Isabel’s done it all. Moved from Tokyo, a literal megacity, all the way to Vancouver and finally, Toronto for university to brave first year residence.
Yet somehow through it all, all she wants to do is “just spend time with the people that I've already come to love in this short time. That’s honestly all there is to it.”
“Just spend time with the people that I've already come to love in this short time.”
For the plot
A lover of all things cinema or literature, of course her life is going to be just as cool, if not more cool than Harry Potter. At least UofT campus looks like Hogwarts sometimes (it takes the edge of midterms).
Isabel’s childhood and majority of teenage years were spent attending an international school in Japan. Her first language happens to be Japanese, but her mom pushed for English as primary instead.
Still, she doesn’t let this discourage her from ambitiously wanting to read The Little Prince in fluent French one day.
Like a movie character, she went through many trials and tribulations to get where she is now. At first, she wanted to go to the UK to study law, even flying to Taiwan to do the entrance exam.
She finds herself studying business currently, and does not introduce herself as a rotman student, the genuine friends made here have won her heart despite the horrors of Linkedin.
Isabel likes to stay grounded in her long held hobbies, spending quiet time at the grand piano over her home in Trinity College. Forced to learn it growing up, she has a love-hate relationship, but it does find its place in her life no matter what.
“I got to take a break from studying, and my friend walked by, and said ‘hang on, one second, let me bring my cello down.’ Then I brought my electric guitar from my room.”
“Then I brought my electric guitar from my room.”
Solo music sessions turning into a full on band ready to make a Spotify account is just one way her life stays spontaneous.
Tokyo tunes
One of her most favourite ways to spend time is going to concerts, which you probably could’ve guessed from her love for instruments.
Tame Impala. Malcolm Todd. Just to name a couple.
But don’t let her love for rock or indie pop fool you, it’s not all she listens to.
Her biggest inspiration for life is her high school jazz teacher, and still is with her all the way in Toronto through the classical music she likes.
Even coming to a big university and leaving a whole life behind internationally, not all things are lost. And for Isabel, it seems like she’s found even more of herself here.
Campus life
Of course, no student can predict the syllabus. Especially in a breadth requirement.
- ROM
- Trinity College
- Spadina
Currently enrolled in an introductory art history class, it brought her great joy to see the miniature reconstruction of the Parthenon here at the ROM.
Isabel wants to check out more museums with friends, always keen to explore the city a little more each week.
It led her to the T&T over on Spadina and to all the best Asian restaurants around. It’s the perfect break in a packed day, but also just comfort food that is reminiscent of back home.
Toronto is so diverse that her friends have given the best recommendations based on the flavours of their own cuisine. One of them is from India, for example, or one from Switzerland who makes the trip to Montreal occasionally.
Contrary to general belief, the best friend groups are actually the ones where no one is the same at all, but you can all somehow agree on trivial things.
Isabel’s a busy girl. Doing a part time job on top of midterms is a balance most students find difficult. But for her? A piece of cake.
Don’t worry
It’s classic advice to just not worry about how things will turn out.
For rotman- sorry, BUSINESS students, an internship is perceived to be a defining marker of your success, but that’s not true.
You heard it from Isabel first.
“If it’s meant to happen, it’ll happen.”
So coffee chat sometimes, but enjoy the small moments.
It’ll all be over before you know it anyway, and when you’re sitting in con hall, staring onto that small stage your first year professor once stood on, the only thing that will be going through your head are those impromptu band sessions, grocery store runs, and cozy reading nights.
