We’re (Almost) Halfway There

Bon Jovi is my current studybreak JAM.
Bon Jovi is my current studybreak JAM.

Now that we’re almost into April and spring, I’m also almost into the end of my second year here at U of T.

And I can’t help but think about the fact that I am indeed, Halfway There. 

Halfway through my undergraduate degree and a mere two years from graduation.

Time doesn’t just fly- it soars.

Loving Doing Nothing

I have a secret hobby. This is a hobby that is the opposite of brag-worthy and my personal definition of “indulgence.” It’s a little counter-productive, but on my busiest days it’s the one activity I want the most. It’s more of an anti-activity and yet it’s one that may be a universal favourite among all U of T’s tired library dwellers. This (now not-so-secret) hobby of mine, is doing absolutely nothing at all. I used to feel guilty about loving doing nothing. As my post-secondary education has progressed, I’ve become busier and busier and as a result of this, my idea of a “fun” time has changed too. Of course, I still enjoy a night out on the town every once and awhile (YAASSS, shoutouts to the 6ix) but for the most part, my perfect evening involves a homemade dinner, a good movie and pajamas. I know what you’re thinking. Only nineteen, and I’ve reached my full grandma potential already.
A snapchat of Madeline with the old/wrinkly filter over her face. She looks displeased.
A little crazy how fast U of T can age the average nineteen year old...
Snapchat filter wrinkles and all, I’ve come to accept that with a crazy personal schedule of work, school, assignments and this month, upcoming exams sometimes doing nothing for fun is okay.

Students On The Hunt: Off-Campus Housing

“Beautiful 1 bedroom, perfect for a tidy, respectful young couple”   This was the title of the Craigslist ad I responded to last April with high hopes. Two weeks later I was out of $1300, apartment-less and feeling like the world’s biggest idiot. I had become a victim of the “I’m a [insert very respectful job that only a wonderful person does here] and I am out of the country with my family to work in Europe for the next five years and I need someone really great who will take over my second apartment” scam. The thing with people who scam for a living is that like most people who are career crime-sters, they are really good at it. If you are unsuspecting (which I completely was) or even worse, a Toronto newbie who has never rented before (hey, I was both) your scammer comes off as a really nice person who is willing to phone you at 3am “England time” to explain to you in great detail about how to money transfer your first and last month of rent. Your scammer will do almost anything to make it easier for you to hand over your money but once that money has been removed from your bank account, your really nice doctor/engineer/teacher family-man landlord gives you literally nothing but radio silence. When I say nothing I am definitely implying that yes; you for sure are not getting that “Beautiful 1 bedroom, perfect for a tidy, respectful young couple”. Que the tears and the calls to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. The best way to avoid being scammed is to be realistic about the rental places  you find on the internet. Websites like Craigslist, Kijiji, Apartmint, Padmapper, etc can be great resources for a student on the hunt BUT it’s so important to keep in mind the old adage: “if it’s seems too good to be true, it probably is.” Absolutely no one is going to rent out their 1000 square foot, fully furnished King West loft for seven hundred dollars a month. If you do decide to use these websites, here are some things to keep in mind:

Drop-In Skating and Exam Prep (Already?!)

I’ve been feeling a little-more-than-a-little subpar recently. I’m not sure if it’s the weather or a change in routine due to injury or just everyday stressors, but I don’t like to hang out in ruts like that. Last Friday served as a nice little pick me up, thankfully. I finally made it out to drop-in skating at the Varsity Centre! I regret that I didn’t take pictures, I was consumed by how good it felt to be using my legs after making my arms so terribly sore at aerial silks. I’ve been less active recently and I think that might be contributing to my lousy mood. Skating with a good friend helped! I went on Friday from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon and it served as a nice study break. Skate rentals are available for only $3.39 (debit/credit only) and entry is free with your T-Card of course! It wasn’t very populated, which I really appreciated. I definitely recommend checking it out, especially if you’re looking for some space to make some mistakes (I sure am!).
Source: www.macedoecunha.com.br
Source: www.macedoecunha.com.br

Happy Nutrition Month!

The month of March brings with it many things:
  • Midterms
  • Papers
  • Movie releases (London Has Fallen comes out tomorrow (sequel to Olympus Has Fallen), I’m excited but also skeptical… then again, how bad can a Gerard Butler-starring film really be?)
  • Warmer weather (hopefully!) AND
  • Nutrition Month!
Registered Dietitians of Canada celebrate Nutrition Month every March. This year, they’re encouraging Canadians to take a 100-meal journey over the course of March, focusing each week on a new goal such as making quality food decisions and being aware of portion sizes.

It’s Not All Sunshine and Rainbows: How to Prevent and How to Care for Injuries

The human body is a remarkable construction. It’s strong, powerful, capable and — unless you’re me — resilient more often than not. With all this talk of being physically active and trying new things, I thought it was time for a post addressing risk, how to minimize it and what happens when despite your best efforts you find yourself injured. While I’m not a doctor [insert moment of silence here], I feel I have sufficient experience to speak about this subject. I have the joints of someone far, far older than twenty paired with a “can’t stop won’t stop” approach to life. That combination isn’t particularly risk-reducing. So, here are 4 tips to risk reduction in sport — coming from someone who needs all the reduction she can get.

Braving Times Square: The Introvert Gets Involved

A whorl of chaotic colours, blacks and indigos, fluorescent yellows and oranges, pulsating at the edges of your eyes. A cacophony of shouts and honks drowning out the sound of your own breathing. The smell of greasy hotdogs, sunscreen, and cologne suffocating you. Arms and elbows and hands tangled with others as people nudge past you to get to one of the many fast food restaurants, shops, or stores stretching along either side. Times Square, a force with which to be reckoned in all its sights, scents, sounds, and touch. While some people can handle the hustle and bustle of this chaotic mass, others are overwhelmed by the amount of people, scents, and sounds crushing them and have to leave the vicinity from time to time to catch their breath. Similarly, after socializing with other people for a period of time, introverts need some “alone time” to recharge because they get drained from the activity. Some get drained after a couple of hours, others after several hours. But, what is an introvert?

(Comic)ally Good Notes

Computer. Tablet. Notebook. Photographic memory. Regardless of how you do it, we all take notes in some way or another. Some of us may take notes a little less frequently than we should, while others take notes with the frantic detail of a court stenographer. Personal note-taking preferences seem to depend on a couple things: how much of the course is based upon lecture material, how much sleep you got the night before, how neat your handwriting is and if you charged your laptop today. Taking notes are a huge part of attending lecture and the quality of your notes can sometimes determine how well you will do in a course. The goal is finding that perfect balance between understanding most of the course material as it’s taught and jotting the most pertinent information down before your brain moves onto the next genius thing your prof says. Unfortunately, not all of us are lucky enough to have found that balance. Here are some of the types of note-takers you might know. The Doodler This sort of note-taker is miraculously talented enough to somehow ‘doodle’ penciled creations you couldn’t dream of and write down all of the prof’s main points. Which, now that you think about it, are really all you needed anyways. You squint to see what you thought was a doodle of a dog, only to realize this guy has done his own rendition of the Mona Lisa. Inspired, you attempt to make a doodle of your own. ...No. Scratch that. Handwritten notes in cursive are about as creative as your margins are going to get. Pros: The Doodler’s notes are one of two things: Heartbreakingly hipster or total pinterest aesthetic. Cons: In the time they spent doodling, you applied to four summer jobs. #$$$