16 FEATURE The exhibitions turnover pretty often in case you’re in dire need of an art fix. If you want to exhibit your artwork in the space, even if you are not in any Studio courses, you can gain access to the space simply by contacting the staff and submitting an exhibition proposal. FOR MOMENTS OF HELP Our paths while at UTSC will differ: some of us live alone, some of us live with parents; some of us are a bus ride away from campus and some of us are a little bit further. In any case, there are various barriers that may stand in the way of our individual success. If you’re looking for academic help, the Academic Advising and Career Centre provides year-round workshops centered around post-graduate career assistance, resume and cover letter creation, and improving studying habits. If you’re worried about the direction of your program, or would like to transition into another one, this is also the office that you should be visiting. Other amazing academic resources on campus include the Writing Centre, where students can receive help with formatting and citing their papers, as well as the Math and Statistics Learning Centre, a space committed to helping students in math and statistic-related courses improve their proficiency, not only through individual appointments, but through workshops, seminars, and group consultations. During exam season, some departmental student associations will run student-led exam study groups where upper-year members lend their knowledge and insight to other students for multiple courses within the department. These peer organized initiatives are a good way to meet other students in your program and definitely helps in organizing study groups for acing those finals. While eliminating academic barriers are important, there are other ways that UTSC extends assistance to its students to help eliminate personal barriers. The Health and Wellness office is our campus’ medical and nursing hub that also provides counseling for students. In addition, there are many resources available onsite regarding sexual, medical, and mental health. The Women’s and Trans* Centre is another valuable resource on campus for all identities. As an anti-oppressive space on campus, the space is a great space to learn more about feminism, health, and equity. In addition, the SCSU has also lobbied to facilitate a saferspace through the Racialized Student Collective, which now has its own location on campus where students can engage in antiracist work and decompress when necessary. FOR MOMENTS OF PARTICIPATION UTSC is home to over 100 clubs that are divided into sub-categories: academics, athletics and recreation, community service, culture and identity, global interests, spirituality and faith community, and work and career development. The academic clubs, also referred to as the departmental student associations, act as the liaison between the department, the university, and students; the athletic and recreation clubs range from ones that are dance-based to more fantasy-based ones like our Quidditch team; culture and identity clubs allow you to connect with different parts of your identity and even provide amazing opportunities to introduce yourself to new cultures; global interest clubs, much like community service clubs, are great opportunities to show humanitarianism by positioning students to help underprivileged communities both in Canada and abroad, while the spirituality and faith-based campus groups allow spaces for spiritual growth. Engaging in various clubs can mean more opportunities to fill out your Co- Curricular Record and, where available, earn you volunteer hours. FOR MOMENTS OF RELIEF Exam season can be very stressful time. Overnight on-campus study sessions become routine and purchasing the Tim Horton’s Take Ten box for you and your study group becomes another survival tactic to make it through the night. It’s easy to feel defeated or at the very least overwhelmed at how much of the course’s content has to be remembered, especially if you’re taking a full course load. Be on the lookout for exam destressors: SCSU has held the tradition of distributing healthy snacks and coffee to students who brave the late night study sessions. In the past they have also teamed up with the Co-op Students Association and Management and Economic Students Association to bring therapy dogs on campus as another means to help students de-stress. For those who find relief through physical activity, The Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (TPASC) also provides free group fitness classes for students, staff, and faculty. Hopefully your first-year will be a much more balanced experience, and certainly more informed now that there’s been some passing on of knowledge. If you’re feeling slightly more prepared, or at the very least ready to take on the trials and tribulations that your university experience has to offer, don’t forget to keep centered. And if you find that you’re teetering off into one direction, know that there’s always ways to bring yourself right back to center. www. the-underground.ca AUGUST 22 - OCTOBER 5, 2016 VOLUME 36, ISSUE 01
FEATURE 17 NOOR AQIL / THE UNDERGROUND www. the-underground.ca AUGUST 22 - OCTOBER 5, 2016 VOLUME 36, ISSUE 01