From The Think to The Do

Posted on May 1, 2013 by aziza

The first of May is here – finally! And so begins my summer. I can store my school work away and leave my books in my room, instead of letting them carve perma-holes in my backpack. It’s been a whirlwind of a year for me here at U of T – new people, new ideas, new stressors, and an interesting dynamic between sameness and constant change. At times I’ve felt like Kramer, a few (very few) times like Sheldon but mostly like Samwise – a bit of a wanderer in this strange new space called U of T. Sam always craves potatoes. I always crave tea. We are not so different!

A friend of mine recently wrote a blog about spring and renewal, which got me thinking about my own life. One of my goals for this year and beyond is to focus on Doing and Being, instead of just Thinking. Hmmm. A tricky thing for someone like me, who gets lost in thought. Correction, lost in Many Thoughts. I’m pretty sure that my mind is a leafy labyrinth filled with comfy chairs, cozy throws and west-facing sunny rooms designed for Great Thinks.

I took an Aboriginal Worldviews class with Professor Jean-Paul Restoule at OISE this semester, which was rather life-changing. It moved me from the Think to the Do. Each class began with a Smudging ceremony, which is all about using the Sage plant to cleanse a space of negative energy. I usually entered class a bit frazzled, my mind jumping between to-dos and must-haves and what-nots. And yet, by the time each of us had drawn the smoke from the Sage over our hands, hearts and faces, I always felt grounded and calm. Professor Restoule would end the ceremony by giving thanks for the grass, for the trees, for winter, for the opportunity we had to gather together again, and so on. We were all brought to the present moment. That’s a beautiful way to start, well, anything, isn’t it?

I decided to start be a bit more grateful for regular things every day. It’s a curious thing: the more I gave thanks, the more content I was with who I was and how my life was taking shape. The less I looked at how others around me were doing and the more I focused on what I could do to create change. You know that paralyzed feeling you get when you realize just how much more you need to get done? Well, those moments came fewer and further between. And, the more I did. I started taking a bit of time to draw and paint again. I started to take a few minutes to close my eyes and breathe in silence in the morning. Bit by bit, I started on a journey of renewal and change.

I have always been focused on next steps. When is the next paper due? What am I making for dinner that will last me a few days? How can I best plan my day/week/month/year? The act of writing these words makes me feel rushed. It is no secret that the life of an undergraduate or graduate student can often be stressful, scattered and difficult. So it was a beautiful gift to learn to be grateful for what just is.

Being grateful for even the smallest things (It’s sunny! I can feel my fingers! My taste buds can still taste this ghastly coffee!) helped me get through was must be the longest winter I can remember. Expressing gratitude is a form of doing. It is giving positivity back to a world which throws a lot of positivity my way too.

You have all written exams, handed in papers, and completed final labs over the last few weeks. Some of you have four months of Summer. Others of you are closing your chapter at U of T, and heading onto other wondrous things. Good Luck. Take a moment to create renewal for yourself (it feels great!).

In the spirit of Spring Cleaning, Happiness and Mental Health Awareness, check out MindFest at Hart House next Monday, May 6th. Activities include exhibit booths, an art crawl, film screenings, workshops, guest speakers (Steve Paiken!), free food, stand-up comedy, and prizes.

- 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

Some new experiences in my final days

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Matteo

The next seven days or so are going to be my last at the University of Toronto (as an undergrad, anyway) and while you would think that during this time I would be winding down my university life, locking myself in the library in an attempt to make it through the perilous end-of-year-essays/final exam season, I find myself instead experiencing the opposite — engaging in a lot of “firsts” — for the first time.

Upon reflection, these experiences are a testament to the sheer amount of stuff there is to do, see, and experience at U of T. It also goes to reinforce the idea that just because I, along with my fellow graduating students, may be ending our academic time with the university, this does not necessarily prohibit us from new experiences with the institution. I would also hope to encourage those you who expect to graduate next year to make the most of your undergraduate experience and take some time to explore all that the U of T has to offer.

What are these experiences I’m referring to? Well, let me tell you!

Ate at Veda:

The other day a friend and I decided to grab lunch. We wanted to go somewhere relatively cheap and preferably somewhere on-campus. She recommended this Indian place called “Veda,” I had never heard of it before and was willing to try something new. After leading me deep into the inner-workings of the Galbraith Building we came across the little take-out restaurant. Upon first impression, I’ll admit it didn’t seem like much, but whatever the place lacked in aesthetic appeal it more than made up in food quality and price. I got a vegetable rice bowl with two types of curry — all for $5.00! It was thoroughly delicious and perfectly proportioned for a healthy lunch. I only wish I had known about Veda earlier, it’s definitely now one of my favourite eateries on campus!

Sought essay advice from a prof:

I must admit that I am a little ashamed it took me five years to do this task, but the other day I went to visit a professor of mine for advice on a paper…for the first time in my undergraduate career. The experience itself was very useful as my professor indeed provided insights about how I should go about writing and structuring my essay. I don’t really know why it took me this long to seek this sort of assistance from a prof — I mean I have met with professors many times for many different, perhaps even more nerve-wracking reasons (see: asking for a letter of reference). My outgoing advice to all you students is to not be hesitant to seek assignment advice from your professors! It was definitely a welcome experience and I would like to think that my essay will benefit from it!

Visited Noranda:

Just yesterday, I joined a friend in visiting the Noranda Earth Sciences Library for the first time. Now I know some you might think I’m crazy for thinking that “going to a library” is a significant experience, especially given the fact that many of us are currently lamenting the sheer amount of time we’re spending stuck inside Robarts as the Spring weather begins to settle in. But to me, the University of Toronto Library System should be respected not only for being one of the top academic library systems in the world and for the sheer amount of books and knowledge and learning contained within them, but also for their architectural design, layout, and concept. These buildings were erected to bring together the two essential components that make up a university: students and learning. To me entering a library is akin to entering a shrine; a library is a place of knowledge, history, and academic rigor.

These are three new experiences I’ve had at the U of T over the last seven days, and with only seven days left to go in my undergraduate degree I’m eager to see what I have yet to see and do at the university!

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

Post-Grad Blues

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Sarah

My post-grad plans as of now

My dad always says: “if you are too busy focusing on whats on the plate of another, then the food on your own plate will go cold” or something like that. Lately, I’ve been feeling like the ultimate loser. I don’t know where my life is going. I feel like my degree is worthless in the sense that I have no idea how to convert it into a “future”. I have no idea how to start planning what I am going to be doing next year. I feel like my chances at my dream future (the one first year me used to think about) have been unfairly tampered with because of the craziness that is my personal situation. And I keep thinking that its just not fair that I have to deal with so much and be expected to compete with people with easier lives for the same opportunities.

The universe has presented me with three opportunities: 1) What my parents want, 2)What I think I want and 3) What I really need. But I feel like that I’m either 1) not ready to make the commitment, 2) not willing to settle for less than the best and 3) scared to take a year off because I have no idea how I would spend all that time.

And it doesn’t help that my Facebook feed is full of “I GOT A JOB AT ___” “I JUST GOT INTO LAW SCHOOLLL X” “I’M GOING TO ___ FOR GRAD SCHOOL”. I can’t help but feel like everything I’ve done in the last four years was meaningless because I am graduating now with no idea how to convert it into a future.

SUPER FLAWED THINKING

You know why?

1) Because I am understanding all of the moments of my four years and the experiences as a means to an end. The university experience is not supposed to be an input-output transaction. And its silly of me to value the worth of my undergraduate experiences based on whether I got into the post-grad school or the job of my dreams or whether my post-grad life is all nicely planned.

2) I need to stop comparing myself to others! It is eating me alive! Just because other people don’t have a similar situation as mine, does not necessarily mean that their lives are easier. Everybody is suffering (its a part of the human condition) not in different quantities, but in different qualities. To say that my life is harder than yours, is to undermine and de-legitimate the experiences of another–which is not cool SARAH ! And just because A, B and C got their dream post-grad output does not mean that my future is doomed. My time will come.

3) I also need to stop stressing about planning the future. I honestly never know what I’m really going to do until I am actually doing it. And I think that is the case for everyone. This year was full of so much heartbreak rooted in unmet expectations and failed planning. I just don’t want to plan anymore, I just want to DO.

4) And my final worry, separation anxiety. Why is it that when at the end of the year you always end up getting super close with all of your friends and everything seems to be good in terms of your social life? Only this time, its not the end of the year, I’m not going to see a lot of my friends in September…maybe never again. And that is freaking me out.
Looks like I’m my own worst enemy once again. I’m trying to get out of the post-grad funk but first, I need to finish a few 15-pagers and then I can process and mediate on the despair.

Are we on the same page fellow fourth-years?

-Sarah

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

exam jammin’

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Abdullah

Hey U of T! Hope this week wasn’t too stressful for you. Remember, only a few more weeks until you get to dance your way out of the Exam Centre. Yes, it’s a dreadful paradox. Freedom is so close, but as it inches ever closer, so too does the impeding doom that is the E word or the thing that must not be named. Because every year it’s like this:

To prepare, you have a few options.

Listen to R&B heartache songs at 3 AM and grieve with NeYo about the impending stress event. True, NeYo is probably singing about a girl — but you can pretend he’s “so sick of exams” instead of love songs.
Go raid your nearest Metro and prepare the bunker. Your soups, your crackers, your nuts, your dried fruit and your coffee/tea. Also; make sure to get fresh fruit and veggie and store them in your bunker fridge – because otherwise you’ll get scurvy. And scurvy sucks.
Organize your stuff. I did this today, I feel proud of myself.
Go to Robarts. Don’t open a book or anything. Just sit there. Sit there for a while. Observe how many people look at you.
Tell yourself that YOU ARE FIERCE.
After studying very hard, head on down to the most fun place during exams .. Sidney Smith!

Wait what? You’re probably saying, they put those fancy banners on Sid Smith and now he thinks the place is the salt of the Earth. Full disclosure: I spend a lot of my time at Sid Smith, so after a while, you do come to appreciate the brutalist architecture. Somewhat. But no! I’m talking about Exam Jam!

Exam Jam is an event held jointed by ASSU and the Faculty of Arts and Science, as well with Hart House, MoveU, UeaT, the Faculty of Kinesology and Phys. Ed, Health and Wellness and the Academic Success Centre. It’s in its second year and is a day during exam period meant for distressing. We had it last semester and they are bringing it back for you on Monday April 8th.

Last time there were puppies, there was a BUTTON making machine (most fun of life I am telling you), there was free coffee and not just any coffee – SECOND CUP coffee. There were free snacks, yoga sessions, free massages, life sized Jenga, among other things. Exam Jam is a drop in event, so you can drop in when you feel tired of Robarts, or you can utilize the open study rooms located in Sidney Smith.

So, make sure to come on out to Exam Jam on April 8th to destress! The puppies will be waiting for you.

It’s Crunch Time!

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Lori

It’s crunch time! I mean that literally because I have a twenty page paper due in a few days that is still in the midst of being born from my mind. I also mean that figuratively because during what has been a very painful three day essay writing marathon, I have been relieving my stress with crunchy food.

So I started on Friday night with carrots, a healthy option. These provided me with the crunch I was seeing and had the extra bonus of not messing up my writing space. This healthy option sustained my need for crunch for the night.

Saturday was required a snack with a crunch slightly more extreme crunch factor. This is why at 11pm on Saturday night instead of writing my essay I was searching through my storage room for my deep fryer. I found the fryer and proceeded to make these little wonders…

Beer battered onion rings my fellow students…mmmmmmmm! Admittedly not the healthiest of snack options, but with all that essay writing I deserved a treat. And also, onions are a vegetable…let’s justify it like that.

These are fast and easy to make…get an onion, slice it into ring and pop out the centre of the rings, in a bowl mix up some flour, salt, baking soda, and cornstarch and and then stir in a cup of your favorite beer. (If you don’t drink alcohol you can actually replace the beer with water.) Dip your onions in the batter and fry for 3 mins in oil warmed to 375 degrees.

So that was Saturday. On Sunday, i was feeling guilty for eating so many onion rings so I turned to another crunchy alternative that is a bot more healthy than onion rings. Toasted pita with eggplant dip.

The recipe for this is a bit more involved than the onion rings, so I’ll post the link here. This provided a low fat option that gave me the required saltiness and crunch that I was craving.

Three straight days of writing is exhausting. I don’t usually do this. I like to start my papers nice and early, but this term I simply ran out of time. Now I find myself scrambling to finish the list of assignments on my calendar that are all due next week.

I find taking a few minutes to eat something really good makes weekends like this not as bad. It’s a treat for every few pages I finish. It wards off sleep and lethargic writing.

If my tummy is happy then my brain usually works a lot better!

Happy writing people.

-Lori

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