Student Life

I’m officially a student again! I just picked up my University of Toronto student card from their temporary office on Bay street, with a new picture sporting my super short hair that I’m still getting used to. I started taking part-time courses at U of T again – I’m currently enrolled in Business Process Management which is a lot of fun and very applicable to my work.

Now I’m working from Coffee Island, an adorable place that I used to visit often when I was living at Bay & Gerrard a couple summers ago. It’s like a coffee lab, with cool contraptions and round glass vessels – poured in one end and it bubbles and transforms into something frothy on the other side. I ordered a cappuccino with soy milk, and when I paid, I noticed a sign that said, “10% discount with student card.” I was slightly embarrassed to show it (guess I’m a mature student in some ways, not so mature in others) but also thought to myself great timing.

I couldn’t sleep last night… maybe it was the doomsday news from the day before? I woke up at 4 AM, tried “hey google, play the sounds of a thunderstorm”, but then just started scrolling on my phone and I’m glad I did. I read an amazing blog post written by my friend Sakshi, What I am learning about being happy. You must check it out and also subscribe, because her posts are gems!

In daily life, this has translated into being attuned to the people around me and listening to them rather than thinking about the next to-do item. I now pause to appreciate the sounds of nature like the crushing of leaves under the feet, the attentive gaze of a squirrel and the whistling of trees.

Sakshi Daral

When I woke up and tried to avoid the news of the latest school shooting in the states, I was grateful that the top Canadian story was about Justin Trudeau’s awkward handshake with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Apparently he went in for it, and she awkwardly pulled away. Poor guy.

The essence of being a student is to be constantly curious, and continually learning. If you think you know everything, life will lose its mystery and allure, yet if you continue to be dazzled and humbled by it, it will show you more things that you ever dreamed of.