The Varsity Handbook (September 1st 2025) by The Varsity

So you got in — what next?

If this article has found the right person, you’ve just been freshly admitted into your degree of choice at the University of Toronto. Welcome and congratulations! That initial rush of getting your acceptance letter is a moment to remember. However, that moment of excitement is often followed by one of turbulence, prompted by the prospect of taking those first steps towards the increased independence, responsibility, and

Embracing the change

I, like you, have also experienced this emotional whirlwind. Like many students who jump straight from high school to university, I was jostled by the disappearance of a fixed schedule, never deviating from its 8:30 am start time and 2:30 pm ending. The new freedom to choose my courses, plan my daily schedule, and decide how to occupy myself outside the classroom challenged me to become more responsible and self-sufficient.

In my first semester at U of T, I scheduled myself a daily barrage of courses that had me on campus from dawn till dusk. The upside to taking an increased course load is

the process of credit completion. The several downsides, however, are the increased workload, deadlines, and stress. If time management is especially important for you — say you have a job or another extracurricular commitment — it’s often best to take fewer courses per semester. University is not always a race, but for many, including myself, a marathon. Here are some steps to take along the way.

Moving, rooming, and zooming

An important step in the transition to university life is planning your living and travel arrangements. If you plan to move out on your own, it’s important to factor in the

Websites like U of T Roommate Search and Student.com are great for finding roommates and apartments that take factors like rent cost, proximity to campus, and amenities into account. Housing is also guaranteed for all first-year full-time undergraduate students who have indicated interest in living on campus and met the necessary deadlines.

If you aren’t going to be living on or near campus, commute planning is essential. The cost of commuting was integral to my budgeting when I arrived at U of T, as my commute entailed a bus trip in Oakville, a train ride to Union Station, and a subway ride on the ever-unpredictable Line 1. A great way to exercise commuting preparedness is to monitor the GO Transit and TTC websites for schedules and service disruptions that will inevitably affect your daily commute to class at some point or another.

Building bridges in and beyond the classroom

In my experience, friend groups often struggle to stick together after high school. This can be particularly challenging for introverts like myself, who already struggle with shyness and building social connections. The small friend group I built in high school largely pursued postsecondary education outside our home province, which made the prospect of starting university alone and rebuilding social connections seem incredibly daunting.

Luckily, I found that in choosing a degree program at U of T, you also, in a way, choose who you surround yourself with for the next few years. Like-minded

people are often pooled together in academic programs — those interested in politics and global issues may find themselves in political science and public policy programs, for example.

In-person courses and their weekly routine of lecture attendance and tutorial participation will help you recognize each other, effectively creating opportunities to break the ice and socialize. While we often groan at the thought of attending another class or tutorial, shyer and more introverted students truly benefit from the social aspect of inperson courses at U of T.

Forming study groups is another way to hone your academic and social skills, and it is an especially useful tool in U of T’s academically rigorous environment. The numerous extracurricular clubs and student societies offered at U of T are another common and effective method of meeting like-minded people who share interests that transcend the classroom. If you’re going to bear the burden of being an academic weapon, you might as well do it alongside peers who are in the same boat. Hopefully, this advice helps you feel more prepared for your new life at U of T. University life is admittedly more complex than the dorm parties and barhopping that movies and TV often glamourize, so coming prepared with strategies for navigating the real-life challenges can make all the difference in the world.

Things like responsible budgeting and planning, and prioritizing a balance between academic achievement, personal health, and wellbeing, are integral to making sure you experience the best possible time here.

Good Luck!

Writer: Yasha Haider Photographer: Chloe Weston

Keywords from 2024-2025 news: important campus stories to know for next year

Writers: Ella MacCormack, Junia Alsinawi & Emma Dobrovnik

Photographer: Chloe Weston

“Student politics” and “drama”

The Scarborough Student Union (SCSU) voted against ratifying the 2025 election results on two separate occasions, delaying the elected RISE candidates from taking office from May 1 until May 12. The outgoing SCSU executives and directors remained in office until the results were ratified, which prompted one incumbent Vice President to resign on April 30.

The election results were not initially ratified in the March Board of Directors (BOD) meeting because of election procedure concerns, but in an update to students on May 1, the SCSU wrote that legal counsel clarified that “the Board does not possess the authority to unilaterally reject the results of a duly conducted election.”

Despite this, the motion to ratify the election results failed again in the emergency May BOD meeting. The board immediately motioned for a revote, and the election was ratified after one member switched from abstaining to voting in favour of approving the results.

At St. George, only six out of 18 University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) candidates showed up to the election debate. In response, The Varsity published a Letter from the Editors which encouraged students not to vote in the upcoming election, signed in support by The Mike, The Trinity Review, The Strand, The Gargoyle, and The Trinity Times.

Voter turnout rates dropped 0.5 per cent from the six-year high reported in last year’s election. 12.5 per cent of eligible voters cast their ballots online this year compared to the 13 per cent

of eligible voters who voted in 2024. Save for 2024, UTSU voter turnout rates have stayed below 13 per cent since 2019.

The University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) had a comparatively higher turnout, with 19.2 per cent of eligible voters casting ballots. While this election was not as legally contentious as the SCSU’s, the UTMSU Chief Returning Officer (CRO) did issue five demerit points to each member of the two slates for “Failure to Uphold the Spirit of the Elections.” In the violations report, the CRO wrote, “I want to remind you that this election is NOT about seeking the disqualification of opponents.”

“Protest policy” or “protests”

In October 2024, U of T updated the User Guide to U of T Policies

on Protest and Use of Campus

Spaces to include a preamble and case studies with two scenarios of protests: one that violates policy, and one that doesn’t.

No policy itself was updated. The user guide is an educational resource to interpret existing policies that apply to protests, like the Code of Student Conduct or the Ontario Superior Court of Justice’s court order, which granted U of T permission to remove the encampment at King’s College Circle.

The University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA) issued a statement on how the updated user guide “appears to be a new effort for the University to implement a system of surveillance, policing, and silencing so as to limit organizing efforts on campus.”

Since the encampment during the summer of 2024, U of T Occupy for Palestine has held numerous protests, rallies, and vigils to protest Israel’s ongoing violence in Gaza. One of the protests included a tricampus walkout in October 2024, which was organized by Occupy for Palestine for St. George, the

UTMSU for Mississauga, and the SCSU for Scarborough.

The Prevention, Empowerment, Advocacy, Response, for Survivors (PEARS) Project held multiple campaigns and protests this past year, including consent poster campaigns, a study-in at Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and disrupting a Faculty of Music meeting.

“International students” and “work permits”

The federal government implemented more rigorous requirements for postgraduation work permits (PGWPs) in November 2024 and open work permits (OWPs) in January for international students. This followed Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s September 2024 promise to reduce the target number of issued study permits by 10 per cent.

As of January 21, international students and their families have been required to meet field-based requirements to be eligible for OWPs. Under the new restrictions, only spouses of international students enrolled in a master’s program for 16 months or longer, a doctoral program, or select professional programs such

as law, medicine, engineering, and education are eligible for OWPs.

The 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan cites tightening international student PGWP eligibility requirements as part of a plan to promote “robust GDP growth and… improve housing affordability and lower the unemployment rate.”

“Provincial election” and “campus”

On February 27, Progressive Conservative (PC) Party of Ontario leader Doug Ford secured his third consecutive majority government, one month after calling a snap election.

The UTSG and UTSC campus ridings saw clear incumbent victories. New Democratic Party (NDP) MPP Jessica Bell won the University–Rosedale riding with 46.7 per cent of the vote, while PC MPP Vijay Thanigasalam won the Scarborough-Rouge Park riding with 49.2 per cent of the vote.

UTM-riding incumbent PC MPP Sheref Sabawy narrowly won Mississauga–Erin Mills, securing his seat by a mere 20 votes over Liberal Party candidate Qasir Dar.

Who’s who at UofT?

Writer: Junia Alsinawi

Illustrator: Chloe Weston

As the largest university in Canada, U of T has over 99,700 students and 26,000 faculty and staff across its three campuses. As you begin your next academic chapter at this ancient institution, here are some key people to know at U of T.

Facilities and Services

No department has a more direct impact on the day-to-day quality of student life than Facilities

and Services. This department, overseen by Chief Operating Officer Ron Saporta, is responsible for services ranging from building maintenance and campus safety to environmental protection services.

Caretaking Services — which falls under Facilities and Service — is one of the largest workforces on St. George Campus, all led by Caretaking Services Manager Ron Atkins. Employees on Atkins’ team are responsible for general

cleaning, restocking washroom supplies, and much more.

President Woodin

In a historic move, Faculty of Arts & Science Dean Melanie Woodin was appointed as U of T’s 17th President, becoming the first woman to hold the office in the university’s 198-year history. Woodin’s term officially began on July 1. After approving her

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appointment, Governing Council chair Anna Kennedy called Woodin “the right person to lead us forward into U of T’s third century.”

Woodin has built her career at U of T over two decades, first joining U of T as a zoology assistant professor in 2004. Now an internationally recognized neuroscientist and professor in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Woodin has served as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science since 2019.

Woodin was quoted in U of T News as saying that she would “work tirelessly to build on the legacies of the eminent scholars who have guided the university since our founding… and to deepen U of T’s contribution to human, social, and economic well-being.”

Faculty Deans

As part of the President’s leadership team, UTM and UTSC Vice President and Principals Alexandra Gillespie and Linda J. Johnston are the chief executive officers of their respective campuses. Gillespie, who began her term on July 1, 2020, is the first woman to hold the office at UTM, and has spent her career championing “inclusive excellence” and “public education for the public good.” Johnston’s

leadership is similarly defined by a commitment to inclusion and fostering “equitable access to high quality learning, teaching, and research for talented individuals from various backgrounds” at UTSC.

Almost every student at U of T will eventually take a course in the university’s Faculty of Arts & Science (FAS). Comprising 29 departments, seven colleges, and 49 interdisciplinary centers, the FAS at U of T is the largest of its kind in Canada. FAS students can study everything from chemistry to computer science to classics, and the faculty’s academic direction is largely defined by its dean.

Since Woodin’s departure as the dean of the faculty in April, the role will be held by Interim Dean Stephen Wright from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, or until a new dean is appointed. Since joining the university in 2008, Wright has held a number of administrative positions, including Chair of the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from 2019–2022 and, most recently, FAS Vice-Dean, Research & Infrastructure.

Dean Susan Christoffersen has been the head of the Rotman School of Management since 2021.

Before this role, she served as ViceDean, Undergraduate & Specialized Programs at Rotman, where she worked to “re-invent undergraduate education” and launch three new specialized graduate programs: the Master of Financial Risk Management (MFRM), Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting (GDipPA) and Master of Management Analytics (MMA).

Chemical Engineering Professor Christopher Yip was appointed as the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering Dean in 2019, and is currently serving his second fiveyear term. During his first term, Yip introduced certificates in public policy, as well as justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, aligning with his belief that “the next generations of engineering leaders should reflect the communities they serve and bring a wide-ranging perspective to their work.”

Professor Juan Du, Dean of the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, has been on medical leave since 2023. In her place is Associate Professor and Acting Dean Robert Levit, who has held numerous administrative positions within the faculty, including Academic Associate Dean.

Learning how to learn: strategies for success

The university experience encompasses many things, from stressful nightlong study sessions to existential 3:00 am talks with friends. But at its core, university is about learning. One of the biggest

challenges for new university students is the transition from high school to university life.

In high school, structure is handed to you — things like mandatory attendance and regular

Writer: Ridhi Balani

homework make high school learning consistently structured. University, however, often demands self-sufficiency and discipline. The sheer volume of academic material in university courses can be

overwhelming for first-year students — simply attending classes and doing assignments isn’t always enough to succeed at the university level.

This is where understanding how you learn becomes crucial. Not all study strategies are created equal — some deliver far better results with less time, which is a huge necessity in the busy lives of university students.

But what does it actually mean to learn?

The learning process

Learning has two key components: memory and skill application. You’ve effectively ‘learned’ something when you can both recall it and apply it. Memory formation relies on neural circuits — networks of brain cells (neurons) that communicate via electrical and chemical signals. When you learn something new, specific neurons activate together. The more often these circuits fire, the stronger their connections become, reinforcing your memory. When you learn something, that knowledge becomes stored in your long-term memory, which is essentially a neural network so developed that the knowledge it stores becomes nearly permanent.

Additionally, the more connections you create between new information and existing knowledge, the stronger your memory becomes. This is why associating new material with things you already know improves retention — it gives your brain multiple pathways to retrieve information. This also explains why the ‘learning styles’ myth — which says that people are either visual, auditory, or kinetic learners — is flawed. While you might initially grasp concepts better through one style — for example, through diagrams instead of lectures — the best learning

happens when you engage with material in multiple formats and use strategies that best strengthen your neural networks.

The Holy Grail of strategies

Making strong neural circuits is an uncomfortable process, which is why we’re terrible at judging when the strategies we use to try to learn are actually productive. Simply re-watching recorded lectures or highlighting written text might feel productive, but passive learning like that is not effective for storing information in our longterm memory.

Research aimed at understanding the effectiveness of different learning strategies often highlights active recall, interleaving, and spaced repetition.

With active recall, instead of passively absorbing information, you practice retrieving it using flashcards, practice problems, or even teaching the material to someone else. The Feynman Technique is a popular method of active recall. It involves explaining a difficult concept to someone in simple terms, forcing you to break down a comprehensive topic into its core concepts. This makes the Feynman Technique an effective method of active recall.

Interleaving tries to strengthen the brain’s retrieval pathways by suggesting that instead of studying one topic at a time — like a full day of projectile motion questions for that first-year physics class — you should study different topics at the same time, jumping back and forth. This forces your brain to differentiate between and retrieve information on demand, not just in specific contexts.

Interleaving works especially well for topics that are similar or related to each other and easily confused because your brain is forced to

directly compare them. You’re not only learning what each topic is, but also what it isn’t. For example, mixing questions about projectile motion, energy, and torque when studying physics forced me to think through how each problem is solved rather than falling into a repetitive pattern of thinking by expecting questions to appear in order.

Both of these retrieval techniques also rely on a strong memory to retrieve from — this is where spaced repetition comes in. While cramming a semester’s worth of material two days before an exam is a quintessential university experience, spaced repetition is the answer to longterm memory retention and fewer panic attacks in Robarts Commons before exams. Review material right when you’re about to forget it so it’s not too easy to recall, but also not impossible.

Tools like Anki are amazing for practicing spaced repetition. Also, check out Nicky Case’s interactive guide for an even deeper look at how amazingly effective spaced repetition can be.

Onward to academic weaponry

Developing habits for learning and studying course content in university is very much a trialand-error process, but you’ll get there with time and practice. However, if you’re severely struggling academically, academic advisors are a valuable resource for navigating learning challenges, so don’t hesitate to reach out for support.

Learning how you learn best is one of the most important steps toward thriving in university — and by using these strategies, you’re already on your way.

Now go out there and unleash your inner academic weapon.

Where to eat at UTSG: Where to eat at UTSG:

A FOOD TRUCK GUIDE

It’s 8:00 pm, you’re leaving Robarts Library after an exhausting study session, and your college’s dining hall has long closed. You need to recover with a good meal, but your mom’s not there to cook you something nourishing. Looking down St. George Street, the many food options are calling to you almost as loudly as your stomach’s grumbling. But what should you get? Chinese? Middle Eastern? Canadian? If you’re unsure about what food trucks to try at UTSG, here’s a guide that might help you decide where to eat.

Name: Chinese Crêpes Jianbing

Location: Outside of Robarts Price range: $7–9

Average line length: three people

Rating: 3/5

Food review: Their menu is simple: a classic bing — a flatbread also referred to as Chinese crêpes — is available alongside various addons, ranging from gluten strips to sausage. I tried their hotdog bing and added on sliced cabbage, shredded potatoes, egg, sweet hoisin, and chili oil.

I found this food truck slightly underwhelming –– the potatoes were cold, and the hotdog came straight out of the packaging. I found myself sweating after eating it, so I wouldn’t recommend getting the chili oil unless you have a high spice tolerance! The highlight of the bing was the batter; it held everything together well.

Name: Kee’s Fine Foods (white food truck)

Location: Hoskin and St. George Price range:

Average line length: four people

Rating:

Food review: Their menu has 90 items in total, so there’s something for every palate. Another bonus: their generous portion sizes are generally enough for one-and-a-half to two meals.

I got item 11 on the menu — eggplant with beef in fish sauce on rice — and as I ate, I found myself wishing this food truck could replace my dorm’s dining hall. I loved the smokiness of the wok-tossed soy and oyster sauce, which was complemented by the sweetness of the steamed rice. The beef was incredibly tender, the eggplant melted on my tongue, and the sharp onions punctuated the richness of the sauce.

Writer: Hana Greenberg

Illustrator: Banafsheh Cheraghi

Name: Food from East

Location: Across from Sidney Smith

Price range: $6–12

Average line length: three People rating: 4.7/5

Name: Toronto Supreme Fries (brown food truck)

Location: Outside of Sidney Smith Price range: $4–11

Average line length: four people Rating: 3.6/5

Food review: This food truck features shawarma wraps, platters, salads, and burgers. I went for the mixed shawarma wrap, which was the most affordable meal — at $6.49 — on the menu. I enjoyed the freshness of the wrap compared to the greasier shawarma alternatives on St. George Street.

The juicy tomatoes, pickles, cucumbers, and lettuce pleasantly contrasted with the charred pita. The garlic sauce enveloped each bite with a sharp zing that some might find overpowering, but that I overall enjoyed. For a low-carb option, this food truck has salads that capture the same flavours as a shawarma without the pita.flavours as a shawarma without the pita. shawarma without the pita.

Food review: This truck’s fries didn’t stand out, but tasted decent ––they were hot, crispy, fluffy, and slightly burned my mouth. Their crunch was nice and thankfully held up against the mountain of sauces I piled on top, like ketchup, which was a questionable maroon shade, but tasted like Heinz. Other toppings this truck offers include mayonnaise, mustard, sriracha, and seasoned salt. If you’re in the mood for a full meal, they also offer classic fast food options, like burgers, hot dogs, and poutine.

Food review: This truck is located further from the cluster of vendors huddled at the Robarts intersection. Despite the short turnaround time, the eight-person line was notable as I waited to place an order for braised chicken with rice. This truck mainly offers different styles of Korean fried chicken, but they also have fries, wraps, and rice available.

My chicken was succulent but at times a touch dry. The anise and soyflavoured braising liquid sporadically rounded the meat with moisture, but a subtly sweet flavour was constant in each bite I took. The carrots and potatoes that came with the meal harmonized with the chicken and rice. Moreover, I appreciated the innovative containers, which had a partition between the meat and the rice to prevent sogginess.

On St. George Street, there’s a food truck option for every post-study mood, ranging from subtle and sweet to salty and spicy. When you inevitably find yourself hungry after a study session at Robarts or a lab at Bahen, you’ll find relief in the fact that a good bite is only a short walk away.

First-year finances:

Where to save and where to splurge

Writer: Saya Alvares

Illustrator: Emma Cervinka

Stepping into your first year of university may be the first time you manage your finances on your own. While this brings an exciting aspect of freedom to your life, it also brings newfound responsibility. To help you adjust to this change, here’s an unofficial guide about how to spend (and save) as a first-year student.

Meal plan

Students living in St. Michael’s College, Trinity College, Victoria College, University College, Knox College, New College, Campus One, and Chestnut Residence are required to purchase a meal plan. If you’re moving into one of these residences, make sure to take advantage of the meals you’ll get.

U of T Food Services operates the meal plans at Campus One, Chestnut Residence, and New College. This means you can use your meal plan at various restaurants on campus — in addition to your dorm’s dining hall — like the Starbucks in the Medical Sciences Building. Remember to pace yourself though –– daily matchas and pumpkin spice lattes may help you romanticize the fall weather and the start of the semester, but budgeting in cheaper options will help you avoid running out of meal plan money later on.

Coffee culture

Speaking of the typical U of T student’s favourite beverage, coffee options are abundant throughout Toronto. While trying out the endless cafes in the city is an absolute must, remember that many places are expensive — especially the popular and ‘aesthetic’ ones.

Located next to Woodsworth College, L’Espresso Bar Mercurio serves a delicious iced vanilla latte, but be warned: you’ll pay extra for the ice, the vanilla, and anything other than whole milk. However, head a few minutes east on Bloor Street and you’ll find a Tim Hortons, where you can buy a coffee double the size of a drink from L’Espresso Bar Mercurio for half the price.

Newly 19

Turning 19 in Toronto is yet another milestone for many first-years. Before running to King Street for “just a few drinks” at Ruby Soho, be warned that those two or three cocktails you decide to buy will most likely run a tab of over fifty dollars — not including tax, tip, and the fare for your Uber ride home.

Toronto’s bar scene is worth exploring, but save the splurging for celebrations and special occasions. For a casual night out or a Thursday that feels like a Friday, check out the Graduate Student Union (GSU) Pub. Located beside the New College Residence, the GSU Pub is open to all students, has four-dollar wines, six-dollar beers, and a pool table where you can pretend you know how to play.

Textbooks and course materials

If you do need the textbooks, reach out to other students to check if they’re willing to sell or loan theirs at a discounted price. Alternatively, Torbok is a solid option for scoring gently used copies at studentfriendly prices.

If you and a friend are in the same class that has a laundry list of course materials, split the cost of the textbooks between the two of you and share!

More than just a gym

Before you drop $38 for a class at Carrie’s Pilates in Yorkville, check out the wide range of fitness activities included in your tuition costs. Hart House, for example, offers a wide range of drop-in activities; you can check out classes like Core Plus Pilates or Mindful Moments Yoga, or you can join drop-in ice hockey and badminton games.

If you’re just looking for a gym, you can access any of the following gyms on campus for free: the Athletic Centre, the Goldring Centre for High-Performance Sport, and the Hart House Gym.

Managing your money in university doesn’t mean cutting out caffeine and fun. It just means you can have the matcha or the Uber, not both, and not every day. With good budgeting skills, you’ll still have more than enough funds left over for groceries and a spontaneous treat!

While the rush of starting at U of T may give you a burst of energy to check everything off your to-do list on day one, shop around before buying every textbook listed on your courses’ syllabi. Find people who have already taken the course or search through online forums to see whether you actually need those textbooks to succeed in the course.

A brief guide to Toronto’s markets

Writer: Druphadi Sen

Illustrator: Jishna Sunkara

If you ever asked me to go on an even remotely athletic hike, I would respectfully decline — but a 10,000-step walk around Toronto, breezing in and out of its hundreds of stores and markets? Send the invite.

Here’s a guide to some of Toronto’s markets — one stroll through some of these and you might find yourself breaking out your wallet and splurging on an artisanal jam or scoring a bargain on a one-of-a-kind vintage lamp.

Kensington Market

It’s loud, a little unpredictable, but reliably fun. There’s charm in the chaos, with some of the best food in the city, and a wide selection of thrift and vintage stores you’ll end up spending hours in. You likely won’t leave with anything you really needed, but at least you’ll know your treasure is one of a kind.

Toronto Flower Market

If you’re even vaguely into botany, this market is perfect for you — it brings together local growers and flower lovers alike. It happens once a month in the summer at CAMH’s open grounds.

The market is bright, inviting, and your new flowers will make for a great photo-op. Afterwards, take your flowers and friends just around the corner to Trinity Bellwoods Park to sunbathe and people-watch.

STACKT Market

This market near King West is Toronto’s modular maze of shipping containers and small-batch goods. Each time you go, you’ll find something new: one week a vegan food fair, the next an art gallery or a pottery workshop. There’s the occasional bougie spa pop-up, and usually someone selling something you didn’t know could be infused with lavender.

GoodFriends Market (GFM)

This newer market — usually located near Queen West and Ossington — is full of handmade jewelry, art prints, digital cameras, and chatty vendors. They also have affordable flash tattoos for those who want a more permanent souvenir. If you’re up for it, you might attempt to haggle, which is how I left with a huge vintage mirror for $20. Highly recommend.

Evergreen Brick Works Farmers Market

Toronto’s farmers’ markets flourish year-round, although I’d go before it gets too chilly. This market offers the illusion of rural tranquillity, being located in a little pocket of the Don Valley, with walking trails that don’t

locally roasted coffee.

Sorauren Farmers’ Market

This market is a low-key neighbourhood favourite in Roncesvalles — Roncy, for short. Held weekly at Sorauren Park, it’s small, friendly, and pleasantly unpolished. You’ll find heirloom tomatoes next to preserves and homemade dog treats. Roncy is one of my favourite neighbourhoods in the city, and this farmer’s market is one of its best perks, making it the kind of place where you can easily spend hours without really doing anything at all.

St. Lawrence Market

Toronto’s most iconic farmers market. Its aesthetic design gives it a special kind of energy: part European food hall, part local institution. Some of my favourites are the vast produce options and Carousel Bakery’s peameal bacon sandwiches. Come hungry, come early, and don’t expect to leave without something pickled, smoked, or encased in pastry.

Markets like these are ideal for low- or high-maintenance outings — whichever you’re in the mood for. They’re perfect for friendly hangouts, charming a date, or just an excuse to leave the house. You might find a great jacket or maybe a really good cup of coffee. Either way, you win.

Writers: Shontia Sanders, Ahmed Hawamdeh

Illustrator:

Simona Agostino

Two tales of the twists and turns of commuter life

Few things rival the interminable monotony of listening to the same bus, train, and streetcar stops and announcements every day. This feeling of commuting fatigue is only natural for me as a fourth-year student, having seen and heard it all in Toronto’s transit system nonstop over the past three years.

Long daily commutes like mine are known to exacerbate exhaustion, burnout, and stress, seemingly setting me up for failure before I even reach my first lecture of the day. Failure to adequately prepare for the costs and cons of commuting in my first years didn’t help either. Luckily, at this point in my academic journey, I’m able to look back on my trials as a commuter and reflect on strategies that calm the turbulence of my commute to U of T.

Budgeting

One such strategy is accounting for the cost of commuting in my budget. At the beginning of each year, many students create a school budget, planning how they’ll manage expenses like food and living arrangements.

Since I commute from home, these expenses were less daunting for me than for someone living in Toronto or on campus, so I similarly brushed commuting costs under the rug. But sitting down, planning out your daily route, and calculating the cost of commuting each day, week, and month is vital for feeling confident in what might otherwise seem like a neverending drain of commute costs.

Factoring in

variables like how many days a week you need to commute to campus, when you can work in a stay-home day for when that commute is just too exhausting, and whether a night out with friends calls for an extra day of commute costs will set you even further ahead of the game.

Canada-conscious commuting

Another strategy I find crucial for the Canadian commuter is having alternative plans for when the weather makes commuting even harder than it is on a decent, dry day. When you’ve awoken to heavy rain and inklings of street flooding, calling an Uber, catching a ride with a friend,

or simply staying home might be more strategic than withstanding the typical tenminute wait at a shelterless bus stop.

In late February this year, the GTA experienced a major snowstorm, which made commuting nearly impossible — my commute took double the normal time and trudging through the snow was physically exhausting. On days with wicked weather events, don’t be afraid of missing a class or disappointing a professor — they know that many students are in the same flooding boat. Prioritize your safety and wellbeing first.

Planning and preparedness

One thing I’ve done well in my time as a commuter is curating my school schedule to my commute. In my three years at U of T, I have never had more than three out of the possible five days of classes, which ultimately lessened my commute frequency and costs. Similarly, I meticulously planned out my fall and winter semesters to accommodate my personal preferences. Many new commuters are advised against taking 9:00 am and other early morning classes, but I loved them because afterward, I could do my work and go home early, beating the notoriously overcrowded TTC rush hours.

Another thing I pat myself on the back for was utilizing commuting apps. Apps like Transit are especially useful for seeing where a bus, train, subway, or streetcar is on its route in real-time, and planning your commute accordingly.

My final piece of advice to the new commuter is to make the most out of the monotony that is difficult to change about a long commute. I find that small things like getting a mid-commute matcha, bringing a book to read, or listening to music make a good difference between monotony and manageability — which is all I really hope for as a commuter.

— Shontia Sanders

Being a commuter student admittedly has its perks — saving on housing costs and staying close to family and friends being

among the most glaring. But the constant caveats to the smooth sailing ride that every commuter student dreams of ultimately make the task feel stressful and isolating if you don’t come prepared to be a proactive commuter.

Endless inconveniences?

While the internet attempts to romanticize long commutes on the TTC and GO Train, for me, small things like listening to a favourite playlist or catching up on coursework while commuting fail to make up for the inconvenience and exhaustion of multi-hour commute times, transit delays, and severe weather. Bigger strategies like establishing communication with professors and friends, making use of commuter-specific programs, and building understanding and supportive networks are central to how I make the most of commuter life at U of T.

Long commutes are a huge time-killer. 30 per cent of GTHA post-secondary students spend more than two hours travelling to and from campus every day, with delays and detours frequently tacking on extra, unplanned time to our commutes.

In cases like these, I’ve learned that communication is key. Informing professors or TAs about delays in your commute is a good way to be communicative. On days when you aren’t commuting to campus, asking them to meet over video chat for office hours is another good way to avoid making an extra commute, and spending those extra dollars on your PRESTO card.

Another thing I’ve learned is that UTSG is notorious for refusing to close campus on heavy snow days, like the one in February this year. While bad weather events like these are ultimately out of our control, communication isn’t. Communicating with my TA for the early morning class I had the day of the snowstorm helped us devise an alternative method for getting my participation marks.

Navigating self and space

A larger problem that commuter students face is what seems like a trade-off between

finding a sense of community at U of T and commuting — as if the two are mutually exclusive. UTSG has a unique college system, which is integral to the integration of first-year Arts & Science students. Colleges are especially relevant for students who live on campus, as they determine where you’ll live and what college-specific programs and activities are available to you.

Commuters often miss out on the opportunity to build a foundational social network that comes from living in a shared college space with other students. Luckily, some of our colleges recognize this and have implemented commuter-specific programs to help bridge this gap.

As a commuter student, you won’t get the often glamourized ‘university experience’ of midnight gossip sessions with your roommates or impromptu latenight hangouts without worrying about when the last GO Train runs. But ultimately, as a commuter, you learn that getting to your desired destination often requires taking an unplanned path.

In what I’ve found to be a welcome turn of events, being a commuter can actually lead to making deeper friendships than those that might have been formed solely based on the physical proximity of living in the same college or dorm. Many of my closest friendships were formed through class group work and the firstyear seminars that U of T offers. With their smaller class sizes and discussionbased learning, these seminars create the perfect environment to authentically connect with others — people who, if you’re lucky like I was, might just become part of your life forever.

Like the TTC, which always seems to grace us with unexpected delays and interruptions, you should give yourself grace when navigating the many unpredictabilities of commuting. With time and experience, we commuters eventually find our footing, build meaningful friendships, and redefine the university experience, one PRESTO tap, subway delay, and shuttle bus at a time.

— Ahmed Hawamdeh

Picture this: it’s a cold November morning, you’re trudging to your 9:00 am religion course that you enrolled in on a whim — which did not turn out to be a ‘bird course’ as Reddit told you — and the stress of this course’s content is making you contemplate your choice to come to U of T in the first place.

This is a scenario many first-year students have experienced. Choosing courses when you have no idea what you want to study is hard. Here are five tips to help guide you through this sea of uncertainty, and choose your courses strategically at U of T.

Syllabus review

In the first week of U of T courses, professors usually break down how you’ll be graded. From my experience, I have noticed that there are three types of course structures: exam-based, paperbased, and distributed assessments.

Grades in exam-based courses tend to be heavily focused on exams; grades in paper-based courses are often determined by essays; and grades in distributed assessment courses are usually made up of a variety of assignment types. When choosing your courses, think about which of these course types will suit you best. If you don’t know which one works best, I’ve found that trying out a course in each type and seeing what

works best is a good strategy to help figure out how to get the best grades!

Program considerations

Another consideration to make when you start at U of T should be what program type you want to do. Specialists, Majors, and Minors are the three program options which become available in your second year of study, and each requires specific prerequisites.

If you want to apply to a political science major, for example, you need 1.0 credit of 100-level political science or adjacent courses with final grades of 65 per cent or higher. Also, remember that competitive programs often require higher prerequisite grades, but simply meeting them does not guarantee admission, so it’s a good idea to keep backup programs in mind when choosing your courses.

Credit/No Credit

U of T has a grade option called Credit/No Credit (CR/NCR), which allows students to ‘pass or fail’ up to 2.0 credits throughout the entirety of their degree without affecting their GPA. With CR/NCR, if you earn 50 per cent or higher in a course, a ‘CR’ appears on your academic history on ACORN. If you earn less than 50 per cent, you don’t get a credit for that

How to choose courses at U of T

Writer: Shonita Srinivasan

Illustrator: Parwin Rafie

course, and an ‘NCR’ is noted as your grade for the course.

It’s important to note that you cannot CR/NCR program requirements or prerequisites. For example, if you want to major in economics, you cannot CR/ NCR ECO101 — it’s a prerequisite for the program. You can however use courses you ‘CR’ to fulfil your breadth requirements.

Late Withdrawal

U of T’s Late Withdrawal (LWD) option allows you to drop a course past the drop deadline. The request to LWD for a course must be made before the last day of classes for that term and must be submitted through your registrar. If approved, the course will appear on your transcript, and your grade for the course will be noted as “LWD.” LWD is available for up to 3.0 credits.

Course selection at U of T can be overwhelming, but with the right tools, it becomes more manageable and — for me — an exciting part of the academic year. Knowing and strategically navigating the different types of course types, making sure you get your program prerequisites, and making use of options like CR/ NCR and LWD can help you navigate challenges, reduce stress, and give you the flexibility to explore your interests while staying on track academically.

Finding work as a university student

Writer: Medha Barath

Photographer: Chloe Weston

Finding work at university can be a stressful experience for many students. Luckily, U of T offers many part-time and full-time employment opportunities throughout the year. The Career & CoCurricular Learning Network (CLNx) is a popular job board website run by U of T to share part-time and full-time opportunities based on- and off-campus.

Here are some jobs you can pick up in the summer, fall, or winter:

Arrive Ready summer internship

As an incoming first-year, you might recognize the name Arrive Ready — this is a program for helping new students transition to life at U of T. All first-years are automatically enrolled and receive emails from a peer mentor throughout the summer. These emails contain details about key deadlines over the summer, like course enrolment and tips for success at university.

These peer mentors are actually summer interns. Arrive Ready interns assist the Faculty of Arts & Science with developing and implementing programs to support the success of incoming students. Some of these interns’ responsibilities include: sending the peer support emails you’ve been receiving; helping with events organized at Sidney Smith Commons, a study space for Arts

and Science students; and conducting research about how to improve students’ transition to university life.

This job is in-person and happens over the summer, requiring 30 to 45 hours of work per week. This year, the pay for the position was $22.89 per hour, and interns can take five unpaid vacation days. Applications for internships are usually due at the end of January and require a resume and your co-curricular record — an official U of T

offered for Computer Science, Economics, Humanities, Life Sciences, Psychology, Social Sciences, and MAT137 students.

Weekly sessions are facilitated by an FLC Peer Mentor — an upper-year student in a relevant program who develops activities dedicated to improving studying practices and interpersonal skills. Mentors should also be available to students via email to answer queries or concerns about their university life.

This job will earn you around $19.00 an hour and requires six to 10 hours of work a week up to a maximum of 200 hours over the fall and winter terms. Applications for this position are usually due around the end of January, and academic requirements for applicants vary based on the FLC’s stream. For example, if you want to be a Life Sciences FLC Peer Mentor, you need

document that recognizes your involvement in co-curricular activities. Interns must also have a minimum cumulative GPA of 1.5.

First-Year Learning Community mentor

A First-Year Learning Community (FLC) is a U of T program where small groups of first-year students enrolled in the same set of classes meet every week to socialize and participate in skill-building activities. The goal of these communities is to develop students’ academic abilities as well as their friendships with peers. FLCs are

to be enrolled in a Life Sciences program at the Faculty of Arts and Science and have completed the required first-year biology, chemistry, and math courses.

Dining halls, restaurants, and cafés

Employment in food service at U of T is also an option. Some colleges on the UTSG campus, like Victoria College, hire students to work on their food and events teams. Keep an eye out for information about openings on college or residence websites and newsletters.

Alternatively, you could reach out to local restaurants and cafés that might need waitstaff or baristas. While prior experience is always helpful, sometimes a simple email or phone call showcasing your enthusiasm for the role can be enough!

Where to go when you gotta go!

Writers:

Ella

MacCormack, Junia Alsinawi

Illustrator: Chloe Weston

The realization dawns on you slowly, horrifically, sweatily: you have no clue where the bathrooms are at U of T. You’re hysterical, five seconds away from accepting your fate when it catches your eye — The Varsity’s 2025 Handbook.

We are here for you in moments just like this. Break out this guide if you can’t find a bathroom around campus — or if the toilet paper runs out.

UTSG

The St. George campus is flush with 121 bathrooms — that’s one for every 559 students on campus. Out of those, 75 are gender neutral, 32 are accessible, and 10 are both accessible and gender neutral. Notably, not all single-user bathrooms are genderneutral. On the U of T map, there are five single-user men’s bathrooms and 14 single-user women’s bathrooms.

Many gender-neutral bathrooms on campus were once gendered, but

were converted by the university. The perennial question remains: what do we do with the urinals? On 371 Bloor Street, the men’s multi-stall bathroom was converted to a single-user gender-neutral bathroom, where the urinal is now a water feature with fake flowers in the drain.

Over the years, many other student papers on campus have written their own guides to the bathrooms on St. George. Here are their number one and the number two bathrooms over the years.

Innis College basement

Mentioned in: The Innis Herald, The UC Gargoyle, The Boundary

Keywords: roomy, weird, “the eighth man-made wonder.”

Robarts Library

Mentioned in: The Varsity, The Innis Herald, The Strand

First floor Keywords: many stalls, accessible, well-kept. Third-floor keywords: largest bathroom, busy, nice, “the mall, but in the best way.”

Goldring Student Centre

Mentioned in: The Innis Herald, The Strand

Keywords: spacious, full-length mirrors, natural light.

University College basement

Mentioned in: The UC Gargoyle, The Innis Herald

Keywords: quiet, uninterrupted, “good for poops.”

Sidney Smith

Mentioned in: The Innis Herald, The Toike Oike

Keywords: clean, big, crowded, line-ups.

Bahen

Mentioned in: The Toike Oike

Keywords: disgusting, smells, leaks.

McLennan Physical Laboratories

Mentioned in: The Toike Oike

Keywords: royal treatment, regularly maintained, scarcely visited.

Cumberland House

Mentioned in: The Strand

Keywords: “Anne of Green Gables-esque impostor-castle-looking-house,” seldom occupied, natural light.

Public bathrooms in Toronto

Not all public bathrooms in the city are equally public. There are restricted bathrooms, which are private and often locked. Semi-public access bathrooms are those in public buildings — like a coffee shop or a mall — that can deny access

to individuals. To be a true public access bathroom, the toilet must be open to everyone without restriction.

Mayor Olivia Chow has proposed a new city-wide plan to improve Toronto’s public bathrooms, analyzing where public bathrooms are needed, installing temporary ones, restoring and retrofitting existing bathrooms, and adding new public bathrooms. Here are the existing public access toilets near St. George campus:

Toronto Public Library –– Spadina Road Branch, 10 Spadina Road

Toronto Public Library –– Lillian H. Smith Branch, 239 College Street

Church of the Redeemer –– 162 Bloor Street West

The Barbara Ann Scott Outdoor Rink –– 420 Yonge Street (closed for maintenance and repairs since January)

Toronto Drop-In Network portable toilet –– 502 Spadina Avenue

Queens Park portable toilet –– 110 Wellesley Street West

As a warning to all UTSG commuters, 59 of Toronto’s 70 subway stations do not have public bathrooms, including St. George, Queens Park, Museum, and Spadina stations. The City’s bathroom plan recognizes this, and is also aiming to improve and install subway bathrooms.

UTSC

Far from the old buildings with outdated bathroom infrastructure that line the streets of UTSG, UTSC was free to build its bathrooms from scratch, which led to some impressive lavatorial innovations. With 14,622 undergraduate students and 26 public washrooms, UTSC has approximately one bathroom for every 562 students.

The design of some of the campus’s gender-neutral washrooms is particularly notable. Rather than the typical UTSG half-hearted gender-neutral rebrand of a singlestalled washroom, UTSC’s gendered bathrooms have multiple stalls, like most other gendered public bathrooms on campus. One such bathroom is in the basement of the Student Centre (SL), which has its stalls fitted with floor-to-ceiling doors for an added layer of privacy.

Sharing the details on her favourite UTSC bathroom with The Varsity, 2025 UTSC graduate and former Varsity UTSC Bureau Chief Urooba Shaikh highlighted the single-user washrooms in Highland Hall (HL), calling them “nice and spacious for when you just need a moment,” also noting that they are accessible and all-gender. Across Ellesmere and Military, you can find the new Sam Ibrahim building, which also hosts an all-gender bathroom on the ground floor.

Another important innovation that UTSC has made with its bathrooms is the addition of bidets to some toilets on campus. Born from the advocacy of the student group Bidets at U of T — which began in December 2024 — UTSC has since installed four bidets, all of which are also located at the Student Centre.

UTM

Unlike UTSC, UTM has yet to couple of UTM’s multi-user options.

Single-user all-gender, accessible washrooms can be found on the third floor of the William G. Davis Bathroom (DV) and the second floor of the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre (HMALC), among other locations.

Former UTM Bureau Chief for The Varsity, Razia Saleh, shared some dos and don’ts when looking for a good bathroom spot at UTM: “Avoid everything in IB (instructional building) and always go to the fourth and third floors of MN and DH [Deerfield Hall].”

Writer: Alaina Tsimicalis

Photographer: Chloe Weston

Congratulations on your acceptance to the University of Toronto! This is the place where global prestige mixes with academic excellence, stunning architecture, professional opportunities, and many, many tears.

The ‘U of Tears’ moniker is all fun and games until reality hits: all-nighters at Robarts, the university’s most rigorous sport

How to utilize stress

of course selection, and getting a terrible grade accompanied by even worse feedback on a paper you thought you aced. On top of that, you might be learning how to survive on your own, and are newly navigating tasks like cooking, cleaning, and all the other seemingly endless chores that keep piling up. Starting at U of T can be a lot, and stress can become a familiar — though unwanted — presence.

I can help you learn what

originally helped our ancestors survive threats like predatory animals. Today, it can just as easily be triggered by challenges like looming assignment deadlines or overloaded schedules.

When you experience stress, a chain reaction occurs in your sympathetic nervous system, which is a part of the autonomic nervous system. These systems are responsible for involuntary functions like breathing and digestion. When the body

and beat the ‘U of Tears’ allegations

reacts before your brain consciously registers the threat. As adrenaline depletes, the hypothalamus releases cortisol, which suppresses non-essential functions like digestion and immunity to focus on survival. Anyone who’s survived exam season at U of T is familiar with these symptoms of stressinduced bodily shutdown.

Your stress survival guide

The bad news: stress is inevitable.

The good news: you can manage it. Here’s how.

1. Prioritize sleep.

Seriously. Sleep is often the first thing sacrificed for school and work, but it’s one of the most important bodily functions to avoid exhaustion and burnout. Aim for around 8 hours a night to stay focused and avoid burnout.

2. Get moving.

Exercise reduces stress. It doesn’t have to be intense — whether it’s a drop-in sport, swim class, or even a dance party, any movement helps. Visit the U of T Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education website to find recreational fitness options, drop-in activities, and personal training on or near campus. Tri-Campus League sports are another option for routine participation in sports, and are a less competitive way to play compared to Varsity Blues sports.

3. Find your community.

U of T is big, but finding the right club can make it feel more closeknit. Clubs are a great way to build

community and find support from people with similar interests. Use the Student Organization Portal to find one that fits your interests. There are hundreds to choose from, across all three campuses.

4. Use mental health resources.

U of T can be a lot academically, socially, and financially, so there’s never any shame in asking for help if you feel like your mental health is suffering. U of T offers mental health and clinical support through Student Life — everything from counselling and psychotherapy to peer support and group sessions, often free and available at flexible times to align with your schedule. You can also access U of T Telus Health Student Support 24/7 in 146 languages via call or text.

Additionally, you can find a doctor through Student Life under the ‘Health and Wellness tab.’ You can also access other health resources ranging from allergy and immunization care, food and nutrition consultations and education, periodic health checkins on history and lifestyle, sameday medical appointments, sexual and reproductive health counselling, and more.

Is stress always bad?

Actually, no! Stress can be a positive tool — to an extent! It tells us what matters, giving you urgency, energy, and motivation. It can help you study, meet deadlines, or get through a tough performance.

Stress also appears in social and personal settings — whether it’s attending O-Week, managing homesickness, or saying “Hi” to a

new classmate. For many people, it’s a natural part of adapting to change, and will occur regardless of whether you try to fight or flee it, pun intended.

When you get a grasp on it, stress can help you grow into a more resilient version of yourself. But chronic or persistent stress, if unaddressed, can harm your health, leading to symptoms like headaches, muscle pain, sleep issues, anxiety, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and more.

While U of T can be difficult, you’re certainly not expected to handle it alone. There are supports in place, and stress, when managed, can be a tool — not an enemy. Prioritize your well-being, and ask for help when needed. On behalf of everyone in the Science section, we congratulate you on your acceptance, and we hope you’ll have the best time now that you’ve learned the science of stress!

Writer: Caroline Ho Collage: Chloe Weston

As the vast majority of students come to U of T for its academic prestige, other aspects of student life can often be overlooked. However, the university’s illustrious history with world-class sports teams, Varsity Stadium’s ties to major events, and Toronto’s endless sporting events illustrate that U of T also has a major sporting world to offer.

Whether it is cheering on our talented student athletes at intense rivalry matches or getting involved in athletics themselves, there is something for every student to enjoy. This article aims to shed light on some of the activities that sports enthusiasts, or even those just looking to try something new, can participate in from the convenience of campus.

Support a Varsity Blues team

Attending a Blues game is one of the most accessible and exciting ways to engage with fellow U of T students and student athletes — students can attend for free, and there are multiple matches every week! Last year’s sold-out football home opener between the Blues and the Guelph Gryphons included exciting back-and-forth action, audience participation in halftime events, and performances by U of T’s pom and cheer teams. These kinds of events are exactly what

Thesportslover’s

make Varsity Stadium football, soccer, lacrosse, and rugby games hit events.

While you’re near the Varsity Stadium, you might as well stop by the back campus fields to catch a field hockey game. And of course, no year is complete without catching a volleyball or basketball game at the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport. Finally, watch a Blues hockey game at

Varsity Arena –– with both the men’s and women’s teams coming off great seasons, you’ll be sure to catch some exciting action on the ice in September!

Try a new gym or drop-in program

If you’re already an avid gym-goer and looking to get a lift in between classes, UTSG’s Hart House, Athletic Centre, and Goldring Centre

guide to U of T

hold open gym hours. At UTSC, the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre is a great option for recreational sports; similarly, at UTM, the Recreation, Athletic and Wellness Centre (RAWC) will be your go-to for all things sports.

If you’re not a regular gym-goer just yet, U of T also offers a variety of free drop-in group and individual fitness programs for people of all experience levels for students.

These include barre, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), yoga, and cardio dance party sessions! There is also a wide range of drop-in sports, like basketball, volleyball, tennis, badminton, skating, stick ‘n puck, and swimming.

Club sports, intramurals, and tri-campus teams

If none of these interest you and you’re looking for a more

competitive athletic environment, you can take a look at U of T’s tri-campus teams, intramural teams, or clubs. Tri-campus teams –– which include soccer, hockey, basketball, volleyball, and ultimate frisbee –– hold open tryouts near the beginning of the year. If selected, you will represent your campus in competitions against the other two. Intramural teams require registration each year –– you can sign up to be a team with a group of friends and enjoy competing weekly in ultimate frisbee, softball, volleyball, and soccer, all at varying division levels.

Finally, clubs can offer great fitness opportunities while simultaneously fostering a sense of community. Recreational clubs like the Triathlon Club and Afro-Dance and Culture Club act as student hubs that prioritize inclusivity among those with shared interests and passions, while competitive clubs like cheer, pom, dance, flag football, and Nordic ski train to compete regularly.

There is no shortage of activities for sports lovers at U of T. Whether you’re an avid athlete, recreational player, or professional sports spectator, try your hand at something new ––you just might find your second home on campus.

What it costs to get around Toronto

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)

The TTC is a transportation network consisting of subways, streetcars, and buses — it is one of the most commonly used methods of getting around the city.

A common way to pay for the TTC is by tapping a PRESTO card when you enter a subway, streetcar, or bus. PRESTO is a reloadable payment system used for transit all around the GTA. A single adult fare on the TTC is $3.30.

You can buy a PRESTO card for $4 at vending machines in TTC subway stations, the TTC’s Customer Service Centre above Davisville Station, or at Shoppers Drug Mart locations. You can also add a digital PRESTO card to your Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. With PRESTO, you get a twohour transfer window on the TTC. Commuters connecting between the different transportation systems can also benefit from this transfer window — Ontario’s new

Writer: Samm Mohibuddin

Illustrator: Chloe Weston

It’s always a challenge to navigate a big and expensive city like Toronto. If you’re a new U of T student, you should make the most of the various student discounts available to you. Here is a guide to some of those discounts, as well as the overall financial pros and cons of the various modes of transportation in Toronto.

One Fare program allows transit riders to only pay once when connecting to and from the TTC and GO Transit, Brampton Transit, and other regional transportation systems. Many U of T students have definitely cut their hangouts short to take advantage of this transfer window and avoid paying a TTC fare again.

There are several student discounts linked with PRESTO and the TTC. One such discount is the Youth fare type on the TTC, where you only have to pay $2.35 for a single trip until you turn 19. You can set your fare type to Youth on a PRESTO card by visiting a Customer Service Outlet or a Shoppers Drug Mart with proof of your age.

Once you turn 20 — which for many U of T students puts them in their third year of endless commute costs — you can visit the TTC Photo ID Centre at Bathurst Subway Station with proof of your full-time enrolment at U of T and your government or student ID to get a TTC PostSecondary Photo ID. This ID lets you set up a TTC Monthly Pass on your PRESTO card for $128.15 instead of the $156.00 for a regular monthly pass. However, be careful when using this discount — it is only worth it if you make at least 39 trips on the TTC per month.

Bike Share and Ridesharing

If you ever feel like getting more exercise on your commute, Bike Share Toronto offers both mechanical and e-bikes that you can rent from various stands scattered around the city. Without a subscription, renting a mechanical bike costs $0.12 per minute, and renting an e-bike

costs $0.20 per minute. There is also a $1 fee to unlock a bike from a stand.

Annual subscriptions for unlimited 30-minute trips on mechanical bikes with no unlock fees cost $105 per year and annual subscriptions for unlimited 45-minute trips cost $120. Luckily, U of T offers 20 per cent discounts for students, which you can access by signing up for an annual subscription on the Bike Share Toronto website with your U of T email.

Getting a Bike Share

subscription can be worth it if you plan to make at least eight bicycle trips each month. While this may seem like a better deal than the TTC, beware of the cold winters in Toronto. You will probably only make use of the subscription during the warmer months.

On the other hand, if you’re trying to get home after a late night out in Toronto, turn to the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) Rideshare Program. It provides students with a discount on Uber rides within the GTA to enable safer and more accessible travel at night. The program operates daily from 12:00–5:00 am and students will receive $5 off for two rides each month.

To make use of the discount, you need to join the UTSU Rideshare Uber Business Dashboard using your U of T email address. After this, during eligible hours, you can simply switch to the UTSU business dashboard under the payment method tab and make that postparty Uber payment, covered in part by the UTSU.

There are plenty of ways to get around the GTA for cheap. Make sure to take full advantage of all the student discounts available!

Hey you! Congratulations on making it all the way through! Did you know that you can get more of the Varsity’s Student Handbook? There’s more? Yes! Much more in the Digital World... Scan the QR Code on the back (or visit handbook. thevarsity.ca) to access our Handbook’s website!

Check out the interactive campus map when you get there!