Unpopular opinions on UTM
Turns out, there are as many perspectives as there are students.
The age-old question of making friends …
Zainab Khalil
Many people consider the students at U of T as closed off and perpetually preoccupied because of academic rigor. But I can’t entirely agree with this opinion. Sure, it’s generally more challenging to make friends in university because of the transition to a new environment with new workloads, and the desire for new social aspirations. But I’ve found that once you approach a person or someone approaches you and a rapport is built, the first step of communication becomes much less daunting. It is not as complicated as people make it out to be. Once that first step is taken, making friends becomes much more accessible and can lead to friendships that will hold up throughout your university career and beyond!
One of the most effective ways to make friends is by joining academic societies, clubs that share your interests, and even programs and workshops led by the university to meet new people. From my experience, engaging in activities that require collaboration is the best way to meet new people.
Don’t hesitate to take that first step. I often like to think of making friends like a blank piece of paper. There is no starting point, but once you figure it out, everything falls into place!
From lockers to lecture halls and back again
Maryam Raheel
With several food options, endless seating, and, of course, the Tim Hortons, it’s no surprise that the William G. Davis building teems with university life. The constant buzz of activity is representative of a strong campus community as students gather in this space to socialize, study, and connect with each other.
Although it paints a perfect picture of university life, I can’t help but find the Davis building’s atmosphere reminiscent of high school. The groups huddled together in specific seats, people with similar schedules using this time and space to unwind, and the pulsing energy of shared academic stress evokes memories of secondary school social scenes, lacking only a lunch monitor to control noise levels. In the Davis building, my friends and I still tackle the same question we used to back in high school: “where should we eat for lunch?”
Walking past packed tables before turning the corner and narrowly dodging backpacks in the congested hallways feels oddly like navigating my high school hallways for the first time. It pulls me into a state of alertness rather than offering a place to unwind.
The chatter spills down the stairway to the Recreation, Athletics, and Wellness Centre (RAWC), prompting me to play out my anxiety-reducing routine to comfortably maneuver through such a populated and chaotic environment. The daily climb up those perpetual steps are followed by a quick retrieval of my phone. With my iPhone clutched in my grip, I notify my mom of my safe arrival to campus, open and close Instagram two or three times, and confirm my class hasn’t suddenly changed location after three months in the same room.
While some may find comfort in the familiar energy and chaos, I much prefer the spaces in the more modern buildings such as the Instructional Centre (IB) or Maanjiwe nendamowinan (MN). Large crowds swarm these areas as well, but Davis’ design and layouts are particularly like the typical setup of a high school cafeteria – albeit with better tables and chairs.
Though you won’t find me hanging around the Davis building food court, its reminiscent atmosphere might just kindle unexpected nostalgia for students and offer an escape amidst the overwhelming pressure that comes with university life.
