Life @ U of T (page 180)

Celebrate Black History Month on campus & beyond

February is Black History Month, and this week is Indigenous Education Week (learn more about IEW here). These occasions provide the U of T community with the opportunity to learn more about cultural communities on campus and their traditions and histories, to talk about and denounce racism, and to celebrate the cultural diversity of our campus and our country. These are some of the events you can attend to celebrate Black History Month on campus and in Toronto before February comes to a close.
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The Chronology of a Cough

Hey all! Here's a transcript of a conversation I recently had with my body: Me: Hey body! Have you heard? It's Reading Week! We can catch up on sleep and dramatically reduce caffeine intake to get through the day! My body: Its been very cold outside. I feel my defences are low. I notice that last week you slept less than usual. I’m thinking of expelling some of the mucus that’s trickling down your throat by developing a cough. Me: No please! Body be strong! I’m stressed. I have so much to get done this week. I don’t have time to get sick. My body: On the contrary! I’ve been strong, and I’ve been waiting patiently for this very occasion. It’ll be least disruptive now: you’ll be in contact with fewer people, and you will be able to nap all the time. Me: Argh, ok fine! But please make it quick!
Unimpressed
Unimpressed
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Reading Week + Reading Lists

Happy Reading Week, y’all! It seems cruel that Winter with a capital W finally decided to kick in during the one week we don’t have school. But to make the most of these frigid temperatures, I’ve spent this Reading Week doing exactly that — reading. Since I’ve gone home to visit my family over the break, relaxing and curling up with a book in a warm house sounds pretty ideal after a strenuous round of midterms. 

A view of the UC Quad on a rainy afternoon.
It's probably too cold to be reading in one of my favourite spots on campus - the UC quad - but this shouldn't stop us from enjoying a good book!
Now there are many ways to go about setting yourself a reading schedule for Reading Week. Personally, the obvious choice is to power through the entire Harry Potter series (7 books, 7 days of Reading Week? This was clearly meant to be). However, since I’ve done this exact feat on at least 12 different occasions, I thought I’d branch out. Here’s what’s been on my Reading Radar for the 2016 Reading Week:
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Tackling My First Reading Week

Reading week is a great time to take a breather after a flurry of midterms in the weeks prior. I’ve heard from friends who joined one of the multiple organized trips to Montréal, and even those who flew back home for the week. For the laz — er, I mean, studious members of the community, staying around may have been the more appealing choice. At the end of the day, for whatever reasons may have come about, we’re still in downtown Toronto, so we might as well make the most of it...right?
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Join the conversation at Indigenous Education Week

Recently, the idea of introducing a mandatory Indigenous Studies course at U of T has been making waves on campus. It was raised by the Native Students' Association and echoed by Carolyn Bennett, Canada’s minister of Indigenous and northern affairs, at a talk on campus. These calls come in the wake of the report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC), which U of T has addressed by striking a committee to review the report and implement the recommendations on campus. The university also announced the establishment of a graduate research program dedicated to Indigenous health this past summer, and will host an Indigenous Health Conference this coming May. With the dialogue about the TRC growing on campus, Indigenous Education Week (IEW) presents an opportunity to learn more about Native issues and culture, meet the diverse Indigenous community on campus, and join the conversation. A banner for 2016 IEW. Background features indigenous art; text reads: "2016 Indigenous Education Week. All events are free and open to the public. First Nations House, 563 Spadina Ave., 3rd floor."
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Feature: MoveU Crew!

This week I thought I’d shed some light on how to get involved with physical activity on campus in an administrative role. I met with the MoveU team to talk about what they do, how they got involved and what they love about being a part of the team. But first: What is MoveU and what does the team do? Well, in their words they “do so much!” “The breadth of what we do is so broad because we promote health on campus and being physically active,” says Alcina Wey. Fellow work-study student, Naomi Maldonado, adds, “We try to promote physical activity in alternative ways. A lot of people assume that if you’re not working out you’re not active, but we try to make physical activity accessible.” As volunteers, the MoveU Crew supports and leads events. They interact with students, make them feel comfortable and get them involved at events.
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