The Halfway Point

My name is Vahini and I’m one of your new student life bloggers. I couldn’t be more excited about blogging my experiences, thoughts and idea for the next year. I’m currently a double major in History and Diaspora and Transnationalism Studies (more about that to come later-stay tuned!). My hobbies include long walks over to my laptop for daily pop culture binges, tea of all kinds and the occasional yoga session.  I’m also currently in the process of trying to develop other interests beyond reality TV and fantasy novels - at least until George R.R Martin finishes Winds of Winter!

With ROSI times and course selection coming up, I realize that I am very much so passing the halfway point of my undergrad, and it feels as scary as it sounds. While I don’t quite feel like an all-knowing-U-of-T-sensei yet, I do feel like the last two years have taught me some important lessons, that can be most easily summed up with: people, places, purposes. (Note: You know you’ve been here long enough when study/memory short cuts make their way into every part of your life!)

People- You hear this time and time again, before you come to university, while you’re in university and I’m sure well after you leave university about the lasting friends you make here. Free from the reins of hegemonic high school hierachies – how did any of us ever want to leave that place? - you come to U of T and encounter personalities from every end of the rainbow. After all, if the last two years has taught me anything, it's that some of the best lessons come from people.

The beauty of university is the variety of people you get to meet, and everything you learn from that. I would love to hear all of your stories of first encounters, and I'm sure there are plenty of funny ones go to around ;). Places- This place is huge, and as helpful as the lovely uoftmap is, it can be really overwhelming.

In my first year for one of my first lectures, I had accidentally made my way to the Alumni House instead of Alumni Hall…embarrassing but true! But why have I grown to love a school of Hogwarts proportions? Because beautiful places on campus are practically free flowing, they couldn’t just fit onto a top ten list. I intend to find at least three beautiful new spots this year! Purpose- The beauty of all the different people you meet and the places you see is how it all culminates into figuring out your purpose. (Or as Sarah likes to put it, what excites your spirit!) I love anything to do with the media, but it isn’t something that cut academically corners for me. Luckily I managed to put it to use through co-hosting Beyond the Classroom  at CIUT FM and being a Media Studies Analyst for the G8 Group. Both were very different in purpose, but tied together my larger interests, not to mention that it was so refreshing to be involved in things beyond essays and classes during the year, and figuring out the balance couldn't have come sooner! The beauty of a big place with lots of people are all of the purposes that you come your way. So what fits into your three-p’s UofT?