Home / Andrea Yu – Toronto Freelance Writer

TheStar.com • 9th July 2020

COVID-19 poses separate challenges for deaf community

“There’s a lot of touching of the face when signing,” says Thinaja Nadarajah, who is deaf. “We often communicate by touch, like tapping on the shoulder to get someone’s attention.”

The Globe and Mail • 8th July 2020

This artsy 61-year-old IT specialist isn’t ready to retire. How can he bridge a hobby with experience?

After working in IT and telecoms for 25 years, Fred was made redundant from his last role when the company downsized two years ago.

Toronto Life • 7th July 2020

“We got married then went inside for pizza”: How a couple with three kids tied the knot on their front porch

Christeena and Gabriel met when she was 19 and he was 20. Ten years and three kids later, they were finally ready to tie the knot—and then Covid hit.

The Globe and Mail • 30th June 2020

Work-from-home office setup stipends are on the rise as remote working continues

When Winona So began working from home, she discovered the shortcomings of her home office. The wireless internet connection wasn’t strong enough and her chair wasn't ergonomically built.

Toronto Life • 25th June 2020

"I had people offering to buy four extra tickets to get the flight off the ground"

When Nikole Poirier discovered repatriation flights from the Cayman Islands to Toronto would not allow animals on board, she organized a private charter flight to bring Canadians and their pets back home.

The Globe and Mail • 24th June 2020

Resume review: With summer already underway, does this journalism student have hope for finding an internship?

“Trying to navigate the internship space during COVID-19 has been tough and it’s late into the summer term, so there are fewer student jobs now."

TheStar.com • 19th June 2020

Staying engaged with a parent during isolation just takes a little creativity

Every Sunday, Carolina Ayala visits her senior mother Alicia and adds videos to her YouTube playlist to keep Alicia occupied and engaged while at home.

Toronto Life • 17th June 2020

"We have an extra staff member just to disinfect the toys and blankets": What it's like to run a Toronto child-care centre during Covid

Denise Shepherd is a registered early childhood educator who has been working with the YMCA of Greater Toronto for 13 years.

The Globe and Mail • 17th June 2020

Resume review: Recent business and HR grad looks for work after an early end to contract

Just three months into a one-year contract, Alisha, 24, was laid off from her role as an HR coordinator for a major hardware manufacturing company in Toronto in early May.

TheStar.com • 14th June 2020

Why you need to take a break — and what to do on a pandemic staycation

Trisha Enriquez cancelled her family's annual trip to the Caribbean. But they found a creative way to spend time off. “We created a beach resort in our master bedroom,” Enriquez explains. “We had beach towels out and we made tropical drinks."

Toronto Life • 10th June 2020

"When you're Black, you're at greater risk of everything that sucks": FoodShare's Paul Taylor on the links between race and food insecurity

Paul Taylor shares his experiences growing up in poverty and how he's dismantling systems causing food insecurity.

The Globe and Mail • 9th June 2020

Remote working has increased hours but reduced productivity

The forced shift to teleworking amid COVID-19 has been a success for many businesses. But maintaining business as usual is taking more time than we realize.

Toronto Life • 8th June 2020

"Being on Netflix would be a dream": Kelsey MacDermaid and Becky Wright produce epic renovation shows for YouTube

"We were earning enough through YouTube for both of us to make a living so we quit our jobs and incorporated as a business."

TheStar.com • 3rd June 2020

Toronto tea purveyors help home brewers up their game in isolation

Was a box of tea on your pandemic shopping list? Nielsen Canada data pulled from grocers and major retailers show that tea sales are up by 37 per cent across the country.

TheStar.com • 2nd June 2020

Virtual chef’s tables help Toronto restaurants connect with diners

Toronto chefs are experimenting with virtual dining to keep customers engaged while their restaurants are closed to dine-in guests.

Toronto Life • 28th May 2020

“I got a million new subscribers in April”: How Maddie Lymburner became YouTube’s premier pandemic fitness guru

Suddenly, gyms were closing, people were working out at home and my business was exploding. Starting in mid-March, my viewers increased exponentially.

TheStar.com • 28th May 2020

Toronto fitness experts demonstrate household hacks for your workout

If you’re exercising at home with limited equipment, look around you for household items that can amp up your workout.

CAA Magazine • 28th May 2020

5 Helpful Tips for Grocery Shopping in GTA

Stocking up our fridges and pantries isn’t as simple as it used to be. Here are five ideas for tackling your grocery list with a little more ease.

The Globe and Mail • 26th May 2020

Health concerns and teleworking could change office design permanently

“When there was a bug that entered into the office, it just seemed to pervade and go around,” Justin Thouin of LowestRates.ca recalls. “It was an endless loop of people getting sick.”

Toronto Life • 25th May 2020

"My hair tutorial went viral overnight": How 16-year-old Destinee Wray gets millions of people to watch her TikTok videos

"When I was growing up, I didn’t see any influences in pop culture with curly hair, so I wanted to put out social media content that would inspire other girls."