The Best Things I Did During University at TMU

If you’ve been a loyal reader of this blog, you likely know that I’m in my fourth and final year of Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) Creative Industries program. At the time of writing this blog, I have less than a month of school left and I’ve been reflecting on the past four years. Here are seven of the best things I did during university, but I could probably go on and on. Maybe you’ll be able to do some of them too. If not, hopefully you’ll find inspiration to make your upcoming university years as good as possible!

I’m originally from Ottawa, Ontario (about four hours away from Toronto), so if I didn’t live in residence during first year, I wouldn’t have been able to attend TMU. I lived in a single room in Pitman Hall, and even if the building and my neighbours were a little too noisy for my preference, I’m still grateful for the experience. It allowed me to get familiar with campus and the city of Toronto. After first year, I moved into a condo close to campus and now I live with one of my best friends, who is also a TMU student. By living on my own, I’ve learnt many valuable life lessons like how to cook and clean for myself, wake myself up for 8 a.m. lectures (which is still so difficult!) and be a good roommate. I’m glad I was able to get these experiences while I was at TMU.

Before school officially starts, your program or faculty will host an academic orientation where they’ll introduce you to university expectations, as well as staff and faculty who will be there to help you along the way. This was incredibly helpful for learning the ropes of university. My program’s course union (external link, opens in new window)  (more on that later!) also hosted an event the afternoon of our academic orientation where they introduced themselves and hosted a scavenger hunt on campus. During the scavenger hunt, I met someone who would become one of my closest friends throughout university! Orientation is a great way to meet some friends going into your first week of classes. 

Career Boost is TMU’s work study program where students can find on-campus part-time jobs. I’ve been working as a Career Boost student since my first year, and I’ve loved it for so many reasons. I’ve worked with some great staff and fellow students, as well as gained experience in a field I’m interested in pursuing in the future. It’s also a great way to earn some extra money as a student. Career Boost has positions in all kinds of areas, so you’re bound to find something that suits you!

Earlier in this blog, I introduced course unions (external link, opens in new window) . Course unions are a form of student government that hosts events and other opportunities for students in a specific program. I joined the Creative Industries Course Union (CICU) (external link, opens in new window)  in my fourth year as the Vice President, Communications. My role is to organize our social media and send emails to Creative Industries students about upcoming events and opportunities. Joining your course union is a great way to meet new people in your program, but also learn about working in teams and running initiatives. It looks great on a resumé too! Roles in course unions include president, year reps and vice presidents of finance, events and more. If you’re curious about how to join your course union in the future, check out my blog "My Experience Running for My Course Union."

One of the reasons why I fell in love with TMU is because of its location in downtown Toronto. There is just so much to do in the city, and I wanted to do it all. The best part is that you don’t even need to go too far from campus to explore! My favourite thing to do during the summer months is read a book in one of the parks downtown and people-watch while I’m there. I’ve taken advantage of all the concerts that happened in Toronto and have lost count of how many I’ve been to. If you’re a foodie, there are also tons of restaurants and eateries you can check out. Read my blog “Why I Love Toronto” to see why you’ll love it too!

Going from high school, where I had class from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, to university, where I had 15 hours of classes a week, was a big change. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of readings and assignments to keep you busy if you have a schedule like mine! Your schedule and the time you spend in lectures, labs and tutorials depends on your program. I found myself with some extra time on my hands in first year. I used it to learn how to knit, which turned into me also picking up cross-stitch, and later crochet. I found a love for crafting that I didn’t have before, and I’m glad I discovered it in the past few years.

University is not easy, and it can even be pretty difficult at some times. That’s why I’m proud of myself for just trying my best! Being disappointed in a mark is normal and has happened to me, but sometimes you have to accept that you did your best and learn from it. I definitely went through some moments where handing in an assignment or finishing an exam felt good because I tried my best, even though it may not have been up to my usual standards. In the end, everything turned out okay. Remember that trying your best is something to be incredibly proud of, especially if you’re new to university!

Considering my university experience was interrupted by a pandemic and two years of Zoom classes, I’m still very happy with how it turned out. I was able to do some fun stuff, meet great people and even learn a couple things along the way. I hope you’re able to find your best things too!

Until next time, 

Jenna