Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

As you transition to university, you may have to start managing your finances for the first time. This can appear daunting, but luckily, you have access to many resources. Check out the guide below or ask upper years for advice. Happy budgeting!

Meals

Meals can add up. Food prices are predicted to rise by 5-7% in 2023, and eating out has become more costly. We suggest you plan how many times you eat out each week and set a limit to how much you spend every time. Whenever possible, cook instead of eating out. Cooking is even cheaper if you do meal prep, and you can microwave your food on campus at the Pit (basement of Sandford Fleming) or in the common room. For those of you downtown, below are some budget grocery stores and restaurants.

If all you want is a quick meal, fast food right across College Street is your best bet. Try not to make that a habit though, because you shouldn’t compromise your health just for cheap food. If you live near one, Korean convenience stores usually have meal boxes to go. If you want to stay on campus, you can get curry rice, burgers, and more at the Pit.

If you want to have an authentic restaurant experience, look no further than Spadina Ave. Here you can get rice, noodles, hotpot, etc. for a budget price, and there are sometimes cash discounts! There are also lots of places to eat on Baldwin Street near the Exam Centre, some of which have weekly or daily specials for their dishes. Here you can find local cafés that serve drinks and sandwiches, and a variety of cuisines (I.e., Italian, Thai, Japanese).

As for grocery stores, the closest ones to campus include T&T, Lucky Moose, and Hua Sheng Supermarket. Kensington Market also has a wide variety of specialty grocery stores, bakeries, and restaurants. If you live in Chestnut Residence (one of the most popular residences for first-year engineering students), The Market by Longo’s is nearby, if you need to pick up some fresh produce or pre-made meals. However, a mandatory meal plan is required for those staying at Chestnut – information about their fees can be found on the Chestnut website.

Sports and Entertainment

Your budget should never come at the cost of your health. As a student, you have access to U of T sports and recreational facilities. This is part of your tuition, so feel free to make good use of it. You can also watch movies for free through the library or get student discounts for many streaming services, such as music, TV, and movies.

School Supplies

We do not recommend buying textbooks until school starts! Not all professors use the listed textbooks. Check to see if there is a soft copy of the textbook instead.

Don’t be too eager to get a new laptop too. Note that there are computer labs at U of T and there are always desktops available. You can run programs such as C, Python, and MATLAB (which are all the programs you’ll use in first year) using a ssh connection, so you don’t have to worry about the computing power of your device.

Finances and Budgeting

If you want to learn more about finances and budgeting, you should check out the Skule Financial Literacy Club. Here you can learn about taxes, investments, budgeting, etc. There are also online resources for students, such as www.savethestudent.org (based in the UK).

If you have any questions about financial aid programs, scholarships, grants, and/or bursary programs, you can contact Pierina Filippone, who is the Assistant Registrar for Scholarships & Financial Aid. Pierina’s contact information can be found on the website here.

Working

U of T Work-Study Program

Did you know that U of T offers a Work-Study program for students? This program offers paid, on-campus positions where you can strengthen and develop skills that are meaningful to your future career. Students typically work 10 hours a week, which is less than what may be expected in a part-time job outside of campus. This being said, the academic workload for engineering classes is heavier than most programs. You can expect 30-35 hours of classes each week. Keeping this in mind, you should figure out if the work study program is best for you. To learn more about the Work Study program, check the CLNX website. (UTORid login required)

Part-Time Jobs

Work study experiences in EngSci vary a lot based on your academic abilities, transition to university, and the nature of the job. We have seen both extremes where students either really enjoyed their part-time job, or found it difficult to juggle the two things.

Financial Assistance and Exemptions

UTAPS

The U of T Advanced Planning for Students (UTAPS) is a funding program that aims to fill the financial gap for eligible U of T students. For more information and eligibility information, check out the UTAPS website.

OSAP

The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is a financial aid program for college/university students offered by the Government of Ontario. This program is only available for Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or protected persons who are Ontario residents.

There are 2 types of OSAP funding, grants and student loans. A grant is money that you don’t have to pay back, whereas a loan is money you have to pay back after you finish school. One benefit of OSAP loans is that it is interest free until after you graduate. After graduation, you can start to pay back your loan and interest rates will apply.

To learn more about the OSAP program and how to apply, check out the OSAP website and U of T’s Finances page.

Scholarships

Check out Award Explorer to find scholarships. You can filter awards based on faculty, award type, citizenship, nature of award, etc. Note that you may have to apply for some scholarships, while others automatically consider all eligible students. Be sure to check this page often for new scholarships. Some of these will also be featured in the weekly EngSci Newsletter you will receive starting in September.

Other Financial Aid Resources

The U of T Finances page has numerous financial aid resources. To learn more about financial aids for out-of-province students, U.S. students, international students, and more.

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

As you start this new chapter in life on the way to your future career as an engineer, let’s talk about one of the most important things you’re going to learn, and it has nothing to do with calculus! We’re talking about professionalism. Behaving professionally will lead others to know that they can give you more responsibility because they can rely on you.

What is Professionalism?

Professionalism means conducting yourself in all circumstances with responsibility, integrity, and accountability, and communicating effectively and respectfully.

U of T Engineering is a Professional Faculty, which means your degree will make you eligible to become a professional engineer. Your entire time in our program is a chance for you to learn and practice professional skills that will help you no matter what career you pursue.

Etiquette and expectations in this setting are different from what you may be used to as a high school student. Here are some tips.

Good Email Practices

Photo by Stephen Phillips – Hostreviews.co.uk on Unsplash

When writing emails to professors, teaching teams, supervisors, staff, and colleagues:

• Create an email signature with:
  • Your Name
  • University affiliation and major
  • Preferred pronouns
• If emailing for academic purposes, use a descriptive subject line (including the course code) about the email’s purpose. An email with the subject line “Question” is unlikely to get priority in someone’s busy inbox.
• Before sending the email, review it to make sure you have all necessary information, while still ensuring that the email is clear and concise. Consider setting up delayed delivery of emails, so you get some buffer time to undo if you spot any mistakes in the email.
• Emailing a working professional (this includes university staff and profs) is NOT the same as texting your friends. Don’t start an email to staff, professors, etc., with “Hey”, especially if you don’t know them. Look up their name and title and address them personally.
• In the professional world, the expectation generally is that you will respond to an email within 1-2 business days. Keep this in mind when you get an email from staff, profs, TAs, alumni, employers, etc.
• Professors and the teaching team often receive a high volume of emails. The convention is to wait 3-5 business days before sending follow-up emails. Be sure to also check out the course page on Quercus for their recommended channels of communication.

How to Handle Conflicts Professionally

Conflicts can come up whether you’re working in teams for a class or in the workplace. So, here are some tips on how to handle conflicts in a professional manner.

1. Take a step back and analyze the situation as a whole. Try to calm down and do not let your initial frustrations get the better of you.
2. Challenge your assumptions. Many conflicts are the result of poor communication with both parties assuming things that aren’t quite true. Ask yourself: what do I know about the situation? What am I assuming? Is there another possible explanation for the other person’s behaviour? Note that people around you may have different backgrounds and cultural norms.
3. Express your perspective and listen to others’ as well. If a group member is unresponsive, try to get them to engage in the conversation. Ask questions to make sure you aren’t missing important information. You can also contact your TA or instructor for help .
4. Try to find some common ground. Emphasizing common interests can help create a sense of collaboration and establish team values to resolve conflicts.
5. Brainstorm solutions and explore various options that will address the needs/interests of all parties.
6. Remember clear communication is very important!

Conflicts happen and figuring out how to resolve them contributes to your personal and professional growth! When they come up, use them as an opportunity to reflect and learn from the experience.

Classroom Etiquette

Lecture Hall in Bahen Centre [Source]

1. Have you ever had to give a talk in front of a big group of people? Nothing is quite as demoralizing as looking out at the crowd and seeing no one looking at you. Respect the instructors and your classmates by paying attention.
2. Turn off or put your phone on silent to minimize distractions for yourself and those around you. Remember: in a darkened lecture hall, everyone can see your lit up screen.
3. Go to office hours and talk to your professors – you can start building these relationships early and learn about new opportunities. Remember: you are going to need reference letters for jobs later. If none of the profs get to know you personally, they won’t be able to write you letters.

Respect, Integrity, and Commitment

Commitment is a core aspect of professionalism and it can show others just how trustworthy you are. If you say you will do something or be somewhere, follow through on your promises. Do not overcommit to activities or tasks unless if you can make a firm commitment!

Why is this important?

1. Respect: If you sign up for an event and don’t show up, the organizer will have wasted money on food that goes uneaten, the organizer may be embarrassed if few people show up for an external speaker, and the reputation of our program may get damaged. Put yourself in the organizers’ shoes: what’s a stake for them? How would you feel if you organized the event and no one showed up?
   
   This also goes for meetings, whether that’s with your team for a group project or with execs/sponsors of a company.
   
   In the professional world, the expectation is that, if you commit to attend an event or meeting but your plans change, you will give AT LEAST 48 hours notice the organizer. Again, communication is key 🔑.
   
2. Teamwork and Trust: When working in teams, you have people who depend on you and trust that you will complete your task. If you can’t follow through on your commitments, it gives them a good reason not to trust you and hand over more responsibility.

Inclusion

Inclusion is a newer, yet just as important part of professionalism. U of T puts emphasis on creating inclusive and accessible spaces for everyone and students, including YOU play a vital role in this. Below are some important offices which provide resources that pertain to this:

• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Office
• Sexual & Gender Diversity Office
• Accessibility Services
• Mental Health and Wellness

As well, check out our 2 blog posts about EDI in EngSci and EDI-related groups.