Xine Xu hails from Edmonton, Alberta. But before settling in, she lived in Shanghai for the first 7 years of her life. That’s where she grew up and got her taste of the vibrant food culture. Since moving to Edmonton, she has fallen in love with international cuisine. If there’s a new restaurant in town, she would be the first to line up outside the door. At home, you can find her experimenting with recipes around the world. She hopes to share these experiences with all who care to listen.
In her spare time, Xin cares for 6 rescue budgies. Many of which she found stranded in parks or her backyard. On weekends, she drives out to Banff or Jasper where she can be found hiking new trails. She’s thankful Athabasca University has allowed her to work full-time as a researcher while taking courses that interest her such as abnormal psychology.
Valentine’s Day for many this year may be entirely different from years prior. With many countries and local areas still following public health restrictions for the COVID-19 pandemic, getting together for a romantic restaurant date may not be possible. So what are some other activities that couples can enjoy this year instead of the traditional… Read more »
Currently I’m completing an internship in the town of Barrhead, Alberta. The town has a population of approximately 4,000 and is located about an hour away from the nearest urban centre, Edmonton. In my first weeks in the town I’ve learned a lot about the people and the local businesses and activities that have opened… Read more »
It’s hard for many to believe that it has been nearly an entire year since the start of the global pandemic. On the top of many people’s minds when the clock struck midnight on New Years’ Eve is whether this year will be as bleak as the last. The combination of social distancing measures and… Read more »
Musical hobbies: Having taken piano lessons at a young age, I’ve always been a fan of self-expression at the piano. It was a chance to be distanced from the bustle of everyday life and connect with myself. I found that even at the most anxious and stressful moments, I have always found solace in playing… Read more »
As the year draws to a close, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the lessons we learned from the year. While it has been a tumultuous year, there are many takeaways that have been valuable for my personal growth. For many AU students who have experienced varied degrees of emotional upheaval during… Read more »
One of the challenges since the start of the pandemic in March was still maintaining some semblance of a normal social life while being socially distanced. While some of the public health regulations have transitioned from fairly strict to moderately strict and now back to full lock-down for wave two of the pandemic, many of… Read more »
I recently had a craving for crepes and borrowed a crepe marker from my parents. Little did I know that it would be one of the handiest and space-conserving kitchen appliances I’ve used. If you’re a fan of changing up your dinner or breakfast routines, crepes are an excellent way to bring flavor to your… Read more »
After abstaining from adding to my kitchen appliance collection, I caved when I saw a favorite air fryer brand on sale for pre-Black Friday shopping. While I’d heard excellent reviews about air friers, I was a little skeptical about the idea myself. I’ve always pan-fried most of my recipes, with the occasional deep-frying to satisfy… Read more »
For students learning to complete presentations online, interviewing for a job, or even starting projects such as a vlog or webinar series, strategies for engaging your virtual audience is a key skill that many of us have started learning since the start of the pandemic. When most of our activities are being completed through online… Read more »
Ever since work has moved to the home setting, many employees and students have made drastic changes to their home setup to improve their home-office experience. I’ve had times this summer where sitting in front of a screen for hours at a time has changed my posture, reduced my energy levels and left parts of… Read more »