. And it let me photocopy pages, print essays, and sign out movies and television shows from the Media Commons. It was like having a helpful house-elf hanging out in my pocket…
Source: http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/dobby-the-house-elf/images/21233094/title/fan-art-fanart
At the Athletic Centre there are table-tennis courts, swimming pools, and exercise gyms—all just a TCard swipe away. In the fall the Varsity Centre will don a big white dome and host an indoor driving-range—free with a TCard. I used to play intramural dodge-ball at the Hart House gym, and I needed only a pair of shorts and my TCard. This is but the beginning of a long, long, long, long list!
Source: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/dodgeball:-a-true-underdog-story
The TCard is also a meal ticket. In first year, I lived at New College residence and swiped my TCard for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And I had Flex Dollars on my card to buy coffee and snacks at any one of the 30 retail eateries around campus. When I moved off campus I thought my TCard lost all its swipe = food magic. But I was wrong!
Source: http://allysonmarrs.com/2013/06/18/gif-reviews-the-memory-keepers-daughter-waiting-to-be-heard-a-memoir-the-smart-one-life-after-life/
UeaT provides many options for continued campus eatering. All you need is a TCard! It’s the universal student tool. We even need them to write our exams, effectively to graduate! And say I decide to put a hold on my university career, maybe travel for a year, my TCard would wait for me, activating again when I resumed my education. The TCard is like a friend. One who gets you discounts on Greyhound travel, one who takes you to Dance Cave for free, one who proves you are a student at the University of Toronto. It took me a while to notice my four-sided, bar-coded buddy, but I will no longer underestimate the truth and magic of the TCard. If you haven’t found yours yet and are walking around like a hopeless wanderer, the TCard office is room 2054A in Robarts Library, 130 St. George Street. The friendly and knowledgeable staff are more than happy to answers any questions you might have. They also offer an online Question and Answer Tool that could save you some time! ‘Til next time, stay diamond U of T! - Stephen.

6 comments on “The Truth About TCards

  1. We do indeed, Mal, which is all the more reason to seize your TCard’s opportunities! It’s part of our tuition incidental fees, I believe. If you lose it, or it’s stolen, a replacement card costs 12 bucks. Keep it safe!

  2. I don’t see the huge deal here. Every university has their own identification card that similarly gets them into things on campus.

  3. Well, I’ll level with you, Rob. The TCard probably isn’t a huge deal. But can’t it still be special for U of T students? Especially those getting one for the first time. It’s like a mini U of T driver’s license, giving you access to every road!

  4. hey did you have to pay for the replacement? I mean, I know you must if you’ve lost it. But if it’s just a matter of the picture turning undistinguishable?

  5. Hey Angelica,

    No, my TCard was replaced free of charge. Having to pay a replacement fee, however, may be based on your TCard’s condition. Mine was hardly more than a white blotch. Hope that helps!

    Take care,

    Stephen.

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