So what is ARW? ARW stands for Alternative Reading Week and it is an program offered by the Center for Community Partnerships, which allows UofT students to immerse themselves in different community projects in the city for three days during…
Why I’m choosing self-care this winter
Growing up in California, clear, blue, sunny skies greeted me everyday. When I came to Toronto, I suddenly went long stretches without seeing those familiar blue skies, especially during the winter months. I’ve now experienced three Toronto winters and I’ve…
“Only” a Year: Making the Most of My Time Abroad
When I first told my Grandma the details of my exchange to Tokyo, she exclaimed “Only a year? That’s too short!” Her reaction surprised me. A full year? I thought, if anything, that’s a bit long. But in retrospect, my…
Hackathons and Hatcheries – Interdisciplinary Hubs
Again, I mainly participate for the free Google t-shirt but more importantly...
To Stress or Not to Stress
Stress (Noun) /stres The Oxford Dictionary’s definition: A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. My definition: A constant battle with oneself. A mental state that consumes one’s psyche for prolonged periods of time until…
The Myth of the Four Year Degree
While it's true that many students graduate in four years, this isn't always the case. As someone who's anticipating a fifth year at UofT, I wanted to bust the "Myth of the Four Year Degree," a myth that seems to…
Leading with failure
Only 3 weeks left of school, playing catch up with the semester tiny breaks of procrastination so tempting to this flame burning out Still flickering on as bright as I can Feedback in numbers, comments checkmarks scribbles question marks strikethroughs…
Thanksgiving in Tokyo
Studying abroad means constantly learning. Not always by sitting in class or studying at the library, but in daily interactions. Every day is an opportunity for cultural exchange– embarrassing myself during conversations, listening to my obachan talk about etiquette, and…
You Can’t Spell “Group Project” Without “Group”
Midterms. Alright, enough talk of midterms. Let’s talk about something way more terrifying. That’s right. Group projects. For a fair number of us, the end of October isn’t just scary because of Halloween- it’s the…
What my injury has taught me
Although I’ve been active most of my life, I don’t know that I’d necessarily consider myself an athlete. However, I was involved in many different sports and activities growing up. I danced from the age of three until I was…