Category Archives: Groups & Clubs

The Mighty DIY

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So I’ve never been all that handy of a person. Creative, yes, but handy? No. Case in point: I bought 5 simple wooden shelves from Ikea in January that are still merrily leaning against my bedroom wall. It’s (sigh) May.

Perhaps it was the home culture I grew up in – don’t get me wrong, my family is wonderful and have no qualms getting their hands dirty. But they work on things that need fixing or maintaining. Ask them to invent something new just for the sake of it? They would much rather “invent” another cup of chai. Extra strong, please.

Mmm Indian Chai

I was 13 when I sewed together some rather hideous scraps of corduroy together and created my very first wearable article. It was a simple corduroy purse, and I had made it from cutting up a pair of baggy, equally hideous pants that I had bought from Value Village (or, as we used to call it then, the VV Boutique).

I paraded my purse (might I add that it was this terrible brown colour) proudly to my parents and brother. Instead of the exclamations of wonder that my ear was ready to hear, I heard stifled laughter instead. My mom couldn’t stop laughing. And my brother? A lost cause. If I could see the purse now, I’m sure I would laugh too. I’m fairly certain that the stitching would be quite uneven, and the strap would be wider one side than another. Like the pants from which it came, it too would probably be, well, hideous.

The Treasures of VV Boutique

All the same, it was my creation, and I loved it for what it was. I told my mom the other day that if she had encouraged my spritely talent, I might have been a famous fashion designer by now. She dissolved into fits of laughter at the memory of the purse instead.

Is it any wonder that I can now make an amazing cup of chai?

Can't have chai without snacks

All this to say that I have chosen this summer to challenge my rather complacent attitude towards DIY projects. Carrying on with my commitment to do and not just think, I’ve decided to see what things I can create or reuse rather than buying everything new all the time.

To help myself along, I’ve been checking out resources on campus that promote DIY adventures. My findings so far: U of T has an impressive array of places to go to if you want to learn a new trade. For instance, want to learn how to repair your bike? U of T’s Bikechain is the place for you!

Stay tuned for next week’s post, as I delve into where to explore hands-on activities on campus, from cooking and gardening, to creating interactive displays and even android apps.

As for keeping my commitment, I suppose I should begin with those Ikea shelves…

-Aziza

An Artsy Afternoon

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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)

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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

oh the places you’ll go.

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“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…” – Oh The Places You’ll Go, by Dr. Seuss.

Surprisingly, that quote and that video are related. Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with a grand conspiracy involving John Lennon, Dr. Seuss and an impostor who acted as Paul McCartney after the real Paul died.  It has to do with my days in elementary school. One grade, I forget when, my teacher opened up class by reading the Seuss book. And then later, we celebrated the retirement of a Beatles-crazy teacher by singing “Hello, Goodbye” in an assembly fit for Sergeant Pepper himself. One event marked the beginning of something, the other was part of a fitting end to a career. Here was the beginning and now, my friends, this marks the end of our blogging journey together.

When I started blogging this year, I had just finished my first year and now all of a sudden, I’m heading into my third year. I’m sure many of you are asking the same question. “Oh my! I’m graduating!” “I’m going into second year!” “I’m going into my LAST year! OMG.” “OMG YAY UNIVERSITY HERE I COME.” Chances are you are saying one of those things right now. I’d like to think that I’ve grown over this past year, and chances are I have — but it’s gone by so quickly, that it’s really hard to tell. This year, I had the chance to do so many things, from joining ASSU to stuffing myself at a barbeque to engaging in weekly religious discussions about life, to volunteering at a soup kitchen. And I discovered Diabolos and took out a book from stacks for the first time! I realized that we all fill the void in each other’s lives with our stories, that we shouldn’t necessarily define ourselves by our prospective careers and that we should carry out our discussions in an atmosphere of respect. I hope you had just as a good time reading about my journey this year as I did living it.

So here we are. No matter what stage you are at in your university career, we will still all be going somewhere. Either you will be stepping on this campus for the first time come September and remark that everything looks like Hogwarts.

Or you’ll strut across the stage at Convocation Hall in June making 35325235235 hours spent in Robarts worth it.

Or maybe you’re like me, at the middle of your university career. Wondering whats next.

And well, in my case, I don’t know whats next. But I know that opportunities are lurking around each corner on this campus, and it is up to me to go and seek them out. Up to me to ultimately get the university experience I want both inside and outside the classroom. You may be wondering whether you are doing things right, or whether you are involved enough, or whether you are too anti-social, or if you should change majors because you aren’t interested in the material. These are questions we all have to deal with during our undergraduate career. But, despite being unsure of the future, I do know what I have learned.

At U of T, there are a lot of opportunities waiting for you. This is the most accessible research university in the country, top notch professors and wide variety of courses await you. Our campus is steeped in history and breathtaking architecture. You can have coffee in the JCR, study Drosophila at the Earth Sciences Centre and have some Zumba fun at Hart House all in one day. Now, life at U of T, I admit, isn’t always a paradise. It’s hard and I’m struggling to adapt as well, still in my second year. What I’ve learned is, we should be confident in our own abilities and not fret over the accomplishments of others. This is our undergraduate career and we should take it at our own pace. Do what you can handle, there’s no need to experience all of U of T. We all have different niches on campus after all. But don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone once in a while to try something new.

And if you ever feel stressed sometimes, like I do, stop and take a breather. Focus on the little things. Your coffee from Diabolos, small concepts in your lectures, the beauty of the downtown campus on a spring day. In the hustle and bustle of student life, sometimes its just helpful to stop and take note of our surroundings.

It’s been fun blogging for you, U of T. Go out and do big things. I’ll see you later.

- Abdullah

In the Spotlight: Leave The Pack Behind

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This week, I had the opportunity to speak to Danielle Cadhit, 4th year Art History and International Relations student, and the Campus Program Coordinator for the UofT St. George chapter of Leave The Pack Behind (LTPB).  I learned a lot of interesting information that I would like to share with you.

Source: UofT LTPB Facebook page

Vivian: What is LTPB and what type of activities do you engage in on campus?
Danielle: Leave the Pack Behind is a provincially government-sponsored peer-to-peer program that was introduced in 2000 to help provide support and education to students about tobacco. The key here is that the messaging is all positive – we aren’t an anti-smoking group; we are here to support, educate, and engage students about health. We facilitate various campaigns throughout the year which involve hosting displays, and walkabouts around campus to promote resources available to students. We use a lot of social media and social marketing in our communication campaigns that appeal to students in a fun way. LTPB is also available on several college and university campuses throughout Ontario and even has a program in Croatia.
V: Do you find that the needs of students are different from the general population?
D: This is a great question! This program was created with students in mind and that is why it is a peer-to-peer program. We are all students ourselves and enjoy engaging with other students and providing support.  We meet students where they are at.  As I said before, we aren’t an anti-smoking group.  If students are smokers and aren’t ready to quit smoking, we support them and if they are ready to quit smoking, we support them.   Our programs are designed even for those who don’t smoke; if someone is looking to help a friend or family member quit, we have a number of resources that may be helpful. I think the fact that social smoking is so prevalent in our age group and with the peer pressure involved, there are different needs for students that are specifically addressed in our campaigns throughout the year. For example, in early Fall around Frosh week we went to the clubs fair and Varsity games and even held a “Smoke Free Day” pub night to spread awareness of social smoking and how smoking can easily escalate to a daily habit due to stress and peer pressure. Some students do not identify themselves as smokers because they say they “only smoke when they drink”, but they do run the risk of escalating the habit once they start. So, we are here to educate and support those students who may be smoking as a result of the stresses of school and university life.

V: Do you have any recommendations in terms of resources, both on and off-campus, for students looking to quit/supporters of smokers trying to quit?
D: One of the best things about this program is the resources that have been made available through LTPB. First and foremost, students are able to get FREE Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) from the health clinic on campus (either the gum or patch). This is a great resource for students that are seriously looking to quit – especially since it is often very expensive. Our team is also here to give support to students who need help with quitting – we are always open to chatting and hearing your stories! We email back and forth with some students who need our support and have many different resources for those looking to quit.

V: What events/programming can we look forward to from LTPB in the future?
D: LTPB is always enhancing its programming from year to year. This year we did monthly prize draws for students who signed up with our rewards list and newsletter – for example, in September and January we did a U of T Bookstore gift card prize draw for $50. For the rest of the school year we are working on a campaign called “Stress Happens” and focusing on helping students throughout this stressful time. You’ll see us around campus with stress balls and other fun giveaways – especially at the Exam Jam and other related events in April!  We have just finished one of our biggest events of the year–the annual https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/395008_498306113533242_2081229453_n.jpgcontest called “wouldurather” where participants looking to quit can win up to $1000 as the provincial grand prize. This contest normally rolls around in January and is a really great opportunity for students to kick the habit especially around New Year’s resolution-making time. Best part is anyone can join especially since we have categories for daily smokers, social smokers, and non-smokers as well.

V: How can students get involved with LTPB if they’re interested?
D: In the next month, LTPB will be hiring part-time student staff for the upcoming 2013-14 team.  We will be recruiting a Campus Program Coordinator and Communication Team members Interested students can look for a posting on the U of T career website soon, and we will also be sending out information through our Facebook page. We also hire volunteers to help out with a few events throughout the year and post those positions as needed.

Do you have any questions or concerns for LTPB?  Feel free to contact the team at uoft.ltpb@gmail.com or check out the website at ltpb.org.

Source: UofT LTPB Facebook page

- Vivian

anything you can do, i can do better

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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

 

Reflections on First Year at U of T

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Seeing as how the school year is rapidly coming to an end, I thought it might be apt to share the experiences had this year by one of the university’s newest members — a first year student. In pursuit of this I approached student life rising star Jelena Djuric (pictured below) to get her take on her first-year experience at Canada’s leading academic institution. My questions are in bold with Ms. Djuric’s response following subsequently.

I would like to thank Jelena for agreeing to being featured in this week’s post.

What classes did you take in your first year? Any in particular that you enjoyed? What Program of Study do you hope to pursue going forward?

This year I took five full-year courses, allowing me to have a more spread out workload. I took POL101 (Democracy, Dictatorship, War and Peace), HIS103 (Statecraft and Strategy: An Introduction to the History of International Relations), ECO105 (Introduction to Economics for Non-Majors), DTS200 (Diaspora and Transnational Studies), and a first year seminar titled “The Embarrassment of Scripture”. So far, my political science and history course have been most engaging. I intend to pursue an International Relations Specialist degree, or a double major in International Relations and Political Science. However, a Peace and Conflict Studies major/minor is still an option following second year.

What, in your opinion, was the hardest part about your first year as an undergrad? How did you cope? Would you offer any advice to incoming students who may face a similar issue?

As a residence student, I experienced many distractions on a daily basis. I dealt with this by being in the library and ensuring I was being productive while I was off residence. With the constant urge to socialize with new friends, I understand this may seem easier said than done. I would recommend incoming students facing a similar barrier to getting their work done to motivate their peers to do the same. That way, when productivity is achieved, everyone gets to reward themselves!

What extracurricular activities did you get involved with this year?

This year I had the pleasure of serving as an elected member-at-large on my college’s student council! Being on VUSAC (Victoria University Student Administrative Council) was definitely one of the most rewarding experiences I have had so far. It allowed me to form multiple relationships with many like minded students across campus. As a member-at-large I helped to organize UofT’s annual Winterfest, the Victoria College annual formal Highball, in addition to being a member of the Budget Steering Committee. Additionally, I had the opportunity to debate at Yale University and McGill University with the Hart House Debate Club. I am also a policy analyst for the G20 research group, analyzing the commitments made by G20 member states in the area of climate change.

What motivated you to get involved?

Before going in to university, I was already immensely passionate about governance, political debate and so on. I knew that in order to engage in these passions I could not solely rely on the ‘lecture experience’. I also knew that constantly doing readings and essays would not give me the best university experience. I knew I wanted to share my passions with students and I knew I could find that by getting involved at UofT.

Where did you first hear about the extracurricular activities you are currently involved with?

I heard about VUSAC during frosh week, and I knew I could positively contribute to the council. As for debate, I was already a member of my high school debate team. In terms of the G20 research group, I accidentally stumbled across it while reading John Ralston Saul’s book “The Collapse of Globalism and the Reinvention of the World”. For no particular reason, I looked up a footnote and realized he cited his information from the G20 research group based at the university. When I realized I too could contribute to the report, I immediately applied to be a policy analyst!

What’s your favourite thing you did this year outside of the classroom?

This year I signed up for two sessions that are a part of a Vic initiative titled “Ideas for the World”. Every week, students get together with a professor over lunch for 2 hours to discuss various, often controversial and thought provoking topics. In the fall, I was in “Environment and Economics”, and I am currently in “Culture and Conflict in the Media”. The unique part of this program, is there are no marks or assignments. You simply show up, watch a video, and have an intellectually stimulating discussion. This was a great way to voice my opinions on various issues without fear of getting a bad grade!

What was your favourite thing you did inside the classroom?

I believe my favourite thing has been the freedom to research a wide array of topics that are of interest to me. For example, I am currently in the process of researching the Serbian diaspora situated in North America in the post-communist order and the impact the breakup of Yugoslavia has had on the creation of the Serb identity. And this is for my diaspora and transnational studies class! It is very exciting to be able to delve in to a topic that deeply resonates with me.

What extracurricular activities do you hope to purse next year?

I plan to continue to pursue all the activities I am currently involved in. I am also hoping to get involved with the International Relations Society, or with the Association of Political Science Students.

Would you say your extracurricular experiences enhanced the quality of your first year at the University of Toronto?

Without a doubt! Getting involved at UofT has opened up many future opportunities for me.

Would you recommend first year students get involved in extracurricular activities?

YES! I understand going in to university from high school can be very daunting. However, getting involved will give you a sense of community that you may not necessarily find in the classroom or in residence. The campus seems a lot smaller when you see so many familiar faces!

First year students are not typically the students who are most inclined to get involved in extracurricular activities. Can the university do more in promoting the benefits of extracurricular involvement to first year students? What would you like to be seen done?

A lot of students seem to think getting involved means your GPA will suffer. This is definitely a misconception. In fact, the opposite seems to be true. I think the university should promote extra-curricular in a way that accurately shows students who get involved will not only reap social benefits, but their academic experience will accordingly be enhanced.

exam jammin’

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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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Organize your stuff. I did this today, I feel proud of myself.
  4. 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.
  5. Tell yourself that YOU ARE FIERCE.
  6. 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. :)

 

Councils and Unions

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Since election season is underway, I’ve decided to dedicate a few posts to explaining the who’s who of different structures, unions, groups and councils on campus. Last week I talked about the different student government structures each college has, and this week I’ll focus on general councils and unions.

The Governing Council - The Governing Council was first created in 1971, a senior governing body and oversees all issues of academic and business, as well as the Board of Governors and meet approximately six times a year. Anyone can attend the meetings. The kind of decisions made that relate back to student life can be everything on matters of tuition to academic programs and expansion. There are a number of boards and committees  (such as the University Affairs Board which oversees “the quality of student and campus life”. It includes the President and Chancellor of the University, as well as 18 appointed members and 30 elected members. Of these 30 elected members, eight members are students (4 are full time undergraduates, 2 graduates and 2 part time undergraduates). At the beginning of each year, students are elected via ROSI. And with the significant issues the Governing Council considers every year, it’s crucial that students participate by voting for who they would like to represent them.

Image Source: http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/home.htm

UTSU -The University of Toronto Students Union is a union in which every full-time undergraduate and professional faculty student belongs to at the University of Toronto. It is apart of the CFS (Canadian Federation Students), an umbrella organization that oversees all student unions across Canada. Every student is automatically a member, with annual student fees paid to the UTSU. It is made up of an Executive Committee (which includes their President, Vice President Internal etc.) and a Board of Directors, who are all student representatives elected by their respective colleges and faculties. They offer a variety of services (such as UTSU’s Got You!), various political campaigns (such as Solidarity With Quebec Students) and oversee clubs (more about club recognition how-to here).

Image Source: BlogUT

Arts and Science Student Union (ASSU) - ASSU represents all undergraduate Arts and Science students (that’s a lot of students – about 20,000!) and includes all course unions, as well as seven elected executive members, including a president. The are located at Sidney Smith Hall. It also includes at least 55 course unions (which you are automatically a member of depending on your major). ASSU oversees a number of bursaries, awards, a massive past-test bank (which I’d suggest checking out) and a number of other events. They also work with U of T administration and other campus wide initiatives on items that directly concern and affect students.

Graduate Students Union (GSU) – The Graduate Students Union (one of the founding members of the Canadian Federation of Students) represents all graduate students on campus, all of whom are automatically members. It has a general council with representatives from each course union and an executive and several subcommittees, you can find more about their structure here.

Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students (APUS) - APUS is the official association for all undergraduate students registered as part time (2.5 credits and under) across all three campuses, offer a number of services, programs and resources. Class representatives are elected and its main governing body the Board of Directors. APUS is also a member of the CFS.

Be sure to check back next week to learn more about other student societies, with everything from EngSoc to Music.

Happy voting!

-Vahini

From Spectating to Participating: the time to get involved is now

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With the first week of March now upon us, we students are entering that proverbial ‘crunch time’ of late nights, libraries, and fancy lattes to help us cope with it all.

And this year, more than most, seems to have a lot of stuff crammed into the final six to eight weeks of the semester.

In addition to the assignments, tests, and exams, this time of the year also features plenty of activity in the world of student life as many groups, clubs, and student organizations begin turnover processes, paving the way for next semester – starting September 2013. While you may feel that you don’t have much time to devote your awareness to anything other than your textbooks over the next few weeks, I implore you to keep an eye on the goings on in the student communities you are a part of, as the way in which these communities are shaping up at the end of this semester will have a very real impact on the way they look when classes resume six months from now — unless you’re a graduating student, of course. (If you’re in this boat you have plenty of bigger concerns to deal with………anyone looking to hire a Student Blogger, available for work immediately in early May?…Please?)

The elephant in the room being all this University of Toronto Students’ Union secession business that has been dominating student politics at the university as of late (for the seven of you interested in undergraduate student politics, that is). And while this issue is definitely an important one – especially as the consequences of all of this hullabaloo have yet to be borne out - this is not the only thing happening in student life right now that you should be concerned with.

Student communities take all shapes and sizes, from small college-based clubs to inter-campus wide student associations. What I hope to emphasize is that many of these organizations are holding elections/seeking membership for positions for the upcoming year and if you have ever thought about trying out for one of these positions, the time to do so is now. Don’t simply get caught up in being a spectator to everything going on around you. As cliche as it may sound, the four or five years you spend at the University of Toronto is short (trust me) and if you have ever considered the possibility of enhancing your undergraduate experience through some extra-curricular activity, now is the time to seek those position out.

I know first hand that this can be a daunting task for the uninitiated, but trust me: go for it. The first ‘major’ thing I did in the realm of student life involved running for an executive membership position on the Victoria University Students’ Administrative Council at the end of my second year. I had dabbled a bit in Vic’s student life before then, but I was a relatively unknown candidate and was up against someone who had already been on the council previously and was a somewhat of a known entity around the Vic community. Needless to say I lost the election and while it definitely sucked I gained invaluable insights into how student life functioned at the college as well as had the opportunity to meet a number of people I would not have otherwise met. The experience of running, despite losing, no doubt played a factor in my attaining an elected position on the council in the following Fall election at the beginning of the new term. Leaving my comfort zone was, you’ll be surprised to hear, uncomfortable but the experience was essential in my personal growth (overcoming social anxieties) as well as integrating myself in a community I now have grown to love and adore. There is not a doubt in my mind that if I hadn’t run in that Spring 2010 VUSAC election you would not be reading this post right now.

The moral of the story is, I’m sure, quite obvious. You’ve heard it before but it is worth stating again: your experience as an undergraduate student is what you make it and oftentimes the best experiences in life involve a little risk. Students at the U of T have been known to complain that they experience a lack in communal-feeling with their peers and while this may be true the opportunities to remedy this feeling are out there; you just have to be willing to look.