Happy Holidays!

Hey Commuters!

Along with the end of the semester, the Commuter Dons are wrapping up their programming.

We'd like to thank you all for such an amazing semester, and come January we'll be back with a whole new slew of events and services!

Best of luck with your exams/assignments, happy holidays, and we'll see you in the new year!

- The Commuter Don Team

LETS EAT GINGERBREAD PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!

On Monday, December 5, during Lounging in the Lounge, we'll be making GINGERBREAD PEOPLE and EATING THEM.


BE THERE!

We Can! Food Drive

Your Commuter Dons, Students Against Hunger, and the VUSAC Education & Equity Commission are currently holding a four-week long food drive this holiday season!

We are collecting non-perishable food donations (and/or cash if you're a commuter and bringing food is a little cumbersome) and all donations are going directly to the Church of the Redeemer lunch program! By supporting this drive you are literally helping people down the street! 

You can find "monster boxes" all around campus in which you can place your donations (or you can deliver them directly to the Commuter Don Office - BC 6). 

Please donate a little something and together We Can ensure that everyone has a happy holiday season!

We've Got Some Awesome Lounging Coming Up!

Our weekly Monday 2:00 - 4:00 PM Lounging in the Lounge events are going to be spiced up a little bit for the next couple weeks!

This Monday (the 21st) we are Lounging with the Vic club Students Against Hunger and we'll be having a lunch-making party (the best kind of party imo)! The lunches YOU make on Monday will go directly to the Church of the Redeemer (right down the road from Vic, at Avenue and Bloor) where they will be served to individuals in need. So please come on out this Monday and make a lunch or two!

On Monday the 28th, we'll be Lounging in Caffiends, Victoria's own fair-trade and organic coffee shop! All students will receive a 25% discount on ALL goods purchased during the event time! The poster for this event can be found below!:

Caffeine Crash!

Do you just LOVE your morning coffee?

Can't make it through the day without that latte?

Preparing for another energy-drink fueled all-night study session in Robarts?

Well this seminar might be for you!


The Commuter Dons, MAH 5, and the Victoria College Health Club present: Caffeine Crash!


A fun and educational seminar analyzing YOUR caffeine intake and how it affects your health and well-being!

Learn about the potential harmful effects too much caffeine may cause!

Discover healthy energy-boosting alternatives that are available to YOU right here on or around campus!

So please join us on November 17,  from 3 - 5 PM in Nothrop Frye Hall 006 for Caffeine Crash!

Pumpkin Carving!

Your Commuter Dons, in collaboration with RJ 4, are holding a FREE Pumpkin Carving party on Monday, October 24 from 3:00 - 5:-00 in the Cat's Eye!

The pumpkins you carve will be featured around Vic throughout the week!

There will also be FREE Halloween candy, refreshments, and other festive treats for you to enjoy!

Please email vic.commuter.don@utoronto.ca to register, guaranteeing a pumpkin for yourself or a group. Do so quickly as there are a limited number of pumpkins available!

"The Departure Gate" Leadership Development Contest

Vic is pleased to be collaborating on an exciting development initiative for students.

On October 29th, Vic will be hosting the "The Departure Gate":

The Departure Gate will feature four of Canada's best speakers and facilitators (three of them have been featured at TEDx conferences) providing a day dedicated to helping students explore their passions through a series of short keynotes, and three highly interactive workshops that focus on personal leadership, organizational leadership, and societal leadership.

"The Departure Gate" offers an opportunity to provide students with a full day of development, including meals, for only $65.00 (which is 45% off what will be the regular price of $100 a participant).
To register: www.thedeparturegate.ca

We are also giving away 10 FREE spots to Victoria College students.
If you would like to attend "The Departure Gate" for free - Tell us; 
"What is your passion?" 
"What motivates you to learn, to do, and/or to contribute to the community around you?"

Submit an art piece (drawing, video, photograph) or a written piece (song, paragraph, poem) by Monday October 24 at 5pm to kristina.minnella@utoronto.ca

Life After Vic: Science Reception

Event date: Wednesday, October 26, 2011, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Location: Alumni Hall.

On October 26, 2011, students who are studying science are invited to the Science Edition of Life After Vic.

Life After Vic is a professional networking opportunity for students who are thinking about their next steps. Students are able to meet and mingle with recent Victoria College graduates who studied science during their time at Victoria College and learn about their paths after their time as Victoria College students.
Refreshments will be served.

This event is FREE and is open to ALL Vic students.

Space is limited.

Register: Life After Vic: Science

Continue Lounging!

Our weekly "Lounging in the Lounge" mini-socials will continue every Monday from 2pm-4pm in the Commuter Lounge (Birge Carnegie 4) throughout October. So come hang out with your Commuter Dons, grab some free cookies and tea while you're there, and we'll have a good time!

Hope to see you Monday!

"The Life and Times of Vic Students" Photography Contest

Your Commuter Dons have teamed up with Victoria's own photography club, VicXposure, in the hosting of a photography contest open throughout October!

Information:

Ever see students studying in the quad? Playing ball? Just sitting? Studying in Pratt? Submit a photo that captures what you think the life of a Vic student is.

These are the life and times of Vic students!

SUBMIT A PHOTO NOW! ENTER THE PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION!to SUBMITVICXPOSURE@GMAIL.COM

The WINNING submission will be blown-up, framed, and installed in the Commuter Lounge and will remain there for the duration of the year. Stay tuned for more information regarding Prizes.

THE WINNING SUBMISSION IS THE ONE THAT GETS THE MOST 'LIKES' ON FACEBOOK!

You will find the pictures on Vicxposure's Facebook page!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/28514322981/

All photographs submitted will find a home in the Commuter Lounge, on display for all students to enjoy. Submissions will be displayed on a rotational basis (depending on how many submissions are received).

EVERYONE IS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE! Both commuters and residents.

Rules:
1. Maximum of 5 submissions per person.
2. You can submit pictures to SUBMITVICXPOSURE@GMAIL.COM until the 24th of October!
3. You and your friends can vote until the 31st of October!
4. Invite all your friends to submit pictures and vote!

Orientation Week Storage Items

There were some items left in Commuter Storage after Orientation Week wrapped up and these items are now in the possession of the Commuter Dons. If you had an item stored in Commuter Storage during Orientation Week but failed to pick it up before the culmination of the week's events (and presuming you'd like whatever you stored back) please come by our office during our regular office hours to pick it up.

Please bring your student card (or some form of I.D.) when you come to pick up your items.

Come Meet Us!

This Thursday, September 15th from 2pm-4pm your Commuter Dons will be holding an informal meet-and-greet in the Commuter Lounge. 

We would love the opportunity to meet all of you and let you know who we are and what we do!

There will be FREE pizza available for you to enjoy as well as refreshments which will include coffee and tea for those seeking a midday caffeine fix!

We hope to see you Thursday!

Orientation Week

This year's Orientation Week runs from Sunday, Septmber 4th to Friday, September 9th and your Commuter Dons have arranged to have an active presence on campus during many of the O-Week festivities! Please check out the Orientation Week schedule below to see which events will feature a Commuter Don. At least one of us will be present on the Vic campus during all the events outlined in blue. If you see us during one of these events (or at any time during Orientation Week for that matter) and want to say hi please do, we'd love to meet you!

The events we'll be at during Orientation (click to enlarge).

In addition to the identified events, we'll be holding irregular office hours during Orientation Week. We will be in our office so to assist you if you have any questions about student life at Victoria University (especially inquiries relating to the concerns of commuter students). If you don't have any particular inquiries to make with us, you may also feel free to swing by the office so to simply hang out and get to know us better as well as to learn in greater detail what our role will be throughout the year as your Commuter Dons.

Orientation Week office hours:

Ekaterina: Tuesday, September 6 - 5:30-6:30pm
Jennifer: Wednesday, September 7 - 3:00-4:00pm
Matteo: Thursday, September 8 - 12:00-1:00pm

(Office located in the Birge Carnegie Building Room 6, 95 Charles Street West).

Welcome!

Welcome to the new online home of Victoria University Commuter Don team! Your Commuter Dons for the 2011-2012 year are Jennifer Banh, Matteo Pirri, and Ekaterina Turlova and you can find more information about each of your Dons at the "Team" section of this site.

A major part of our duties as your Don Team is to assist and advise students in matters concerning personal, educational or social needs as well as encourage student participation in campus activities, events and educational programs. In order to fully-realize these goals, and with the knowledge that most university students are online nowadays, the utilization and implementation of online tools in order to better reach our intended audience (you, the Victoria University commuter student) is an essential aspect of ensuring that we're doing our job the best we can!

Along with our Facebook Page, this blog will serve as a primary source of knowledge and information relating to everything we will be up to throughout the year. We encourage all students to bookmark or "Follow" this site. The blog will be updated regularly and the only way to ensure you're not missing anything is to check back often!

- Matteo