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Category: Advice

  • Tips on Student Finance

    Tips on Student Finance

    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.

  • The Importance of being true to yourself

    The Importance of being true to yourself

    Each and every single one of us has a unique set of values, beliefs, and even inspirations that make us who we are as individuals. Naturally, as we progress through life, these very important elements that lie at the very core of our existence will slightly alter and adjust in a manner to allow for the new experiences and situations that we have endured. Life is much like a sea… at one time; we may drift peacefully and quietly atop the glistening waters. Then, there will be situations in which we must work to keep ourselves afloat waters that are ferocious and ominous in nature.

    Yes, it is true, there will be treacherous waters and frightening and intimidating clouds that linger among us throughout life, but it is essential that we each realize the importance of being true to ourselves. Is it not true that in the roughest of seas men learn to survive? Is it not among the violent waves that men learn to welcome and appreciate the calm surfaces of the water? Is it not true that when men face the evil of the storm that they relish in the calm that occurs after the thunders and treacherous waves have passed? If you are searching for the importance of being true to yourself, consider the man that was consumed by something much larger than he.

    In order to be true to yourself in the midst of peace and calmness, you must stand firm in your beliefs when staring opposition in the face. This is what assists in developing who you are, this is what defines you… your ability to overcome and learn.

    Many times in life, we will be faced with temptations that may defy who we are as individuals. It is so much easier to go with the natural flow of the tide than to push against it. It is human nature to want to experience as little complications as possible. What you must consider is if you are denying yourself of some important lesson, of something much bigger than you or you ever imagined. If floating with the direction of the tide defies you as an individual, and you feel as if you will not gain any type of insight as to who you are, or it does not allow you to stand alongside of your personal beliefs and convictions, turn that boat around and push with all of your might against the tide.

    It is better for a man to be true to who he is, rather than deny himself of all the rewards he will experience as standing alone in his personal convictions and beliefs.

    Being true to yourself is a very rewarding experience. Many experiences and situations will come your way and threaten the very existence of your unique stand in life. We pass over many different waves in life, many ships come in, and many ships pass us by. In many cases, animals of the wild such as sharks will want to engulf us in order to define their existence. Stormy skies will sometimes linger over us, and violent wars sometimes rest on the banks of life. In all of these things, you must stand strong in who you are. Allowing these situations to overcome you, violate you, and even control you in any way, just may be the point in which you lose sight of the horizon, sight of who you truly are.

    Compromising your values, compromising your beliefs, compromises not only who you are, but your place in the world. By compromising your place in the world, you may very well be denying another the strength to remain to true to themselves… remember the important and wise saying by Aldous Huxley:

    “Experience is not what happens to you; it’s what you do with what happens to you.”

    http://my-personal-growth.com

  • OMG ! I think I’m in Love !

    OMG ! I think I’m in Love !

    How to handle a crush

    Like their first kiss and their first love, most people can remember any number of details about their first real “crush.” The butterflies in their stomachs, the dry mouths, the sweaty palms, the racing hearts – it may all sound gross, but these symptoms are exhilarating when you get to pair up with your crush for a science experiment, sit next to your crush on the bus or manage to eat a whole lunch by your crush’s side. Unfortunately, the title “crush” is apt as it is very easy to be crushed if you find out that (s)he does not return your affections. Don’t be crushed by a crush! Instead, follow these tips for moving on and moving up to someone who deserves your special attention.

    Defining a Crush

    A crush, unlike a relationship, is not a two-way street. Often you’ll realize that you feel a strong attraction to someone you barely know, for reasons you barely understand, and that this, in all of its glory, is a crush.

    Signs of a Killer Crush

    Even if you know better, falling hard for a crush can be unavoidable. Signs of a killer crush include:
    • Wanting to be near him/her, even if you don’t know his/her name, and (s)he wouldn’t know yours.
    • Wanting to find out as much as you can about your crush and searching for clues to “prove” your compatibility.
    • Changing your habits or schedules to coincide with theirs.
    • Feeling embarrassed or flustered when your crush pays attention to you.
    • Reacting nervously when you are physically close .
    • Obsessing for hours about a hypothetical future with him/her.

    Coping with a Crush

    Living with a crush isn’t easy, in fact it’s hard work. Having a crush makes it hard to concentrate, it makes it hard to eat and it especially makes it hard to sleep, even if you are hoping to meet up  somewhere in your dreams. To make sure that the rest of your life doesn’t fall apart for the duration of your crush,
    • Confess your crush to your friends and ask them to distract you.
    • Throw yourself into schoolwork to make sure you don’t fall behind (and who knows, maybe by standing out you’ll catch your crush’s attention).
    • Take up a hobby that will get you out of the house and get you moving.
    • Give yourself enough time alone to fantasize , but don’t let it interfere with your real life.
    Living with a crush can be a wonderful, magical, painful, torturous time. Allow yourself to enjoy the frivolity of a crush, but don’t let your feelings override your common sense. Don’t risk your safety, or your reputation, in order to get your crush’s attention. In other words, don’t irrevocably change your life for a crush that will likely disappear as quickly as it began.

  • What is a degree worth?

    What is a degree worth?

    Western’s enrolment rates are staggering. This year campus is teeming with more undergraduate students than ever seen in the university’s 133-year history. Boasting around 26,500 full-time undergraduates, Western has seen enrolment climb by 5,700 since 1996.

    Last year, Western’s full-time undergraduates paid more than $100 million in tuition. The question is — what are students getting in return?

    Politicians and policy-makers are starting to consider how rising enrolment rates are affecting the quality of education and the value of an undergraduate degree in a workforce saturated with university-educated workers.

    “The greater number of students who have an undergrad degree, the more competitive its going to be to get an entry level job, and an entry level job with the kind of pay a student is expecting,” says Meaghan Coker, vice-president university affairs for the University Students’ Council.

    “We’ve come to an understanding that a bachelor’s degree isn’t enough and that you must have a second degree to complement yourself and succeed in life.”

    In 2005, the Ontario government pledged to invest $6.2 billion by 2009 to boost enrolment rates and improve the quality of post-secondary education in the province. Western increased its enrolment by over a thousand full-time students in the last five years. Now the government projects another 50,000 undergraduate spaces will be introduced to Ontario universities by 2015.

    Students, meanwhile, are stuck in the middle, vying to become competitive in the workforce while staying out of debt.

    The value of an undergraduate degree depends on what students are looking to gain from it, says Philip Oreopoulos, a visiting professor from Harvard University specializing in the economics of education. Oreopoulous argues that while the material students learn during their undergrad might be useless to a career, the education still distinguishes a graduate from someone without a degree.

    “Post-secondary education merely differentiates between those who have it and those who don’t. If obtaining [a degree] is the only difference, it enables employers to consider degrees as equal. Even if the schooling hasn’t done anything to enrich you, it allows employers to distinguish you from those who didn’t attend university, and that is advantageous.” Oreopoulos says.

    While an undergraduate degree will differentiate a candidate from their non-degree holding counterparts, Oreopoulos questioned what skills are really being learned in today’s university classes.

    “There’s a lack of motivation and intellectual curiosity among students. University is what students make it out to be and there are plenty of opportunities that I see less and less students taking advantage of. It’s hard to say if they’re learning anything,” he says, noting if students put in minimal effort they could reap great academic rewards.

    As enrolment levels at universities continue to mushroom, the curriculum needs to be restructured, according to Coker, to better teach a growing and changing student body.

    “Although there’s been challenges in understanding what students leave [university] with, it’s clear that we need to teach students in innovative learning environments. There needs to be an investment into changing the way we teach at universities,” Coker says.

    While the value of the degree is under scrutiny, its necessity is not. According to David Molenhuis, chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students, a rapidly changing economy makes an undergraduate degree essential to a person’s future prosperity.

    “Post-World War II, the economy had changed where more and more individuals required high school as mandatory minimum education for participating in the economy and job market,” Molenhuis notes, adding that 70 per cent of current jobs require some form of post-secondary education.

    “We’re seeing history repeating itself. The undergraduate degree is becoming the new high school diploma,” he continues.

    In an era where post-secondary education is vital to success to most careers, it’s even more imperative for graduates to differentiate themselves and find value in their degree.

    For some, added competitiveness may come from more education after their undergrad, such as a master’s degree. Since the 1996/97 school year, graduate enrolment at Western has grown by 2,400 students, now encompassing 17 per cent of all full-time enrolment at Western.

    “If everyone had a master’s it would be the same problem at a different degree,” Coker says.

    Coker suggests using extracurriculars and out-of-class experiences to differentiate yourself and add value to your bachelor’s degree.

    “Ultimately it’s beyond the classroom learning. And there is a lot of focus on classroom learning and the paper you walk away with, but students who are involved in extracurriculars know that those experiences are what really bring value to your degree,” Coker says.

    “Those experiences are invaluable towards the type of skills in leadership that you can develop, so in addition to the classroom we need to put emphasis on expanding involvement opportunities, internships, co-ops, and service learning – those types of experiences are valuable in this growing undergraduate economy.”

    While it may be difficult to judge the value of a bachelor’s degree, it is evident that an educated population has a positive effect on Canadian society and economy.

    “Individuals with a post-secondary education are in a higher tax bracket. They’re not putting as much pressure on public spending programs like public safety because they tend to commit fewer crimes. They don’t use the employment systems because their generally employable and working, and they’re generally healthier so they don’t put as much pressure on the healthcare system,” Molenhuis notes.

    That being said, perhaps the value of your bachelor’s degree lies in its ability to do greater good for society. In terms of personal value, it seems to be what you make of it.

    “We are pushing for you to get your money’s worth at university so that you feel when you’ve walked out that door you haven’t just got a piece of paper. That you’ve walked out with something that’s changed you, something that’s engaged you and something that’s set you on a path to fulfilling what you want to do,” Coker said.

     

     

     

     

  • Taking notes in Post Secondary

    Taking notes in Post Secondary

    You’re writing as fast as your hand will go – the words from the screen flying onto your page in a barely legible chicken-scratch font as you race to get the entirety of the note. You begin to feel the ache of writing in your wrist and the end is in sight. Your pace quickens. You know you are going to get this one completely written. Then to your dismay, the slide changes and the third page fills the screen, despite protestations from your classmates.

    Note taking in post-secondary is not for the faint of heart. Unlike high school, and elementary to a degree, note taking is a ruthless affair that leaves many first time students frustrated and flustered.

    Unlike secondary school, the teachers in the post-arena are not always as patient with note takers as their secondary counter-parts. The professors move through topics at lightning fast speed, generally due to an overwhelming amount of content to get through in any given class.

    It is this need to get the content to the students on time that drives the fast-paced nature of the post-secondary classroom.

    However, it is not all doom and gloom, and there are many useful hints and tips that are out there that the student has at their disposal to counter the blitzkrieg speed of note taking.

    First and foremost, and this is quite prudent, you must learn to not write a note verbatim, or word for word. By trying to accommodate the style of note taking from your secondary school classrooms, you will find yourself in the proverbial dust of the post-secondary classroom. It happens to all of us the first time in, so don’t feel like you are a slacker or not up to snub for post-secondary.

    So, if you are not writing your notes verbatim, how are you going to translate what is on the screen to your pages?

    The first answer to this is simple, paraphrase. Paraphrasing can, and most likely will, become your best friend. By taking the hard learned paraphrasing skills from all those research assignments of your past and adapting it to this new challenge, you will find that the note taking process becomes a whole lot easier. You will quickly learn what is the most prudent information in any given note and that will aid your paraphrasing even more. For survival in the post-secondary school arena, this would be my first recommendation for how to jot down your notes.

    But what if paraphrasing still isn’t working for you? Then I would suggest learning, or devising, your own form of short hand so you can compound a phrase or section of a note into a symbol, as opposed to two-three words. This style of note taking is incredibly quick and convenient, but it has one major draw back. The one thing you have to watch with this style of note taking is, and this may seem silly/obvious, remembering what all those symbols mean. A lot of the time you will utilize the same, or similar, icons to represent certain aspects of a note; however, if you don’t expand those relatively soon, you will find that you may have forgotten what some of the points mean [which is not something that you really want because all of a sudden you will only have half a note!].

    A neat and efficient way of taking a note, and one I utilized the most while in college, is a combination of paraphrasing and short hand symbols. In my experience this was the most beneficial because you get the prudent information while using quick little symbols to speed the process along.

    The final, and less helpful – as there are varying factors at work – pointer for note taking may seem like a no brainer. With the inclusion of computer-based projectors in the classroom these days, notes tend to be created in Power Point. What does this mean for you? Well, with the notes being a computer file, a good portion of professors will generally end up uploading the day’s notes to your student portal for future referencing.

    Although this may seem like a way of nixing jotting notes down, I strongly advise against those thoughts. Yes, the notes will typically be online. Yes, you will be able to print them off. But, and this is such an over looked aspect of note taking, by writing your notes out by hand you are actually learning the content more than if you were to simply print and read. Printing the notes also creates an inconvenience because if there is something you don’t understand within the text, your teacher will not be on hand to clarify.

    Post-secondary note taking is a battleground, and if you learn how to adapt to the change in conditioning, you will make your way just fine through your two-to-three years of higher learning. These are just tips and pointers from my own experience, but you will soon find and develop your own method, which will work for you. Like all things, by knowing ahead of time of what you will be facing, then the better prepared you will be.

  • Need Volunteer Hours? Join a Mob

    Need Volunteer Hours? Join a Mob

    The student’s quest for 40 community service hours is not always a pretty one. Sponge-bathing senior citizens and picking up garbage are healthy for the community, but often so uninspiring to the average teenager that procrastination happens and some diploma-getting is in jeopary.

    What if you could find volunteer work that you’re passionate about, that gives you larger opportunities, that is part of a worldwide social activist movement? The Me to We (Mob)ilizers are students all across Canada, working from the ground to promote and support the charity Free The Children and facilitate real social change in the world.

    It’s all about going from thinking ‘me’, with selfish or self-centred motives and aspirations, to thinking ‘we’, with motivation to do right for all. If you are seeking to volunteer and get involved as a global citizen on a larger scale, consider joining the Me to We MOB.

    The entire enterprise began when a 12 year old Craig Kielburger read a news article about a 12 year old in South Asia who had died as a result of horrible child labour exploitation. This inspired him to make a difference. In 1995 Craig began speaking out for children’s rights in different small venues throughout Ontario. His vision caught on and late that year, he founded the Free the Children organization, with what he described as the motivation to “free the children from poverty, and free the children from the notion that they are powerless to affect change”.

    This means that while we work to end the enslavement and exploitation of children far from home, we can help children here to understand how valuable they are to the world, becoming enlightened and empowered.

    Today, Free the Children is the world’s largest network of children helping children through education, with more than one million youth in 45 countries involved in its education and development programs (like the Me to We initiatives).

    When an organization gets so large, it can become difficult to stay connected to the individual people while continuing to bring new, passionate youth into the cycle. That’s where the MOB comes in, taking Free the Children back to its grassroots and spreading the message from the ground up.

    Erica Baker is a MOB-Lead for Canada’s West Coast and a summer intern with Free the Children headquarters. When asked to describe what the MOB is Erica’s response, “Can I just say amazing?” was one of honest passion.

    “We are the masses. We are the movement. We are the MOB,” Erica said, “a vast group of students operating out of many cities across Canada, who are serious about making a mark on the social issues of our time. We organize events and fundraisers to benefit Me to We and Free the Children, and bring awesome, motivated young people together from across the country to make change.” Erica continued.

    She revealed that this year, the (Mob)ilizers are supporting one village in India, one in Ecuador, and one in Haiti, with funds going toward building houses, schools, and health clinics there. (Mob)ilizers have the option of going to one of these villages at the end of the school year to see exactly what their efforts are accomplishing.

    Applications are open until July 25th for next year’s MOB. To check out more or apply for a MOB position in your city, visithttp://www.metowe.com/movement/mobilizers/join/.

  • Becoming a Registered Nurse

    Becoming a Registered Nurse


    Never, ever, ever let anyone tell you it’ll be easy…

    JUST worth it.

    Nursing, your career… your future.

    Thinking about a career? Think registered nurse! It’s more than a job, it’s a growing profession offering an astonishing range of choices and opportunities.

    You believe in a healthy lifestyle? Janet has been talking to teenagers about how to deal with sex and drugs. “These kids have their whole lives before them and I feel it’s so important to help them now when they need it. With some groups I get into fitness and diet, too. They really want the information and someone to talk to.”

    You want excitement? So does Robin, so she works in the emergency department of a city hospital. “When people burst through those doors, they need help, fast and our ER team gives it. I have to think on my feet here, make immediate decisions about what a person needs. No other job could give me the same challenge – or satisfaction.”

    Intrigued by health questions? So is Nicole, and she’s finding the answers. Nicole is the head of a research team studying the care needs of AIDS patients. “I used to give nursing care to people in their homes and then a great AIDS patient I had motivated me to move into research. I was shocked by how little knowledge and how few resources there seemed to be to care for people like Ted, so I decided to do something about it.”

    More interested in helping people over the long term? That’s what Michael wants, so he’s head nurse at a rehabilitation centre. “A lot of rehab patients start out fighting against our care; they’re depressed, angry, and worried about their future. Helping them work through that is as important as their physical therapy. It’s an incredible feeling to help a person go through the whole process back to health.”

    Michael, Janet, Robin and Nicole became registered nurses because they wanted to work with people in a career that offers challenges and the independence to make decisions. Nursing involves caring for the whole person – the physical, intellectual and social needs. Nurses also plan and deliver health programs for groups or communities.

    Nurses are the heart of care. As a registered nurse, you can make a difference in one person’s life through one-on-one, and in the health of all Canadians through research and leadership.

    Jobs, the real story

    This is an excellent time to enter nursing as there is a shortage. At some point in their life, every Canadian will require the services of a nurse. Since many nurses will soon retire, Canada needs bright young men and women to choose nursing as a career. Changes in the health care system continue to broaden the opportunities for nurses. An especially important trend is the increasing number of services that emphasize illness prevention and health promotion programs. Many of these are planned and staffed by registered nurses.

    Registered nurses earn salaries that compare with other professionals with a similar amount of education. Health care is offered 24 hours a day, so expect to work some nights and weekends, like doctors, law enforcement officers and others who provide essential services.

    As in any profession, salaries vary across the country, and people make more as they gain experience and responsibility. Graduates of degree programs usually have more opportunities for advancement, and in some provinces, make more money than graduates of diploma programs. Your provincial or territorial nurses’ association can provide current salary ranges.

    To see nursing jobs across Canada, visit NursingCareersCanada.ca, The National job board of the Canadian Nurses Association.

    Choices… lots!

    Nursing is full of opportunities to grow, to advance and to change your career direction. Whatever your interest – working with children, scientific procedures and high tech equipment, teaching and promoting healthy practices, developing your management skills – nursing has something for you. Here are just a few examples:

    In the Community

    • health clinics
    • schools
    • wellness programs in the workplace
    • doctors’ offices
    • home care
    • family planning clinics
    • poison control centres
    • prenatal and well-baby clinics
    • rehabilitation centres
    • sexually transmitted disease units
    • AIDS hospices

    IN A HOSPITAL:

    • emergency
    • intensive care
    • operating room
    • post-surgery
    • maternity
    • cardiovascular (heart)
    • oncology (cancer)
    • psychiatry
    • pediatrics (children)
    • palliative (dying people)
    • geriatrics (seniors)

    One of the most exciting opportunities for nurses in Canada is Northern nursing. Often, community health centres in Canada’s North are run completely by the nurse – independent and in charge. Many Aboriginal nurses return home to help their communities, other nurses find they enjoy learning about a different culture.

    The great thing about nursing is that your choices never end. With some years of experience and further studies you could branch out in almost any direction imaginable. After a few years in practice you might decide to become an advanced practice nurse. An expert nurse with a master’s degree, an advanced practice nurse provides direct care to clients and serves as a role model and consultant to other practising nurses. There are currently two types of ANPs in Canada, clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner.

    Or you might decide, like Nicole, that you want to investigate current issues in health care. On the leading edge of health care discoveries, nurse researchers design studies, collect data and analyze results. Their findings contribute to the vast body of scientific knowledge that supports and improves nursing.

    Leadership

    All nurses are teachers, helping people learn to prevent illness and manage health problems. But you might want to become a nurse educator, preparing future nurses to enter practice. You could work at a community college or a university, and research would be part of what you do.

    A nurse administrator coordinates nursing services in a hospital or community health centre. Handling large budgets, supervising staff and setting the standards for excellent care takes strength and good management skills.

    The sky is the limit

    And any of these choices could lead you still further. Nurses’ ideas and opinions are sought after by the media, politicians, and national and international groups. Imagine being a consultant to Health Canada, or the World Health Organization.

    Or you could travel. Northern Canada is a close-to-home example, but Canadian nurses are so highly regarded that other countries – both developing and developed – actively recruit them. Your skills and knowledge could take you places. The possibilities are endless!

    Degree or diploma?

    If you’re thinking about a career in nursing, you should seriously consider studying for a degree (BN or BNSc). More career opportunities and the possibility of graduate study will be open to nurses with university degrees. Most provinces already require a baccalaureate in nursing (BN or BScN) to enter the profession.

    Degree programs take four years. Besides learning social and physical sciences, and nursing, as in the diploma program, university programs generally offer additional studies in leadership, health teaching, research and other disciplines.

    Diploma programs take three years. Graduates generally work in hospitals, nursing homes or other structured settings. Many colleges now offer their diploma courses in collaboration with a university with the option of continuing on after graduation to obtain a degree. However, getting a diploma and then a degree generally takes longer, and costs more, than enrolling in a degree program from the beginning.

    Nursing students in both university and diploma schools of nursing will study psychology, child development, sociology, anatomy and physiology. The nursing courses include theory and clinical practice. You will be supervised and supported in the clinical setting to ensure the safety of patients and your own safety.

    If you are interested in continuing your education, master’s and doctoral programs in nursing are available in many places in Canada.

    Get ready

    Entrance requirements differ from one school to another. Generally, the admission requirements are high school graduation with senior level English or French, mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology. You can contact your provincial nurses’ association or individual schools for their specific requirements and information on funding.

    Caring for people, the independence to make decisions, the challenge and excitement of being on the leading edge of health care. Sound interesting? Then ask today for more information about a career as a registered nurse!

    Provincial associations

    • * Association of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador
    • * Association of Registered Nurses of Prince Edward Island
    • * College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia
    • * Nurses Association of New Brunswick
    • * Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec
    • * Registered Nurses Association of Ontario
    • * College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba
    • * Saskatchewan Registered Nurses’ Association
    • * College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta
    • * College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia
    • * Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut
    • * Yukon Registered Nurses Association
    • * Native Access Program to Nursing
  • Canada Environment – current issues and definitions

    Canada Environment – current issues and definitions

    Sourced: index mundi ( Canadian issues and definitions )

    Environment – current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activitiesDefinitions to understand

    Acidification – the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain).

    Acid rain – characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide; acid rain is damaging and potentially deadly to the earth’s fragile ecosystems; acidity is measured using the pH scale where 7 is neutral, values greater than 7 are considered alkaline, and values below 5.6 are considered acid precipitation; note – a pH of 2.4 (the acidity of vinegar) has been measured in rainfall in New England.

    Aerosol – a collection of airborne particles dispersed in a gas, smoke, or fog.

    Afforestation – converting a bare or agricultural space by planting trees and plants; reforestation involves replanting trees on areas that have been cut or destroyed by fire.

    Asbestos – a naturally occurring soft fibrous mineral commonly used in fireproofing materials and considered to be highly carcinogenic in particulate form.

    Biodiversity – also biological diversity; the relative number of species, diverse in form and function, at the genetic, organism, community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces an ecosystem’s ability to recover from natural or man-induced disruption.

    Bio-indicators – a plant or animal species whose presence, abundance, and health reveal the general condition of its habitat.

    Biomass – the total weight or volume of living matter in a given area or volume.

    Carbon cycle – the term used to describe the exchange of carbon (in various forms, e.g., as carbon dioxide) between the atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial biosphere, and geological deposits.

    Catchments – assemblages used to capture and retain rainwater and runoff; an important water management technique in areas with limited freshwater resources, such as Gibraltar.

    DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane) – a colorless, odorless insecticide that has toxic effects on most animals; the use of DDT was banned in the US in 1972.

    Defoliants – chemicals which cause plants to lose their leaves artificially; often used in agricultural practices for weed control, and may have detrimental impacts on human and ecosystem health.

    Deforestation – the destruction of vast areas of forest (e.g., unsustainable forestry practices, agricultural and range land clearing, and the over exploitation of wood products for use as fuel) without planting new growth.

    Desertification – the spread of desert-like conditions in arid or semi-arid areas, due to overgrazing, loss of agriculturally productive soils, or climate change.

    Dredging – the practice of deepening an existing waterway; also, a technique used for collecting bottom-dwelling marine organisms (e.g., shellfish) or harvesting coral, often causing significant destruction of reef and ocean-floor ecosystems.

    Drift-net fishing – done with a net, miles in extent, that is generally anchored to a boat and left to float with the tide; often results in an over harvesting and waste of large populations of non-commercial marine species (by-catch) by its effect of “sweeping the ocean clean.”

    Ecosystems – ecological units comprised of complex communities of organisms and their specific environments.

    Effluents – waste materials, such as smoke, sewage, or industrial waste which are released into the environment, subsequently polluting it.

    Endangered species – a species that is threatened with extinction either by direct hunting or habitat destruction.

    Freshwater – water with very low soluble mineral content; sources include lakes, streams, rivers, glaciers, and underground aquifers.

    Greenhouse gas – a gas that “traps” infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere causing surface warming; water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and ozone are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.

    Groundwater – water sources found below the surface of the earth often in naturally occurring reservoirs in permeable rock strata; the source for wells and natural springs.

    Highlands Water Project – a series of dams constructed jointly by Lesotho and South Africa to redirect Lesotho’s abundant water supply into a rapidly growing area in South Africa; while it is the largest infrastructure project in southern Africa, it is also the most costly and controversial; objections to the project include claims that it forces people from their homes, submerges farmlands, and squanders economic resources.

    Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) – represents the 145,000 Inuits of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland in international environmental issues; a General Assembly convenes every three years to determine the focus of the ICC; the most current concerns are long-range transport of pollutants, sustainable development, and climate change.

    Metallurgical plants – industries which specialize in the science, technology, and processing of metals; these plants produce highly concentrated and toxic wastes which can contribute to pollution of ground water and air when not properly disposed.

    Noxious substances – injurious, very harmful to living beings.

    Overgrazing – the grazing of animals on plant material faster than it can naturally regrow leading to the permanent loss of plant cover, a common effect of too many animals grazing limited range land.

    Ozone shield – a layer of the atmosphere composed of ozone gas (O3) that resides approximately 25 miles above the Earth’s surface and absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation that can be harmful to living organisms.

    Poaching – the illegal killing of animals or fish, a great concern with respect to endangered or threatened species.

    Pollution – the contamination of a healthy environment by man-made waste.

    Potable water – water that is drinkable, safe to be consumed.

    Salination – the process through which fresh (drinkable) water becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused by evaporation of excessive irrigation water, a process that can eventually render soil incapable of supporting crops.

    Siltation – occurs when water channels and reservoirs become clotted with silt and mud, a side effect of deforestation and soil erosion.

    Slash-and-burn agriculture – a rotating cultivation technique in which trees are cut down and burned in order to clear land for temporary agriculture; the land is used until its productivity declines at which point a new plot is selected and the process repeats; this practice is sustainable while population levels are low and time is permitted for regrowth of natural vegetation; conversely, where these conditions do not exist, the practice can have disastrous consequences for the environment .

    Soil degradation – damage to the land’s productive capacity because of poor agricultural practices such as the excessive use of pesticides or fertilizers, soil compaction from heavy equipment, or erosion of topsoil, eventually resulting in reduced ability to produce agricultural products.

    Soil erosion – the removal of soil by the action of water or wind, compounded by poor agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, and desertification.

    Ultraviolet (UV) radiation – a portion of the electromagnetic energy emitted by the sun and naturally filtered in the upper atmosphere by the ozone layer; UV radiation can be harmful to living organisms and has been linked to increasing rates of skin cancer in humans.

    Water-born diseases – those in which bacteria survive in, and are transmitted through, water; always a serious threat in areas with an untreated water supply

  • A Guide to University Housing Part 2: Life at Home

    For some, making the move between home and campus can be a difficult decision.

    Since I am the only writer here on the JPD team that has stayed at home while studying for my degree, I feel obliged to write about the benefits of the stay-at- home life. There are plenty of reasons to enjoy your education from your old stomping grounds

    Many people don’t enjoy school because of the intimidating and abrupt change in surroundings. Being able to start your new education in a place you are already comfortable and familiar with can help make the jump to college life a bit easier.

    Living on campus can be distracting when completing work becomes a priority. Although living in residence can be fun, the constant social climate is designed t0 better suit your partying agenda more than your academic one.

    “Staying at home definitely was a wise decision to keep my marks up, I was able to stay focused and didn’t feel the external pressure of friends and floor-mates wanting me to party all the time,” Mike Manojlovich, fourth year Brock University student confesses.

    Worried living at home will starve you of social interaction? Don’t be. There are plenty of ways to get involved while living off campus. Admittedly it takes a bit more initiative on your part to stay current on campus events while living outside of residence.  But if you are committed to staying current with your school’s campus you’ll find a plethora of extracurricular and volunteer experiences that will introduce you to a world of new people.

    Another advantage to staying at home is being close to family and friends.  This group of support individuals will be around to lend a hand when needed (and it will be) during your first year of post-secondary studies.

    Asides from the personal comforts of living at home, there are also financial comforts. This may be obvious, but living at home is far cheaper than staying on campus. You will cut down on the cost of housing and food, as well as other unpredictable expenses that come with living on-campus.

    Don’t knock a great school simply because it’s close to home. Remember that, for many people, an undergraduate degree is only step 1 in a series of post-secondary programs.

    Sometimes schools near home offer your ideal program. For graduate student Sandro Rocco, this was most certainly the case. Sandro stayed at home for his degree, and commuted to Niagara College for 3 years to complete his course in photonic engineering.

    “It was the perfect program for me, and as luck turns out it was no more than 30 minutes from my house,” Sandro commented. He mentioned that not many colleges have the proper equipment to teach the course in North America, so Niagara College was an obvious choice for him.

    “They also offered me tons of great scholarships!” he added.

    When it comes down to living on or off campus, you have to seriously consider which kind of university experience is right for you. As much as you will miss the “full fresh-man experience”, a sense of freedom, and a whole new level of self-dependence, you may want to stay home as an academic, financial, and lifestyle strategy for your first year of post-secondary education.

  • Laughing your way Thin ( part 2 )

    Laughing your way Thin ( part 2 )

    Be willing to laugh with and at yourself

    This is not a step of humiliation or self-defamation because those things are definitely not fun: it is a strategy of being willing to take yourself lightly. Easing your harsh expectations you impose on yourself, realizing some of your self-administered anxiety, sets the stage for amazing personal gains.
    At this step you will make an intentional effort to take your self and your expectations less seriously. You will adopt a kindlier stance toward your fears and inconsistencies because you have been much too hard on yourself. The results will be remarkable lightness (both metaphorically and literally) of mind, body, and spirit.
    Combined with your commitment to go the extra smile, you will find your use of food to calm and comfort yourself almost extinguished because talking you self lightly helps you see your self as literally, less “ heavy “

    Stay Focused

    This step makes the most impressive difference in you actual eating habits and provides the mechanics of your weight loss. By staying focused you keep grounded in the moment, the here and now, because it challenges you to give 100% attention to what you are dong right now. Staying focused provides the dramatic weight loss break through you’ve been waiting for because your whole paradigm of eating is about to change.
    You do this by not engaging in any other activity while you’re eating. Activities that have commonly accompanied your eating are to be avoided while putting food in your mouth t- including reading, watching television, or socializing at get- togethers. With the exception of reasonable table conversation, eating becomes a focused activity for you. Not connected with any other behavior because you are about to stop the principal cause of your weight gain.

    Next publication ,… conclusion.
    Dr.nancemacleod@gmail.com

    www.thewellnessdiva.org