In November, ASSU launched its #globalvoices campaign – a campaign aimed at bringing awareness to the problems and issues international students face. As part of this campaign, ASSU launched a survey of international students to pinpoint these issues and formulate solutions. After two months, we are now ready to present this report. Click here to read it.
This year, ASSU will be introducing a new award for International Students. This award was established in memory of Ali Saeed (1992-2014) -an international student from Pakistan studying Political Science, who was a dedicated collaborator in the work ASSU did over the 2013-2014 academic year. He was a passionate photographer, student activist, and was highly respected by his peers and all who knew him.
Eligibility
Application forms can be found here.
Deadline is Friday February 27th 2015 at 5:00pm
When you attend a university like U of T – it’s easy to feel intimidated. Everyone you hear about is leading major research, juggling a job, president of their Jane Austen appreciation club and also is producing a new record with Majid Jordan – all at the same time. So, it’s tempting to want to do a billion things at the same time, run at 545445436 miles an hour. Until we burn out. We crash. We cry.
Guess what U of T – that’s happened to me. I’ve burned out, and it’s only Tuesday. Shit. Not only are you not working on things, you’re feeling shitty for not working on things. But I’ve learned over the years, after spending thirty minutes in my bathroom toilet crying over an exam in first year — that it’s okay to burn out. It’s okay to cry and get angry. It’s okay to listen to overdramatic Taylor Swift songs and lament for the days of high school.
But it’s also okay to grab a bunch of pillows, cookies and watch that episode of that trashy reality TV show you’ve been putting off. Despite the strong image that we all project (and you are all strong, fierce individuals), we all occasionally burn out. Every superhero has their kryptonite. Even myself, the high duchess emir of ASSULANDIA burned out.
We work too hard, so let’s all engage in some self care. I know I am.
You do you.
And so, we begin another semester. A new beginning, time to start fresh. We wish you the best this semester. Watch out for more things from ASSU this semester. Attached here is our executive report from the summer and fall term, in case you’re interested in seeing what we did these past few months.
Once again, all the best.