On Zen Frogs and Creating Happiness

Posted on May 8, 2013 by aziza

It’s 10 minutes to five o’clock on a sunny, beautiful afternoon in May. Just a couple of moments ago, I was sitting in the chapel at Hart House, immersed in a mindful meditation workshop hosted by Cheryl Champagne from Health and Wellness at U of T. I feel calm, happy and, well, a bit surprised. Who knew that 20 minutes of breathing could transform me from frazzled to zen? I guess I forgot how amazing meditation really is.

In the spirit of wellness and renewal (part two!), today’s post will be all about workshops, events, and resources on campus that can help you keep positive in this journey called Life.

Dare to Self-Care?

It took me years to figure out that in order to be at my best, I had to care for myself as much as I cared for other people. So I was pretty delighted to discover that U of T’s very own Health and Wellness Centre offers a workshop called Dare to Self-Care. Hosted by Jill Cressy, the workshop explores a variety of self-care practices, including stress management strategies, mind-body techniques, and 10 keys to happier living. Jill usually asks the following questions in her session:

What do you care about?

What are your values related to health and wellness?

How can you best support Happiness in your daily life?

Try your hand at them! I sat down and attempted to, but as usual, when I try to answer questions, I come up with a bunch of them instead: What does it mean to be mindful? How can we go about creating Happiness?

My quest led me to Sutha Sathananthan, a Masters candidate in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at U of T. Sutha took a Cognitive and Psychological Foundations of Effective Leadership class last fall, and became hooked on the concept of ‘happiness’. The outcome? Sutha founded Engineering Happiness, U of T’s first on-campus Happiness Initiative.

Sutha, founder of Engineering Happiness at U of T

“I started researching a lot about happiness, and I learned that there is a lot of negativity out there” says Sutha. According to her, people don’t start by thinking ‘well, what really makes me happy?’ Instead, they try to find ‘happiness’ when they are faced with depression, anxiety, and other mental health or emotional challenges. Engineering Happiness is all about providing the space and the tools for others to create awareness about the things that bring them balance, contentment, and joy.

Engineering Happiness draws its ethos from the field of Positive Psychology, which seeks to make normal life more fulfilling. Think fostering joy, creativity, and authentic happiness as ultimate goals.

U of T’s Health and Wellness also offers some amazing workshops that explore similar themes. In fact, there is just so much to be explored in the realm of wellness right on campus. Did you know that U of T actually has a Happiness Webinar Series? It’s true!

Not only that, the Multi-Faith Centre is currently offering a class on Mindful Meditation every Wednesday afternoon. Later this summer, you can even participate in a Happiness Challenge, brought to you by Engineering Happiness. You’ll be able to go out in the world an document whatever makes you happy using any medium, then submit your creation for a prize.

My foray into meditation, happiness and self-care kicked off Mental Health Awareness week. Did I get the answers to my questions? Nah…but I did learn a few meditation techniques, and learn a bit more about Happiness. Am I happy? Yes, I can safely say so.

Check out Jill Cressy’s Dare to Self-Care workshop on May 10 from 10-11 am at Charles St. Residence. Engineering Happiness is also hosting a free Laughter Yoga session on Wednesday, May 8th from 7-8 pm at Hart House, 2^ndfloor Debate Room.

Come out and flourish!

-Aziza

Hello! Hola! Bonjour!

Posted on April 17, 2013 by aziza

Hello! Hola! Bonjour!

Hello everyone, I am Aziza, your new Student Life Communications Intern at U of T, and I’ll be blogging here for the summer.

I know many of our readers are either undergrads or about to become undergrads, so brace yourself: I am a Graduate Student.

But wait, we are not so different!!

Don’t think of us as the Dursleys…

We get scared, uneasy about school, and hesitant about meeting others also. I was so nervous prior to starting at OISE (U of T’s Faculty of Education) because I had not been in school for – *gulp* - six years.

So, like some of you, this is my first year at U of T, and I’ve had to do a lot of investigative work to find my niche on campus as well. In between juggling mounds of paper writing, late nights and early mornings, coursework, meeting new people, and learning so many (so many!) new things, this year has been a ride.

In my previous, non-student life, I taught English in Spain for two years, learned how to Salsa dance, finally got around to cooking decent meals, and lived out my undergraduate days in Montreal.

While my studies are pretty much limited to OISE, this year has opened up my world in many different ways. I have learned that participation in class is always welcome – even if I make a mistake now and then. And that yes, I do need to eat while writing a 20-pager. And that if I want to produce my best work, well, I have to take care of me first! And finally, on the darkest of days, when I question why I am here and what all this is for, that a smile can go a long way.

I look forward to working with the Student Life Community Crew this summer, and to hearing all of your valiant voices as you conquer your visions for your future (or simply conquer you next exam) – He-Man and She-Ra style.

Best of luck to you all as you wrap up your respective school years. Check back with us, share your stories and let us keep you up-to-date as you move into summer!

Till soon,

Aziza

The Best of Life @ U of T (according to me)

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Matteo

Well I’m sad to say that this will be my last post for the Life @ U of T blog. What a crazily-awesome year it was and I honestly have no idea where the last 25 weeks went. I’ve had a blast being your Faculty of Arts & Science Student Blogger and I hope you guys got as much enjoyment in reading my posts as I had in writing them.

For my last post I want to do a “Best Of” the blog over the past year — featuring a favourite post of mine from each of our lovely bloggers. If you have never read Life @ U of T before these posts are a great way to start!

Abdullah — “oppression, equity and politics” — In this post Abdullah tackles the sensitive subject of equity — or lack thereof — that sometimes has a tendency to surface in the student sphere. While we can all be proud to claim that U of T is a highly diverse and multicultural school, we also have to be cognizant of the fact that sometimes situations of inequity arise and Abdullah does an excellent job in addressing an instance in which he experienced it firsthand.

Ishita — “The Art of Forgiving Yourself” — In this post Ishita discusses the pressures many students experience — especially in their first year — to do well at the U of T and the feelings of failure many of us inevitably face when we fall short of the goals we have established for ourselves. Ishita reminds us that mistakes and missteps will happen and that’s OK, so long as we learn from our experience and leverage it for the better.

Lesia — “Hey U of T, it’s time to get moving!” — As the Physical Activity Blogger I find all of Lesia’s posts highly important and relevant to me personally (as someone who tends to neglect the gym…and every other form of physical activity). The tendency to simply hunker down at your desk and neglect exercise, indulging in less-than-optimal eating habits as a coercive mechanism to get you through your readings or that big assignment is very strong for many of us. Lesia reminds us of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and many of her posts feature the free services and activities available to students in pursuit of it.

Lori — “Raise your hand!” — In this post Lori discusses strategies you can use to try and make yourself a bit more engaged in class discussions — in an attempt to get those ever-tricky participation marks. Her advice is highly relevant, especially for upper-year seminar courses where large chunks of your grade require you to do something many of us dread: public speaking.

Sarah — “Post-Grad Blues” — In this post Sarah does an exceptional job encapsulating how many of our fellow graduating students may be currently feeling. Come May 1, many graduating students will be — for the first time in their lives — completely without the life-structuring mechanism school provides. In addition to this, many students may also feel torn about what exactly the want to do post-undergrad, with different forces pulling them in different directions.

Shak — “TTC? Why man why????” — In this post Shak discusses (or perhaps rants would be a more optimal phrase) about the one transportation service we all love to hate: the TTC. As a commuter myself, I found Shak’s post highly relatable and funny — well worth a read for all those who have, at one point or another, felt slighted by the Toronto Transit Commission.

Vahini — “College Governance 101” — Vahini offers a great introduction to all the various student councils that govern each of U of T’s disparate colleges. In a school as large as U of T, it’s important to know what governing structures are relevant for you! This post is actually part one in a three-part series and her posts about Councils and Unions and Student Societies are worth checking out as well!

Vivian — “The Breakfast Club” — In this post Vivian discusses all the benefits of having a healthy breakfast before going about your day. As someone who tends to neglect this important meal, I found the post very insightful. We are all told how breakfast is ‘the most important meal of the day’ and Vivian demonstrates this!

Of all the posts I’ve written this year I would have to say that my post “Surviving the Winter: Tips for Commuters” is one of my favourites as commuting to school in the winter can be a tedious and downright awful experience for many of us — especially when you consider the fact that winter in Toronto last from November to April (apparently).

I hope you have all found value in reading this blog — I know I have — and if this is your first time on the site be sure to check out all the posts I mentioned above! I’d like to thank the Faculty of Arts & Science for giving me the opportunity to write for all of you as well as the Office of Student Life and the entire Student Life Community Crew for being such a wonderful and awesome group of people!

- Matteo

My words of work-out wisdom

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Lesia

Wow, I cannot believe it’s down to the final stretch – just one more week of classes left! And as my second year of university wraps up, I’ve been reflecting lately on what a truly amazing eight months it has been. I really made an effort this year to take advantage of opportunities to get active, and it has tremendously paid off. In first year, I think I used the AC once or twice. But ask me what I did this year, and I could tell you that I…

- Golfed with President David Naylor at the Varsity dome
- Learned how to fend for myself through Wendo
- Braved the SCC
- Played outdoor intramural soccer for my college team
- Biked to and around campus
- Attempted to belly dance
- Found drop-in classes that I love
- Learned the basics of tennis

Reflecting back on all this and more, I can tell you that I really have noticed a change. I’ve realized that my legs have gained more muscle and my upper body has become much stronger. I used to do almost nothing but cardio, but now that I’ve started attending drop-in classes and using weights, I’ve activated and toned new muscles all over my body. I can literally feel the difference in my strength and energy level, and it feels amazing. It’s the reason I keep on keepin’ on.

I’ve learned a lot through my experiences over the year, and there are a few things I would really like to pass on to you:

It’s not so scary doing things on your own. Don’t always wait until you have someone to go with to events and such. I’ve tried to coordinate work-outs with my friends and drag them out to events, but it often doesn’t work out with our conflicting schedules. So now I’ve learned: if I hear of an event/activity that really interests me, then I’ll go, even if it means going alone. Honestly, I would not have tried half the things I did this year if I sat around waiting for someone to accompany me every time. By putting myself out there, I met SO many cool new people.

Don’t avoid an activity just because you think you “suck” at it. No one is there to judge your skill level. And if you never practice, then it’s kinda hard to improve! So if you really want to try something new, then don’t be intimidated by lack of ability. I suck at dancing, but I went out to a dance workshop anyway and just did my best. No one laughed at me or gave me weird looks – the instructors and other dancers were happy to see I was interested and were really encouraging.

Find something you actually like doing. Exercise shouldn’t feel like this tedious chore that you dread doing every day. There are so many different ways to get active that there is no reason to force yourself to do something you hate. I personally still don’t like the fancy weight machines, so I avoid them and use free weights instead. Running is my favourite form of cardio, so I do a lot of that. The reason I exercise is to feel great after, both physically and mentally. So be creative and find activities that make you feel the same way.

It really does feel like this!

I hope that the experiences I have shared over the last eight months have helped you discover all that the St. George Campus has to offer when it comes to healthy active living. I’ve had an amazing time and have met some wonderful people. Now I’m looking forward to staying active outdoors all spring and summer!

-Lesia

Keep Calm and Carry On

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Vivian

It’s that time of the year again… the dreaded exam period!

Although final exams signal the end of the school year and the prospect of warmer days ahead, for many of us they may also signal the beginning of higher stress levels and potential anxiety.

Unfortunately, there’s no cure-all solution to stress and anxiety, or specifically, exam anxiety – I know, it’s disappointing to me too! But, there are a variety of things we can do to lower our stress levels so that we are able to cope effectively with the academic demands during this last month of school.

On campus, St. Mikes is hosting Exam Jelly@Kelly on April 4^th & 5^th and Arts & Science will be hosting Exam Jam on April 8^th at Sidney Smith to help students de-stress and refresh just before exams begin. Although these events may not miraculously make all of your stress disappear, it’s as close to a one-stop stress management shop as it’ll get. Not only will there be fun activities but there will also be an open study space, course review sessions, and FREE food (and, who doesn’t like free food when you’re on a student budget?).

Exam Jelly @ Kelly

In the name of combating exam stress and anxiety, I’ve organized a de-stressing event in my residence as well. Thanks to St. John Ambulance, I’ve been able to get therapy dogs for the event! Having experienced first-hand the calming effect of playing and interacting with a therapy dog, I can certainly understand why this trend has virtually exploded across North American universities.

Of course, a therapy dog may not be the solution to everyone’s anxiety and let’s face it not everyone has access to a therapy dog whenever they need or want it. But what’s important is that these de-stress & refresh events, regardless of the particular activities, show us the value in acknowledging our stress and then finding both healthy and effective coping strategies when attempting to deal with it.

For me, the biggest take away message from these events is this: even though we all have numerous responsibilities, our first and most important responsibility is to ourselves and own health and wellbeing. By taking care of numero uno, we will be better equipped to take care of everything else – including those pesky exams!

What do you do to de-stress & refresh during final exams? Feel free to share them in the comments section!

- Vivian

Spinning into cycle mode

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Lesia

Basically, since the first snow hit in the winter, I have been on a hiatus from biking of any sort. Actually, I pedaled for a bit on one of the stationary bikes in the upper gym at Hart House once or twice… Honestly I found it pretty boring, so I’ve been keeping myself busy with the drop-in classes and circuit training instead.

However, over the months I have heard a lot of talk about spin-classes, sometimes also referred to as cycle fit. I had never tried one of these classes before, mostly because I was already biking outside a lot while the roads were clear. Well, and also because of my bias against stationary bikes that I mentioned above. But one of the student life dons at my college is a cycle fit instructor, so I decided to hit up one of her classes in the Cycle Fit Room at Hart House a few weeks ago to see what it’s all about.

So there I was starting the class thinking it would be a breeze cuz I’ve been going to the gym all winter. Well, I can assure you that the class wasn’t easy, but it was well worth it. How it sort of works is that the instructor describes a kind of imaginary “route” that you will be biking for the session. In our case, we did some sprint intervals on “flat land” and in between those sets we climbed some “hills.” Basically, you adjust the resistance to create different conditions – so on a “hill” we’d crank up the resistance until our revolutions per minute (RPM) slowed as if we were actually going up a hill.

So with music blasting in the background, the instructor guided us on our “journey” and told us when to sprint, pedal out of the saddle, and crank up that resistance. She also motivated us the whole way through, encouraging us to push through the burn and give it our all. Motivation is such a huge factor for me – when someone’s there telling me that I’m strong, that I can push it through to the finish, I’m much more likely to keep going than not. That, as well as the variability in the routine, is what I found makes cycle fit different from just using a stationary bike on your own. It’s much more engaging than just sitting there and pedaling at the same speed and resistance for half an hour.

Although I left the class with my quads on fire, I’m glad I finally tried it out. I’m thinking that I’ll keep cycle fit in mind for next winter to help keep my legs in tip-top cycling shape. Both Hart House and the Athletic Centre offer registered classes throughout the year, so you can even pick whichever place works best for ya!

-Lesia

Life, leisure and graduation

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Matteo

When it came to writing this week’s post, I must admit I had difficulty determining what exactly I was going to write about. As the semester draws to a close, “life at U of T” is more or less winding down as classes end, students begin hunkering down in Robarts for hours on end and campus organizations begin making preparations for next year’s activities. I am myself writing this post in-between working on two major assignments, with my calender rife with red ‘ASSIGNMENT ‘X‘ DUE TODAY’ ink — I don’t expect I’ll be getting much sleep over the next three weeks.

I ended up deciding to write about fun. More specifically the anticipation of fun to be had in the future — once we all can finally close our course books and breathe the fresh air that is the freedom of leisure time.

That is ultimately what we are all striving for, right? The opportunity to lounge comfortably. All of our hard work, all of our efforts, sleepless nights, stresses, tears, anger, frustrations, can be grounded in our desire to pursue something for its own sake because we wish to pursue it. This is true in the immediate context as well as in life generally.

For many, the summer months encapsulate this idea. From May to August students everywhere relish in not having to commit themselves to coursework, stress over exams, or write assignments. They can more or less do what they want when they want and put their “academic” or “professional” life on hold for a few months. This situation is somewhat less true, however, for graduating students like myself as we must supplement this time we feel we should be devoting to leisure — something we have in all likelihood done for as long as we can remember — with figuring out the rest of our lives. Perhaps this contributes to some of the fears that many graduating students currently hold. (For a great post on this topic you should read Sarah’s ‘Post-Grad Blues‘.) Feeling not only fearful of the unknown — or “what comes next” — in addition fearing that whatever does come next necessarily lessens the amount of ’”free” time we have available to us. I’ve said it before; growing up sucks.

And yet, despite how sucky it may be, we have to intelligibly keep our wits about us. While we have to be mindful of what our lives will look like post-June 2013, we cannot let it occupy our every waking moment. The idea that “free” time exists is misplaced; there is no such thing. All time is precious and all time should be spent in pursuit of whatever makes you happy. This isn’t to say that hardships and roadblocks won’t emerge along the way in pursuit of your happiness — again, growing up sucks — but such things are more or less inevitable and are a part of the vigor of life that makes living so interesting in the first place.

To the graduating students out there who may be feeling lost, confused, hopeless, or useless: Be confident in the skills and abilities you have gained through your time at U of T and seek to succeed in life, whatever it throws at you. You are smart, you are resourceful, and view an unclear future not with fear and disdain but with opportunity — an opportunity for you to leave your mark, pursue leisure, and be happy.

Life is, after all, what you make it.

- Matteo

A day of dance

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Lesia

If you’ve ever flipped through this year’s UTSU handbook, you might have noticed a particular event already jotted down in the agenda for you. I’m talking about the yoga-nia-zumba-thon Food & Clothing Bank fundraiser that usually happens twice a year. Since I missed out in my first year, I was determined to make it out to the fundraiser held a few weeks ago. This time, there was a new name and theme:

Source: harthouse.ca

We started off the super chill day with a lesson in belly dancing. This was something COMPLETELY new to me – but it was really fun to shake, shimmy and twist it up from my hips to my shoulders. Our instructor Joanne – who actually teaches classes
at Hart House – made it look so natural and easy. I, on the other hand, found that I really had to focus on the way I wanted to move my body. By the end of the hour though, I was keeping up with the beat and feeling pretty good!

Next up was one of my all-time favourites when it comes to dance: ZUMBA! We spent almost an hour and a half jamming out to some great tunes. With Zumba, the right instructor can make a world of a difference, and Kristina’s super high-energy was infectious! Seriously, it’s impossible to be anything but glowing when dancing at Zumba, whether you are good at it or not. It generates this positive energy that just melts away the stress. Luckily, Kristina teaches the drop-in classes on Tuesday and Wednesday at Hart House, so you can still get your Zumba on in the next few weeks!

Source: harthouse.ca

We had a short break after Zumba before the next dance session, so I hurried over to snag a spot in line for a FREE Shiatsu massage!! I have been meaning to try out the free Massage Mondays at Hart House during the year, but the timing has never worked out very well with my schedule. But now I can tell you that I definitely think it is worth treating yourself to a massage once in a while! I mean after all, it’s FREE!

Along with free massages, there was a small health fair going on with free samples of different energy bars, information from UTSU about the Good
Food Box, and a button-making station compliments of the MoveU crew. Top all that off with lots of free yogurt, fruit and granola bars, along with fresh salad, soup and bread! A delicious way to refuel before our next activity… Socazize.

Haven’t heard of Socazize? It was new to me too. It kind of reminds me of Zumba, but it’s based on Caribbean-inspired dance moves instead of Latin. That means a lot more focus on shakin’ those hips! We also mixed in a lot of squatting, kicking and upper body moves to work the core while pumping up our heart rate. Check out a video like this to get an idea of what it’s all about. I’d say it was challenging, but hey, that’s what makes it fun!!

And finally, although I couldn’t stay for it, the day ended with yoga. But judging from last year’s photos, it looks like it would have been the perfect way to wind down after a full day.

Source: harthouse.ca

I’m glad I finally got a chance to check out this event, as it was a lot of fun and left me feeling strong and refreshed. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more events like this in the future… in fact I hear exam jam is coming up soon!

-Lesia

March Madness Madder Than Ever

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Ishita

It’s March again. The end of the school year is approaching and it’s crunch time. Everyone I know (myself included) is up to their necks in midterms, assignments, and essays. It’s hard enough as it is to keep track of deadlines and due dates and to work ahead. But this March, I find myself more swamped than usual. Not only am I balancing the regular workload of my courses, it has seemed that my personal life is (a lot) more active than it generally is. My relationships have been a little rocky as of late. Friends and family are snappier than I remember and I’m having a hard time keeping everyone satisfied. On top of that, my family is moving and the pressure and inconvenience that comes with selling a house are definitely starting to take their toll.

During these days, I often wish that I had the ability to stop time so to sort through my responsibilities and emotions. The world moves so fast and as a student, it can be hard to catch your breath. Where’s the manual that teaches us to balance the work at school AND the work at home? The work we do professionally and the time and effort we invest into our personal lives? Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be one. So we’re expected to “adjust” as we go along. We’re expected to “deal with it.” And normally, I find that I deal with it just fine. But this March, I’m overwhelmed and frustrated. How do I make the expectations stop? Sometimes, it feels like no one notices the stress we’re under. Everyone seems to be on top of their work while you’re struggling just to keep up. But this week, I learned that people do notice. And more than that, they do care.

This Tuesday, I bumped into my professor on my way into class. He held the door open for me and in an attempt to make small talk, he asked me how I was doing. Completely unintentionally, I burst into tears. I don’t think that that was the reaction he was expecting to get but he offered such genuine concern that I’m almost glad it happened. Students often joke at they are “just a number” at UofT but I find that there are many shoulders to lean on if you reach out.

So reach out!

- Use your friends and family as support. Talk to your professors and your registrar. You’ll be surprised to learn that more people care than it initially seems.

- Learn to change your expectations and priorities. Set boundaries and say “no.” There’s a limit to the number of tasks you can juggle so cut yourself some slack.

- Take yourself out.

- Smile.

- Splurge on a massage or a better printer. Or on whatever will help you get over the slump.

- Attend campus events, like those held by St. Mike’s: March Forward (http://smccampuslife.tumblr.com/post/44631112270/keep-calm-and-march-forward). Remind yourself that there are living, talking, walking people out there!

It can be so uplifting to realize that the people around us recognize that we’re not essay-producing, midterm-writing, responsibility-fulfilling machines. And we need to recognize it too.

Till next week,

Ishita

Dear Mom and Dad:

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Sarah

The other day, my mother walked into my room and saw me sleeping next to my laptop, with a textbook as my pillow surrounded by laundry to be done, paper plates to be thrown away and garbage yet to be taken out. I was the ultimate hot mess after a failed all nighter. Why? Because I’d JUST caught up with school after falling a week behind with the reading week madness. She got so worried about my condition that she booked a doctor’s appointment for the next day about my odd sleeping and eating patterns (which I obviously will be skipping because of school commitments). From this point on, I have a few more 15 pagers left, but they are all political theory papers which I ENJOY working on, so stress levels are lessening. But nonetheless, ESSAY SEASON is among us, friends. And everyone knows how annoying parents can be during this stressful time of the year…so to help you out, forward this letter to your parents.

Dear Mom and Dad:

For the next two months, I need you to LLEAAAVVVEE ME ALOOONNE. This is how I feel when you express your concern during this time of the year.

I know my eating schedule is messed up. I know I haven’t been sleeping. I know that I’m behind on my vitamins. I know I look like the Undertaker.

I KNOW.

So please stop nagging me to clean my room, to take a shower or to start eating healthier…

at least for the next few weeks. I promise to listen to you after this madness because frankly I am concerned by my behaviour too.

It means the world to me that you care so much about the quality of my existence, but right now all I need from you is emotional support. I am so scared I won’t be able to meet these deadlines. Do you know what missing a deadline or failing to perform on an assignment/test this time of the year means? Thirty or more per cent of your mark or opportunity to do better in the class GONE. Do you know how huge some late penalties are in university? Do you know that everything is like magically due around the same time of the year which means that there is no way to have enough time to prepare enough.

Please don’t yell at me about where I am going to, or not, end up in my life by behaving like this. I don’t know. And the last thing I need to think about when trying to stay sane in the madness is my future. Also, please refrain from criticizing the way I look because my self-esteem is already dwindling because of that horrible paper I just handed in.

But you can do the following:
1)Tell me how amazing you think I am for enduring modern day university pressures and for not giving up when times get tough. I need all the external validation I can get right now. Good-morning, have-a-good day text messages, funny stories, pep talks…I need them more than ever to survive the home stretch.
2)Cook me meals. The reason I’ve been skipping meals and just snacking is that I don’t have time to prepare the meals. Coming home to a cooked meal after a long day of S-T-R-E-S-S is quite possibly one of the best feelings in the world. Food always tastes better when someone makes it for you.
3)Surprise clean my room. I’m not asking you to clean my room or organize all of my stuff (don’t do that, there’s a certain logic to everything and messing it up will get in the way of my morning routine of getting ready in 2 minutes). Coming home to a bed that’s been made is a really good feeling because it’s nice to know there is some order amongst all the chaos.
4)Be supportive.
I assure you things will be back to normal in May and I’ll be that beautiful, happy daughter of yours with healthy glowing skin, clean hair and fabulous outfits. But for now, just look at pictures of me from the past or something to make up for the lack of me in your life.

xoxo
Your Child at U of T

- Sarah

May 2013
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