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.
Often when it comes to scheduling our day, we block off chunks of time for allotted activities, we jot down to-do lists of items, and we’re lucky if we get to half the items on the list. Is our time management fundamentally flawed? What can we do to be more productive and feel less mentally… Read more »
Being a career-centered workaholic, I’ve always been enthused by the idea of networking (strange I know!). However, networking gone wrong can create feelings of anxiety and repulsion toward ever going back to having a semi-formal networking conversation again. I’ve been there. I’ve felt the same discomfort sitting in a conversation where I was ill-prepared to… Read more »
For AU students who regularly leave the home for part-time work, groceries, or other commitments, masks are now an essential part of life outside the home. Sometimes continuous masking is required in public locations and must be worn for many hours at a time. For those who do this regularly, you’re familiar with the skin… Read more »
Ever since moving to a new Airbnb for an internship opportunity, I’ve been dreading the process of cooking and packing. During lockdown I was able to cook at my own pace, however, since having to work from the office, I’ve found that a new challenge of managing my meals has taken a toll on my… Read more »
Personal finances can be a tricky subject. For AU students taking on student loans, juggling multiple jobs, and supporting dependents, money can be a topic that induces anxiety and stress. Moreover, with the global financial downturn and pandemic predicament, many have struggled to make ends meet in the past few months. As a student I… Read more »
One of the most challenging parts of working from home—or studying from home—is the challenge of staying motivated. Ever since the start of the quarantine, much of the separation between work, school and personal life has blurred. My workstation is also the same location as my entertainment centre where I binge watch Netflix or complete… Read more »
Wontons are a delicious staple in Southern China where a bowl of Wonton soup could be found in street food markets. I remember growing up with my grandma who always made wontons on weekend afternoons and asked the younger children in the household to help out. Making wontons was a communal activity in our family,… Read more »
After looking for many months for a rescue dog, I finally received a phone call from a lady who was planning on letting her one-year-old husky go. I was ecstatic and drove all the way across the province to pick my new companion up. The first week has been an incredibly exhausting, rejuvenating, and blissful… 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 »
One of the most versatile yet underutilized items in the kitchen is the ice cream scooper. As someone who has consumed less than four litres of ice cream a year, I never knew what to do with my ice cream scooper at home. The few times in the year where I would use this niche… Read more »