In which I do what I say…

Posted on December 4, 2013 by jasmine

We’re in the beginning stages of exams, and UofT has been zombified.
Everyone seems to be walking around in various ‘walking dead’ personas.

Last week I talked about taking time off to really enjoy how far you’ve come, so this week I will do exactly that.

As an English student, exam season is really essay season for me, as I write papers that usually determine up to 40% of my overall grade, all in the last two-three weeks of school.

i can never see my actual desk this time of the year.

Recently, as I was busy pumping out papers, I remembered two papers I wrote in first year:

The first one, my first ever history research paper, received a dismal 60ish%.
I admit, I had no idea what I was doing.
I also hated writing the paper.

The second one, my first ever, close-reading paper, received a whopping 90ish%.
I had thoroughly enjoyed writing the paper, and on it, my T.A. told me that if I continued writing papers this way, I’d do really well.

The catch is that both these papers are from the same class.
The expectations hadn’t changed, only, my selection of topic and approach to writing had.

Fast-forward to fifth year, and I’ve become extremely self-aware of what kind of essay topics I’ll respond to better. Regardless of the subject, I’ve developed a way to write essays that play to my strengths, and also tackle the content required of me.

There are always expectations asked of us this time of the year, but there are many ways to go about meeting them.

Whether you study till you look like an extra from the Walking Dead, or cram under pressure the night before the final, figure out what works for you.

If you study better sprawled on the floor in a mess, do it.
If you need multiple breaks, take them.
If you focus better alone, get a study cubicle.
If you work better with friends, book a study space at Gerstein.

In Chinese, we say 加油 as a form of encouragement.
This literally means “add oil”.
Add oil everyone. : )

Just a little further, and it will all be merry again.

uh guys…we ran out of oil again.

Get Your Laugh On (Finding Place and Purpose at U of T)

Posted on November 14, 2013 by stephen

In my first year, I went with a guy from residence and joined a sketch comedy troupe. I was really nervous and I suspect he was as well, though he never showed it. He was from Waterloo and performed on Improv teams and was starting to do standup comedy at Einstein’s open-mic.

Anyway, we auditioned and we were cast, and then something changed. We were no longer just students. We became members of The Bob.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/353331631479221/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

The Bob is Canada’s longest running sketch comedy revue, hosted by Victoria College. There have been some pretty famous people in The Bob, over the years, even including Margaret Atwood. Any student, from any college, can audition, and if comedy or theatre or writing is your passion, I’d highly recommend it.

It was during a casual, September 2009 stroll with my dad, actually, that I happened to find a poster calling for auditions. I ripped the poster right off the wall, fearing I’d forget all the details otherwise. When I got back to residence I walked past my room and knocked on a door four rooms down from mine. The student who answered had shaggy brown-blonde hair and a cheeky, curious quality in his eye that gave me the idea to speak with a phony British accent.

“Good afternoon,” I said.

“Yes, hullo, and how may I help you?”

“I was wondering if perchance you possessed a fondness for performing comedy.”

“Yes, I may have such a fondness. What of it?”

I showed him the poster. His eyes scanned it from top to bottom. Then he looked up at me.

“Tonight’s the last call for auditions,” he said.

“It is,” and I could feel a flutter in the chest.

He looked me straight dead in the face and said, “Let’s do it!”

We barely knew each other that first night. But at the audition something clicked and it seemed we’d been joking around together for a long time. Maybe it was a shared comedic sense, or maybe it was that we had both eaten the same meal-plan lasagna for dinner, but I like to think it was the realization that we had both just made our first real friend at university.

Source: http://gif-central.blogspot.ca/2013/05/sorry-i-annoyed-you-with-my-friendship.html

After that we were a regular duo. We wrote sketches together, went to shows and open-mics together, met different people, we were even the MC’s for the New College Mosaic. It was a much needed, and much appreciated, support-system for first year, though it never exactly seemed that way.

It was merely being a part of something. We were Bob’ers. We were friends. The name or size of the association was irrelevant, as long as it gave us a sense of place and purpose. U of T is really big, it offers a lot of options, finding something that speaks to you is, well, priceless.

Source: http://myerasmus.tumblr.com/page/3

I know it was my friend’s encouragement and enthusiasm that allowed me to audition for The Bob in the first place. And I’m much indebted because it led to a crazy-fun comedy ride throughout my second and third years. Not to mention a really great friendship.

Now, the time has come for The Bob to grace the stage again. The show is 7:30pm November 14, 15, and 16 at the Isabel Bader Theatre at Victoria College. I’ll be watching from the front row this year. But it gives me great pleasure that my friend, who inspired me to act, to be bold (and silly), is one of this year’s co-directors. Congrats, man!

‘Til next time, U of T, stay diamond!

-Stephen

Halloween: Celebrating Youth! . . . And Anxiety?

Posted on November 4, 2013 by stephen

I recently read a BuzzFeed post that pointed out some of the apparent highlights of Halloween at university. Top of the list was looking sexy, shots, shots, shots, and making awesome group costumes. Now, I bet most of us can probably plead guilty to at least one of these. But we should also stop and ask ourselves why?

I absolutely love Halloween!

Because of these three ladies . . .

Source: http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/will-there-be-a-hocus-pocus-2

And for every replay of this . . .

Source: http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/10/25/happy-treehouse-of-horror-day/586353_f496/

And, do I really have to explain?

Source: http://www.harbordvillage.com/pumpkinfest

I love the smell of Halloween from the leaves on the street to the brisk night air like an invitation to breathe. Most of all I love Halloween costumes. The candy is good, too.

It used to be that all I cared about was my costume. I changed my mind every other week: Batman, Dracula, Batman, Dracula, a Mummy, a Zombie, Batman, wait I’ve got it—Dracula!

Then something changed. It became important to have a really good costume. A well-done, clever costume. An aspect of social competition had been introduced. It was no longer solely about me and my costume. It was about how my costume might impact them. Some of my friends started saying, “Halloween is lame!” It had become a social challenge that they refused to contest.

I think Halloween is a celebration of youth. A night for children to run around. A night for kids to eat candy. A night for teenagers and adults to put away their busy thoughts, and put on a costume. It’s a night to dress up like Miley Cyrus or Rob Ford or the cast of Orange is the New Black, if you want. It’s a night to act less serious and have a laugh.

But why do many university students say, “No, I’m not dressing up. I don’t like Halloween very much.” Is it really just for kids? Is putting on a costume so far below the seriousness of academia? Or is it a social issue that leads to anxiety?

I think the notion of celebrating youthfulness is unexpectedly stressful. As a university student, it’s like being asked to celebrate being you. It sounds nice, but it requires that you step out into a suddenly competitive social spotlight.

Some of us stay far away from this spotlight, others want to look sexy, or think they have to drink, or rely on the close company of a friend group. Either way, I think the anxiety drives us to miss the deeper importance of celebrating youth, which is to relax and have fun.

Last year, a group of friends and I dressed up like the characters from Clue. It was a lot of fun. Looking back I see how social anxieties were at play. They always are.

This year we are being the villains from Batman. I have been working hard on my costume, and it feels almost as genuine as when I was a kid. I really do love Halloween. But I am not worry free, and I doubt I ever will be. But at least I can stop, take a deep breath of crisp autumn air, and think about why.

Happy Halloween, U of T,

-Stephen

in which we talk about how to focus

Posted on October 30, 2013 by jasmine

Wandering around clubs fair during Orientation Week often produces an overwhelming adrenaline rush; we grab brochures, freebies and put our names down on a lot of mailing lists.

New year. New start.
September is the month to try new things.
Then October comes and hits you where it hurts with its large selection of assignments, midterms and other anxiety-inducing products.

We’ve survived one midterm season and are steadily making our way toward the next maelstrom of due dates.

The university experience offers so much besides an academic education: events, resources, clubs, fitness drop-ins, and interest classes…the list goes on and on.There are too many good things out there, we just don’t have enough time.

What are we to do? How do we ensure we get the best experience possible? How do we maximize our time here on campus to enjoy and try what is offered?

I spend a lot of my time writing poetry. A particular interest of mine is blackout poetry, where you take a piece of text from somewhere, usually a newspaper, and create poems by eliminating words – literally blacking them out.

simple.

In many ways, I think the university process is similar to blackout poetry.

There are plenty of well established aspects of university life laid out before us, clamouring for our attention at clubs fair, on posters, in emails, or by peers and professors.

All of these are like the words on a page I’m about to start blacking out.
It isn’t possible to say, “I will do all of this” just as Blackout poetry can’t just present the page as it is, and say, “There. Good.”

In my poem writing process, I usually begin by taking a pencil and boxing the words I am going to use. This allows me to get a tentative idea of where the poem is going and what my final message will be.

So take a pencil and box what you want to do, identify:

Activities where you can find community and belonging.
Involvement that allows you to comfortably and confidently be who you want to be.
Participation in causes you find worthwhile, or for skill sets you desire to attain.

something a tad more profound

Then I go over the boxed outlines in marker, and begin the process of eliminating the rest of the text in between, careful to avoid accidentally erasing words that I need in my poem.
It is the same for our schedules.
Once we have all the words we want boxed in, it may be wise to black out the rest as it gives us a chance to focus on what we have decided is important for this particular time, whether it be a semester or a year.

By narrowing our vision and settling on key focuses, we streamline our efforts so we can more thoroughly invest in the activities we have chosen.

every person’s real essay writing process.

Part of the university experience is also simply the process of learning how to black out, to figure out how you learn, what you are interested in learning, and what you can contribute because of who you are.

Every year can be a new poem. You can change the message of the poem, and the words that are used. You can use a new source text. You can try new clubs, visit different libraries, or even pick two completely different minors. Experiment to your heart’s content.

Just don’t forget to

be willing to try new types of engagement.
stay dedicated to what gives you purpose.
remember that it is good to learn through experience.

university summarized.

On that note, all blackout poetry in this post was done on campus newspapers.
Try it some time!

Shall We Go Out to the Theatre?

Posted on October 4, 2013 by stephen

Last week I went to Hart House Theatre to see the play Bone Cage. Written by Catherine Banks, it’s a picture of Canadian youth, chilling, sad, funny, and poetic. It’s one thing to be a Canadian youth, another to see my fears and anxieties played out on a stage. But that is neither here nor there, and we shant be saying another word on it, shant we! The important thing is that I went out to a U of T event (#tryitUofT What events have you gone out to recently?)!

Does everyone know about Hart House Theatre? It’s a little bit like the Isla de Muerta, in that it cannot be found except by those who already know where it is. Well, not exactly. It’s just below the main entrance. Right there!

Source: http://filmschoolconsortium.com/school/university-of-toronto-%E2%80%93-the-hart-house-film-board/

Constructed in 1919, the Hart House Theatre is truly a gem of the university. As a nationally recognized theatre it showcases the work of new and established playwrights, while maintaining a strong devotion to Shakespeare. In high school I saw Macbeth at Hart House, featuring at the end (spoiler alert) Macbeth’s severed head. Fifteen-year-old me was very impressed!

Source: http://i.perezhilton.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/nick.gif

Hart House Theatre also offers a lot of involvement opportunities for students, whether it’s casting calls, paid job positions, or on-going volunteer openings in the theatre. In February, Hart House Theatre will host the U of T Drama Festival, a week of original theatre written, produced, and performed by U of T students. Apparently Donald Sutherland got his start right here on the Hart House stage. Look there he is!

Source: http://harthouse.ca/about-us/history/. But I like to think it is. Either way, he did get his start at U of T, so if theatre is your bag then you’re certainly in the right place!

Well, maybe it’s not him, but I like to think it is. Either way, he did get his start right here at U of T. So if theatre is your bag then you’re certainly in the right place!

Hart House is just one of many outlets for theatre enthusiasts at U of T. There are also the college drama societies and groups:

Trinity College Dramatic Society will be performing Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile in November, an imagined encounter between Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein in which they chat about genius!

VCDS is currently holding auditions for Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit. I read this play in first year philosophy and it rattled me, yep, like a snake!

New College’s New Faces is at it again with IMPROV sessions every Tuesday! And I’m sure they’ll be bringing something to the 2014 Drama Fest.

And the UC Follies are concocting another year of . . . well, everything from sketch comedy to live radio plays!

All of these societies, groups, and companies are hoping that YOU will audition, volunteer, or at least (if you’re an old geezer like me) come out a show and enjoy the magic of U of T’s theatre life!

‘Til next time, youths and younglings, stay diamond!

-Stephen

Why You’re Not Too Cool to Read

Posted on September 18, 2013 by katrina

My answer to the classic question, “What three things would you take to a deserted island?” has unfailingly remained the same all my life – books. I started reading independently at a very early age (shortly after I turned two) and spent a lot of my nights throughout my childhood sneakily reading under the covers with a flashlight when it was way past my bedtime (probably the primary causes for my appalling eyesight today). When it came to turning the final page of my novel, I felt a little lonelier – as if I had just lost a friend, or as if the lifetime of bravery and heroism I had lived vicariously through its pages had come to an abrupt end.

Accurate depiction of me in my childhood (and occasionally, me now).
Original GIF by: ollieplimsolls.tumblr.com

Coming to college, however, changed a lot of my reading habits for the worse. I turned in fantasy and chick-lit (in my defense, very well-written chick-lit) for my Alberts’ Molecular Biology of the Cell textbook, that infamous red book beknownst to Life Sci students. I’ve had to read the Iliad in under two weeks (read: I crammed a lot of SparkNotes into two nights). Reading became a chore, more or less, and I found myself developing a mild phobia towards any body of text longer than an inch.

A lot of you fellow book lovers out there might find the same occurring to you (unless, of course, you adored books so much you chose to pursue a career out of reading them – I’m looking at you, English majors). Those of you rolling your eyes at our emotional ties towards books – you’re not any better than us. A study performed at Carnegie Mellon actually shows that the volume of white matter in brains actually increased after just six months of daily reading activity. For you non-Neuroscience students, white matter is a vital tissue that affects how your brain learns and coordinates new information. Additionally, being well-read is usually a good gauge on how well you can understand the material you’re learning and how accurately you can interpret information. This goes a long way in your academic and professional career – and subsequently, helps lot with understanding the readings you do for class. That’s why exams such as the MCATs, which are predominantly science-based, contain a Verbal Section as well to solely test your reading comprehension skills.

How else do you think Hermione became the brightest witch of her age?
Original GIF by: theauror.tumblr.com

I’ve tried fitting in leisurely reading more and more these days. Instead of reading every article/GIF-list on BuzzFeed before sleeping, I try getting cozy with a book instead. Pro-tip: If you have trouble sleeping at night, this will actually benefit you – melatonin signaling, the hormone in your body that makes you sleepy, is deactivated by the light in your LED/AMOLED screens. The bonus is now you can fall asleep much earlier and still dream of being khaleesi, and planning your next tactical move (I’ve been trying to keep up with George R.R. Martin’s actual novels instead of just the show). Also, whenever I’m studying at a library on campus and feel like stretching my legs, I find myself wandering the stacks and I’ll always manage to find a book or two that catches my eye. Have you SEEN how many books there are at Robarts, let alone at the other 30+ libraries on campus?! It’s ridiculous. (Fun fact: We have the 3^rd largest library system in North America, trailing behind only Harvard and Yale.) Check out this list of UofT libraries to find a subject area and read to your heart’s content.

Or in this case, your T-Card?

Put down your smartphone. Pick up a book.

And So It Begins!

Posted on September 13, 2013 by stephen

Well, the first week has been off to a good start, albeit a little bit hectic. (#firstdaystories How was your week?) It’s funny how things turn out, really.

Here’s what happened to me:

I have one course this semester. I often feel reluctant to tell people this, because usually they scowl and say they hate me. But that is just how my university career has worked out, and I’ll be honest—it’s pretty sweet. I feel a little like this guy:

source:http://l-o-t-r.tumblr.com/post/44019175865/why-is-this-page-so-awesome-its-now-my-go-to-for-epic

Or, at least, I want to feel like that guy. The class is one night a week, two hours, mostly reading—easy!

It was on Wednesday, which happened to be the same day as my Life @ U of T Community Crew meeting. The meeting was at 4 pm, and the class was at 6 pm, so it was fine.

I decided to use my morning wisely. I did laundry. Oh, the joys of living independently!

source: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/home-alone-gif

The laundromat is close to my house, so I can go home between cycles. It takes six trips altogether to finally clean my clothes. While I’m waiting around at home I usually read, or watch a bit of a movie, visit the internets, or, as I decided to do on this particular day, I work out.

Why did I choose the hottest day in September to start a healthy exercise routine?

source:http://a-gif-for-you.tumblr.com/post/25312355771/when-people-ask-you-what-day-it-is-during-summer

But once I was good and exhausted and thoroughly drenched in sweat, I threw on a quick set of clothes, and ran out to grab my laundry. It was 3 pm. When I got home I was going to shower, change (into clean clothes), grab my books, my bag, and head off to my meeting, and then my class. I was feeling exactly like this guy:

source:http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/clintnod.gif

And that’s when everything went ridiculously wrong! I had forgotten my keys!

There I was, stranded outside my apartment, burning up in the 40-degree heat, sweating buckets, underdressed, no books, no bag, holding a huge sack full of shirts, shorts, socks, and underwear, and time was ticking!

Luckily, I had my wallet and my cell-phone. But, of course, it was starting to thunderstorm! I really had no choice. It was almost 4 pm. I had to go!

I took the subway to St. George station (blessed TTC!). Along the way, I realized I had forgotten to find out where I my class was being held. Also, the room had been changed for my Life @ U of T meeting, so I really had no idea where I was going.

Find a computer, public access Internet! So where did I go—Robarts! I looked up the building code and room number for my class, and found the new location for my meeting. Then I hit the washroom, rinsed my face, and changed into a clean shirt. Turns out laundry is pretty useful to carry around.

source:http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/will-ferrell-gif

Well, not that good, but I was feeling better. I went to my meeting, met some new people, ate a Timbit or two, and then hurried through the rain to my class.

And my class was great!

It was introductory, but the readings sounded new and intriguing, and the professor was very enthusiastic, which is of paramount importance for evening classes!

In the end, it was a good first day. Unexpectedly hectic, but good for just that reason. It was a jumpstart back into managing my university career. At times things can be chaotic and uncertain. There will certainly be surprises. But that’s life, really. Who knows what will happen? I’ll do what I have to do, and hopefully in April I’ll feel like this guy:

source:http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m039l83fru1qm135p.gif#i%20feel%20good%20gif%20500x275

source:http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m039l83fru1qm135p.gif#i%20feel%20good%20gif%20500×275

‘Til we meet again, U of T, stay diamond!

-Stephen.

50 Shades of Frosh

Posted on August 30, 2013 by stephen

Orientation week is a changing thing. Heraclitus would laugh at me, I’m sure, but it is intriguing to really experience the proverbial passage of time. To think that I am getting older, that I may be out of touch.

For instance, when I learned that the headline artist for the 2013 Orientation Concert is going to be Lupe Fiasco, my response was:

Source: http://www.ign.com/boards/threads/post-a-gif-of-your-reaction-when-johnnywoodburner-finally-posts.452985721/

To which I received a look not altogether dissimilar to this:

Source: http://perfectlycursedlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/huh-gif.gif

At which point I felt . . .

Source: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/embarrassed-gif

I remember my orientation week, back in September of 2009. Not really that long ago, but somehow it feels ancient. The whole memory revolves around a t-shirt. Possibly the most significant sign of orientation week—the t-shirts!

Source: http://www.680news.com/files/2010/09/3556db3248888bd7af7d3a1ae6bb-500x375.jpeg

I was at New College then, and our shirts were an orangey-yellow, with green lettering. They had a bull, or a gnu (it’s like a bull and a deer mixed) on the front. I cannot remember the theme of my orientation, but I remember receiving a laundry bag full of goodies, and a water bottle. Deodorant, gum, pencils, and condoms—everything a first year student really needs! Mostly, I miss that water bottle.

Anyway, the next thing I remember I was standing in a crowd of yellow t-shirts. All of us wide eyed, wondering what was happening. Orientation leaders were shouting, calling names, getting us all excited, and I was thirsty. I remember it was hot and loud, and someone gave me a lanyard with my name on it.

That’s when I left. Yep, that’s right—guilty as charged. I turned and walked quietly away.

Why?

#1 I am not a fan of crowds.

#2 I was thirsty.

#3 I wanted to experience orientation in my own way.

I walked from New College down Willcocks St., across St. George St., through that little alleyway that is beautiful in the fall and slow in the winter, and found myself at King’s College Circle. I sat down on the grass at the side of the road, on the lawn of UC, and watched.

It was unbelievable! There were so many t-shirts. Red, blue, purple (mostly purple skin), orange, green! Everywhere I looked I saw a new t-shirt and a new face, a new set of wide eyes, a new smile. I watched everyone marching, streams of cheers and chants (some nice, some funny, some . . . not so nice).

Yes, perhaps I abandoned my orientation group, but it was because that’s what I wanted to do. There is a special trick to orientation, and that is to recognize that the most important aspect is YOU. With so much going on at once, it can be easy to get lost in the fray, but never forget that this is your U of T!

As I watched, I became interested. I walked around campus and eventually found my way back to New College. Festivities were still in full swing, so I decided it was time to get involved. We ran obstacle courses on back-campus, ate hamburgers and pie, danced on a boat-cruise, danced at an awkward party, went out to a fraternity party, and a lot more that I can’t remember.

There are many shades to orientation week. I tried my best, but surely there is something that I missed. I’ve heard that orientation Leaders have the most fun, because they understand what it’s actually about.

It’s about being interested. U of T offers a new opportunity in every direction that you look. Orientation week is like a 100 level course in opportunity seizure, geared to spark your interest in university life.

There was a lot of talk and noise in 2009, but the real value lay in the quieter, interesting moments—the people I met, the places I explored, the things I remembered.

We are learning. We are students. It is your Orientation!

‘Til we meet again U of T, stay diamond!

-Stephen

A Part Time Job: Pros and Cons

Posted on August 16, 2013 by stephen

Last Saturday I went to Hart House to work on a cover letter. A haven for the studious and the sleepy. When I discovered Hart House library in the second week of first year, I knew I was home. (#startUofT Have you ever slept in Hart House?)

Anyway, come September I will no longer be a groundsman at Victoria College. Yep, all things come to an end. But then new things come along, too. At least when I look in the mirror I won’t see this guy anymore:

Source: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/mrs.%20norris?language=tr_TR

Now, once again, I must enter the proverbial job hunt!

In first year I was fortunate enough not to need a job. Oh, those were the days! But come second year I was in a much different boat. It was an uncertain decision whether to work while in school. What if a job affects my grades? What if I like the job, get promoted and start making real money, then what’s the point of university?

So I weighed the pros and cons. I made a list. Like this:

Pro: Pocket Money

I am always hungry. If I have gained one thing, definitively, since coming to university it is an insatiable hunger. I’ll eat anything!

Source: http://www.reactiongifs.com/tag/hungry/

Having a few extra dollars in my wallet can be a blessing. When I’m studying on campus and my stomach starts to whine and complain, I can quickly pop out for a slice of pizza. When I’m writing an essay and too busy to cook dinner, I can order Chinese food. A few extra dollars often means a few extra minutes, a convenience that money literarily can buy.

Con: Time Commitment

Unfortunately, the equation works both ways. To get that pocket money you have to exchange your free time. This point should not be overlooked. In first year I was unemployed because fitting a job into my schedule was impossible.

Source: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/busy-gif

For some of you the idea of even fitting in social time seems impossible. It’s a matter of priorities. I got a job because I had to pay rent. What do you have to do?

Pro: Time Management

I worked as a waiter in second year, mostly evenings and weekends. And I found having a job actually improved my time management. If I had a paper due on Thursday, but I worked Wednesday night, then I was forced to write the paper on Tuesday. There were a few assignments left to the last minute, to be sure. But most of the time I completed things early. I had to.

Con: Terrible Bosses

Not really. But I have come across a lot of job postings from people who seem more than willing to take advantage of eager, hard-working (starving) students. It’s a matter of discretion. It took me a while, but I now know what my time’s worth, and I won’t commit to a job that’s wasting it.

Pro:

Source: http://www.1to1media.com/weblog/experience%20leaders.jpg

The #1 asset that employers want is experience. I doubt we even need names anymore, just a list of our previous jobs and internships. Who remembers names anyway? Employers remember only that this applicant has two years of related experience, while this other person has five. The cover letter that I wrote at Hart House was just a jazzed up list of my experience. But I realize now that all my part-time jobs have been investments, even if they were unrelated to my career. All work is experience:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNXwKGZHmDc

Also, if cover letters and resumes make you anxious or confused, I’d recommend INI300H1 Strategic Writing, it really it helped! Also, there is the U of T Career Centre!

‘Til next time U of T. Stay Diamond!

-Stephen

From EcoFashionista to .. . Bike Repair Queen?

Posted on May 24, 2013 by aziza

Last week, I wrote all about my rather abysmal relationship with DIY-ing (and how I’m determined to change that!). This week, let me take you all with me on a little trip around a few of U of T’s fantastic DIY initiatives right on campus-just in case you want to get your hands a little dirty this year .

Do you have any old clothes that you may not ever wear again, but don’t really want to give away either? Or maybe you have some lying around that you’ve been meaning to take to that second-hand shop in your neighbourhood?

Instead of throwing them out, why not turn them into something that you can use?

Feiya Wang had just this idea in mind when she founded EcoFashion earlier this year. EcoFashion’s objective is to create understanding and awareness about the importance of sustainability, and also allow students to get creative and design their own fashionable items.

Considering that we live in a society which does not place too much emphasis on re-using old materials (and seeing as how it took me awhile to give away my last batch of old clothes), Feiya’s initiative sounds great to me!

Feiya kindly answered some of my questions about EcoFashion over the phone. Among the projects EcoFashion hosted earlier this year was a ‘make your own shopping bag’ workshop using old clothes or textiles. Participants were asked to bring in their own used clothes or textiles they wanted to work with, and then designed their own handy reusable cloth bags for those trips to the grocery store.

A Lunchbag made from an old dress!

Feiya would like to host more events, including a speaker series, and more group DIY workshops. Things are just getting started, but there is much more to come! Stay tuned for more EcoFashion initiatives at U of T this coming Fall.

So we’ve got sustainable fashion resources down, but what about when we want to take our marvelous-looking selves out on the town?

Enter Bikechain, U of T’s famous DIY spot for current and future bike-lovers. Bikechain is located in the basement of Cumberland House (the building that houses the Centre for International Experience). The Shop offers bike repair workshops, bike-borrowing (You can borrow bikes for week long periods – for FREE ), and a safe space for absolute beginners (such as myself) to learn all about caring for a bike.

When I sat down with Dominic Wong, Bikechain’s Administrative Coordinator, it struck me how so many of values that underlir the bike shop are transferable to other parts of life. A key ethos of Bikechain is to provide an educational and safe space for others to engage in a process of learning by doing. Bikechain’s philosophy to let each person learn on their own time underlies the ethos of DIY initiatives in general: the process matters just as much, if not more so, than the outcome.

This process can yield a lot: new friendships, a sense of community, shared knowledge, not to mention a re-conceptualization of one’s own talents and abilities to adapt. Dominic mentioned how he sees people becoming empowered by the act of taking ownership over something that they didn’t think they could do before.

All of this through tuning up your ride or changing that flat tire!

DIY Mobile Apps and Start-ups??

And finally, one last DIY initiative that could have you shaping the future of U of T- and Beyond. Have you ever wanted to create a Mobile App, but have no clue how to begin? Look no further than U of T’s own MAD Lab, which provides services to students to assist in the creation of mobile apps.You can even develop apps that apply to your experience at U of T. Especially timely since U of T launched its own Apple and Android mobile apps just this week!

What’s more, MAD Lab is poised to open a physical lab space in Gerstein Library. The space is currently undergoing renovations. When it’s up and running, it will house technical resources, projects, workshops and early start-ups. The best part? The lab space and everything in it is open to all departments at U of T. You don’t have to be a Math or Science major at all -Humanities, this space is for you too!

Now to think of what app I could create…

-Aziza

Please note that Bikechain will be moving to the North Borden Building on June 3rd. They will be closed for the duration of the move. Volunteers are more than welcome to help with the move. Bonus: you get 40% off of your next Bikechain purchase, along with refreshments available each moving day. Check out the website for more information.

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