Hi there,

I after reading the numerous posts on your website, I thought you would be the ideal person to ask about the possibility of switching residence preferences. I was admitted into Innis Residence for the upcoming 2011-2012 undergrad year (Faculty of Arts and Science– Humanities). I am more than happy to live within Innis’s suite style rooms, and from what I have read it seems like a great place to spend my first year at U of T! However, a good friend of mine was admitted into U of T and we are both looking forward to attending in the fall however, she is rooming at Woodsworth and we both would love to room with one another. So, would it be possible for me to request residence at Woodsworth, and if so how would I go about doing so? (I still have not submitted any deposits) Just another question while I have your attention: since you are a student, would you say Woodsworth has better suite style rooms in comparison to Innis? I am struggling to make up my mind because Innis has presented itself as an amazing campus.
Sorry for the absolute plethora of questions!
Sincerely,
Fara

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Hey Fara,

Congrats on getting into Innis Residence! I lived there in first year. It is pretty dope. I’m sorry to say this, but it is probably impossible for you to switch over to Woodsworth to room with your pal. Basically U of T is a buereaucracy? (which you have probably already learned), that decides to organize students in little clumps called “colleges.” The college you are accepted to dictates what residence you will in and who will handle your administrative affairs. (It does not restrict what courses you can take, or who you can make out with.) But as notoriously attractive residences, it is super doubtful that either Innis or Woodsworth would make room for you or your pal when there is probably a pretty sizeable waiting list already.

Why not try Innis and visit your friend down the street, like all the time? She’s just up the street! The best part of university and the truly best part of first year is meeting new people and making new friends. The first year is all about letting new experiences and people into your life, and you might really adore your new roommates. The buereaucracy will make it impossible for you to switch anyways, so you might as well welcome your new truly amazing residence and the chance to visit your friend – and meet her new pals – at Woodsworth. Basically it will be like living in two residences at once! Think of all the 90s -themed dance parties you will go to. You will so hate the Macarena by the end of the year.

If you are still not convinced by this, feel free to contact the Innis Residence or Woodsworth Residence for more information. (Aka a formal shutdown.) You are going to have a great year though!

xoxo, Askastudent

HI Aska,

I want to go to my college’s formal but my commute takes two hours so i’d have to leave really early. I’ve heard that trin has rooms you can rent out for a night for cheap ($15-$30 I think) but you have to book it the day of so it seems rather risky to me. Also, I do not go to trin and I would assume that, trin being trin, being from a different college would pose a problem. Do you know of any other residences that might rent out rooms?

Thanks so much!

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Dear sleepless in Toronto,

Trin does allow one night sleep ins, but only in the summer session.

Here’s the good thing: I’m not going to let you freeze to death in the knee high snow banks of Toronto.

Here are some options

1) look here under the Short Term Stays. They do list residences, but I checked out a few of them and they said at least a week to a month for the minimum stay. But who really keeps websites up to date nowadays, so calling the colleges are always an option.

2) the temporary accommodations list – This has a bunch of one night stand options. I would suggest staying away from Jarvis.

Finally, your homework is to watch the How I Met Your Mother episode: The Sexless In-keeper. If you can pull this off, you’re are golden with an evening free from rent and possibly a late night snack.

Forever and Always,
Aska

I’ve applied to UofT for a life science program and i chose Innis college as my first college choice. I wasnt sure which college to choose and so I chose Innis because of its single rooms, as I generally enjoy a certain amount of privacy. Since then I’ve decided to research on the social scene in Innis (in case I do get accepted) but I’ve been getting results ranging from “Innis is an amazing place where you’ll have the best time of your university life” all the way to “I wouldn’t live in Innis even if they paid me”. So i was wondering..what Is the social scene in Innis? I’m not a complete party animal but I do enjoy a certain amount of partying, so I’d also love to know how Innis is in that perspective. I’d love to have the same info about Chestnut residence as well..Thanks a lot in advance

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Whaddup semi-partymonster,

Warning: you are about to receive an ominous answer to your question (sorry, there’s jsut?no other way).

It depends on the situation you get. For example:

chill don + crazy roommates(Innis)/floor(Chestnut) = wiping puke out of your hair on a tuesday morning

strict don + crazies = running around rez in your?boxers and getting chased down?by your don

any kind of don + boooooring room/floor mates = getting really high grades because you have nothing else to but study. Hopefully your the kind of person who can make fun out of a can of beans.
Be honest on your residence assessment. If you want to party, say that you want to party and pray to the residence gods that you get put with awesome people.

Forever and Always,
Aska

My roommate and I are not compatible at all! Is there a way to switch or trade roommates? I’m at Vic.
-L

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Yo ‘L’
Are you from a reality show where they reduce their names to the bare minimum?

My first suggestion is to talk with your roommate and try to work on whatever is bugging you about them. There’s a chance that you guys can come to an agreement and tolerate each other.
‘Ted, Side Bar Please’

TOP FIVE ROOMMATE ISSUES (in no particular order)
5) Constant sexual romps while your trying to study

4) Dishes lying around that are starting to grow fur and eyes

3) Their boyfriend/friends/randoms they bring home just won’t leave

2) Their rap music is drowning out Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony

1) They walk around nude, someones stopping to take a seat on your clean bed sheets

But for real, just give your RA a shout, explain your situation to them and explain that you would like a different roommate. They’ll try to help you out!

With Love,
Aska

How does roommate selection/assigning work at U of T? Not sure if you’ve covered this, but I searched your site and didn’t find anything.

Thanks!

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They give you and everyone else in the residence a questionnaire to fill out. And then, because they’re sadistic, they pair you up with the people who they know you’ll hate. Common roommates include:

1) know-it-alls who will shut themselves away all day when they’re not talking to you about the philosophical and social implications of Dido and Aeneas (just because you mentioned Dido’s new single) or making jokes about integration or Marx or glycerophospholipids

2) those super-social types that exude an indescribable hold on everyone and end up becoming everybody’s best friend — except for you, because YOU are just the most completely unbiased on Earth, and hence you can see that their REAL agenda is to brainwash everybody else and then take over the world

3) sloth types that leave banana peels on the kitchen table, leaves flies swarming the garbage, and somehow make the toilet REALLY REALLY dirty and yet never clean it up (oh gosh, the imagery)

4) vain types that walk like they’re in a never-ending beauty pageant, and will continuously remind you of how good they look, and whose only hobbies are: spending hours putting make-up on, spending hours walking around in their underwear/speedo/towel as if they’re God’s gift to the world (if male), buying 5 pieces of clothing every week (both genders)

5) baboons.

You’re welcome!!!!!

……..uh…. I somehow ended up publishing an unfinished post when I was trying to save my “draft”. Oh well. I guess I’ll continue it now because my job description says that I have to give you some GOOD information in every post. Hopefully you didn’t read my post and then run home crying because I didn’t give you any GOOD information.

Anyway, it really depends on what residence you are living in. I’m not about to go search up the policies every residence on campus just for you, so I’ll just list a few. I know that at Innis, you complete a form on which you specify how clean you are, how loud you are, how late you usually sleep, the types of music that you listen to, whether you’d mind your roommates having guests over… etc. etc. After that, they match you up with people who they think will be compatible with you. If you have friends (like aska), and they intend to stay at the residence that you’re staying at, you can also specify that on your form and they will do their best to put you in the same room. I EXPECT (but do not guarantee) that other residences have similar policies. For instance, UC states that they match you up based on your housing application form.

I don’t know what college you’re in/going to be in, so I can’t really help much in this regard. Just search up the residence rules if and when you get accepted.

Annnddddddddd it looks like our 50 minutes are up. See you next class.

Hello,

I am working on my application to Toronto and have a question concerning
Innis College. I notice that it is not mandatory to have a meal plan at any
one of the Innis residences. Can I still get a meal plan if I go to Innis?

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As a matter of fact, you can, but not through Innis College or Innis Residence itself. As a matter of fact, I lived at Innis residence last year and I got a meal plan from CampusDish. Check out the meal plan brochure. There are two kinds of meal plans available: declining balance meal plans and all-you-can-eat meal plans.

You know what though? I didn?t actually use up all my money from last year?s meal plan (I bought a $500 meal plan.) In fact there?s not a lot of places at which you can use the declining meal plan?the only major ones that come to my mind are MegaBytes at the Bahen Centre, Sid?s Caf?, and the Subway up at Robarts. The variety isn?t great, to say the least, and you’ll getting Subway two days. Personally, I don’t think their meal plans are worth buying. If I were you I’d buy food on the campus caf??s with cash. That way, you’d have the option of going to Chinatown during your 4-hour breaks for Sushi or Thai food or Vietnamese food, instead of dry sandwiches/pizza. The restaurants on Bloor Street are also good choices.

Also, since you’re going to be living at Innis, it would be a perfect time for you to start to learn how to cook.