I grew up with eczema, which is also known as dermatitis. When I was in kindergarten, I was told by my teacher that scratching is grotesque and un-lady-like. I was living in Hong Kong, which is a city with only…
Applying for Graduate Studies 📝
I wish I had thought more about scheduling time off to prepare for graduate school application. Despite having a light course load in the fall term, I still found it difficult to allocate time to researching graduate programs, asking for…
Reflecting on My Break In Anticipation of the New Year 📌
Reflections are great opportunities not only to do the obvious (to consider something, i.e. to reflect). They are also important in prompting change. What use is there to deliberation, after all, if we do not have an inclination to progress…
How I Spend My Days Off 🎈
Even though I may not have any classes on Fridays, I still enjoy coming to campus on my days off. From the peacefulness of the libraries (I especially like the newly renovated Laidlaw Library at University College) to the occasional…
Reflecting on Applying for Scholarships ✍️
Financial aid has made a world's difference during my undergraduate career. I am thankful for all the scholarships that have enabled me to have a second sandwich for lunch or to go abroad to present research at a conference. Among…
How I Prepare For an Interview ⏳
Interviews are, to me, as nerve-wracking as they are awkward. Although I generally enjoy sharing my experiences and interests, the settings characteristic of interviews make these confessions feel forced. But establishing a routine to get ready for them, which includes…
On Applying for the Fulbright Killam Fellowship
I have the Centre for International Experience (CIE) to thank for giving me the assistance I needed to submit my application. I remember having found this opportunity via the CIE portal, it was the only means by which an undergraduate…
My Experience Applying for the Rhodes Scholarship 📋
The decision to pursue graduate school was made in the spirit of wanting to stay in school for as long as I could. Enrolling in a masters or a PhD seemed like the regular path to professorship in academia. Many…
⛷ How I Planned My Reading Week ✍️
When I started my first year at the University of Toronto, I had as little a clue about what a 'reading week' was as much as I had a clue about rocket science. People talked about anticipating this twice-a-year event,…
Visiting the Hart House Farm for a Day Trip 🍂
Many students are astonished to realize that there is such thing as the Hart House Farm. Make no mistake, this is not a farm roaming with cattle and crowded by apple trees. The farm is more of an estate. It…