All Posts Tagged With: "classes"

Our on-the-ground undergrad reports on his debut month

I consider myself something of an idealist. I’m reasonably conscious of the many problems in the world and of the effects my actions have on the planet and its inhabitants, and I try to act accordingly. Of course, I hope others will do the same, and perhaps I too easily apply my values when judging the actions and beliefs of other people, governments, corporations, etc. My idealism has also earned me regular reminders from friends and family to “take yourself less seriously.”

I’ve just begun my first year at the University of Toronto, and I’m aware that this is a time when values and personalities can be challenged, shifted and eventually—potentially—solidified. People tend to progress, maybe unconsciously, from idealism to pragmatism as they mature. Idealism becomes a sort of nostalgia: you remember “the good old days,” but are resigned to the fact that those days are decidedly in the past.

Even at the tender age of 18, I have noticed this shift in myself. The more I learn, the more complex things become. The more I realize the barriers that lie in the way of the more equitable, sustainable, logical world I idealize, the less likely it seems that my idealism stands a chance.

Most universities in Canada have become veritable degree-churning machines. A bachelor’s degree today is yesterday’s high school diploma. Six million Chinese graduate each year into an already saturated global job market. A desire to do good is often dismissed as naive or met with suspicion. All in all, there doesn’t seem to be much room left for idealism.

We’ll see what kind of shape mine is in after a month of university.

Touchdown

Aug. 30: If you’re moving to a new city for university, it’s a good idea to arrive a few days before school starts so you can have a chance to explore the area around your new home. Once the craziness of Frosh Week begins, followed immediately by your first classes, you’re not likely to venture far off campus, so familiarizing yourself with the neighbourhood can give you a head start on breaking the bubble that often develops in first year.

For me, coming from Vancouver, it gave me a chance to spend time with friends and family who already lived in Toronto and knew the city well. One of them took me to a drum circle, the likes of which I had never seen: hundreds of people gathered in a park in the middle of downtown Toronto, dancing to a beat you could hear from blocks away. It gave me an idea of the immense variety of things to do and see in this city, and I wouldn’t have had the chance to do such things had I come straight to school.

Through the rabbit hole

Sept. 3: Today was move-in day. After the initial “awkward lunch”—standing around for two hours meeting your fellow first-years and hearing the same questions over and over (“What’s your major? Where are you from?”), it was time to learn the requisite school cheers, glorifying ourselves and putting down everyone else. It’s curious how people always feel this need to distinguish themselves within a group, even as they dismiss it as just a fun tradition.

Making vague promises to yourself about trying harder in school is like yo-yo dieting

It seems like writing about resolutions is the thing to do right now. Only I don’t do personal resolutions. So instead I figured I’d pass along a caution against them. Because one school term has just ended and another is about to begin and this is a time when many students take a hard look at their performance to date and realize it’s got to change. Resolutions may play a part in that change, but they only go so far.

One of the smartest things I ever read about the danger of resolutions was an explanation about yo-yo dieting. The idea is that people derive a lot of satisfaction and enthusiasm from making a new plan to do something about their problems. It doesn’t matter especially if the plan has any substance or makes any sense. The diet plan may be obviously unsustainable or based on some absurd theory about only eating foods that start with the letter “A.” But the rush of doing something, at least, carries people along for a bit and things work in the short term. Then they fall apart, because the things that really need to change haven’t changed.

I hear a lot of students resolve to do better in school and I always immediately follow with some pointed questions. Okay, so you want to get better grades. What are you going to change about your habits and your approach? Far too often the “plan” is only a description of the desired results, or else a vague promise about trying harder. Students feel good about themselves for making that plan. And it does work for a while. But by the end of term it’s all fallen apart again. Just like yo-yo dieting.

For all those who have resolutions regarding school or want to improve on past results, I urge you very strongly to make concrete and realistic plans about what you need to change and then stick to them. I’d bet every one of you knows already what the problems are. Too many skipped classes. Papers handed in late. Shoddy work done at the absolute last second. Too many other commitments and not enough sleep. The problems are almost always very typical ones. But they defy quick-fix solutions.

If you’ve been missing classes you’ve got to diagnose why and change it. Maybe it means cutting out certain social activities or even working less on the side, if you possibly can. If you’re handing work in late or doing it last minute you need to look at your whole schedule (if you have one) and make sure you track things conscientiously and start each assignment when you need to. If you’re run ragged by your combined commitments you simply have to do less. Since school isn’t optional it’ll have to be something else. That may involve a hard conversation with the person you’re dating, or with the coach of your sports team, or something similar. Those are conversations you need to have now rather than later.

Whatever your issues may be, find the habits that cause the problems and take immediate and long-term action to change them. Do it while the enthusiasm from your new resolution is strong. Because that enthusiasm will fade, sooner or later, and then you’ll fall back on routine just like everyone. If you’ve altered your habits sufficiently then hopefully you’ll fall back on your new routine. And that’s what really leads to long-term change. Not the short-term enthusiasm that comes from making vague resolutions.

Happy New Year everyone. Hope it treats you well.

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Questions are welcome at jeff.rybak@utoronto.ca. Even those I don’t address here will still receive replies.