During my time in Toronto, I got to experience the city in many different ways.
Since one of my favorite things to do in New York is go to new theaters, I saw movies at a few different places in Toronto. The most interesting was CineCycle, which is a repurposed bicycle shop turned indie theater. A group called the Final Girls Film Club hosts monthly screenings of horror films here, which is perfect for the summer and a great way to get involved with the film community in the city. I was able to talk to the people there about what they like to do in Toronto and how they feel about the city.
Even though I’m not usually a sports person, I also went to a Toronto Tempo basketball game. They are the first international team in the WNBA, which is really exciting! While Canada is typically associated with their hockey culture, getting to experience a city through its sports culture in general was fun and a way to get out of my comfort zone. (And I’m inspired to watch more WNBA games now!)
I also got to see the University of Toronto’s beautiful campus. It was interesting to compare it to Columbia, since both are schools in the middle of a bustling city. Much like Columbia, it is a quiet refuge from the surrounding city, but still maintains that energy associated with urban life. It was nice to see other students, as well as families and school groups doing tours and taking photos; it was a good time to reflect on my college application experience as I’m gearing up for fellowship and graduate school admissions next year.