I am absolutely in love with Mad Men. I think it's one of the most brilliantly crafted television shows on air right now. There are so many precious but fleeting moments...the knowing glances, the slow and enveloping sips of scotch, the long drag off a cigar, and of course, those silences. Then there are the not-so fleeting moments, the ones that really punch through the seemingly calm and cool ambiance of the show...like when Peggy tells Pete she had his baby or the time when Joan so efficiently took care of that guy who got run over by the lawnmower at the office. Then there are the masterpiece moments when the Mad (wo)Men work their advertising magic...defining feminity ("a basket of kisses", anyone?), making you sing and laugh (bye, bye birdie!), juxtaposing celebrities of the time (Jackie O and Monroe), and yes, pulling at the heartstrings. And below is a video of one such moment. It gets me every time...
Which Way?
It’s that time of the year again for course selections. And though it’s a critical event every year, it’s even more so this time around. Why? Because it’s the last time I’ll be doing it.
Yep…this coming year marks my last year of undergraduate studies. It’s hard to believe that it’s already been three years since I first stepped on to U of T soil...three years since my Frosh week at Trinity College where I first met one of my best friends… three years since I had my first class in Convocation Hall, that terrifying stadium-like “classroom”.
Naturally, much has happened since then. And as I face the future…as I face this so-called “real world” that everyone talks about, a myriad of questions race through my mind with almost no end in sight. Where am I going after my undergrad? What am I doing? Should I apply to grad school? But to study what? Should I just dive into the workforce? Do I travel first? What should I do?
After high school, I was set on pursuing journalism. I had the privilege of having teachers who lit my way, who ignited my passions in writing, history, and politics. This continued on in university as I took more courses in international relations, development, and sociology that further defined and refined my interest. I got involved in student publications, contributing my writing and even taking on editorial positions. I knew exactly what I was going to do after my undergrad.
But alas, life is not meant to be orderly. Somewhere in the middle, we break a leg, spill some orange juice, die, or, as is my current situation, discover something new about ourselves.
For me, it happened in September of last year. I got this kickass internship as a Social Media Coordinator at this equally kickass NGO (hello jhr!) and my world has been turned upside down since then. Suddenly I was caught in the middle of the fast-paced and always exciting world of technology. I was learning things I only vaguely knew about and at rapid speed too. Compounding this was this incredibly engaging and stimulating class that I took last year about technology and its effects on community (hello, Prof. Wellman!). I was and continue to be rapt by all these developments!
Suddenly my firm convictions of going into j-school after my undergrad at U of T aren't so firm anymore. Suddenly I find myself questioning where I want to go and what I want to do. I am torn. I feel like I'm being pulled in all sorts of directions. Should I focus on my writing? Or delve deeper into non-profit work? Should I continue to ride on this thrilling social media wave? What do I focus on? I'm dabbling in all these fields, loving it all, but still unsure of what exactly I want to specialize in.
At the same time, however, sometimes these feelings of confusion are overtaken by my excitement. I am ecstatic to know that I live in an age that does not limit me…that all these different industries are intersecting with one another like never before and there's no need to box oneself in anymore. I've learned this best at jhr, an organization that is an amalgamation of everything that I am passionate about: journalism, non-profit work, human rights, and social media. It is reassuring and immensely satisfying to know that there is a place, a space for all of this and that I'm right in the thick of it.
But still...there is that unshakeable feeling of uncertainty and every day I ask myself, which way...is my way?
Easter Weekend only means one thing...
...extended family time!
George Bernard Shaw once said, "a happy family is but an earlier heaven". If that's the case then I've been in heaven all my life...
with my mom and my adopted brother
Tales of a Commuter: UTSU and the Disconnect
Ah, the last day of the 2010 U.T.S.U election! It's been quite an exciting time at U of T these past few days as our campus has been filled with orange, green, pamphlets, solicitors, music, and why yes, even scandal! At around the same time last year, I wrote a blog post that described my pretty shameful lack of knowledge about the election, campaign slates, and the U.T.S.U in general and so I promised myself that this year, I'd get myself a little more involved...actually take the to learn about each side's platform, and why yes, even chat with a few of the candidates and campaigners that we try so hard to avoid on our way to Sid Smith (I know, right?)! And this wasn't one of those things that I said I would do but wouldn't actually...I've actually been pretty involved this election campaign. I know what each slate stands for, watched the debates, actually knew the people I voted for (and didn't just use the innie, minnie, mynie, moe trick), and omg even read The Varsity for the first time in a very, very long time.
But here's the thing. I'm a student and I'm a commuter. And though I've educated myself about both Change and Stronger Together's campaign platform, I still feel there's this sort of disconnect between myself and U.T.S.U. I've spoken to many commuters about this same issue and almost 100% of them share the same sentiments. True, this wasn't a scientific poll and I really only talked to maybe 20 student commuters out of the thousands at U of T, but something tells me that this is a pretty general feeling. I honestly don't see how some of these things affect me in any direct or tangible sense. The closest thing that might is probably the discount on TTC metropasses (amazing feat btw). But I don't even buy a TTC metropass. It still comes out to be more expensive for me personally than to just buy tokens. And okay fine, fighting to reduce fees is incredibly important but I'm graduating in a year (fingers crossed) and this probably won't happen anytime soon so once again, irrelevant and not applicable to me...
Don't get me wrong, I care about this school and I'm incredibly proud to be a part of it but I can't help shake the feeling that there is and might always be this unbridgeable discord between us. And with all these candidates constantly talking my ear off about how I matter...how they're going to make student life better...and how this is our U of T and that they can and will make a difference...I find myself questioning all these broad, sweeping, and optimistic claims. Anyway, just thought I'd give my thoughts and hopefully a different perspective. Here's hoping that the slate I voted for will bridge that gap for my last and final year at U of T and really, make a change ;)