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The perfect little black dress

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Raf Simons (creative director for Christian Dior) showed his first RTW collection for Spring 2013! You can definitely notice the mingle between classic Dior cuts and today’s leading trends. Stunning! The first dress is my favourite – it shows the right amount of skin, and judging by the blowy skirt and loose sleeves, it seems super comfortable to wear. Stylish and comfortable? Perrrrrrrfect.

A lot of BUZZ for McQueen’s Spring 2013 RTW

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Seriously. Sarah Burton is the queen bee.

I had to take a second look. Thought the black “honeycomb” inspired  knee-high’s were some form of hosiery. Wrong. They are boots. Mind blown? Mine was.

THOSE GOLD SHORTS! OH MY GOODNESS! WANT!

Classic McQueen clutch. Perfect.

Wonderful little (or large) beehive number!

Not sure if the skirts are necessarily RTW, but gosh darn it they are amazing! Also, what did I think the showstopper was? The chunky necklaces. They completed all the outfits perfectly throughout the collection.

My first intramural game on a men’s hockey team

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There are four men’s hockey teams here at UTSC:
  • Tri-Campus (very competitive contact hockey)
  • B-Team (very competitive non-contact hockey)
  • C-Team (competitive non-contact hockey)
  • R-Team (competitive non-contact hockey)
As mentioned in my last post (Tryout hangover), I made the B-team! YAY! I was so proud of myself to be able to compete and keep up with the men’s team, that I had a constant smile on my face for at least two days.
Growing up with brothers and playing competitive hockey all my life, I’ve never been the “puck bunny” type. I’d rather strap on the skates and compete with the guys, rather than drool over their missing teeth and wild helmet hair in the stands. As a result, I looked forward to playing my first game with the new team. I felt confident in myself that I’d be able to keep up, rather than make a fool of myself and get benched.
On Saturday (game day) I was calm and composed……until I entered the arena.
It was then I saw a glimpse of the other team. They had guys triple the size of me. I started to doubt myself quietly in the change room. Will I be able to keep up? Will I be laughed at? Will I fit in with the team? These questions started racing through my head.
Being a female player on a male hockey team isn’t always easy. Even though I’ve had success playing in mens leagues, I’ve had my share of inappropriate comments off and on the ice by other male players. I’ve heard it all.
“Girl’s can’t play hockey!” “You’re just a pylon!” “Is she a joke?” “Figure skating’s the next arena over!””Don’t pass to her!”
I usually block those comments out and play my game, but they all came rushing back as I stepped onto the ice to warm up. I’ve never felt so nervous.
When the game started, I got into my groove. My defence partner was amazing and we worked incredibly well together. I started to notice that shift after shift, I was improving. I was just as fast, my shots were just as hard, and my passes were just as accurate.
We were leading 1-0 at the end of the first period.
At the start of the second, I received the puck at the blue line and took a slap shot right at the goalie. To my surprise – it reflected off the other team and WENT IN! I couldn’t believe it! I scored a goal! All my teammates and coaches were super supportive and congratulated me. I didn’t feel like a girl on the ice, I was one of the guys and they treated me as such.
The game ended with a 2-0 win for us. All the doubts and nerves I was thinking of beforehand seemed to have enticed me to work harder and prove that a girl can be just as good as any guy on the ice. Myself and two other amazing girls on the team seem to prove this theory well.
Our next game is against UTM on Oct. 11 at 9 p.m. – Varsity Arena.
If you’re a female athlete, do you have a similar experience? How do you deal with hurtful comments? If you’re a male athlete, what are your thoughts of girls playing on your team? Comment below or tweet me @Jessica_Moy!

Tryout hangover

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This morning I felt like a zombie. Forced myself out of bed, gulped back two bottles of water from constant dehydration and regretted all I’d done the night before.

The tryout hangover. I know it well.

Push-ups, crunches, laps, scrimmages, sprints — It’s been a crazy couple weeks. Even though my body is feeling the aches and pains, I can proudly say I tried out for FOUR different sports teams this semester at UTSC. Am I crazy? Um. Yes.

I’m only taking three courses this semester, so I do have a bit more time to dedicate to athletics.

The teams I tried out for were girls soccer, hockey, flag football, and boys hockey (yeah, I’m surprised too).

Soccer tryout

I’ve been on the girls soccer team for the past three years, so I felt extremely comfortable being at tryouts and already knowing the coaches and past teammates. I was surprised to learn there will not be a girls B team this semester (usually there’s an A and B team), and I can tell it bothered a few players. One girl even started a petition to get the B team back, but unfortunately, it didn’t go through. I was also surprised at the amount of players who showed up. At least 50 girls pulled up their socks, tied their cleats, and competed for a spot on the team. I’ve never seen so many players at a tryout, it was awesome!

Tryouts are now over and the team has been made. I made the team (yay) and we already won our first game! 🙂

Flag football tryout

What’s a fourth down? Don’t ask me, I have no idea. So, why did I tryout for flag football? I wanted to try something new this year, and I thought this sport would be perfect. I learned quickly that you can be an amazing athlete, but in football, if you don’t know strategy or football logic, you won’t go far. At tryouts I was pretty good at throwing and catching the ball, but it was the plays and cuts that threw me off.

Actual conversation.

Coach: Jess, you’re going to run a hook.
Jess: A what?
Coach: A hook.
Jess: What’s that? Do I run far?
Coach: You run and cut at a 45 degree angle.
Jess: Cut where? At what angle?
Coach: You basically run straight and turn right.

Embarrassing.

For the sake of my dignity, I didn’t attend the last tryout. It wasn’t a sport I could see myself enjoying, but you can’t blame me for trying!

Hockey tryout

Hockey is my safe place. I feel at home on the ice. Being on the team for the past two years, tryouts didn’t even feel like work, it actually relaxed me. I have so much fun on the team and all the girls and coaches are great! The only frustrating part is we don’t have a goalie…

If you, or someone you know, is a hockey goalie and is a girl who attends UTSC – WE NEED YOU!

Boys hockey tryouts is a WHOLE different story. I have a lot to say when it comes to being a girl playing with guys on the ice. I did make the team, but I will save this discussion for my next post.

Until then, if you have any questions about any intramural sports, comment below or tweet me @Jessica_Moy and I’ll try my best to answer! 🙂

At UTSC, we are spoiled when it comes to athletics. Intramural sports are FREE to join, not to mention jerseys, water bottles, practice time, transportation are FREE as well. So don’t be shy, it’s never too early or too late to get involved!

http://utscpulse.blogspot.ca/2012/09/tryout-hangover.html

Pulse: UTSC students support Varsity Blues Football

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Hey everyone!

First off, welcome back to another fantastic school year! Whether you’ve entered your first year (little rookies) or fifty-sixth year (oldtimers, like myself) I hope your first week went swimmingly.

For those of you who are new to UTSC Pulse, my name is Jessica and I will be providing you with regular Tuesday posts regarding UTSC athletics and fitness! I’m not actually in my fifty-sixth year of undergrad (even though it feels like it), I’m a fifth-year journalism student and will be graduating this June (eeks)!

I have been an active athlete at our school, playing soccer and hockey, not to mention the odd belly-dancing and zumba class. My goal is to promote fresh and exciting news about UTSC sports, fitness programs, and events! The difference between me and a website or newspaper who will just “promote” is that I promise to participate in all I write about (example, my video last year of me attempting belly-dancing which you can watch by clicking: HERE).

The school year has only started a week ago, but I have already participated in an event the SCSU &SCAA have organized: U of T Varsity Blues Football Homecoming. On Saturday afternoon, the Varsity Blues Football team faced the University of Windsor Lancers at Varsity Centre.

UTSC students got all geared up in blue attire and face paint to cheer on the Blues at our home field!

Katie, Lily, Leah, and myself ready for the game to start!
It’s time for face paint!
Paige and her U of T gear!
Here comes the Blues!
One of the best parts of coming out to watch a U of T game? It’s FREE if you have a valid T-Card! If not, it’s only a general admission fee of $5. A great way to spend an afternoon with friends and meet other U of T students! 🙂
Let’s go boys!
Most of the Scarborough campus girls at the game! We were lucky to have amazing weather!
Kyle and I!
Want a more inside scoop on the team? Fourth year defensive back Kevin Kinahan writes blog posts about the team off and on the field. Even he admits it’s awesome to see Varsity Centre packed with Blues fan! You can read his posts by clicking: Kevin’s Critique
Cheering on the team!
Biggest fan? I’d say so.
We were clearly the loudest cheering section.
Chad starting the wave!
The game ended with a 55-4 loss to the Windsor Lancers. Even though it was a tough loss, all of us who came out to support our Blues had a great time!
The next home game for the Varsity Blues Football team is Oct. 6 at 1:00 p.m. against the University of Ottawa! Enhance your university experience by coming to at least ONE game this year. Even if you don’t like sports or don’t know what’s going on, it’s still a great time to dress in blue and scream at the top of your lungs!
If you guys have any blog ideas or fitness classes you want me to try, let me know in the comments below or tweet me at @Jessica_Moy! See you guys next week!

NARS Andy Warhol Pop Collection

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I know what I’m going to put on my christmas list!

If you can’t afford the original Warhol artwork (which can go for $2,000,000), then you can take home the masterpiece that is the newest collection by NARS! How adorable are all these colours?!

The eyeshadow palettes are just so pretty, I don’t know if I’d ever want to use them!


Part of The Pop Art Line – Debbie Harry cheek and eye palette – $65

Kiss Mini Larger Than Life Lip Gloss Coffret – $55 for all of them together

Andy Warhol x NARS Holiday Polish Set – $18 each

I want the nail polish from the collection the most! The dark forest green in the middle is a beauty! What do you guys think? It’s a little pricey (but…have you seen these colours?). Is is justifiable since the collection is only a limited time only? Let me know in the comments below! 🙂

XO

Jessica

Make a radical change in your lifestyle…

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“Make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservation, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. If you want to get more out of life, you must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty.”

– Jon Krakauer

So you’ve had a bad day

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We all have our bad days.

Right?

The days where nothing goes right, no one seems to be nice to you, you’re sad, you’re mad, not motivated and you just want to lock yourself in your room, eat Nutella covered double chocolate chip cookies and call it a night.

I’ve been feeling this way all week.

The first week of school was the worst.

From now until January, I know I’m going to be in a permanent state of stress. This anxiety. This sickness in my stomach that I’m not where I’m supposed to be. I walk through the hallway of my school and it doesn’t feel right. I feel foreign.

I sit in the classroom and have this intuitive voice saying, “you don’t belong here…”

It makes me upset. It makes me question myself. It makes me uncomfortable, restless, worried – pretty much anything but happy. Most of this unhappiness comes from having to pay thousands out of my own pocket to attend these classes I don’t particularly like going to. Don’t get me wrong, I truly do love school. But this year, it’s different. I can’t concentrate.

Maybe it’s a phase? Perhaps it’s normal for a fifth-year undergrad to have these feelings?

I see my friends landing jobs, traveling, or having some sort of plan for the future.

I’m envious.

Let’s hope by the end of the month, this anxiety will go from being the worst feeling in the entire world to a semi-worst feeling in the entire world.

Here’s hoping…..

If you feel this way or have any advice, leave a comment below or tweet me @Jessica_Moy. Or if you want to tell me a joke to cheer me up, those will always be welcomed.

Until then, Sing it Powter…