It’s no secret that a significant amount of students at the University of Waterloo are from Toronto. Regardless of where in the city you’ve come from or how long you lived there before moving to Waterloo, here are six things all Torontonians at UW will relate to:
1. Missing Toronto when in Waterloo
Although Waterloo has a diverse range of cultural entertainment, from the Uptown shops to museums, it simply cannot compare to Toronto. Once you’ve had a taste of walking about in the Distillery District in the winter or journeying to the Toronto islands in the summer, Waterloo just isn’t the same.
2. Missing Waterloo when in Toronto
Despite everything said in the first point, Toronto also can’t compare to Waterloo. True, the K-W area may not seem quite as booming or energetic as Toronto most of the time. However, one tends to realize how much they take Waterloo’s clean air, lack of overpopulation, and natural beauty for granted when one goes home for a weekend.
3. Suffering Through a Three-Hour Bus Ride Home for the Weekend
Speaking of going home for the weekend, all Torontonians are united by one collective experience – Toronto traffic. Whether students take the Fed Bus, Greyhound, or bribe their parents into driving them home for the weekend, there are times when everyone feels as if they are going to be forced to spend the rest of their lives stranded on the 401.
4. Suffering Through Another Three-Hour Bus Ride back to Waterloo at the End of the Weekend
And, of course, you have an 8:30 a.m. lecture first thing on Monday morning.
5. Debating About Whether to Try and Find a Co-Op Job in Toronto
As if the sheer act of finding a co-op job anywhere wasn’t stressful enough, many co-op students spend hours debating about where to look for placements. On one hand, a job in Toronto would entail living near a plethora of shops, entertainment venues, and a general feeling of diversity – not to mention the chance to save money by living at home. On the other hand, a job in Waterloo would mean free public transit and freedom. The struggle is real.
6. Wondering Where to Live After University
If you’re originally from Toronto but currently live in Waterloo while attending UW and have no idea where you want to live after you graduate, you aren’t alone. At times, you may feel as if you feel torn between Waterloo and Toronto. At others, you may feel as if you want to move to someplace you have never been before. Everyone is different, and everyone will follow their own individual path in life. However, what is important to remember is that despite the drawbacks of both cities, they are both and will always be your home.