Happy New Year! As much as I love the winter holidays and all the joy and relaxation that comes with it, I (and most likely you) have to snap back to reality. Usually, after a nice break it takes a…
Making Spirits Bright: Surviving the Dark Winter in Finland
“Kaamos” is the Finnish word for “polar nights:” some places don’t see sun for three months. Helsinki, where I am, is southerly enough to get some light–almost seven hours per day now! Still, it’s not as luxurious as the nine…
Maintaining Healthy Habits During Reading Week
If you found yourself at any of the club fairs or orientation events during the first few weeks of classes in September, you probably have laid your hands on one of the 3½ Things pamphlets put together by the Health…
Take a Break
Sometimes, if I focus on one thing for too long, it feels like my brain might melt and lazily drip out from my ears. It isn’t a nice feeling. Chances are you know what I’m talking about (minus the melting…
Traveling on Exchange: Making the Most of Living in Scotland
When I was younger I spent hours on google maps looking up different places and trying to convince my parents to one day take me there. I actually succeeded to convince my parents a few times, and since then my…
Art is my Salvation: Hart House Art Tour
This week has been a tough week for me. A lot has happened and a lot still remains to be going on. The majority of it has simply been personal, but sometimes personal obstacles are the ones that seem the most difficult. And in my opinion, rightly so, because to me personal battles are actually opportunities to grow in disguise.
In times of personal struggles, I have found that creativity and art are two things that ground me. Writing in a journal for instance, or even doodling in sketch pad. But sometimes inspiration to be creative doesn’t come easily when faced with a mountain that needs to be overcome. In these times, I enjoy finding inspiration in the more traditional way: that is surrounding myself with art. And what better way to do this than by taking advantage of Hart House’s free monthly Art Tour?