• admissions,  applying for U of T,  extracurricular

    everyone is always doing too much. like, do less pls?

    December 6, 2023

    Hiii! Out of curiosity, does UofT value extracurricular during their undergraduate admission? Here’s the thing, my consular told us that extracurricular is super important so I believed him and really focused on that. After doing some research UofT become dream school of my life but I heard UofT don’t ask for extracurricular. This makes me super stressful since I devoted so much time into those things & Im a BC student, not a Ontario. With an avg of mid 80 is there anything I can do to+the odd

    hey there,

    so, it kind of depends on what admission category you’re applying for. for general arts and sciences, uoft does not look at your extracurriculars during undergrad admissions. you pretty much just send in your transcript through OUAC when you apply, so that’s all they look at when considering your admission. but if you’re applying to rotman, they require a supplemental application that goes beyond your grades. (rotman is always doing so much).

    extra too much GIF

    on that topic, sometimes i feel like everyone is always doing too much. like, please. no. what do you mean you’re involved in clubs and councils and intramurals and have a 20hr job and are taking 5 courses and are still sleeping at night? did you steal hermione’s time-turner? where are you hiding the room full of people getting your work done for you?

    anyways, ignore my exam-week-induced rant. if you’re from BC, i think your consular was telling you that extracurriculars are very important because they are, at least for most schools in BC. ubc admissions rest very heavily on extracurriculars, because of a personal profile that some say is more important than your grade average.

    every school prioritizes grades and extracurriculars differently, so your consular wasn’t lying. their advice just wasn’t universally applicable. because while extracurriculars are make-or-break for ubc admissions, they aren’t like that at uoft. here, extracurriculars are mostly just important when filling our your awards profile, which is how you would apply for scholarships going into your first year.

    something to note is that uoft will mostly just look at your top 6 academic grade 12 grades to compute your admission average. and with an average of mid 80s, i honestly think your odds are pretty fine. most art and sciences programs require top 6 averages of mid to high 80s.

    good luck with admissions, shoot another question if you’re still confused!

    over and out,

    aska

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  • extracurricular,  greek life

    everything scream queens told you is probably a lie

    August 29, 2020

    hey! im going into my first year and i was really considering joining a sorority since it seems like a good way to make friends, network, and do some philanthropic work. I’m just worried that it’s going to be too clique-y and it’s not going to be as happy and inclusive as they advertise it to be. i know that the panhellic community isn’t affiliated with uoft but do you have any advice or knowledge about what Greek life at uoft is actually like?

    ——————————————

    hello!

    these are definitely some valid concerns. while i’m not a member of the panhellenic community myself, i do know some people who have joined sororities and seem quite happy there. they seem great for networking and developing a sense of community at u of t, and i know a number of them offer leadership development opportunities as well.

    in terms of whether or not it’s as “happy and inclusive” of a lifestyle as it seems, that’s probably a super subjective assessment that only someone in a sorority would be able to make. all i know is that hazing isn’t really as much of a thing in canada as it is in the states (in other words, it’s not allowed). i’ve seen that the president of one u of t sorority has written about the racism and exclusivity built into the greek life system— you can read more here. there’s also a little bit on reddit about u of t sororities here, although reddit should typically be taken with a grain of salt when it comes to accuracy. i just like the note from one redditor in the thread pointing out that you can ask sorority members about their experiences during rush. that’s as close as you can get to knowing what it’s like in a house without actually joining it.

    if you decide to go ahead with joining a sorority, it might be worth it to look into the different philanthropic and social activities each house engages in, to get a sense of which one aligns best with what’s important to you. what values does each house have? what sets it apart from the others? knowing that kind of information well in advance will help you get the best experience out of a sorority, should you choose to join.

    anyway, you can find more information on u of t sororities, including recruitment, here. sorry i can’t be more specific about what kind of cliques and exclusion might be involved, but wishing you the best of luck with making this decision!

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • extracurricular,  grad school,  med school,  medicine

    i’ve never been happier

    June 21, 2019

    Hello! I’m a soon-to-be 4th year student interested in applying for grad school (health/medicine-related). The program does not require any job shadowing experiences but I think it would look good on my application. After a google search, I found a U of T alumni who coincidentally graduated from the grad program i’m interested in and also works in my town. It seems like she is self-employed so there is no info on shadowing or volunteering like there is on hospital websites.

    How do I go about asking if I can job shadow or volunteer? I was thinking of sending an email but I’m not sure what I would write. My grades aren’t that impressive so I’m counting on my extracurriculars to get me into grad school (I probably shouldn’t mention that in my email though) and I think this would be a great opportunity.

    ——————————————

    hello friend,

    you should just go for it! an email seems like a good choice– less forward than a phone call, and less terrifying on top of that. while i’ve never been in your specific situation, i did some research on job shadowing for you and think i can help piece together an email.

    from what i know, job shadowing is typically a shorter-term thing (we’re talking like 1-3 days) whereas volunteering might offer you slightly longer-term experience. i’m thinking volunteering might be of more use to you if you’re trying to gain significant experience for an application, but job shadowing isn’t a bad idea if you’ve just got a few questions you want answered and want a quick window into her career. obviously, her availability and willingness to offer one or the other to you will affect your options, but it’s probably important to be clear on what you’re asking of her up front. just cause, yknow, there is a difference.

    these are my thoughts on what the flow of your email could look like:

    hello —–,

    1. introduction
    2. how you found out about her
    3. why you want what you want
    4. what you want
    5. when you want it
    6. some kinda failsafe clause
    7. attach your resume

    so it’d probably end up looking something  like this:

    my name is —— and i’m a soon-to-be fourth year at u of t. i’m currently in the —- program, but i have a serious interest in pursuing —– in the near future. from what i understand/found on your website (or whatever), you graduated from this program yourself.

    [this is the part where you enthusiastically express interest in the field, the program, what this person does, etc. according to a ted talk i watched in like, the tenth grade, apple sells so much stuff by leading with their ‘why’. that’s the advice we’re following here. i dunno what your why is, though. that’s on you, buddy.]

    if possible, i would love the chance to shadow you/volunteer with you for (whatever period of time). i understand you may be extremely busy and unable to accommodate me. if that’s the case, could you please forward my request to a colleague who might be able to help me out?

    my resume is attached for your reference; i look forward to hearing from you soon. if you would prefer to speak on the phone, here is the number i can be reached at: (your phone number here!)

    thank you for your time,

    end email

    anyway, the tone of this question is a good indicator you can write a solid email! gotta love those full sentences and that good grammar.

    on top of that, it’ll probably help that she’s a u of t alumni who went through the exact program you’re gunning for. best of luck with this opportunity and i hope my answer helped!

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • career choice,  extracurricular,  rotman

    idk, join a club or something?

    January 15, 2018

    Not sure if this is relevant: But what do employers want from UofT students who are applying for jobs (barring good academics)? Employers say they want “leadership, communication etc” but what are actual things you should do to get their attention? I’m going into the accounting stream and everyones like “get in involved!” But how??? and in what??

    ——————————————

    hi!

    so like… i’ve been holding off on this question because i really don’t know what employers want… i’m just a dumb student floating about and answering very, very niche questions about transferring, or whatever.

    i think that by “get involved” people are saying that you should join clubs or extracurricular that will help boost your resume/ linkedin profile. that being said, i also think that it’s really important to pursue things that you’re passionate about. personally, while i am making moves towards a career i want post-grad, i don’t think that i would survive at u of t without participating in extracurriculars that i care about. my suggestion to you is to participate in a few extracurriculars, volunteer, and/or join a club. my personal rule is to take on no more than two extracurricular activities per semester, and i always try to pick one that interests me personally and one that may help me to further my career or look great on my resume. of course, that’s just my own personal preference and you can do as many or as little as you want.

    check out Ulife. they’ve got all the official u of t recognized student groups and clubs, a list of opportunities that you can peruse, and a list of upcoming events that you can participate in.

    since you are a part of rotman (at least, i’m assuming from your question), you can also check out this link for a list of rotman commerce student organizations.

    hopefully between those two links, you’ll be able to find something to pique your interest. if not, poke around and ask your friends what they’re doing in their spare time. i’m sure someone you know is a part of a student group you may wanna join.

    hope this helps! get out there and “””get involved””””.

    sassy point GIF by BBC

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • campus,  clubs,  extracurricular,  international relations,  polisci,  residence,  St. George,  student groups,  Toronto,  UTSU

    long time reader, first time asker

    May 23, 2017

    Hello Aska!

    First – You are utterly brilliant!
    I will be applying to UofT this fall, and scrolling through your blog has
    saved me many a panic attack! Within this wall of flesh, there is a soul
    that counts thee its creditor.

    P.S. I went through the tags before writing this (true fan here) so don’t
    worry – this doesn’t have ‘another college question’…..(or does it…..?).

    1. Oh all seeing eye, how do you know everything that’s happening at UofT’s
    massive campus? What are some of the best ways to keep on top of student
    events, displays, Disney serenades, aska fan-fests, food trucks etc? (Most
    importantly – food trucks!).

    2. Slightly beyond UofT – which are the best natural sites to explore in
    and around Toronto – hikes, trails, hidden Narnias perhaps?

    3. Innis is one of the only apartment style residences on campus, and as
    far as I can see this style of residence (and Innis in general) seems
    perfect. But, as an Innis insider, what are some of the disadvantages of
    apartment style living?

    4. I have been looking through the PolSci and International Relations
    department pages, and although I found a massive list of internships
    offered to PolSci students, I could not find a similar list for
    International Relations. Does PolSci generally have more available
    internship and exchange opportunities in general?

    Finally, I feel like I am compelled by tradition to put this question here,
    if only as a symbol:
    ‘Innis or UC?”

    May the odds and even be ever in your favor.
    Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hello!

    thank you so much! i am always humbled and delighted to meet a fan like yourself.

    since you’ve asked me a five-part question, here’s a five-part answer:

    1. first, you could check out the student life website. they have a lot of stuff on events, displays, clubs, anything you may desire! if that isn’t enough, you can also check on facebook- lots of clubs and societies post when they’re hosting events (and whether or not there’ll be free food). you could also check out hart house (they always have a bunch of stuff going on), the utsu (university of toronto student’s union), your college’s student society, and the clubs fair during orientation week.
    2. there’s lots of nature-y stuff to do in and around toronto. so much so, that i’ll just redirect you to this. in all seriousness though, there are a lot of places to go hiking in toronto, check out this article.
    3. it all has to do with your personal preferences. however, you’ll have to think a lot about things like food (innis doesn’t have a dining hall, but you could still get a meal plan) and cleaning (you’ll have to look after a kitchen and a bathroom and a common area AS WELL AS your own room).
    4. i don’t know if there are MORE internships for polisci students as opposed to international relations students… it just looks like the IR department’s student experience page hasn’t been updated as recently as the polisci department’s. you could get in contact with the IR department and they’d probably have way more information than me, a humble not-IR student.
    5. innis or uc?

     

    xoxo,

    aska

     

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  • admissions,  colleges,  extracurricular,  first year,  international relations,  peace and conflict

    Yet Another Anxious High School Kid TM

    July 20, 2016

    Hey Aska,

    Firstly, thank you so much for this site! I’ve been checking it every few days since i found out about it, and thanks to you I’m slightly less likely to have a full on panic attack when i apply to uni.

    I’m starting grade 12 in an Ontario high school in the fall, and i want to apply for social sciences at uoft, probably for either International Relations or Peace, Conflict and Justice. My grades aren’t /amazing/, but I’ll probably have an average in the mid to high eighties when I have to send them in, so…ok?

    I do a lot of extracurricular stuff- I’m the president of a social-justice-y club, the editor of the school newspaper and I will have
    been a “senior mentor” for two years, and I know I can get recommendation letters from each of these. (sorry if this sounds like the pretentious part of a resume, I can’t help it) Even if these positions would be irrelevant with regards to admissions, would they (or recommendation letters) help me with anything else, like getting into the college of my choice, school clubs or scholarships?

    Also, do you think International Relations or Peace, Conflict and Justice would be more relevant to a career in human rights?

    Thank you so much!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i’m glad my sass and bad humour calm you down, kid. i mean, it’s kinda weird, but i’ll roll with it. what’s your deal? are you a sucker for pain? if so, uoft will be the perfect choice for you. it’s a match made in a 9am calculus class!

    while i appreciate the vagueness of your question about admissions and the probably unintentional john green reference, i still can’t give you a straight answer. i’m not about to risk going against a decision made by admissions. all i can do is point you to this chart right here; feel free to compare and contrast, and draw your own conclusions.

    as for your extracurricular experience, you’re exactly right. it will all mean diddly-squat in terms of admission to the university, but it will come in handy for scholarship applications, the experience may be valuable when it comes to joining clubs in university, and it can – potentially – be useful for college applications.

    not all colleges in the faculty of arts & science require supplemental applications. in fact, most don’t. the only colleges that actually require an application are victoria college and trinity college, because they’re kooky like that. if you’re interested in either of those colleges however, their student profile application forms will be your chance to shine.

    finally, your program question: IR and PCJ are two peas in a pod. you can’t go wrong with either of them. i wouldn’t worry so much about which one will be more relevant (especially since ‘human rights’ isn’t that specific a goal in itself). a better way to narrow them down is to look at the practical implications of each choice.

    for example, you’ll need to determine is whether you’re after the specialists or majors in IR/PCJ. the difference between a specialist and a major is that a specialist asks that you complete more credits (13.0 for IR and 12.0 for PCJ), and therefore, one specialist is enough for you to obtain your degree. majors require fewer credits (both IR and PCJ require 7.5 FCEs for their majors), and therefore if you’re in an IR or PCJ major, you’ll have to supplement it with either one other major, or two other minors.

    content-wise, all four options (the IR specialist, PCJ specialist, IR major, and PCJ major) are pretty similar, but there are subtle differences in terms of which courses you would need to take for each. study each program on the course calendar to get a feel for which would be the best fit for you.

    if you really can’t decide, consider a double major in PCJ and IR. they complement each other wonderfully.

    my final piece of advice is this: keep your options open. all of these programs are type 3 programs, which means that even if you meet all the prerequisites in first year, you still may not get into the program, since there are limited spots for enrolment. what i’m saying is: backups are non-optional, and be ready for plan B to become plan A.

    but don’t worry about ANY OF THAT right now, because you still have a year left of high school and subject POSt enrolment is at least two years away. a lot can happen in two years, so take it easy. enjoy your summer break. play pokemon go. try to be a kid again.

    you can start by closing this tab and looking at prom outfits in the next one.

    cheers,

    aska

    P.S. thanks for providing the perfect title for this post in your e-mail subject line. i love the self-deprecation. keep it up and you might even be as great as aska, one day.

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  • alcohol,  extracurricular,  friends

    you’ve got a friend in me

    October 2, 2015

    Hi there,

    I am going to be coming to Toronto uni as an exchange student from London and I am extremely worried about making friends. This is because I am coming as a second year student and in the second semester, so I’m worried that everyone in my class will have already made their friends and not want any more…

    I will also likely not get residence as I am not guaranteed it as an exchange student and as Toronto is such a big uni I’m afraid it’ll be rather impersonal.

    The possibility of me not being able to make friends and have a social life is making me think again about whether I want to go, because although its a great opportunity I don’t want to be miserable while I’m there!

    I want to join clubs but will it be too late by the time its second semester? Also do you have any advice on what the drinking culture is like in Toronto?

    Any advice would be fantastic [?]

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i’m gonna start from the bottom up in this post.

    incidentally, “bottoms up!” is something you’ll hear a lot in London (haha great segue, aska); not so much in Toronto.

    i would say that the drinking culture is definitely not as strongly ingrained in Toronto as it is in London. there tends to be more of a clubbing culture, as well as a “hanging out” culture. the closest thing you’ll find to the pub/lad culture of London is the first-year residence hall, but again, you likely won’t be living there.

    that said, people do still go out. we are in our twenties, after all. it’s not quite the same, though, and that might be a bit of an adjustment for you. i’m sure it’ll be an interesting story you can regale your U.K. friends with, though.

    it ABSOLUTELY will NOT be too late to join clubs in the winter term. a lot of clubs accept members throughout the year, and many will get a wave of new members in the second semester. they may have a new season/repertoire/project/goal, which will make the transition more seamless.

    some clubs only get started later on in the year. some clubs completely start over each new term. as long as you search for clubs that are interesting, you will find something (and maybe even a few somethings)!

    not all classes are yearlong classes, which means that there will be brand new people in brand new classes in the winter term. these are an especially great opportunity to connect with people.

    finally, whatever college you’re with (it’ll likely be woodsworth, since exchange students are usually automatically assigned to woodsworth) will have its own social circles, hangout spaces and social events. hang out in those spaces, go to those events, and you’ll be sure to meet lots of people!

    those are about all the tips i have. i hope you don’t pass up on this opportunity. uoft is a really unique community full of friendly people, and you’re bound to have a wonderful time!

    best,

    aska

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  • extracurricular

    SPORTS!

    May 29, 2015

    Hey aska, how do I get involved with the sports community at U of T (St. George Campus)? more specifically, what’s the process involved to if you want to try out for one of the Varsity Blues sports teams? Thanks in advance

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i find it oddly charming that you’re asking me about sports so earnestly. i can’t even dribble a ball. just looking at a hurdle makes my thighs ache. but although i know next to nothing about playing sports, i do know how to google a thing or two, so here we go!

    sports! sign

    aska is both passionate about and dedicated to the watching of sports(!)

    most open tryouts for the 2015-16 season take place near the beginning of the academic year (the earliest tryouts, for male baseball, are in mid-august). keep an eye out here to find out when tryouts are for your athletic competition of choice.

    just make sure you register by the deadline (they’ll be listed on the tryouts page as the summer progresses) and complete your eligibility and medical forms (not yet available on the tryouts page – but soon) before showing up to try out.

    you’ll also want to know if you’re eligible to play football or calvinball or sportball or whatever it is you want to play. you can check that here.

    and that’s pretty much it! then all you gotta do is show up, get the quaffle in the hoop, knock the baseball out of the court with your bat, and you’re in!

    good luck,

    aska

    P.S.: some other ways to get involved with athletics at uoft include: intramural sports, registered classes at hart house, and working out at the gyms at goldring, hart house and the athletic centre. also, running from one end of campus to another when you only have ten minutes between classes. that one’s my favourite. ha ha.

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  • extracurricular

    you can only communicate with clubs via ouija board

    May 25, 2015

    Where do you go to sign up for clubs?

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    there’s no one place to go. as with so many things at uoft, clubs are decentralized and all operate differently, according to their own whimsical rules.

    the most concentrated and unified place and time to sign up for clubs is clubs day during orientation week. this year, that takes place on september 9th, from 10am-2pm. over 300 UTSU-recognized clubs will be present at this year’s clubs day, so it’s worth a visit.

    but if you miss that, DON’T PANIC. it’s not the end of the world. you can still sign up for lots and lots of clubs at a later time/date. feel free to browse all uoft organizations here. most of them will have their own sign-up process, so all you have to do is find a few you’re interested and inquire within, as they say.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • extracurricular,  french

    oui oui

    May 11, 2015

    Hello ! I’m going into second year at UTSG next year, and I was considering getting a citation in French in my degree (or maybe a French as Second Language minor?), but it might make arranging my other courses a bit difficult. I don’t want to lose all the French I learned through high school if I decide not to take it, so I was wondering if you know of any services in UofT that provide french language practice? Thanks a lot! 🙂

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    that’s a very admirable goal! i personally plan on keeping up my french by just rewatching le petit prince over and over when it comes out and crying over the nostalgia.

    BUT that might be a bit emotionally draining for some people, so why don’t we explore some other options. y’know. for the weak-willed out there.

    1. the French Association puts on events monthly to “create strong ties between Anglophones and Francophones by providing an inclusive and convivial space where cultural and linguistic exchanges happen!” so that might be a cool thing to be a part of.

    2. if you’d like a more intensive way of keeping up with your french, the french department organizes a “weekly conversation group” at the Kelly Cafe and in New College, which is a great way of keeping up your french speaking.

    3. the french as a second language minor is also a great idea! you only need 4.0 credits to complete it, so it shouldn’t be too hard to fit into your degree.

    bonne chance avec votre enterprise linguistique!

    aska

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  • extracurricular

    cross-campus activity

    April 24, 2015

    Hello,

    I am wondering if it is against the University’s rules to be a student at one campus but be president of a student organization on a different campus. Is there any policy against this? Just wondering.

    Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i’m gonna say…no. some clubs do specify who exactly can be a member (students at a certain college, in a certain faculty, or at a certain campus, for example), but often i feel like it’s just implied who the group is for.

    so if the organization you have your eye on has no specific rules about membership, i guess it’s not an issue. however, i would advise that you take a look at your campus and see if there are any similar groups there that you could join instead.

    if you want to be be involved with leadership on your campus (and possibly be nominated for some leadership awards down the line), it’ll be a lot easier if all your activities are local to where you’re a student (speaking from experience here).

    all the best with your presidential duties,

    aska

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  • extracurricular

    writing sux

    April 21, 2015

    do you need to have any experience to get involved with one of the school’s newspapers or blogs? i don’t have any specific experience for that but in my free time i love reading and writing and so im thinking the newspaper or the school blog would be a good way to get involved!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i think it kinda depends on the newspaper/blog! blogUT, for example, just requires that you send a little e-mail application – no previous writing experience required.

    for the varsity, you can basically just drop into their office/send them an e-mail and let them know you want to start writing for them.

    as for college newspapers, look on their website (if they have one) to see if they have any application procedures. otherwise, just shoot them an e-mail and go from there. at the end of the day, all these publications are run by students, so they tend to be pretty lowkey in terms of how to get involved.

    finally, here is a list of a bunch of different publications at uoft, if you’d like to start browsing opportunities (because i’m nice like that. and i have far too much time to spend linking stuff):

    student newspapers on campus

    1. The Varsity

    2. the newspaper

    3. UofT Magazine

    4. The Innis Herald

    5. The Mike

    5. The Gargoyle

    6. The Strand

    7. The Howl

    student blogs on campus

    1. blogUT

    2. ~~~ ASKASTUDENT WHOO!!!!! ~~~

    3. student life blogs (these blogs have a more concrete application process, which you can read about here)

    college-specific student literary reviews on campus

    1. The Innis Review

    3. acta victoriana

    4. The Grammateion

    5. The Trinity Literary Review

    6. The UC review

    academic student literary reviews on campus

    1. The Idiom (English department’s undergraduate academic journal)

    2. Anthropology Undergraduate Journal

    3. ImagiNATIONS (Canadian Studies undergraduate academic journal)

    4. Saeculum (Christianity & Culture undergraduate academic journal)

    5. Undergraduate Journal of Political Science

    6. The Foolscap (Book and Media Studies academic journal)

    …and the list goes on. hopefully this will give you a chance to start looking, and see what you like!

    happy writing,

    aska

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  • extracurricular

    promo 4 promo

    November 4, 2014

    Hello,

    I was wondering if you could help me with a problem I’ve been having. I’m a current McGill student trying to expand a club I’m a part of to have a UofT presence. I’ve exhausted my options going through friends, and am trying to get the word out to start recruiting and opening a UofT branch. I’m not a
    UofT student so I don’t have access to some things you might- Other than posting on specific facebook pages, is there any way to get the word out to
    the student body effectively?

    Thanks.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    good for you for trying to spread your club! i mean, *i* spread joy and obnoxious singing everywhere i go, but i guess your thing is cool too.

    i would contact the organizations who have promotional power at uoft. that might be student life, ASSU, or any number of uoft organizations who do a similar thing to what you do. i would do a little search around (especially through that last link i gave) and just see who’s most relevant to your club.

    if you can partner with whoever that might be, then you can get a foothold here. then they can post posters, promote you on facebook groups within the umbrella UofT facebook group, tweet about you, or even help get a satellite club started here.

    also, it may be a good idea t offer to promo them on your campus, so they’ll be more willing to help you out. just work that MySpace-esque picture comment for picture comment etiquette, and you’ll go far.

    hope that helps!

    aska

    P.S. i can’t believe people all the way at McGill read my posts! step one: interprovincial. step two: INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR.

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