Hart House has a Farm?? – Equinox Trip

The first two weeks of second year have felt like two months (maybe even two years). My friends and I went on the Hart House Farm Committee's Equinox Trip last weekend. It was my second time on the 150 acre farm in Caledon, but my first sleepover in the cozy farm house. Cooling Off

The first day of the trip was technically the first day of Autumn but most of us jumped (literally - into freezing water) at this last opportunity to bask in sun outdoors. There's three ponds on the property and one sauna that was built by Finnish exchange students who enjoyed their time here at U of T and wanted to give back.

One of my new friends led a mindful meditation session as well as we warmed up in the log-cabin sauna. It was nice to put all the coursework aside and to pay our breath a little attention. Multi-cultural

I was surprised at how many students on exchange here at U of T from Germany, France, Hong Kong New Zealand came on the trip. I also met a bunch of new friends from Malaysia, India, Kurdistan and an alum from China. We bonded over meals and games of soccer and Frisbee. Having a literal melting pot of cultures, we plan to host our own multi-cultural potluck before they leave to their respective countries at the end of the semester. Cultural Firsts

"Can I have S'more, please?" Since many people on this trip were either new to North America or to bonfires in general, the s'mores we shared over the fire were some of their firsts. We also exchanged facts about our own countries such as holidays we observe and what we actually eat on a daily basis (spoiler alert: Germans don't eat Schnitzel everyday). This has made me even more interested in going abroad during my undergrad to experience new cultures more personally. Change of Scenery

Although it was only a short weekend escape from the books (that's a lie, I brought my BIO readings with me), it was one much needed. It's nice to remember that this farm is for all U of T students and can be rented out throughout the entire year for us to escape the city. Now that I'm recharged, bring on the first round of term tests and let the good times roll!