Reading Week!

Hi there! My name is Molly Wei, and I am a second year student here at the University of Toronto Mississauga, working towards a Bachelors of Science Specializing in Biology.

Home for me has been many places over the years. I grew up in British Columbia, but I've attended schools in Richmond, Coquitlam, and Vancouver. Then, I moved all the way to the United States and lived in New Jersey until I came here to the beautiful city of Mississauga. However, I am pretty far away from home and I miss my parents and my little Pomeranian puppy so, so much. Thank goodness for reading week!

Reading week?! What’s reading week?

Here at UTM, reading week is a week during the middle of the winter term when students get a break from classes and can study for midterms but also take a breather. For me, this means that I either get to go home and visit my family or they can take a road trip to Mississauga and visit me!

A lot of students go on trips with their friends to give themselves a de-stressing break from the hard work they've been doing, and the UTM Student Union even plans a reading week trip to Montreal every year so that those who don’t have any plans have something fun to do! For most students, though (myself included!), reading week is like a gift of time for us to catch up on our studies and prepare for midterms and finals.

Wait…midterms?

Yes, yes, as University students, we all have to anticipate the dreaded time of midterms. However, as awful as the word “midterm” sounds, midterms are a great way of letting you know whether you’ve been keeping up with your classes or whether you will need to spend your reading week catching up.

A student catching up on his readings.

For reading week studying, I start my day off with a little bit of yoga to relax my body and open up my mind, and I make sure I eat a really big, yummy breakfast! Then, I have an extra burst of energy to get lots of work done.

For those courses that require hardcore memorization, I like to focus on one lecture or one chapter at a time, making logical connections between the points that I need to remember. That way, when you think of one point, you will automatically remember what comes after it or is connected to it. Making concept maps is one of the easiest ways to do this, and it forces you to actually read and know your material.

The most important thing, though, is to allow yourself to take breaks! Your brain can only take so much at once, and during reading week you can definitely afford to have a snack or even watch an episode of your favorite TV show before you continue. Studying can be really hard work, but it definitely pays off! I’m going to be rewarding myself at the end of reading week by taking a trip to Niagara Falls with my friends! What would you do during reading week?

Talk to you soon,
Molly :)

Explore Mississauga!

Hello prospective UTM students,

My name is Maria Christina and I’m a third year student here at the University of Toronto Mississauga. I’m pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Human Resources. The past three years at UTM have been some of my greatest. I've made wonderful friends, learned so many interesting things, and have thoroughly enjoyed living in Mississauga.

Our beautiful campus offers a wide variety of options for students, whether one is looking for study space, places to eat or merely a place to hang out with friends. It is important to remember the whole city of Mississauga is at your disposal too. If you ever want to escape the campus looking for adventure, I want to suggest a few cool places to check out.  Each of these places is within walking distance of the campus or can be reached easily by MiWay, Mississauga's transit system. Full-time undergraduate students receive a MiWay pass for unlimited travel during the term.

For you nature lovers out there, there is a beautiful park called Erindale Park, only 15 minutes from campus. It’s located at 1695 Dundas Street West, bordering the Credit River, and it's composed of over 200 acres of green space. The park is broken down into five picnic facilities with barbeques right there on site. It is composed of multiple walking trails and includes the David J. Culham Trail, a pathway system through a heavily-forested area that is excellent for hiking or even some bird watching. Whatever you’re interested in doing, Erindale Park is a great place to get away from the stress of school by enjoying the beauty of nature.

If nature isn't quite your thing, then a good place to head is Square One. Hop on the 110 bus, the university express, and within a few minutes you’ll arrive at the third largest mall in Canada! Here you will find a variety of stores that sell anything and everything that you may need while at school. Starting with school supplies in September to Christmas presents in December, Square One is where you should head. 

If shopping isn’t your thing, don’t dismiss Square One too quickly. Besides shops and kiosks, the mall is home to restaurants both within the mall and immediately outside of it. If you’re looking for Chinese food, burger joints, or even fine dining restaurants, this is where you can find whatever you`re in the mood for. 

After grabbing a bite to eat, head over to Playdium, a huge interactive arcade where you can enjoy a variety of classic arcade games, redemption games, batting cages, outdoor mini-golf and a go-kart track. Or, you can catch a movie at one of the movie theatres.

Although Mississauga is a large metropolitan area, if you’re craving the big lights and sounds of the city don’t underestimate the value of the free shuttle bus on campus as well as the proximity of subway stations via MiWay. Once downtown be sure to check out a student play at Hart House or catch a football game down at Varsity Stadium.

However you are interested in spending your free time while at UTM, Mississauga is a great city where you can explore your diverse interests, and maybe find some hidden talents. The city is at your fingertips, so be sure to explore it, because four years will fly by, and getting a good university education is about much more than what you will learn in the classroom.

I hope to see many of you next September. Until then, be safe and have fun!

Maria Christina