Living ON Campus v. OFF Campus

Meeting People

The first thing that I want to point out is that living on campus allows you to easily meet up with your fellow students.   If you are living at Passy, take advantage of your Passy Residence Fellows.  They are two upper year law students who are there to answer your questions, organize events, and generally provide you with support.  Do not hesitate to approach them with questions or ideas for events.   I met both of my current roommates at a pizza party the first week of law school.  Living on campus is a great opportunity to meet people who are not in your section or year of law school.  I found that I developed strong friendships with people in other sections because it was easy to meet up, even when our schedules were quite different.  I also met upper year students who provided advice about classes and life in law school generally.  

I definitely recommend trying to get to know some upper year students, whether through the formal mentorship program or through informal channels.  Upper year students tend to be a little more relaxed about school and can provide assurance and guidance if you need it.

Law school can be very stressful at times.  It is important to build supportive relationships with people in your section so that you can depend on someone to take notes for you when you are sick or away and to have someone with whom you can take up practice exams.   It is also important to have people in your life that understand the stress that you are experiencing and who can relate when school gets tough.   

Occasionally, living on campus can be boring.  There isn’t exactly nightlife at York and you have to make the best of it at times.    I am only half joking when I suggest to make friends with someone who has cable.   I am also only half joking when I suggest to make friends with someone who has a car.  Another benefit to making friends with people who live at Passy is that you have more people to split the $40.00 cab ride home from downtown on Osgoode pub nights. 

I have met some of my best friends from living in residence at Passy and although I’m sure that isn’t the case for everyone, I think that the experience will be what you make of it.  Have a positive attitude and reach out to your neighbours in the first few weeks of school and I guarantee that you will have a great time living on campus. 

Proximity

The greatest advantage to living on campus (and the reason that most of us do it) is the proximity to school. The downside is that you are far away from downtown Toronto, and getting to events clubs and L&L hosts downtown will be a challenge, as the TTC stops running at 1:30AM. However, leaving events early or crashing a friend's place downtown are always options!

The (non-existent) Commute

What I miss most about living on campus is sleeping later on days when I have 8:30 class.  As someone who now commutes about an hour to school, getting up to be ready to leave at 7:30 AM is BRUTAL.  In first year, I was able to sleep much later and still get to class on time.   During your first year at Osgoode, you can’t make your own schedule.  Being three minutes away from class makes life a lot easier.  It is also worthwhile to take advantage of the proximity by coming home during extended breaks between classes.  I have a friend who would use the time to nap and make a hot lunch...looking back, something that I wish I had done more often.

Libraries

If you go onto the Osgoode library website you can easily sign in and book study rooms in advance.  This is great for group study sessions.  You can sign in here: http://rooms.library.osgoode.yorku.ca/day.php?year=2012&month=07&day=22&area=1&room=7 .

If you get sick of the Osgoode library and building, check out other libraries at York.  The Schulich business school has a nice library, and the undergraduate arts and social science library, called Scott Library, is very close to Osgoode.   During the exam periods, Scott Library is usually open 24 hours during the week and for extended hours on weekends.  There is plenty of study space so when you are cramming for your first year exams there is always somewhere to go. 

Beware the Bubble

As much as I am a proponent of living on or close to campus during your first year, GET OFF CAMPUS SOMETIMES.   It is pretty easy to get off campus – take the 196 ROCKET to Downsview subway station, you can catch it at the York Lanes bus loop or at the Pond Road and Sentinel - and go enjoy all that Toronto has to offer.  I know I sound super cheesy but I mean it.  We all need to take breaks sometimes.  There is so much to do in Toronto – whether it’s taking in a Leafs game, going to a concert or the Art Gallery of Ontario, shopping, or just going to restaurants for something different.  Get out.  You deserve it.  The pub nights hosted by Osgoode are fun.  There are also other great nightlife options if that interests you.  Many of the clubs and organizations at Osgoode host off-campus events.  If there is something that interests you in particular, speak up – there will likely be people who share your interest. 

Other Stuff

York Lanes boasts a number of office supplies/general stores that would provide whatever you might need during the year for school.  There is a printing place located in York Lanes which is cheaper than printing at school if you are printing large numbers of pages at a time.  During exams when you want to print your notes and class summaries, this is a good place to check out.  They can also bind your materials for you.  Keep in mind that prices on campus are always a little higher than what you could probably get somewhere else. 

The Gym

The gym of choice for most Osgoode students is Tait McKenzie.   You will have to fork out about $15.00 for a shoe tag if you want to use the equipment or attend classes and then expect a fee for a locker.  If you want a locker, be sure to go in the first week to pay for it.   They go very quickly.  If you are like me, and really only intend to use the facility for lane swim at the pool, you do not have to buy a shoe tag.  A warning: Tait McKenzie is a busy gym and you will likely have to book popular equipment ahead of time.   

York University has free ice time for students.  I am a figure skater and was psyched to find that there is ice booked at the Canlan Ice Centre starting in October.  The arena is quite close to Passy.  There are various intramural teams at Osgoode so if you are inclined, join up or start your own!  Osgoode has a hockey team, so those of you interested should be packing your hockey bag to bring along with you to law school.

Safety

I will be honest here – it is not smart to be outside alone at night.  It’s not that anything particularly bad happens often, or that any law students have been directly affected, it’s just that it is prudent to be careful.  I did not find this to be a big deal because I rarely ever had to walk home alone late.  I was usually out with other friends also returning to Passy, or getting dropped off in front of my building.   The issue that was the most concerning when I lived on campus was theft.   Lock your door, do not let strangers into the building, do not walk alone late at night and put the York security phone number on your cell.  Using some common sense will ensure that no one has any problems on campus next year.   These pointers also apply to people who live off campus but may happen to be on campus late at night.  

Getting Off-Campus

Commuting downtown can be a pain if you hate public transit.  I recommend taking the 196 Rocket to Downsview subway station and then going from there.  You can also that the 196B bus to the Sheppard subway station.  It will take about an hour in good traffic to get to the downtown core.   It is not worth getting a metro pass unless you are traveling on the TTC more than 8 times a week.   Keep some tokens in your wallet so that you have the option.  It’s more cost-effective to buy 10 at a time.  You can buy tokens on campus at Ink Blotz, an office supplies store and post office in York Lanes, the on-campus mall. 

The TTC stops running between midnight and 2:00AM most nights.  Be prepared to cab it home if you happen to miss the last subway.  It will likely cost you in the $40.00 range to get back. 

Groceries

Getting groceries is something that I found to be a bit annoying.  There is a PC Supercentre where you can buy groceries that can be reached by taking a TTC bus from York Lanes.  I found this to be very time-consuming and difficult because you have to haul your groceries back on the bus [see my note above re: befriending someone with a car].   There are grocery stores that are closer to campus but they are not as well stocked and there is still the issue of hauling stuff back to campus.   My strategy for groceries was to purchase non-perishable food and drinks whenever I had the chance to use a vehicle or to get a ride with someone.  As a result, I was a little more careful with meal planning and would use Grocery Gateway, a company that delivers groceries to your apartment. I was able to purchase fruit, vegetables and other perishable products every couple of weeks.  I would sometimes coordinate with a friend at Passy so that we would order at the same time and split the delivery fee.   The groceries are likely a little more expensive to have delivered but the time and hassle saved was worth it to me, particularly around exams.   If you are desperate, there is a convenience store in York Lanes, the on-campus mall, which carries over-priced goods that can help in a pinch.

Where to Eat

In terms of variety, York Lanes is a good starting place.  At the on-campus community centre/mall you can find the usual suspects:  Subway, Wendy’s, Jimmy the Greek, and then Italian, Chinese and Indian fast food.  You can also find Zteca (burritos) and La Prep (sandwiches/soup).  One of my favourite places to eat on campus is the Grad Lounge.  It is located close to Osgoode, in the Ross Building on the first floor.  It has good burgers and is licensed so you can go for a pint after class.  When the weather is good, sit out on their patio. 

For the Tim Hortons die-hards there is a proper one with their full menu in the William Small Centre.  The one in Central Square, while close to Osgoode and Scott Library, has drinks and muffins but no bagels or soup.   There is a Starbucks on campus in the Centre for Film and Theatre.  It’s a bit of a hike to make it between classes, but is completely do-able.

Last but not least I want to mention the Osgoode Bistro.  In the school, at the end of Gowlings Hall and across from the Junior Common Room there is a small Bistro/cafeteria.  The coffee is comparable in price to Tim Hortons and there is tea available.  There is a variety of snacks, drinks, prepared sandwiches and salads and other hot meal options over lunch.  The Bistro is great for grabbing a coffee during breaks in class (like that 8:30 class that you were late for) and for meeting up with people over lunch.  It is very convenient in the winter because you do not have to stray out to the rest of York University to find sustenance.  The Bistro extends its hours over exams.  I am a fan because it carries Coca-Cola products while our vending machines only carry Pepsi products. 

Proximity (or lack thereof)

The big advantage to living off-campus is the fact that you get live in interesting city neighbourhoods and that you are close to the hundreds of restaurants and activities city life has to offer. That being said, living off campus does have the downside of commuting. Commuting can be a frustrating sometimes, especially when you have class 5 days a week and some early mornings.  As well, the length of the commute can often be unpredictable due to rush hour traffic or construction (there is going to be a lot around York this year, by the way). 

In general, don’t be upset if you are ever late for transit reasons.  Professors will usually understand.  At this stage, I want to underscore the importance of getting to know people in your section.  If you have a few people who you can trust to take notes for you should anything hinder you from showing up on time, you will be able to relax a lot more when the passenger alarm goes off on the subway or you get stuck behind a traffic accident.  When you are expected to be at school early for an event, exam, or otherwise, be sure to give yourself extra time when commuting. Unforeseeable delays can often occur, especially with the TTC.

My other piece of advice is to make your commute useful to you.  I don’t like to try to do readings or work on the subway, but I know that many people can use this time effectively.  I prefer to use the commute as a chance to take a break and chat with my friends or listen to music.   I usually find that when I get home I’m in a good mood and am prepared to sit down to study more if it’s necessary.  Do what you like and try not to let your commute ever contribute to your stress. 

Meeting People

My theory is that law school will be what you make of it.  When it comes to meeting people when you live off campus you might have to take a little extra step of figuring out who lives near you or who might share part of the route that you are commuting.  For example, I live near the St. Clair West subway station downtown.  There are many Osgoode students who live in my neighbourhood and who I see on a regular basis outside of school.  We often meet up to commute to school in the morning, and we commute home together after class.   During the first couple of weeks of school, make a point of asking around to see who might be in your neighbourhood.   I think that commuting with others makes it a lot more fun – I wouldn’t be doing work on transit anyway so getting in some social time while getting home is nice.  It’s also good to know who is around if you want to organize group study sessions or pick a group for completing a project or assignment. 

For people who are driving a distance to campus this aspect is tough.  My advice is to make a point of using your time at school well.  There are always events going on and there are clubs for everyone.  A lot happens at school during the week.  In addition, there are weekly events in the Junior Common Room (JCR) at Osgoode.  The JCR opens up before 6:00pm.   A lot of clubs typically hold events downtown, which aren’t as accessible to people who depend on being able to commute via the GO system, VIVA/YRT transit, or who have a long drive home from campus.  My advice is to take advantage of the events that go on at the school.   Don’t immediately run home at the end of every class. 

Remember that for every student in first year who is living on campus, there are approximately two students in first year who are not.  In upper years, most people move away from Passy residences and into other areas.  Do not feel that because you do not live on campus you are out of the loop or are not getting the full law school experience.  It is possible that being as involved as people living on campus just may require a little more active effort on your part. 

I recommend getting a locker at Osgoode so that you can feel comfortable coming and going without having to carry a lot if you plan to partake in an event and don’t want to drag your bag around.  This also saves you from hauling big textbooks in your bag on days when you have multiple classes.  For those of you who missed out on getting lockers at Tait McKenzie early in the school year, this is an alternative way to ensure that you can leave your gym clothes on campus.