November has arrived and fall is in full swing. For me, everything seems to have changed all at once. Over the weekend after my latest midterm, I got back into my housekeeping and admin routine. Though my tasks were fairly…
hold up, wait a minute
When I nervously sit down for an interview, and the interviewer asks me the inevitable question of how I manage my time, I smile, sit up really straight, and confidently state: “I’m great at prioritizing my work!” It all started…
Planning & Responding to Change: the Teaching & Learning Symposium
If you've been reading our blog for a while, you're probably wondering: what's wrong with this Charles guy? The other bloggers write about really interesting things, like going to plays and the TIFF, trying out yoga and segways, dealing with mental health (Harry Potter style), quitting…
When the Time is Right
I need to catch my breath! Just when I think life will slow down, I realize how wrong I am. If it’s not tests, essays or readings, it’s meetings, volunteering, events and the list goes on. In a perfect world,…
What’s the deal with “Open Access Week”?
Last week was Open Access Week (or OAweek as the hashtag goes), both at UofT and around the world. The UofT Libraries and the Scholarly Communications and Copyright Office were pretty big on pushing OAweek, but when I mentioned to the…
Asking questions in office hours
In the past few weeks, most of the bloggers here have been offering tips to succeed in classes, and what resources are available on campus. Among the answers we usually give is "go to office hours, they're really helpful!". But…
Holistic Living for a Busy Schedule
My head can really get spinning. With so much going on, including schoolwork, tests, classes, extracurriculars and events, things can get crazy. Stress is a part of university life especially during flip-out times like midterms. But stress is natural and…
Confessions of a Stress Queen
I've previously mentioned that I like to keep busy. I know it seems counterintuitive, but it keeps me at the top of my game! Throughout this year’s Mental Wellness month at U of T, the campaign has revolved around coping…
Looking Ahead, and Choosing a Path
Dealing with your program can be stressful. Choosing your degree can be hardest. This question can be easy for some people, but asking yourself what degree you want can force you to ask bigger questions as well. For me, choosing…
Mythbusters: Teaching Assistant Edition.
Last week, we shared a moment about tutorials, and briefly mentioned that they are usually run by Teaching Assistants (TAs). What exactly a TA is can be elusive to most students, and I think it's important to spend a few minutes together…