The New – A blog by students, for students
Browse around the posts – with so many topics to choose from, there’s something for everyone!
Browse around the posts – with so many topics to choose from, there’s something for everyone!
by Erica Ly, So how did the balancing of 9AM to 9PM classes and my six-hour daily commute really turn out?
by Lakshmi Sadhu. An open letter of advice to my 18-year-old self.
by Erica Ly. Sleep as a mandatory course in school? Why can I still hear what you’re saying in a loud restaurant? Does the five second rule exist?
by Lakshmi Sadhu. The usage of the term “OCD” has become incredibly commonplace in our language these days, and for all the wrong reasons.
by Erica Ly. Wouldn’t it be nice to understand all of these words without having to use Google Translate?
by Lakshmi Sadhu. An existential crisis will sneak up when you least expect it and sucker-punch you.
by Erica Ly. Are elementary school children luckier or more disadvantaged without cursive lessons? Is there an answer to the great handwritten vs. typed notes debate?
by Lakshmi Sadhu. Corporeal as we are, visiting a physical place of worship is sometimes beneficial for reminding ourselves of our spiritual priorities, and for both stoking and keeping the faith.
by Erica Ly. Take the test here! Does your personality agree with your results? How trustworthy is this science? You may not realize it, but you already know exactly what “graphology” is.
by Lakshmi Sadhu. A free open-air light art event taking place in the Distillery District until March 12 to provide an escape from the dark and dreary days of winter.
by Erica Ly. Upgrade from pack ramen to “the good” cup ramen? Pay back student loans? Travel around the world? Here are some of the most normal and craziest things people have done with millions of dollars – which do you agree with?
by Lakshmi Sadhu. The novelty of studying at a library can wear off pretty quickly. Cafes, on the other hand, offer that “better alternative” you’re looking for.
by Erica Ly From getting a proper workout and developing better discipline, to dunking your coaches in fountains in celebration, here’s why Dragon Boating may be the answer to your extracurricular fascinations.
by Lakshmi Sadhu. If you have no reason to ask for a reference letter anytime soon, you’re probably wondering what could be so hard about asking a professor for a recommendation.
by Erica Ly. At furst blush it might not seem that way, but there are some positives among the frustrations of commuting.
by Lakshmi Sadhu. It was only after arriving in North America that I realised my dietary preferences meant more to some people than they did even to me.
by Erica Ly. You can do it. Today you will get back on your feet.
by Lakshmi Sadhu. One journey down the rabbit hole of YouTube’s suggestions sidebar.
by Erica Ly. So you’re in another group project consisting of only social loafers. Do you do the work for everyone, or leave it unfinished? (In defence of diligent students who hate group work: the reasons why group projects are a pain…)
by Lakshmi Sadhu. There are ways to stay fit and active all in the comfort of your own room!
by Erica Ly. Yeah, I’m looking at you, coffee… (Will you take on the challenge?)
by Lakshmi Sadhu. A handy compilation of tips and tricks that you can quickly refer to while working on your essays to ensure you’re on the right track.
by Erica Ly. Are you procrastinating right now? Was your New Year’s resolution to stop procrastinating? Here’s why your goal isn’t going to work.
by Lakshmi Sadhu Experiencing winter in Toronto after growing up in a country where it’s hot all year round.
by Erica Ly. Confronting the power differences throughout life and how to address them.
by Lakshmi Sadhu. The infamous and much despised jet lag.
by Lakshmi Sadhu. Foolproof ways to make a success of your resolutions for the coming year.
by Erica Ly. Whether you prefer cozy countdowns or loud and energetic parties filled with music and dancing, downtown Toronto has something for you.
by Lakshmi Sadhu When I first moved to Canada, I would find myself switching to an alarmingly different accent whenever I spoke to anyone other than my family, or friends from back home in India or Dubai.
by Erica Ly. According to some, sitting around the dinner table with your whole family, including relatives from every “once-removed”, “twice-removed”, situation possible, is actually the cause of literal, diagnosable, stress and anxiety.
by Lakshmi Sadhu. There’s something more potent than the flu stalking the streets. Symptoms include uncontrollable bursts of shopping, spasmodic episodes of carolling and, in really severe cases, decorating your porch with ginormous wreaths.
by Erica Ly. With exams leaving the majority of the student population stressed and depressed, what better way to instantly raise morale than by visiting Toronto’s top seasonal holiday spots?
by Lakshmi Sadhu. Rain is your archenemy. You can’t enjoy a steaming mug of anything without having it fog up your glasses. Know the feeling?
by Erica Ly. Tips to Get You through the Awkward Struggles of Being a Commuter
by Lakshmi Sadhu. People either assume meditation is arcane or that they can’t meditate because of their inability to sit still for more than a few minutes – both notions couldn’t be further from the truth.
by Erica Ly. Learn how to breathe all over again and achieve a new sense of calm whenever you need it.
by Lakshmi Sadhu. There’s something severely defective not only about the dynamics of inter-personal relationships in an age of technology, but also our relationship with ourselves in that age.
by Erica Ly. The soundtrack of fall: leaves crunching, the downpour of rain drops on the sidewalk, oh, and coughing – a lot of it. It isn’t even flu season yet, so what’s the deal?
by Lakshmi Sadhu. To those with absolutely no experience in philosophy, it may come across as a rather obscure and esoteric academic discipline. I’ve been asked just what sort of employment I could possibly hope to secure with such a degree.
by Erica Ly. Time travel back to end of high school, senior year. It is undeniable that when you told someone what program you were deciding to pursue, there was some kind of extreme reaction.
by Lakshmi Sadhu. It truly was a sight to behold. From dusk until the wee hours of dawn on October 1, hordes of caffeine-fuelled aficionados prowled the streets of Toronto looking for their next fix. In this case their drug of choice was art.
by Erica Ly. The Best Places at U of T to Pull an All-Nighter to Get that Studying Done During the School Year
Join us in welcombing Erica Ly and Lakshmi Sadhu as they begin their stint as this year’s bloggers for The New.
by Lakshmi Sadhu.  Greetings, fellow New Collegians!
by Erica Ly. It’s as if summer vacation had just ended yesterday.
by Aparajita Bhandari Even though it seems crazy to me to even type this out, readers, we’re now at the end of the semester, and the end of another school…read more
by John Leung Well, New, this is it: my final blog post. I am shocked by how fast this year went by. Mentally, I still feel like an 8-year-old boy…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari Spring seems to have arrived in Toronto, which means that we finally interact again with Mother Nature in parks, beaches, and gardens. It can be hard to…read more
by John Leung The university experience has a lot in common with Darwin’s theory of natural selection. Those that are able to survive it will thrive and those that cannot…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari It’s a cold March day near Queen’s Park in Toronto. Actually to be exact, it’s March 15th and the year is 1827. Canada will not be a…read more
by John Leung Whenever I write the date on my assignments, notes or tests, I am amazed that my first year here at U of T is quickly coming to…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons” -T.S. Eliot Coffee, as everyone knows, is a fundamental part of the student diet. Since starting university my…read more
by John Leung Last year, I attended Sutherland Secondary, a high school in North Vancouver with a student population of 850. I transitioned to U of T which has a…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari Reaching out from the ivory tower Universities are amazing places of scholarship and innovation but they can also be very insular and exclusive communities. I’ve recently realized…read more
Toronto has fantastic sightseeing destinations available, ranging from Niagara Falls to Ripley’s Aquarium to the CN Tower. Big tourist attractions often capture the interest of visitors and locals. This has…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari Reading week is over and March, with its promise of spring weather to come, has descended upon us – yes, the end of the school year is…read more
by John Leung “I fully believe that mental health is the social challenge of our generation.” — Johnny Mercer, British politician Why the Student Voice Project? Mental health is, without…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari “Raise Your Voice: An Introduction to Spoken Word Poetry” Although Valentine’s Day has passed, there are still some days left in the month of love, so this…read more
by John Leung A New Era of Art In some previous posts, I’ve mentioned my interest in digital art. For some, the term “digital art” seems a little unclear so I thought…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari “What are you studying?” seems to be an innocuous enough question, but for many students struggling to navigate the confusing world of majors, specialists, prerequisites and exclusions,…read more
by John Leung In an ideal world, during reading week, all students would either travel back home or fly to a new, warm destination like Hawaii or Mexico. Unfortunately, the…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari University is a time for learning, not just the laws of physics or the factors leading to the Trojan War but also for acquiring basic life skills…read more
by John Leung Have you walked around the U of T campus late at night? If so, have you ever had the feeling that there’s a presence around but there’s…read more
by Aparajita Bandhari My first ever university class was BIO120, Monday morning in Convocation Hall. I remember walking into the building, yawning and bleary-eyed, and feeling utterly overwhelmed. Convocation Hall…read more
by John Leung Whenever people ask me, “How are you liking university?” I am always lost for words before I reply with an “Ummmm…” University is very intense, especially being…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari When comparing my own experience to those of students who have to travel for more than an hour on the TTC daily to get to campus, I’m…read more
by John Leung As the weather gets colder and our credit balance gets higher, we’re more likely to experience the “new year blues”. For most university students, January seems perfect…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari Interviews and References and Applications, Oh My! It’s only been a week or two since we’ve been back at school and most people, myself included, are still…read more
by John Leung This past winter break, I experienced a different winter holiday than I am used to. I stayed in Toronto, in my residence, for the break instead of…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari Happy New Year, New College! With the fresh start provided by the new year and the new semester many of you undoubtedly are in the midst of…read more
by John Leung It’s official – I have survived my first term here at New College, University of Toronto! University has been very different than what I imagined. I definitely…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari It probably feels like the last month, with all of its seemingly unending line of evaluations, has lasted for centuries. However, I’m glad to say that…read more
by John Leung Low on money this month? That’s pretty understandable because it’s not easy to save money while at university – and basic necessities are expensive here in Toronto.…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari One day while scurrying through Hart House Circle I noticed a bronzed sculpture of a crushed bike on the side of the UTSU building. Now, I have…read more
by John Leung Have you ever wondered what previous New students are doing now? Well, earlier in November, alumnus Ryan Pyle returned to talk about some of the projects he’s…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari We’ve officially reached the month of December! You all know what that means, right, New College? Gingerbread houses, snowball fights, lavishly decorated store windows and…exams? Yes, readers,…read more
When the close friends who know all your secrets are four provinces and a 5-hour plane ride away, it feels tough emotionally, mentally and physically.
by Aparajita Bhandari If you’re moving away from home for university, chances are that you are going to be living with other people, whether it’s a randomly assigned roommate in…read more
by John Leung “Freshman 15” refers to the belief that first-year university students will gain 15 pounds during their first school year. After talking with older university students and being…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari “Sometimes I wake up in the morning before going off to a shoot, and I think, I can’t do this. I’m a fraud.”— Kate Winslet It’s a…read more
by John Leung Some people may say that I am living the dream of an 18-year-old. I presently live in 45 Willcocks, New College’s newest residence building. Meanwhile my family…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari November brings with it the start of the holiday season, and winter break and Christmas seem almost close enough to touch. However, November also brings the second…read more
by John Leung Many people do not know this but the University of Toronto has been investing in fossil fuel from 200 international companies for a long time. In 2012,…read more
Aparajita attends the first event in the inaugural New College Alumni Speaker series – Dr. Dave Hayes takes us on a rollercoaster ride across the intersections of neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, neurology and philosophy.
by John Leung When I moved into residence on a warm Saturday morning in September, I felt very confused for a long time. I was so puzzled because everyone kept…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari “Boys and girls of every age: Wouldn’t you like to see something strange?” —Tim Burton, “This is Halloween” October is always a rather frightening month for us…read more
by John Leung The Scotiabank Nuit Blanche is an annual evening art event held in Toronto. Lasting all night (from sunset on Saturday to dawn on Sunday), it features artwork…read more
by Aparajita Bhandari Before midterm season hit all of us full force, there was a little event in Toronto called Nuit Blanche which took place on October 3. For those…read more
Aparajita Bhandari and John Leung are this year’s contributors to the college’s student blog, The New. They will each be posting a blog a week on a whole host of topics. Get the New College student viewpoint – and join in the conversation yourself!
By Aparajita Bhandari “Life starts over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” —F. Scott Fitzgerald Hello, New College! Although spring is known to be the season of new…read more
by John Leung Welcome to U of T’s New College! My name is John Leung, and I am a first-year humanities student pursuing a Health Studies major. Prior to coming…read more
New College is currently looking for this year’s contributors for our student-run blog, The New. If you are creative, passionate and committed, then we want to hear from you – including students whose first language isn’t English. Applications deadline is 21 September.
Well, New – I can’t believe it, but it’s here! This is my goodbye post. I finished my exams and papers a little while ago, so this post is not only my…read more
The end has come. This year has passed by so quickly. Writing for The New has been an incredibly rewarding and amazing experience. I learned so much and got to…read more
By Hannah Even though it’s exam season, this week there has been something weighing on me that I would like to get off my chest. As most of you will…read more
By Mina Todosijevic Summer break during university is a time like no other. Rarely are we given four whole months with no responsibilities on blind trust that we’re going to…read more
By Mina Todosijevic Last Tuesday, a group of students ran a day-long event entitled U of T: A Social Experiment. The culmination of a year’s worth of organization, the event…read more
By Hannah It’s officially nearing the end. Once this post has been published, I will have completed all of the work for my undergrad degree. In celebration/some kind of nostalgic…read more
By Hannah I really love living in the city. It’s bright, bustling and there is always something to do. However, I am a small-town girl at heart. Sometimes the city…read more
By Mina Todosijevic Exams are coming up soon! One of the downsides of having a huge campus like U of T St. George is a lack of centralized resources listing pre-exam…read more
By Mina Todosijevic Ever since New College celebrated its 50th anniversary a few years ago, there’s been a lot of friendly joking around campus that the College is no longer…read more
By Hannah Competition is a big part of going to U of T. It is competitive to get into, and once you do get in, the competition seems to build…read more
By Hannah I always find this strange sense of commonality when I am packed into a bustling subway car with hundreds of other people. Don’t get me wrong here –…read more
By Mina Todosijevic With the UTSU elections looming, here is a cheat sheet for candidates’ platforms. If you’re interested in a specific issue, try finding all the candidates who discuss…read more
By Mina Todosijevic After a terrible winter, the sun is finally out, the birds are chirping and peace has been restored to the kingdom. The coinciding of spring with the…read more
By Hannah I am going to start this post off with the cliché “oh-my-gosh-where-has-the-time-gone” classic. This semester has just flown by. It’s now the middle of March, and you know…read more
By Hannah I consider myself somewhat of a library aficionado. There is something really wonderful about beautiful places filled with books. In my first year here at U of T,…read more
Summer break may seem far away, but sending out your resume now could help you land a job in your field.
By Mina Todosijevic At the risk of being cliche, university is a time when you make so many memories and go through a multitude of formative and fantastic experiences. I…read more
By Hannah One of my favourite things about New College is all of the programs it offers to help us succeed in life once we graduate. I had the privilege…read more
By Mina Todosijevic The notion of a fifth year is entertained by most students at some point in their university careers. Whether to take a year off to travel or…read more
By Hannah It’s that time again, folks. There are papers, midterms and finals lurking around March’s corner. I know firsthand that university is tough, but there are so many wonderful…read more
By Mina Todosijevic Since midterms have paused temporarily, there’s finally some time to indulge in some good old procrastination. And on that note, please enjoy these fantastic alien conspiracy theories.…read more
By Hannah Almost every student I talk to wants to travel, but doesn’t think they can afford it. While travelling can be expensive, with ample time and prep work it…read more
By Hannah Happy almost reading week! We’ve made it almost halfway through the semester! Give yourself a pat on the back–you deserve it! You know what you also deserve? A…read more
I embarked on a mission to test out some of Dr. Greg Wells’ bio-hacking methods to see how they would affect my mood, concentration and health.
By Hannah I’ve avoided this topic for a long time, so let’s just cut to the chase. This blog post is about the scariest thing I am going to do…read more
By Mina Todosijevic “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only the first page.” -St. Augustine Travelling is something all to itself. Whether you’ve been…read more
By Hannah I have an overactive mind. As soon as I complete one task, I am thinking of the next. I know this type of thinking and constant obsessing over…read more
Tips from Dr. Greg Wells on how to tailor your nutrition, sleep and exercise regime to be in peak performance during exam time.
By Mina Todosijevic I set out with the intention of making this post academic and “useful”, as a resource for researching articles. However, I very quickly got distracted by the…read more
By Hannah This week’s post is going to be a bit different than usual, as I was lucky enough to adventure to the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada with New College…read more
By Mina Todosijevic Finally! Part two of the Healthy Living mini-series, which began with a post on food and nutrition. In addition to eating well, regular exercise has many often-overlooked…read more
By Hannah I have a confession to make. I am in my fourth year at U of T, and the first time I went to a professor’s office hours was…read more
![A cardboard button which says "I resolve to [blank] in the new year."](http://www.newcollege.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/hannah-jan7-featured-280x140.jpg)
By Hannah Welcome back, New! I hope you are relaxed and ready to take on a new semester and year! New Year’s is a time of re-evaluation, self-reflection and big…read more
By Mina Todosijevic Welcome back to The New! A new year is seen as a blank slate, a new chance at being a better, more productive and happier person. Alas,…read more
By Hannah Stevenson By this point in the semester you have either finished all of your finals and essays, or you are very close to finishing. So I think congratulations…read more
By Mina Todosijevic Finishing a semester can be a bittersweet feeling. On one hand, being done with stress, responsibilities and midterms for a month can lift the weight of the…read more
By Mina Todosijevic Many of my arts friends are already done school, having eschewed exams for in-class final tests and papers. However, even if your exams run to the last…read more
By Hannah I am just going to get straight to the point with this post: exams are stressful. Papers are stressful. As students, sometimes it seems as though we are…read more
By Hannah So it’s that time of year again: the time when everything is due, study can no longer be procrastinated and stress levels are generally high. I don’t know…read more
By Mina Todosijevic As the semester inches to an end, daydreams about road trips and travel replace my otherwise-essay-filled thoughts. There is no better time to take a road trip…read more
By Mina Todosijevic In the mess of stress that is the last week of classes, sometimes we need to get our minds off school completely. To help you with this,…read more
By Hannah Now that it’s the end of November, the days of tingly warm feelings on the first days of class, opening a crisp textbook for the first time, and…read more
By Mina Todosijevic Two weeks ago, the Equity Studies program at New College co-hosted a Holocaust Education Week event entitled Do No Harm: Nazi doctors and the persecution of gay…read more
By Hannah I have always been a firm believer that volunteering is something that is incredibly important, and its benefits reach far beyond being another bullet point on your resume.…read more
By Hannah During my first two years of university, nothing was completed without serious procrastination. I have vivid memories of watching the sun come up after spending all night writing…read more
By Mina Todosijevic Last year, the University ran an ad campaign highlighting the diversity of classes (and clubs) we could participate in. Inspired by the ubiquitous signs, as well as…read more
By Mina Todosijevic Hopefully you’ve made it through your first batch of midterms alive and only mildly scarred. Eating regularly, much less healthy, while in school seems like a laughable…read more
By Hannah Some days when I am in a particularly long lecture, I find my mind wanders deep into daydream territory. During this time I come up with all sorts…read more
By Mina Todosijevic Ghost stories have always interested me. I wouldn’t say I believed in ghosts or spirits until sometime midway through high school, when a banging sound from the…read more
By Hannah There comes a time in every U of T student’s life when they just can’t possibly stare at the grey walls of Robarts any longer. For me, this…read more
By Hannah If your schedule is anything like mine (and most of my friends’) then you’re probably in the deep, dark abyss of midterm and essay season right now. But…read more
By Mina There’s nothing better than fall walks. After the stifling humidity of summer, the air is deliciously crisp and wafting with the smell of Halloween. Living in Toronto, the…read more
By Mina Hi, my name is Mina. I’m a third-year sociology major and I’m really excited to be contributing to this blog. I’m from the west end of Mississauga, but…read more
By Hannah Hi New!!! I hope this post finds you happy and with your stress at a minimum—though I know it is essay and midterm season. My name is Hannah…read more
By Demi Lee Habits and routines can be really hard to let go of. Once we allow ourselves to cohere to a pattern, disrupting it can make us feel really…read more
By Samia Tasmim Here we are, at my final post of the term. Oddly enough, this is one of those cases where my mind virtually went blank when I started writing…read more
By Samia Tasmim We are fully in exam mode right now. Yet, the gorgeous weather makes me daydream of the places I’ll soon be visiting in the summer. In fact,…read more