November 3, 2008

• Another stroll through memory lane

  I had a meeting downtown last week and on the way back to the
  subway, I walked through my old school - the University of Toronto.  The school actually has 3 campuses.  I started in one of the outlying ones but
  spent my last year and half downtown. The fall leaves were in the final throes
  of glory.  The warm and bright fall
  colors contrasted beautifully with the old buildings.  The campus looked like a movie set.

  There were students scurrying around, some running into
  buildings clutching what appeared to be term papers.  I hope they managed to deliver it by the
  deadline.  A couple of guys briskly
  walked past me.  As they overtook me, I
  overheard them talking about a test they just finished.  They were both pretty sure they had failed
  it.  Both of them tried to laugh it off
  though. 

  As I continued to walk, I saw the massive concrete monolith.   It was my old foe, Robarts Library.  I always got lost inside.  The books I wanted always seemed to be hiding
  from me.  The photocopiers always ate my
  change.  These were my hard earned
  bartending tips.  The light was always
  dim where I sat.  I think I spent more
  hours sleeping there than studying.  I
  blame the air – I’m sure it was laced with sleeping gas. 

  The students in the campus looked so young.  Some had a worried look on their face while
  others had an air of confidence.  A lot
  of them looked more professional than I did as a student.   I
  wasn’t exactly a brilliant student.  I
  had marks ranging from A’s to F’s.  Maybe
  I liked the variety in my report card. 
  But I managed to pass more courses and got my degree.   

  I guess this was my really first big accomplishment.  I finally fulfilled one of my parent's dreams.  They  had sacrificed so much
  for my degree.  As each year goes by, I learned to appreciate this even more.   I understood what hard work, sacrifice and a bit of good fortune can do.   I hope the students scurrying around now will appreciate how they got here.    

  Knox College 

  The food trucks on St. George Ave.

  Trinity College 

  Convocation Hall                                                                           

  University College              

   

  The student union office but it's really called the Lester B. Stewart Observatory 

  Hart House (where I played a lot of squash).  The tower on the right is the Soldier's Tower.  It has the names of U of T members who lost their lives in the 2 wars. 

  There's usually soccer, frisbee and football being played in the "back campus" by Hart House.

  • 11:53 PM
  • 21 Comments