As a student who ‘double-dips’ in both the arts and sciences here at U of T, I can tell you that sometimes a full library day is something you can’t avoid. My kitchen table is where I do the majority of my school work, but occasionally I need the focus and academic-y aesthetic a library provides. The many reasons students end up at the library vary, but I’m sure we all have one thing in common: we don’t really want to be there.A typical Madeline-at-home work space.I once made made a trip out to Queen's University to visit some friends who studied there. It was during the impromptu library tour (it didn’t take long, they only have seven) that I was told if you were going to get anything done there, you must get a desk with an outlet — not for your computer charger, but for the mini kettle that would apparently provide enough sustenance to read for hours on end with instant coffee and Mr. Noodles. And while I have never seen a person with a kettle at Robarts, I still think of this every time I pack up my bag for a full day of studying.
In my first year at U of T, I took astronomy to fulfill my breadth requirements. When the first midterm came around, I studied really hard because the topic was out of my liberal arts comfort zone. I reviewed the lectures and the reading notes and made flash cards, and I felt like I was on track. I went to the midterm early, flashcards in hand. Looking around, everyone seemed nervous and stressed, and I was overhearing people quizzing each other with questions I didn’t know the answers to and started to panic. I put in my earphones and listened to some music and tried to take deep breaths.Stacks on stacks (of flashcards). Image by benjamingolub via Flickr.
Step aside, Ms. Trelawney. Disney is the new fortune teller of the future. Didn’t they create “It’s a Small World,” the infamous ride where dolls sing about how small the world is, years ago? Their prediction came true. Now I can talk to all my friends—from someone living a couple of doors down from me to someone in the Philippines—with the power of one device: my phone. However, with every blessing comes a curse, and I didn’t realize the curse of constantly using social media as a means to talk to people until I decided to try out the #unplugUofT trend—where students try to ‘unplug’ from their devices and social media accounts for a little while—and met up with some friends not through a social media platform, for once.
Where did I go? Well, I’m sure some of you know by now I have an intense obsession with tea. So of course I asked one of my friends to go to the Tea Social with me—a weekly event hosted at Hart House’s Reading Room every Tuesday.
As promised by the title, there was glorious tea. Two big teapots filled with black tea, plus some granola bars set up on a side table.
Tea - the ultimate form of temptation.
Hello from Copenhagen!
You might remember that in my last post, I was feeling a little bit down. School stress was mounting, I wasn’t having much fun, and I was getting overwhelmed trying to balance my workload with my desire to just have fun on exchange. Luckily, I managed to hand in all of my assignments, dig myself out from my mountain of books and readings, and take a break for a few days. And what better place to take a break than Copenhagen?
Every year, the Faculty of Pharmacy puts on a talent show which showcases pharmacy students and their talents. The show is affectionately called “Phollies” and is one of the most-anticipated events among the student body in pharmacy! Whether it was playing an instrument, singing, spoken word or beat boxing – Phollies has it all!
Hello,
UofT St. George has some pretty fantastic student programming on campus, and opportunities to connect with resources. I think its particularly great that students who are seeking help are given autonomy and choice, and flexibility in health care options.
This week, I had the chance to chat with Peers are Here program coordinator, Adam, about the peer groups he helps to run, what you can expect from a session, and why he is passionate about this project.
On campus and tired but can't find a good spot to sleep? Our video crew took matters onto their own hands to test out some of the best spots to sleep on campus!
The start of the ’gap’ between midterms and finals is definitely a good time to find more opportunities to de-stress where possible. As I’ve been emphasizing the importance I’ve placed on striking a balance between work and play, I’ve decided to find out where my fellow first-years have been going to relax on campus. Specifically, I’ve been looking for places to ‘unplug’ and unwind without keeping a constant eye on my phone.
An origami modular of Hello Kitty made by last year's UTFOLD team. Look how cute it is!! (please also note the Totoro model in the back). Photo source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/utfold/
As mentioned in one of my earlier posts, I’ve been meaning to check out UTFOLD for some time. I thought that it’d be cool to advance my paper-folding skills beyond paper airplanes (is that even considered origami???).
