February 2016 – Page 5 – Life @ U of T

A Touch of Summer in the Middle of Winter

large round leaves against a glass ceiling

I've been in a bit of a creative rut lately. Between the perpetual grey weather and the sudden onslaught of midterms, I've been finding it difficult to feel inspired. Thankfully, this changed when I attended VicXposure's Allan Gardens Photowalk this weekend. The bright greenery and the group of happy photographers were more than enough to shake me of the January gloom and doom I was feeling.

How I’m finding #joyatUofT this winter

The other day, someone on my Facebook feed posted something along the lines of, “I’m really not impressed by how dark it is outside - day, if you want me to be productive and get out of bed, you’re going to need to do better than this.” Judging by the amount of ‘likes’ this comment accrued, I know I’m not the only one who felt she was preaching to the choir.

(Comic)ally Good Notes

Computer. Tablet. Notebook. Photographic memory. Regardless of how you do it, we all take notes in some way or another. Some of us may take notes a little less frequently than we should, while others take notes with the frantic detail of a court stenographer. Personal note-taking preferences seem to depend on a couple things: how much of the course is based upon lecture material, how much sleep you got the night before, how neat your handwriting is and if you charged your laptop today. Taking notes are a huge part of attending lecture and the quality of your notes can sometimes determine how well you will do in a course. The goal is finding that perfect balance between understanding most of the course material as it’s taught and jotting the most pertinent information down before your brain moves onto the next genius thing your prof says. Unfortunately, not all of us are lucky enough to have found that balance. Here are some of the types of note-takers you might know. The Doodler This sort of note-taker is miraculously talented enough to somehow ‘doodle’ penciled creations you couldn’t dream of and write down all of the prof’s main points. Which, now that you think about it, are really all you needed anyways. You squint to see what you thought was a doodle of a dog, only to realize this guy has done his own rendition of the Mona Lisa. Inspired, you attempt to make a doodle of your own. ...No. Scratch that. Handwritten notes in cursive are about as creative as your margins are going to get. Pros: The Doodler’s notes are one of two things: Heartbreakingly hipster or total pinterest aesthetic. Cons: In the time they spent doodling, you applied to four summer jobs. #$$$

Sands of Time: A Reflection

Thursday, January 28th, 2016 was just one of Those Days.

We all know Those Days. We’ve all had them.

We all know what it's like when the day takes a completely different turn and leaves you feeling like a powerless passenger instead of firmly planted in the driver’s seat. I was made quite familiar with the feeling on that particular Thursday- thanks to a series of (unfortunate) events: a laptop charger forgotten at home, multiple transit delays, some overambitious weather estimating (I thought it would actually be six degrees outside) a very ungraceful fall in Queen’s Park and to top it all off- an interview! which meant nerves nerves nerves.

Test Prep 101

MCAT. PCAT. GMAT. DAT. LSAT. It seems like every professional faculty has a requirement for interested applicants to write a standardized test which aims to assess the skills, knowledge and aptitude of the individual in relation to the profession. Many of these tests require immense preparation and studying in order to maximize performance on the test. For many faculties, scores from these standardized tests are an important factor in determining admittance. For instance, many law schools in Canada will consider applicants as “competitive” if they rank in the 80^th percentile on the LSAT. I remember when I found out that UofT’s pharmacy program required applicants to write the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT), this task felt daunting. These standardized test carry a surmountable weight in determining whether or not you will be accepted into the program. So how does one rise to the challenge in tackling these standardized tests?

The Apple Cider of Music: Jazz at Oscar’s

Back in autumn, rain showers were our constant companion, so we turned to apple cider for warmth. Now in winter, we can replace the rain showers with blizzards, but what replaces the apple cider? Jazz. As this week marks the beginning of February and the beginning of #JoyatUofT—a time when we celebrate the things at U of T that bring us joy—, I decided to pursue this “apple cider of winter,” and so, I went to Jazz at Oscar’s, a series organized by the Hart House Music Committee. The series showcases local jazz artists every Friday night at Hart House’s Arbor room. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went to this event. I thought that perhaps it would take place in a decent-sized room with a small audience seated in foldable chairs facing a Steinway piano in the front. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The Arbor room had been transformed into a rich world of sight, sound, and smell. Darkness blanketed the room, save for the light from the eatery at the back and the mauve-tinged spotlight on the stage at the front. The entire place was filled by the time I arrived, from the young to the elderly taking up all the chairs and upholstered seats available. Some of them held wine glasses, while others opted for cups of coffee. Yet all of them chattered among one another, punctuated by laughter and chuckles.

The stage of the Arbor room, lighted by a mauve spotlight. — Not going to lie, the unexpected appearance of a mauve spotlight elicited an excited gasp from me.

The “Study” Part of Studying Abroad

Last week, I wrote about things to think about when you’re choosing the courses you’re going to take when you’re on exchange. I thought I’d continue on the academics theme this week by writing about what it’s like to actually take those classes. I’m talking going to lectures and tutorials, doing readings, writing assignments, taking exams – all the stuff you would rather not think about when you’re imagining your exchange experience.

Month: February 2016 (page 5)