
When I started university, I thought I had chosen a major. Like most students, I imagined the next few years as a clear path toward a career; classes, internships, graduation, and then some version of โreal life.โ What I didnโt realize was that alongside whatever degree I picked, I was also quietly signing up for something else: an introduction to adulthood that no one formally explains. University is often described as preparation for the future, but a lot of what you learn has very little to do with lectures or assignments. Instead, it shows up in smaller, less noticeable ways; learning how to manage your time when no one is checking on you, figuring out how to make decisions on your own, and trying to build a life that feels stable even when everything still feels temporary. One of the first places this becomes obvious is when you start thinking about internships and the future. Thereโs a point where conversations with friends start including words like โexperience,โ โapplications,โ and โnext steps.โ You refresh your email

The first real winter I experienced in Canada felt less like a season and more like a character assessment – one I definitely did not sign up for. Nobody warns you that the cold in Waterloo doesnโt just โhit differentโ; it hits through your jacket, your jeans, your ambitions, and sometimes your will to live. But after a few years of slipping on black ice, missing buses because Google Maps lied, and slowly learning the exact art of layering without looking like a walking laundry basket, I have finally gathered enough wisdom to share. Consider this a winter guide made by someone whoโs actually draggedthemselves across an icy campus at 8 a.m., not the Pinterest version of winter. Mastering winter starts with accepting that warmth will always beat aesthetics. My ๏ฌrst-year self-thought she could survive with a cute jacket from Zara. She could not. Eventually, I learned that real winter requires layers; the kind you never see in TikTokโs. A good hoodie is the emotional support system;and a bulky puffer jacket, even if it makes you look like youโre smuggling ๏ฌve sweaters underneath, is the only thing that stands between you and becomes a frozen campus statue. Walking to class becomes a daily battle of should I, or I shouldnโt I? Some days, the cold is

The first few months of university are one of the stressful times for students. Whether itโs getting back into routine, joining clubs, meeting new

When people hear the term โIndian classical dance,โ they imagine the vibrant spectacle of Bollywood. Yet, beneath the cinematic ๏ฌair is a centuries-old tradition.

This summer, I mastered the art of doing nothing, and somehow, it became everything I needed. Between a busy internship and the pressure of

Moving to Canada was supposed to be my main-character moment โ new city, new adventures and maybe even some aesthetic cafรฉ-hopping. Instead, I found


Serving the Waterloo campus, The Cord seeks to provide students with relevant, up to date stories. Weโre always interested in having more volunteer writers, photographers and graphic designers.