How TMU students are practicing self-love this Valentine’s Day
Self-love is in the air at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)! In honour of Valentine’s Day, I spoke with students on campus to find out how they practice self-love as a university student. Plus, if you’ve been keeping up with the ChooseTMU Instagram (external link, opens in new window) , a few of these faces might be familiar to you! Read on to find out what students had to say.
Freshta Wahidulla, Politics and Governance
Freshta recommends checking out TMU’s athletic facilities and on-campus therapy dogs.
What does self-love mean to you?
“To me, self-love means taking care of my mind and body, as well as acknowledging my emotions. As a university student in my twenties, life isn’t always easy—balancing school, life and work can be difficult. However, whenever I feel like I need to love myself extra hard, I try to spend more time doing things that make me happy. This includes working out, cleaning my space, spending time with family, reading and journaling. All of these activities help me feel grounded as a person.”
How has TMU helped you find ways to take care of yourself?
“TMU offers a lot of cool events and resources that can help students practice self-love during stressful times, such as exam season. These can provide you with a little bit of extra support that will help you reconnect with yourself. When I’m on campus, I like to workout at the Recreation and Athletic Centre (RAC) or the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) (external link, opens in new window) . It's great having these facilities on campus since it allows me to move my body and clear my head in between classes. I also love visiting the therapy dogs that visit the fourth floor of the Student Learning Centre (SLC) on Fridays.”
Arushan Thaninayagam, Business Management
Community building can be a form of self-love too—Arushan practices self-love through TMU student groups like the Tamil Students Association.
What does self-love mean to you?
“Self-love means having a strong sense of self and not caring about what other people think about you. During high school, it can be difficult to not let the opinions of other people influence your sense of self, but once you start university, you’ll start to realize that you’re the only one who can define yourself. I try to just do my own thing and be kind to myself. Once you do that, self-love happens on its own.”
How has TMU helped you find ways to take care of yourself?
“Joining the Tamil Students Association (external link, opens in new window) at TMU has played a big role in my self-love journey. When I realized that I shared interests with a lot of the other students in the group, I started to feel ‘at home.’ Developing those person-to-person connections helped me feel safe and welcomed, which is key to sustaining your mental health. Being part of a supportive community can really help you love yourself.”
Paul Beniaminov, Media Production
Paul recommends attending creative events on campus and utilizing TMU’s counselling services to help you take care of your wellbeing.
What does self-love mean to you?
“For me, self-love means self-care. It means giving myself the time and energy to do what relaxes me. Whether that's listening to some music while working on a craft, making a nice homemade meal with a loved one or just going to sleep extra early, self-care means taking my own relaxation seriously. By setting aside time for what I enjoy and practicing the things that bring me peace, I'm practicing self-love.”
How has TMU helped you find ways to take care of yourself?
“I enjoy the crafts events on campus, whether it's from Consent Comes First or Student Wellbeing. They’re a fun way to meet new people and work on something creative that's low pressure. I'm also in counselling, which has helped me build strategies for my own wellbeing.”
Nicholas Nakhoul, Business Management
Nicholas spoke to me about how his supportive professors have helped him stay positive throughout university.
What does self-love mean to you?
“When you’re practicing self-love, it’s important to learn how to feel comfortable when you’re alone. You can’t always rely on other people for personal fulfillment—sometimes you’ll only have yourself. Going to the gym is one of the things that I do on a daily basis that helps me stay confident. While it keeps me physically healthy, it also provides me with the motivation to get out of bed every day since I genuinely look forward to it. I think finding healthy hobbies that you’re passionate about, and setting aside time for them, is the key to self-love.”
How has TMU helped you find ways to take care of yourself?
“I’ve had a lot of open professors who are always willing to answer my questions and provide me with the help that I need to succeed both academically and personally. Having your voice heard by someone you look up to can really brighten your mood. As a commuter, I also look forward to the little interactions I have on campus. Sometimes something small like chatting with another student in the hallway of the Ted Rogers School of Management (TRSM) building is enough to help me feel better about myself.”
John Chou, Accounting & Finance
John encourages students to connect with their academic advisors to ensure that they’re on the right path to academic and personal success.
What does self-love mean to you?
“Taking the time to do things that really interests you. It’s important to follow your passions even if other people in your life don’t feel the same way. As long as you feel like you're doing the right thing, then you're on the right track. Loving yourself also means listening to yourself. I try to set aside time at least once a week for ‘me time’ where I’ll take myself out on a solo date. This might be grabbing a coffee or trying a new restaurant by myself. There’s a new café called Fusettes that just opened on Yonge Street near campus—I think I’ll try that next.”
How has TMU helped you find ways to take care of yourself?
“My academic advisor has really helped me take care of myself. I used to struggle with my program, but their guidance allowed me to get back on track. I still try to meet with them at least once every semester to make sure I’m on the right path and have everything I need to complete my degree successfully. Even if you feel like you have all the answers, I would definitely recommend booking an appointment with them. The TMU Library (opens in new window) has also supported me as a student. You can book study rooms, speak to librarians and get research help. It’s a great place that provides students with the resources they need to achieve their personal goals.”
Shaaranki Kulenthirarasa, Journalism
Shaaranki emphasizes the importance of being kind to yourself and recommends attending wellness events on campus.
What does self-love mean to you?
“To me, self-love is being kinder to myself. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been hard on myself. It’s hard for me to celebrate my wins and easy to point out the faults—even in my accomplishments. After speaking to my friends, I realized that this was a common thing between most first-generation students of immigrant parents. Though my parents are super supportive in everything I do, when I make a mistake, the guilt is undeniable. Something I noticed was that I was so much kinder and forgiving with others than I was with myself. So, to me, self-love means speaking to myself like I’m speaking to my best friend, forgiving myself for the mistakes I make and taking care of mental and physical health.”
How has TMU helped you find ways to take care of yourself?
“I enjoy attending the wellness events that are held by Student Life and Learning Support and the Toronto Metropolitan Students' Union (TMSU) (external link, opens in new window) . I also go to the RAC for a quick workout or yoga session in between classes to practice mindfulness when I can!”
From on-campus events and resources, to classroom friendships and student groups, TMU offers something for everyone. I hope that learning about the experiences of current students has inspired you to embark on your own self-love journey, and by becoming a student here, you can look forward to discovering your own ways to promote self-love on campus.
At TMU, there’s a little bit of love everywhere!
All the best,
Claire