Category Archives: Places

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.

Hello! Hola! Bonjour!

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Hello! Hola! Bonjour!

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

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

But wait, we are not so different!!

Don’t think of us as the Dursleys…

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

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

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

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

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

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

Till soon,

Aziza

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

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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

Some new experiences in my final days

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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!

Rage Against the Machine

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Ripley being awesome!

 

Do you remember that scene in Aliens when Ripley climbed into that robotic armor and kicked serious butt? I do. For her, the technology made her stronger. It allowed her to extend her reach, it increased her strength, and let’s be honest it looked pretty cool!

Last week, I spent a few hours with a machine. The machine I communed with, like Ripley’s, armor extended my reach, in an intellectual context it made me more powerful, but unfortunately it didn’t make me look super cool. Ripley had armor, I had a microfiche viewer.

It’s cool too. Right?

So let me break it down for you. You might be wondering how I would ever be able to compare these two pieces of technology.

1. Extending my reach: Just like Ripley’s armor the microfiche extends my reach. How you ask? Why it extends my reach back into history of course! In the two hours I spent in front of this machine, I was able to scan through of weekly newspapers published in Toronto from 1917-1919.

2. Increased power: Do I need to remind you all that Knowledge is power? I didn’t think so. The microfiche didn’t increase the strength of my punch, but it did increase my knowledge. For example, I learned that most front pages in 1917 were devoted to the discussion of conscription. Behold my power!!

3. Cool looking: Admittedly, the microfiche lacks the inherent coolness that Ripley’s armor possessed. However, the microfiche is not without it’s own unique beauty. Notice in the image above that the microfiche has a nostalgic quality that reminds me of the classic lines of an Atari system or my old commodore 64. It’s the same phenomenon that makes people eat at Fifty’s diners. Old stuff is cool.

So that’s my argument. The microfiche might be a relic of the past, but it has its own advantages. It the loudest thing permitted in the library. If you’ve never used a microfiche, try one and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. If you were ever to make that much noise doing anything else in the library, you’d surely get kicked out. But when you’re using the microfiche you can be loud vicariously through the machine. Just wait till you have to rewind the reel. It really sounds like a small helicopter is landing in the library! Literally, everyone will be looking at you with annoyed glares as they try to read or study.

It’s really great fun.

I encourage you, before you graduate, try a microfiche machine. Microfiche is the only way to view a large category of historic documents that have yet to be digitized. If you have patience, it’s a great underused resource for researching at the University.

-Lori

TTC? Why man why????

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So earlier this month I (along with many of you other U of T students) dished out a whopping $106 for my monthly TTC Metropass. As I sadly saw that money drift away never to be seen again, I had a thought: “If I went to school in another city would I be paying the same amount of money as I do here in Toronto?”. I know we all love to hate on the TTC (I think they charge far too much and provide a fairly poor standard of service), but when we actually take the time to compare the TTC rates to other cities does Toronto still suck all our money from us?

Obviously as the result of the economy most cities have to increase prices from time to time. Cities such as Dallas, and Boston saw fare increases range from 15% to 23% from 2010-2012, which is pretty high if you think of it. So where does that put the TTC in comparison to other cities here at the beginning of 2013? Well even with our somewhat more stable economy , Toronto still has the highest trip index among most North American cities.

Yep We WIN!

“Now what is a Trip Index Shak, you may say!” Well I shall tell you dear random reader. It’s basically the amount of trips one needs to take in order to make up for the $106 you paid at the beginning of the month. Shockingly it takes one 48 trips in order to pay for itself, this basically evens out to having to travel there and back, from either school or work, 22 days out of the month, plus a few more times on the weekends. No other city has such a high index, not even New York’s (47). (Just check out the graph above)

Also what is with this business on transfers….. I mean what the heck is up with those things. I’ve been taking the TTC for years and years and I still am not entirely clear on how exactly I am supposed to use one. Is it useable in most places? Generally not, only in certain designated stops is one allowed to use a transfer to go from a subway to bus, or streetcar to subway, etc. I mean just look at how some of the other Canadian cities deal with transfers/stopovers. Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver use a 90-120 minute time allotment for stopovers in either direction on their lines. So for instance if you are running an errand you have the ability to use one fare there and back, provided that you simply don’t go over your time limit. GENIUS I SAY!

Look we can't even afford maintenance!

Toronto residents could also greatly benefit from having “downtown” fares much like Calgary does. Downtown fares in these cities provide lower rates due to the higher density population base in certain parts of the city; but of course we don’t have that either.

Seriously Toronto get your stuff together, our wallets are getting sucked dry here and our system isn’t all that great! I think I’ll give the TTC a call……. oh wait nvermind.

Those sneaky devils

- Shak

College Governance 101

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It’s election season (or rather, month)! The most wonderful time of year (or the most riveting). If there is any point in the year that you really see the full extent of how many different structures and political bodies there are on campus, it’s now. And it can be mighty confusing, so I’ve created a handy guide of whats-what on our politically bumpin campus. More importantly, a guide that can be your first step in exercising your own democratic rights this election cycle. Before voting, reading up on platforms, objectives and candidates, it’s important to understand the structure of the institution you want to support.

This week I’ll focus on College Governance;  each College at U of T has its own student government, varying in structure depending on the college. Generally these student governments oversee how finances are spent in the respective colleges, organize and create events, and have a number of different roles to get involved with.

Trinity College Meeting (TCM)- The TCM is the student government at Trinity College, operating under a direct democracy which allows any Trinity College student (with a gown on hand!) to participate in being able to make motions, vote or participate in meetings. Trinity College itself elects a male and female Heads of College, Head of Non Resident Affairs and Head of Arts who help lead and enhance student life and community at Trinity.

Image Source: Trinity College

Fun Fact: The TCM is the only North American student government that allows every member of its College to be members. There are no elected council positions, but the TCM is chaired by an elected representative known as the Chair of the TCM, other elected positions also include the secretary, treasurer, archivist and auditor. It oversees the social calendar of the year, reviews things like club mandates (anyone can start a new club), finances, elections for roles in College life and issues or initiatives proposed by students.

Victoria College Students’ Administrative Council (VUSAC)- VUSAC is Victoria College’s student government, dealing with all matters of student life in events, clubs, and other initiatives as well as overseeing scholarships. The council is made up of a president, vice president external and internal, chair, finance chair, various commissioners and members at large. They also have office hours in the Birge Carnegie building, so be sure to drop in and say hello if you’re a Victoria College student and want to learn more about VUSAC. You can also check out this handy guide of Vic from A-Z here. Fun Fact: The location of the VUSAC office has changed 3 times in 5 years due to the various construction/renovation projects taking place at Vic.

University College Literary & Athletic Society (UCLit)

The Lit (also the oldest democratically elected student council in Canada!) is UC’s student government, made up of over 35 student representatives. The Lit is involved in planning student events, enhancing community life at UC and important issues affecting UC students.

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It also has an executive of the President, Vice-President and so forth. Students can also get involved with the Lit by volunteering with different commission initiatives. The UCLit also plans UC’s annual Fireball, a complete night of dancing, dinner and all kinds of activities. Fun Fact: The Lit also has a great history – belonging to the first College at U of T and tracing its start all the way back to 1854 – it originally was a forum to discuss science and philosophy. The Lit’s motto is as follows: Omnium regina rerum oratio, ”the power of oratory eloquence” and you usually find their offices in the Junior Common Room.
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St. Michael’s College Student Union (SMCSU)- The St.Michael’s College Student Union is St.Mike’s student body government, with a President, Vice-President and various commissioner positions.

These commission areas include: arts, athletics, communications, community life, double blue, education and government, finance, and religious/community affairs. They also organize and run applications for frosh week planning.

New College Student Council (NCSC)- The New College Student Council (NCSC) is New College’s student government, and any New College student is a member and eligible to run. There are several elected positions for various director roles (such as communications or frosh week). They also organize frosh week positions and roles.

Innis College Student Society (ICSS) - ICSS is the Innis College student government, planning and overseeing social events, athletics and other activities for students. Its governing council includes a president, vice president, treasurer, internal officer, and a number of representatives.
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Woodsworth College Student Association (WCSA)  - WCSA is comprised of elected student representatives who help plan and facilitate Woodsworth student life, events and initiatives. The board consists of a president and six vice presidents in internal affairs, social affairs, public affairs, financial affairs, external affairs and athletic affairs.


St.George Roundtable (SGRT) - The SGRT is a council comprised of all student governance and council presidents, heads of colleges and faculties for the St.George Campus. Anyone is welcome to attend the meetings. This forum is especially important, as it allows leaders from each college to not only get together on a regular basis and share important ideas, concerns and initiatives, but also creates a sense of familiarity and unity for a campus as large as ours.

Essentially, with a body of elected leaders from each College, the SGRT is a round table representing a significant portion of students here. The SGRT plans events such as the annual Winterfest, organized for students in January following winter break. It’s a great representation of how the college system operates at a school as large as ours, while all having their own systems of governance but still working together in the grander scheme of things.

Next week: Governing Council & Unions

-Vahini

soulfood

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Hey U of T. Enjoying reading week? Hope you manage to actually fit some reading in there (“oh Abdullah, good joke.” you say).  Last week, as it probably was for most of you, was hectic for me. Needless to say writing three midterms before the glorious reading week is not fun.  After finally finishing my last midterm on Thursday, I needed a de-stressor badly. I mulled over my options at Sid Smith.  Should I go and look at some avant garde art at the AGO? Pretend that I’m totally an expert on the work of Freida Karlo’s 18th century Parisian café escapades. That sentence testifies to how much of an art expert I am; art history majors – I apologize.  Then, I remembered a weekly program I’d been looking forward to going to for weeks but never had the time to attend: Soulfood.

Now hold up. I know what you’re thinking; but sadly this has nothing to do with the Commodores, or the O’Jays or Soul Train.  This shouldn’t stop us from having a Soul Train appreciation event though. Hart House! I’m looking at you.

Anyhow, Soulfood is a weekly discussion held by the Muslim Chaplaincy every Thursday night at 6 in Room 006 of Emmanuel College.  With help from the community, the University of Toronto and the Muslim Students’ Association, this year the Muslim Chaplaincy was launched at U of T.  Amjad Tarsin, serves as Chaplain. In addition to general counselling and khutbahs (Friday prayer sermons), the Chaplaincy runs a variety of programs and courses for U of T students to take advantage of.  I hadn’t interacted with the Chaplain before and was really interested in checking out the program, so I relished the opportunity to attend.

A canvas painting by Sehar Shehzad hangs in the Muslim Prayer Space at Emmanuel College.

So, that Thursday night after my exam I made my away across campus to Emmanuel College and to Room 006, which happens to be the newly renovated Muslim Prayer space. Let me just say that it is beautiful, the beige and brown colours of the wall contrast perfectly and the room gives off a warm aura.  Plus, you can hear the rumbling of the subways going to Museum station every 10-15 minutes or so; that sound for me, gives the room a strange ambience. Anyways, I arrived at the room to find everybody seated in a circle and I joined them. Soon, the discussion began about back biting and how we can do our best to avoid it. It was a thoughtful, honest and at times emotional conversation that I’m glad I was a part of.  I learned a lot and the atmosphere of the group and the discussion was warm, welcoming and calm.

The Muslim Prayer Space at Emmanuel College (Room 006)

In a hectic university setting, with papers, midterms and exams; sometimes all we need are these moments of calm and introspection.  For me, my moment of calm was sitting with a group of my peers discussing Islamic interpretations and viewpoints on life.  For you, it may be joining a Bible study group, or having Shabbat dinner at the Wolfond Centre, meditating in the Multi Faith Centre or joining your friends for Muffin Madness.

After the discussion, some of us joined the chaplain, Amjad, in his office for some coffee and refreshments. I stayed about a half hour, in that time we discussed all sorts of things like dream interpretation.  Amjad, the Chaplain, is pretty awesome and so was everybody else there.  All in all, it was a great way to end the week and I’m definitely going back when I have the chance.

Enjoy reading week U of T!

 

Stories and Leaders: She Will Lead

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Last week, Sarah invited me to “She Will Lead” an event organized by the Underwear Club where female student leaders on campus would come together to tell their stories, celebrate women’s leadership on campus and talk about what we’ve learned. Although I wasn’t sure what to expect, after leaving the event I was moved by all of the stories I had heard. I have heard about the power of storytelling time and time again, but really experienced it this week.

The event was informal in the sense that everyone could say anything they wanted to, there wasn’t really a structure or schedule, but this was easily one of the most interesting storytelling sessions I’ve been to. In fact, not having a structure made it so much more effective in the sense that everyone said what they thought about more than just what it was like to be a leader. The conversations included everything from figuring out major life decisions, lessons or choices. It was incredibly powerful, and everyone had a story to tell.

Leading yourself was what I had spoken about and my personal experiences with leadership roles. I find it to be easy to lead and organize initiatives or clubs, but to actually lead yourself, taking control of anxiety and actualizing potential is much more difficult. More often than not, it can be so easy to lead others but not yourself. Whether it’s leading yourself into more opportunities, involvement or positive changes, the wall of fear often gets in the way of things way more than it should.

Vulnerability was another important topic that was brought up. How much vulnerability is too much? Not showing any or showing too much can also be problematic with how people not only perceive you, but your capabilities. This seems to be the type of balance that so many of us struggle with, in many ways like leading yourself, it can be the hardest to accept your own vulnerability, let alone allowing anyone else to see it. Change was another theme that was brought up, as it often accompanies vulnerability, and in most situations, embracing change set many of those vulnerabilities free.

Spirit, whether it’s finding it, cultivating it or embracing it, spirit is an important part of character. Many of the girls mentioned how the various things they currently lead or chair were things that excited them in a new way, a way that kind of shocked their spirit enough to realize it was something they wanted to get more involved with. Or, the lack of spirit and questioning of why certain paths were chosen before ultimately realizing that it wasn’t for them was a another way spirit helped mobilize the paths meant to be taken.

It was incredibly refreshing to hear so many different narratives from young women who are all leaders on campus that have also experienced the same kind of challenges and fears.

Looking forward to the next one!

-Vahini