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Category: Campus Life

  • The Benefits of Living at Home

    The Benefits of Living at Home

    If you have the opportunity to live at home during school, I strongly suggest that you take up the offer. Even though Hollywood portrays moving away to attend post-secondary as glamourous, the reality is far too often ignored; and those that once held this romanticized view are shocked when they discover how tough it is to live on your own. The benefits of living at home greatly outweigh the cons.

    The big factor for students is finances. Living away from home during school comes with a cost, and unfortunately it is a rather large one. Tuition already costs a bundle, so why add the extra burden of finding the money to pay for living on your own, when you don’t have to? Of course there are certain things that you would still need to pay for (i.e. transportation, food… etc), but in comparison to paying for rent and utilities amongst other things the cost of living at home is miniscule. In the end, more money would go towards school, and you would have less chance of going into debt.

    Many students that live on campus are there for the social aspect. A former student, that had lived on campus, advises “Whether you are into partying or not, studying in your dorm is a challenge.” Although I live at home, I have observed students come to class tired or constantly late, or skip/drop-out of classes, because of the “freedom” living away from home grants them. Is this really freedom? Falling behind in school due to partying is being disrespectful to yourself, and those who support your decision to go to school. Time and money are both wasted when this breach of freedom takes place. Living at home allows you the privacy to properly study, and get a good night’s rest, so you can do well in school. You can still hang out with friends, and have fun, but a healthy balance must be obtained and living at home gives you this opportunity.

    Support from your family is another huge benefit of living at home. They are there to encourage you when you are down, advise you when troubled or confused, and rejoice with you in your times of joy. Even though you may get annoyed by being nagged to study, your parents only want the best for you and want you to succeed; if they didn’t care then they would not be “nagging” you.

    As you can tell, there are many benefits of living at home. I have only outlined a few, but as you continue your journey through post-secondary you will uncover other little things along the way, such as home cooked meals that are hard to come by when living on campus.

  • Where Are You? Finding Yourself

    Where Are You? Finding Yourself

    Imagine your life as a timeline graph, from birth to present to future.

    Write down all of your major goals in your life that you feel you want to achieve. In turn, write down the events in your life that have already happened that you believe have affected you and have made you who you are today. This isn’t an exercise in wallowing but one about clarification and identification of issues that might be hampering your present potential and the blossoming of your true sense of self.

    Spend a little time writing with clarity about the past in your timeline. As much as where you’re headed is important, so is making peace with the past. A timeline is an incredibly objective method for marking down past occurrences in your life that you consider to have been major. You can look at them as formation blocks and as changing experiences along your timeline without imbuing them with too much emotion (as you would  within your personal diary) . Keep it simple, real and condensed to the major effect or lesson learned from each past incident.

    When analyzing negative past experiences, look to the positive learning message in it and don’t dwell on the mistakes or the negatives. Everyone has these blips in their timeline but pretending they are either worse than they were or non-existent, won’t do you any favors. Instead, recognize that if it had not been for those past experiences you would not be where or who you are today. If there has been an abuse situation, remember, abuse thrives when kept secret; telling someone is the antibiotic.

    Finding yourself is an enlightening experience and you become self sufficient . It  is a time of harmony because you develop that philosophy or belief system that will carry you throughout the rest of your life. When you love yourself and who you are, you will savor and enjoy both life’s pain and pleasures.

  • Five Steps to a Strong Essay

    Five Steps to a Strong Essay

    Writing essays shouldn’t seem like a massive burden. Just try to follow these five simple steps.

    Step 1: Think
    Ask yourself, “What is the purpose of this assignment?” The assignment is meant to assess how much you have learned in class. Keep this in mind constantly from when you begin to write to when you revise your final draft.

    Step 2: Brainstorm
    Depending on the assignment’s requirements, decide what you want to say in the essay. Make a list of what you want to write about and don’t hesitate to write down any and all ideas that enter your mind. The more, the better.

    Step 3: Plan
    Planning your essay might be the most important step. Once you have determined what it is you want to say, you will now need to map out how you’re going to say it. A typical essay format might look something like this:

    Introduction with a thesis statement that says your essay will be about topics A, B and C
    Body paragraph that describes topic A
    Body paragraph that describes topic B
    Body paragraph that describes topic C
    Conclusion that restates the introduction (but does not repeat it verbatim)

    Step 4: Write
    Choose the items on your brainstorm list that you want to use in the essay and write a full sentence for each. These sentences might become the topic sentences for your body paragraphs. It doesn’t matter (yet) exactly how you will say it, but rather that you have included everything your teacher has asked for. Don’t worry about writing formally or even completely logically. Just write. You can improve your work later. Sometimes it is helpful to say what you want to write out loud. Tell a sibling, parent or friend about what you are trying to say and then work what you have said to them into sentences in your essay.

    Step 5: Edit
    Edit your work at least three times. Every essay you write should go through several drafts. If you have done a good job of editing, your final draft will likely be significantly different from the first. (Hopefully you will have completed the first draft early enough to edit and not the night before the assignment is due!) Read your work through once from the beginning to end without stopping to make sure the sentences flow and the paragraphs are logically connected by transition sentences. Read your work through twice to make sure the thesis statement (which explains what your essay is about and which is usually the last sentence of your introduction) describes what you have written in the body paragraphs and vice versa. Read your work through a third time very slowly to check for spelling and grammar mistakes. Then ask someone else to read your work through in case they spot anything you might have missed.

  • Too Cool for School?

    Too Cool for School?

    “A human being is not attaining his full heights until he is educated.” – Horrace Mann

    It is important to remember messages such as these when the pressure of high school really sets in. Will I make friends? Will I fit in? Will my teachers be too strict? It takes a few years and a couple life lessons to really understand the insignificance of these questions. High school isn’t a popularity contest or a soap opera, it’s a learning institution that will help to mold you into the person that you one day hope to be. It’s a stepping stone on the path to a life that you can be proud of.

    Statistics Canada reports that 191,000 young people aged 20 to 24 had not completed a high school diploma and were not attending school in 2009-2010, though this is a significant drop from the 340,000 in 1990-1991, it is still a cause for concern. Too many high school students are not taking their education seriously and are putting their futures on the back burner.

    It may seem cool to work in a fast food restaurant or a trendy clothing store for now, while you are living at home with your parents or guardians, and your income is solely for partying or material things. But eventually that roof with no longer be over your head, and your free ride will be over. Suddenly, those 32 hours a week and that minimum wage job won’t seem so glamorous anymore. You’re faced with the reality of bill payments and rent cheques and that bank account is getting smaller and smaller every month. This is when it hits you – “I should have just toughed it out and stayed in school.”

    It takes a lot of hard work and motivation to succeed in this world. A cushy, high paying job won’t just be handed to you on a silver platter (unless you are one of the lucky few, but let’s face it… if you were, you wouldn’t need us) and every dollar in that bank account will have been earned with pride.

    Whether you’re bullied, burdened or just plain lazy, a high school diploma is an accomplishment that is recognized all over the world, and there is nothing that should keep you from it. Keep your eye on the prize and before you know it, you’ll be throwing your hat in the air, anxiously awaiting what comes next…

  • Career Profile: French Teacher

    Career Profile: French Teacher

    A French teacher’s task is to inspire students to enjoy the French language. Learning is made much easier if the learner is enthusiastic about it; thus, a French teacher must demonstrate the benefits of speaking and using French every day. It is certainly not an easy job, but with enough passion and patience it can be a very rewarding one.

    Education
    In Ontario, teachers must hold a four-year Bachelor of Arts degree from any recognized University. A primary/junior teacher (grades K-6) will have a degree in any discipline (although a variety of courses is recommended). An intermediate/senior teacher (grades 7-12) is required to have a certain number of courses in two “teachable” areas – for example, French and History. Then, a teacher must take a one-year Bachelor of Education degree.

    “Teacher’s College”
    The Bachelor of Education is a combination of education classes and student teacher training. An example schedule would be six months of courses and two months of student teaching. French teachers would also take courses specific to teaching French to the age group they have chosen.

    The French Classroom
    The first year of employment in any profession is often the most difficult, and teaching is certainly no exception. In teaching, there is a lot of autonomy – that is, the teacher gets to decide what happens in his or her classroom without supervision. For some teachers, this is very scary, while others love the freedom. Teaching French is unique in that it involves teaching many classes of students at different grade levels. A single French teacher may teach six different classes every day, either in his or her own classroom, or by traveling from classroom to classroom.

    Skills and Challenges
    A French teacher must be highly organized, particularly because the job requires so much flexibility. Teaching grade 2 French, then grade 4 French, then back to another class of grade 2 French requires quick adjustment and well-planned materials. The job also requires a great deal of confidence, as does any teaching position; however, the French teacher might teach in front of students as well as coworkers, if he or she is on a “rotary” schedule. Teaching French can also be challenging because many students see French as an unnecessary chore; it can be quite challenging to earn class interest and attention as a result. A solid background is also required, as students quickly become skeptical of a teacher whose French knowledge is limited.

    Rewards
    For people who cannot imagine working in an office, the classroom is a liberating environment. Teachers direct the action of classrooms, and can decide what the class is doing at any given time. The feeling of getting a student interested in French, or having already-interested students show enthusiasm in the classroom, is the reason many teachers go into education. It is an extremely challenging but rewarding occupation.

    One word of caution, however: teaching should never be chosen for the vacations or “shorter hours.” Despite what non-teachers might say, teaching is a profession that is every bit as demanding, if not more demanding, than it is rewarding.

  • Study Techniques

    Study Techniques

    It’s been a long, tiring Tuesday. Finally the bell rings and you’re set “free,” only to return home to that ever-growing pile of homework that’s waiting for you on your bedroom floor. You know – that pile of assignments that are all due tomorrow, just before the big cumulative math exam. Your mind is exhausted and you don’t want to drink any more disgusting coffee that will surely give your hands the uncontrollable shakes. You wonder how you’ll ever be able to focus into the wee hours of the night.

    Perhaps you could try a study method called the Pomodoro Technique – so named for the tomato timer that helps you balance the amount of time that you spend studying with the amount of time you stop for a break.

    Though it may seem counterintuitive to allow yourself extra breaks in such a “last-minute” crunch, some people who use the technique claim that regular breaks are exactly what you need to improve productivity and concentration.

    Here’s how it works:

    1. Decide on the task to be done. Take one assignment out of your pile of homework and prepare to attack it mentally!
    2. Work on the task for 25 minutes. This is where the timer could come in handy. Proponents of the Pomodoro Technique say the ticking of the timer actually helps you to focus because it makes your desire to complete the task physically present. Similarly, the act of winding the timer up confirms your determination to complete the task.
    3. Break for 3 to 5 minutes. After 25 minutes, the timer will ring to announce a break. Stand up, stretch, do some jumping jacks, breathe deeply, take a bathroom break, have a glass of water, etc.
    4. Then rewind that timer and get back to work for another 25 minutes.
    5. Every four 25-minute phases, (which, including the breaks, will add up to about two hours) you should take a slightly longer break (15-30 minutes) before you start studying again.

    Try to practice the study technique, or your own alternative variation, before you’re buried alive in assignments!

  • The Truth About Buying Textbooks

    The Truth About Buying Textbooks

    Can you really put a price on knowledge? College and universities seem to think so.

    Textbook prices in post-secondary institution are climbing everyday. Ironically students learn to think outside of the box and fight injustices such as unnecessarily high textbook costs. While there are viable reasons for Canadian textbook prices to continue to soar, they conflict with current ethic and socio-cultural teachings that encourage students to take a stand against price inflation.

    A Canadian entering post-secondary education can expect to spend between $100 and $1000 on textbooks per year. Typically, math and science students will garner the highest costs, while arts students are paying the least. Regardless of your program, textbook costs are far too high for the quality and quantity of material being provided.

    While students would be better to purchase books online, courses often have required materials that demand textbooks unavailable by any source outside of the school’s bookstore. By disabling students from purchasing online, colleges and universities are holding a monopoly on textbook orders, guaranteeing themselves revenue.

    Maclean’s magazine recently ran an exposé on the Canadian textbook distribution system that reveals why they are so expensive. Unbeknownst to most, a relatively obscure set of provisions to the Copyright Act (1999) known as “book import regulations” is responsible for raising the cost of textbooks by as much as 15 per cent. Maclean’s explains that it gives exclusive rights to Canadian publishers to monopolize textbook sales to Canadian schools, calling it “a form of cultural protection.”

    The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) placed the estimated cost of protecting these publishers through the Copyright Act at approximately $30 million a year. $30 million of Canadian students’ money!

    Maclean’s notes that this “private tariff” on books involves no accountability for how publishers use the extra funds. “This money is going to, generally speaking, foreign-owned distributors. They’re collecting it, the author doesn’t get it, the Canadian taxpayer doesn’t get it, and it’s coming out of the pockets of our students.” So there’s the dilemma.

    Is it right to support the Copyright Act in its efforts to preserve and protect Canadian writers and publishers? Is it better to purchase our own books from distributors outside of Canada and be more financially stable? Do we even have a choice?

    CASA is lobbying federal government for a change to the provisions, and until those happen there are a few things you can do to lessen the financial strain of buying textbooks.

    Always look for used books first from a bookstore that’s not officially affiliated with your school, that’s where the best deals can be found. Ask around campus for anyone selling old textbooks and advertise when you’d like to sell yours. If you can read assigned literature right off your computer, do it. Don’t purchase something you can access online option. Be vocal about your textbook price opinions, because awareness on the issues surrounding CASA’s efforts and the Copyright Act may cause the way books are distributed to make as much sense as the priceless material found inside them.

  • Stop Bullying!

    Stop Bullying!

    BULLYING – THE CHANGE IS WITHIN YOU

    The issue of bullying has been talked about a lot over the past year in the media and in schools. In particular, the bullying of LGBT youth has led to many unfortunate cases where suicide felt like the only way out. Are you or someone you know being bullied? Are you a bully? Ask yourself these important questions and you can make a difference in by taking steps to change your behaviour or helping those who you see being bullied by others.

    If you have bullied others, think of the reasons why you did it. Did you want to look cool in front of your friends? How did it make you feel after you bullied the person? One of the best ways to stop this behaviour is to put yourself in the shoes of the person being bullied. If you were called those names, reflect on how you would feel. Often, realizing the power of your words is the best medicine to stop such actions.

    Don’t put yourself into a box – just because you may have bullied people before, it does not mean you still have to do it now. The power to change is within all of us! By changing your behaviour, you will positively impact everyone around you. Be the person in your school who sets an example and says no to being a bully. Change starts with one person and grows larger from there.

    If you have been bullied, or are currently being bullied, reach out to someone you care about. If you feel like they would not understand, or you don’t feel comfortable talking to them, there are many anonymous and free services where people are ready to help you at any time of the day. Kids Help Phone is a great example. Even though it may seem futile, talking with someone and having a human connection with someone who wants to listen to you and help you is extremely beneficial to your mental health. Someone who is “outside” of your situation can give you advice that you may not hear from someone that is close to you. The anonymity of a service like Kids Help Phone allows you to be completely honest about your thoughts and feelings without the fear of being judged.

    You can also volunteer to help with programs that raise awareness about the effects of bullying, or create your own campaign in your school. Awareness of the issue will give others the confidence to speak up when they see someone being bullied.

    If you need help, please do not hesitate to reach out to someone. There is strength in numbers, and you will get through this.

  • Where, When, and Which Class?: A Course Scheduling Guide

    Where, When, and Which Class?: A Course Scheduling Guide

    If you are like many first year students, you have a vague idea of what courses you want to take in college or university. If you liked biology in high school, chances are “Biology 1000” will catch your eye as you browse through the course calendar. Of course, the first thing that should guide your decisions is your interests. For example, if the thought of reading War and Peace is taxing to you, steer clear of Advanced English Lit. But besides what you do and don’t like, how do you decide what courses should fill your schedule?

    The first thing to look at when creating your schedule is your program requirements. The faculty will dictate which courses you must take in first year to be eligible to continue in your program. For some programs, you may only have one mandatory course, or you may have five. To find out what you need to take for your program, look at the academic calendar for your school, usually available both in print and online. Or, go to the faculty page on your school’s website and select your program. Failing that, you can always call in to student services, where a representative will put you in contact with someone from your faculty.

    Once you’re aware of your program requirements, you can decide what to do with your electives. These classes can be anything, and should be guided by your interests and your skills. If the number of choices seems overwhelming, or you’re just plain good at everything, try choosing electives based on their time slots. After scheduling your mandatory classes, you’ll have some space left over. You can then see what electives would fit into the time slots you have, which will help narrow down your selection.

    When it comes to scheduling, lock down your mandatory classes first. Since all the students in your program have to take them, there will likely be some variety in times and professors. Then, put electives where you see fit. If they conflict, take a mandatory class over an elective; you can take an elective any time during your schooling career, but mandatory courses are often prerequisites for upper year classes. If a course you need, or just really want, to take is eluding you, remember that you can take some classes in the summer (sometimes at a different university) or online.

    You won’t always have a say in the timing of your courses, but when you can make decisions, be honest with yourself. If you can’t wake up before noon in the summer, you will have trouble with an 8:30 AM class. With all the freedom that post-secondary classes offer, you’ll be more likely to sleep in and miss class.

    When faced with the daunting task of scheduling your own classes, its easy to lose sight of what an awesome opportunity it is. For the first time, you have complete control over your schedule. When, where, and what courses you take are entirely up to you! Keep that in mind while you choose your classes, and you’ll be sure to come out with a great semester.

  • First Year University Woes

    First Year University Woes

    With August now here and September right around the corner, those of you in your first year of University may be feeling a little nervous. I do not blame you! I was in the same position a few years ago. After taking time off to figure out what I wanted to study I was ready to hit the books again… or so I thought!

    I registered with zeal and could not wait to re enter the world of notebooks, pencils, pens and knowledge! I bought all my books right away, stocked up on school supplies and RSVP’d for Orientation. Yes—I was ready!

    Finally September came and I entered the classroom with dozens of other nervous first years. It was hot, very hot. Maybe it was just my nerves. For the first time I doubted myself. Maybe I was not ready for this yet! What if it was too soon? I had only just begun tasting the world and all it had to offer. Was I ready to give it up for a desk and a textbook? Was I ready to learn rather than explore?

    As it turns out, I was not ready. In fact, I lasted about two weeks in University before I called it quits for the year. I felt like a failure. My friends did not understand. I did not understand! How did this go so wrong?

    I do not write this to scare you. In fact, I am now in my fourth year of University and I love it! I also am not writing this to convince you to leave University- quite the opposite. I wanted to write about how to survive your first year because I had such a tough time with it, and clearly did not make it. But my second pass at “first” year went much better. I’m writing this with the hope that you will learn from my experience and be more aware of what is ahead of you.

    In retrospect, here are a few things I wish I knew:

    1. Do not buy all your books before you start classes! Often, you will change your mind and realize another class may be a better fit. You don’t want the book you purchased to become a paperweight. If you go to the first one or two and think you will stick with it, then go purchase that textbook. Or even better, purchase an e-book if possible! If you do end up with an unnecessary book though, do not panic. Try selling it at the used bookstore and recouping some of your money. Or if you need to feel prepared, just check your bookstore’s return policy. Often if the book is unused they will refund you within an allotted amount of time! Just be prepared to lineup!

    2. You are not a failure if you have to drop a course, or two. It seemed like the end of the world when I dropped my first course. The reality is, it is not! In fact it is more important that you take on what you can handle in your first year of University. You can always make up courses in spring or summer sessions at school. Don’t sweat a few credits. The extra time you have to focus on your other classes will serve you more in the long run.

    3. Be on time. I know that they do not take attendance in several university classes, but out of respect to your professor and classmates, arrive on time. It is quite distracting when you arrive late, especially in the winter months when you have a large coat, and a backpack. That coat seems even puffier and the zipper seems more obnoxious when you are late. However, we all run a bit late sometimes, just try not to make it a habit.

    4. If you are one of the first few people on the waitlist, go to the first class! I did not do this my first year, and because of that am a year behind in my major. I was on the waitlist but thought that meant I was out. What I learned is that the first class they usually ask who is on the waitlist and they will talk to you after class. If they have enough spots for people in the classroom, sometimes they will expand their class list to let you in. I say sometimes because they do not have to. One of my classes this past year, the waitlist students took attendance every class and after about two weeks, those who had come every class were admitted in. It never hurts to try.

    5. If you decide that University is not for you this year that is ok too. I’ve already admitted to leaving University my first attempt at it. You may feel the same way- all the excitement may fizzle and you might realize that this is not what you thought it would be. Do not quit right away though. Look at the rest of your life. Are you working towards your career aspirations and it is harder than you thought? Do you just dislike homework? Are you missing your friends? Then I would suggest that you persevere. It does get easier as you get used to it. The homework becomes more manageable as you acquire time management skills and you will make friends as time passes.

    However, if you really feel lost, or your friends and family notice a change in you (and not for the better) consider if University is the correct next step. Talk to the guidance counselors they have at school or to your family and friends. In my circumstance all it took was a second year off to focus my career path. I needed to know what I was trying to achieve so that I was motivated to work hard. Once I figured that out, school has been so much easier. Sometimes working can really highlight what we love and which careers we may be best suited to. Or it can show us that perhaps we don’t want to work in that area. But that is another article…

    Whichever path you choose, I hope that this coming year is full of adventure, excitement and new memories. These first few years out of high school are amazing. Enjoy them!