I wonder what pop-up there is at Union Station today?
There are some things about living in Toronto that you eventually stop questioning.
You just accept that the lines forming from one end of Eaton Centre to the other must be for a snack somewhere. That Line 2 will choose the exact moment you’re running late to stop cooperating. That the TTC bus you’ve been waiting for will somehow pass you while you’re standing directly at the stop (while making direct eye contact with you). And that if you’re taking the GO train to Long Branch, you may have to question whether the coach doors have decided to open today or if you followed the directions completely wrong.
This is Toronto culture.
It’s not always the big events, famous landmarks or postcard moments. Sometimes, it’s the oddly specific experiences that happen so often they become part of your daily routine.
Toronto commute experience
Yeah, that 20-minute walk is, in fact, an hour-long TTC ride. Your map isn’t glitching.
The bus is going to be 3 minutes early, and the train you are on is delayed by 5 minutes. The next bus is not for another 47 minutes.
Tie your shoelaces, we are gonna run for it.
Did we get this angle of the CN tower yet?
The CN Tower is basically a member of the family. You can be downtown for five minutes and somehow end up taking another picture of the CN Tower, just with the sunlight hitting it differently.
From the waterfront? Picture.
From campus? Picture.
A vague, blurry skyline visible from miles away…? Picture.
You could have 47 photos of the same tower in your camera roll, but the 48th one has better lighting.
Toronto’s skyline is one of those things you never really get tired of seeing, even if your camera roll suggests “storage full”.
Learning a new language on the go
Ever sat in a transit and learnt the newest, never-before-invented, cutting-edge, and most innovative words ever?
No, it’s not the new iPhone, it’s slang that will take you months to understand the meaning of. And don’t even try, because once you figure it out, there’s a new word floating in the conversations instead.
…I still don’t know what two-twos means…
Toronto wildlife has entered the chat
Toronto is also home to a surprisingly diverse group of roommates.
Geese who act like they own the sidewalk. Raccoons and their whole family appear as if they have somewhere important to be for their family trip. Squirrels who have mastered the art of stealing snacks and infiltrating my sister’s garden. Ducks and swans casually going about their day. Chipmunks dart across your path like they’re late for a meeting while you are trying to figure out which chipmunk from Alvin and the Chipmunks it looks most like (I call Theodore).
And, of course, the occasional skunk reminding everyone to respect personal space.
Toronto’s wildlife deserves its own transit pass.
Toronto culture
One beautiful thing about Toronto is its identity, whether that’s through its culture, commute, wildlife or the words on the street— nothing can replicate the personality this city has to offer.
You could spend time in a whole other country, and a single Tim’s coffee cup can immediately bring you back to the feel of Toronto.
Similarly, we all have our own individual identities, so irreplaceable and beautiful that they are unique in their own way.
Show off your identity by taking the IGNITE Survey and get a chance to win $1,000 this month!
You heard that right! That is 303 Original Iced Capps at Tim Hortons.
So what are you waiting for? Take the survey. What would you spend $1000 on?
Feature photo by Zia Syed on Unsplash
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