friends/dorm

first of all, yes. it’s nice to go into uni already knowing friends in your year. i will say though, that it doesn’t matter as much as it might seem to. knowing friends in your year is only a big pro if you’re in the same program as them and can take the same classes. otherwise, you’ll have to make time to see them outside of class/studying — and in that context, it doesn’t matter if you’re in the same year. in uni, you’re bound to make friends across different years, because the classes are very mixed and there’s much less of a divide between years like there is in high school.

for example, i went into U of T with like 10 people from my high school, and even if we were all in the same year, we were in different programs so i didn’t see them outside of class time unless we made an effort to. like, it’ll sort of be the same way if you were in first year and they were in second year, do you know what i mean? you won’t be in the same classes either way.

next, in terms of bunking with students a year younger than you. i can see how this might seem annoying, but again, once you get to uni, you’ll realize that people really don’t pay much notice to age differences less than 3 years. there are SO so many people who take gap years that it’s completely normal for first years to be between 18-20 years old. you’re at the same life stage, and that’s all that matters to people. half the roommates i’ve ever had were gap-year people, and it’s so normal.

some facts: depending on the residence that you’re in, you’ll also be living with people older than you, like second, third, or even fourth and fifth years. in classes, there are students of all ages — even people who are in their 40s sometimes (i had a 70 year old in my class once). if you’re below the age of 23, nobody cares. you can be a 20 year old in a first year course or an 18 year old in a third year course, and it’s all chill.

overall, yes, friends are very important during your time at U of T, but you will make strong friendships regardless of if you take a gap year or not! i hope that makes sense.

moving out/commuting

ok, this is a big one. considering the home situation that you’re in, moving out/being out of the house sounds like it would be really important for your mental, social, and emotional health. and i’m so sorry to hear that you have to deal with that, i know it can be tough.

if you were to go into school this year, a 2 hour commute to and from campus sounds like it would be extremely tiring. it also would take up a lot of your study time, to do that for 4 hours a day. i know some people who’ve had a similar commuting length, and they’ve said it can get really difficult, especially during exam season. like, some exams can be 7-10pm one night, and then 9am the next day. taking classes in the morning is also difficult. i know a guy who had to wake up at 5am every week to make it to our 8am class.

if you’re studying english, the exam part shouldn’t be a problem for you, since you’ll have final essays to do instead. but the business classes will definitely have final exams.

so overall, it’s pretty difficult to have a 2 hour commute, but it has been done.

my question is, would it be possible for you to get an affordable place near campus that isn’t a student residence? i know you’ve mentioned that financially, residence isn’t feasible for you this year. but there are a lot of more affordable alternatives out there.

although U of T dorms like to announce that they’re oh-so-affordable, they really are on the more expensive side of rent options on/near campus. (especially ones that require a meal plan, those are a literal rip-off, it’s insane). if you want a ball-park idea, check out this page that lists the rent prices for residences last year. while you look at this, keep in mind that the yearly rent goes up by like, at least 1000$ every year, so it’ll be higher this year. these prices make me want to cry lol.

however, i’d say if you want social integration, dorm is definitely the place to find it.

affordable housing

here’s what i’ve found during my hunt for affordable housing this past year. the most affordable option is something called “co-op” housing. i know some people who love living there. co-op housing includes rows of old victorian houses right on the west border of campus with around 8-10 people per house (each in their own single room, i think). according to a recent Varsity article, they charge about $650 to $800 for a single room per month, which is quite literally the cheapest option you can find downtown. i heard some houses also have veggie gardens!

another option you might want on your radar is tartu student residence. it has a more expensive range than co-op housing, but is still much lower than college residences on campus. tartu’s cheapest room is a double-shared room for $712/person per month, and it is right on the north edge of campus, on bloor street. this is a great place, as i’ve heard from my many friends who live there. if you wanna know more about this, let me know.

those are just the most affordable places i know that are on campus. however, it is also possible to find affordable places within a 15 minute walk to campus, or even a 30-min transit. if you’re interested in renting off-campus, i’d encourage you to check out this crash course post i have about navigating the toronto housing market.

fun and finances

anyways, yea. i honestly chose U of T for the same reasons. it being far from home and with social opportunities in the big city is a huge pro. i can tell you that it’s everything i hoped it would be and more, in that area. but all of that fun will still be there in one year.

and as you said, keeping your academic momentum going is important. it will be difficult to get back in the swing of things, especially considering how academically rigorous things are at U of T (particularly in those business classes). however, it’s not a make-or-break factor. if you have the commitment and work-ethic in you, you will be fine returning after a year.

i think the real make-or-break factor in this whole situation is financial feasibility. i think your plan of taking a gap year to work and save up money is really smart, if you need to do that. just keep in mind, there are several strategies and programs in place to help with the financial strain of studenting.

you mention getting a laptop — and yeah, i would say that’s pretty important to have in uni. that’s pretty much the only “school supplies” thing you’ll need. however, there are free computers to use at the libraries. as for books, you can get them second-hand, or find them for free online, which is what i do. (i once spent 7 hours searching for a free version of a textbook that i needed. and you better bet i found it :D).

another option i’ll throw out there is getting a part-time work-study job during the school year, like working front desk at one of the dorms or something. there are chill, flexible student jobs that exist on campus which might be a possible source of income during the school year!

in terms of scholarships, i’m personally not aware of scholarships that require you to be direct-entry into post-secondary. you can read up on scholarships here. there are so many avenues of getting scholarships. there are college-specific awards, application-based admission awards, and also numerous english degree-specific awards. you can search for those using the award explorer, just make sure to filter your search since there are thousands on there.

resources

finally, resources. before you make a decision, i highly recommend that you reach out to your college registrar for some professional advice. there, you can speak to academic advisors and financial advisors who can help you navigate this. they are really kind and genuinely helpful, so don’t hesitate to make an appointment with them!

anyways.

i hope this all made sense. this is a tough decision, but i trust that you’ll make the right choice for yourself. from the sound of it, you’ve thought this out a lot and you’re considering a lot of important factors. i really tried to condense this down lmao, so feel free to reach out again if you have any further questions about what i’ve said here.

good luck, you’ve got this! so much love for ya.