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Category: Advice

  • Last Minute Summer Jobs

    Last Minute Summer Jobs

    Ah, the blessed time of year when every student scrambles to find a job for the summer. McDonald’s, Walmart, Shoppers Drug Mart, and that little burrito place down the street all seem to be hiring. And you send in a resume with a copy letter about why retail is your life and hope for an interview. But one doesn’t come.

    In January I decided to quit the job I had for six years at Rexall. I figured that I would have more time to focus on school and I would have months until the summer rush hit to find another job. But, after applying to over 170 places in one month, I was still unemployed.

    Now, I know what you’re thinking. Applying to a place like McDonald’s or a clothing store will be your best bet. Yeah, not so much. Why? Because about 200 other applicants had the same idea and chances are the opportunity went to them.

    The good news is that despite the soul-crushing pain of not being able to afford basic things like food, there is a grace in internships and job-hunting. One of the biggest things I’ve noticed is that there are a ton of places people don’t think to go to because they either figure it’s a lost cause or that they’re not hiring. Just because you don’t see a huge billboard outside their office doesn’t mean they’re not looking for people.

    It takes a little more than going on indeed.ca to find a job nowadays. In order to score a job somewhere you need to assert yourself; getting the job you want, or any job in the summer, takes a little finesse and dedication.

    One of the biggest things I think students need to hear for job application is to go out and look for it. They’re probably hiring and the only way you’re going to know is if you ask. Go in person if they’re close or visit individual websites for job opportunities.

    Follow up with your interviewers. Tell them that it was nice speaking with them and you hope to hear from them soon. Send them good thoughts even if you don’t get it. Make them remember you and show them that you’re not just another student looking for a temporary job. If you only send a resume via email without any references or cover letters, you fall into the crowd.

    A few good resources to check out for summer jobs, especially for students are listed below. Remember to make yourself stand out and give yourself some credit. You deserve that job!

    http://collegepro.com/students/get-a-summer-job/

    http://www.ago.net/jobs

    http://www.wow1day.com/jobs/

    http://work4students.ca/goc?gclid=CJbeqJnzvMUCFZaFaQodVAIACw

  • All Work and No Play? How to Balance Work with Fun

    All Work and No Play? How to Balance Work with Fun

    Student life can be super stressful, and don’t worry, we hear you. What, with the constant tests, study group sessions, and seemingly endless stream of readings and homework, it can be understandably difficult to find time for yourself.

    It’s important to do well in school, but it’s also important to take a little time off every once in a while. Doing something that you enjoy is a good way for your brain to relax in-between all the hard work it’s doing. If you go easier on yourself every once in a while, you can reduce your heightened stress levels (a clear consequence of working at maximum capacity all the time). Plus, a break from school is a nice reward for a job well done.

    Of course, just as school shouldn’t eliminate the possibility of fun from your life, constant fun shouldn’t replace the time you’re putting into your academics. Achieving a balance between work and play is a key part of being a good student.

    Here are some suggestions for how you can balance your academics with the time you should be taking for yourself.

    Book it. In the same way that you plan out your school assignments and due dates (at least, if you’re conscientious enough to do so), you can plan fun things for yourself, too. On your calendar, make a note of the things you’re going to do in-between your study sessions. You can take relatively short breaks to watch a movie, go out for a coffee, or read a few more chapters of that book you were working on. Stay true to your schedule and you won’t be wondering where your “me” time went.

    Make it work. If you’re cooped up with your books all day, figure out a way to at least make your studying more enjoyable. (Yes, it’s possible!) Working on an assignment you like will probably make you happier than studying something you couldn’t care less about—which is a good point to note for the future as well. If all else fails, make small changes to your work environment, like putting on a playlist of your favourite songs or studying (productively) in a group instead of on your own.

    Treat yourself. Of course it can be difficult to think about taking time for yourself when you’re cramming for a big test. A good strategy is to focus on your schoolwork first—get it all done and out of the way—but have something to look forward to after it’s done. Make sure to do something for yourself right after the test date, as a reward for all the hard work you did. That way, you can relax with the completed work off your shoulders.

  • Study Strategies: Tests and Exams

    Study Strategies: Tests and Exams

    Whether you’re going through university exams or are feeling the pressure of evaluations in high school, this is a stressful time of year for all students. If you want to do really well, no doubt you could use all the tips you can get.

    Here are three study strategies to keep in mind when preparing for tests and exams.

    Plan ahead. If you have a test coming up, make the most of your time leading up to it in order to figure out the best way to prepare. Use a calendar and assign yourself small tasks every few days (e.g. “summary notes for Chapter 1”, “review glossary”). This will ensure that the big, scary evaluation worth a chunk of your final grade doesn’t catch you off-guard; as a result, you’ll do better. This is also a good strategy with which to integrate planning tools you may already use (agendas, to-do lists, etc.).

    Tip: For those of you who tend to procrastinate, you can still make good use of this strategy by creating a “Crash Course” list of things to cover in the limited time you have. (That said, procrastination is definitely not a good study strategy, so in the future make sure you leave yourself enough time to study properly.)

    Reformulate. Studying straight out of the textbook will get you nowhere (except maybe remembering a couple of sentences word-for-word). Instead, make notes on the material and organize it in your own way. It’s a good idea to formulate lists of key concepts and important things you need to remember, based on (but not just copying) your full lectures and readings. Don’t be afraid to mix media, too: if you like to organize (or if you really need the help), make yourself a study package of raw notes, summaries, flash cards, and whatever else might come in handy.

    Tip: Tailor this strategy according to the type of evaluation, as well as the course being taught. For example, studying French parts of speech might make good use of those flashcards, but practice tests may be a better strategy if you’re writing an algebra test.

    Study in groups. Before you groan about the horrors of “group-work” assignments (in which one person—maybe even you—winds up doing all the work), consider the fact that group studying can positively influence your test performance. Discussing the material and applying it outside of the classroom will help you remember it better. Plus, study groups offer you an opportunity to help others who don’t know the material as well as you do, which is not just a nice thing to do—if you can teach what you’re doing to someone else, then you probably know what you’re talking about.

    Tip: Study groups can have low turnouts, so hold people accountable. Give everyone a task to perform prior to the session (e.g. to take notes on a specific chapter) and check in with them to make sure they’re still involved.

    With those strategies in your back pocket, hard work, and a little luck, you’re sure to ace your next evaluation!

  • The Road to Self-Acceptance

    The Road to Self-Acceptance

    How’s your self-esteem doing? If you’re like me, you tend to see the best in others—and the absolute worst in yourself. Self-acceptance can be a difficult concept to wrap your head around when you’re constantly beating yourself up for every little mistake. There’s good news, though; you aren’t alone by a long shot. By considering your lapses in self-acceptance, you might start to find that the people around you are in the exact same predicament.

    Maybe you’re hung up over your poor marks in Spanish, or you think you look “fat” today. Maybe you couldn’t run the ten-minute mile, or your shirt doesn’t match your shoes. Well, odds are – and it’s kind of funny if you think about it – the people around you probably won’t even notice. It’s not that people don’t care. But did you ever stop to wonder that you aren’t the only one who’s preoccupied with your own flaws? Just as you can’t stop thinking about what you’ve done wrong, the people around you are too busy wrapped up in their own shortcomings to really identify yours. Here’s what ends up happening: each individual person sees themselves as the odd one out, when in actuality, everyone is in the same boat.

    You’ve probably heard the (albeit cliché) phrase, “Nobody’s perfect.” Everyone has flaws, weaknesses, spots for improvement—but there’s no need to focus on those. The next time you find yourself hung up over your lesser traits, try redirecting your thoughts to something you actually like about yourself. “Maybe I’m not great at sports, but I have straight A’s in math.” “Maybe I’m a little shy, but I’m excellent at reading people.” It is important to acknowledge your shortcomings, but it is much more important to remember all the great things you have to offer. And when you’re trying out this little mental compromise, your good traits should always win out.

    You must realize, by this point, how damaging it is to sell yourself short. Time passes, things change, life goes on—basically, you are the only constant force in your life. Why not respect yourself for who you are? It’s normal to feel conflicted at times, but you should never feel like you don’t matter, and by obsessing over every little flaw, you’re doing yourself a serious disservice. The next time something goes wrong, instead of attacking yourself, focus on what you’re doing right. If you start to wean yourself off self-criticism, slowly but surely, those negative feelings will start to go away.

    As for myself? Well, I’m a work-in-progress too. But I know that I deserve more than to be constantly criticized and mistreated – even if it’s coming from my own head. The road to self-acceptance is a rewarding process, and in order to become stronger people we all have to overcome our insecurities. The self-hate stops now.

  • Is An Arts Degree Worth the Money?

    Is An Arts Degree Worth the Money?

    Pursuing an arts degree offers you a wide range of opportunities to study in different areas, including languages, visual arts, theatrical arts, Canadian studies, film studies, aboriginal studies, English, environmental studies, geography, history, music and philosophy, among many others. Arts degrees are chosen by students who range from having solid career plans once they graduate to students who go to university to explore an area of interest and see where it leads them. While arts degrees are often criticized as not leading to any job in particular, they are not a waste of money. Arts degrees help to develop critical thinking skills, can lead to a myriad of different careers and provide a solid foundation for further studies.

    My personal experience with getting an arts degree has been fairly rewarding. During my time at the University of Ottawa I took advantage of opportunities outside of my homework, an aspect of getting a university degree that is just as important as doing the school work itself. I was provided with many opportunities for networking with others in my field and I took on a leadership position as committee leader and also started a subgroup within sustainability in the university residences.

    If you are concerned about money when you are heading off to university, be sure that you are choosing a degree that makes sense to you. Try making a pros and cons list to elucidate your reasons for going. Look over your list with people who matter to you including your family, supportive friends and any other relevant people like teachers and career counselors. The more you assert your reasons for spending the money, the more you will come to believe in yourself and the first step in your career.

    I recommend connecting your area of interest to companies and organizations that will be of use to you while pursuing your studies. For example, if you are going to study music, what organizations are available for you to get in touch with in order to stay current with job opportunities? Looking into the job market to find out what can be done with an arts degree is something that is not explored by enough students, but it’s the perfect way to ensure you are making the right decision for yourself. Good luck!

  • Are the Trades a Viable Career Path?

    Are the Trades a Viable Career Path?

    To put it simply, yes. The trades are some of the largest growing industries in Canada and they face a deficit of skilled workers to fill up high paying positions. While they aren’t for everyone, if you’re good with your hands and eager to learn then the trades can take you far – and fast.

    While there are currently more law students and university graduates than their industries can handle, the trades are essential to society and are always expanding. This means that they are a great employment opportunity; going into the trades is almost guaranteed to land you a job once you’ve learned the basic skills of your chosen trade.

    For example, electricity and plumbing are seen as essential parts of society, which means they always need upkeep and installation, both commercial and residential. This provides near endless opportunities for jobs and careers that are both well paying and secure. Another benefit of deciding to go into the trades as a career path is the steady work and good salaries, as well as powerful unions and worker’s rights advocates.

    What are some examples of viable trades?

    The trades cover a wide spectrum of skilled, mainly hands-on, labour. A few examples of some good trades to get into include; an electrician, a pipe welder, a cabinetmaker, machinist, welder, and brick layer. These are only a few of the many Red Seal trade skills available to learn. For a more comprehensive list, check out Canada’s official Red Seal Trades website at: https://on.tradesinfo.ca/search?at=4665814

    What steps should I follow if I want a career in the trades?

    There are several ways to become a skilled tradesperson, however, every Red Seal trade will require you to take a standardized government test. An aspiring tradesperson must log a certain amount of hours of work in their chosen field before being they are qualified enough to become a journeyman, which is a fully certified tradesperson. One of the main ways to learn a trade is to apprentice under a master tradesperson, working for them and learning as you go. After enough time as an apprentice, and if you are skilled enough, you can move on to become a journeyman, or even a master yourself. An average apprenticeship lasts about five years. There are also large numbers of trade schools across the country and many colleges offer programs in the trades, such as welding and cabinetmaking. Look into the various methods of learning your chosen trade before deciding on an apprenticeship or school program, and take the time to figure out which style of learning best suits you.

    What are the salaries like for tradespeople?

    Since they are in such high demand and need to be very skilled to do their jobs, tradespeople are generally paid very well for what they do. The typical starting pay for an apprentice is between $18 and $30 dollars per hour, depending on how many years they have been apprenticing for.

    As you can see the trades are a widely varied, well paying career path, and are strongly recommended for those that enjoy working with their hands. As a bonus the government offers $1000 tax free a year to each skilled apprentice in trade school.

  • How to Write an Effective, Powerful Resume

    An effective, powerful resume is an advertisement for you. It tells the employer what you can do for them and proves you’re the best person for the job. If your resume is strong, it will get you interviews and put you on the fast track to the job you want.

    An employer decides in less than a minute whether to read your resume or put it aside. You can be one of over 100 applicants, so your resume must be short (no more than two pages), sweet and to the point. It must make a powerful impact immediately, otherwise you’ll be knocked out by the competition.

    An employer has many questions on their mind: Who are you? Can you do the job? Will you get along with my staff? Can I trust you? Your resume must answer these questions.

    Contact Information. The header of your resume includes your name, phone number (home and/or cell), email and social network address like LinkedIn or Twitter.

    Objective. Some experts say you don’t need an objective; however, it can be useful if you just finished school because it tells the employer exactly what you want. Your objective can be one or two lines and can say something like, “Seeking a challenging opportunity where I can use my skills to contribute to the organization’s success.”

    Professional Profile. Here is where you really get to sell yourself and show off all your key strengths, but be careful not to come across as arrogant. You tell the employer what makes you different to anyone else – known in the world of advertising as your Unique Selling Proposition, or USP. It explains why you’re the best person for the job using adjectives like “reliable”, “punctual” and “positive”.

    Skills. An employer must know if you can do the job. List your skills as nouns and organize them in groups like Technical, Administrative or Research. Mention any foreign languages you speak since that is an asset in today’s workplace.

    Work Experience. Start with your most recent job first then work backward. Include the employer’s name, city and province, job title and employment dates. Use short bulleted points to explain what you did, beginning with powerful action verbs such as “organized”, “planned” and “developed”. Rather than listing only job duties, explain how you benefitted your last employer so the potential employer can understand how you would help them. For example, instead of saying “Handled phone inquiries”, it’s better to say “Handled telephone inquiries in a professional, friendly manner to ensure customers were highly satisfied.”

    Education. List your most recent education first then work backward. Include your degree, school name and graduation year. Include your GPA only if it’s 3.0 or higher. If you have less than three years of work experience, your education is your strongest point so list it before your work experience. Include your high school if you haven’t yet started university or college.

    Personal Interests. You can include hobbies but don’t mention partying or socializing because this will send a negative message to the employer.

    References. Some experts say you don’t need this section. If you need to fill empty space on the last page, say “References available upon request.”

    If you remember these simple points, you’ll write an effective, powerful resume and get the job you want.

  • Tips for Writing the Perfect Paper

    Tips for Writing the Perfect Paper

    The perfect paper is a true work of art. It’s perfectly organized and has a clear, structured flow from thesis to conclusion. It has a flawless bibliography and citations, with no spelling or grammar mistakes in sight. It has a title that’s both concise and clever; maybe it even has headings. But that perfect paper can be hard to come by—because it takes a whole lot of work to nail down.

    If you’re in the pursuit of the perfect paper, here are some tips to help you out.

    Use your own words. You may feel the urge to pretty up your sentences with lots of figures of speech and adjectives you dug out of the thesaurus. Don’t. You’d be surprised at how effectively you can get the point across if you just use your own words. Of course, you should be professional and use academic language, but going on in circles just because you want to sound competent will actually make you seem anything but. An embellished paper is not necessarily well written; simpler is better.

    Be specific. Provide historical examples, data sets and any information that you feel will best back up your claims. Specificity provides clarity on your subject, as well as credibility that you actually understand the information you are presenting. A good paper can then connect the facts you present to broader themes in the discipline. Vague statements that don’t have evidence to support them will unfortunately fall flat.

    Cite well. This is specific to research papers: keep a detailed record of what information you got from what source. Make sure you are keeping up with footnotes/endnotes or in-text citations (depending on the required format), and that they fall in line with what is written in your bibliography. This becomes especially crucial once you enter university, because plagiarism is considered a serious academic offence (even if it’s accidental). Keep track of your information and you’ll be in the clear.

    Proofread—repeatedly. No matter how good a writer you are, you should never hand in your first draft as a final copy! Look over your paper not only for spelling and grammar mistakes, but in order to eliminate redundant words, rephrase awkward sentences and overall make your paper flow as seamlessly as possible. You should do this a couple of times until you’re sure what you’ve produced is your best work. Still in doubt? Have a classmate look it over and see if there’s anything you missed.

    Take these tips to heart, put pen to paper and get writing!

  • How to Handle a Fight at Home

    How to Handle a Fight at Home

    Life as a student can be stressful enough—the last thing you need is trouble at home. Unfortunately, family fights are normal every once in a while. It’s undeniably difficult to deal with a strained situation in your home life, but remember that a loud argument is often indicative of a deeper, underlying issue between members of your family. Instead of trying to avoid conflict, it’s best to work out your issues honestly and openly.

    Sometimes a fight at home can be between you and a parent, a sibling, or another relative—or sometimes it can have nothing to do with you altogether. Both situations are tough to deal with. Regardless of the situation, it’s best to stop a fight before it goes too far, and everyone ends up hurt. Consider my advice with an open mind, because it might not apply to all circumstances, but some of these tips may be worth considering the next time you find yourself in the middle of an argument. Here’s some help for handling a fight at home.

    Stay calm. Personally, whenever I am in an argument with my family, I get very emotional, and find it difficult to keep my voice down. From this, I’ve learned the importance of staying calm, even when you’re extremely upset. I cannot stress this enough: if you stay calm, you’ll be able to handle a tough situation easier. Don’t let stress and anger take over.

    Talk it out. Voice your concerns, and be honest. If you’re angry with your mother for not respecting your privacy, or with your brother for always leaving his dirty clothes in your room, tell them how you feel. Be respectful when you give your opinion, though, and make sure everyone has a chance to tell his or her side of the story. But if you let a fight fizzle out without confronting it at the source, you might be in for a repeat.

    Don’t blame yourself. If a fight doesn’t involve you, the best course of action may be to stay out of it altogether. But make sure you understand that if your family is arguing, it’s probably not because of something you did. The members of your family are people too, and it’s normal for them to get frustrated sometimes. Make sure you understand the different reasons a fight can happen—you don’t always have to be responsible.

    Compromise. Not everyone’s going to get what they want from a fight. Sometimes, someone has to back down in order to resolve the conflict (even if that someone is you). Make sure, though, that giving in or getting your way doesn’t become a permanent pattern. Compromise when you have to – and sometimes you’re going to want to.

    Best wishes to all of your families. Stay close.

  • Tips on Student Finances

    Tips on Student Finances

    1. Start planning your finances early. Figure out how much money you’ll need as soon as possible (tuition, ancillary fees, books and supplies, living expenses) so you’ll know how much financial support you’ll need. Include a realistic monthly budget for transportation, laundry, groceries, toiletries, entertainment, rent, etc.

    2. Use free money first if you have access to it (money from parents, money saved for your education including RESPs, scholarships and bursaries, etc.). If you need to borrow money, use low interest or no-interest options first, with OSAP being the best example. If you need to borrow money on top of that, try and get a cheap student loan. Stay away from credit cards if you can.

    3. Check out the OSAP Access Window at http://osap.gov.on.ca. The OSAP Access Window was developed by the Ontario government to help students make informed decisions when planning for their post-secondary education. It provides approximate costs by post-secondary institution, OSAP funding estimators, repayment tools and lots of other useful information.

    4. Explore early the scholarships, awards and bursaries offered by the university. There may be some program-specific or special interest awards that you may be eligible for. Many scholarships, awards and bursaries have deadlines and require applications.

    5. Don’t miss an application deadline. Include deadlines for financial support applications in your calendar and make sure you apply in time to be considered.

    6. Investigate getting a job as a source of income. If you need to work, work as much as possible in the summer period, rather than during the school year. If you need to work during the school year, try to avoid working a great deal in your first semester or in any semester that you expect to be particularly challenging. If you expect to be pressed for cash, consider postponing your studies for a year and saving some money, or consider reducing your course load from five or six courses to three or four courses per semester.

    7. Look into various means of saving money:
    • Brown bag it. Packing your own lunch is cheaper and healthier.
    • Buy new to you. Whether it’s used books, secondhand clothing or garage sale furniture, you can find what you need at a fraction of the cost.
    • Shop online to browse, create budgets, compare prices and take advantage of online savings.
    • Take advantage of student discounts. Be sure to flash your student ID at entertainment venues, on public transportation and anywhere else that will take it. Check out special deals through your student union.
    • Pick up the free weeklies to see what entertainment is going on in the city for free. Also check out free events hosted by the university.
    •Maximize public and active transportation (walking, cycling) to keep commuting costs down.
    • Avoid the latte effect and buy a coffeemaker or a kettle to make your own.

    8. Resist the temptation to sign up for a student credit card. If you end up falling into the “this-is-my-only-credit-card” crowd, make sure you get one with a low interest rate and ask them to fix the credit level at $500. Then be sure to use it only for emergencies. When credit cards are the only accepted methods of payment, as in online transactions, save the money you will need before you make the purchase. Then pay off your credit card immediately after charging it.

    9. A line of credit typically has a much lower interest rate than credit cards. A line of credit can be a cost-effective, convenient way to borrow money for a short period of time. Most financial institutions have a student line of credit that offers a lower interest rate, no annual fee and fairly lenient terms and conditions.

    10. Monitor your expenses. Keep all your receipts and track your expenses. This will force you to write down how much you’re spending, prompting you to think about whether you really need to spend that money or not. This will also definitely let you know if you need to change your spending habits and/or increase your income before it’s too late.

    11. If you find you’re running into financial difficulties, immediately speak to a student financial assistance advisor on campus or at your bank. They will look at your budget and give you some good advice before you get in over your head.