The Cannon September 2019

THE CANNON SkuleTM’s Newspaper since 1978

cannon.skule.ca

SEPTEMBER 2019, Volume XLI

Engineering Ethics at Boeing

Opinion: What Ethical Lessons This Saga Can Teach Us RICK LIU Cannon Editor-in-Chief In 2011, American Airlines signed a massive $38 billion order for the next generation A320neo with Airbus. Having lost a longtime customer, Boeing had a major dilemma on its hands.The company was working on a replacement aircraft to its Boeing 737 at the time, but the threat of even more customers defecting to the A320neo changed its decision making. After three generations, dating back to 1966, Boeing decided to design a fourth generation Boeing 737, named the Boeing 737 MAX, with brand new engines in order to compete with the newer Airbus plane in terms of fuel efficiency.

Nothing appeared

particularly out of the ordinary until the Lion Air crash on October 29, 2018. Almost two weeks after the crash, speculation immediately turned to the MCAS system Boeing implemented on its plane.

The MCAS system was a software fix for changes in the engine that led to increased fuel economy, but also changed the way the plane flew in the air. The 4th generation plane had larger engines, which meant that the engines had to be shifted forward and higher on the wing than previous generations in order to provide sufficient ground clearance.

However, this created different aerodynamic handling KEY TO THE MAX’S STRUGGLES WAS THE ENGINER PLACEMENT CREDIT: RICK LIU

Boeing 737 continued on page 3

Lessons For Both Frosh and PEYs ANONYMOUS Cannon Writer Froshies, do not be surprised, but your seemingly confident and passionate frosh leader might just be as anxious as you are in the inside. It is not because of entering UofT of course, but for PEY. Personally, transitioning into PEY makes me feel like a Froshie again - excited but nervous,

and definitely disoriented.

Here are some common observations I have collected that will hit home whether you are heading to campus or heading to work for the first time.

1. You see a lot of food.

Free snacks everywhere! This is one of the perks of being a new member; both the company and school will try to make you feel comfortable by providing some team

Design Team Showcase! page 8

building events. From the welcome lunch to frosh week, the first few days are going to be a blast for all us. While keeping your mouth full and tummy content, take a look around the people dining with you and chat with them.

Eating generally makes people feel more relaxed, now is the perfect time to networks and friendships.

2. There are authorities, and it is slightly

Tips for First Year Students page 10

overwhelming. After the initialwelcomingceremonies, you are introduced to your professors/managers. It is a bit intimidating knowing that they will be monitoring your performance since day one and this will last for a while. Regardless of whether they appear as approachable or poker-faced, you will feel a slight awe knowing that they were once a newbie too, but they overcame all

the difficulties and are now well versed in their area of profession. You start to wonder whether it will eventually be possible for you to become like them.

Your supervisors are generally very busy; it will take a while for you to get comfortable talking to them but do not let “no replies” Relatable Things continued on page 3

Mental Health Tips and Resources page 12

2 • THE CANNON

SEPTEMBER 2019

THE CANNON Masthead EXECUTIVE TEAM EDITOR IN CHIEF

Rick Liu

MANAGING EDITORS Najah Hassan Ruknoon Dinder Alyson Allen LAYOUT EDITOR

Raman Mangla

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Dina Castelletto

GRAPHICS EDITOR

Nadya Abdullah

EDITORS Prerna Anand Fletcher Clugston Smriti Mehrota Shreya Mehta Linda Yu Andrew Zhao

Letter From The Editor Welcome to the class of 2T3! As I write this letter, I thought back to my own first year at UofT engineering. It was such a huge transition for me to become acclimatized to UofT, and the work at times was definitely challenging. However, many of you probably chose UofT because you relish these situations and after the 4 or 5 years are up, you’ll come out as the best an engineer can be.

Remember that university is more than just midterms, assignments, and exams.

Toronto is truly a unique and worldly city, and you’ll have more than enough time to explore all that it can offer. Inside the bounds of the St. George campus, there are so much opportunity to get involved, such as working with professors who are leaders in their fields, or one of the many design teams.

In this issue, we cover all these things and more, such as advice on handling first year, profiles on different components and clubs of the SkuleTM community, and engineering connections to the real world.

With that said, I hope you have an excellent month of September. Shoot us an email if you have any thoughts, or would just like to tell me a funny joke.

Writefully yours, Rick Liu

CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS Margarita Ibarra Neetha Parameswaran Amanda Plotnik Noor-E Shahrin SPECIAL THANKS Blue Sky Solar Racing Concrete Toboggan Concrete Canoe Spark Design Club Carbon Cutting Racers Katie Allison

About STATEMENT The Cannon is the official (serious) newspaper of the University of Toronto Engineering Society. Established in 1978, it serves the undergraduate students of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. Submissions are welcome by email to cannon@skule.ca. Advertising and subscription information is available at the same email or from the Engineering Society at 416-978-2917.

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in this newspaper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Engineering Society unless so indicated. The editors reserve the right to modify submissions to comply with the newspaper’s and the Engineering Society’s policies.

CONTACT The Cannon 10 King’s College Road Sandford Fleming Building Room B740 Toronto, ON M5S 3G4 cannon.skule.ca cannon@skule.ca facebook.com/cannon.news

cannon.skule.ca

SEPTEMBER 2019 Boeing 737 continued from page 1 characteristics which could cause stalls to occur more often. MCAS was designed to fix that problem by taking over some control of the plane in order to prevent stalls. While this level of automation is not unprecedented since similar electronic handling existed in the previous generation 737 and A320, MCAS was more aggressive in “correcting” the plane’s handling, and was activated more often than other anti-stall measures.

While many in the industry pointed to MCAS, many others questioned the safety record of the airline. Lion Air had a questionable history of safety, and was previously banned from flying to the European Union and the United States until 2016. It was not until the Ethiopian Airlines crash on March 10, 2019 where it seemed that the fault was clearly on the aircraft.

Even before the March 2019 crash, it was clear that a brand new aircraft crashing, especially with a new design that incorporated all of the latest innovations in the aircraft industry, meant that there was a high likelihood that this was not a fluke. Media outlets such as the New York Times and aviation analysts such as Leeham Group pointed out that the MCAS system was a likely cause in the aircraft Relatable Things continued from page 1 shun you away and think that you are bothering them. Remember, they were once a newbie too and their experience will help you greatly. Therefore they understand that you will have a lot of questions to ask, but it is up to you to make the conversation efficient and effective.

3. There is this one particularly chatty person in the newbie group. While frequent public speaking maybe daunting, occasionally jumping into the conversation is a good opportunity to stand out and let people learn your name. Froshies - if you have done your research and

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undergoing a sharp and sudden descent.

Moreover, Boeing did not disclose the presence of the system to pilots in its manual, or the steps needed to dis-engage it. As a new feature, that only existed on the 4th generation 737, engineers at Boeing should have held “paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public” as stated in the National Society of Professional Engineers in the United States.

Many other professional engineering institutions have a similar clause, including the Professional Engineers of Ontario.

Not specific to engineering, the practice of informed consent also applies, where pilots should have had the right to know that the plane, even when auto-pilot was off, would suddenly take over the operation of the aircraft much more than existing “flyby-wire” automation systems found in other aircrafts.

However, it was purely an economic decision by Boeing to not disclose the existence of the system. In advertising the plane to airlines, Boeing emphasized the plane’s commonality with the previous three generations.

This was done so that airlines with large existing fleets of 737s did not face enormous expenses of re-stocking parts, training mechanics, and especially re-training pilots to fly the new plane. This trade-off

clearly showed that engineers at Boeing prioritized economics over the safety of the public in not disclosing this feature to pilots.

After the October crash, Boeing did disclose the existence of the system to pilots and ways to dis-engage the system. However, the March crash by a reputable and reliable carrier in Ethiopian Airlines raises more questions about the engineering failures.

Black box data, released in the interim report, showed that the pilots did exactly as Boeing recommended to dis-engage MCAS when it forced the nose of the airplane down. However, the system kept re-enabling and eventually pushed the aircraft to enter a steep descent.

This brings into question the need for the system in the first place. The New York Times reported that the original design for MCAS system was far less aggressive in its automated corrections. This was the original justification for removing MCAS from pilot training and the manual.

But flight tests and simulator runs brought up unsatisfactory maneuvering due to the larger engines. On two occasions, engineers increased the aggressiveness and the level of control of MCAS to make the aircraft fly smoother.

These actions highlight another common problem of engineering, where decisions

are made in a vacuum.

Engineers at Boeing were too fixated on the maneuvering characteristics of the plane, and wanting to minimize the difference between the 737 MAX and previous generations of 737s, that they did not realize how much bigger they were making the holes in the swiss cheese theory of safety, or how increasingly reliant the plane was on MCAS over manual control. Quick fixes that Boeing is considering now to get the 737 MAX in the air, such as making MCAS less aggressive in its corrections, or making it reliant on more than multiple sensors should have been considered earlier.

Moreover, there are further questions on how much Boeing can safely optimize what is already a 53 year old design. Boeing focused too much on optimizing fuel burn with the larger engine and minimizing cost to itself, without considering more creative and radical approaches to lowering fuel economy. The 737’s ground clearance, by far the lowest among any modern airplane, has not changed since 1966, while Airbus in its A320, or Boeing in their 777, can easily add larger engines to improve fuel burn without shifting the positioning of the engines like on the 737, or modifying the maneuverability of the plane.

Many students probably

remember one of the very first lectures in APS100: Orientation to Engineering.

In it, Professor Stickel quotes an excerpt from the book “Educating the Engineer of 2020”. The book cites a number of attributes for the engineer of 2020 that engineers at Boeing could have shown more of.

However, this “engineering in the vacuum” shows that there was not good communication between all stakeholders.

Engineers did not engage their creativity in finding ways to fit larger engines (or even designing a brand new aircraft instead of rehashing a 53 year old plane). And probably the most significant error was the lack of high ethical standards and professionalism in doing their full due diligence and proper disclosure in designing the plane.

With automation playing an increasing role in today’s society, engineers should not just be relied on for their technical and analytical skills, which machines can probably do a much better job of. Rather, it’s these skills described in the Engineer of 2020 (analytical skills, practical ingenuity, communication, business and management, leadership, high ethical standards, agility, and lifelong learning) that will truly make great engineers, and avoid engineering failures in the future.

know the professor you want to impress, now is a good time to get into the game.

If you are more introverted and are not willing to speak up in the crowd, emailing your supervisor/ professor to arrange personal meetings is a good way to raise your concerns or questions.

4. There will be weird terminologies that everyone mentions but you don’t know. What is the PIT? What does a “Sprint” mean?

You are so frustrated to see that everyone just seem to understand abbreviations and strange terminologies naturally and you wonder whether jargons are invented just to separate newbies from a group.

In fact, you might not be the only person who is confused about these terminologies; chances are that people from a different department in the company may have no idea what these terminologies are either.

These phrases are a part of the corporation/SkuleTM culture, and it’s necessary to get these clarified before you start your term. Generally SkuleTM and companies do a good job by giving presentations/ handbooks that explain these common words, but do not be afraid to ask questions or start your own terminology dictionary to help out future newbies!

5. The colleagues/upper years, who you just became

friends with, flaked. Let us be honest, you are starting to feel comfortable breathing in the new environment after a week of orientation and team events, and ready to take on your first task. Then the reality hits - the upper years who helped you get used to SkuleTM suddenly “have to leave early” for some SkuleTM activity you have never heard of. Worse, for PEY students, they see the whole team all raise up and leave together, leaving a polite “see you tomorrow” echoing in the hallway. Some of us try hard to join their group because they are nice enough to invite us, but it is always awkward to be surrounded by a crowd of strangers and missing your

own friends that you used to huddle and laugh together with.

Although this is one of the worst feelings of being a newcomer, the older members of the group are not to blame. Friendship comes with time; it will be a while for you to be in on their inside jokes. The sad reality for most of PEYs are that depending on the corporate culture, you may never truly feel like a part of your workgroup.

However, this does not stop you from making friends outside of your team; keep reaching out to more people and eventually you will find someone who has similar interests and sense of humor.

4 • THE CANNON

SEPTEMBER 2019

Engineers’ Role in Canada’s Sustainable Future

Saturday, June 29, 2019

MARGARITA IBARRA Cannon Writer

Health Canada – FSDS (2019-2020) “Assess the risks to health from specific pollutants and air pollutant sources, including industrial activities, modes of transportation and fuel types, and quantify the health and economic benefits to be gained from improved air quality”

As we make the transition to electric vehicles, renewable “Develop and update the Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards and health-based energy, and real-time global drinking water quality guidelines intended for use by all jurisdictions in Canada” emissions monitoring, the term sustainability frequents “Assess the extent to which regulatory decisions and actions are keeping pesticides at our vocabulary, particularly acceptable limits” in context of the future. “Implement heat alert and response systems to protect the public from extreme heat Despite its prevalence, it events.” is a nebulous concept that “Beginning in 2018-19, have clauses related to environmental considerations often elicits ideas of climate incorporated into the performance agreements for all new construction” change and clean energy.

However, sustainability goes “Reduce the amount of fuel consumed for fleet operation or switch to less GHG beyond both of those things. intensive vehicles” Sustainability involves Natural Resources – FSDS (2017-2020) developing products “By 2020…implement over 40 industry-led research, development and demonstration and practices that can be projects in energy, mining and forestry sectors that will advance emerging clean sustained indefinitely. That technologies towards commercial readiness” can include anything from sustaining the quality of “Undertake research and development (R&D) to develop the next generation of nuclear energy systems” post-secondary education while maintaining research “eliminate diesel replacing it with alternative energy sources in underground mines competitiveness and equal under the Green Mining Initiative” opportunity for students of “Develop and demonstrate advanced materials technologies… to reduce emissions in all backgrounds. For some the transportation and industrial sectors” engineering students, it may be unclear how sustainability Transportation 2030 (Est. 2016) can be incorporated with 2 ways transportation can adapt to the changing climate, especially in their discipline. In fact, “Promote Canada's North, where thawing permafrost affects the efficiency, safety and sustainability is already maintenance of infrastructure” embedded in Canada’s future via government “increasing efficiencies in how we do business by reducing the energy consumption of the facilities and fleet of vehicles that we own and operate” policy, particularly the Federal Sustainable “We are testing a cooperative truck transport system that uses connected vehicle Development Act (S.C technology. This technology allows trucks to move more efficiently in tight formations June 2008), which requires and reduces aerodynamic drag, called platooning” the development and Greening Government Strategy (Est. 2017) implementation of a Federal “Eliminate the unnecessary use of single-use plastics in government operations and Sustainable Development promote the procurement of sustainable plastic products” Strategy (FSDS). Here are some policies, verbatim, that “[Utilize a] $76.7 million grant for connected and automated vehicle and remotely prescribe several changes in piloted aircraft system regulations, certification, standards and testing” Canada that engineers will have a role in.

Saturday, June 29, 2019

Bnading Together for Mischief AMANDA PLOTNIK Cannon Writer There’s a good chance you heard the Lady Godiva Memorial Bnad before you even heard of them.

For the past 70 years, the LGMB has been a bastion of engineering in all its noisy, obnoxious glory.

Sporting blue and white jerseys and a haphazard mixture of instruments including trumpets, drums, trombones, and, a 3 true classic, the stop sign.

Whether you like it or not, if you ’are an engineering student, you’ are already a part of the Bnad, so dust off your old harmonica

and let yourself get caught up in the spectacle.

Seemingly a nonsensical entity that clawed its way out of the drunken void of Skule TM history, the Bnad was founded in 1949 by A.J. Paul LaPrairie (Min 5T0).

Like many members of the current Bnad, LaPrairie

couldn’t read music, so the original 15-member LGMB was led by Tom Kenney (Chem 5T0). The Bnad first entered the public eye in that year’s Annual Homecoming Parade, aboard a flatbed truck, and the notably silly moments quickly began to pile up. During

a football game in 1950 held at Varsity Stadium, the Bnad, sporting fake moustaches, marched straight on to the field and straight up to University of Toronto President Sidney Smith (whose Bnad continued on page 7

cannon.skule.ca

SEPTEMBER 2019

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Why Should You Do Engineering?

ANDREW ZHAO Cannon Editor At one point or another, many of us have questioned our choice of post-secondary education.

For those who choose a program in engineering, during the long nights of studying, anything from the high tuition cost to the heavy workload appears to be a perfectly justified reason to give up on your degree. However, not all is lost. The pros of attaining an engineering degree often outweigh the downsides tremendously, and a few of them will be explored here to provide some motivation for anyone second guessing

their decision.

Engineers are often held in high esteem, and rightly so. The work that engineers do often affects the world at large. Engineers are the ones who solve the world’s most impactful problems, and as a result, their achievements are often widespread in society and likely to impact the lives of many people.

Many engineers get the opportunity to be part of a project that will change the way that a community or organization operates.

The results of your effort and dedication are often tangible and can bring about the satisfaction that motivates you to excel in your work. If you want

to experience this during your studies, U of T has some clubs like Engineers Without Borders that can provide great opportunities for you.

Another reason to do engineering is that it can be a lot of fun. The work that engineers do can vary from day to day. Depending on the job, they might often get the chance to travel and interact with people of other educational and cultural backgrounds.

Moreover, many engineers work with, and on, cutting-edge technology.

This often involves problem solving that requires unconventional ideas and methods. Logic and reasoning are two

important skills that any engineer would need to have in order to succeed.

For people who enjoy solving difficult problems, this may make for a very interesting and enjoyable job.

If neither of the above has given you incentive to continue with engineering, then perhaps the careers prospects will motivate you. An engineering degree provides you with many opportunities that you may not have otherwise.

The knowledge and skills that can be obtained from engineering programs allow you to transition into the workplace with relative ease. Moreover, the demand for engineers

is consistently high due to the learning skills that are instilled into students and its exclusivity compared to other degrees. Additionally, the average pay of engineers is also higher than many other degrees out there.

You can rest relatively assured that the vast amount of opportunities and flexibility in your degree will be more than enough to justify the few years of hard work that will encompass your engineering education.

If money, or any of the aforementioned are important factors, then do not distress, engineering is the right degree for you.

change.

The process of adapting to a new change is what we usually associate with a learning curve. This term is usually used in situations where you are starting a new job or are getting the hang of a new skill and you have to begin by learning a few basics before you make it to a level of peak proficiency. Yet, a learning curve can apply to every major change in your life.

With every new beginning, we find ourselves having to learn new things.

Sometimes we find ourselves half way through the learning curve and do not need to put in too much effort to bring ourselves up to speed. Other times, we find ourselves at the very bottom.

The bottom of the learning curve is one of the scariest places to be. You find yourself continually making mistakes and doubting your own abilities. Especially, if you are surrounded by

unfamiliar faces during this transition period and you feel the need to prove yourself to them. You may have accomplished a lot of things in the past but these new people do not know any of that and you worry that maybe the mistakes you are making and the circles you are spinning in are going to form the wrong impression of you.

Nevertheless, just because you are at the bottom of the learning curve now, does not mean that any of your past accomplishments are insignificant. In fact, those accomplishments were important in bringing you here. Just because the people around you may not know about them does not make you any less special.

You may not realize it, but you have been through the learning curve at several different stages of your life, and each time, you came up excelling and finding your way. You will this time too.

Change can be difficult,

but just like certainty, variety is another human need, according to the Human Needs Psychology Theory. As scary as change can be, we crave it. It gives us excitement and a sense of being alive. Every new learning curve shows you how much you are capable of, allows you to have faith in your abilities, and makes you a stronger person.

Once you reach the stage of peak proficiency, you will look back to when you were at the bottom of the learning curve, and feel fulfilled by how much you have grown since.

As you grow and adapt to the change, you may look back and find that you have lost something that was once very important to you. However, I like to think that if it really was of value, then you have not really lost it. If anything, you will always have the memory of how it helped shape you into who you are today.

Learning Curves NAJAH HASSAN Managing Editor Moving from high school to university can be scary. It’s a new environment, new faces and a lot of new things to get used to. But this is not the first time you have gone through a major change.

Most of us experienced something similar when we moved from middle school to high school.

You have also probably faced it when you started a new job. The fact that the average person changes careers at least 5-7 times in their working life means that you are probably going to encounter similar experiences several more times. In addition to those standard planned events, you go through several other unexpected changes in your life as well: a best friend moving away, your family situation changing, the death of a loved one.

The world keeps turning on its axis, returning to

the same point every year, but our lives are always changing. You seldom find yourself in the same place you were a year ago.

Change is a constant, and yet, in most situations, we tend to resist it. This is because change can be terrifying. We fear losing something of value, or worry that we will not be able to adapt to our new surroundings.

According to the Human Needs Psychology theory, developed by leadership psychology expert Tony Robbins, certainty is one of six human needs that we all have in common. We need a sense of safety and security. In order for us to put our fears away and accept the change, we need to know how the change will affect us. However, in some cases, things change unexpectedly, in ways you could never have imagined or prepared for.

It is impossible to feel a hundred percent safe when things around you begin to

6 • THE CANNON

SEPTEMBER 2019

A Guide to Courses Welcome 2T3! First year is roller-coaster ride with amazing experiences, new friendships and intellectually stimulating courses which will keep you to be on your feet. To start this year with a bang, let’s begin with an informative guide to all the challenging courses that you will face.

PRERNA ANAND Cannon Editor APS111 & APS112 – Engineering Strategies & Practices (ESP) (CORE 8) ESP is the one of the most time consuming and informative courses you will encounter in the next four years. It helps you to gain the basic knowledge required for any engineering project. The course is divided into two parts, individual grades and group grades.

For individual grades, be through with the textbooks before exams and try to attend lectures to get the inclass participation marks. The best way to succeed as a group is active participation in all discussions and having an open line of communication to make sure that everyone is heard. Lastly, do not get stressed by the numerous deadlines. You can easily meet all the deadlines by just a little bit of pre-planning.

CIV100 and MIE100 – Mechanics and Dynamics (CORE 8) These two courses rely on practical concepts which are difficult to visualize and makes it a tad bit harder than the other courses. To have a rewarding experience be prepared to use your imagination, visualize the concepts taught, pay attention to all the demo’s done in class and watch online videos on the content. The exams for these courses are challenging as they require you to use multiple concepts together and the right way to prepare for them is by solving all assignment by yourself and remember to get your doubts cleared on time as procrastination will only lead you onto rocky bridge which you won’t know how to fix.

CREDIT: DINA CASTELLETTO

lectures as the quizzes are based on the material that was covered in the past week and in case you don’t understand something, get it clarified by someone. For labs, get to them early because your TAs explain how to do the lab, and divide your attention between getting the results and actually analyzing them (if you do this, you know your data will actually make sense later when you write your lab report).

CIV102 - Structures and Materials (EngSci) This course has a very unique structure. First off, there is no textbook for this course. In fact, you make your own! The notebook containing all your notes from class act as the textbook for the course. The quizzes, midterms and exams for this course are all open-book, with the only aid allowed being this notebook, so make sure you go to lectures and take proper notes. Quizzes and midterms are based on weekly problem sets which you should definitely start early or at least plan out because you will need help which you can get by attending your TA’s office hours.

MAT186 and MAT187 - Calculus (CORE 8) The exam is very similar to past exams, so make sure you give yourself enough time Calculus courses are one of those where you have to look over past exams while you’re studying. already covered the content in high school which I know this seems scary but don’t get stressed. The start is always difficult but gives you the potential to score well. The challenging once you understand the pattern you will find it much more easier. Finding the right part about these courses, especially MAT187 (winter semester) is the creative questions which require you balance between academics, hobbies and social life is very important and focus on to use concepts in a more abstract manner. The exams achieving the balance by planning ahead and making a schedule which meets all for MAT186 are more straightforward and require you your needs.

In case you need additional help, you can attend GEARS sessions which is doubt to focus on the textbook whereas MAT187 papers are clearing for particular courses run by upper year students. For doubts in math related much different from the textbook covered questions so to succeed you need to focus on solving the past papers. courses you can visit the Math Aid centre which are open for longer hours.

Most importantly remember to seek help whenever you feel pressurised. You can Make a group to discuss the answers for the past papers as many of them do not have solutions and this way you get an appointment with an academic advisor who can help you make a schedule and provide you with all the information about all courses. For mental health issues you might help each other in learning. can get help at the health and wellness centre at Kofflers.

Lastly, remember to have fun, participate in student life activities, interact with PHY180 - Classical Mechanics (EngSci) This course is almost like the physics-equivalent to new people and importantly, we are all in this together (time to break into a dance routine). your high school physics course, consisting of weekly quizzes, midterms, an exam and labs with formal lab reports which is a huge part of this course. The most difficult part about this course is its pace: it goes by extremely fast, and so the key is to make sure that you do a little bit of this course every week. For your quizzes, midterms and exams, do the textbook questions, go to

cannon.skule.ca

SEPTEMBER 2019

•7

Coding: Expecations vs Reality by Nadya Abdullah EXPECTATIONS Let’s do this.

I’m in.

REALITY

Did you forget the colon?

WHY WONT THIS CODE WORK?!

Bnad continued from page 4 name you may recognize from the building) to offer him a fake moustache of his own. From then on, Sidney Smith was considered an honorary member of the Bnad.

Despite all the engineering brand tomfoolery, the Bnad also holds several awards from the Kiwanis Music

Festival as well as the honour of being the first band to have played in the CN tower. Every year the Bnad is bound to cause more notable ruckuses— just wait until you hear the full LGMB Rant. As a member of the “Skule TM Trinity” along with the Skule TM Cannon and Brute Force Committee (BFC), the LGMB is often invited to spirit events both around the University

and city. You may see (and hear) them at dinner dances, alumni reunions, F!rosh and Godiva Week celebrations, the Toronto Santa Claus Parade, and anywhere else that could benefit from a whole lot of Skule TM spirit and noise. Occasionally, and much to the dismay of the professors involved, this includes lectures.

Nothing says Skule TM like the Bnad. If you find

yourself searching for a way to express your passion for Skule TM, or even just a place to let off some steam, the LGMB is always looking for new musicians. Thanks to modern email technology, joining the LGMB (or Joyning Teh Bnad, if you will) is as simple as signing up for the mailing list on their website and coming out to whichever events you choose.

Jerseys and instruments are freely available in the Bnad Room, and the music is online if you wish to bother with such formalities. The rich history of the Bnad has made it a staple of Skule TM culture and events, but more importantly, it’s a whole lot of fun.

8 • THE CANNON

SEPTEMBER 2019

Design Team Reflection: Learning Curves We asked 5 major design teams on how they embraced the challenge of the learning curve in achieving their goals. Here is what they told us.

Blue Sky Solar Racing

At Blue Sky Solar Racing, we embrace the learning curve.

Much of our two-year cycle is spent trying to overcome the steep ramp up that is learning to design an experimental solar-powered car, and we could not have done it without the help of the team of alumni and professors. We believe in learning by doing, and we gain understanding though hands-on work and experimentations. We envision the team to push the limits on solar car design, provide students with an opportunity to grow and develop, promote sustainable technology, and at the end of the long road, to come out with a solar-powered car that we can proud to show off and test on the world stage. blueskysolar.utoronto.ca/ blueskysolar@utoronto.ca

Concrete Canoe Concrete Canoe takes on a seemingly impossible feat of designing, testing, and building a canoe out of concrete to race against other universities across Canada.

From Day 1, our team provides opportunities to gain hands-on experience as we strive to optimize our design choices through in-house programs, machine learning, structural analysis, and of course concrete testing.

Throughout the year, we hold practical workshops such as casting, hull designing, and paddling to improve our skills and create a smaller learning curve for new members.

As a multidisciplinary team, we apply knowledge learned in school to explore innovations in sustainability, and the newest trends in industry

to create one of the most successful canoes at competition. With this group of like-minded peers, you’ll be able to find a “fam” here at U of T. canoe.skule.ca canoe@skule.ca

cannon.skule.ca

SEPTEMBER 2019

Concrete Toboggan

Spark Design Club

Carbon Cutting Racers

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The UofT Concrete Toboggan Team is a competitive design team that provides engineering students with the unique challenge of designing, manufacturing, and racing a five-person toboggan with a concrete running surface.

Each winter, the team competes at the largest engineering design competition in Canada, which draws over 20 schools from across North America for four days of unforgettable events; the Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race.

The team prides itself on both its incredible social atmosphere and abundant

technical opportunities including design, metal and composites manufacturing, creative exhibits, electronics, technical reporting and presentation, professional outreach, graphics, and much more.

These diverse aspects of the team make use of skills from every engineering discipline.

The Spark Design Club builds interactive electromechanical displays around campus! Spark has built arcade style Simon and Snake Games, humanpowered car racing games, Connect 4 Game, a huge soundboard, a Jansen Walker, a giant foot piano, a Connect 4 game board and much more! We aim to make SkuleTM life a little more engaging and fun.

We host drop-in workshops throughout the year, in which all students are invited to come out and help build our displays.

During these workshops, you’ll learn hands-on engineering skills (how to use power tools, solder, etc.) and then immediately get to apply those skills to one of our projects.

Come out to our F!rosh week event! Sign up for our mailing list on our website to hear about our events and workshops!

toboggan.skule.ca captain@toboggan.skule.ca

spark.skule.ca spark@skule.ca

The Carbon Cutting Racers (CCR) are a dedicated group of students committed to producing ultra-fuel-efficient vehicles. They compete each year at the Shell Eco-marathon Americas to see whose vehicle can go a set distance using the least amount of energy. Their top mileage is 3,421 miles per gallon. The team enriches students’ learning experience beyond what is obtained in the classroom through design and manufacturing practices.

CCR is a real engineering project that will reduce the learning curve of becoming a full-fledged engineer. No experience is necessary, and all disciplines are welcome to join! carboncutting.skule.ca carboncutting@utoronto.ca

10 • THE CANNON

SEPTEMBER 2019

Getting Around Toronto for Dummies RUKNOON DINDER Managing Editor I was taking the train home to Scarborough, fell asleep and woke up in Ajax. And that is when realized I have been lucky enough to visit and live in many cities, that Toronto does not seem out of the ordinary to me. Taking the train to the wrong region did not bother me in the least.

But many are not so fortunate.

Living in a big city can be a daunting task, if you’re from a small town or lived in a distant country where the culture may not be so similar. One of the biggest problems people face is learning how to adapt to the new transit system. So, here are some tips to navigate our complicated transit system.

Before we get on to it, a short history lecture. 20 years ago, the 6 municipalities of Toronto amalgamated to form what is now known as the modern city of Toronto.

While the regions are not officially separated anymore, Torontonians still identify (and often take pride) with their “Boroughs”. While there is little difference between these parts now, they used to vary a lot by ethnicity, income and culture. Some lingering effects of these can be seen in the way people from different regions interact with those around them.

Outside the city, lies the

Greater Toronto Area (GTA), the largest metropolitan region in Canada. The GTA, comprises of the regions of Halton, Peel, Durham and York. Each of these regions have their own transit systems, such as the TTC for Toronto.

While not in the GTA, the city of Hamilton, along with Dufferin and Simcoe country fall under the extended region of Toronto and have people commuting to Toronto on a regular basis.

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) runs the city’s public bus and subway routes. Almost every major street in Toronto has a bus/ streetcar line running down it.

There are also 4 subway lines, although the Yellow Line (1) and Green Line (2) are the ones you will be using the most to get around the heart of Toronto. There are 4 transfer stations: Bloor-Yonge and St George stations connect Lines 1 and 2, Kennedy connects Line 2 and 3 and SheppardYonge connects Line 1 and 4.

Here is a plan of how to ride get from Finch to Exhibition.

1. Take a bus in Finch bus stop (routes #39 A, B, C, D, E or F) with Victoria Park and it will take you to the subway station in Finch (yellow line, first station to the East).

Buses only stop and pick up passengers in the indicated stops.

2. In Finch station walk

from the buses parking (within the station) to the underground station to take the train towards the south.

There get on the subway (yellow line) to Toronto downtown, where you will travel all over different stations up to Bathurst station.

3. Get off the train in Bathurst station and walk to the street cars. In the parking, take the streetcar #511 Exhibition – South, which will take you to Bathurst Street in the south direction.

4. In this way you will arrive to the indicated place: Exhibition Place If none of this makes any sense to you, open up your Google/Apple maps app and search for transit directions to your destination. It will give you a detailed transit plan along with boarding times so you will GO is a public transit system which is a division of the provincial government agency, Metrolinx. They connect the different municipalities of GTA and Hamilton Area, even extending to Niagara Falls region seasonally. There are many people who live in one municipality but work in another and use GO Transit as part of their daily commute.

GO Transit also serves many post-secondary institutions in Ontario, and can be used by students (and staff) to reach schools such as the University

of Guelph, the University of Waterloo, Wilfred Laurier, York University, Trent University, and others. But GO Transit isn’t all business.

It’s also an excellent option for people coming into or leaving Toronto for recreation, or who are planning day or weekend excursions to other parts of Southern Ontario.

Because the GO Train lines converge at Union Station, the system is often used by people from the GTA who are coming in for events at the Rogers Centre,CN Tower, Harbourfront Centre, and other nearby venues. GO transports also offer services like WiFi on the trains and buses which makes transit a lot more pleasant.

However, GO transit runs a very specific schedule with boarding times unlike the city transit systems which have constant service. On the Lakeshore East and West lines there should only be about half an hour between trains at most, but on many other routes there’s an hour or more between scheduled trips. Some routes only operate during rush hour, or on certain days of the week, or even during certain times of the year. When using the GO, it is a good idea to check ahead before leaving to avoid the risk of waiting for an hour at the station.

Unlike the TTC, GO transit

price is determined by a “fare zone”, which means you pay based on how far your travel.

There are also several ways to pay, which include buying a single ride ticket, a day pass, a group pass, or using PRESTO, an electronic, reloadable fare card that can also be used on the TTC. You can purchase tickets for the TTC and GO at stations. However, most commuters now use the PRESTO card, which provides many benefits such as 2-hour transfers, discounted travel prices after a certain number of trips, online loading and auto renewal and passes. It also allows you to seamlessly transfer between different types of transit systems just by tapping on the fare machine.

Simply tap on at your starting point and then tap off at your destination. These cards can also be purchased at the stations or from a PRESTO vending machine. To learn more about the PRESTO, visit their website at prestocard. ca. Note: If you are using the student PRESTO, you must have a valid TTC student id which you can purchase at Sherbourne Station.

Well, that was a quick intro to Toronto’s transit system. As a final word of advice, if you’re ever totally lost, just take the train back to Union station and try again.

their class. It’s even true that some PEY jobs ask that you submit your transcript along with your resume.

But that’s not very motivating, is it? Here’s a bit of truth, once you graduate from school things are going to be different. I’ve seen many peers who excelled academically, have difficulty finding jobs or getting their great ideas heard or taken seriously. Or

panic, because they have not done any extra-currciculars and thus have a hard time showing their initiative to potential employers. On the other hand, I’ve seen peers who struggled academically in school, isolate themselves more and more because they feel that they are failures. Their enthusiasm and energy from

Lessons From a “Fail-er” know what? I’ve learned so much in that time from my own experiences and those of I consider myself kind of an my classmates, about what not expert at sucking in school. Let’s to do during your university just say I’ve been completing career, that I decided to share it my UofT Engineering with you. It will hopefully be of undergrad for about 5 years use, but at the very least it will now. Okay, 6, but that’s mostly offer some comfort to students because I switched programs. feeling depressed, anxious, or I haven’t done research with alone at UofT. This article is for any profs and I’ve never been you guys. on the dean’s list. But you I used to think that this ANONYMOUS Cannon Writer

was what people who aren’t doing well academically told themselves in order to feel better about not being that smart. It’s definitely true that some grad school programs require seriously high grades.

And it’s true that some students depend on good grades in order to maintain their scholarships.

It’s also true that some students face extreme pressure from their family to be at the top of

Fail-er continued on page 11

cannon.skule.ca

SEPTEMBER 2019 Fail-er continued on page 10 first year, completely wiped away, and replaced by a sense of inadequacy. The very sight of campus would evoke anxiety and stress.

This time in your life is about learning how to do your best. Given the calibre of UofT students, having a high ranking is quite a task indeed. Don’t make it your primary task or you will miss out on so much more. David Orr (professor and activist) famously said that “The goal of education is not mastery of subject matter, but of one’s person”. Einstein is reported to have said that “knowledge of what is, does not open the door directly to what should be”. Do you want to have your shot at solving the world’s problems? Then learn to think like an engineer and hone your skills. The grades will follow suit.

Tuition is high, after all, UofT just does whatever it can to achieve the highest profit.

That’s what I would often say to myself as I grudgingly

pay student fees every year then proceeded never to use office hours, my academic counsellor, the health and wellness centre, the gyms, the pools, the workshops, the research opportunities, the academic success centre, the student clubs, the mentorship programs, the health and dental benefits, etc. The part about UofT needing to make money is correct, but there are a lot of good people who care about you, here too. But they can’t force you to go to them.

You have to take ownership of your university life. If you feel anxious just going to campus, then work to change that. You have the right to a positive university experience. You belong here for the simple fact that you want to learn. So sit on the grass at front campus.

Complain about your worst instructors in feedback forms.

Annoy your TA’s. And if you’re feeling hopeless, reach out.

I’ve personally received counselling at the Health and Wellness Centre and it’s helped me a lot. Don’t be afraid to book

an appointment. It’s covered under your health plan and completely confidential.

I studied at school and at home during my free time and I still couldn’t master the material. When I wasn’t blaming the school for asking for the impossible, I was blaming myself for being dumb and slow. But here is where mindfulness, as unpleasant as it felt, helped me move forward.

If I were perfectly honest with myself, the amount of ‘studying’ that I actually spent worrying about studying and watching youtube videos, was more than half. Worse still, I often ‘rewarded’ myself for the hard week by relaxing most of the weekend and then cramming on Sunday night.

This was an ugly realization because it put some of the blame on me, even though I felt like I was already giving it my all. I realized that in terms of actual time learning, my study habits had not really changed since high school. I stayed up late (on my phone), was late to class, and never prepared

for lecture. Clearly this is unsustainable and if you’re like me, you need a whole new play book. One of the most painful changes for me was being less available to my family. My family is really important to me and the fact that I couldn’t babysit as often and couldn’t attend all the birthday parties, made me feel selfish. But for the first time, you are living your ‘real’ life. You are not going to be as available as you used to be in high school - and that’s okay.

As long as you still make time for the things and people that really count.

Here’s another hard-earned lesson from your friendly sucking expert at UofT: make sure that you know what you’re doing. I went through my first engineering program kind of hoping that I could one day get a job that I liked that was unrelated to my degree. I wasn’t particularly interested in what I was learning but the most important thing to me was getting that diploma. Boy, did that ever blow up in my face. After a few years and lots

• 11

of debt, I’m finally in a place where I know what I want and I’m working towards it.

It’s hard. First year is so general that you end up more confused over what you want than before you started university. oney?

But having a dream allows you to approach learning in a productive way. Suddenly, the things you learn in class will seem much more interesting when you know that you will one day be using them. You went into engineering for a reason, now you just have to bring that reason into a little more focus and keep it beside you during those long days.

There is no point in regretting my poor decisions but there is value in learning from them. I decided to take ownership of my education and have finally come around to liking university again. If you do it right, and don’t do what I did, your university experience will make you better than you were and leave you in a good position to accomplish your ambitions.

Frosh: Breaking the High School Habits SHREYA MEHTA Cannon Editor Ah, Frosh Week. The cannons are rolling, the atmosphere is electric, and you’re drenched in purple and chanting cheers. While exciting at first, it is no secret that pursuing this degree can become gruelling if you don’t approach it with the right mindset. For those worried about what’s to come, here are a handful of tips that will ensure that your transition into SkuleTM is smoother than Cruise’s slide à la Risky Business.

The first few weeks of classes might feel like a breeze.But be warned: skip classes at your own risk. It is incredibly easy to fall down the lecture-skipping rabbit hole until you find yourself desperately 2x- and 4x-ing through 80 hours worth of lecture captures the day before your calculus exam.

While it feels convenient to read your textbook in the comfort of your popcornladen pajamas — especially when avoiding the dreaded 20 minute walk from Chestnut — missing class is a surefire way to land yourself in an anxietyriddled academic shitfest.

Gather up some willpower and attend those classes — maybe even skim through the textbook or solve a handful of problems beforehand — so you’re doubling down on that good ol’ knowledge juice.

TAs. The Goats.

Ah, TAs. The all-knowing upper years who have been through the same classes and tolerated that awful prof for longer than you’ll ever have to.

Don’t be afraid to take your problem sets along and ask them questions; 99% of the time, they’re great at clarifying a concept before it comes back to inevitably bite you in the *nether-regions* during exam

season.

Make Friends: We’re all in this Together.

College is so much more enjoyable when you have friends who enjoy listening to you whine about your code (“I swear it was working fine on my Mac!”) and curse out the ECF machines. Friends that lovingly pull all nighters with you at Robarts, and drag you out for a beer when you need it the most.

Talk to people at Frosh, sit next to them at lectures, and soon enough you’ll find yourself a friend group that motivates you to power through it all.

Cut your Losses Early: Throw out the Symbolab The rosy high school days are over: get ready to throw out those graphing calculators that saved you on IB/AP exams.

You won’t have Symbolab, Chegg, or Desmos on your exams, so its a solid idea to

get comfortable with solving problem sets manually without relying on them too much.

Make a Study Routine Create a schedule for when you’ll be tackling each subject, and make sure to factor in time for clubs and other opportunities for personal growth. Investing an hour or two per course, even when homework isn’t looming around the corner, will prove to be invaluable.

While its a good idea to start by going through the textbook and making notes, the key to success lies in doing as many practise problems as you can.

Don’t just limit yourself to the assigned homework; take advantage of past exams and midterms, and consider looking into YouTube videos for extra help. Protip: those pulley and hydrostatics YT videos might turn out to be your savior when you’re tackling tough questions on

that CIV100 midterm.

If you’re lost, don’t just skip the topic and hope for the best: reach out to your study group or office hours for help.

Lastly, Don’t Fret.

While the experience might seem daunting at times, actively keeping up with work and avoiding procrastination is more than enough to set you up for success.

Take out time to relax, whether it is through joining a club that interests you, or playing on a basketball team every weekend. Being an engineering major doesn’t necessarily mean that your life has to revolve around coursework!

When the going gets tough, remember what you’ve probably been hearing from literally every adult ever: working towards this degree is a challenge that will reward you in ways that you’d never expect.

12 • THE CANNON

SEPTEMBER 2019

Dealing With Disappointment SMIRITI MEHROTRA Cannon Editor Welcome to UofT! This is where you’ll learn and grow to be well rounded, productive members of society. This is your time to explore, experiment and discover yourself. This is when you’ll aim to peak in academics and social life, and this will be stressful.

Stress, however, is something you can handle.

The fact that you made it to UofT proves that. You’ve learned to convert stress into a driving force which makes you work towards a goal and usually, all your work pays off.

Now you’ll learn something even more important: there is no “recipe for success”.

Sometimes, even after all the stress management and hard

work, things just don’t work out the way you want them to, and that’s something you may not have experienced before. These are times when you begin to learn how to cope with disappointments.

The first step is to acknowledge your mistake.

Acting as if it never happened is like sabotaging yourself for all future attempts at improvement.

A low mark on Quercus shouldn’t paralyse your thought process. Another act to avoid is jumping the gun and impulsively claiming you deserved a better result.

No prof or T.A will consider re-evaluating your test unless your claim is backed by evidence.

To rationalise your claim, you must analyse your mistake. Being ignorant

about your failure increases the chances of repeating your mistake. In my first year Praxis class, I learnt about how to understand my results and performance.

Regardless of whether you’ve aced or flunked the test, what matters is that you know how and why you got that result. Treating your result as a mystery tends to induce a fear of the unknown, and this will inhibit you from learning from your mistakes. A rigorous analysis of your work will replace this fear with determination to not commit those erroneous actions again.

If you find that even after your introspection, you’re unsure of the reasons behind your performance, get advice! UofT is filled with intelligent people, treat them

as your biggest assets. Don’t hesitate to approach your professors, T.A’s or academic advisors. They’ve taught and mentored thousands of students before you, so be rest assured their advice is foolproof. If you feel the need to have more personal connections, build a network of like-minded people in your class. There’s no shame in asking a classmate for help with an assignment.

Engineering at UofT is by no means a one-man job.

Don’t fall under the illusion that you’re the only one facing these difficult situations. It’s true that every predicament is subjective to the person experiencing it, but to err is human. Isolating yourself in challenging times will have a more adverse impact on you than it would

if you share your hardships with others.

Now that you’ve invested time and energy in analysing your work, it’s time to draw your conclusions and set your lessons learnt in stone.

There’s a fine line between introspection and over thinking, and overthinking is just going to be a waste of your time. The objective of this whole process is to learn and move on. Overthinking will lead to an obsession with the past.

Disappointments and mistakes don’t remain sources of negativity once you’ve dealt with them. They are converted into invaluable experiences that you can rely upon, and use to brace yourself for all the challenges yet to come.

Tips to Avoid Mental Health Issues ANONYMOUS It is no secret that UofT as a whole has a serious issue with mental health. Just over the past year, three students have taken their lives on campus. In this article I will give a bit of background of the mental health initiative at the University, as well as my own struggles with it, and outline a few tips to help avoid that rabbit hole and succeed here.

Lastly, I will outline all the resources we have available on and off campus.

While the first occurred during the summer semester, and the second occurred in the student’s residence, both of which were kept relatively quiet by the University, the third and latest occurred in the Bahen Centre for Information Technology on Sunday March 17, a night before regular operation for the Winter Semester. Bahen was completely closed off to everyone the following

day, police tape and all, and all classes in it prior to 2:00 pm were relocated for the day. By Wednesday, the First Year Office had relocated the majority of our courses out of Bahen for the rest of the semester. Students organized a silent protest outside UofT President Meric Gertler’s Office later on Monday. This was followed up with a viral online campaign called “How Many Lives?”, to protest the inaction taken by the University administration and to share more personal stories about mental health.

The University responded in an email stating that their first plan of action would be to create the Presidential & Provostial Task Force on Student Mental Health, that would gather feedback and more information on the well-being of students, and report back to the University’s President and Provost. The University of Toronto Student Union responded by striking

an ad-hoc mental health committee to send a report to the Task Force, and I was elected into the committee, having experienced mental health issues myself in the past.

I was an introvert during high school, and tried to distance myself away from social media whenever possible. However, this led to me not joining any clubs, not making too many close friends, and focusing too much on my grades. I got depressed, lost all feelings of joy from life, and, in a few bleak moments, contemplated suicide. However, every time I stopped myself from going too deep down the rabbit hole, under the belief that life would get better in the future.

And indeed it did, learning my lesson by the time I began UofT, I became much more outgoing and active online, started joining various clubs that interested me, and established real friend groups that I could always count on

for support.

Here are a few general tips I have for making the most of your university experience, and making sure you don’t end up in the dumps like I once did: First of all, remember that C’s get degrees! Don’t focus or stress too much on academics, we all have failed some midterms, and have had to take mental health breaks from attending classes. Even if you do end up failing a course or two, it’s no big deal; especially in first year where the T-Program can help you catch back up on everything before second year! And even later, employers rarely ask for your GPA, and mostly for prior work experience, so as long as you end up graduating, your job prospects will be fine.

My friend’s brother had spent seven years here pursuing his undergraduate degree, and he had a Silicon Valley job lined up for him when he finally graduated. And if you think

that there’s a bit too much going on, consider taking a reduced course load, which will not only brighten your mood and allow you to have more time to yourself, but can allow you to focus on those few courses more and do a lot better.

As for some more general tips, don’t waste too much time on weekly problem sets, when midterms start rolling around it is much more important to study hard and prepare for them instead.

Exams from previous years are posted on courses.skule.ca.

Take advantage of the lecture captures and notes posted on Quercus, they can help you cram for that midterm or catch up if you missed a lecture or two. Also, no one is tying you to your particular lecture session, if your prof doesn’t quite teach to your style, you could always attend another prof’s section and see Mental Health continued on page 13

cannon.skule.ca

SEPTEMBER 2019 Mental Health continued from page 12 if that works better. All of your first year textbooks are posted on a Google Drive for you all to access for free, no need to pay for them, and some people find studying out of the textbook to be more effective than attending lectures, so give them a shot too! Also, feel free to only go to tutorials when you are having trouble with a topic or need more practice, as otherwise they can be kind of useless unless you have a quiz in them. If you actually pay attention in ESP lectures and skim through the required readings before each lecture, ALEx will be a joke and you will barely have to study for the exams, unlike your friends that ignored them. If you commute, you might find it incredibly beneficial to find a

friend living on campus that you could sleep over at during especially desperate times.

Finally, if you can, take the online versions of courses, that flexibility is very valuable and you can still attend physical lectures if you feel.

Here are some tips for being more social. Attend F!ROSH Week. Do it! I met four of my best friends in my frosh group, and even stay in touch with many of my former leedurs as well! Beyond that, there should be an engineering focused clubs fair at some point during frosh week, and that is another must go, the number of different clubs we have take up two whole floors of Bahen, there’s something for everyone! Talk to the people in your classes, usually most of your lecture and tutorial sections are the exact same as

others in your discipline, so if you’re not great at holding conversations, academics are an easy way to relate and bond.

If you’re a bit more outgoing, come hang out at Suds, especially the ones during Frosh Week! No pressure to drink (in fact most of you Frosh can’t), but it’s a great way to get to know more upper years and students of other disciplines. Lastly, get involved with your discipline clubs and just hang out around your common rooms! You’re bound to meet some folks just chilling there, and everyone’s usually down for some small talk.

Joining your discipline club and running in Engineering Society elections is a great way to get more involved here at SkuleTM, and being in charge of operations inherently leads to people giving you feedback

on stuff.

Lastly, it’s important to make sure you know all the resources available to you if you’re in a bit of a crunch. Your go-to should be the First Year Office in GB170. I’ve gone to them countless times, and they always managed to fix whatever was bugging me.

And if they can’t help you with your particular request, they will always point you in the direction of the people who will. UofT also has a Health and Wellness Centre, which is located on 214 College Street, Suite #232. The University also provides accessibility services for the students that need them, even something as minor as taking an exam in a small room with fewer people and distractions can help a lot for some people! Check out accessibility.utoronto.ca

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for more information on that. wellness.skule.ca is another great resource if you’re feeling a bit down. Finally, here are a few hotlines to call in those very dire moments. Depression can affect anyone, regardless of their circumstances, so if your friend is acting a bit off, make sure they’re all good and pass along these numbers if you need to: Canada Suicide Prevention Service phone available 24/7 at 1-833-456-4566 Good 2 Talk Student Helpline at 1-866-925-5454 Ontario Mental Health Helpline at 1-866-531-2600 Gerstein Centre Crisis Line at 416-929-5200 U of T Health & Wellness Centre at 416-978-8030

The Struggle For Creativity Within Engineering NEETHA PARAMESWARAN Cannon Writer I am an introvert by nature, most comfortable spending my time lurking in corners and observing people from afar. I enjoyed writing throughout my life. I always credited my deep train of thought for it. All of those silent, philosophical contemplations that always consumed my mind, turning into untimely whispers that were only meant for none other than my own two ears; as people stood around me and wondered, “Who else could she possibly be talking to?!” It all makes sense now.

Except I haven’t picked up a pen and a leather-bound book in the last four years of my undergrad until more recent months. I deprived myself of the simplest pleasures that could have went a long way.

I thought, Engineers don’t write. Engineers engineer.

It’s great to build onto your soft skills and technical expertise as an engineering student. I have learned some invaluable lessons by putting time into activities for my professional development.

However, I should have spent just as much, if not, more time exploring those interests I know I would have enjoyed most.

Though some part of me internalized that I would be less of one if I expressed my creativity beyond numbers, so I refrained from it. I thought, What kind of value would this add to my resume?

I am not going to blatantly lie and assure you that everyone loves an artist. I have come across people who hardly cared for it, and even held preconceived judgments against me quite evident in their passive aggressions.

However, I came to a personal realization that I do not intend to, nor do I have the need to settle for such environments.

They will find their perfect fits, and so will I if I just look harder. At least for my own sake.

You see the problem here? I was searching for an affirmation that I was never going to receive. Not unless I fight for it and set an example. ‘Engineering’ means something different for every individual. From recounting

past conversations with others, here is what it meant to them: Building things.

Makings things possible.

Aren’t there branches to this?

Um, pipelines, computers and buildings…!

Boundless.

A lot of math! … Hard physics.

Math and physics?

Out-of-the-box thinking.

Smart.

A means to an end.

I wronged myself. I used other people’s views to ultimately influence mine. It cannot be universally defined by a sole word or phrase.

What it is to me is what I choose to make it out to be.

Starting from this point on, I choose: Creative. That is how engineering speaks out to me within my own respect.

It took four years and countless failures to realize the secret sauce to my successes.

My performance as a volunteer and leader spiked upward, as I started to strongly pursue my recent writing ventures. My anxieties started relieving as I took those much-needed breaks to write out these mind-numbing emotions and

CREDIT: ELISA RIVA/PIXELBAY

create something beautiful while I’m at it.

I have now realized that I could have made it work all along. Social issues have always been personal to me, and although I’ve taken on more ‘serious’ angles of working on these, such as project management and engineering design, I could have also leveraged these amazing opportunities I’ve had to do something I truly loved. Instead, I ruled out my ability to dream boundlessly as wishful thinking. And my passion to write? Utterly

useless.

Turns out, I wasn’t the only one guilty of this. This discovery took a while for many others too, but that doesn’t have to be the case for you. University is a scary realm to enter, and the best thing you can do to feel comfortable in your own skin is to hold onto those few things that keep you sane. Whether it’s writing, drawing, film, music or anything else concocted by your wildest imagination. Be boundless. Free. Creative. Be uniquely you.

14 • THE CANNON

SEPTEMBER 2019

Behind the Purple Curtain help overcome the nervous a community, it all was anxiety that so many of overwhelming in the best us had felt coming into way!

We interviewed the university. It was truly an execs of the orientation unforgettable experience!

Edward Luo - Vice Chair committee. Heres what Logistics (VCLog) they had to say.

Stephanie McDonald Vice Chair Leadership What inspired you to get Ben Mucsi - Orientation (VCL) involved with F!rosh week?

Chair (OC) F!rosh week is definitely What inspired you to get one of my favourite parts What inspired you to get involved with F!rosh week? of SkuleTM. It brings people involved with F!rosh week? Part of my inspiration together and provides What inspired me to get for the past 3 years people with an opportunity involved was the amazing was remembering how to share their experiences. passion and energy that the impactful F!rosh week was I really enjoyed my time community brings to F!rosh for me when I first showed when I was a F!rosh Week. So many people are up at UofT. Some friends and I want to be a part so heavily invested in giving in high school made me of delivering the great the incoming class the best believe that I was in for a experience to incoming welcome possible, and it really rough ride and that at students as well. really shows through the UofT I would be on my own.

What is one thing you amount of work and effort But from the first minute I want F!rosh to know? You’re that is put in. I have never spent on front campus with only f!rosh once! You are seen anything else like it! my F!rosh group, I knew handed with opportunities All of this culminates in I made the right choice of to make amazing memories one amazing week that school. All of my leedurs and spend your time in the can have lasting impacts were so open and fun to way you want! Live your throughout one’s university be around, and throughout best live and don’t be shy! life (and beyond) with the F!rosh week I was reassured What is your favourite friends and memories they that I wouldn’t be getting memory as a f!rosh? carry forward. my degree on my own. And Probably F!rosh Retreat! It What is one thing you now, as VC Leadership I feel was really nice to get away want F!rosh to know? One like I can make a big impact for the weekend and good thing I would want all on the incoming class bonding time. Also I love F!rosh to know is that there as well as the incredible s’mores. is something for everyone volunteers and leedurs here at SkuleTM. We have who make F!rosh week the Chinmayee (May) countless clubs, teams, and magical thing that it is.

Gidwani - Vice Chair student groups you can What is one thing you Operations (VCOps) be a part of, and each has want F!rosh to know?: I awesome people who you want F!rosh to know that What inspired you to can become great friends while UofT can be a big get involved with F!rosh with. Regardless of where and intimidating school, week? One of my HLs! He you come from or what you it offers a place for every was really hype during my are interested in, there is a single person. No matter F!rosh week and made sure place for you here, with so their interests, orientation, to keep in touch throughout much to offer! identity, past, or hopes for the year. It made me feel What is your favourite the future. very welcomed into the memory as a f!rosh? My What is your favourite SkuleTM community, and I favourite memory as a memory as a f!rosh? One of wanted to create the same F!rosh was our group my favourite F!rosh week experience for others. cheer-off at Nathan memories as a F!rosh was What is one thing you Phillips Square. We had just talking to different want F!rosh to know? No just finished half of the F!rosh and leedurs on matter where you come downtown walk-around, downtown walkaround and from, you always have and there was an incredibly leading cheers for the first a place here at SkuleTM. hype moment when we all time. By then I was already There’s something for started cheering together in comfortable with a few everyone and I’ve never the square. At that point I people. Going around fully met a more supportive really felt like I was a part purple, showing off my community. of something bigger, and I pride in UofT engineering What is your favourite think those situations really both as a school and as memory as a F!rosh?

DINA CASTELLETTO Cannon Photography Lead

Definitely parading through downtown screaming at the top of my lungs. Downtown walkaround was such a fun way to see and explore the city!

favourite memory as a F!rosh was Nathan Phillips Square. As a F!rosh, I thought that fight was the stuff of movies and in my mind a series of climatic early 2000s alternative Valerie Ajayi - Vice Chair rock songs played as the Finance (VCF) soundtrack to the whole experience. It was a What inspired you to get complete surprise to me involved with F!rosh week? I and that only made it more was inspired to get involved fun! I think Nathan Phillips with F!rosh Week because really sets us apart from of how much of an impact it other F!rosh Weeks and left on me in my first year! shows that we work hard & I think F!rosh Week helps play hard. so much with the awkward and unclear transition Anthony Tang - Vice between secondary and Chair Marketing (VCM) post-secondary life. It gives you the perfect setting to What inspired you to meet new people, make get involved with F!rosh friends, explore interests week? I wanted to give and best of all, relax some something back to the of your fears about uni SkuleTM community. They right before starting! Like welcomed me into first a weeklong human pep- year and gave me all the talk! For me, Orientation tips and tricks that made helped humanize UofT and my experience the best SkuleTM. The more I met it could be. F!rosh week people and participated seemed like the best way in the community, the less since it’s the potentially first I was worried about not experience anyone coming being smart enough or loud into engineering has. enough!

What is one thing you What is one thing you want F!rosh to know? One want F!rosh to know? thing I want F!rosh to know I’d want F!rosh to know is the value that exists from that though you might immersing yourself in a be worried or nervous, community at university. basically everyone is just as It doesn’t necessarily have nervous as you; whether it to be SkuleTM. Whichever be about how hard classes community you choose will be, making new friends becomes an indispensable or being in a new city. I’d resource in both academics tell them that as a result, and life in general. How you there’s always a community choose to immerse yourself of people who understand is entirely up to you. and are willing to help.

What is your favourite It might not even be the memory as a F!rosh? My overall SkuleTM community favourite memory as a or Leedurs, but could be F!rosh was sitting by the a community of friends campfire at F!rosh retreat or upper years you’ve met and talking about nonsense outside of SkuleTM. I think with a few of the friends I can speak for Orientation I’d made that week. It felt when I say that we would be great realizing they would honoured to help introduce eventually be my best F!roshto their community friends for the foreseeable in anyway we can! future What is your favourite memory as a F!rosh? My

cannon.skule.ca

SEPTEMBER 2019

• 15

The Importance of Hobbies FLETCHER CLUGSTON Cannon Editor Engineering at UofT is hard work. We put in more hours than most full-time jobs. It’s easy to let school take over, especially when it is midterm or exam season. When I came to Engineering the workload was a shock. I was forced, or at least I thought I was, to give up all of the things I had done for fun. My hobbies got pushed to the side and forgotten about.

I stopped reading and didn’t even bother to get a library card in first year.

I stopped drawing and painting, thinking that I didn’t have the time to spare. All of the hobbies I had enjoyed in high school were put off. I would pick them back up when I had more time I told myself, perhaps after midterms, or after that big assignment.

The time never came for me however, I didn’t jump back into painting or a good book or anything that I truly loved to do.

Engineering took up all my time.

After a year of mediocre grades and tons of stress I decided I needed change.

My first year was the worst year I had in engineering.

I was homesick, struggled to make good friends, felt overwhelmed by school, and considered dropping out. I felt like school was consuming my life. In my second year, I knew I needed to things differently. I changed how I studied and how I scheduled my time. I took days off from studying and went out with friends. I made sure to make time for the things I loved.

Things that had nothing to do with school or engineering. I started

reading novels again and drawing in between assignments. I forced myself to make time for the things I actually enjoyed doing. The amount of time I spent studying and thinking about school in general decreased. School was still a priority in my life, but I just made sure it wasn’t the only priority in my life. I became happier and felt less stress from school, even though second year was more academically challenging than the first. Throughout my second year, I started to feel the weight lifting off my chest.

Counter to my intuition, my marks soared. I was studying less than in first year, but I was back to my high school marks.

Making time for the things that made me happy paid off. Engineering was still extremely difficult and

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stress-inducing but I’d learned how to deal with it more effectively. Making time in my life for things that had absolutely nothing to do with school such as reading a book, drawing a picture of my favourite character from a game, or simply hanging out with my friends allowed me to spend the time I devoted to studying more efficiently. It’s important to have balance in your life. School is important, but so is your happiness. If I wasn’t happy at school, I couldn’t do well no matter how much time I spent studying. Studying less and investing my time in my own well being paid off more than I could have hoped for.

Fast forward to a few years later, I have great friends, a growing portfolio of art, and several books on the go. I’ve become

a tap dancer and am working towards creating a performance piece in the future. I also have the best grades I have ever had and I still don’t spend the same number of hours studying as I did in my first year.

Learning how to balance my life was the best thing I ever learned how to do.

Balancing life is part of becoming an adult. When we enter university, our time becomes our own. It is up to us how we choose to spend it. Finding out how to effectively use my time is one of the greatest lessons engineering taught me. Engineering doesn’t have to be four years of stress and sleepless nights spent studying. Most of us only go to university once, and it’s important to spend our time here as best we can.

16 • THE CANNON

SEPTEMBER 2019