My U of T

As my favourite English secret agent once said, “Allow myself to introduce myself” (#secretagent if you know who I am talking about!). Hi. My name is Stephen and this will be my final year at the University of Toronto. I would be remiss to say that I am not a little sad, but it seems the 2013/14 term is bound to bring a brand new experience for me at U of T, as a blogger for Life @ U of T. The last four years have been wonderful (hopefully not the best times of our lives, but certainly as good as they should be), and I am excited to be able to give something back. It is going to be fun! How about some trivia? Three things about me—one of them might be false!

1. I took a year off between high school and university and worked in a warehouse stacking boxes, just like Kenickie from Grease (only he was working for the city).
2. I was largely raised on movies, though I love to read—I also love laughing, biking, live-comedy, classical history, and when buildings look like faces. Ha!
3. In first year, after my parents had gone home and I was left alone to unpack and adjust to my new surroundings, I closed the door and could not move, feeling nervous and afraid and shy. The next week I joined a university sketch-comedy group.

Which is false? It was a trick—they are all true! Update: This summer I am working for Victoria College Grounds (they hire students), and while walking around, trimming hedges or watering rows, I’ve noticed groups of what appear to be recently admitted students enjoying a campus tour. Every time I see a tour I think that I should run over and introduce myself. But I don’t. And it’s not because I’m too busy pulling out weeds. It’s because I can’t think of what to say. The Community Crew made a welcome video, in which I suggest that you should Say Hi to everyone that you meet. It’s a fine idea, but sometimes it can be hard to follow. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwyoiZE4cKs It took me a while to feel comfortable stepping outside of my dorm room. But I realized that I could either allow the uncertainty and anxiety of the situation to overwhelm me, or I could look at everything a little closer. I could see that this was my dorm room. The people in the hall were my roommates. This was my University of Toronto experience. And it wasn’t pride I felt, but purpose. When you invest yourself in the experience at hand, whether studying, working, or socializing, you imbue the act with meaning. It becomes a part of you. So if you happen to be on campus and you see me, just think to yourself: That’s Stephen, my Life @ U of T blogger. I think I’ll go say hi. Until next time, stay diamond U of T. - Stephen