Tag Archives: clubs

Thinking About the Future

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Just before we begin, let us take a brief pause. This is a fine moment in the academic year, before second semester really comes on full swing, to consider where we are, what we’ve done, and what we’d like to do next.

I am coming to the end of my university career. This semester I have two courses, both of which are electives. This is my fifth and final year, and I do feel that I have come a rather long way.

I can remember reaching the end of my first year and having to enroll in a Subject POSt, and deciding then that I wanted to study English rather than International Relations. I can remember the spring term of second year, when I scrambled to meet the early application deadline for the English Department’s creative writing seminar. And I can recall the end of my third year, when I discovered 4th year Independent Study course options, but was too late to apply for one. If only I had considered the matter earlier.

Once it starts, these next weeks are going to vanish into April. There is still a little bit of time right now, however, for proactive consideration of the future. The new Degree Explorer and Course Finder can help. So can looking through the Course Calendar. This is something, honestly, that I never did, but that I wish I had. Yeah, I still fared okay. But I’m certain there were many opportunities that I could have seized, and could have benefited from, if only I’d thought to look for them earlier.

I’m currently in the process of applying to Graduate School. It’s hectic and hurried and definitely cause for some unneeded stress. All because I didn’t think about it earlier; well, I thought about it, but not thoroughly. I never actually invested any time in the thought, rather I mused on the idea of Grad school. Now, I have to pay for my negligence, my indifference, my whimsical attitude towards my university career.

And it’s not just academics that can benefit from a moment’s consideration. Joining clubs and groups, trying out for athletic teams, applying for summer jobs, internships, or work-study programs with the university; there are many sides to life at U of T. For instance, this semester I’d like to visit the U of T Public Speaking Club to test my rhetorical skill, and frighten myself!  It’s not all about courses and grades. But whatever your goal happens to be, a little bit of forethought will certainly help focus your efforts.

It’s true what some of my fellow bloggers are saying; January is both the continuation of the academic year and the beginning of a brand new year and a chance for new opportunities. So take a few minutes, on the weekend maybe, right after breakfast or just before bed, put on some good music (I’ve been listening to this dude named Bach because it calms my grad school insanity), and think about what you might want to do next. And feel free to share your plans and pieces of advice with the rest of us at #TryitUofT!

 

Good to be back, U of T! Glad you stayed diamond!

-Stephen

Get Your Laugh On (Finding Place and Purpose at U of T)

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In my first year, I went with a guy from residence and joined a sketch comedy troupe. I was really nervous and I suspect he was as well, though he never showed it. He was from Waterloo and performed on Improv teams and was starting to do standup comedy at Einstein’s open-mic.

Anyway, we auditioned and we were cast, and then something changed. We were no longer just students. We became members of The Bob.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/353331631479221/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/353331631479221/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

The Bob is Canada’s longest running sketch comedy revue, hosted by Victoria College. There have been some pretty famous people in The Bob, over the years, even including Margaret Atwood. Any student, from any college, can audition, and if comedy or theatre or writing is your passion, I’d highly recommend it.

It was during a casual, September 2009 stroll with my dad, actually, that I happened to find a poster calling for auditions. I ripped the poster right off the wall, fearing I’d forget all the details otherwise. When I got back to residence I walked past my room and knocked on a door four rooms down from mine. The student who answered had shaggy brown-blonde hair and a cheeky, curious quality in his eye that gave me the idea to speak with a phony British accent.

“Good afternoon,” I said.

“Yes, hullo, and how may I help you?”

“I was wondering if perchance you possessed a fondness for performing comedy.”

“Yes, I may have such a fondness. What of it?”

I showed him the poster. His eyes scanned it from top to bottom. Then he looked up at me.

“Tonight’s the last call for auditions,” he said.

“It is,” and I could feel a flutter in the chest.

He looked me straight dead in the face and said, “Let’s do it!”

We barely knew each other that first night. But at the audition something clicked and it seemed we’d been joking around together for a long time. Maybe it was a shared comedic sense, or maybe it was that we had both eaten the same meal-plan lasagna for dinner, but I like to think it was the realization that we had both just made our first real friend at university.

Source: http://gif-central.blogspot.ca/2013/05/sorry-i-annoyed-you-with-my-friendship.html

Source: http://gif-central.blogspot.ca/2013/05/sorry-i-annoyed-you-with-my-friendship.html

After that we were a regular duo. We wrote sketches together, went to shows and open-mics together, met different people, we were even the MC’s for the New College Mosaic. It was a much needed, and much appreciated, support-system for first year, though it never exactly seemed that way.

It was merely being a part of something. We were Bob’ers. We were friends. The name or size of the association was irrelevant, as long as it gave us a sense of place and purpose. U of T is really big, it offers a lot of options, finding something that speaks to you is, well, priceless.

Source: http://myerasmus.tumblr.com/page/3

Source: http://myerasmus.tumblr.com/page/3

I know it was my friend’s encouragement and enthusiasm that allowed me to audition for The Bob in the first place. And I’m much indebted because it led to a crazy-fun comedy ride throughout my second and third years. Not to mention a really great friendship.

Now, the time has come for The Bob to grace the stage again. The show is 7:30pm November 14, 15, and 16 at the Isabel Bader Theatre at Victoria College. I’ll be watching from the front row this year. But it gives me great pleasure that my friend, who inspired me to act, to be bold (and silly), is one of this year’s co-directors. Congrats, man!

 

‘Til next time, U of T, stay diamond!

 

-Stephen

A Whole Brave New World

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For those of you who have been following this blog for a while now, (and props if you were one of the few who helped pioneer the #StartUofT trend into what it is today!) you might remember my introduction post when I first started blogging for Life at U of T. I shared a fair bit about my experiences at U of T and how I came about to calling this place my home.

A big problem that many students encounter when they first come to U of T, myself included, is the intimidation they feel when they realize how big the university is and most everyone begins unsure about where to look on campus to find their niche. Driven by a little dose of bravery, and the crippling fear I would make no friends during my four years of sentencing study, I grit my teeth and started to discover the unique and distinctive culture of student life on campus (take a quick browse at my previous posts to learn a little more about my experiences).

While it may not be shining, shimmering, or particularly splendid, U of T truly is a whole new world waiting to be explored. Original GIF from: http://animated-disney-gifs.tumblr.com

While it may not be shining, shimmering, or particularly splendid, U of T truly is a whole new world waiting to be explored.
Original GIF from: http://animated-disney-gifs.tumblr.com

And so, in order to dispel the much discussed (and unfortunately much believed) myth of the lack of student spirit and opportunity on campus, I’ve decided to start a series of blog posts dedicated to trying out new experiences at U of T at regular intervals throughout this semester. This encompasses exploring the different student groups on campus, trying out the various activities and drop-in sessions offered by organizations such as Hart House and MoveU, and even sitting in on various lectures and asking professors about their particular program – anything that is horizon-broadening and mind-opening, I’m making it my mission to explore the campus and (hopefully) in turn, encourage you to get yourself out there and perhaps find your next passion in life – or at the very least, have a great time while trying to do so.

New experiences help shape you and allow character development to foster. Just ask Walter White and the writers of Breaking Bad. Screencap taken from Breaking Bad

New experiences help shape you and allow character development to foster. Just ask Walter White and the writers of Breaking Bad.
Screencap taken from Breaking Bad

I’ll leave off with a relatively short post today (I just wanted to get the idea ball rolling!), but if you have questions, propositions, curiosities, about anything concerning Campus Life that you’d like me to explore in a blog post, or if you too have experiences with trying out something completely new since you’ve come to U of T, please leave a comment below and tweet us! Don’t forget to add #TryItUofT to your tweets so we can keep track of and share all our ideas and experiences with one another.

Until next time, UofT, when a new adventure comes along…

Kat

Introducing this year’s Community Crew!

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A hearty welcome to new U of Ters, and Big Ups to those of you continuing your very own Life @ U of T.

I’d like to you all to meet this year’s Community Crew!!

 

Abdullah

When I first met Abdullah I was amazed by the sheer knowledge he has of U of T. I learned more about U of T’s campus in five minutes than I have over the last year of being an OISE student here. A passionate advocate for post-secondary student issues on campus, Abdullah guarantees that U of T can be a really lovely place if you explore your passions and get involved. I believe it! Abdullah is this year’s Community Crew Captain. You can find him on twitter @lifeatuoft, and on Facebook at Life At U of T: St. George.

 

 

Melina

Melina’s upbeat energy is pretty contagious. Serious. You can’t be around her for five minutes before you’re grinning. Like from ear to ear. A fourth year Cinema Studies and Lit major, she’s got giant passions for photography, ballet, and a vegan lifestyle. When she first came to meet me, she gingerly climbed the stairs at Koffler to where I was sitting. I’m pretty sure she just wanted to tiptoe, but I could spot her distinctive style a mile away. Keep your eye on her photography skills: she’s Life @ U of T’s official Community Crew photographer, and she has quite the eye! Check out her pics on Twitter and Instagram!

Katrina

When you meet Katrina, you feel as though you’ve known her for a long time. She’s so comfortable with herself that you feel all comfy too, and you just relax. Truth. Go up and say hello to her, you’ll see what I mean!

See?
Told ya.

Katrina joins us all the way from Hong Kong with her elegant sense of style and love for science. Intramural sports, meeting amazing people, and challenging herself to do better is what makes Katrina’s world turn. She’s a Life @ U of T blogger – watch for her posts starting next week!

Michael
Michael is an Engineering student with a love for food truck fries and all things Theatre.

Sidenote: Who doesn’t love food truck fries? You can stay away from them all you want, but you know you secretly love them :D.

Um, anyway, back to Michael. U of T is huge, right? Huge – which got Michael feeling nervous about meeting people and making friends on campus at first. The complete opposite happened instead: Michael got overwhelmed by the sheer number of ways to participate in Life at U of T. These days, you can find Michael stretching his acting chops with an Improv club on campus. Just wait, maybe you’ll catch him on stage at Hart House one of these days- just maybe. But first, you’ll definitely find him on Twitter, @Michael_UofT.

Stephen
If Stephen’s wry, deadpan wit doesn’t have you cracking up, well…[insert witty comment here]. Stephen’s strategy for getting to know U of T: Just Say Hi (see video below). You can find Stephen making his way around campus on his trusty bicycle, or chilling out at Knox College. A combination of Sketch Comedy talent and Diabolo’s fantastic coffee make this guy who you want to keep your eye on for future Life @ U of T blogposts.

 

 

Last but not least, a big Hello from your Community Crew:

Welcome aboard everyone! I look forward to working with you!

- Aziza

An Afternoon with B.E.E.S

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This week, I did one of the coolest things I’ve ever done in my entire life: I paid a visit to two of U of T’s Honeybee Hives.

Yes, you read right! U of T is home to three apiaries at St. George (they can be found on the rooftops of Trinity College, the Earth Sciences Building, and the Faculty Club). U of T’s Beekeeping Education Enthusiast Society (B.E.E.S) manages the apiaries, and is all about promoting the importance of urban beekeeping.

I met up with B.E.E.S president Alissa Saieva and a few others on Thursday at 4pm, right outside the Faculty Club on Willcocks Avenue. The Faculty Club has three hives on its rooftop. We walked in, wound our way up a series of staircases (sidenote: the Faculty Club is a nice place!) and proceeded to put on bee suits. Well, bee jackets, rather, complete with the Masks that you’ve probably seen in movies or magazines.

The Faculty Club Bees

Suits on and masks in place, we clambered out on the rooftop and made our way to the first of three hives. B.E.E.S actually constructed the hives themselves. Each hive was supposed to have four different coloured sides, but ended up being put together in the wrong order, so now each hive is a patchwork pastel delight.

Beehives!

Hives are really a series of boxes stacked one on top of the other. Each box has a number of wooden frames. Bees make their honeycomb in between the frames.

 

 

 

 

Here is what it looks like:

Honeycomb.

Bees build honeycomb from the bottom up, so the very first ‘box’ generally has a lot more activity than the box on top. People have the impression that if bees are around, they will swarm and/or sting you. The truth? They just do their own merry thing. Sure, there were a lot of bees flying around us, but they tend to keep to themselves, unless you flail your arms and agitate them. The key: no arm-flailing. In fact, they really paid us no mind at all.

It was the second apiary visit over at Earth Sciences that had us all up in arms. Dr. Sandy Smith, a professor in the Faculty of Forestry, joined us. We were adventurous enough to get down to the first layer/hive. This is what we found!!

Bees Whattttt

When the guys lifted up the second layer from the first, a chunk of honey comb was dragged up as well, along with so many bees. Crazy, no? We were all blown away. It seems the bees were swarming, meaning that they are raising a new queen and preparing to start a new colony. When the queen is ready, she will fly away, taking many of the worker bees with her (up to 60% of the colony). B.E.E.S. wants to avoid that, so they will find a way to keep the colony at U of T.

This particular colony had already produced so much honey that Sandy was able to scrape some of the honeycomb away. Bonus! We all got a taste, which tasted similar to Linden honey. The taste and type of honey depends on which flowers a bee colony will pollinate. Apparently, the colony over at Trinity produces a much darker honey.

Honey. Yum.

To Bee or Not to Bee

Why are bees so important? If, like me, you don’t really have a clue, this handy infographic put together by BeesFree is very useful. Take a peek! Long story made very short, without the pollinating action that bees undertake, we would be left with far fewer choice of fruits and vegetables. Most of the staples that you eat everyday would disappear. News of tremendous amounts of deaths of bees has been at the forefront of newscasts as of late, as per the following article by the CBC.

In the face of that terrible reality, U of T B.E.E.S has taken the reins on all things bee-related. The club hosts a variety of educational events and workshops, which include: hive building, hive installation, honey harvesting, swarming prevention, and the history of beekeeping among various others.

They also host various social events throughout the year such as film screenings, potluck BBQs, and pub nights. However, the club’s main attraction is a series of summer hive visits which run during the beekeeping season (May until early November). All visits and events are open to U of T students/faculty and community members. They provide you with the opportunity to get hands-on beekeeping experience, with a ready supply of suits and gloves. Hive visits are scheduled for every second Thursday.

My bee adventure was amazing, and nothing like what I expected. If you have a few moments to spare, take a stroll and connect with nature in a different way. I guarantee that you will bee pleasantly surprised.

- Aziza

Check out our Facebook Album of an Afternoon with B.E.E.S!

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.

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.

carry on, leaders. carry on.

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What’s up U of T? How was this week – we had a snow day that turned into a slush day. For some reason whenever I see slush, I feel the need to go to 7/11 and get a slushie. Another lesson to be learned from that day is that Front Campus is just as bad under slush as it is in mud. There seriously needs to be a “wade with caution” sign there. Nonethless, that didn’t deter the busloads of tourists who come to take pictures of UC. But slush is a good sign U of T, it means spring is near! The campus will be green and cool again. Also, the Harlem Shake also no longer appears to be “a thing” so that’s good.

So, this week – I was pondering upon what exactly I should write and I remembered that this the time of year for elections in clubs, college councils and unions — and that I have gone through this process. But you know what, I’ve talked plenty about elections and student politics this year.  If you are planning to run in one of them — good luck, but I’d like to tackle something different (albeit still related) but different.

Being involved this year in both the Arts and Science Students’ Union, the Muslim Students’ Association, Student Life Community Crew and The Varsity, I have found a lot of inspiration. This inspiration does not come from a speaker I heard at an event, nor does it come from the subject of a Cinema Politica documentary. It comes from the student leaders I work with day in and day out, that continue to impress me by how much they do. These people, often do what they do with the best of their ability and don’t ask for recognition or thank-yous. They are passionate about what they do and the students they represent. In my daily interactions with students, I come across a lot of these leaders and I find that too often, they aren’t recognized for their efforts. Or there are just too many of them to recognize. So, busy student leader; this post is for you.

There are student leaders who commute from Markham, Durham Region, Mississauga and as far as Hamilton and close as the Annex. Yet, they can often be seen on campus on weekends and late in the evenings, staying for events and taking care of business at their office. They can be seen preparing for events, tabling for their club and often have a litany of emails to respond to at the end of the night. Meetings dominate their schedule, and it often astounds me that these leaders have the time to take five courses and maintain a good GPA. Despite this sounding rare, I actually find this in a lot of student leaders.

There are other leaders who represent their fellow students and speak their mind when they feel something is not right. They are open and willing to listen to the concerns of their students and attend countless meetings to ensure that student interests are being taken into account. But leadership doesn’t necessarily have to be conventionally speaking out for you students, or planning great events for them. There are countless amounts of students who spend weekend nights in front of computer screens dutifully editing and preparing the campus newspapers for the next day – making sure the student voice is heard. Others spend time in Hart House, making sure the student voice is broadcasting through CIUT.

Above all, the best leaders conduct themselves in a manner that respects the rights of all their fellow students, regardless of whether they agree with them or not. It’s not easy being a student leader, sometimes you are faced with attacks, sometimes uncooperative executives, the stresses of school, GPA, post grad life, the possibility of an event not going as planned and finally, just life. It is difficult to be a student leader and all I have to say to you guys is: keep doing what you are doing and carry on. :)

- Abdullah

 

 

Little Joys at U of T

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There’s always Joy at U of T, and like the Book of Awesome, I’ve compiled a list of the small joys; the little victories and successes that help us get through the day(s):

On Friends

When they get into ________ school, program, internship and you want to keep pressing “like”.

Having some friends who let you rant/de-stress/deconstruct the difficult situations (or people) that you may encounter.

…and then offer the best kinds of advice (the best is when it’s what you want to hear, nothing is more joyous than gratification).

When they read your mind at wanting to order Pizza Hut at 2am, and if anything, praise your approach to a healthy lifestyle.

Making a friend in class or just having class with a friend.

Friends who tell that person to shush at Robarts (while you were working up the nerve to say something about those potato chips and conversation for five minutes).

On Campus

Appreciating the busyness of Sid Smith amongst questionable newspaper publications and an endless amount of goodies and cupcakes.

When ROSI is good to you…(this one speaks for itself).

Having that prof, you know that prof, the one you secretly adore/idolize/kind of fangirl over; even three years later (after POL 101) when he walks past you.

Majoring in something you couldn’t be more excited about, without a care in the world about how obscure it is.

Finding extra-curriculars that click.

Free things; all of the free things!

College pride, finding it and never letting it go.

In Class

Contributing to a class discussion and immediately noticing the impressed look your Professor gives you.

Having the AHA (Ah-HAH? Ahh-haa?) moment in class.

Coming to terms with a new idea during your lecture and realizing your mind has indeed, been blown.

Connecting with a stranger in class, who later on becomes one of your closest friends.

When someone remembers something you said in class and later comes to you to let you know how insightful they found it.

Making it to your Con Hall class on time while managing not to drown in the muddy wrath in front of it from Winter-Spring.

…Getting WiFi at Con Hall!!!

On Essays/Readings/Work

Double spacing before your final print job.

Having all of the books you need (still) available at Robarts (or better: the closest/preferable library to you).

Concluding with a sentence that could inspire a screenplay, revolution (or just a grin from your esteemed professor that you pretty much idolize).

Realizing the last five pages of your reading are all endnotes/references.

Getting a last minute writing centre appointment shortly after getting on the wait list.

Finding a study spot that is surprisingly tranquil during exam season.

What are your joys at U of T?
-Vahini

Finding the High Road

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Every now and then, you’ll encounter someone that may not be the easiest person in the world to work with.  It can happen anywhere and everywhere, and in our last community crew meeting, we ended up talking about the various situations we’ve been stuck in and how we’ve dealt (or not dealt so well) with it.

Personally, I’m a pretty passive person, I mean besides saying what I really think silently, I seem to have a lot of issue facing difficult people head on.

Sometimes it actualizes into being passive-aggressive, which isn’t really any more of an improvement and which has me retreating back into being passive.

We came with up a few scenarios and solutions:

1) The difficult group member- In every club or group, there’s always a breakdown of which members do what, or an executive council. Difficult situations here can include everything from having absentee members who are impossible, to other members who may overstep their boundaries of responsibility.

The major solution here was to ensure that early on in the club or group dynamic, a structure of constructive feedback is set up. Crystal calls it the red light/green light game, where everyone anonymously submits what they think could be changed or improved (so for example, if you feel like the leader of the group should take on a stronger voice, you green light that). This is probably one of my favourite solutions because of the anonymity and how it can save the group a lot of awkward interactions.

2) The friend or acquaintance who has strong and passionate opinions that causes group tension. The main consensus here was to talk to the person, perhaps with the members of the group, and gently let them know how you feel. While I can see how this works, I’d be nervous about said person feeling ambushed, or (this has happened personally for me before) having it seem like it really only bothers the one friend who is being vocal (when it really affects everyone). I find this to be one of the more tricky situations. What would you do here? More often than not, I’ve resorted to the ducking method of simply trying to skirt around the issue, or being a slightly passive aggressive grumpy cat, which never ends well.

3) The annoying assailant in the library, you’ve all encountered at least one. This is the person whose movie is blasting from their headphones (for everyone else to hear) or who is trying to make sweet music with their potato chip crunchin’ (while avidly avoiding librarians!). The best solution for this person would be to kindly remind them that it’s a library, or let them know that you can hear them. In first year, I’d actually spent minutes on end debating if I should say anything to these noisy neighbours, and finally when push came to shove, it was necessary. This is probably the one situation that I’ve come to master well with a mix of being firm but polite (or hoping for the librarian to see them first, hehe).

I mean at the end of the day, if the world of sitcoms (and celebrity feuds) have taught us anything, it’s that you won’t always encounter the most pleasant of people. What are some of the best ways you deal with difficult encounters?

-Vahini