I like to compare course selection to buying concert tickets: the number of seats available is scarce, everyone is trying to get the “best” times and dates, and there’s absolutely no time to think. After my experience with course selection…
My Homesickness Tricks
The biggest problem I faced in my first year of university was homesickness. I was already familiar with the feeling, having been to sleepover summer camp as a kid, but I still didn’t know how to make it go away.…
Note taking: Handwritten vs Typed Notes
There’s nothing I love more than having aesthetic notes… or so I thought. For as long as I have been a student, I've always written my notes by hand; this didn't change when I entered my first year at U…
4000 km From Home: Missing My Parents at University
Almost two years ago, I jumped on a plane and flew from Vancouver to Toronto. Though I’ve been back since, a lot has changed. Ever since then, my sense of home has blurred from Vancouver to Toronto, and not seeing…
My friends are how old?!
Going into my third year, I don't even think about how old my friends are anymore. It's a strange concept because only 3 years ago my friend group was made up of almost exclusively people my age. In high school…
How the Breadth Requirement Made Me Change My Major
Ah, the dreaded breadth requirement strikes again! As someone who’s changed my major way too many times (technically five times - oops) I was not too happy to learn that I needed to take on more courses in order to…
Staying on “Track” During my Commute
"I love commuting", said no one ever. As a commuter, I frequently complain about having to spend more than 2 hours travelling to and from campus every day. Being a student, I find that every second of the day matters,…
How I’ll Be Celebrating Pride Month
It’s June: the start of summer weather, patio dinners, relaxation, and most importantly, Pride Month! For me, Pride Month has always been an important time. As a queer person, Pride is many things— it's about celebrating the communities we’ve built,…
My summer abroad in Toronto
Before we dive too deep into university life, I thought I'd introduce myself. Who am I? An Anthropology student going into my third year, navigating my way through my first summer in Toronto. My name is Francesca, everyone calls me…
Things that Helped me in my First Year
Now that I have officially survived my first year, I've spent some time reflecting on my overall experience and compiled a list of the top things that helped me out. There’s a lot of readings… don’t fall behind! At first,…