Land Ahoy!: A day on Toronto Islands

phot looking at animal pens at Riverdale Farm
Riverdale Farm
It’s official, we are in the last half of summer. With August being two weeks away I’m certain all of us are thinking about the arrival of the fall semester. I’m also certain that many of us are recounting what we’ve done so far in the past months so as to plan accordingly for the remaining tank top days of the summer season. For myself, the summer has been a blur of problem sets, readings, and attempts at healthy life balances. I’ve hung out with friends, had many park days and in just the past week have set out to be the very best Pokemon trainer like no one ever was. What my summer hasn’t been is a day at the beach!  Well until this past weekend when I set out to explore Toronto Islands for the first time in what can only be described as forever and a half.

UofT Bookstore Haul

It’s that time of year again! With course selection times coming up, we are suddenly uprooted from the comforts of summer and thrown into fall semester preparation. One of the things that I have done in the past to calm my September nerves is to go crazy with Back to School shopping. I know what you’re thinking: who even goes Back to School shopping after the 8th grade? Answer: me 🙁  

Summer commutes and that half-eaten granola bar

So I’m taking summer classes. I love summer school because I don’t have to juggle 5 courses at the same time. The focus on one subject for two months instead of 5 in four months has always made more sense to me for some reason. This is an unpopular opinion but there are pros and cons to everything! There’s also not that many people on campus during the summer which means I always get the seat with the power outlet.

Not a lot of people want to spend the best weather to grace Toronto in months indoors but I actually end up spend more of it outdoors…waiting for my bus.

Basic Training: Lessons for Student Life

Hi there! This is my good friend Conor. We met at Trinity College Orientation Week 2014 and have been buddies since. Among other things, Conor and I share a passion for physical activity and education, and we share teaching responsibilities for a Bootcamp class at UofT.
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My buddy Conor is one of the most intelligent and honest people I know, and he is always able to provide the best advice!
This week I sat down with Conor to discuss the four pillars of the HealthyU mandate (MoveU, SafeU, HappyU and FuelU). I am always eager to hear Conor’s perspective on important issues, because his life experiences include being a full-time student, a fitness instructor, and Military Maritime Surface Officer with the Royal Canadian Navy. Mostly, I was interested to know how Conor applies some of the techniques and teachings he has received from the military in his life as a student. I learned a bunch of new military jargon; concepts that have considerable applicability to student life too. Here I’ve pieced together our conversation:

Drop-In Skating and Exam Prep (Already?!)

I’ve been feeling a little-more-than-a-little subpar recently. I’m not sure if it’s the weather or a change in routine due to injury or just everyday stressors, but I don’t like to hang out in ruts like that. Last Friday served as a nice little pick me up, thankfully. I finally made it out to drop-in skating at the Varsity Centre! I regret that I didn’t take pictures, I was consumed by how good it felt to be using my legs after making my arms so terribly sore at aerial silks. I’ve been less active recently and I think that might be contributing to my lousy mood. Skating with a good friend helped! I went on Friday from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon and it served as a nice study break. Skate rentals are available for only $3.39 (debit/credit only) and entry is free with your T-Card of course! It wasn’t very populated, which I really appreciated. I definitely recommend checking it out, especially if you’re looking for some space to make some mistakes (I sure am!).
Source: www.macedoecunha.com.br
Source: www.macedoecunha.com.br