Explore York

The everyday life of a York student.

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                                      ^ This is me, right now.

After all the studying and partying and studying, the 2011 – 2012 Fall/Winter semester is officially over. It’s been a great year for me and I was able to make many new friends, participate in many new events and, more relevantly, discover many new places on the Keele campus. As my all-time favourite author would say, “all was well.” Current students are probably looking forward to the summer. I know I am. Despite being enrolled in classes for the summer term, there’s still a nostalgic feeling about finishing another semester that somehow excites me. While we current students are welcoming the end of another semester, the excitement for incoming students must be triple of what we’re feeling; your first year of university is getting closer and closer. Getting nervous? That’s a good sign. It means you’ll try your best to do well. Need some re-assurance? Way ahead of you. Have any questions? You know who to ask (no, not Voldemort, or even Professor Snape for that matter, though Alan Rickman always has a few great answers himself). And with that, I’d like to wish every York student – future, incoming and current – the best of luck with their academic pursuits. May the odds be ever in your favour.

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Art Galleries on Campus

Title: RCMP Most Wanted 1/4

Materials Used: Glass, Ink and Oil on Sheathing

Artist: Kaitlynn McQueston

The first was possibly the most vibrant piece in the gallery; the painting of a light-skinned man surrounded by splashes of different colours. There are also many sharp, smooth and jagged lines around the painting that seemingly form various textures. It’s a nice piece.

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Title: RCMP's Most Wanted 4/4

Materials Used: Glass, Ink, Cement and Steel

Art By: Kaitlynn McQueston

I had an interesting experience regarding this artwork. At first, I had no idea what it was. It looked like nets combined with rocks – clearly, I have a great sense of intuition. I spent two minutes staring at it in confusion, wondering if I should ask the supervisor of the gallery for “artistic guidance.”  But I whipped out my camera anyway and snapped a picture and I was shocked to find, not a picture of nets with rocks, but the stone face of a man. I couldn’t figure out what the material was forming until I took a picture of it, despite how obvious it was, which is why it’s my favourite piece out of the three.

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Title and Artist Unknown

A little over to the left of the first picture was a painting of people holding up what appears to be some kind of lid or shelter; please correct me if I’m wrong. This appealed to me primarily because it reminded me of the scene from the Hunger Games where the citizens of Panem raised two fingers in silent assent. Expanding on this, I realized that the raised hands in the painting could also be symbolizing a rebuttal or the joining of society against one cause. Or I could be thinking too much. 

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There are many more pieces of artwork in this gallery and AGYU. There are even many pieces of art across the campus – you’ll bump into them randomly while you’re walking to classes. Some of them are pretty cool, while others are downright humorous, but each of them liven up the campus a little bit more.

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I was escorting my friend to her doom – er, I mean, her appointment regarding her marks with her professor – on the seventh floor of the Ross building. As we walked down the hall, I noticed how nice the view was from our current vantage so I took out my camera and snapped a few shots here and there. This was my first time seeing the back of Vari Hall; usually I only see the front.  From another window, we could also see as far as William Small and even a bit of Toronto to the south. If you’re bored on campus one day, I encourage you to check this place out just for fun. 

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How To Study For Exams

1)      Bring your textbooks.

Heavy textbooks are a burden and I honestly don’t bother carrying them with me half the time I’m on campus. But if you’re planning on studying for hours on end, you’ll need them. Your notes, most likely, won’t be enough (unless, of course, you’ve noted down every single thing in the textbook word-for-word).

2)      Find a quiet spot on campus.

If you know the campus well, this is actually as easy as it sounds. If you don’t, well, that’s what I’m here for.  FYI – Avoid the Student Centre, Vari Hall and the any of the areas around the Curtis Lecture Halls.

3)      Turn off your cell phone.

You’ll be so into the course material – hypothetically – and, all of a sudden, your phone will begin vibrating, signaling a text message from your not-so-studious best friend informing you about a not-so-studious get-together occurring at the Tim Horton’s in William Small. Wow, that was a mouthful.  But, it’ll be distracting, right? Not only to you, but to the other people around you. Even putting your cell phone on silent will still provoke you to distract yourself with something that doesn’t require thinking so hard. It’s better to simply turn it off. This also goes for iPods and other electronic devices – that being said, if you’re procrastinating on TUMBLR right now, stop reading and log off. Immediately. 

4)      Don’t be afraid to tell other students you’re studying.

Every now and then, a student becomes bored and begins chatting away loudly to his or her neighbor. If you’re trying to concentrate along with other students near you, take initiative to speak out and politely request that the loud individual lowers his or her tone or move elsewhere. For the most part, the student will understand.

5)      Take breaks.

Studying for five non-stop hours will only give you a headache. Trust me, I know. Take a small break in between to give your brain some fresh air. But, taking a break doesn’t mean loudly chatting to your neighbor. Get up and take a walk. Drink some water. Stretch. Whisper if you must or keep it 21st century and use instant messaging if your neighbour’s cellphone is turned on and you have disregarded #3.  (No, seriously.)  

6)      Ask for help when you need it.

Professors, and sometimes TAs, keep office hours when you can pop in to their offices without an appointment, ask any questions and pop out. Use this time to your advantage. I’ve found that studying at York on the day of your professor or TA has office hours is convenient since you can get direct help with a question you’re struggling with.

March and April is the time when York students buckle down to get some serious studying done for exams. Just like midterms, final exams occur at different times and days for every student – for me, they end after my sister’s birthday (April 14th) and, apparently, she isn’t too happy about that. (I find it funny how, when she enters her first year at York in September, she’ll probably be dreading her own birthday.)  All jokes aside, if you’re a current student, do you have any “how to study” advice for incoming students?

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Hard to believe, but this is my final New Year’s resolution! (If you haven’t read the other ones yet, feel free to browse the first and second). My third New Year’s resolution required me to explore somewhere on the campus I would expect that people have never heard of; that is, a pretty uncommon place usually empty or unvisited on the Keele campus. This was a tough one considering the amount of third and fourth years extremely familiar with the campus, but I narrowed the choices down to Stong House and Barn. Yup, we have a barn. The house itself is reddish brown and white in colour, with the barn portraying similar shades. Surprisingly, though, it isn’t beside Stong College; it’s across the Physical Resources building. Despite its random location, Stong House and Stong Barn were named after one of North York’s most significant pioneer families, the Stong family, who lived in the house from 1854 to 1951 and has remained a cultural emblem for both York University and the North York region since. What I find cool is how Jacob's father, Daniel, used to farm in the area that is now known as Keele and Jane. But that’s just me. What do you think?

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York's Career Centre Has Got Your Back ... And Your Career?

Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and wonder, “what in the world am I going to do with my life?” Or maybe you’ve been asked the same question by your relatives and friends. I’ve actually experienced both and let me tell you, it’s not a great feeling. The same time, I had known of York’s Career Centre, but I was under the misconception they wouldn’t be able to help me regardless of how many students go to their workshops. 

The purpose of the Career Centre is to help students increase their potential to find the right job for you; students can attend their workshops to improve their resume, interview skills and so on. They also hold career fairs every now and then – the most recent one took place a few weeks ago, and specialized in careers in the Health sector. You may not receive a job on the spot but career fairs are a good way to network with potential employers and perhaps browse through the kind of jobs that will be available for you after you graduate. In addition, they may be the first step you take towards getting an internship for students in fields related to Business, Technology or Environmental Studies.

The first workshop I went to, about a year ago, was called “Job Search” and it basically illuminated different ways York students could search for jobs. I have a couple of pages with strategies I learned from the workshop written down in my notebook. It was also the first time I realized how significant talking to the manager could be, instead of just dropping a resume with the cashier. While the workshop lasted around three hours, I left feeling more confident about being able to perform a productive job search. If this is your first time looking for a job, I’d recommend this workshop. We used a few of their tactics and a friend of mine actually landed a cool job because of it. So, trust me, it does help.

I’ve been meaning to get into one of their resume workshops but they tend to magically fill up every time I try to register on the Career Centre online system. I think the system keeps track of when I log in and automatically fills up the limited attendance simply to annoy me. Kidding, kidding. But, did I mention using the online system is how York students can register for any workshops? No? Well, now you know. You'll need to be enrolled in courses at York to use their services, but this is simply an FYI for incoming students who are in the process of waiting for their decision, attending their enrollment appointment, becoming adjusted to the campus environment, etc. When you’re on the Keele campus, you can even visit them (that is, the Career Centre) in-person at 202 McLaughlin College (note: McLaughlin is connected to Founders, Vanier and Winters Colleges) from 9am to 4pm on Monday to Thursday and 10am to 4pm on Friday.

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Lately many TUMBLR users have been writing posts about their acceptances to York. Congrats to everyone who got accepted! If you haven’t received a decision, don’t give up just yet. Admissions go out on a rolling basis; I got mine pretty late when I was accepted. After you're accepted, the next step is to plan and attend an enrolment appointment. When I was in first year, my appointment took place in 103 Central Square (a.k.a, the Centre for Student Success) and, frankly, it took me forever to find that office. For those who have their appointment in the same place (typically LA&PS students), this picture post will be kind of a mini-guide; it starts off at the bus loop and ends up at Central Square. Hopefully, now, you'll spend a smaller amount of time being lost or, even better, you won't get lost at all.

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Going to and from York

Driving their own car

I would naturally assume that a large majority of York students drive their own cars to school judging by how you can never find a parking space – kidding, kidding. If you plan on parking your car at York, you’ll need a parking permit.

Hitching a ride with a friend or Carpooling

I’ve done this every now and then. I’m a part of the group who has obtained a driver’s license but doesn't have access to a car. (This makes me wonder whether it was worth paying the "I-can’t-remember-how-much" to get the license in the first place.) If you don’t have any friends – awkward – you can always carpool with other York students in your area. Never heard of carpooling? It’s basically sharing a car with other students to save on gas. It’s useful if you don’t own a car, don't have any friends who live nearby or dislike the idea of taking a bus or train.

Riding the Train

I’ve always wanted to ride a GO train but I’ve never had the time. One of my friends commutes almost 2 hours to York by using a GO train, and then transferring to a bus. (I have no idea where she gets the money to do both). While I can’t speak from experience, I’ve heard the seats are comfortable. That’s good enough for me.

Walking (plus: biking, rollerblading, skateboarding)

Quite a number of students live in York’s undergraduate residences, York Apartments and the neighbourhoods around York. They pretty much have a 1-10 minute commuting time, depending on how fast they can run to classes. It’s undeniable how much bus, train and car commuters must envy them. (I know I do.)

Go Safe Program and the Shuttle Bus

Some of the students living on campus make good use of the Go Safe Program that moves all over York, and even off-campus in the Village; this resource is really handy and keeps you safe when you have late night classes. You can even take a shuttle bus to Glendon; York’s bilingual campus which specializes in the Liberal Arts. Showing your YU-Card enables you to ride the shuttle bus for free.

For me, I use the bus most of the time and if I'm lucky, a friend or relative will drive me. What "mode of transportation" do you use? In the near future - 2015, to be exact - we'll be able to add the new subway extension onto this list.

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The weather’s been really nice lately so I’d like to finally say goodbye (and good riddance) to the slush and the snow and welcome the warm weather with open arms. I've had a blog post of York in the Winter before so it only makes sense to create one of York when it’s sunny and green outside. I once received a question on TUMBLR asking whether there were any green places on campus; despite the miniature city-like atmosphere, York does, in fact, have a few green or "nature" places across the entire campus in the form of various woodlots, the ever-so-popular Stong Pond, and my personal favourite; Harry W. Arthur Commons (that grassland right in front of Vari Hall, as portrayed in this surprisingly nice picture I took in 2011 before the snow struck - evidently, it's a great place to relax or study). If you have any other pictures of a “green” place at York, feel free to share them by linking to them in the comments.

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The Campus Tour Check-List

When I think of tours, I think of people walking around wearing jungle hats and collar shirts pointing to random places yelling “Look here! Look there!” When I think of university campus tours, I think of the same thing – minus the jungle hats. Touring a new place can be exciting, but it can also be a bit uncomfortable. I’ve already written a blog post on the value of campus tours so, even if you’re a bit afraid to get out there, I encourage you to step out.

For those who decide to embark on one individually, with their family and friends at one of York’s scheduled campus tours, during York’s upcoming Spring Open House, or even as a group during orientation, I’ve compiled a list of places that are popular among current students and that you should be sure to check out to get the full “York experience.” That, and because I like making check-lists. (I mean, really, who doesn’t?) So, grab your campus map and let’s get going. Introducing the campus tour check-list!

Your campus tour isn't a campus tour unless you've visited:

Vari Hall

 It’s big; it’s in the middle of York; everyone knows it. Enough said, I think.

Scott Library

 Let’s do the math; school + studying = library.

Common lecture halls – such as CLH or Stedman

You'll be listening to lectures here for, uh, how many months? Your turn to do the math.

Your Home College

If you aren’t sure which college you’re affiliated with, click the link above.

Stong Pond

This ain’t your average pond; it’s Stong Pond. You’ll see what I mean when you get there… or you won’t. Either way.

William Small Centre

You’ll need a computer eventually.

Tait McKenzie

For all you sports people. Athletically-challenged people, beware.

Student Centre

Food, people and food all in one place. Oh, and the usual event or two.

York Lanes

Why shop at Vaughan Mills when there’s York’s own mini-mall?!

Accolade East

Simply because it’s the most colourful, and coolest, building ever – Don’t worry, I’m not biased at all.

Bennett Centre for Student Services

To describe it in one word: This-is-where-you-pick-up-your-OSAP. It’s also where you can get any queries regarding money matters (tuition fees, scholarships, bursaries, and so on) acknowledged and solved.

Osgoode Hall Law School and/or Schulich School of Business

They’re considered one of Canada’s best law and business schools, and Osgoode has recently undergone some very hip – did I just say hip? – renovations.

In order to get you hyped up about coming to York, you can also watch the brief on-line campus tour, which actually consists of areas on both the Keele and Glendon campuses. If you’re a student attending York, where else would you recommend? Feel free to tell us about your experience visiting the school for the first time in the comments below.

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I Could Think of a Fancy Title But "York Lanes" Says It All

I went into York Lanes through its main entrance beside the Student Centre and charged into the first store that looked “convenience-like”, if you get my drift. I got lucky on my first try; the name tags hung on the right wall as if they were waiting for me to buy them.  This actually isn’t the first time York Lanes has saved me time and effort. When I’m hungry, I can eat there; when I want a bubble tea, I can find it there; when I’m buying textbooks, I go there; you get the point. It’s like York’s own mini-mall, complete with every store a university student could possibly need to make his or her experience here that much better.

Some notable places that other universities don’t have directly on their campus (or at least, not that I know of): Daisy Gift Shop, Campus Bubble Tea, York Lanes Health Clinic, Pharmacy, Dental Clinic, Data Integrity Computers and InkBlotz. These are the places I like the most, anyway (I’m definitely not biased). And, of course, we can’t forget about good ol’ Blueberry Hill. While it may be gone now, it’ll remain in every York student’s memory.

York Lanes is also on the top of the “Campus Tour Check-list” – a list of the places on Keele campus that you really should check out during your tour – that I’ll be posting next week. Stay tuned, folks.

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I was studying inside Scott Library, on the fourth floor, when I decided I needed to stretch my legs. I texted my friend who was near the Curtis Lecture Halls (CLH) and she suggested that we meet on the second floor of Scott. I usually take the staircase in the center of the library; the one that leads to an escalator which, in turn, segues directly onto the second floor, but the stairs stretching from the outside of the fourth floor were closer. As I tumbled down the stairs to meet her, I noticed how cool the view is from the upper floors so I took out my camera and snapped a few shots. Take a look. I personally think these pictures are worth their own blog post.   

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Did someone scream "ski trip"?

Reading Week has been over for a while now – boo – so now I have more time to explore York’s campus – yay. As you may be able to tell, I’ve had an insanely busy reading week that involved hanging out in the computer labs, a ski trip and, of course, reading. Wait, I never mentioned the ski (and, technically, snowboard) trip? Great, now I have something to write about. 

I’ve mentioned before that I’m from New College. And despite being an “NC-goer”, I still participate in events held by other colleges. And even during our break, there is no shortage of events to partake in. This particular event (that is, the ski trip) was hosted by Bethune College on Friday from 10am to 5pm at Blue Mountain. Yes, Blue Mountain! Tickets were pretty cheap as well: $45 for a Bethune student, $55 for every other York student (that’s me!) and $70 if you’re a student from another school. Buses left at 10am sharp, so I arrived at 9:30 to snag the best seats (survival of the fastest!)

It took us an hour and a half drive to reach our destination, but time flies when you’re gossiping, taking pictures and catching up on some rest. When we finally got there, we jumped (literally) off the bus and retrieved our ski boots. After about 30 minutes of struggling to find the right size, we grabbed our skis and enjoyed eight quality hours of tripping and falling down the bunny hill. First time on skis, what can I say?

At one point, when I got to the top of the mountain, my friends each took a turn yelling something. You know how, in movies, they have those dramatic scenes where the protagonist is standing on top of a building, a balcony or somewhere extremely high above the ground and a sudden urge to scream overwhelms them? Yeah, that’s what happened to us. At first we spent more time screaming out ridiculous phrases than actually skiing.  Sometimes we couldn’t even control the skis and ended up falling down the mountain unexpectedly. I eventually gave up with skiing and switched to snowboarding instead, which turned out to be way more fun. 

It took us a bit longer to arrive back to school since the departure was delayed for a few minutes, no thanks to a few stragglers who decided to stay back a bit extra (I regret not doing the same). But when we did arrive, the bus parked behind Bethune College; in front of Tait McKenzie.

All-in-all, Bethune’s ski trip was worth every penny – er, bill. 

You may now be thinking “well gee, Lila, that’s great, but what does this have to do with exploring the campus?” Easy peasy. Exploring the campus isn’t only about discovering new places; it also keeps you aware of events and activities occurring around York’s campus. Honestly, I wouldn’t even know about this event if I didn’t happen to enter Bethune randomly one day (for absolutely no reason at all besides the fact that I was bored) and read the poster plastered on the door in front of the main office. Convinced yet? If not, I’ll be sure to give you a hundred other reasons to “explore York” for yourself by the end of this term.  If you’re a current student, what other events have you attended?

For those who missed out on Bethune’s ski trip, you’ll be pleased to hear that the Vanier College Council is hosting one to Blue Mountain this Saturday, March 10. Including rentals, it costs $50 for a Vanier student and $60 for a non-Vanier student. Without rentals, its $20 for a Vanier student and $30 for a non-Vanier student. Get your tickets ASAP! 

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I pass by the Research Tower every day after I exit the ZUM (that’s the extremely noticeable red bus). The Research Tower is easily the tallest building at York, you can’t miss it; just look up. From the outside, it is a dark blue and green; my favourite colours. It consists of 10 floors. Imagine riding the elevator up all of those levels; it’s like taking the elevator up the CN Tower minus the nauseating view of the whole city (I’ve never been one for heights).

From the inside, I couldn’t tell you what it looks like. Unfortunately it’s a restricted area for students unless you work there as a staff member. But, I’ll be sure to let you know what it looks like when I become a professor in 5 more years – hah. Like you can probably tell from its name, the Research Tower is basically where our professors conduct or compile their research. There are also several conference and boardrooms inside that university officials, faculty and staff can utilize.

Connected to the Research Tower is the Archives of Ontario; it’s where past documents and relevant artworks are stored.  The interconnected York Research Tower and the Archives of Ontario is the only building at York University to receive a silver LEED certification from the Canadian Green Building Council. How’s that for cool?

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Computer Labs On Campus

While I predicted that I wouldn’t come to York that much during Reading Week, it turns out that the lively, red and white campus of YU couldn’t keep me away. Last Thursday, I spent hours browsing the net, with a friend, in a computer lab on the Keele campus. Yeah. That was basically what happened. We didn't get much done but the event did inspire me to dedicate this post to depicting the various computer labs students can use on campus to study, check Facebook or, who knows, even host their own LAN party (while you can't reserve labs, you can probably still do this when they're - mostly - empty).

TEL – Technology Enhanced Learning

Most people already know that I’m extremely biased when I’m speaking about TEL. But I have a good reason: it’s the best building ever created since the CN Tower – I’m exaggerating, of course; but TEL does happen to have a nice view from the third floor. If you walk one floor down to the second floor, you’ll have access to a few computer labs that you can use if there aren’t any classes. How do you know if there aren’t any classes? Good question, I’m glad you asked. There will be a schedule beside each door and you can simply check the current time slot.

William Small

I find it funny how William Small (emphasis on the small) is named the way it is when it’s actually the largest computer lab at York (talk about an oxymoron). There will always be at least one computer available. 98.9% of the time. If it was anywhere near Vari Hall, I would probably use William Small more than I use TEL (shocker).

Basement of Accolade East

Top floor of ACE: benches, colourful walls and art; bottom floor of ACE: lecture halls and computer labs. Quite the combination, I’d say. I’ve never used the computer labs in the basement but I’m assuming knowing this would be helpful to those who have classes near ACE, or to those who want to try out another lab besides the usual TEL and William Small.

Scott Library

Scott Library is a library (no duh) but there are a small amount of computers available on the higher floors. I once used a computer on the 5th floor (I’ve noticed they’re empty around 8am). You can even rent a laptop from the Front Desk; you’ll need to sign a consent form, show your YU-card and voila. You can rent a laptop for up to two hours, yet you cannot leave the library with it. Still better than carrying around a heavy laptop in your bag.

Other computer labs: There are also a few computer labs on campus that only specific students can use. For example, the computers in TEL are only used by students in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies except for the Seneca@York lab located in the same building which, evidently, is only for Seneca students. Inside the Lassonde building, there are computers available for students in the Faculty of Computer Science & Engineering. There is also a computer lab in Central Square for mature students.

Free Wi-Fi?  York students have access to free Wi-Fi across the entire campus (introducing AirYork), for those who would rather bring their own laptops or browse the Internet on their mobile phone. 

It seems to me that, no matter where you are on campus, you can easily find a way to stay connected.

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I’ve already finished my first New Year’s resolution, so it’s about time I get started on my second. My task is to explore somewhere on campus a friend recommended I visit. I received many suggestions ranging from the usual William Small Centre to the Rexall Centre, but one of them struck me as fun: Osgoode Hall Law School, especially considering the recent Twitter moot. I’ve been inside Osgoode before to admire the new renovations but I’ve never taken a picture. Osgoode Hall is located near the Health, Nursing and Environmental Studies building (HNE) which is directly across from New College and Pond Road Residence. As you walk through the Hall, you’ll pass several offices and eventually end up at a popular “study room” available for Osgoode students. Osgoode Hall Library is also inside, and is home to legal literatures regarding different countries across the world. You don’t need to be a Law student to roam through the Hall and admire its architecture, so I agree with my friend and recommend that you venture into the building at least once. That is, after Reading Week is over. Until then, have a great (and hopefully productive) Reading Week, everyone!

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"Hello, Reading Week. How are you?"

It’s Reading Week!

Yeah, most people probably knew that already but I felt like mentioning it anyway. Since I’m not going to be at school for the majority of the week, I can’t really go exploring as much as I could on a regular week (sad, I know). But, I “explored York” quite a bit before Reading Week began and, so, I still have two posts scheduled for this week. 

I was reminiscing about places around York I’ve been to recently and I recalled an event in Atkinson I briefly attended. I went to the ITSA’s Semester Welcome Party (hence the title of this post) on January 31st from 2:30 to 5pm (although it ended at 6:30pm, I had to leave early for a tutorial) with my stomach empty, because I knew I’d be eating quite a few slices of the pizza they were offering for the event. When it comes to food, it’s every man for himself (fortunately, since I’m not a man, I don’t have to worry about that). I also went with three friends – Rubal, Rumsha, and Shweta – and my camera. The event was held inside Room 109, New College. While New College is now the official name used for the building, I prefer the old name; Atkinson. Simply because it sounds cool. Atkinson is in between the TEL and HNE buildings and is directly across from Pond Road Residence. It is the home college to students in the Human Resources Management, Information Technology and Administrative Studies programs. I think that’s enough background for now, so let’s get back to the ground of the event!

I entered Atkinson around 2pm to help set up, though I eventually became infatuated with taking pictures of random things. Room 109 is clearly the nicest room in the entire building – you’d have to see it to believe it.

I would love to have a lecture in Room 109 but, unfortunately, it is usually used for formal meetings between students, staff or a York affiliated organization.  Regardless, we had to make it more informal since the event was a social gathering, and that’s where the pizza, pop, lollipops and other fun stuff come in. Surprisingly, people arrived early, so we were able to stay on schedule. While the audience munched on pizza, we started the event with a quick presentation about the ITSA, what we’re all about and the services we offer. Then, everyone split into two groups: those playing games in the front (Jenga, especially) and those chatting away about various topics across the room. I was a part of the latter; this was also the biggest reason I enjoyed the event. Not only did I get to catch up with friends I’ve known since high school, I met and spoke to new students as well. Believe it or not, we did this for 3 hours or so. It was nice.

  After the party, I asked Rubal if she had fun. She nodded, and told me to keep her informed about any similar socializing events. I promised I would.