Do professors really care? Last week, I introduced the Teaching and Learning Symposium, which I was lucky enough to attend. And, if it wasn't clear then, I'll make it clear now: that symposium—a collection of faculty, staff, and librarians from…
Planning & Responding to Change: the Teaching & Learning Symposium
If you've been reading our blog for a while, you're probably wondering: what's wrong with this Charles guy? The other bloggers write about really interesting things, like going to plays and the TIFF, trying out yoga and segways, dealing with mental health (Harry Potter style), quitting…
Asking questions in office hours
In the past few weeks, most of the bloggers here have been offering tips to succeed in classes, and what resources are available on campus. Among the answers we usually give is "go to office hours, they're really helpful!". But…
Total Test Result Turmoil – or how the Academic Success Center can save your neck
It’s that blessed time of year again – mid-terms. Or, for our friends in engineering or music, the time of year when students in every other Faculty get a small and terrifying glimpse into every week of their term, mid…
Denying Distraction: Turning Off Your Cellphone for Class
I am the first person to admit that I have a problem. More accurately, an addiction. My name is Rachael and I am addicted to my cell phone. Not in the unhealthy “I’m going to cry if my cell phone…
Mental Health and University
I’ve noticed that most (i.e. all) of my posts have been humour-centric, and that’s perfectly fine because that’s who I am! This week, though, I want to talk about a topic that affects a lot of students – including myself.…
A Final Farewell to U of T
For the past four years I have said goodbye to U of T in April. But it was a tentative goodbye, said with the knowledge that I was returning to the woes and joys of student-hood in September. Now, this…
Get Your Adventure On
I hope everyone had a wonderful reading week! I spent most of my time eating, sleeping, and watching The Office. Some might say this was an unproductive use of my time, and I would have to agree. But it was…
Adventures with NSSE, the Student Engagement Survey
So, NSSE . . . Oh, you mean Nessie, the giant, Scottish lake monster. Um, well, sort of . . . Here, let me explain! If you’re in first or fourth year, you may have received an email from the President…
Finding Massey College…and More
Last Monday I heard about a reading by author David Bezmozgis being held at Massey College and decided to check it out. Stepping through the gated entranceway, past the porter’s lodge, along the stone pathway of the water garden, I…