For those of you keeping track at home, this latest snowfall marks the first substantial temperature drop of the season, which means that Toronto winter has finally begun. For international students, this is extremely important; students who’ve lived in Toronto for a while may also benefit from a little warm-up (hehe) on some of the dangers of a Toronto winter:

Black Ice
‘Black ice’ sounds like the name of a Marvel super-villain circa 1975, but it’s real – and dangerous. The term refers to very thin layers of invisible ice that form when dew and condensation freeze in a sudden temperature drop. Black ice is not only hard to detect, but it is also more slippery than other types of ice as it constantly melts and re-freezes without any tread.
Stay off the roads at all costs – automobiles lose all control when they hit a patch of black ice (or snow, or slush… it might be a good idea to avoid roads as much as you can throughout the winter). Keep your eyes out for glossy, wet-looking pavement; that’s the best way to spot black ice in the day. Buy a pair of large winter boots with good traction and be extra weary at night.

Frost Bite
Frost bite is the destruction of skin and tissue due to prolonged exposure to low temperatures. Though less common in Toronto than some colder regions of Canada, Toronto paramedics and hospitals still see quite a few cases of frost bite each year, some of which end in the removal of skin or tissue. Extremeities, such as fingers, are particularly prone.
Wear warm gloves and hats whenever you go outside. (Surprisingly high-quality gloves can be found at Dollarama.) If you’re out in the cold for an extended period of time, pop into a heated building every half-hour or so to raise your body temperature. And remember: a hat is not a hat unless it covers your ears.

Seasonal Affective Disorder
Though not recognized in DSM-IV as its own condition, SAD is now widely regarded as a real, common mental disorder with symptoms similar to depression but limited to certain parts of the year. As our winter is about about half the year, Torontonians affected by this season find it very difficult to deal.
A number of treatments have been tried for SAD, with varying degrees of success. Adding extra lighting to a room and increasing the intake of Vitamin D have been shown to be effective. If it gets unbearable, it may be worth scheduling an appointment with CAPS and, if you have any thoughts of suicide or harming anyone else, you should call the Gerstein Centre‘s 24-hour crisis line at 416-929-5200.

The University of Toronto International Health Program (UTIHP) is proudly hosting the second annual the Ontario Model World Health Organization (OMWHO) Conference!

OMWHO aims to simulate General Assembly committee sessions held by the World Health Organization to promote debate and discussions around current global health topics. Additionally, the Conference features keynote speeches and panel by preeminent field leaders, as well as opportunities to network with delegates from across the province and beyond.

If you are interested in knowing how decisions in the WHO are made, learning about the hot topics in the current global health arena, or networking with other university students with similar passions, OMWHO is the event for you! Awards will be given to the top three delegates; all delegates will receive a participation certificate.

Register today at www.omwho.org and get your updates at @omwho.

NEW!
OMWHO is now able to offer the first part of the Conference to the public to include a panel and documentary film.

The panel, focusing on issues related to access to medicines, includes:
Aria Ahmad (graduate student at the University of Toronto)
Richard Elliott (Executive Director at the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network)
Jonathan Smith (epidemiologist and documentary film director of They Go To Die

After the panel we will be showing the first portion of Jonathan’s documentary, which focuses on human rights concerns in the South African mining industry, following four former mineworkers who were sent home after contracting drug-resistant tuberculosis with no prospect of treatment or care.

Please join us!
Friday, November 11 at 2:30-5pm
Music Room, Hart House, University of Toronto
Space limited. Price: $5.00
RSVP to omwho@utihp.ca

Stress – it affects all of us, some more than others. At times, university students may find themselves under more stress than most people. Aside from midterm and exam seasons, student stress is so much more complex. First year students feel the stress of having to adjust to a new school, second year students face the internal dilemma of having to choose their subject POSts, those in third year worry about what courses to take, and students in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years are stressed about convocation and the aftermath of their undergraduate studies. Regardless of the predicament, lean back and relax – here are five straightforward strategies that will help you keep your stress under control.

1. Take a deep breath. When you find yourself in a stressful situation, remember to breathe. Reflect and think clearly and critically. There is always a reason why stress was triggered in the first place. What is the cause of this stress? How can you deal with the current problem, and what can be done differently next time to avoid it?
2. Eat healthy. Pigging out on junk food is no way to deal with stress and, on the flip side, starving is not the solution either. Aim to have three healthy and balanced meals each day. Healthy food will help enhance neuron activity in the brain and will aid in activities such as studying.
3. Stay active. Take a yoga class, work out at the gym, brush up on your Taekwondo, or do whatever something else that’s more your cup of tea. Not only is exercise a key component of body fitness, it also helps reduce stress.
4. Organize your time. Stress often arises unnecessarily due to a lack of effective time management skills. The solution? Start a to-do list and make sure to assign deadlines for tasks. Keep your list updated. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen is a book available at Kelly Library and at other libraries on campus. As the title suggests, the content of this book will assist in the achievement of stress-free performance through analysis of numerous personal organizational strategies such as goal reassessments and how to stay focused when a challenging situation arises.
5. Take advantage of the University of Toronto’s services. Stress can be overwhelming, but the good news is that help is just around the corner. The U of T Office of Student Life offers a number of  on-campus resources to help you succeed, which include Accessibility Services, the Career Centre, Counselling and Psychological Services, and more. Check out www.studentlife.utoronto.ca to learn more about the Office of Student Life and its departments. For academic success services, the Academic Resource Centre offers workshops that will help develop academic skills. Workshops topics include time management, dealing with procrastination, exam preparation and writing, stress management, and so forth. Keep an eye out for these activities and check out other services at the Academic Resource Centre by visiting www.asc.utoronto.ca.

These five strategies will help you deal with and prevent stress. However, while these strategies look good on paper, in practice, stress management can be a challenge. Work on it and you’ll soon find yourself experiencing less and less stress. When stressful situations do arise, the main thing to remember to stay cool and, if necessary, to seek the necessary help.

Have a great, stress-free academic year!

Post written by Stephanie, VP External Affairs.

The U of T Chapter of Students for Medicare (UTSFM) is a student group that works in collaboration with the Ontario Health Coalition to advocate for Medicare (Canada’s national health insurance program) and educate the public about what is currently happening to the health care system in Canada*.  We believe that health care is an extremely important topic of which all Canadians should be well-informed. We believe that health care is a right and that the Canadian government needs to do it’s best to ensure that acceptable health care is accessible to all Canadians.  We are concerned with ongoing issues regarding Medicare including, but not limited to, privatization, cuts in services, and lowering taxes. We run events and fundraisers, as well as distribute newsletters, aimed at spreading the word.

This school year, UTSFM will continue to attempt to spread the word about Medicare. Sometime this year, we hope to organize a public debate with MPs from the Conservative, Liberal, and New Democratic parties; unfortunately, this event had to be postponed last year due to the election.

As a new group, we hope to involve more students and get more members. We welcome anyone who is interested in what we do to come to our meetings, events, and fundraisers.  Educating the U of T community is a huge task and we need your help!

If you are interested in learning more or joining us, check out our Facebook page or send us an email.

*To learn more about the development of Medicare, click here. To learn more about the current debates surrounding Medicare, click here.

A recent article released by the Toronto Star states that the air quality in Toronto might not be as bad as we all think it is.

This may seem hard to believe, considering the extreme density of the downtown core.  Ironically though, it is the suburbs which we should avoid.

The mid-20th century boom of the suburbs in the GTA was supposed to be a Renaissance in urban development and infrastructure. However, another Toronto Star article indicates that the typical infrastructure of the suburbs is what causes high levels of CO2 emissions. The greatest amount of the emissions in the GTA comes from the town of Whitby at 13.02 tonnes per year. Where do they place the blame? Distance from the sidewalk. Apparently, living in a house that is set well back from the sidewalk makes one more inclined to ride around in a large, gas-guzzling SUV. But is it worth risking our environmental well being to get to and from soccer practice, the corner store, or even through the long lineups at McDonald’s (which consequently makes us fat) by driving a gas-guzzler?

So why should we be living in the city? The answer is actually quite clear. Public transportation is much better in the city and the sidewalks are closer to retail buildings and housing. Getting around is just easier. No one has much need for a car, except for Mayor Ford, who continues to pick fights with the ‘evil streetcars’. But that brings me to my next point. Not everyone can afford public transportation in the city; $3 a ride adds up.

Much to the pleasure of many, the bicycle has made a miraculous comeback. Everyone is using bikes. Children, adults, professors, students, hipsters… just about everyone scurries to one of the many bicycle shops in the GTA to get the latest one speed, skinny tire, weave-basket-carrying bicycle. Biking is no doubt the best way to get around the city, especially with the numerous picture-esque tree-lined streets and bike paths (another enemy of our beloved mayor). Even many of our adored professors at U of T, including Professor Brym (Department of Sociology) take their bikes wherever they go. It is almost impossible  to avoid cyclists on the St. George campus, especially the ones that we almost run into while jaywalking across St. George Street to get to Sid Smith.

Recently, downtown Toronto was introduced to the BIXI bike system. This system allows anyone to go to the one of 80 BIXI stations and pay the small fee of $5 per day ($40 per month, or $95 per year) to use a bike and go their merry way.

However, there are some downsides to the program.  You still have to find a station, pay a security deposit with a credit card, and there is no discounted rate for students. Despite these obstacles though, there are still many stations on campus for students to use.

In this day and age,  I truly believe that our generation has the power to make an environmental change. We don’t have to make the same mistakes our parents did, driving around in gas-guzzlers.  Instead, we should make sure to utilize the numerous ways of being environmentally  conscientious so that the next generations can enjoy the earth too. As the centre of research for our ‘true north, strong and free’, the students of U of T should join together in a revolution against irresponsible automobile use with the same enthusiasm as Louis XIV and Napoleon – on our bikes, ready to take on CO2 emissions (and succeed).

A screenshot from Young People F*cking.

We all know that U of T’s a good place to go if you want to learn things like History and Math, but what about the IMPORTANT things? … like Biology, if you get my drift.

Have you gotten bored with your routine sex life? Do you find yourself wondering ‘how the heck does anybody use that as a sex toy?!’ whenever you see a cucumber?

Don’t deny it.

Well, it’s a good thing for you that Sexual Awareness Week just so happens to be this week! From March 7th – March 10th, U of T’s Sexual Education Centre (SEC) is going to be hosting a series of fun, informative (and sexy!) events.

Set yourself as ‘attending’ on Facebook!

Here’s a quick breakdown of all of the events: (more…)

blogUT is teaming up with the lovely folks at High Park Nutrition to give away a gift basket full of wellness goodies! The basket will include $60-75 worth of cool (organic) things like shampoos, teas, vitamins and toothpastes.

To win this basket, all you have to do is comment on this post, answering the following question:

What tips do you have for other students about staying healthy?

Comments will be accepted up until 11:59pm on Wednesday, March 9th and we’ll be announcing the winning commenter’s  name on Thursday, March 10th. Please note that only those with a utoronto email will be entered into the draw.

Good luck to everyone, and we look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Special thanks to George and Noula for their generous donation.