Moviegoers Galore!

What's up moviegoers, this is Raphael back for Friday's blog!

Hopefully all of you have already finished your midterms and finally have some time off studying. We all have spent quite some time on campus  and we may think we know all about our school. Well, if you are a movie lover then you must know that our campus has been in a few movies. Yes, I know crazy right? Actually around this same time 2 years ago we had the Meeting Place used as a set for a popular movie. Can you guess what it was? If you remember from my last blog, I briefly mentioned it at the beginning.

Give up?

It's Resident Evil! Check out the photo below of the transformed Meeting Place.

Resident Evil: Afterlife

If you remember from last week, I mentioned that the striking architecture of the Humanities and Science Wing won awards, but what I didn't mention was that it won because of the "brutalist" nature of the buildings. The location manager for the movie saw the possibilities with the building and could manipulate the space with ease. When I first heard about a movie was filming at UTSC, I was ecstatic, as a first year I thought I could be a bystander in the movie. Unfortunately I didn't get my chance to be part of the movie, but I saw the movie sets and the lighting equipment they brought for the shot they needed. It's just great to actually see the movie and say, "Hey they filmed that scene at my school!" I mean not everyone can say that about their schools, right?

Ok here's another great one, can anyone guess which movie this strange "stormtrooper" look-alike (on the right) belongs to? No, it's not Star Wars. Give up? It's Total Recall! Never heard of it, huh? Ok, to be honest I didn't know about the movie either until I searched it up. Apparently Total Recall is a remake of an old 1990 sci-fi movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger. But this time the main star will be Colin Ferrell along with Kate Beckinsale. Yes it's a remake of a movie that was made before I was even born! I can't wait to see the shots of this movie! And what's even cooler is that one lucky student was chosen to be an extra (one of the storm troopers like the one on the right) to be part of the movie! Yes he was paid $11 an hour to be part of the movie and got a glimpse of the actors in the movie. Imagine being part of a movie, right in your own school! That definitely deserves major bragging rights, whoever he is, he is one lucky guy.

And once again the Meeting place was the place used for the set, to make a (what it looks like) a busy sci fi train station.


This really shows that University of Toronto Scarborough has always been destined for great things. Ever since the uni first opened up in 1966, its buildings has told a story, and it's our priority as students to carry on that legacy. I don't know about you guys, but as a student I feel much more connected with a school when others (such as movie producers) can see our school as a backdrop for their ideas to come to life. I am grateful to be in a school where one can explore new opportunities and every single student should be proud to be in school such as ours. This is Raphael with your weekly dose of interesting facts about our university, please subscribe to our blog by clicking the follow button at the top and have a great weekend everyone!

We Made it!

Hola beautiful blog readers! 

I hope all of you are enjoying our almost one month of daily blogging at UTSC PULSE! This is Moiz (PLUG: follow me at @Moizmaq) coming at you once again on this wonderful Thursday. I really had no idea what I was going to blog about until two days ago. So make sure you guys tweet/comment me ANYTHING you’d like me to write about… ANYTHING! Today’s post is for my fellow first year students and maybe even students that are still in High School right now! Being at University for almost two months made me realize how different High School and University really are. So I decided to write a blog post about it! :D

 

The biggest change is definitely the freedom we get in University. I mean this in an academic way and also in a social/personal way. Academically, freedom means that there isn’t anyone hunting you down for not handing in assignments, doing homework, keeping up with the lectures or even coming to class! In High School, most people were forced by others to go to class. In University, nobody cares if you go to class or not. So in a way, you have to force yourself to go to class!

It doesn’t end there, when you get to class the problem becomes paying attention. How many times has this happened to you; One second you swear that you’re paying attention to the prof, and the next second you’re magically on Facebook creeping your newsfeed!? I’m guilty of this myself but it’s not even my fault, I swear my computer automatically puts on Facebook when I’m not looking! In High School, the teacher is always picking on you to pay attention and not fall asleep or text so that was never a problem. Personally, it annoyed me when teachers did that in High School but now I feel like I took it for granted. I think I need someone to constantly make me pay attention in class now (I know you ALL can relate)! 

In a more personal way, freedom comes from being away from your parents and family. Most people choose to live on res when they go off to University. This means even more responsibility for a student! You have to cook, clean, manage your time, etc. A big thing about University is that you HAVE to be self-motivated. NOBODY really cares if you get your work done or not, you have to choose to do it yourself! Also, a lot of people think University is all about studying and doing well in all your classes. Although that is a big part of being at University, your social/extracurricular life is what will keep you sane! My advice to you first year students is to go out and get involved in any way you can.

photo credit- Ken Jones

Another change in University is the sizes of the classes and lectures! Most of my first year courses have classes of close to 500 people each! That’s a big change from High School where most classes had 30 people and even that was considered a lot! Another difference is that your final grade is usually based on 3 or 4 grades (midterms and finals) instead of about 20 grades (assignments, tests, quizzes, etc.). 

And finally, everyone’s favourite change… YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR UNIVERSITY! This is probably the change your parent’s will feel the most. This change doesn’t have to be negative though. It does benefit you in terms of motivation, if you feel like you don’t have enough motivation to work hard in school just think of all the money you put into your education and I’m sure you’ll be motivated in no time!

I feel like I got the major differences between High School and University down. If you guys feel like I forgot something, or if you have any changes you’d like to add, feel free to do so in the comments section below! And make sure you let me know if you have any blog post ideas you want me to write about! Until next week.

Peace and love.

October is 'Mental Health Awareness' month

In the spirit of this month, I thought I'd take time out and share my struggle with depression with you, here, now.

One way I deal with my depression is by writing creatively, here is a sample:

Today is one of THOSE days.
It's that day where you get out of bed and ask yourself why?
It's the day you've given up on before it even begins.
It feels like time is moving in slow motion.
It feels like you've made a cute little black hole inside yourself and you're being consumed, and you don't even know where it's headed.
You want to reach out but you're afraid that if you put your hand out, it'll freeze and be stuck. It was a nice idea at first; to make a nice little emotional cocoon and just hibernate there for a little while when the world got a bit...much.

Now it feels more like a never ending case of stairs you just want to reach the end of.


Now it's like you're sick...all the time...on the inside
Now it's like everything is giving up on you, or rather you're giving up on it, and you can't decipher which came first.
Now you're just decaying.
Now you're drowning in quicksand made of lack-of-oxygen and emptiness.
Now time is running out.
Now it feels like you have absolutely no motivation left to pursue anything.
You know you have reason to worry when the things that made you so happy leave you with that bitter taste in your mouth.
You know what the worst part is? It's when you know you're in pain and you just let it rule over you.
All these assignments, expectations, excuses.
Sympathy is such an easy emotion to evoke in you.
I'm hurting you, hurting me.
If I couldn't look at myself in the mirror what makes you think I'll look you in the eyes and admit the truth.
When you're in pain, you're in pain. Why fight, deny or repress it?

I received support in high school, and have come to realize I should reach out and look for support on this campus. I took a big step and I decided to book an appointment with the Health and Wellness Centre. (They are located on the second floor of the Student Centre)
I'll let you know how it went.

Until then stay strong.

Song of the week-

The High-Tech Student

Hello fellow readers and welcome back for another post by yours truly Malcolm Wong (@malcolmwong1). This week I'll be discussing something that's central in all our lives. *drum roll* - TECHNOLOGY.

As students the most central piece of tech gear is our laptops/notebooks and we coincidentally demand the most out of them. They are our mobile work stations and entertainment hubs. There are many options out there for laptops the key is to get something that fits your lifestyle and needs. The top 3 things you should look for as a student getting a computer for school are mobility, functionality and of course price and quality. I have selected notebooks that I think

Before I start my review of a few laptops I want to make a few things clear. I think those cute little netbooks are absolutely, positively USELESS! In my opinion they are too small to be functional and don’t have the power to do much of anything and for a little bit more you can get a tablet which out performs the netbook in EVERY aspect. I’m also a firm believer that you get what you pay for in terms of quality especially when it comes to laptops. Furthermore, when it comes to the Mac vs. PC debate I believe it comes down to a personal choice. I have chosen to review 2 types of notebooks with a Mac and PC options for both types – a total of 4 notebooks.that students should consider through these 3 criteria.

I’m going to start with the infamous Apple MacBook Pro. At a starting price of $1249 not including taxes it’s probably one of the most expensive choices. However, it has many redeeming qualities that may justify paying the price. Out of the Macbook Pro choices I highly recommend the 13” model not only because of its size and portability, but because of the price! – Let’s face it Apple products are really expensive and as students money typically isn’t a big part of our lives. With the recent update to the MacBook Pro line the 13” gains quite a bit of value with bigger hard drives and the top of the line dual core i5 and i7 processors. Another amazing quality of the MacBooks is the long lasting battery usually around 6-7 hours – the longer your battery lasts the longer you can stay mobile. The Macbook Pros come equipped with enough ports and slots for connecting the other digital devices in your life. A 13” Macbook Pro is great if price isn’t your biggest concern as it packs plenty of power and functionality into a small device – it also looks pretty cool.

If you’re not an Apple fan or a the $1249 price tag has you thinking twice then maybe the Acer Aspire S3 notebook is for you. Starting at $899 plus taxes the S3 is part of the new generation of notebooks dubbed the “UltraBook”. It is far cheaper than the MacBook Pro and packs a similar punch. To describe an “UltraBook” think of a hybrid between a High performance laptop and tablet. The S3 is just a mere 2.98 pounds that’s 2 pounds lighter than the 13” Macbook Pro. Not only is it light but it EXTREMELY thin – I’m talking about 0.51 inches thin. Featuring similar specs as the Mac Pro 13” it’s packs a big punch in an extremely small and THIN package. PCs are notorious for having TERRIBAD battery life I assure you this isn’t the case with these PC UltraBooks. The S3 changes all of it with a 7 hour battery. The most interesting part of the S3 is that instead of a DVD drive it has a solid state hard drive to run your most essential applications with super performance in addition to a Hard disk drive for storage – can you say AWESOME? Plus, who really uses the DVD Drive on their laptop any more?

Another Apple product that is starting gaining popularity is the 11.6” MacBook Air. At a first glance the Air looks – in a word, unappetizing for a student; Minimal storage, a low end processor and a starting price of $999. When you factor in how portable this little notebook is due to the flash memory then it doesn’t seem so bad it sort of makes up for the lack of everything else and the price tag. However, with the lack of, SD card slot and storage (unless you buy the more expensive bigger models) I don’t believe the Air could take centre stage of your tech arsenal – mostly because it can’t much of anything. If you’re looking for something light weight, for internet browsing and note taking then it you could consider it; at a tiny size of 11.6 inches in diameter there’s not much else you can do with it. The moderately high price point coupled with its low level of functionality in my opinion isn't a great combination. For a smaller price you could snag a tablet and a Bluetooth keyboard and accomplish the same things. The 13” model for the Air starts at $1299 – for that price why not get the 13” Macbook pro or something else. To me the Air is just full of hot air.

The last notebook I think students should consider is the brand new 13.3” Asus Zenbook. At a starting price of around $999 it is on the more expensive side but it has more features to show for it. The Zenbook is equipped with a 128GB solid state hard drive double the storage than the base MacBook air. Despite being larger and being made entirely out of metal, the Zenbook is about the same weight and dimensions as the Macbook Air. It uses the same processor as fully upgraded 13” Macbook Air which is another way your money goes farther with the Zenbook. It also has more options for connectivity such as Ethernet, USB 3.0, and an SD card slot as well as a micro HDMI port. The Zenbook is much more functional than the MacBook Air and a better buy overall especially when looking for something extremely portable.

I know a lot of the notebooks I recommended are a tad on the “expensive” side. I’m well aware that you can pick up a laptop for around $500. However, I’m going to stress again that you do get what you pay for. I’m not just saying that, I’m telling you this from experience. I know plenty of people who have been through at least 2 moderately priced laptops ($600-700) and they haven’t even graduated yet. I’m still using the same notebook I got at the start of my 2^nd year (Paid $1200) and it still runs like new.

Anyways, my advice is there and you can take it or leave it. I hope you enjoyed this week’s post. I’d like to hear some your thoughts on these notebooks or your favourite tech gear just put them in the comments below! Look forward to my post next week on the Money-Student relationship! Till next time!

Q/A with former SCHPA president Greg Danko

"Danko! Danko! Danko!"

Last year, when I joined the UTSC girls hockey team, I constantly heard this name around campus. I had no idea who this "Danko" was, nor what he did or why he was well known. All I knew, if I had any questions about UTSC hockey - talk to Danko.

It wasn't until I introduced myself to him at a practice last year, I found out he's the SCHPA (Scarborough Campus Hockey Players Association) president. As a recent Geography and City Studies graduate, he not only played Tri-Campus hockey for 5 years, but also contributed an immense amount to UTSC and SCHPA - organizing events, recruiting players, fundraising, and probably conquering the world on his free time.

As the assistant coach to the girls hockey team, I sat down with Danko (who's known mostly by his last name) after our practice and talked with him about his past accomplishments and what he's up to since graduation.

How did you get started in UTSC athletics?

I've played hockey since I was eight. I played single A from the age of ten 'till my last year of high school. But, I didn't start playing for my high school team until grade eleven. I thought, man, I should have started playing in grade nine. That was a real eye opener. After high school I thought, I should continue playing hockey. So, when I came to [UTSC], the first week of class I looked on the website how I can try-out for the teams and, first week of school I was at hockey tryouts. 

How did get involved the SCHPA?

My very first year of hockey at UTSC there was a guy on the Tri-Campus team, his name was Ryan Parker. He was in his fourth or fifth year. Him and a few other players started the SCHPA as a way to have community between the [boys and girls hockey] teams.  Besides practice, you didn’t really see teams that much, and the initial goal of the club was to do pub nights in the attic, fitness classes, and fundraising together. 

A year went by and Trevor Robson became president and I became the publicity rep. In my third year, after [Robson] left, there was no one else to take over. I got stuck being president in my fourth year and it went from there. 

Last year was my fifth year. I had a lot of time for extra curricular and thought there was an opportunity to do more. As it turns out, I’m studying this at Durham College [at the moment], stuff I literally did for the past two years. I’m studying Sports Business Management. I went from City Studies, to more athletics. I’ve never had an office job - everything I’ve done is sports related. I wanted to see what this was like [as a career].

You've won plenty athletic awards from UTSC, which mean the most to you?

The past two years, I was awarded the Athletic Leadership Award for hockey. I was also inducted into the UTSC Hockey Hall of Fame this past April. I received the Letter Award from the Department of Student Life. That one was big because only 4 graduating students got it that year - it outlines the outstanding contribution and significance into forwarding student involvement on campus. 

What has been your biggest accomplishment at UTSC?

Awards were sort of a symbol of  the accomplishments. I think bringing [SCHPA] together and seeing new leaders take shape on other teams was the biggest accomplishment. It dawned on me one night. I’m a role model. It took a little bit of process. I didn’t see myself as that. I was just a guy who was bored and wanted to do these things for SCHPA. People really looked up to me and took an interest in what I was doing. Not even that, they are interested in carrying it on. 

What advice do you have for students who want to join hockey on campus?

Get involved early. When I started coaching the boys B team, there was a whole group of them that came together, and within 2 years the whole team had graduated. A lot of them didn’t play first year ‘cause they didn't know hockey existed on campus. A lot of these guys regretted it. I say, from the start, get interested. I was active at frosh, recruiting, handing out flyers, wearing jerseys, grabbing players - because that’s how I was recruited. Ryan Parker, the guy who started SCHPA, wasn’t supposed to be [at my frosh], but he stole a table amongst all the clubs. Someone approached me asking if I played sports. When I said yes, they told me to go talk to the guy at the patio:

Parker: Come to hockey tryouts next Tuesday.

Danko: Okay.

Parker: What position do you play?

Danko: Goalie.

Parker: Good. We need goalies.

That's how I got recruited. I want to continue doing that. 

I always see you with a UTSC shirt, hat, or track-pant - how many pieces of UTSC clothing do you own?

Upwards, in the neighbourhood of 40 articles of athletic clothing from UTSC. They include tournament T-shirts, interhouse stuff, or SCHPA/SCAA events.

What can you tell us about the upcoming Duck Hunt event?

It's a fun event. Everyone comes out has a great time. DJ MK will be there, he's a UTSC DJ, spinning at the Athletic Banquet and Boat cruise. Tri-Campus boys are a good team this year, they won their first game 8-1. I’m going to bring an Argo horn, some signs, and cowbells. Plus, if you come - you get a free t-shirt!

Another one to add to your collection?

You bet.

ABOUT DUCK-HUNT:

Cheer on the Men's UTSC Tri-Campus team in their game against UTM (admission price: FREE!).

• Bus leaves from UTSC Athletics Centre at 7:30 p.m. Friday Oct. 28.
• You receive a free duck hunt T-shirt, beverage and popcorn
• Game starts at 9 p.m.
• Music and give-aways during the game, plus a 50/50 draw.
• More info on Duck Hunt, click here.

UTSC’s Den of Horrors (well, not really)

Clowns, deranged killers, and all things monstrous… this Halloween most people will still choose spiders as the thing they are scared of most.

These creepy crawlies set most people’s teeth on edge, but did you know that a dedicated group of students are researching these eight-legged critters in our very school?

If you haven’t experienced it for yourself, I would highly suggest this absolutely free thrill-ride down in UTSC’s own basement. But be forewarned, the lowest floor of the S-wing houses an arachnophobic's worst nightmare. 

This week, I decided to brave my arachnophobia and enter into UTSC’s secret, scientific "den of horrors". Only to run back out screaming (okay, not really).

On hearing about it from a friend, I decided to steel myself and see what really goes on in the land of the white coats and microscopes.

As I walked down the stairs to the first floor of the S-wing, I felt like I was descending the steps towards my own doom. Spiders freak the you-know-what out of me. Actually anything with more than two legs, is a bit of a challenge. And my excursion to the bowels of school didn't leave me disappointed.

I visited Dr. Andrew Mason's research lab. His research hopes to understand the mechanism by which the nervous system controls ongoing activity and how these mechanisms relate to behavioural adaptation, to put it to layman's terms.

His research is similar to Dr. Maydianne Andrade and Dr. Fitzpatrick's research, they use invertebrate organisms such as jumping spiders, katydids, and black widow spiders. 

Yes, you read right... black widow spiders... and you thought midterm season was scary.  

 The lab with hundreds of spiders, including the black widows. We weren't allowed to go in there - not like I had a problem with that!

The lab I visited dealt mainly with orb weaver spiders. Undergraduate students use the spiders as part of their course BIOC99, Biology Team Research, but graduate students also use the lab for their research. Along with the research, they have to feed the spiders and collect the spiders. 

Student researcher Aly holds up the orb weaver web for inspection. These spiders make the beautiful, symmetrical webs we see in the summer.

  

Aly likes long walks on the beach, writing, and feeding and collecting spiders during his free time. 

Jimm'ney cricket and his family, ready to be fed to Aragog and his.

Some delicious spider chow. Om nom nom nom!

Fun fact: the students have found over 50 spiders from the green space near the AA building. they also collect at Harbourfront and in the Valley.  You might want to think twice about that nice walk down the Valley when it's crawling with ickle spideys!

So with my knees shaking, I entered into the lab and was immediately assaulted by both the smell and the sight. I was greeted by boxes, crates and incubators filled with eight-legged, eight-eyed bloodthirsty monsters (.... monsters that are .00001 times the size of me, but still!)

As I'm writing this, I keep wondering how I didn't pass out. I was twitching at every step during the tour because this is what I saw:

An Argiope aurantia spider, in it's container. 

Spiders a la carte!

Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin' all day: arachnid swag.

And if the sight of 100s of spiders isn't enough to make you dizzy, the 100 degree temperature in the lab might just do the trick. The researchers said the sweltering heat provides the spiders with optimal living conditions, but I had a sneaking suspicion it was to freak me out further.

The heat of hell combined with four times the normal amount of eyes and legs? It was a surprise I wasn't bolting out of there after a quick minute. Actually I came quite close when this happened:

Here I am holding a Madagascar beetle... Clearly I'm enjoying it.

But okay, all joking aside, the research is pretty cool! Professor Mason and his team are doing some really interesting things that could have a big impact on our understanding of our lives.

But more than the research itself, what's most interesting is that the lab I visited is only one of many! In fact, there are many other labs down in the dungeons (I say that lovingly and for the sake of alliteration), and that's not even counting the ones placed all around the other campus buildings. Going into the lab really showed me a different side, a cooler side, to research. It's definitely more than just books and memorization.  

The student researchers at Dr. Mason's lab are glad to have gotten the opportunity to do the research because it gives students a way to experience science in a really unique way. Instead of reading about it, you're actually doing it!

I didn’t get a chance to feed the tarantula Skittles. He was feeling a little shy. I wonder if it was all the shrieking...

Is my smiling convincing as I stand in my own personal hell?

And while taking care of spiders might not be my cup of tea, it was certainly a very interesting experience! I can't thank the lab students enough for letting me scare the daylights out of myself and learn about some cool research while in the process. 

And the best thing? For students looking to get involved with research projects, there are always opportunities to volunteer or become a lab assistant. So if you want to get a taste of terror this Halloween, why not just walk down into the underworld of UTSC’s spider colony. It’ll be well worth the trip!

And while you're taking an on-campus adventure walk, what other places on campus are cool? Are there any other cool research labs at UTSC? Let me know by commenting or tweeting me @rantothezebra!

1 Love UTSC

Hello, fellow readers! This week's topic is about something near and dear to my heart. It has been central to the last 5 years of my life - it's practically in my blood. It has shaped my future and the person I am today. It has also lead me here - this blog - it has for whatever reason allowed me to write to you every week. If you're still clueless as to what I'm talking about, allow me to enlighten you. I'm talking about UTSC.

Whether you're in your 1st year or 5th year I'm sure you've heard something along the lines of "UTSC sucks", "UTSC is boring, there's nothing to do here", "I hate this place (UTSC), UTSG is so much better" and "I hope my degree doesn't say 'University of Toronto Scarborough' and just says 'University of Toronto'.

I for one, LOVE UTSC - I absolutely ADORE UTSC.

Over my 5 years here I've heard so many people hate on UTSC, for whatever reason, I almost started to believe what they were saying. I did come across students who shared the same love for UTSC as I did, but they were few and far between. As I progressed through my university years I found a few students who actually took pride in being a UTSC student and actually wanted to make UTSC a better place - most of those students have graduated and have gone on to making the world a better place but not without leaving their mark.

Former students like Andre Vash and Nigel D'souza (who arguably have the most love for UTSC) come to mind. They have gone on to create Butterfly Communities a local charity that focuses on local projects in Toronto. Their first and on-going project is a Mornel Court Community Centre refresh which is right near UTSC - talk about mad love for UTSC and the Scarborough community.

Now being in my 5th year, I find it hard to find students who even remotely have the same level of respect, love and pride in UTSC as those students who have gone. I was beginning to lose faith - until October 19th 2011.

October 19th "1loveUTSC" shirts went on sale. 240 tshirts were ordered and they were literally GONE by noon. I didn't even have a chance to get one. I remember seeing masses and masses of students lining up to get one and even more disappointed students not being able to get a shirt in their size or a shirt in general. Students were buying shirts in colours they didn't want and sizes too big for them to wear. It was a pleasant sight to see all those students willing to show their pride for UTSC. Since the sale I have seen a number of students rocking the 1LoveUTSC shirt everyday. I even have recent graduates of UTSC messaging me on Facebook and Twitter asking me if I could get them a shirt. To be honest, I never expected such an out pour of UTSC love from the students - I guess I got proven wrong and I'm kind of glad I did.

If you got one you were one of the lucky ones! However, for those who didn't have the chance to snag the most epic piece of UTSC swag, don't fret! I heard rumours from some well placed sources that there will be another order of shirts!

Do you have pride for UTSC? If so why? If don't tell me why - All in the comment section below! You can now post without a google account which makes things a lot easier! Remember to Subscribe and follow me on twitter @malcolmwong1

How well do you know your university?

Hey guys, it's Raphael and I'm back with your weekly dosage of cool interesting news.

Confession time! I was never too knowledgeable about the University of Toronto Scarborough, I just knew it as one of the oldest universities in Ontario. I heard rumors that the Science Wing used to be a jail, (something along those lines) but that was pretty much it. Apparently this is only a rumour, it was actually the film Resident Evil: Afterlife that filmed the Meeting Place as a jail!

One day I was bored and began to search the web for blog ideas. Luckily, I stumbled upon this old video on UTSC:  http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~advancement/about/timeline.html

Watching this video really took me back, I mean back before I was even born! Did you guys know that our Humanities Wing was made by John Andrews, who also designed the CN tower? Yeah, bet you didn't know that. Not only that but, when it was first opened in 1966, people were amazed by its striking architecture and design.

Yes, it may not look as striking and revolutionary today, or classify as "modern" for most students, but at the time it was built (keep in mind in the 1960s), it was definitely paving the way for the future.

The library opened up in 1982, in memory of Professor Emiritus Vincent W. Bladen (an economics professor), because of the overwhelming response by students to pitch in. (They each paid $10 for 10 years- now THAT's commitment!) It also won the 2008 OAA (Ontario Architect Association) for its contrasting design to the original campus.

In 2002, more than 600 people attended U of T's first ever outdoor movie night for our 125th anniversary celebrations. How cool is that? I would definitely want that to come back again. Imagine, for the 185th anniversary in 2012, watching a movie with your friends! That would not only be historical but an awesome experience, kind of like reliving the 1950s and 1960s. By the way the picture above is not the actual U of T anniversary event, I could not find the actual picture. :(

Here are some notable mentions of some other buildings:

- the hallway of excellence was made in 1995 linking the Bladen Wing with the Humanities Wing (You know the hallway that has an incredible amount of wind that seems to come out of nowhere, making students feel like they are in a runway in a fashion show?)

- the Student Center opened up in 2004 (Yea, not too long ago is it?)

There are also some great new things coming in the near future for UTSC! In 2009, the university was awarded $70 million from Ontario's Economic Action Plan which was used to build the new building you know today; the Instructional Centre, which opened up in 2011. Also in preparation for the Pan Am games in 2015, government funding announces its brand new ($170 million dollar) Athletics Centre at UTSC! For those of you who drive, you probably pass by it all the time. They are already working on it at the intersection of Military Trail and Morningside. This building will have, "two Olympic-sized, 52-metre swimming pools, a 10-metre diving tank, multipurpose gymnasiums, a running track, racquet courts, fitness and training areas." 

Wow guys, I don't think I will be at UTSC once this facility opens! :( But those of you in 1st years are lucky you will see the new Athletics Centre.

So next time you walk on campus think of the buildings you are passing by. There is a LOT of history in these buildings and it's far too often that we pass by things without taking the time to appreciate it. I believe that the best way to appreciate the place you live in is by knowing more about it. And if you still can't appreciate the older buildings, then get excited for the new ones coming soon!

Please subscribe to our blog and keep the comments coming, have a great weekend everyone!

Because I'm a boss...

Hello beautiful readers of this blog! It’s Thursday which means you are currently reading the thoughts of UTSC Pulse Blogger Moiz! Now usually, I’d go on about something I’m passionate for and rant about it but I thought I’d switch it up a little bit and tell you about my very FIRST University Mid-term experience.

I’m sure you all can agree with me when I say that mid-term season is not something we look forward to. I’ve already written 2 mid-terms last week (biology and physics). Let’s go back in time to about two weeks ago… everybody I talked to (and I mean EVERYBODY) was asking me if I started studying and how far I was in my quest to do well for my two midterms. And every time someone would ask, all I would do is make the :/ face and think to myself, “Isn’t the mid-term next week?” Now, I’m the kind of guy that doesn’t really get stressed for anything but seeing everyone stressing and going crazy had me a little bit worried.

A couple days later I decided to start studying (with music of course). I wouldn’t say I procrastinated because I did start studying a couple days before each exam so I’m definitely proud of myself for that accomplishment. The problem was that EVERYTHING was a review of grade 12 stuff! Every time I would read something I’d be like, “Oh, I know that already… pssh (the noise made when one turns the page of a book).” I basically finished studying in record time which did not surprise me at all because I’m a boss. But I felt like it couldn’t be that easy and eventually my conscience forced me to go over my notes one last time!

Fast-forward to exam day. I walk into school and head to the library (which isn’t really a library because it’s probably the loudest place on campus) and everyone in the library had a Biology textbook open beside them! I can’t lie, I did get a little paranoid but I was just like, “Chill Moiz, you got this.” Like a boss.

When exam time came up I walked to the room, I was in (AC 223), and saw even more people freaking out! When I got in the first thing that scared me was the atmosphere, everyone (I am an exception because well… I’m a boss) was dead silent. Then I sat at my seat and realized that we had to write the exam on those little stand things that pop out of the chairs in the big lecture hall. That was probably the worst part. When I put my hand flat on the little desk it covered the whole thing! How am I supposed to write an 8 page exam on that little thing?! Also, the big stopwatch they put up on the projector to countdown the amount of time you have left is so intimidating. It’s like every second gone is time wasted which means you have less time, which means you don’t do as well, which means you get a bad mark, which means you fail in university, which means you fail at life! Okay, I might’ve exaggerated slightly but the clock is definitely intimidating!

Besides those things, my first mid-term was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. One thing I can take out of it is that I need to stay on top of all my work!

That’s all for this week folks. If you have any suggestions for blog idea’s I’d love to hear and possibly write about them! Just leave a comment below or tweet me @MoizMaq! Until our next digital encounter.

Peace and love.

Is my excuse ridiculous enough for you?

I'd like to dedicate this blog to all the loafers out there (you know who you are).

I thought I'd lighten up the atmosphere, cus you know there's some kids out there crying about their marks and midterms (HA HA).

Here are 10 excuses for not handing in assignments, missing class, or arriving late.

10) I was sick with the Frosh Flu.  Even though I'm in third year.  (where's your doctor's note bro?).
9) Jaime Foxx said to blame it on the alcohol!
8) I didn't do the assignment because I didn't wanna make my fellow students look bad.
7) I was late to class because there were too many stairs to climb (Yes, I'm talking about SW and HW).
6) I did it, but it was on my memory stick, and I’ve lost/forgot my memory stick.
5) My printer ran out of ink.
4) My computer crashed!
3) I couldn't do the assignment because I didn't have anyone to copy off of.
2) It was on my syllabus?...What's a syllabus?

... READY?!??!?!

1) My "fill-in-the-blank" died...ahem, for the 2nd time this semester...(You gonna send me an invite to the funeral, right?)

Epic Quote of the week:
"Body dies, mind lives forever, so make an impact and make history."
(graffiti found in the girls' bathroom)

Song of the week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zLQ8Qd0J7g

What are some of the creative excuses you've gotten away with? Tweet me at "aisha_says".

I know I usually write more, so sorry I couldn't finish this blog post because....

Instructional class experiment - Part 2

Mixed emotions of nerves and excitement overwhelmed me as I entered the UTSC dance studio Monday afternoon. I took my first EVER instructional class at UTSC - belly dancing.

The only minuscule knowledge I have of this Middle Eastern tradition is watching any music video by Shakira. I'm truly a rookie when it comes to shaking any sort of body part and keeping a rhythm.

The dance instructor, Zahra, started off with stretches to warm the body. Shaking our legs, moving our hands and arms on a yoga mat, making sure our body was ready for the routine.

Yes. Routine.

She turned on "Tonight I'm Lovin' You" by Enrique Iglesias and said to get into our first position.

F.Y.I - I'm 4 weeks behind the class. I had to catch up to their routine in less then an hour.

Find out my final results in the video below.

Shakira doesn't even know.

Voulez vous couchez avec moi?

This week, I took our Friday blogger, Raphael’s suggestion to heart and found my way to The Attic for an hour of cat-walking, finger snapping and sashaying!

As I walked in late (I’m a casualty of sleep deprivation during the midterm season), I was faced by a train of lovely ladies singing: Voulez vous couchez avec moi?

Not a bad way to get right into the fold! I decided to wait a few turns and try to watch and learn. As I heard the first strains of Christina Aguilera waft through the speakers, what I saw was...

The girls practicing for their big show!

At first some girls were camera shy, but as the class warmed up so did the atmosphere in the room. I decided to then join in the fun and the instructor Ashwini helped me to match up to the steps. Soon I was making friends with my boa-licious (yes, I just used that word) friends and dancing freely with everyone who smiled my way.

Which was a lot of people… clearly!

We practiced a series of walks, turns, spacing and a combination of simple dance moves. It was really fun and super accessible for a novice dancer such as myself. I did musical theatre in high school and was even involved in the production of Cabaret the play by Kander and Ebb (or more popularly known for the movie with Liza Minelli). It was really fun to get to experience that again, just hang out with girls and dance the stress away - especially at this time of year!

Star choreographer, Ashwini Prakash, strikes a pose with her troupe of stellar dancers!

It was a great way to unwind and exercise (without-really-exercising). Dancing to Lady Marmalade and making your way across a checkered floor never feels like work anyway!

                    

Come join the fun on Monday 11a.m. - 12p.m.!

I had a great time glamming it up with the girls at the Cabaret classes. The coordinators at the Women’s Centre were really good at accommodating me on short notice and the class was really fun and very easy to join in on. The instructor Ashwini was more than helpful in getting my steps right and at the end of the class I could perform the entire routine without a hitch! 


They are always looking for more people so if any of you readers want to get involved in the future, rehearsals will involve pink glittery heels and feather boas and costumes!

And best of all? It’s guy-friendly too!

The ladies are looking for one lucky guy to be a part of their performance. For those with two left-feet, don’t worry, there won't be any dancing. But let’s just say lipstick will be involved and you will be the centre of attention. Pucker up! ;)

The women’s centre will also be holding an anti-pageant (where these lovely ladies will be performing!) and you can check out their blog at: http://utscwomenscentre.blogspot.com/

What should I do next? Comment on this post or tweet me at @rantothezebra to send your suggestions. Will you be checking out the Cabaret workshop? Submit pictures of your cool activities on campus!

Too much Studying? Need a break from it all? Come to the Attic!

So right now everyone is in Panic Mode. Midterms are happening and for some of you, it may be the first midterm of your university life. For the veterans, you guys already know that midterms are very stressful and with all the chaos of trying to finish last minute assignments, or doing some last minute studying - we all could use some break from it all. I know I've been there, and I am still in that panic mode. But whenever I feel like unwinding or releasing all of my stress from studying, I come to a special place on campus that relaxes my nerves and gives me a well deserved break.
Let me introduce to you the Attic! (Which is located on the third floor of the Athletics Center).

Now you are going to tell me, "Ugh, Raphael the Attic? Really? Doesn't really make me feel welcome." Trust me, the name does not actually mean "an old attic". It is not a cold empty room with rats scurrying about. It's more like a room with many ping-pong tables and couches for students to sit, sleep, or study.

I still remember coming in this room for the first time, in my first year, astounded that the place was packed! (It was during the first few weeks of school). There were groups of people playing table tennis, and at the time I was pretty good at ping-pong, so I was excited. I had that feeling that "I belong here," that this was going to be a spot that I will come back to. I was reassured at the moment I picked up the paddle, all my anxieties of being a freshman in first year suddenly disappeared.  From the first moment that I served that ping-pong ball, I was hooked on playing.

Maybe most of you don't know how to play ping-pong, but I for one can safely say that as long as you have the desire to play, you will get better. I actually taught one of my good friends how to play the sport - whom I met in the Attic, at first clueless about the sport- now likes it and plays it whenever he can.

It's not just the ping pong either. The very first time I played in the Attic, it was only with a few personal friends. I was comfortable playing with them because I knew none of them were at the same level as me. Once I started to get better and better, I started playing other people, and was reminded that I still have a long way to go. Although I lost to many good players, I had fun. Just seeing other students in the same program as you are, and playing a friendly game of ping-pong, is a getaway from the stressful competitive life of a student.

Interesting story about the Attic, during the 80s and 90s it used to have a bar (it still does) and it was a spot where students can drink and just hang out.

Me and friends playing a friendly game of ping-pong. (I am actually at the back eating as I watch them play). This photo was taken in 2009, first year for all four of us. Photo courtesy by Emily Panetta.

Trust me, if you want to learn a new sport - try ping pong - and for those who think ping pong is not a sport, I suggest you try it first, you will get a workout after a few minutes (mostly from picking up the ball). Whether you are a beginner, an expert, or just tired and want to watch a couple of matches before your bus comes, come to the Attic! I hope to see you all there! Game on!

Follow me on Twitter: @RaphaelSantiag5, and follow our @utsc_pulse , for daily announcements of student life at UTSC! Comment and Subscribe!

University's Hidden Classroom

Welcome back readers! I hope midterm season is treating you well! Midterm season is a fantastic contrast and backdrop to this week's topic of discussion - university's hidden classroom.

Let's face it, all of us came to university for one reason and one reason only - to get a degree. Yes, you came here to do something most students hate to do and that's STUDY. Worst part of it all is that you're paying to do something you don't really want to do, all in the name of getting that name brand degree. As sad as this may seem, there is another side to university education and the grass is definitely greener.

Contrary to popular belief, university is not all about studying and memorizing textbooks. I believe the main goal of university is to broaden one's horizons and studying is just one way to do that. The university experience is really organic in the way it seems to naturally push students to experience new things and awaken their passions. I honestly believe it takes more effort sheltering yourself from this side of university education than to embrace it.

I can confidently say that most of my learning has taken place outside of the classroom; it's come from this "other side" of my university experience. To illustrate the importance of embracing this "other side" I will use myself as an example. I'm a naturally social person and I like meeting people. I turned this like into a learning and growth experience by getting involved in opportunities that allow me to do what comes naturally and turn it into something I love. There are many things that I could have gotten involved in but I chose marketing and event planning in the end. Despite my double major in English & Psychology I am now actively pursuing a career in Social Media and Advertising while being involved in an upcoming event services company. All the skills and knowledge that allow me to do this I gained from my extracurricular activities and not from my textbooks.

With that said, I see university as an adventure because you never know where it will take you - sure it's great to have everything planned out and I bet some of you do, but if you don't that's okay. You can't learn everything out of a textbook, most things are learned from experience and trying new things. I'm not saying you HAVE to get involved in school - I'm saying you should be involved in something outside your textbooks. In my experience finding a creative outlet for your passions helps keep some perspective on the world while leading you to some interesting places.

If you're looking for suggestions on where to start I suggest finding a campus club or interest group that suits what you like or something that you think you want to try. Don't be afraid to try new things! I guarantee you there is something for any type of interest on this campus - everything from a plethora of musical interest groups (bands, jam sessions, DJ-ing, music appreciation clubs) to a group dedicated to jump over things and climbing walls in the form of the Parkour Club. There are plenty of opportunities on campus to try something new or even take some leadership - trust me, do it and you won't look back.

Tell me what you think! - do you agree with me about the importance of learning outside the classroom or do you think you should just study hard and all of the extra stuff does nothing for you? Tell me what you think in the comments below and don't forget to subscribe and follow me on Twitter @malcolmwong1

Eating Healthy, Living Healthy.

What’s good readers? It’s Moiz coming at you again on this fine fall Thursday. I’ll get right into the topic of discussion this week!

As you all know, this past weekend was Thanksgiving weekend. This for me personally meant three things; food, an extra day off, and more food! I’m sure many of you were thinking the same thing as last week came to an end, and I can’t blame you. The long weekend was basically our reading week at UTSC and most of us used it to relax and forget about work and everything related to it! Now, this post isn’t meant to make you feel guilty about taking in a few or a lot of extra calories, not at all! I’m just bringing this up because it is what inspired me to write this week’s post about eating healthy and in general, just living a healthy lifestyle.

In the life of a University student, eating healthy is usually not a priority because essentially, we have no time to think about what we are eating and/or what we should be eating. Usually, our schedules give us about an hour for lunch and sometimes the same for dinner. Most people at UTSC would probably choose the ever-so-popular Tim Horton’s, or another fast food restaurant. to grab a bite and that would ultimately be their meal for that time. 

I’ve narrowed down the reasons why students are so attracted to these kinds of foods to 3 basic explanations: it’s cheap, it’s made fast, and it tastes great! The food being cheap is an obvious pro for students because well… we’re students! Food being prepared and served quickly is also a pro because anything that takes too long might get in the way of something else we have scheduled and most people aren’t able to deal with that. Knowing why and how we neglect our health is an important step in the process of ultimately improving it.

Take a second to think about your daily diet and what’s missing from it. Are you getting enough servings of fruits and vegetables throughout the day? Are you taking in enough healthy calories to last you a day? Eating healthy is just the first step in the process of living a healthy life. I can’t really give professional advice on this subject but I can give advice from the prospective of a fellow student.

What is the best way to live your life? Objectively, we know what’s going into our bodies. We know all the chemicals that are in foods that we buy and in the foods that we eat. We know that we need to take in more vitamins and take in less fat. We know all these things, yet we choose to not change them. The right path to being a happy and healthy person is to do everything that we already know we should do. Take care of your body. Take care of your mind. Learn to manage stress. These are all things that we KNOW. If someone came up to me and asked me to help them improve their lifestyle, I would tell them to go on a diet. I don’t mean a diet to lose weight; I mean a diet to get healthy foods in their system.  I’d tell them to eat lots of vegetables, a lot of good quality proteins, and drink a lot of water.  Just doing this alone will give the person a feeling of how the body feels when it’s flowing in a more natural, less tense state. That would be step one, just eating healthier and giving your body a chance to recover. Step two would simply be to smile more. Smile to everyone, makes them smile back. Too many people overlook this step. If there is an easy way to make yourself or the people around you feel better, it is to smile. In my books these two steps would be the base of the process of improving one’s lifestyle.

Tips to healthier living/eating:

• Try to eat at least one homemade meal a day.

• Always have breakfast (helps resist the urge to snack on unhealthy snacks and keeps you energized)

• If you have a spare hour or two, go visit the gym! (The weight room and the basketball gym is usually always open between 7am and 10:30pm every day!)

• Visit the Health and Wellness Centre in the Student Centre- There is a “Learn to Meal Plan” workshop happening on the 27^th and 28^th of this October! The workshop is a place where you can talk to a peer educator and they help you make a custom meal plan for a week based on your needs and by using Canada’s Food Guide!

If you guys have any tips to add or have a different perspective on what leads to a better life in general, I’m curious to know! Just leave it in the comment box below and I’ll be sure to reply ASAP. Until next week readers! 

Peace and Love.

Moiz Maqsood

T

Last Night

Last night, I was at the place to be. I was at Ryerson University, attending the launch of the 4th issue of AQSAzine. Never attended before I was kinda nervous, and then I remembered all the stuff I was doing for the event

Your's Truly was...
Moderating a discussion panel
Performing
Crackin' jokes
Entertaining and hitting on the guest ;)

"AQSAzine (est. 2007) is a Toronto-based grassroots arts collective by and for young women and trans people who self-identify as Muslim. Our main project is the creation of a bi-annual zine of our writing, art, activism entitled AQSAzine. This zine is a creative avenue for young Muslim women and trans people to express ourselves, share our experiences and connect with others. We strive to work from an explicit anti oppressive, pro-choice, queer positive & trans positive framework." (AQSAzine offfical website)

To me AQSAzine is being able to share myself with the world, and not feel bad about it, to say and do things that I want. For me AQSAzine means being the person I wanted to be when everyone was telling me NOT to be that person. I could go on and on about how wonder and amazing AQSAzine is and all the great work they do but I just couldn't summarize their awesomeness and epicness because it's endless.

Just because I'm not involved on campus activity doesn't mean I'm not involved.
I take every chance I get to be involved in my community. This first semester I just wanna get the hang of things and find my place. It's like starting high school all over again, except more homework and less of.... that.

My goals for NEXT semester:
-Join ONE club
-Attend one on campus activity
-Sell all my old textbooks (TUSBE!)
-Volunteer on campus

Good luck and Good Night!
E.A.P

Instructional class experiment - Part I

Hey everyone!

Hope you had a relaxing long weekend. I’m going to keep it short and sweet this week. This post is part I of II – next week will be a continuation of an adventure you get to choose for me.

What kind of adventure?

I’m glad you asked.

The amount of holiday food I consumed this weekend is chart topping. I NEED to burn off the turkey sweats. Lucky for me (and you) the Athletic Centre offers a variety of activities to choose from, ESPECIALLY with their instructional classes. Anyone who’s a student can participate in activities such as:

Archery, athletic conditioning, athletic yoga, belly dancing, Bollywood boogie, cyclefit fitness, kickboxing, golf, hip hop, karate, kung fu, latin dance, lyrical jazz, muay thai, new modern contemporary, pilates, squash, table tennis, tae kwon do, women on weights, and yoga.

I’ve never taken any of these sessions at UTSC (or ever for that matter). For the sake of trying something new, and for your entertainment, YOU, the readers, get to choose which class you want to see me take.

Next week I’ll have a detailed report with video footage, as well as a high possibility of embarrassing myself. COMMENT below or tweet me at @Jessica_Moy on which class you’d like to see me take.

These are the choices you get to choose from:

• Archery
• Belly Dancing
• Fitness Kickboxing
• Golf
• Hip Hop
• Karate
• Squash
• Tae Kwon Do 

For the record, I can’t dance. If I were to participate in belly dancing or hip hop, you'll see flailing limbs at its finest. Also, the last time I golfed, this happened...

But, I'll do it all for you.

If you guys want to join me, I’ll let you know ASAP which class I’m going to take. If you're interested in signing up for any of them, you can do so at the Athletic Service Counter or online.

For more about these activities, such as dates and costs, information can be found on the Athletics website: http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~athletics/instructionalclasses.html

:)