Tag Archives: colleges

anything you can do, i can do better

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I had to really sit down and think about what I would write about this week. Especially due to recent events, but despite the controversial nature of what I’m about to blog about I feel like it needs to be said. (That being said, I would like to reassert that the following are my opinions, not those of the Arts and Science Students’ Union (ASSU) or anybody else.)

Election season ended off with a bang.  Sana Ali, Team Renew’s VP-External forfeited the election with a letter that she posted on Facebook.  In response, a few days later, the Renew slate came out with a response to the letter in a two part YouTube video (part 1, part 2).  I have linked both so that you, the readers can decide for yourselves what to believe. Needless to say this debate has been passionate and emotional. As a student union executive, I have to say that I am glad that students are engaging with their student union and giving their input into what they think their student union should look like. (I also have my own respective opinions on the UTSU, the Canadian Federation of Students and the college council based opposition structure. However, for the purposes of this blog post, I won’t divulge into those at the moment.)

Since I began covering this story for The Varsity a year ago, I have become familiar with both sides of the divide and their points. Both have good points that deserve proper discussion. However, what I have seen is passion and emotions get the best of people and arguments become lost in translation a midst a sea of angry voices. I’ve seen Facebook statuses written, Facebook pages created, catchy Twitter handles, and some very fancy Photoshop work. But at the end of all this, we really should ask ourselves – have we really achieved anything? I’d say we’ve achieved more polarization.

Mobilization is good – but only if it’s productive. And thus far, the way both sides have presented their arguments have been far from productive, focusing on individuals, accusations and defamation. What we risk is both sides becoming so entrenched in their side of the ideological divide that they refuse to consider the other’s point of view. As a result, a lot of students whose cup of tea isn’t a good ole hard fought game of political football will turn away from being involved in their student union. And that’s a really sad thought.

This year I decided to stay out of UTSU elections. I didn’t write about it for the Varsity and I tried not to pay attention to it. And if a student like me who sits on an adjacent student union and clearly is not apathetic about the issues, choses to turn away due to the atmosphere, how many more students will?

How people react to student politics.

I have seen events play out this year and people have reacted to these events like their team just scored the winning touchdown with one minute to go in the Super Bowl, or even worse, like successful revolutionaries after storming the Bastille. There’s nothing wrong with being passionate and being happy when things go your way, but doing this excessively can be hurtful to those who don’t agree with you.  There is also the issue of throwing out the word “students” excessively.  Both sides like to position themselves as if they are the only legitimate student voices and that they truly represent the students. Now, we aren’t even getting into debates about the issues, we are getting into debates about who is more legitimate as a student voice. We need to articulate our arguments respectfully and make sure that we are arguing for the sake of our campus, not for the sake of being the winner in an argument and telling off the other side.

Let us go forward with a productive discussion and debate on our student union and college councils. And if we find that we have to run referenda in our colleges as to our membership in the student union, I like others ask the debates around this be done be in the good spirit of being in the best interest of students and again not to smite each other or prove a point.

- Abdullah

 

My College and I

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This week at Life @ U of T we will be trying something new! All posts this week will be dedicated to providing you with a diverse set of perspectives on U of T’s college system and the significance or lack thereof of colleges at U of T. As a prelude to our posts, check out past blogger Cynthia’s insightful coverage of the college system.

A question most incoming first-years ask is “what college should I choose?” Not going to lie, I asked that too. All I knew was that Victoria College was a castle and New College, well wasn’t. But that’s just superficial, confused and uninformed Grade 12 me talking. Fourth year me, as a commuter, is very indifferent about the college system. As long as I have access to a writing centre I am a happy camper.

I started U of T as a student at New College. I spent most of my first year at their AMAZING writing centre and other than that really didn’t have much interaction with my college after an extremely awkward frosh. From first year to third year, I lived off-campus – close enough to not stress about commuting, yet still far enough to feel disconnected from college community. I just didn’t feel comfortable with randomly showing up to a college event to make new friends.

As a socially awkward penguin, I don’t really enjoy being rushed into a foreign environment with a ton of strange faces and no familiarity. Socialization, for me , is best taken in small doses—baby steps. As a non-resident student I always felt left out from college life. I knew about events happening through their listservs and was aware of the resources provided by them, but just didn’t take the initiative to get connected with my college community. Remember this is just my story. Colleges have extremely welcoming and fun events for commuters and your experience with your college will be shaped by the initiative you take and the people you meet. I think Victoria College is doing an especially great job at connecting and engaging commuters.

In end of second year, I switched to Trinity College because my POSt - Ethics, Society and Law - is based there and random treks to New College just for a writing centre appointment were getting really frustrating. Yes you can change colleges (contact the registrar of your desired college and ask them about the transfer application process before the end of the school year). Most of my classes, office hours and activity are located at Trinity. The funny thing about this is the day I got into Trinity, I got offered a scholarship from New College. AWKWARD.

 

I continue to frequent the writing centre on a bi-weekly basis but still have no connection to college life itself. Maybe I’m not part of the right communication channels because I was a latecomer? I also have no clue about student life at Trinity. I just enjoy the complimentary meals at Strachan. But I do appreciate the support and community Trinity has provided me through my one-of-a-kind subject post. I’ve found a community at Trinity, but not through the traditional college student life channels, but rather through my program of study.

But I must say that getting to know my college more is definitely on my graduation bucket list.

I guess my experience goes to show that the college you are assigned is not really a major gamechanger in university. They all have equally amazing resources, student unions and communities. They also all have super helpful writing centres—free of charge! Stay tuned for Vahini, Abdullah and Crystal’s perspective on college life!

-Sarah

Residence 101

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Ah residence, how we’ve grown to become good friends (okay unless the shower roof is temporarily missing) since I first encountered you two years ago! Prior to entering the U-of-Tverse, I didn’t quite realize what to expect from living on campus, besides what the media had kind of told me to expect. So as you can imagine, I was more than excited and nervous to accomplish what every angsty-teenager dreams of doing someday: moving – even if it was only temporary – out of my parents’ house! Dorm life came with more than a few important lessons and realizations.

The first was realizing that it wasn’t the Ritz, even if ROSI’s lovely red numbers may have seemed to tell you otherwise.

While flip-flops in the shower may be feel like you’re roughing it way more than you originally planned, in the grand scheme of things, none of this matters for more than a few reasons:

Meet Your New Family

As I’ve mentioned before, university is definitely the place to meet a wide variety of people, so you can imagine how this culminates when everyone lives together. The most important thing is that you’ve filled out your residence applications honestly because I promise no good can come from trying to make yourself seem like a recluse if you aren’t in order to avoid a “wild floor”. This is an old trick that people do only to realize it may have stopped them from meeting the kind of people they wanted to. Your new family is also unlike any of your other social circles, because unlike your previous companions, they are going to see you at 2AM post-Robarts-adventure or 3pm post-nap. More importantly, they make frosh week feel a lot less scary, university a lot less boring and campus much smaller, and after a while they begin to feel a lot more like family.

Roommates

Back to the honesty part of your residence application, I mean it when I say this *insert dramatic clap of thunder here*.  A couple of dozen questions asking you exactly what kind of music you prefer, to your sleeping hours aren’t to create your future UT love profile but to match you with someone your compatible enough to live with. And since honesty always wins, chances are you’ll meet the Roommate – not the Leighton Meester kind of the Roommate - but one but the one who becomes your newfound sibling.

I did not understand this concept while initially doing my first application and specifically requested to be in a single, as my roommate had too, and were we both glad the odds did not work in our favour! There is no greater advantage to adjusting to first year and residence than having someone by your side who understands. Everyone always describes how the first year transition can be rocky, but no one will be easier to relate to than the very person who is there beyond the walls of Facebook and smartphones. This is one part of res life that the movies (mostly) got right!

PS – 2 kettles or mini fridges may be a little crowded for your double room, so get in contact with your roommate when you can and discuss things like these ahead of time to avoid any surprises!

Preparation

As much as you think you’ll love being away from home, you are going to miss the organization that came with parental units the second you realize its laundry-can’t-see-my-room-but-the-library-needs-me-day! Yes, this will happen, the universe will probably send another hundred things your way too, which is why being organized and making the most of your i-cal & to do lists will help you combat any rough day in the real world (that for is what the university bubble is, the actual real world is still eons away!…right?)

Balance

“Work hard, Play Hard” is a phrase that will certainly resonate with you in first year. I fell into the trap of feeling guilty if I wasn’t busy when I first lived away from home, and it became this constant battle when I was taking a break or working. Ultimately, I was never happy with the fact that there were only so many hours in the day. Finding the perfect balance of when to work and when to make the most of your university experience, the way all of those thought catalogs told you that you would, can be really tricky at the beginning. Eventually, though, you discover the true greatness that is in all of the libraries our campus has to offer and just like that, the scale begins to emerge for your days!

 Dive In

…Into fountains (@chris_UofT is an expert) , interests, college spirit and making new memories.

- Vahini

“The Medium is the Message:” Hanging out with Marshall McLuhan’s ghost at St. Mike’s

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Dear UpbeaT readers,

I’m Emily, your blogger for the summer months. Thanks for having me!

Late yesterday afternoon in the name of passion and blogging, I visited the Marshall McLuhan Centre for Culture and Technology. It’s a diminutive brick building nestled in the center of the buildings of St. Michael’s College. And trust me, unless you study Google maps before you head out, it’s pretty difficult to find. (Helpful hint: walk straight behind Alumni Hall until you’re in a parking lot, and it’ll be to your left.)

To be perfectly honest, I had never heard of McLuhan until I moved into residence at SMC, and accidentally stumbled into the Book and Media Studies program.

But as I quickly learned, Marshall McLuhan is kind of a big deal. You know that phrase that you hear everywhere: “The medium is the message?” Yeah, that was McLuhan. He revolutionized the study of media theory in the 1970s, totally calling the idea of “the global village” and predicting the World Wide Web long before the days in which talking about the revolutions facilitated by Facebook and Twitter became passé, and globalization was taken as a fact of the world, and not an eerie sci-fi fantasy.

He is considered to be the most publicized and controversial intellectual of the 20th century; he was named the most influential Canadian of the 20th-century by the Globe and Mail; St. Joseph St. is co-named “Marshall McLuhan Way”; and between 1946 and 1976 McLuhan called University of Toronto his home, teaching at English St. Michael’s College. (He also made a cameo in Woody Allen’s 1977 Annie Hall.)

Cut back to present day: I’m standing in front of the McLuhan Centre for Culture and Technology, on my way to meet with Dominique Scheffel-Dunan, the director of the Coach House Institute, a division of U of T’s Faculty of Information which hopes to further facilitate research that tries to make sense of the impact of the new digital landscape.

This little brick building is affectionately known as the coach house — the place where McLuhan hosted his weekly Communications and Culture seminars for students — and is currently hosting Robert Bean’s photography exhibit Illuminated Manuscripts, which pays homage to McLuhan’s legacy through a series of photos of out-dated technologies, and a projected montage of the papers, notes and letters of McLuhan, written in his own hand. The exhibit is a part of the Contact Photography Festival that’s currently taking place all over the city.

I enter the coach house, finally getting out of the downpour of rain that’s been plaguing these blissful exam-free weeks. And I’ll be honest, it’s a small space. The walls are freshly painted a stark white and minimally covered by striking images of inscrutable machinery. The only furniture in the place is an old-timey microphone standing in front of a projected screen of McLuhan’s papers, an uncomfortable metal couch, and, curiously, a chaise longue which once belonged to McLuhan.

Dominque Scheffel-Dunan introduces me to Robert Bean, the artistic mind behind the works I’m looking at now. And he is so much fun to talk to. I listen as he tells anecdotes of his journeys to obscure parts of Italy to find out-of-date technologies to photograph; his thoughts on the writings of McLuhan; his own research and curriculum in media arts (he teaches photography at the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design); and his fascination with the idea of obsolescence.

And I don’t want to bore you, dear readers, (especially not in my first post!) but I just can’t help gushing. I’m a book and media studies student. I dig this stuff. These kind of conversations, are the things that make an undergraduate degree worth pursuing. They’re the ones that give you an adrenaline rush because you’re thinking so quickly — and your brain kind of feels like a trapeze artist jumping from idea to idea.

There’s also something innately cool about having an intellectual conversation that ranges from iPhones to Heidegger in five seconds flat in the place that housed Marshall McLuhan as he wrote the books that revolutionized the field of media research. Scheffel-Dunand later tells me that an organization is currently celebrating what would have been McLuhan’s 100th birthday on July 21, and trying to “make as much noise as they can” to appreciate and celebrate the intellectual legacy in Toronto.

The coach house is at 39a Queens Park Crescent, and if you have some spare time, I really do recommend dropping by. The doors are open from Tuesday-Saturday noon to 5 p.m., so bring a friend; impress a date; show off U of T to your friends who go to Ryerson. Even when we’re stuck in the grind of getting papers done at 4 a.m. before turning them in at 10 a.m., we are actually so lucky to be a part of an institution that has housed intellectuals who have revolutionized their fields and created intellectual legacies. (And even managed to end up in Woody Allen movies!)

Con te partirò… It’s time to say goodbye.

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I can hardly believe it, but dear readers, almost two years and 57 posts later, this is my last for UpbeaT. Con te partirò… It’s time to say goodbye, indeed.

I’ve been writing for the blog since the summer of 2009, and blogging has become such a part of me that I’m not quite sure where to begin with today’s post.

I’ve gotten used to sitting down and writing a post on Friday, and editing it during my commute to school Monday morning. It’s such a part of my routine that during the winter holidays, I woke up the Monday morning in cold sweat thinking that I had forgotten to submit a post before realizing that hey, it’s a Winter Wonderland outside, there’s no school, and I’m good.

Except now I don’t ever have to write a post anymore and it’s definitely going to be strange (and truthfully, kind of sad).

You know when you get to U of T in first year and you’re completely overwhelmed by the size of the university and, as Lori said, at a loss as to how you’re ever supposed to find friends?

lifeatuoft gave me a place to call my own during the past two years. I never got to meet Heather, who was part of the Original Five, but I worked with Lucy, Mary, Liesl, and Fariya last year, and Shannon, Lori, Dara and Danielle this year. Needless to say, these girls are awesome.

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes here at UpbeaT? Us bloggers meet every week to brainstorm and exchange ideas, and this one hour meeting is what grounded me throughout the good and bad times of life as a student.

If there’s one thing I take away from UpbeaT, it’s the relationships with the people I’ve met. I’ve met so many people from different faculties and different years that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. For example, fangirling over askastudent led me to interviewing them over at Innis College, and then discovering that one of the askastudents, like I, plays the piano, and we jammed with the rest of the group he plays with after their performance at Hart House just last week. How cool is that? (oh yes, name-I’m-withholding-to-protect-your-innocence, you still owe me a poutine meetup.)

Speaking of cool. I was talking to a first-year student the other day, and the topic of colleges came up. She said, “oh yeah, there was this blog series online that I read…” and I was like, “OMG OMG OMG, you mean UpbeaT? I WROTE THAT SERIES” and tried very hard not to flail. It’s heartwarming to think that I made some sort of a mark with the blog.

I can’t help but get the feeling of warm fuzzy small animals* whenever I think of UpbeaT, and I’m really really proud to have been part of a project made of such awesomesauce.

And you, dear readers, thank you for being here with us every week. Did you know? We broke 100,000 visits two weeks ago!

Seriously. My love to all the past, present and future bloggers and readers, and all the very best. <3

Now and always,

Cynthia

*Erh, no animals were harmed in the writing of this post.

What exactly are you running for?

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“If I don’t even pay much attention to our own country’s elections, why should I bother with my school elections?”

This is the common excuse that I have received when asking around about the upcoming end of year elections. I’m no expert on student governments, but based on what I’ve heard from other students, the majority find the student government system confusing and uninteresting.

To those who are active in the scene of school politics, there is a buzz of excitement and an air of ferocity with the conflicting opinions that I have received. Now you’re probably thinking, relax, it’s just student government after all, right? Well, it’s a bigger responsibility than serving on your high school’s student council, considering the difference in the student body that you must attend to. Talk to any of the student executives and you can hear the passion they have for what they do, no matter how challenging.

In high school you had to represent the student body that consisted of students in four different grades. With this type of school structure, one student governing body will suffice. A typical undergraduate student will spend four years at their given university, but don’t forget to take into account all seven colleges, the grad students, the part-timers, the residences, etc… and so forth. When it comes down to it, there are several student bodies to contend with. More than one student governing body is necessary for all of the different facets of student life. This poses a problem during campaigns because by the time you have caught a busy student’s attention during your 30-second elevator pitch, you only have about enough time to answer the question of: “What exactly are you running for?” It’s difficult to understand without knowing the student council structure off hand because chances are many students do not know as well as the students who are campaigning.

This takes me back to my first year RSM100 “Intro to Management” course where I learned the advantages and disadvantages of centralized and decentralized organizations. Centralized organizations have a less complex structure that allows for greater control over the organization, whereas decentralized organizations have a number of executives taking on very specific roles and have the ability to concentrate on the most important decisions. The University of Toronto is an example of a decentralized organization where there are several executives on different reigning councils that each has a specified job in representing and serving the rest of the student body. It really is a big role to take on and it’s a shame that even though our councils represent us, not many students make it a point to get informed and exercise their right to vote.

Let’s be real – in several of our high school student councils, a a big chunk of the vote was based on popularity.  In the case of our university, where it is hard not to get lost as just another student number, is it possible that these elections are just based off the popular vote? In the 2010 UTSU election, the voting turnout came out to approximately 16.4% of the 44,000 undergraduate population. Why the disappointing turn out? It’s not like voting is a complicated process. It can be easily done online from the comfort of your own laptop with a couple clicks and keystrokes on ROSI. Is it an issue of ineffective outreach or just outright lack of interest? Campaigns may be able to reel in student interest, but sometimes the simple act of actually taking the time to vote is where the interest ends.

One election that is going on right now until March the 11th, is the U of T Governing Council election. What is that, you ask? It is basically a senior governing body that oversees the academic, business and student affairs of the university. Strategic planning and implementation is where this important council comes in. They discuss things like finances and major institutional plans that affect the long term plans of our school. The council consists of appointed members and members elected from teaching staff, alumni and students. We have a say in electing who our student representatives are and they will be able to represent us on this council.

I was sure to take the time to vote, although I usually would find this process to be out of my reach. I went on the ROSI elections page, read the statements of each candidate, and clicked “Cast Ballot”. That was all there was to it. Imagine how a couple clicks have the potential to make changes. If there’s one thing I want to leave you with: remember guys, not voting says something too – silencing yourself, silencing your say over your rights. Just imagine a big piece of duct tape slapped right over your lips. Okay, it may not be that extreme.. but better to have a say than to stay silenced. So get off your couch and exercise that right to vote! (Or wait… you may not even have to get off the couch!) Happy voting everyone!

- Danielle

Your College at U of T: Woodsworth

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Oh-em-gee, dear readers! My series — “THE COLLEGES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO—ST. GEORGE: AN EPIC, HEPTADIC SAGA” — is coming to an end. Amazing how fast time has passed!

For our final interview, we have Jennifer Guyatt, Associate Registrar at Woodsworth College!

Can you tell me briefly about the history of the college, and where the name came from?
The college was established in 1974 as part of the Division of Extension designed for returning adults pursuing a degree at night. We are currently a community that embraces a diverse body of students including direct entry from high school, transfers from other universities and colleges, returning adults and those pursuing professional programs in Teaching English and in Human Resources.

The college is named after J. S. Woodsworth, who was an advocate for social justice, a member of Parliament, and a founder of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), the forerunner of the NDP.

What’s unique about your college?
As mentioned, we are broad and diverse. Because we have such a mix of students, we have a flexible “can do” philosophy here. We are all about supporting individual student success and the achievement of their personal goals.

Do you have any mentorship programs at the college?
Yes, we have a number of mentorship programs that pair senior students with incoming students, and alumni with current students. We have a highly successful mentorship program designed specifically for international students to help ease the academic and personal transition to U of T.

How does the selection process to the college work?
Similar to other colleges, but we do not have an admission profile. Our selection is based on senior high school grades, and we select first among students who have ranked this college No. 1 on their application.

What are some of the common stereotypes of your college, and what do you think about them?
The most common stereotype is that we are still the “part-time” college. We have more full-time students than many other colleges, and embrace students of all kinds.

What are some of the clubs that are unique to your college?
Most of the clubs that have office space at the college are discipline-based, such as the Commerce Students’ Association, Criminology Students’ Association, and Employment Relations Students’ Association. These clubs are not restricted to Woodsworth students, but many students in these fields have chosen to be affiliated with Woodsworth.

What resources are available for commuting students?
The vast majority of our students are commuters, so all of our resources and services are designed with them in mind. We have just opened the Kruger Hall Commons study and social space, directly across from the Second Cup café in the main Woodsworth building. This is excellent student space for small group discussions, study, eating, resting, whatever. We also have a smaller lounge with a free phone and microwave for heating up quick meals.

What about scholarships and bursaries at the college?
We have invested a significant amount of resources into needs-based awards as opposed to strictly merit-based awards. Woodsworth works with its students to create a sound financial plan to support their studies, and can supplement other forms of financial assistance with college bursary funds, both in the fall/winter and Summer terms.

In addition, we have the flagship Bronfman scholarships, which provide several awards, including a $10,000 award to a graduating student who excels academically and has contributed to the university and the larger community. Additionally, Woodsworth College has many admission, in-course and graduation scholarships.

What’s available to eat at the college?
Well, we are close to Bloor Street and there are a variety of eateries nearby. We have a Second Cup in the building.

What are the residences like?
Our residence is fairly new, at the corner of St. George and Bloor streets. It has suite-style apartments with private bedrooms and shared kitchens and bathrooms. We do not have a meal plan, as students prepare their own meals. There are laundry facilities on the ground floor, plus 24-hour security, high-speed internet access, common areas, and a residence life program of social events, student government, educational programming and counselling.

Why should students choose your college?
Students sometimes choose Woodsworth because they want to live in our residence (which is extremely popular), or they are interested in one of the programs we sponsor, or are closely affiliated with (Criminology, Employment Relations, Commerce). Or they’re just attracted by the friendly, welcoming atmosphere of the college. A students’ college choice is a very personal attempt to find the right fit for them, and the fortunate thing is there are no wrong or bad choices. All of the colleges are excellent.

Is there anything else you want to tell students about your college?
Woodsworth College is also home to the Summer Abroad Program, which provides an opportunity for students to take U of T courses in 12 countries around the globe during the summer. (Ed.’s note: These opportunities are open to U of T students in any college.) Every year we send over 800 students to places like Hong Kong to take a business course, or Italy for fine art, or to study environmental science in the Galapagos.

Can we close off with a fun fact?
The College was renovated and reopened in 1992 with a modern wing connected to the original Victorian building. The new structure won a Governor General’s Medal in Architecture for its beautiful blend of the old and the new — which is a perfect metaphor for our diverse and interesting student body.

My thoughts:

Okay, I’ll confess (you know, full disclosure and all that): Woodsworth is the one college where I was unable to conduct a face-to-face interview. Therefore, I didn’t get a chance to take pictures of the college and the registrar’s office. But I hope to add some pictures soon and share my impressions of Woodsworth. In the meantime, here are some photos of that award-winning building design.

12/29/09: Only for you, dear readers, will I work during the holidays. Anyhow. Pictures! I have got them!

There are several ways you can get into the college, and I chose this particular one because I like the decor on the door handles. It’s all in the details:

All the colleges I’ve been to are wheel chair accessible from the outside, but it’s nice to see that Woodsworth is accessible inside as well:

Walking in a bit further is a student lounge. It’s relatively quiet (almost) like a library, but not so restrictive. You can eat and talk in here:

Next, the Registrar’s Office! Like New College, it was a little hard to find. I almost passed it because I didn’t recognize that it’s the Registrar’s Office! It looks like Health Services, actually – the office isn’t open like Trin’s, where you can actually go up to the staff’s desks, and you’re separated from the staff by partitions:

But the reception area is nice and spacious, and it reminds me a little of St. Mike’s:

After visiting the Registrar’s Office, I walked around the corridors for a bit. The halls look like a modern version of the insides of Munk’s Centre – less wood-y, and more… marble-y:

Finally, I left the college through this entrance. From this angle, it’s quite epic, and very apropos for the last picture of this journey:

This wraps up the heptadic saga, dear readers! It’s really been quite the ride, and I’m happy to have had you alongside me the entire way! Over the holidays, I will update the original post with links to all seven interviews, as well as answer the questions you’ve asked. If you have questions regarding the colleges, feel free to leave them there.

Have a wonderful holiday, dear readers! I’ll see you when we get back in January.

- Cynthia

Your college at U of T: St. Michael’s

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How was your U.S. Thanksgiving weekend, dear readers? Lady Gaga was fantastic on Saturday night — why, thank you for asking, Monsters! She’s my final treat before buckling down for exams, and it was absolutely worth it!

Today for our saga, we have Associate Dean Kevin Dancy of St. Michael’s College.

Can you tell me briefly about the history of the college, and where the name came from?
St. Mike’s was founded in 1852 by a group of French priests known as the Congregation of St Basil. Since then, things have changed a lot.  We’ve grown tremendously to become one of the largest colleges at U of T, and our teaching and administrative staff are now regular lay people, not priests and nuns — except for a few notable exceptions among our senior scholars and administrators. What hasn’t changed is our mission (helping those in need through education), our identity (we’re the Catholic college at U of T), and our spirit (we’re hard-working and fun).

Our name comes from St. Michael, the Archangel, who is also the patron saint of the Archdiocese of Toronto. He’s often depicted with a sword since he’s considered the leader of the armies of heaven. So, he’s a leader and a warrior, and in general he’s the defender of all those who need defending. Not a bad choice for a patron.

What’s unique about your college?
Many things! We have a rich history whose roots go right back to the foundation of the first universities in Europe, during the middle ages. But for us, that’s not just a part of our past; it’s a living heritage that shapes who we are and what we do today. Our commitment to excellence in humanities scholarship comes out of that, as well as our specialized academic programs, like Theology, Medieval Studies, Christianity and Culture, and Book and Media Studies.

Our campus is special because, instead of one big building, we have many smaller buildings, which gives St. Mike’s the feel of a little village right in the heart of the city. And the people you meet walking around this little village are quite amazing. For example, you’ll be bumping into scholars who read, write and edit medieval manuscripts. These are people who can look at these scrawl-like texts, which are written in a kind of compressed code that’s a little bit like the abbreviations people type on IM clients, and they can understand and decipher them, and then publish them for everyone else to read. Or there’s another professor you might bump into in the quad who is fluent in Phoenician. Marshall McLuhan used to work here, and there are always visiting poets and writers on campus as part of the Celtic Studies program.

Another thing that sets us apart is that we have a huge sporting tradition at St Mike’s. Basically, we love sports. U of T tells us that our students are among the most involved in intramural sports at the university, and this year alone we’ve won the Mulock Cup (for intramural rugby), as well as the championships for volleyball, flag football, soccer and hockey. I know Hart House is only a few steps away, but we also have our own cardio room and a weight room for residents who want to squeeze in a workout between classes.

And, as I’ve said, we have a huge commitment to social justice, to helping those in need. This is supported by many student clubs and the work of our excellent Campus Ministry team. Just as an example, every week, St Mike’s runs a location of the “Out of the Cold Project,” which is a place where people can come in, warm up, get some company and food.

Last but not least, St. Mike’s is fun. We have a very active students’ union and a great social life — in fact, we have the reputation for throwing the best parties on campus! One of those is Winterfest, a week of festivities that we started years ago with our neighbours at Victoria College.

Do you have any mentorship programs at the college?
Right now, our mentorship opportunities are primarily associated with our academic programs. For example, one of the special programs we run at St Mike’s is Intercordia, which combines a winter course, mentoring and a placement abroad during the summer. The aim of the placement is to expose students to a very different cultural environment and it’s been a very transformative experience for those that participate. For example, this past year, one of those students was working at an AIDS clinic in Swaziland. The Campus Ministry is open to everyone at St Mike’s and offers a range of programming and discussion groups, as well as individual counselling. From there, many mentoring relationships can be established.

How does the selection process to the college work?
All you need to do is make St. Mike’s your first choice of Arts and Science college, and you’ll be admitted! If you want to be here, then we’ll welcome you.

What are some of the common stereotypes of your college, and what do you think about them?
A stereotype that’s common is that, since we’re the Catholic college at U of T we’re just for Catholics, and that all the staff are priests and nuns. Is St. Mike’s just for Catholics? Absolutely not! Are all the staff priests and nuns? Maybe 150 years ago, when there were only 50 students and five staff — but we’ve changed a lot since. Although we’re a Catholic college, we’re very open and diverse, culturally and religiously. St. Mike’s was founded to provide a place for higher education in an environment that recognizes the importance of the spiritual dimension of human life, and the importance of having a good moral and ethical foundation. As it turns out, that actually makes us very attractive to many people who have a very different faith tradition, because they know that although their beliefs differ, they will be respected here. And others who don’t have a faith tradition, and aren’t interested in religion, choose us because of the other great things we offer.

What are some of the clubs that are unique to your college?
The Medieval Martial Arts Club. (I know, everyone’s a little nervous about this one — after all, people with swords! But we’re giving it a try.) We have all kinds of other clubs too — some focused on cultural groups (like the U of T Italian club, whose home is here), some related to our programs, many focused on volunteering and charitable work, and of course, plenty of intramural sports teams.

What resources are available for commuting students?
For commuting students, and really anybody else, the ground floor of Brennan Hall has a huge lounge that is open all day. There’s a large-screen TV, internet access and a pool table. The offices of the SMC Student Union (SMCSU), and student newspaper (The Mike), are also there, along with other club space. SMCSU also has a commission in charge of commuter life and they’ve sponsored a lot of very popular events on campus during the day, including free food events.

Down the street from Brennan Hall, the Kelly Library is a huge study hub, with a café on the ground floor and an enormous computing facility on the first and second floors, with scanners and laser printing.

What about scholarships and bursaries at the college?
All SMC students qualify for U of T entrance scholarships, but we don’t actually invest our own resources in trying to attract people with big entrance scholarships of our own. Instead we want to encourage you and reward hard work all the way through your studies with “in-course” scholarships. So, after your second and third year (or 10 and 15th credit), if you have a 3.7-3.9 annual GPA, we automatically give you $1,500; if you have a 4.0, you’ll get $2,500.

What’s available to eat at the college?
The Canada Room is the residence dining hall and our main cafeteria on campus. It offers all-you-can-eat dining, all day, for residents on a five-day or seven-day per week meal plan. You can also buy meals individually at the door, or get a commuter plan. We have lots of options for students with special dietary needs: vegetarian, halal, lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, etc. We have a big salad bar, sandwich bar, and a stir-fry station. But of all our offerings, my personal favourite is Perogy Day!

What are the residences like?
We actually have two residences at St Mike’s. One is Loretto College, and it provides accommodation for women only. The other residence we simply call the SMC Student Residence, and it offers accommodation for men and women, in all-male or all-female floors spanning a number of buildings. Some people ask me if it wouldn’t be better to mix it up and make everything completely co-ed. Certainly there’s a lot of residences at U of T which already offer that. But when I ask prospective students why they are thinking co-ed might be the better choice for them, they often say, “Well I want to have my boyfriend or girlfriend over whenever I want.” That’s fair enough, but then I ask them, “How would you feel if your roommate had his or her girlfriend or boyfriend over all the time?” Most of them haven’t thought about that part of the deal and aren’t too keen on it when they do. The fact is, sometimes you want your guests (or your roommate’s guests) to go home, and when you’re living in a double room during your first year, it’s better to have that structure in place to help negotiate that give-and-take. It also has other benefits, but the main point is that in fact, our rules are very well received. We have a 90 per cent return application rate, and that usually that means we can’t have as many people back as we’d like to.

The SMC Student Residence offers a lot of variety as far as housing style goes. We have one building that’s modelled on the quad-style collegiate buildings of Oxford and Cambridge, and two others that are modelled on the “long corridor” dorm buildings you’ll see at most universities. But in addition to these we’ve also got these fantastic Victorian homes which were completely renovated a year ago and hold 15–30 people each. They are real architectural jewels. So there’s lots of choice in housing style.

Why should students choose your college?
Lots of reasons! We’re one of the oldest colleges at U of T; we have a beautiful campus and a vibrant community life. We have a fantastic tradition of excellence in the humanities, and amazing resources for scholarship. We’re committed to helping those in need, to social justice and to making the world a better place. If that’s what you care about, come to St Mike’s. If you like sports, if you like parties, if you want a small community feel where people care about you, then come here.

Can we close off with a fun fact?
Tim Horton lived at St. Mike’s!

My photographically annotated ramblings

I have to say that, of all the colleges, St. Mike’s is the only one I have never set foot in throughout my three years at U of T. It’s in the most southeastern part of campus (not counting the stuff on College Street), and I’ve had no need to venture that far. So I was very excited to do this interview, simply because there was everything to learn.

I think Kevin’s description of St. Mike’s as a little village is very apt. It’s surrounded by a gate, and as I explored the area, I felt I’d entered a completely different part of the university*.

*Technically, I did.

As with New College, it’s a bit hard to find your way around St. Mike’s. In fact, it took me 10 minutes to find the registrar’s office! It’s funny how a contractor finally pointed me in the direction of Alumni Hall. None of the students I asked knew where it was.

When I entered Alumni Hall, I saw one of those ubiquitous hand sanitizer stations. But something was different about this one… No, not the fact that the photo on the sanitizer container is creepy and the hand looks like it’s reaching out for you, but the fact that it wasn’t filled with Purell! So they don’t have a monopoly after all! I’d never seen “deb” before (I just went on the website. Creepy hands are a theme.)

The registrar’s office is also similar to New’s in that it has a separate entrance and exit. But the inside is completely different.

The office is huge. I haven’t seen Woodsworth’s yet, but it’s bigger than all the others. In fact, I’d wager that SMC’s office is bigger than UC’s and Trin’s combined, excluding the administrative office. The waiting area is bigger than my doctor’s! And from what I’ve seen, the wait time is infinitely shorter.

There were many other different buildings that I wanted to explore, but time was tight and I had to go and meet Kevin for the interview at Kelly Cafe. So I headed down to the Kelly Library. Once there, what did I spy with my little eye? A press machine for newspapers from back in the day!

And also, the Rare Book Room. Oh-em-gee, the Restricted Section, anybody?

I made my way over to the cafe. Every night of the previous week, I’d had about as many hours of sleep as the number of territories Canada has had in its history*. My uncaffeinated state must have been scary, because Kevin treated me to tea before starting our interview.

*From one to three.

After the interview, Kevin took me to tour the dining hall. It’s a comfortable little space, but it’s very well equipped. In fact, check out the lemonade machine! Kevin said the only other like it in Toronto, that he knew of, was at Holt’s! How’s that for fancy?

I really have to eat here one day, because it’s among the food places I’ve been to at U of T that aren’t operated by Sodexo or Aramark, and isn’t named 89 Chestnut. Can any readers comment on the comparative quality of Chartwells? Because check out that hamburger station!

Looking at these pictures again is making me hungry, so I’m going to run and grab some food. I hope you enjoyed the tour, dear readers, and I will be back next week with our final installment in the heptadic saga, Woodsworth College! This is my penultimate post for TCOTUOTSG-AEHS. Can you believe how fast time flies?

- Cynthia

Your College at U of T: New

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Good morning, dear readers! Exams are impending* and my saga is more than half done. In fact, after today, we have only two more colleges to go! Without further ado, let me introduce Jen McMillen, Director of Residence and Student Life for New College!

* Sorry for reminding you! I can empathize.

Can you tell me briefly about the history of the college, and where the name came from?
New College was founded in the ’60s to accommodate the big expansion of baby boomers in post-secondary education. We were the first college to have multi-purpose buildings built around a quad — a design principle similar to the New College at Oxford — and the warden from there travelled to New College to present us with a piece of their Stone Angel sculpture, which is now embedded in one of the walls in Wetmore lounge.

What’s unique about your college?
We embody the values of social justice and equity in everything we do. We have a strong activist approach, and a strong commitment to diversity, which we consider our cornerstone. We have a highly international population and a diverse national population, as well as a diverse faculty representation.

Our architecture is very unique: each building has an academic teaching space and administrative offices on the ground or second floor, and the residences above. This structure lends itself to the life of the college, where residence students going to the dining hall pass by their professors’ offices. We are truly a living-learning environment.

Do you have any mentorship programs at the college?
We have programs where New College students act as both mentors and mentees: we have a relationship with Big Brothers and Sisters of Toronto, where we pair our students with high school students in the community, as well as a successful mentorship program between our current students and accomplished alumni. We have doctors, judges and other professionals who mentor small groups of students in navigating the world, balancing academic life, etc.

How does the selection process to the college work?
We’re one of the biggest colleges, so although the selection process varies from year to year, you don’t have to rank New College first in order to get in.

What are some of the common stereotypes of your college, and what do you think about them?
I’ve heard stereotypes that we’re an “OSAP college” because there is a myth that our admission standards are relatively lower and some of our students are from a lower socioeconomic background. The reality is that New College, like all of U of T, admits excellent students. I don’t know what the statistics are in regards to how many of our students receive financial assistance in comparison to others, but access is a really big source of pride for us. As I said, there aren’t any students who are not bright admitted to U of T anyways, so if this means we attract students who otherwise wouldn’t have the resources to attend post-secondary education, then we are glad to be a point of access at U of T. What we end up with are students with different world experiences that make us less homogeneous than other colleges — and this is a strength.

What are some of the clubs that are unique to your college?
Because of our equity mandate, not only do we house clubs which are recognized by our student council, we have other U of T clubs here as well. For example, the Black Students’ Association is housed here; so are area student groups like the Portuguese Students’ Association and Somali Students’ Association. We have a huge dragon boat club, an a cappella group, a funk band … so it’s a mix. The Human Biology program, as well as the Women and Gender Studies Institute, is located here, so we have their student associations as well.

What resources are available for commuting students?
We are quite proud of the renovations in the lounge in Wilson Hall, as well as the commuters’ lounge in the basement. We’ve got couches, hard seating, microwaves, wireless, that kind of stuff. The next renovation phase will include changes to lighting — which is part of our greening initiative as well — as well as the creation of a café at the Wilson lounge. Basically, we are hoping to relocate the Coffee Shed — a cooperative project where the staff who run the operation are adults living with developmental disabilities, and learn commerce and customer service skills. Ideally, the plan is to have new microwaves, some sinks so commuter students can wash out their Tupperware, and a water station to encourage the use of reusable water bottles.

What about scholarships and bursaries at the college?
We offer approximately 55 admission scholarships, which are merit-based, ranging between $1,000 and $3,000; approximately 155 in-course scholarships, ranging from $500 to $2,500; and a substantial number of grants (needs-based) for approximately 400 students, averaging $1,500 each.

What’s available to eat at the college?
Pretty much whatever you want! We have a dining hall that features several stations during mealtimes, including a grill, stir-fry, comfort food station, vegan hot station. We have halal options, a pizza bar, salad bar and sandwich bar.

What are the residences like?
One of the cool parts about our residence is that we’re multi-faculty, so we have lots of professional faculty students mixed with Arts and Science students. All the residences are single/double rooms with a common washroom. All our residence dons have at least one undergraduate degree, so they fulfill a great mentorship role for the students, showing them how to balance social life with demanding academic and community service commitments. We have study rooms and newly renovated common rooms with breakfast bars, flat-screen TVs, etc. The residence is divided into 18 houses, with about 40 students in each. Every house has a don, and we operate as one residence even though we have three buildings. We operate as a large community.

Why should students choose your college?
At New College we care about the world and making a difference in the world, either locally or globally. I think we appeal to students who want to make a difference, expand their university experience to not only be about the amazing academics found at U of T, but engage in co-curricular initiatives. We’re launching a leadership certificate program, we have a diverse student body, our facilities are really coming along, we have a green space, we’re close to everywhere. Our buildings are multi-use and the staff are friendly, student-centred and approachable. We operate like a small community that cares.

Is there anything else you want to tell students about your college?
We created a student life and leadership portfolio which doesn’t exist many other places in quite the same way. We’re largely focused on committing resources to all students, with a special focus to commuting students. For example, we have the Commuter Community Initiative, where divisional leaders who are upper-year New College students who live in different parts of the city host events for commuting students in their home area. The idea is to bring the New College community to where the commuting students live, whether it be Newmarket or Mississauga.

Can we close off with a fun fact?
Our mascot is Goliath Gnu (pronounced “new”). Goliath has gone through many identity crises and has been kidnapped by various colleges and faculties. He’s seen a lot.

My thoughts and pictures

New College is home to one of my minors — Paradigms and Archetypes! It’s called Panda for short. How cool is it that I am minoring in Panda? *

* “No need to respond; that was rhetorical!”

The New College buildings are hard to capture in only one picture, but here’s a good view. You have the fab outdoors, a glimpse of the dining hall, and the curve of another building.

New College is like one of those farm estates where you can enter from different streets. It’s easy to get lost if you’re unfamiliar, so I thought I’d show you a map. As you can see, NC is surrounded by Spadina Ave., Huron St., Willcocks St., and Classic Ave.

Of all the registrar’s offices I’ve been to, New’s is the most “hidden.” In fact, let me take you on a tour. First you go through this set of doors:

Then you pass the admittedly very cool glass office of Human Biology (so apropos for them to have  hand sanitizer in front of the door):

And finally, after going through a winding hallway with two surprisingly neat and well-organized bulletin boards…

… you hit the registrar’s office:

Ironically, you have to pass the EXIT ONLY doorway first.

Quite a journey! I’m sure there’s an alternative route that I don’t know about. GNU* students, feel free to enlighten me.

* Couldn’t help myself, really. The Goliath Gnu is the coolest mascot ever. New College is the only one of all the colleges I’ve covered so far to have one. As Jen said, the Goliath Gnu has gone through many identity crises: it can go from manic to disarmingly cute:

Speaking of which, I want a stuffed Goliath Gnu, almost as badly as a ROSI.

Good luck with essay and exam dashes, dear readers. It’s almost over!

Next week: St. Michael’s College or Woodsworth College.

- Cynthia

Your College at U of T: Trinity

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Good Monday, dear readers! I hope you had a fantabulous mini-break and caught up on things you needed to do, be it homework or essays or seeing friends or sleeping. I, for one, am inordinately pleased that I got caught up on the last activity. Today for our heptadic saga, we have Dean Steels* from Trinity College, as well as a cameo from Provost Andy Orchard!

* His first name is Jonathan, not Dean. He’s the Acting Dean of Student Life, see? It’d be funny if a guy named Dean became Dean, though. It’s like, hello, Dean Dean *insert last name*!**

** Apparently, I’m nonetheless still sleep-deprived. Ignore me.

Can you tell me briefly about the history of the college, and where the name came from?

I can tell you it’s old. Trinity was founded by John Strachan, the first Anglican bishop of Toronto, in 1851.

What’s unique about your college?

Trinity is the smallest college at U of T, with roughly half of our first-year students in residence. We have around 1,800 students total, and around 400 new incoming students each year. We have an active and engaged student body who run their own student government at the college and hold formal events every year. We also have an Academic Don program, where grad students from particular disciplines are available to help our students with their academic studies.

Do you have any mentorship programs at the college?

We have a mentorship program which pairs alumni and current students. Certainly we are interested in developing more formalized mentorship programs. We have also have Academic Dons and peer counsellors, although they are not involved in a formal mentorship program.

How does the selection process to the college work?

Since we’re so small and get so many applicants, you have to rank us as your first choice when you apply to U of T. From there, you are invited to submit a “personal profile,” which is essentially answers to a few different essay questions that help us to see the student as a whole, as opposed to just his/her marks. Of course academic scores are taken into consideration, but extracurriculars are as well, and in the essay, we’re looking for creativity and originality, as well as grammar and spelling … you know, the usual stuff.

What are some of the common stereotypes of your college, and what do you think about them?

One that I’ve heard is that we’re elitist. Certainly we have a high academic standard and we have some excellent programs that are hosted here, as well as a pretty vibrant history. But we are among the most culturally diverse colleges, with students from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. I think the variety of our student activity and initiatives is a clear demonstration of that.

What’s with the robes?

The gowns are held from a tradition when Trinity students used to wear gowns to classes, a tradition derived from British post-graduate education. Students wear them to student government meetings and to formal meals.

There was a recent article in the Toronto Star about the college. Can you tell me more about that?

Provost Andy Orchard: The Star article, published in May, focused on an event that took place off-campus in March at which perhaps as few as two per cent of the current student body was present, by a group (“Episkopon”) from which the College long ago disassociated itself because of their consistently divisive, derisive, antisocial, and offensive behaviour. Whatever one might think of the rest of the piece (overwritten and under-researched are two opinions that I am aware of), the headline is bang on: Trinity remains “tainted” by a moribund tradition of often puerile pomposity that perhaps simply needs to cease. Trinity is not the college of 150, 100, or even 50 years ago, when “Episkopon” was very much a part of college life, and it is a sadness that so much attention is given to what is no longer representative, and is indeed deplored for its corrosive effect …

More productive, perhaps to celebrate a number of new initiatives and achievements at Trinity, most of which I did indeed mention to the Star reporter. The fact that he chose to ignore them altogether says much for his predetermined point of view … As a sometime classics scholar, I cannot help noticing that the Latin word that underlies the word “tradition” means both “to hand on” and “to betray.” It seems to me that Trinity is not obliged to accept all of its so-called traditions; and Episkopon has betrayed the college badly. It is certainly not a problem that, having inherited, I intend to hand on, even if others view me as a traitor to “Old Trin.”

[Cynthia's note: As you can see from my ellipses, Provost Orchard actually took the time to write me a very long and very thorough reply, right before a flight to England. Although I wanted to print his reply word for word, we simply do not have the space. However, even from this excerpt, you can tell that the Provost really takes exception to the old stereotypes and is bent on changing them.]

What are some of the clubs that are unique to your college?

Students for International Development sends around 10-15 students to Peru and Kenya each year. We have the Trinity Environmental Club, and played a big role in the development of our green roofs as well as the installation of our roof-top solar panels. Rainbow Trinity is pretty active as well – they’ve been helping to host the U of T-wide LGBTQ orientation for the last two or three years. We also have one of the oldest – if not the oldest – university debating societies in Canada, called “The Lit”. Actually, our student government in itself is pretty unique, as students have the ability to make influential decisions at the college.

What resources are available for commuting students?

Two of our student government leaders make up the Non-Resident Affairs Committee (NRAC), and student fees provide a sizable amount of funding for commuting students. Of course, all the resources available to resident students are available for non-resident students as well, including all our spaces, lounges, dons, pianos, etc. Also, we have two rooms which non-resident students can book if they’re here on a late night and want to spend the night at the college.

What about scholarships and bursaries at the college?

They range from (automatic awards for) highest average in a given discipline to scholarships that are based on community involvement in combination with grades.

What’s available to eat at the college?

We have two dining halls – one is a pretty large, formal hall, and the other one is smaller, more intimate. Both offer full service: cafeteria-style, with pre-determined menus. They have salad bars and different soups that change every day. We also have The Buttery in the commuter lounge space, where there’s Pizza Pizza, Starbucks, etc.

What are the residences like?

Our residences are older, charming buildings, but don’t worry – we’re fitted with wireless and modern amenities. We have a mix of single and double dorm rooms and dons interspersed throughout.

Why should students choose your college?

We’re a smaller college in the context of U of T. Students will have the opportunity to get involved here and get to know one another and the administration.

Can we close off with a fun fact?

Former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson went here!

Reflections, thoughts…

Fun story: I got to meet Adrienne Clarkson (and Jim Balsillie!) during the matriculation convocation thing, which was great, except of course my mom called to ask how the ceremony went. I ignored my phone ringing, because we were outside and the crowd was pretty loud anyway, and I was meeting Adrienne Clarkson (who has her own arms, for goodness’ sake), but apparently, “The Imperial March” cuts easily through chatter and laughter: Adrienne Clarkson levelled the frostiest stare at me and said, “You should take that,” before turning away. Oops. I’m sorry, Adrienne!

So, as you can tell, I’m a Trin kid, and I totally remember that personal profile I had to fill out. I remember that year, we were given a picture with a bench on it, and we were asked to write a 500-word reflection. I totally ran with it, and wrote an angsty, heart-wrenching tale of a young girl in diary format. It was definitely one of the most enjoyable entrance essays I wrote that year, and only after I submitted it did I have second thoughts about whether or not I should have been more … sophisticated. But hey, I got in! Good enough for me.

Before you ask, I do have a gown, and it has just the right amount of swishiness. As a commuting student, I rarely get to wear it (and also miss out on a lot of the traditions, boo), but it works great as a Harry Potter costume in a pinch! Also, as Dean Steeles said, the student government runs the place, basically, so you need a gown if you want to vote on any of the issues being discussed.

And yes, you wear your gown to formal dinners. Speaking of which, commuting students get 10 free meals every year on their TCard, which is amazing during exam week when I don’t want to think about bringing food to school.

If you look at the building, it is quite old and imposing – the floors creak, and I have the urge to whisper if I need to say anything. If you go in and make a left, you’ll reach our chapel, and if you’re lucky, somebody will be playing on the gorgeous organ that we have.

On the other side (make a right when you enter) is the Registrar’s Office. It’s an intimate space, with three desks where you sit face to face rather than stand in a line over long tables. I remember, when I was a first-year student, the registrar himself made appointments with all of us to check up on how we’re settling into university. It definitely made me feel at home right away.

It’s surprisingly easy to get involved at the college – I went to Kenya the summer of my first year with Students for International Development and spent 10 weeks there doing rural development projects. Along the way*, I met some great people, immersed myself in a completely new and different culture, and became the adopted daughter of one of the Maasai. It’s a great program, and way more affordable than other study/volunteer/travel-abroad programs at the university. Believe me, I’ve looked.

* I also took a guy to court, learned how to distinguish between the feces of most of the farm animals, and stared face to face with a lioness.

And that’s my experience with Trin as a commuting student. I really hope resident students can comment on their experience – it’s going to be different from mine.

Finally, I’d like to leave you off with one of our delightful (and facetious) little yells. So, WHO ARE WE?

We are the Salt of the Earth,
So give ear to us!
No new ideas shall ever come near to us!
Orthodox! Catholic!
Crammed with Divinity!
Damn the dissenters,
Hurrah for old Trinity!

Until next week, with New College,

- Cynthia