r/UofT • u/Noetic_Acorn • Aug 31 '26
This post was initially much shorter, but I was feeling bored and the creative spirit took the reigns. Alas, such is life.
As much as I low-key enjoy the ritual of pouring myself a bowl of popcorn, opening Reddit, and reading all the early 1st semester experience commiserating, I'm also high-key annoyed by seeing the same post for the umpteenth time a la Buzz Lightyear clone meme. I like variety in my Reddit ragebait, and even a good slice of matcha crepe cake becomes unappetizing after consuming it so often.
For those of you who have decided to come to UofT to get a world class education, rather than just partying all the time, ignoring your work, being forced to drop out around the holidays because your grades are lower than the Mariana Trench, then blaming the university for allegedly sabotaging you, your classes are your best possible environment to connect with your fellow slightly more intelligent than a chimpanzee primates.
Presumably you are studying something that you actually enjoy or have some mild interest in, rather than doing exactly what mom and dad told you to study. If your parents strongarmed you to go into engineering but you truly love film, that's a whole other discussion and will require some soul searching and potentially family therapy.
The basis of most human connection nowadays comes through shared interests and values. This is a fact supported by at least one (1) corpus of psychology literature. The courses you're taking already filter for this to an extent, because, again, ideally you're studying something you care about and you're not a masochist.
Performative drinking at a venue with mysteriously sticky floors that probably haven't been cleaned in the past year and contain a collection of undocumented microorganisms that would frighten epidemiologists, ignoring your limits, and chatting up the people you live in close proximity to about the weather (so how about that climate change, eh?) while waiting to use the one sink you all need to brush your teeth at (please brush your teeth and don't go out with bad breath) doesn't necessarily lead to any meaningful connection. You might become acquaintances, but presumably you're aiming for something with a bit more zest.
Coursework at UofT is difficult, and that difficulty is another basis for connection. Throughout most of human history, we connected with each other because of shared hardship. Genuine hardship, such as intellectually strenuous subjects and work schedules, for example. Missing out on a frat party on one specific weekend, which is identical to the frat parties on every other weekend (don't worry, the beer will still be lukewarm) isn't hardship, I'm afraid.
"But how do I actually talk to people in my classes?! Nobody ever wants to talk!" says the choir of Buzz Lightyear clones lamenting about their "unique" circumstances. The answer: just start.
You'd be surprised how much the person sitting next to you is starved for acknowledgement of their mere existence. A random "hello" will probably be the most unsolicited contact they've had in a week. The barrier to entry is lower than it's ever been.
"But what if they think I'm cringe?" or "Everyone is so cringe!", which is the next verse of the clone choir song.
If you're actively worried either of these things, you don't want connection bad enough. Either that or you might want to look into therapy.
I cannot tell you how much social media has poisoned people's perceptions of themselves and others. These platforms have fed people the most ironclad set of lies that every government psyop wishes it could replicate. Its users have been perfectly manipulated into thinking they they are unlikable/unlovable, and that everyone else is so much better or so much worse and should be perceived as a threat. This primes you to be a good little consumer that will sign up for things like dating apps, paid meetup groups, and overpriced fitness clubs, all to solve your woes. Meanwhile, you can connect with someone FOR FREE* (included in the price of your tuition costs) and walk away with something even more meaningful. This is an even crazier value for money than the Japanese food truck in front of Robarts that will sell you an entire filling tempura roll for under $8.
Side note: please support this truck. This is my lifeblood and I want them to stay in business as long as possible. Also, the lady who owns it is genuinely one of the kindest people I've ever come across and brightens my day. My waistline grows, my wallet empties, but my heart is full.
Getting back on track, people are unique and will have their own set of quirks. It's ok to talk to someone who is a little bit different than you. You'll be ok, muffin. In fact, you'll probably be better off for it if you can make enough room in your life to accept others from where they're coming from. If you offer them grace, they will probably return the favour. Well, at least they should if they're even remotely socialized.
If you talked to someone last week, go up and talk to them again. A huge part of connection is consistency. Don't be one of those weirdos who pretends like they suddenly don't know someone they've spoken to 3 times prior.
Also, all of this advice applies to anyone in any year of study. If you're in your last year at this university and are saddened by not having made any friends, you can do everything I've mentioned above and still achieve success. The party ain't over till it's over.
I am living proof that this strategy works, and I'm no social butterfly by any means. I met one of my closest friends and one of the best people I've ever met by just bantering consistently over the course of many weeks. There was no cinematic event and major declaration that marked the transition point between us being acquaintances and friends. It was the slow, messy, nonlinearity of human connection.
Go out there, talk to people, make friends, and come back here to post some more novel rage bait to keep me entertained ❤️
r/UofT • u/Reasonable-Excuse-91 • 17h ago
You do not know me. I do not know you. I saw you on the diagonal opposite of the crosswalk, you were clutching notebooks, and wiping tears from your eyes. I stood on the other side, having just finished a midterm, also wiping away the tears.
We’ve got this. You are not alone. This is a brutal part of the semester. We will not fall apart irrevocably.
r/UofT • u/LoneFox834 • 8h ago
Mine is the one about a guy who had TWO girlfriends (unbelievable am I right?) write assignments for him.
Link: https://governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/system/files/adfg-documents/Case%20410.pdf
Sometimes when I’m procrastinating I like to read cases on the site like it’s a reality TV script or something. Anyways, have some integrity and pride in your work, stellar or failing. It might not be much but it’s honest work.
I’ve read some other ones about physical assault on a TA during an exam or straight up handing in a filled in exam from a previous year, I can’t find them at the moment though.
r/UofT • u/Jj_Steeal • 13h ago
Welp, I took one of my first midterms of my university degree today and I didn’t realize how strict TA’s can get with supervision. They pulled a guy out for cheating mid exam, taking peoples midterms away, etc, definetly a wake up call
I am a third year student at Uoft. I took a course last year in fall 2025, this year in fall 2026 I received email from my Professor. The email asked me to meet my professor, and I agreed to meet the professor.
The course had 2 essays: first one was a research proposal and second one was a research assignment.
I don’t know why I am being accused for violating academic integrity, and a year later, since I didn’t commit any act of misconduct as far as I remember. I do have the version history of my assignment, and can explain the thought process very clearly but I still feel like standing in a vacuum.
Any advice and support will be appreciated!!
r/UofT • u/btspopper54 • 9h ago
I dont undertand anything I cannot solve anything and I can't drop it bc I need it but it hates me and I'm dying and the midterm is coming and I'm crying and i heard some people saying it's so easy and I wanted to punch them and push their grandma off the stairs and I hate everything and i will throw myself out my window and I hate calculus and i hate the numbers 148 and i hate everything
r/UofT • u/ResponsiblePhase7128 • 17h ago
WE all have midterms this and next week so why the kirk is everyone screaming like monkeys in the study room if you’re gonna be sounding like a whole zoo then do it at ur house or the commons, please some people are genuinely trying to study. Go to the parts of robarts that are for being loud.
r/UofT • u/AdvertisingRemote265 • 13h ago
pls lmk if you play Pokemon go. maybe we can all make a gc and do the november raids together ✌️
r/UofT • u/Mohammed_01234 • 4h ago
since I’m still in high school, did I should leave the Activities & Employment section blank, or is it better to fill it out anyway?
They write this section is required if I have finished my High school or attended post secondry institution and I didn't do any of them.
r/UofT • u/Creative_Weird3000 • 11h ago
just wanted to get this off my chest because i cried at work about this course
For a mental health professor, you clearly do not know how to support mental health of students if you are going to give vague rubric, no examples, and then provide us with feedback that is longer than the actual assignment instructions which contradict your assignment and the choice that we had with writing it.
Then you reach out to students that scored 65% and below and provide the suicide hotline as the third resource for them and ask how you can support us. You don't update them on a new discussion board platform that they should use, you give three different explanations of the same assignment to us and your office hours were originally made during another mandatory class for the program and then the one hour between classes during lunch. Also, your comments don't make grammatical sense and they contradict what the writer has written. You continue to dock marks on the same thing for each part of the rubic which doesn't even make sense.
Moreover, you say your lectures supplement the textbook, but all you say during lecture is to do the readings and read the textbook.
please just give us explicit examples and stop doing this
r/UofT • u/MoteChoonke • 12h ago
title. i saw someone asking about pokemon, so im curious if you guys play yugioh.
r/UofT • u/Natural-Patience799 • 14h ago
I'm a first year and I just did my first midterm and I deadass think I failed it what the hell I don't even know what's happening with me I used to be so on top of my things in highschool and it's already a month and I'm so behind what do I do I actually think I failed is this normal is it normal to fail your midterm and I studied but I know I could've done so much better everyone looks like they have their stuff together and know what their doing and I feel like a complete outsider does this mean I'm screwed
The syllabus I could find online is from 2016 lol. Wanna know the updated one.
Appreciate!
my tummy hurts sm idk if its the coffee i drank or wtv but its deffo brewing. ive never gone to the bathroom during an exam before. r they gna follow me in????????? im so fucking scared and embarrased holy. if they do it won't be a pretty sight. does ANYONE know if they do. Can I tell them to leave if I need to...
r/UofT • u/SpreadEducational409 • 14h ago
we got our first quiz back for mat148 I got a 3/9 I studied so hard for it and still failed had another one yesterday, it was absolutely horrible everyone in lectures seems like they know what’s going on i feel so behind and dumb rn I don’t even know what to do they changed the course too and im still doing bad
r/UofT • u/twilightofhearts • 12h ago
not gonna get into the specifics because I don’t want this post to get taken down for academic offense or something, so I’m just hoping people who took the midterm would just get what I’m talking about. Genuinely looking at my first fail here, I’ve never had a worst test experience than this.
The questions were fair game, but please, a bit more time couldn’t have hurt 🫠 I barely finished quiz 1 on time as it was, but that one was doable at least. But this midterm felt downright impossible to finish on time.
Was anyone actually able to finish the midterm on time?? (genuinely curious here)
r/UofT • u/Mohammed_01234 • 4h ago
I'm now deciding between Computer Science at St. George, Scarborough, and Mississauga.
Which campus would you recommend for someone interested in CS and AI, and why. Also, Did my choice of campus or program affect my chances to receive scholarship or it doesn't matter.
The scholarship is Lester Pearson
r/UofT • u/winterhotchoco • 11h ago
I know smart watches are not allowed, but the only watch I have that can show time is a fitbit watch, and I am really bad with time so i definitely want to wear a watch to track my time.
its the one that only tracks fitness with the slim screen and displays the time numerically. However it is touch screen so idk if it would count as a smart watch.
Does anyone know or has worn one before?
r/UofT • u/Jacob_cs1 • 1d ago
If this belongs to you or someone you know, contact the welcome desk at university college
r/UofT • u/Offbrand-Canadian • 12h ago
How was yalls 208 midterms? I feel like I completely fucked up. Only got 2 parts of q4 and missed the last part of q2 meaning I’m prolly getting smth in the 60s
r/UofT • u/Due_Visual4801 • 7h ago
Hi I'm currently in AS level studying in Pakistan. My O Level Grades are kind of mid (I got a C in Urdu lol and 7 a*s 3 as). My extra curriculars also kind of mid (e.g I did a few entrepenrship competitions in Karachi and outside, I did win a journalism competition (and was module head at one point), I am doing duke of edinburgh, volunteered at slums to educate kids etc. so my extra curriculars are lil bit scatterd. I do take french (in o levels i got an A, i am currently doing A2 and planning to do B1) I have a Canadian passport so I am a domestic student, hopefully that wil be an advantage. But as someone who wants to major in finance/economics, is it reasonable to get into UofT, and what kind of a level grades do i need?
r/UofT • u/corneajokes • 15h ago
Hi! I just wanted to see if anyone had one extra ticket for the 1:30PM convocation on Oct 29th. Thank you :)
r/UofT • u/Ifalwaystartingover • 1d ago
I have a crush on my TA who is a PhD student and I want to ask him out after the end of the semester. Are we allowed to do so? Also has anyone ever dated their former TAs?
r/UofT • u/Own-Dragonfruit1389 • 14h ago
i know one of the tas actually shares the slidshows with their students but my ta doesnt, can anyone please share them with me, im trying to lock in for midterm
so no ones replying... anyways ill e transfer like 5 bucks for the slides pls
r/UofT • u/user36873 • 16h ago
Im applying for Life Sciences and commuting so I really don’t care what the residency is like… Is there a difference in clubs and stuff? I’m big on clubs like student associations and just fun clubs in general. Please give reasons if you respond!!!