Back to School with Hart House: How to Start the Academic Year Right

As you start (or resume) your life as a U of T student, it’s important to keep in mind that there’s more to it than academic obligations. In fact, making sure you set time aside to workout and pursue extracurricular activities or hobbies will only help you thrive as a student. With that in mind, here are our top three tips for you:

Explore Hart House with us on Sept. 12!

Yes, U of T is huge. But don’t let that prevent you from exploring everything your campus has to offer. On Sept. 4—your very first day back—take some time to enjoy the Tri-Campus Parade and the Clubs Carnival (where you’ll get a chance to sign up for Hart House clubs) And on Sept. 12, be sure to drop by our Explore Hart House event. We’re hard at work to ensure you have a blast exploring every one of our activities and programs. (Plus, there will be a free BBQ!*)

Hart House has long been a place where students—as well as faculty, staff, alumni and members of the broader community—come together, across their differences, in common pursuit of what the House’s founders termed “high endeavour.”

Don’t know many people at U of T? Intimidated by the sheer size of it all—not to mention the 300+ students in your class? Attending events like Explore Hart House and Clubs Carnival is a sure way to expand your social circle. At Hart House, we’re proud that many of our members not only became friends here but continue to meet and socialize within our walls—decades later!

The best part? There are plenty of opportunities year-round to form close bonds with like-minded people. For example, you could join a Hart House club or committee, attend our many events, or simply enjoy our drop-in wellness-focused activities like our meditation workshops, which have the added advantage of reducing stress and increasing resiliency.

No matter what you end up doing after school, or where, public speaking skills will likely come in handy. 

To be sure, both your degree and the knowledge you’ll acquire at one of the world’s best universities will prove invaluable in your life. But there are many other skills you’d be wise to learn or hone. For example, our Communication Skills classes can help you learn the art of public speaking or improve your pronunciation, while our Fitness Classes offer you the opportunity to develop healthy habits (and even learn scuba diving).

Explore our Creative and Fitness classes

Did you know Hart House is marking its 100^th anniversary as a student-focused centre for the arts, dialogue and wellness at the University of Toronto? More than just a physical space, Hart House plays a pivotal role as an inclusive gathering place that enhances the student experience on all three campuses and provides a haven for students and community members to come together in all their diversity to take delight in the sheer joy of discovering new things about themselves, each other, and the world we all share.