• applying for U of T,  colleges,  engineering,  friends,  getting involved,  hard,  partying,  residence,  scholarships/bursaries,  St. George,  studying

    6 responses + a rant

    January 18, 2017

    Hey Aska! I’m a Turkish student and I’m in grade 11. I’m filled with
    so many questions because I whole-heartedly want to study at UofT. I
    researched a lot of things and still have tons of questions. So yeah,
    let me begin 😀

    My first question is about admissions. With %86-87 average in grade 11
    and %93-94 in grade 12, would I be able to get into mechanical
    engineering? (Also consider that I have decent SAT scores ad medium-
    to-decent extracurriculars.) I really want to know if I even have a
    chance.

    +What about scholarships?

    +Does Innis collage and UC require anything when applying? (I know
    that Innis should be ranked 1st if you wanna be accepted there.) Which
    has a better community in your opinion? And which should I choose as a
    newcomer?

    +Is it that hard to get good grades at UofT? I personally love
    studying but I don’t know if I’ll be overwhelmed.

    +Are international students treated differently really?

    +What are the parties like?

    +It is a very big school, will I be able to form close relationships?
    If so, how?

    Thank you soooo much in advance, and sorry for mixed questions. I
    sincerely hope that I can be a part of the community. Take care!

    ———————————————

    hello!

    first of all, you’re adorable and i love your enthusiasm. you’ve asked a lot of good questions and i commend you for taking the initiative to reach out so early! this is probably the longest post i’ve ever written so bear with me.

    on getting accepted into mechanical engineering

    at this point in time, the website says that you need a mid 80’s average to get into the mechanical engineering program, but it would be best to check the updated average when you actually apply in 2 years. engineering programs are competitive and it is very likely that these averages will change by the time you apply, since they tend to fluctuate from year to year.

    with your awesome grades, you definitely have a chance of getting into the mechanical engineering program, but keep in mind that this is just a general cut-off guideline for this year’s applicants. by saying you have a chance of getting in, i’m not saying you will get in.

    on scholarships

    scholarships are described at length in this link where you will also see a complete listing of all the scholarships available at u of t. keep in mind, since you will be an international student, you will only be eligible for a small number of scholarships. if you scroll to the listings at the bottom of the page, under availability, if there is a blank in the column instead of the words “domestic students”, that means international students are eligible. there are also admission scholarships (which you are eligible for, yay!) which you will automatically be considered for when you are admitted to the school.

    on UC and innis

    university college is large and old whereas innis is small and new. to get into innis, you are absolutely right, you do need to rank it first (good job!) but UC does not require you to rank them first. innis requires you to rank them first mostly because they are so small in size and very popular.

    which one to pick? that’s the ultimate question. there are many factors that you should consider, for example: are you going to be living in residence? what kind of residence style are you looking for? do you want to be part of a big college or a small college?

    i’m not exactly allowed to tell you which one i like more (and believe me, there is one) because i’d probably get destroyed, and it’s really up to you to do your own research and decide which one is better for you. i can provide you with the resources, but the rest is entirely up to you.

    on getting good marks

    is it hard to get good marks at U of T? yes. very hard. i have yet to get good grades at U of T. don’t slack off, study hard, and go to class. i made the mistake of not doing any of those three things in my first three and a half years and have paid dearly (emotionally and monetarily). we have a scary reputation for a reason. if you’re thinking of coming here, be ready to work your ass off.

    on the treatment of international students

    *disclaimer* aska rant on international student culture and discrimination

    i thought a lot about how to answer your question about the treatment of international students. on one hand, i wanted to answer: international students aren’t treated differently! it’s love love love all around! but i would be lying. the aska motto is to deliver the cold, hard truth, so here goes: (it might seem a little controversial and blunt, but that’s askastudent for ya!)

    international students are treated in the same way they treat other people. as i’m sure is common at every university, there are groups that i will refer to as ‘cultural cliques’. cultural cliques are groups of students who stick together because they come from the same culture, usually when english is not their first language. i’m not saying this is a bad thing. it’s actually great that these students can find friends who speak a common tongue! how awesome! however, sometimes, students will ignore everyone else outside their clique and as as a result, they get ignored back. this is perfectly fine if neither groups want to mix and mingle, but it does sometimes result in some differential treatment. the most common thing i see is people getting mad about international students speaking their native tongue instead of english.

    as someone who was not born in canada and can speak a second language, i can sympathize with both sides of the story. an international student might have a difficult time with english and find it easier to communicate in another language, yet a domestic student, might find it rude that other students are speaking in foreign language. often, this stems from the domestic student’s insecurity that the international student might be crap-talking them in a different language. of course, this isn’t always the case, but it does happen! heck, it’s happened to me before! someone tried bad-mouthing me when they thought i didn’t understand the language. well, joke was on them!

    many will also argue: “you’re in canada! speak english!” but this argument isn’t exactly valid. i’m sure lots of people who go to countries like japan don’t spend years learning japanese before they decide to go. canada is known as one of the most multicultural countries in the world, and it’s truly unfortunate that not all cultures are as widely accepted as canadian culture.

    bottom line, discrimination can happen, but i guarantee that it won’t happen if you treat people like you want to be treated. my advice to you is to keep an open-mind. be friendly and warm to people if you want them to be friendly and warm to you. if you find people from turkey at U of T that you want to be friends with, that’s awesome. if you want to form a turkish clique, even better! make the most of your university life and spend it with people you care about.

    *aska rant over*

    on partying

    i’m not much of a partier, so i can’t reveal too many juicy details about that. just based on the parties i’ve been to, they can definitely get pretty rowdy at times, but also be super lame. a gathering of people involving beverages and loud music usually constitutes a party at U of T, and i imagine, everywhere else! sometimes there’s dancing and sometimes there are games. sometimes ambulances are called, and sometimes the paramedics get a night off. sometimes people fall asleep and sometimes people stay up all night. hope that answers your question!

    on forming close relationships

    i have hit the 1300 word count so i think it’s safe to say that we, in some way, shape or form, have formed somewhat of a close relationship. U of T is ginormous. you are again, absolutely right.

    you can definitely form close relationships at U of T. in addition to studying your ass off, you should be making time for late night mcdonald’s runs, jam sessions and spontaneous city explorations along with friends. again, treating people like you want to be treated applies here. treat someone like a friend and chance are, they’ll treat you like a friend and then BOOM! you’ll have a friend. that’s how you make friends. how nice. you’ll meet people in your classes, in residences, and at various events on/ off campus! everyone else will be looking to make friends as well, so don’t sweat it. some of my closest friends have been people i met at school, so you’ll be fine. trust me.

    did i answer all your questions? if not, comment below and i’ll do my best to get back to you.

    good luck, chill out, and may the odds be ever in your favour.

    peace and love,

    aska

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  • alcohol,  frosh,  partying

    hydration and team-building

    January 6, 2017
    what exactly is frosh week? is it all drinking, partying etc haha
     ———————————————

    hello,what a fantastic question! granted, one that i have answered many times in the past, but seeing as your idea of frosh week is a little skewed, i will try my best to enlighten you!

    frosh week is a time of great discovery and excitement. the whole point of the week is for you to become oriented at university, make friends, and gain school spirit. at the st. george campus, each college has their own orientation, so your experience might be different from another friend’s orientation.

    in terms of drinking, fluid intake definitely takes place quite a bit during this week, as most humans require 8 glasses of H2O to stay properly hydrated. some may choose to drink other fluids such as juice, pop, or even gatorade during frosh week because toronto summers are crazy hot. if you want to be super adventurous, i recommend drinking a can of grapefruit sparkling water. it’s very refreshing on a hot summer’s day.

    if your definition of partying= great time + other human beings, then yes. there is a lot of partying during frosh week. you are usually grouped up with a bunch of strangers that you don’t know (other human beings) and you’ll be forced to participate in team-building exercises and you’ll get to attend events (great time). i mean, if you think about it,  U of T is basically a party school!

    hope you stay hydrated and have a great times with other human beings during your frosh week!

    peace, love, and H2O,

    aska

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  • grades,  partying,  probation

    GPA slave

    March 23, 2016

    Hi Aka,
    Long words in short, I’ve been here in Toronto for so long and never feel too sure academically of myself.Now I’m in my last term of 2nd year, bearing a repeat probation and the feeling of falling down the cliff is comingback again. For this time my midterms are done so poorly that I’m now writing to my registrar’s to see if switchingto part time is a wise option. But I feel like I’ve been delaying so long that I nearly lost all my acquaintances and evenmy roommate is going away to do a super fancy internship in California. My discipline is also a limited one, I also haven’tseen the possibility of switching to another major, feeling my graduation is just further that way. Is there really a way torisk and get a good-looking final mark even though my midterms are really fucked up?
    Slave of GPA

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    we’re in crunch time now. exams are about to smack everyone in the face, much sooner than anyone expects, i’m sure. if i were you, my immediate strategy would be to focus on passing my classes and getting above that 1.50 CGPA that you need to get off probation.

    cancrushed

    crunch time at uoft.

    that means you need to: put everything else aside (except food and sleep) and focus on studying. go to review sessions if they’re available. read the textbook(s). do practice questions. whatever you need to do. if you need to LWD a course/courses, start planning for that now – touch base with your registrar’s office, maybe set up an appointment with them, etc.

    after that’s out of the way and you have a little bit of time to breathe, then you can start thinking about your long-term plans. maybe you need to re-evaluate whether university is really for you. maybe part-time courses are, in fact, the best option for you; talking to your registrar’s office about that is a wonderful step in the right direction. if you’re feeling that you don’t like your current program and you don’t really like any of the other programs uoft has to offer, though, then maybe uoft isn’t for you.

    maybe that’s a signal to start looking into other universities, colleges, or jobs. what career paths are you excited about? or, if you find you can’t bring yourself to feel excited about anything in particular, is there some path that is presenting itself to you right now, that you could be qualified for?

    or, if you’re really set on staying at school, then it’s a good idea to come up with some concrete steps to improve your performance in class. commit to seeking extra help, either from a private tutor, TA/prof office hours, the academic success centre, the writing centre at your college…there are lots and lots of options, depending on what you need. your registrar’s office is a great place to discuss those options and see where you can get the help you need to succeed.

    finally, just a note: you say you feel like you’re delaying and therefore losing friends, opportunities, etc. i don’t mean to say that the situation you’re in isn’t an unpleasant one, or that you don’t need to figure out your academic situation. however, i do just want to give you a gentle reminder that just because you’re going through a tough time, doesn’t mean you’re falling behind. as long as you end up where you want to be, then it doesn’t matter how long you take to get there. focus on you. you’ll get there.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • alcohol,  campus,  partying

    staying safe is staying great

    August 10, 2015

    I have three night classes at uoft psych, women and gender and anthropology… I’m a little worried walking from the buildings to the subway when it gets dark being a tiny female… Is there any tips to stay safe? And is it pretty busy at night?

    ———————————————

    hey,

    i’m no overenthusiastic women’s self-defense coach from a 90s sitcom, but as a veteran commuter, i do have a few tips that have worked out well for me:

    1. when you’re walking, be present.

    be aware of your surroundings when you walk. if you’re staring down at the ground and shuffling along, you’ll be less aware, which is unsafe. walk like you could eat a bear at the slightest provocation. walk like you’ve killed a man with your thumb. walk like a murderess.

    2. walk with a friend.

    if you’re leaving an evening class, chances are there will be other people heading to the subway station like you. meet a couple of them and walk together. it may even blossom into a friendship – even if it doesn’t, you won’t have to walk with them for more than ten minutes.

    3. if you have to walk alone but you feel very uncomfortable with it, consider using walksmart. this is campus police’s service which allows students to request patrollers to walk with you wherever you need to go on campus.

    4. try and stay in well-lit areas.

    Queen’s Park tends to get a bit dodgy at night, but ever since they put up lights, it’s been a lot less daunting to cross. most other places on campus are well-lit, but if you can avoid going into an unlit field or back alley, then do that.

    5. familiarize yourself with the emergency phones and where they are located on campus.

    6. put campus police’s emergency and non-emergency numbers into your phone, so you can call them quickly should you ever need to.

    7. get to know the campus.

    as well as generally needing to know where you’re going so you can get to class and lunch and your casual origami club meetings, being confident in where you’re going will help you look and feel more confident when you’re walking around campus at night, too.

    8. don’t do stupid s#!t.

    this may seem obvious to you, but bad things tend to happen when you do bad things. not doing bad things will keep you a lot safer in most situations.

    firstly, and above all, you should NOT DRINK UNDERAGE. I DON’T CARE IF YOUR FRIENDS ARE DOING IT. DON’T DO IT. you think you can handle the alcohol – you can’t. you’re not going to look cool. you’re going to look very, very dumb. trust me.

    however, if you must drink (which you shouldn’t):

    DO go dancing/drinking/partying with friends you trust not to abandon you, vomiting, on the side of the road.

    DO have emergency numbers in your phone, as per #6.

    DO NOT get blackout drunk in an anonymous location in the city. know where you are at all times. don’t drink past your limit.

    DO NOT mix drinks – it’s dangerous because you could underestimate how much alcohol you’ve ingested, since different drinks have different alcohol content.

    finally: i know it might seem a little counterproductive to say this after giving all those tips, but don’t be super worried. the campus is safe. as long as you exercise reasonable caution, and especially if you do everything i listed, you can consider yourself safe and secure on campus.

    xoxo,

    aska

    P.S. i know the title doesn’t rhyme. shut up. art doesn’t have to rhyme.

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  • partying

    what is this magical “uni experience” everyone keeps talking about

    March 23, 2015

    I’m strongly considering attending UofT (UC) in the fall. What’s not appealing about a reputable, highly academic school? But i’ve been hearing that the social life is non existent. I’m a very socially inclined person and enjoy having fun and partying. I want to get that “university experience” and enjoy the school i’m at apart from getting a good education. Is it true there’s no parties? Am I going to get that type of experience there? Thx!!

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    listen, man, the university of toronto had over 68 000 undergraduate students in 2014-15. that’s 68 000+ 20-somethings all living together in the city. you really think there are no parties?

    if anything, toronto is the absolute best place to be for parties, because if there’s nothing happening on campus (which is rare) something will be happening in the city, guaranteed. i’d recommend following blogTO to get a feel for the millenials’ favourite haunts in the city.

    the big problem, of course, is how much time will you actually have to party most students at university don’t want to fail whatever they’re studying, and that means they’ll need to dedicate a certain amount of time to – you know – studying. the number of hours you’ll be putting in will depend on your program of study and also you as an individual.

    putting that aside though, there is definitely the opportunity to party. if you get even a little involved with college life or student life generally, you’ll have no shortage of opportunities to go out and be young. formals, pub nights, club nights – it’s all there, but it’s up to you to find them and strike the proper balance between having fun and passing your classes.

    i guess the tricky part is that since uoft is so big, there are few university-wide party traditions. usually, you need to look a little deeper. social and community events tend to happen on the college/school/department level, so that’s where you need to be looking.

    so no, i wouldn’t say that there’s no opportunity here to be social – but at the end of the day, it is a university, so expect to keep your nose in a book more often than halfway down a Solo cup.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • partying,  university-college

    study hard, party harder~

    June 6, 2013

    Hi,

    I am going into UC next semester and I put Whitney as my first choice and then Morrison. I haven’t heard any bad things about UC in general but I just wanted to know if Whitney was really fun? I’m a hard worker but still want to party hard (stupidly considered UWO for that reason haha). I just wanted to know if I will be getting that type of experience, or will I not be since U of T is a great school academically with so many hard workers.

    Thanks!

    Dazed and Confused

    ———————————————

    Dazed and Confused,

    See word on the street is that yeaaaaah if you want to have a good time, UC residences are the ones to hit up.

    Of course, even if your res ends up being a total bore, there are tons of bars around campus that you can head over to — assuming, of course, you’re of age or have yourself a fake.

    My personal favourite little dump is Red Room over at College and Spadina, where you can get a fantastic pitcher of sangria for quite cheap and some home fries to munch on at the same time. And then if you go the other way and head north, you’ll eventually hit the Annex where you’ll find even more bars and some places to party. If you head over to King Street, you’ll even get to the clubs.

    But yeah, you’re downtown. You’ll find fun somewhere, if not in your own res.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • friends,  partying

    why won’t people just loooove me?!

    November 19, 2012

    Hey there,

    I’m only just emerging from a depressive, antisocial spell, and I’d like to get high and do stupid things all night. Unfortunately, I missed Frosh and I don’t know anyone around campus, and I’m not 19 for another month so I can’t even buy my own booze. I’m not the kind who enjoys being a part of a group like fraternities or sororities or any sort of group, really, but I’d like to get the occasional invite or at least be apprised of the party scene. How do I know what’s going on and when? The kids in my res are spectacularly unfriendly and don’t issue invitations to join their little cliques even if you inquire after their plans for the evening. Help, please?

    ———————————————

    Hey there!

    So here’s step one: no moping!

    It’s easy to be antisocial here and get sad, but the worst thing you can do is let that depression take the reigns over all your decisions. However, if feel like you’re in a legit funk, you can always head over to CAPS.

    Anyhow, the solution to your antisocial spell is quite simple. Just meet people! Make friends. Talk to the people sitting next to you in your classes, go to some of your residence’s events, get to know your roommates or other people on your floor (if you can), and join some clubs or other student groups. That last option opens up a lot for you since most clubs like to have monthly events and they’re extremely welcoming to new people (I mean they’re sort of supposed to be). There are literally tons of places where you can meet new people at UofT aside from your residence, so don’t be turned off by the cliquey people on your floor.

    The only way to really be in the know about what’ going on and when is to get to know other people that will be able to give you that information.

    Good luck!

    aska

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  • housing,  international students,  partying

    where the party people at?

    November 16, 2012

    Hello,
    I’m an international student possibly studying in Toronto. Where do you think I should live… on campus or find a house to rent a room in? My criteria are:- people who know how party…- but also aren’t completely out of it 100% of the time and work too
    thanks!

    ———————————————

    Hey hey!

    Since you’re an international student, I’m going to recommend taking advantage of UofT’s guarantee for housing for first-year students just to be safe. Considering you’re not from here, you won’t really know what neighborhoods would be best and/or affordable for you. Furthermore, if you’re living on res, you’re most likely going to be with a bunch of people with a similar mindset of Party! Party! Party! and who will want to join you in that endeavor so there you go.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • fraternities & sororities,  partying

    Rent-a-Frat

    October 14, 2011

    Hey i just came across this website because i thought you might have the answer to my question…anyways i was wondering if you know any frat houses that allows people to rent it for the night. But the thing is, do they have a rule on how old you have to be to be able to rent the house?

    thanks hope you reply 🙂

    ———————————————

    yoyo,

    Rumor has it, and I’m 95% sure that my little birdy didn’t tweet me a lie that you can rent out the fraternities. As for the age limit I’m not entirely sure. I can imagine that if the party involves a clown and pin the tail on the donkey, they won’t be down for it.

    I was just checking out a forum online and there was talk of them allowing parties for high school prom after parties, so the age issue might be settled with a hand full of cash or mommy/daddy’s credit card.

    Here is the U of T Greek directory … so click around, email around, call around … get around (kidding … kind of)
    love with 2 sugars and milk,

    aska

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  • partying

    See Yah Ma and Pa, I’m Off to Parrrtaaay

    October 7, 2011

    hey,
    so im a student that is plannin on going to u of t george campus next year!
    and i was just wondering what res would be the best to apply too?
    which one is the party res?
    ive heard from other students that u of t isnt’ a big party school?? is this true???
    and whatz the frosh week like??

    ———————————————

    whadddup party animal,

    Were these students from U of T? and were they engineers who barely have time to breath, and definitely no time to party?

    U of T has parties … like all universities. The only difference is that we still graduate and get jobs so people assume no partying went on.

    To be completely honest, there are the party poopers at every university and and the hardest partiers of them all get bored of it eventually and realize they need to have a Robarts date with their books (so romantic, i know). BUT saying that, you can always find a party if you look hard enough.

    It’s hard to say which college has the best parties. It changes from year to year, residence to residence and don to don. For example the res I was in was a major party one the year before I arrived and then in my time was a complete bore. I know you feel my pain.

    But here are some generalizations I have heard … or just read on various forums online.

    The ones that apparently take the cake from the forums are St.Mikes (I know, shocked me too) .. but apparently they get funding from the university for parties (emphasis on the word apparently) and Vic. I believe the case for Vic based on this article that claims they inspired the concept for Animal House.

    UC is the most consistant with having awesome parties every year and apparently when Trin actually parties its a bit of a shit show (off come the Harry Potter gowns and bookbags and down goes the Malibu rum)

    Frosh Week = a lot of yelling, alcohol, and condoms with pin holes in them

    party on wayne,

    aska

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  • asia,  choosing,  grades,  partying

    several questions from a new student

    May 24, 2011
    Hey there,

    So I’m having a really tough time choosing between McGill (Arts & Sci, Business) and U of T (Arts & Sci). I’m actually leaning towards U of T right now, but I’m so frightened of the grading system! Is it really as bad as every says? And other questions:

    -What percentage of St George students maintain an A average in arts?
    -Do people who did IB/AP/had 90% averages blah blah blah have an easier time getting good marks once they come to Toronto for uni?
    -How are the parties at Trinity? (That’s my college! :D)
    -What percentage of U of T is asian? lulz

    Thanks a lot! Have a good one 🙂

    ———————————————

    Hi there. Congrats on getting into two of the bestest schools in Canada. It’s hard to argue with four years in Montreal (bagels, smoked meat, bicycling) over U of T (uh…pad thai?), but I’ll try to make a case for it. Here goes:

    a) I have no idea what the percentages are for St. George students in Arts. But really, grading and marks are not as bad as people might be telling you as long as you GO TO CLASS AND DO THE WORK. I guarantee, especially in the Arts, as an uber slacker, that I did not always pull my weight, and I still got 70s. If you go to class, hand in your assignments and do your readings, you will be an academic success, I swear to god. Bell curving is mostly a factor in the Life Sciences and Economics. There is no need for a bell curve in English and Philosophy classes. Just GO TO CLASS AND DO THE WORK.

    b) Some of the IB/90% kids had an easier go of it. Some got back one essay marked “68%”, had a panic attack, started binge drinking and never graduated. University is an adjustment period so there are lot more factors at play than just academics. If you can stay on top of your schoolwork while still making time to make new friends, attend events and get to know your city (also: take care of yourself), then you will probably find it easy to get A’s. There are a TON of resources at U of T to help you academically, like the Writing Centre, your college registrar and smaller tutorial groups. Use ’em all.

    c) I’ve never been to a Trinity party but I”m sure they’re epic? $$$ plus history plus mandatory robes makes for a particularly dope party atmosphere I”m sure. Are you living on campus for your first year? That will make a big difference campus party-wise.

    d) I don’t like answering questions about race so I would prefer not to answer this one. U of T is a very diverse, multi cultural campus with lots of ethnic groups represented and it is wonderful that way.

    xoxo, Askastudent

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  • partying,  residence

    Life Changing Experiences

    November 4, 2009

    Hi,

    I am a high school senior thinking of enrolling in the Rotman Commerce program at U of T next year. I plan to live on campus because I want that whole “university experience” that includes partying hard, making new friends, school spirit and etc.. One big concern I have is that since U of T is a commuter school that does not exist there, is it true?

    Second, there are so many residences and colleges at U of T, I think it would be impossible to visit them all and I was wondering if you can suggest some for me. The criteria is as follows:

    1. Lots of partying, always something to do

    2. Dormitory style with double rooms

    3. Good location, close to subway St. George station

    4. Cafeteria preferably connected to the residence hall

    I visited the Victoria College, and did not really like any of the residences, the one that was nice was an all female one, and I don’t want to be stuck in an all girls environment. Also, how far of a walk is it from 89 Chestnut to the Rotman Commerce building.

    Thanks in advance.

    —————————-

    Hiiii. I?m glad to hear that you have school spirit and are excited to meet new people, BUT your insistence on ?partying hard? is making alarm bells go off in my head! ?The university experience? also includes:

    • getting accustomed to walking to 9 am midterms in the snow
    • getting owned by two midterms on the same day (with no break in between)
    • going onto the course website and repeatedly refreshing until your marks come out, and
    • either breathing out a sigh of relief when you realized you?ve passed, or crying your eyes out while resolving to do better on your next midterm

    No, no, no. You would NOT want to miss out on these wonderful, life-changing events. Seriously. You won?t even remember partying after you wake up (after having passed out from all that alcohol, if it?s your thing), but you will keep these midterm memories for a very long time indeed. In UofT we have a saying: work hard, party hard. Partying is good and fun and all, but remember that you are also here for academics (besides, I hope your parents aren?t paying your tuition.)

    What?s that? I should actually give you some actual information about the residences so your eyes would stop rolling themselves around in their sockets?

    Geez. I was just getting to that. I don?t HAVE to help you, you know, but since I?m such a nice guy/girl, I will. For starters, you should check out this site, which gives you some basic information about the residences. Innis and Woodsworth have suite-style rooms, so I would not recommend them to you. All the other colleges? residences are dorm-styled. As for proximity to the transit stations, Victoria College is pretty close to Museum station, Innis and Woodsworth are pretty close to St. George, and New is close to the Spadina streetcar (which you can take North to Spadina station). I believe UC and New have residences that are connected to their cafeterias. Friend of aska says that Chestnut is the party rez. Whether or not to take her advice is up to you – though the walk from Chestnut to Rotman is pretty darn far. According to google maps, it?s around 30 minutes. (Keep in mind that in the winter, you?ll have to walk in the snow too.) Also, another-friend-of-aska says that Chestnut doesn’t give you the “rez experience” because it’s more like a hotel than a dormitory.

    ?great. I?ve just spent around an hour browsing downtown Toronto using Streetview. Thanks a lot.

    Oh, and don?t forget to consider the price of the residences. Here’s a link to the electronic copy of the viewbook too, if you need it.

    You know what though? Like all good things in life, you can?t have everything. As far as I know, no rez at UofT really satisfies all of your criteria. Prioritize what you want from your rez life, maybe visit a couple more of the residences and colleges, and then pick the one that seems to suit you best ? that?s all there is to it.

    Lastly, remember that, as you’re in commerce, you’re also be exposed to a myriad of social events, internships, and other opportunities. Make sure to take advantage of those too.

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  • commuters,  partying,  residence

    Woe is Me Who Cannot Get Drunk

    January 15, 2008

    I’m a commuter and I was wondering if any of the residences at UofT offer
    something like overnight accomodation(for one night)? I, like many commuters,
    always end up missing out on late night campus events and parties, so it would
    be awesome if there’s a place on campus where we could stay overnight.

    ?

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