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UeaT is getting famous!

September 18th, 2009 by admin

UeaT is in The Bulletin! Click on the image below to see a larger version, or check out the article on page 3 of the The Bulletin. A special thank you goes out to Elaine Smith and Anjum Nayyar for featuring UeaT in The Bulletin.

Posted in Guest Posts, UeaT | Comments

Are you a muncher or a starver during exams?

April 5th, 2010 by admin

Dear UeaTers,

It was three years ago when I was sitting in the library, just like you, dreading the upcoming exam period. I had a short attention span coupled with terrible eating habits. When stressed, I ate donuts, muffins, cookies, croissants, chips, and twinkies (okay so I had a sweet tooth!). I was the stereotypical “muncher”. I would study for an hour, daydream for the next hour, eat a couple of cookies, check my Facebook for 30 minutes, go get a slice of pizza, and call it a night. My mouth had to be constantly chewing to make my mind work. Or so I thought!

My study-partner, however, was quite opposite. She fretted for two hours, made a “To Do” list, fretted some more, studied an hour, and ate nothing because she felt sick during exams. She was the epitome of a “starver”.

At this point, you may want to review your own study habits and figure out if you are a starver or a muncher.

On the last day of exams, I (4 lbs heavier) and my friend (4 lbs lighter) would crash, complain, and sleep for a week.

One night, two days before my Physics exam, I had my “light-bulb” moment (appropriate timing, no?). I woke up at 6am, went for a 15 minute jog, showered and got myself a nice big breakfast of eggs, oranges, toast and coffee. Suddenly energized, I grabbed a bag of blueberries and opened up the books. By noon, the blueberries were gone, my white t-shirt had one purple smudge, and I was 6 chapters smarter. I took an hour long break, had a nice meal of steamed veggies, mashed potatoes, and chicken breasts, yumm. And lots of water. Another four hours with the books, dinner and 5 more chapters later, I felt like a new man! (err, woman!).

The point of all this is that if I treat my body right, it functions well, specially during exams. On that note, read on for 10 simple ways you can change your eating habits and conquer those exams!

Don’t wait until exam week to eat healthy. If your body is used to twinkies twice a day, it will not understand why you are eating an apple instead. You have to give it time and let your body get used to apples! So try to keep your diet healthy throughout the year. Yes you can eat twinkies sometimes, but allow your body to extract the goodness from fruits everyday…that will keep your blood sugar regulated, and you will not feel lightheaded or tired
Keep snacking. Nuts, berries, apricots, raisins, yogurt….eat something small every three hours! Again, it keeps your blood sugar and energy constant.
Try to cut back on coffee. If you must have coffee, go with decaf. Cappuccinos and lattes are the devil. Instead, ask them to fill half your cup with milk and top it with decaf coffee and very little sugar. Or try teas. They keep your stomach feeling like it’s full.
Do sleep. Eight hours, ten hours, whatever is normal for you. There is nothing as important as getting your daily sleep fix.
Drink a lot of water, Keep a bottle close at hand, and take a few sips every fifteen minutes.
Relax! Worrying will not make things go any smoother. Try meditation or yoga for a few minutes each day.
Exercise, for a few minutes each day. It helps bring up the motivation levels, clears out your head, and keeps your heart smiling (I mean pumping).
Do not skip meals. Even if you are a starver, you have to eat. Don’t let stress get in the way of your appetite. Your three main meals a day should be spaced out…and try to not look at a book while eating. A meal should be a way to wind down, treat yourself to something yummy, and not think!
Chew gum. It keeps your mouth busy and has very little or no calories.
Read Jessica Howard’s tips on how to eat during exams.

Best of luck!!

Posted in Guest Posts, Tips and Shortcuts, UeaT | Comments

U of T celebrates Ramadan

August 24th, 2009 by admin

Guest Post by the U of T Muslim Students Association

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As students enter University of Toronto this fall, many are excited about the 3 square meals a day that they will be getting from the campus dining halls. However, there are a group of students who will be fasting during the daylight hours for the beginning half of September to celebrate the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

During Ramadan Muslims abstain from food and drink during the daylight hours and avoid negative thoughts and actions so that they can remember and worship God, and appreciate the comforts of life they have been blessed with. By remaining hungry through the day, Muslims are able to feel closer to those who can only afford to eat one meal a day. Fasting is a practice common to all Abrahamic religions and Muslims all over the world have been continuing this tradition during the month of Ramadan for over 1,400 years.

The breaking of the fast or Iftar, is often a communal event for Muslims and is regularly done with their family and friends. Many students who live on campus and away from their family will take advantage of special hours provided by their dining halls and get together to recreate the communal feeling of home.

This year the Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) on campus will be hosting iftars every weekday for the month of September. The iftars will begin on September 2 as part of MSA’s Frosh Week (aka Frosh Halal Meat) which is intended to compliment the University’s frosh week so as to create a welcoming environment for incoming students. MSA iftars are catered by a number of local restaurants that provide a taste from around the world, including cuisine from the Middle East, South Asia, North Africa and the Mediterranean. The iftars are attended by more than 200 students every night, all of whom leave happy after a free meal following a long day without food (see pictures below).

The end of Ramadan is marked by a celebration known as Eid-ul-Fitr, which is sometimes called the “feast after the fast”. As a commemoration to the successful completion of Ramadan, this day is celebrated with members of the Muslim community coming together and sharing of food from all over the world.