We’ve all heard the saying "balance is key", but recently I can’t stop thinking about what the key to balance could be. I hear things such as "work hard, play hard", but don’t often unpack what it means. We probably…
How to Access Counselling Services at U of T
Last spring, after years of struggling with my mental health and feeling like I could never change, I finally decided to take the plunge and start counselling services. Being a U of T student with limited money, on-campus services seemed…
The Roar of Residence Life
Moving away from home can be a big change. I lived in residence for two years, and for me, it felt a lot like sleep-away camp. It was super fun and there were always lots of people around. The experience…
Cooking (for students!)
If two years ago you would've asked me if I could live alone, I might have just laughed at you. I knew the time would eventually come, but I felt like I wasn't ready at all. If you’re about to…
The Dreaded Moment… Course Selection
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…