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

An Artsy Afternoon

Posted on April 24, 2013 by aziza

Contemporary art and I have an interesting relationship. Sometimes we get along, like two dancers weaving to a rhythmic beat, and other times we tip-toe in each others’ spaces, like hesitant friends at an awkward dinner party.

So it was with a bit of a sense of the unknown that I made my way to the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery to check out the current exhibition, I Thought There Were Limits. As I stepped into the gallery, I reacted as I usually do when it comes to contemporary art exhibits. I wondered: where is the art, and why is there so much space? I like creating art, but my paintings and drawings are a mish-mash of colours and shapes, words and half-finished poems, swirls, strikes, dots, random pairings of patterns and symbols…absolutely nothing like the art that stood staring back at me, daring me to take a leap.

And so, I leapt.

According to the colourful program that I picked up, the exhibit brings together five artists who “engage with both the material and conceptual dimensions of space”. Ah, Space, that most elusive of things. The exhibit spans two rooms, with one room hosting most of the art pieces, and the other engulfed by Kika Thorne’s piece titled Singularity (pictured below). I won’t go into detail about each work of art. I want you, my friend, to go and take a look!

Singularity by Kika Thorne

However, one piece caught my eye. It took the shape of a giant shiny silver blanket of sorts, slightly crumpled and lying on the floor. Not surprisingly, the piece was called Space Blanket, by Josh Thorpe. Yet it was the sound recording that formed the backdrop for the blanket which got me thinking. At first I thought I was hearing noise from the subway cars (if you’re ever in a lecture at OISE, you know what I’m talking about). Then, as I listened more closely, I realized that what I was hearing was a succession of footsteps that got increasingly louder, and then simply fell away. Intertwined with the sound of footsteps was the sound of classical music.

It could have been my imagination (that afternoon sunlight can play tricks sometimes). but every time the footsteps grew louder, the silver blanket moved ever so slightly – just enough to make me believe that perhaps it was moving on its own.

All of which got me thinking about Space. I was the gallery’s only visitor. I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds around me. It seemed as though time had stopped, and I was carried by whatever note the music played next. I opened my eyes and found myself in rather empty space filled with sound and a few works of art. I realized that the title for the exhibit – I Thought There Were Limits – fit really well. There are no limits, until you create them. The art that did have physical limits in that open space did not have limits in my mind. Now that, my friend, is profound.

Since I had thought all the deep thoughts I had inside me, it was time to go. I really enjoyed Josh Thorpe’s work, but I could only reflect for so long on potential interpretations. So, off I went, only to be bowled over in Hart House’s next corridor by the Hart House Camera Club’s annual exhibit.

According to their website, the exhibit ended on April 21. I managed to catch it, and you may have a chance as well in the next couple of days. I must have spent a good 20 minutes immersing myself in all of the photographs, and creating stories as I went along. The photographs are fantastic!

Aaron Tan’s Tension is a compelling piece:

Tension, by Aaron Tan

Art Chow’s work is also wonderful:

Observer, by Art Chow

I was pleasantly surprised by both Justina M. Barnicke’s current exhibit, and my spontaneous discovery of the Camera Club’s eye-opening exhibit (its 91st edition, I might add). Have a spare hour or so? Treat yourself to an afternoon of art at Hart House. You may just be inspired to create spaces and stories of your own!

-Aziza

For more information about Hart House’s Camera Club, check out their website.

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

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

anything you can do, i can do better

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Abdullah

I had to really sit down and think about what I would write about this week. Especially due to recent events, but despite the controversial nature of what I’m about to blog about I feel like it needs to be said. (That being said, I would like to reassert that the following are my opinions, not those of the Arts and Science Students’ Union (ASSU) or anybody else.)

Election season ended off with a bang. Sana Ali, Team Renew’s VP-External forfeited the election with a letter that she posted on Facebook. In response, a few days later, the Renew slate came out with a response to the letter in a two part YouTube video (part 1, part 2). I have linked both so that you, the readers can decide for yourselves what to believe. Needless to say this debate has been passionate and emotional. As a student union executive, I have to say that I am glad that students are engaging with their student union and giving their input into what they think their student union should look like. (I also have my own respective opinions on the UTSU, the Canadian Federation of Students and the college council based opposition structure. However, for the purposes of this blog post, I won’t divulge into those at the moment.)

Since I began covering this story for The Varsity a year ago, I have become familiar with both sides of the divide and their points. Both have good points that deserve proper discussion. However, what I have seen is passion and emotions get the best of people and arguments become lost in translation a midst a sea of angry voices. I’ve seen Facebook statuses written, Facebook pages created, catchy Twitter handles, and some very fancy Photoshop work. But at the end of all this, we really should ask ourselves – have we really achieved anything? I’d say we’ve achieved more polarization.

Mobilization is good – but only if it’s productive. And thus far, the way both sides have presented their arguments have been far from productive, focusing on individuals, accusations and defamation. What we risk is both sides becoming so entrenched in their side of the ideological divide that they refuse to consider the other’s point of view. As a result, a lot of students whose cup of tea isn’t a good ole hard fought game of political football will turn away from being involved in their student union. And that’s a really sad thought.

This year I decided to stay out of UTSU elections. I didn’t write about it for the Varsity and I tried not to pay attention to it. And if a student like me who sits on an adjacent student union and clearly is not apathetic about the issues, choses to turn away due to the atmosphere, how many more students will?

How people react to student politics.

I have seen events play out this year and people have reacted to these events like their team just scored the winning touchdown with one minute to go in the Super Bowl, or even worse, like successful revolutionaries after storming the Bastille. There’s nothing wrong with being passionate and being happy when things go your way, but doing this excessively can be hurtful to those who don’t agree with you. There is also the issue of throwing out the word “students” excessively. Both sides like to position themselves as if they are the only legitimate student voices and that they truly represent the students. Now, we aren’t even getting into debates about the issues, we are getting into debates about who is more legitimate as a student voice. We need to articulate our arguments respectfully and make sure that we are arguing for the sake of our campus, not for the sake of being the winner in an argument and telling off the other side.

Let us go forward with a productive discussion and debate on our student union and college councils. And if we find that we have to run referenda in our colleges as to our membership in the student union, I like others ask the debates around this be done be in the good spirit of being in the best interest of students and again not to smite each other or prove a point.

- Abdullah

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

So that’s how the pros do it..

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Lesia

Have you ever watched professional athletes on TV in awe, wondering how on earth their bodies could be so fast and strong? Watching them amazes me, and I’ve often wondered what goes on behind the scenes – what do they eat? How much rest do they need to recover? It’s made me think about my own exercise and health habits… Are there specific foods I should eat after a hard workout? Do I really need to stretch? Am I drinking enough water?

Well, earlier this week I learned about all of this and more, thanks to the Hart
House Recreational Athletics Committee. They hosted the seminar “Keys to Recovery and Regeneration” featuring Dr. Greg Wells, an established human physiologist and assistant professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education (FKPE) here at U of T. I’m glad I got there early enough to snag a front row seat with my friends, as the room was packed!

Source: Hart House Recreational Athletics Committee Facebook Page

The lecture was very interesting and informative – Dr. Well’s didn’t talk just about exercise or training, but about how other key factors can influence our performance as well. One of the first things he mentioned was how crucial it is to constantly hydrate your body throughout the day. He also talked about how food is essentially our fuel and that we need to replenish our bodies with the right stuff – lots of whole foods!

Source: bbc.co.uk

Along with proper nutrition, Dr. Well’s emphasized getting enough sleep and de-stressing our minds as well as our bodies. Unsurprisingly, these are areas where many of us busy students often fall short (myself included!). But as he explains in this video, taking a little bit of time out of our day to meditate, do some yoga, or walk through a park can really benefit our health and well-being in the long run.

This was the first time I went to a Hart House Recreational Athletics Committee event, and I’m looking forward to attending more seminars. If you missed out, you can connect with Dr. Well’s and check out some resources via his website, Facebook or Twitter.

Also, March just so happens to be Nutrition Month, and to celebrate the FKPE is hosting some FREE talks on nutrition and exercise in the upcoming weeks! The one on Friday, March 15^th will be all about healthy eating habits, and Monday March 18^th will focus on proper nutrition for exercise/sports. Check out the Facebook event for more details!

-Lesia

PS: Once you hit up the links and events I mentioned above, there’ll be no more excuses to skip exercise – and that’s exactly what the MoveU Crew wants to hear this month! Every Tuesday they will tweet an excuse NOT to work out. And they want students to tweet back (#Excuse Eraser) their excuse-busters for a chance to win some cool prizes! If you aren’t on Twitter, no problem – you can find out more details on Facebook too.

In Honour of the Women In Our Lives

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Vivian

This Friday is International Women’s Day.

It’s a day to celebrate the progress made thus far for women’s equality and emancipation. But the work is far from done and IWD should also serve as a reminder that we, as a society, still need to work to ensure that gender equality continues to progress.

For example, while much progress has been made in shifting society’s perspectives on gender divisions in the workplace, how much have we altered our cultural expectations of the female aesthetic? What makes a woman ‘beautiful’ or ‘desirable’? To what extent do we tie a woman’s value to how she appears aesthetically? Most importantly, what message is this sending to young girls and women about how they’re valued in society?

Miss Representation, a 2011 documentary, seeks to address these issues of female misrepresentation in the media and how it has led to under-representation of females in positions of influence and power in society.

Although a screening of the documentary at U of T has just passed, it’s a fitting documentary to take a look at, either alone or by arranging a screening, in honour of IWD (it’s available for borrowing from Robarts!).

However, there are a number of events taking place on campus on March 8. Green Dot is hosting Dissolve, a one-woman performance about what can go wrong on a night out on the town, to raise awareness about drug-facilitated sexual assault. Although sexual assault can happen to anyone regardless of gender, women have traditionally been, and continue to be, particularly at risk. Another interesting event to consider attending is a one-hour lecture by Dr. Faye Mishna, a leading U of T expert, on women’s rights in the cyber world.

Regardless of whether or not you attend an event on IWD, I encourage taking this Friday (and the rest of the month) to acknowledge, celebrate, and appreciate the women in your life. At the same time, let’s think of ways that we can continue building on the foundations and progress that have been made thus far in achieving gender equality on campus and, more largely, in society.

And for the girls out there, here’s some encouragement from my homegirl Alicia Keys to keep changing the world:

“We got our head in the clouds,

And we’re not coming down.”

Is there a female that you admire? Feel free to share in the comments!

- Vivian

Girls, Let’s Talk.

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Vivian

Girls like to talk (I’m sure many guys can attest to that!). When we’re out with our girlfriends, it seems like every topic is fair game.

But where does sexual health fit into our conversations? Or does it?

Queue crickets chirping and awkward silence.

I have to admit, it’s such a personal topic that many of us (yes, myself included!) feel too uncomfortable talking about it for fear of being judged, misinterpreted or having what we say be accidently leaked to the outside world. But sexual health is an important topic because it touches on issues that can affect every aspect of our lives.

Health & Wellness provides an interesting solution: Girl Talk. These sessions address female sexual health and healthy relationships in a safe, informal, inclusive and welcoming way, through open dialogue. The aim of Girl Talk is to provide female UofT students with information they want to know, through an anonymous Q&A. The greatest part of this program is that the talks take place in a small group facilitated by a female nursing student, and can be arranged by any group of girls (women) as long as there is a private room on campus to host it in.

Girl Talk seeks to debunk myths and give women accurate information that can help them to make informed decisions about their health in addition to building self-efficacy when it comes to negotiating safer sex practices. For example, the new Pap test guidelines set out by Cancer Care Ontario now recommend that women over the age of 21 and who are or who have been sexually active get a Pap test every three years. This is different from Health Canada, which recommended annual screening beginning at 18. So what do these changes mean and how can they affect our health? I’m not sure, are you?

Moreover, Talking and being informed about sexual health does not have to be limited to individuals that are sexually active. In fact, it’s just as important, if not more so, to know what you’re getting into before you get into it. Deciding to become sexually active or not is a choice that we all will make at different times in our lives. For many people, this can often be a life-changing decision. Wouldn’t you like to be prepared?

So whether you are sexually active or not, if you would like to know more about your body and sexual health, why not attend a Girl Talk session.

We’re here in university to learn. However, that learning doesn’t have to be solely academic. Would you write an exam without studying for it? Probably not! Get informed about your sexual health–book Girl Talk and learn how to be sexually healthy.

Let’s Talk!

- Vivian

Interested in arranging for a Girl Talk session? Feel free to contact nicole.martucci@utoronto.ca or Kathryn.Haworth@utoronto.ca

Living Leadership at U of T

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Matteo

A few weeks ago I was approached to do an interview for Living Leadership, a Ulife blog – and cousin to Life @ U of T. For this week’s post I figured I’d transcribe that interview for you below – with the interviewer’s permission, of course. In the interview I discuss what leadership means to me, what the university could do better to promote student involvement, as well as a myriad of other topics. If nothing else this is a good opportunity for you to get to know your favourite blogger a bit better!

The interviewer’s questions are in bold with my response following subsequently.

What year/area of study are you in?

I’m studying Political Science as a major and doing minors in Philosophy and Semiotics & Communication Theory. I’m in my final year of study (also known as a 5^th year).

What leadership roles have you taken over the years at UofT?

Most of the leadership roles I have taken have been based at my home college of Victoria. Over the years I have been an Orientation Week Leader, the head and founder of a variety of clubs, including an undergraduate journal for the humanities called HUMANITAS – we are currently accepting submissions for our Spring 2013 issue. Submit today! (please excuse the shameless self-promotion). I was also a Don as a part of a new Commuter Experience program and a Victoria University Students’ Administrative Council elected member. I currently represent Victoria University students on the college’s Board of Regents (its governing council) and I also write for the Life @ U of T student blog for the Faculty of Arts & Science (read my posts! – more shameless self-promotion, sorry).

Have you found a distinct difference between college/faculty involvement, and larger UofT involvement?

I can’t really comment on this one as, again, almost all of my student involvement has been centered at Vic. My brief exposure to the wider university though the Life @ U of T blog has been really neat and has allowed me to meet a lot of interesting people I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet otherwise.

What prompted you to get involved?

As cliché as it may sound; it was the new opportunities that go along with attending university that was the motivating factor in me deciding to get involved in student life. Despite always wanting to do more in the extracurricular realm in high school I simply felt that I didn’t have the support structure to really pursue leadership-related activities – i.e. none of my friends wanted to do them with me. Once I began my undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto I figured that it was ‘now or never’ for extracurricular involvement and I just decided to start doing things. The first being the founding of a (now defunct) student club in my 2^nd year where we would just get together and play video games.

I also largely credit my getting involved to being enrolled at Victoria University. The entirety of the Vic administration (from the President’s Office, to the Dean, to VUSAC, etc.) does an exceptional job at creating an environment at Victoria where students not only have the opportunity to get involved, but feel comfortable in doing so – not to mention that the student community at Vic is very welcoming and receptive to new individuals and ideas. I am very fortunate to be attending Victoria and have no doubt that if I had attended another college – or another university – I would not be involved in things to the extent that I am today.

What’s something rewarding you got out of being involved?

The opportunity to see your ideas and initiatives become actualized in the real world is probably the most rewarding thing about being involved. You realize that your actions and decisions have a real tangible impact on the communities of which you are a part!

People talk a lot about how extracurriculars enhance their academics. Do you find this is true?

I am not too sure about that, to be honest. I would instead argue that getting involved in extracurricular activities makes you more invested in your undergraduate life as a whole – not just your academics. Extracurricular activities makes school more enjoyable and if you are more engaged with university life then perhaps this translates into you enjoying the academic side of things a bit more (or maybe it helps you cope with your studies, in the very least) than if you weren’t involved at all.

It is also true that extracurricular involvement teaches you many skills – time management, organization, social skills, etc. – which could enhance your academic success, I suppose.

What’s your favourite thing about having gotten involved?

The opportunity to be a part of, and have an impact on, the Victoria University community is probably my favourite thing about having gotten involved. Through my involvement at Vic I have been able to work with a number of amazing individuals across all types of offices, councils, teams, committees, and organizations. I also met most of my dearest friends through my extracurricular involvement and I honestly can’t imagine what my life as an undergraduate would be like if I never got involved (again, as cliché as this may sound, it’s true).

What makes someone a leader, in your opinion?

To me a leader is someone who makes an impact on the communities of which they are apart. It takes creativity, drive, and a willingness to do something for its own sake – not for the sake of something else. True leaders do what they do because they believe in it, not in order to attain some other end.

What do you wish UofT did more of, as far as student involvement goes?

Again, my involvement has remained relatively Vic-centric so I cannot really comment on how the wider U of T goes about doing things. However, if there was one thing I wish that the U of T did more of with regards to student involvement it would be better communication about what student involvement entails. There are plenty of opportunities for student involvement at U of T, there just needs to be better communication about them, what they entail, and how one goes about pursuing them. Students need help with those initial steps, leaving their ‘comfort zone,’ so to speak. I’m not sure most students know how easy it really is to get involved in something and how doing so isn’t an all-or-nothing game. The sheer amount of opportunities available at the U of T allows students to tailor their involvement to suit their personal needs. You don’t have to take a 5^th year, live on campus, or accept a low GPA to be involved in student life!

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