“It’s kind of weird,” my friend confessed, “but I’m actually really happy to be back at school.” The only thing truly weird here is the compulsion that so many of us feel to justify being happy about the new academic…
My Experiences as an O-Week Leader
“Who needs Batman when you’ve got Robins!? President- Robins! President- Robins!” This Victoria College Orientation cheer pays homage to Vic’s president, William Robins. It is among many shouted at the top of my lungs during frosh week! I’m still debating…
Dorm Move-In: Essentials I Forgot!
With the help of extra-strength garbage bags and Dixie Chicks blasting through my headphones, I moved out of dorm room last semester in just four hours. If only moving back in was so easy! For the past week I’ve been…
First-year Fears
“I’m not really stressed at all,” I said, actually very stressed. I like to tell everyone that I’m not an anxious type of person, which is usually true. But this didn’t exempt me from the pre-frosh week jitters. Even when…
Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Tips for Avoiding Distractions
Everyone has a kryptonite, whether it be friends, Netflix, or demanding siblings, that can completely derail productive plans. In university, being responsible for determining so much of your day's content exacerbates the struggle of staying focused. Unless you’re an engineering…
No Regrets: A Reflection on Freshman Year
It is often said that when you're young, it's too early to have regrets. What may seem like mistakes, according to my parents, are simply "learning experiences." My first-year at U of T was an overwhelmingly positive experience, with great…
BA in the Art of Making Friends
Picture this: You're moving to a new city. You're leaving behind all of your friends and family. You're going to Canada's largest university, where you know no one. This is the situation of many of U of T's incoming freshmen.…
Fresh Tips for Frosh Week!
“Orientation week was so wild!” he exclaimed. “There were parties every night!” These were the thoughts a friend of mine expressed after I told him that I’ll be an Orientation Leader this year. "Really?" I responded. This certainly didn't sound…
Language Learning Hacks: Becoming a Babel Fish
Imagine being able to communicate with anyone, regardless of tongue, or anything, regardless of species. In Douglas Adam’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a small creature called the Babel fish performs instant translations, eliminating language barriers. Despite technology’s rapid…
Where’s My Time-Turner?
It's easy to wish there were more hours in the day, but much harder to make the most of the ones we’ve got. Finding time to finish everything on the to-do-list is a perpetual struggle. But as much as we'd…