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Category: Campus Life

  • First Year University Woes

    First Year University Woes

    With August quickly approaching 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!

  • 1st Hand Knowledge on 2nd Hand Shopping

    1st Hand Knowledge on 2nd Hand Shopping

    The benefits of shopping vintage and the best ways to go about it.

     

    At a younger age, I had a fear of purchasing second hand (other people had touched them..which apparently to my younger self, was “gross”). And then, one fateful day, I went to a second hand store to pick a piece for a costume party and have never looked back since. Not only is it a great deal from a monetary perspective, but it allowed me to take fashion risks I may not have otherwise took, as my investment was lower, so if it turned out to be a fashion dud that I never wore again, guilt feelings were minimal.

    Purchasing second hand furniture has even more savings capabilities. A brand new living room set can cost you thousands, where as purchasing one second hand can be anywhere from $10-$100. I have furnished an entire apartment for under $200. It certainly did not resemble a page out of Martha Stewart Living, but for a student apartment, it looked pretty good (in my books). While you can head to any second hand store to purchase furniture, an even better bet is hitting up sites like Kijiji and Craigslist. Not only can you often get stuff for free on there, but if it is not free, most people are open to negotiation.

    As a student, the purchase of second hand books can be another great money saver. Your on-campus bookstore will likely have used books to purchase, and while this does save you money, you can save even more by buying directly from other students. Keep an eye on flyers on the wall, but if your specific books aren’t being sold by other students, check out sites like Amazon and Ebay. If you are willing to go one edition back (example: you are supposed to buy the 6th edition but instead you buy the 5th), the cost often goes from $150 for a new text book down to $5. Talk about huge savings. Usually differences between editions are minimal, but a great way to check, is on sites like Amazon, you can look at the Table of Contents for a book. Look at the contents of the newest edition versus the one you want.. chapters look similar? Done deal. Often, for reasons beyond me, professors get you to buy an expensive text book, and then never refer to it the entire semester, and then you wind up crying yourself to sleep over the costly book that has never been opened. But, if you got it 2nd hand, super cheap, you are laughing.. literally.. at your other classmates who were not as wise as you.

    The great thing about getting into the second-hand groove is that when you are done with your stuff, you can sell them for likely almost the same amount you bought them for. Or you can give them away knowing it is ok, as you did not spend much on it anyways. Keep in mind that when both buying and giving items away, research into the organization you are giving it to. Look into the causes different stores support, and base your decision on that. Not only will you being doing good for your wallet, but also for society and the environment (recycled goods means less items in landfills!).

     

     

  • Summer School: Why it’s Worth Your Time

    Summer School: Why it’s Worth Your Time

    Although the thought of spending a beautiful summer’s day inside a dark classroom while others are lounging at the beach may sound less than appealing, in the long run taking summer school may actually prove to be one of the best decisions you will make while at college or university. Here’s why:

    1.) Finish your degree in less time

    On average, it takes four years to complete a bachelor’s degree. However, many students are now taking an extra year to finish their degree, which allows for a less stressful and demanding course load each semester. Having said this, there is a way to keep the stress level down without taking an extra year to complete your degree. By taking two courses per summer, you can complete your bachelor’s degree in just four years, while taking a manageable four courses per semester during the school year. By opting to cut your course load by just one class a semester (and instead take these classes during the summer), you can increase your free time while at the same time decreasing your stress. In addition, taking just two classes each summer means that you will still have extra time to get a part-time summer job, go on vacation, or just relax!

    2.) Smaller class sizes

    If you’ve ever been one of four hundred students in an introductory psychology class, you know that quality one-on-one time with the professor is hard to come by. Although teaching assistants are usually made available via email and office hours in larger classes, it simply doesn’t compare to the valuable one-on-one direction and assistance of the professor which is usually an integral part of smaller classes. The smaller size of summer school classes also provides greater opportunity for group work and interaction with fellow students. Depending on whether you prefer to brainstorm in groups or to work solo, this may or may not be seen as a benefit. Furthermore, professors are generally more lenient with due dates and the formalities of the class, and lectures are much more laid-back in summer school. With a more relaxed atmosphere, classes are less daunting and more enjoyable.

    3.) Shorter course durations

    Many summer school classes are concentrated into four or eight week sessions, making it the perfect time to get the more tedious classes over and done with in a relatively short amount of time. Or, on the other hand, if you want to take a class that you have a greater interest in, summer school allows for an intense focus on the subject matter. This may seem slightly paradoxical given the shorter duration of summer classes, but the greater amount of group work and one-on-one time with the professor means that you can discuss the subject matter in greater depth and hopefully gain a better understanding of the material. And, as stated before, taking fewer courses of shorter duration means that you can still have a fun and relaxing summer while at the same time working towards finishing your degree in less time!

     

     

     

  • Rewarding Careers: ESL Teacher

    Rewarding Careers: ESL Teacher

    Language teaching offers opportunities for students and teachers to learn together.

    The musical rhythms of Spanish dance alongside the sharp glides of Mandarin; bold sounding Arabic is heard not too far away either. This is the typical language classroom. The students are all new immigrants to Canada and are all beginning to find their voice in English. Some are doctors or engineers, others may be stay-at-home moms or recent refugees. Every class is always a little different and no lesson plan is ever identical.

    According to the latest census results, Canada is currently seeing the highest levels of foreign-born individuals in 75 years. This means that one in five people are newcomers! Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal remains the favored cities for settlement, but other cities across Canada (Halifax, Edmonton, and Winnipeg) are seeing a drastic rise within the last decade as well. With over 70% of the foreign-born population speaking a language other than English or French, ESL is becoming a field of great demand.

    A Typical Day

    Grammar lessons can’t be avoided, but it shouldn’t make up the entire class. There is great freedom for the teacher since the curriculum allows flexibility and creativity. In my class we may do an hour of grammar review followed by a class discussion about different cultural taboos or what the heck “double double” means. Students range in age from 18 to 60 and bring with them a lifetime of experiences to share. An Ethiopian student introduced me to delicious injera; a Vietnamese student wore a beautiful ao dai to show her classmates.

    Every autumn I prepare the students for their first Canadian winter and I always smile when I see how fascinated and delighted they are with the first snowfall. Being an ESL teacher really means becoming their first Canadian friend. It is my responsibility to help the students prepare for all the obstacles they didn’t expect. Finding a job means writing a resume and not submitting a picture with it (which is common practice in parts of Asia). Going onto higher education at a Canadian university or college means applying for student loans and bursaries, (which isn’t common practice in parts of Europe and the Middle East). Even everyday tasks like using the ATM or making an appointment can be daunting. My job is to make this a little easier.

    How to Become an ESL Teacher

    In order to teach ESL in Canada you need to apply and be certified with Teachers of English as a Second Language (TESL). To do this you first need to complete a one year Certificate to Teach English as a Second Language (CTESL) program at a recognized university or college. Part of the program will be theory, and the other part will be a practicum. It is entirely up to the student whether they want to teach (under the guidance of a teacher) during their practicum or simply observe. Every province has slightly different requirements (TESL Ontario requires 50 hours of teaching experience in British Columbia it’s 20), so be sure to check it carefully. The CTESL program will only accept students who hold a university degree (you don’t need to be an English major), but are also known to accommodate students with previous teaching and training experiences.

    If you would rather teach children than adults, you won’t need a CTESL or be accredited with TESL. Instead, you would need to complete your Bachelor of Education with specific courses in ESL methodology. If you’re thinking of traveling outside of Canada to teach, a CTESL isn’t normally required overseas, but you can demand a higher salary because you have it. Not to mention that you’ll also be more prepared than those without.

    A career as an ESL teacher is beyond rewarding from the difference you’re making in the students’ lives to the difference they are making in yours.

  • Fun (Almost Free) Activities for Summer

    Fun (Almost Free) Activities for Summer

    Fun for Summer

    Having an incredible summer doesn’t mean you need to break the bank.

    There’s never a shortage of things to do in the summer, but if you’re saving up for school in September, fun can be quite costly. While it would be great to backpack through Europe or spend the weekend at Wonderland, it’s much more important to save the money now so you won’t be eating 6 months of ramen noodles in the fall. Here are a few ideas to help you make the most of your summer and keep all your change in your pocket.

    1) Volunteer for Festivals

    You know it’s officially summer when those loud, all night, outdoor festivals are pitching their tents. There’s the always popular music festivals, the quirky comedy or fringe festivals, and the laid back art events too. The options are endless, but a festival pass to rock out to your favourite bands could easily cost you $80 or more. How about volunteering a few hours of your time and see the exact same band for free?

    You’ll be meeting new people and putting experience down on your resume at the same time. You can even volunteer with a group of friends. The application process is easy and straightforward. Even if the festival is already under way, ask a volunteer coordinator if they need replacements or an extra hand. The answer is rarely no.

    2) Gallery hop and Museum Tours

    Most galleries and museums charge a student rate for entry, but save the cash and check it out on a free night. Depending on where you live, nearly all galleries and museums offers one evening a week where the public is allowed entry for free from 5pm to closing. This is also an excellent way to escape the heat while you’re checking out Picasso or comparing yourself to a T-Rex.

    3) Shakespeare in the Park

    Romeo and Juliet feels much more romantic under the trees than it does in a high school class. Go online and find the summer schedule for your local playhouse that produces plays in the park. At the end of the performance, pay what you can when the hat gets to you.

    Some communities in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa arrange movie nights at the park. The municipality pays for the gigantic screen and all you have to bring is a lawn chair and popcorn!

    4) Camp in your Backyard

    Fire up a bbq, invite your closest friends and tell them to each bring something to nibble on. Pitch a tent, use lots of bug spray and have one of the most memorable nights of the summer.

    It may not be the real wilderness experience, but at least you’ll have easy access to a toilet.

    Canadian winters are long and harsh, which is why everyone needs to get out there and enjoy the few months of summer. Doing something outside of your normal routine may surprise you. What other fun, almost-free summer activities do you do?

  • Summer Jobs: Useful?

    Summer Jobs: Useful?

    Summer/Part-Time Jobs

    Searching for the perfect part-time job is beneficial to your career choices.

    It’s summertime again, and besides gasping for that first breath of summer freedom and that thing called a “social life”, it also means looking for a part-time job.

    You’re probably just wrapping up those final projects and presentations for school, but you should consider making time in advance to discover a summer job that will take you one step closer to a career you’re really passionate about.

    So what is the ideal summer job for you?

    Ask yourself what area of work you are interested in, or what skills you think are essential for a certain career. For example, many careers involve people’s skills, dealing with customers in a daily face-to-face environment. Becoming a cashier or waiter would be an opportune job for developing your communication skills.

    Perhaps you are interested in management? If you have any tourist hot-spots in your city, getting a job within tourist areas understanding how the tourism industry operates could be a beneficial summer job! Don’t let the thought of having to start at a lower level position scare you away from a good experience; being able to understand how a company works from the ground up can improve your understanding of management.

    Perhaps engineering is your cup of tea? Getting jobs at retail technology store would be ideal. Previous Niagara Falls resident Zachary Edmonson spent a couple months in the summer acquiring knowledge working in an Apple tech support company before heading off to Sheridan college in Oakville.

    “Acquiring the technological knowledge and customer service skills, as well as working independently was priceless experience for what I am looking to do,” Zach said.

    Understanding the reality that nation-wide budget cuts have diminished the number of jobs available to students is essential when hitting the summer job market.  Be creative; even typical teenage jobs like fast food can be a great learning experience.  Many large fast-food companies have intramural sports teams and volunteer opportunities that increase job value and learning experiences

    Current Brock student Heather Long is volunteering at an after-school program called “When I Grow Up” where she is learning how to deal with different types of children.

    “I set the room up, and organize days for the kids, like ‘physics’ day and ‘musician’ day” Heather said.

    She usually supervises 12-13 kids between herself and one other employee.  Learning how to work with children will benefit Heather in her future career as a teacher.

    Sure, there can be time for some fun in the sun, but manage your time wisely! It is never too early to think ahead about what skills you think will boost your resume and get you your dream job.

  • To live on campus or not, that is the question

    Do you enjoy meeting new people? How do you feel about studying with them – or even sharing your kitchen and shower with them? Welcome to the reality of resident student life.  Like many Canadian students on their way to attending college or university this year, you may be considering moving on campus for the convenience of being steps away from your classes and most importantly for a ‘richer’ student experience.


    Although you might have good reasons for wanting to move on campus, resident student life is not for everyone and making an informed choice is imperative in ensuring you’ve made the right choice for your own peace of mind.  “You have to be flexible and realize you will be around other people to make this work” says Fern Moran, former British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and University of Winnipeg (U of W) resident student. “Talking [with your roommates] about the things that come up without judgment is what makes it a good experience for everyone. If you’re not willing to do that, campus living is probably not for you”.  Although you will have less space and less privacy in a dorm vs. living on your own, one of the upsides is that it’s easier to get more involved and build a greater sense of community for yourself and your peers.  “Living on campus allowed me to participate in two campus clubs at BCIT that I would not likely have done if I were not living on campus. The same applied at U of W where I was part of a group that founded what became a faculty student association” says Moran. 


    Other than the obvious social aspects you need to also think about your finances. Which option is cheaper? Generally speaking, living on campus usually ends up being less costly than if you were living on your own, especially if a meal plan and daily cleaning service is included (one or the other usually are).  If you stay at home with your parents and are not asked to fork over any rent then your cheapest option would be to live off campus.  “Living with my parents…gives me more opportunity to save money and travel” says Simon Fraser University student Branka Parenta, 23. But if staying at home is not an option you can find out if you’re eligible for subsidized housing for students through your school or government social services. 


    As a young person who fiercely values their privacy and are seeking a greater degree of independence – and can afford it, you would be better off finding an apartment close to school on your own or with a roommate. But keep in mind that along with the hassle of initially having to look for a place, you’ll also have to worry about setting up your place (eg. study area, other furniture) and keeping up with parking, rent, utilities, cable and internet payments –  just to name a few.  All of these factors must be considered along with the degree of involvement you’re comfortable with. Also thinking about what sacrifices you are willing to make in that regard will help you determine if living on campus is right for you.

  • How to Prepare for The Dorm

    1. Write a list of the stuff you know you need. A good start can be found below

    * Bedding (sheets, comforter, pillows, mattress pad. A lot of colleges use Twin Extra Long mattresses which are a few inches longer than a regular twin. Do not skip the mattress pad; dorm room mattresses by themselves are not comfortable)

    * Toiletries (shower tote, towels, soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, shower sandals, bathrobe)

    * Storage (under-bed plastic tubs, laundry hamper, drawers. Organizing your closet with a shoe rack or sweater organizer is always a good idea.)

    * Personal touches (posters, lamps, Christmas lights, knick-knacks)

    * Clothes (typically bring enough to last you three weeks without having to do laundry; you’re not going to want to do laundry every weekend. A wide variety is good as well so you’re covered no matter what the weather is doing. Remember to bring nice clothes you’d wear to a job interview because you never know if you’ll need to look snazzy.
    * Necessary miscellaneous (fan, alarm clock, refrigerator (optional), bedside lamp, clip-on shelf for your bed frame, laptop, laundry detergent, umbrella)
    2. Take this list to a trusted college graduate who can help you decide what you can do without.
    3. Start thinking about what necessities you need. Those necessities are; a couple pairs of shoes, clothes that are of a wide range (bring summer and winter stuff), shower and bathroom stuff, entertainment stuff.

    Tips

    * Wait until you have moved into your dorm before you begin buying a lot of things. You may find after you get there that that really cool organizer bin will not fit in the room, or the doors are not set up for organizers to be hung from them.

  • How to Survive Without a Salary

     

    Today my grandmother gave me a thick antiquated book entitled “How to Survive Without a Salary”, by Charles Long, circa 1981. The truth is that I’m employed, as a writer here for Jobspeopledo and a barista at a coffee shop. My grandmother is aware of both those facts. So I do in fact earn summer salaries, but with her infinite wisdom, my loving old granny felt the need to bestow the book upon me nonetheless. With a career as a student and jobs that pivot around an education’s schedule, it’s pretty much impossible to predict long term income or complete financial stability anyway. My grandmother knows that despite the state of a person’s finances, tips on how to adopt what Long calls the “conserver lifestyle” are always good to consider.

     

    So let’s consider them. Long defines the term conserver lifestyle as “a means of coping better with what (one) already has.” Chapter one of his novel deals with internal factors preventing you from finding success in that regard. For interest’s sake, let’s pretend we don’t have any of those. But chapter two is ‘Assessing Yourself: Making a Budget,’ which is definitely worth a look. You never want to be spending more than your wallet can handle, especially when, as students, there are some costs that can’t be evaded.

    According to Statistics Canada, Canadian student tuition fees alone averaged at $5,777 in 2008-09, with Quebec’s $2,488 average the lowest and Ontario the highest, at $8,797. But there are also “ancillary fees,” those compulsory extra charges over and above tuition to cover things like athletic programs, health services and student associations. These fees added an average of $695 more to the demands on a full-time Canadian undergrad in 2008-09, ranging from a low of $423 in New Brunswick to a high of $827 in Nova Scotia. Ancillary fees are usually unregulated, but you can often look into them on school websites and find opportunities to opt out of what you don’t need.

    We can all survive without a salary while we are students if we keep watch on costs and budget ourselves accordingly. Long claims that “costs are always more important than earnings…there is nearly always more advantage in reducing costs than in increasing earnings.”

    In order to be able to sustain yourself while you get an education with an unstable salary and all of these subsidiary costs to student life, several banks like RBC and TD Canada Trust have places for you to create your own budget lists on their websites. At the time the book was written, without widespread use of the Internet it was a bit tougher to budget, but today many student budget list templates can be found online as well. The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada’s student budget section is a good resource, at http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/bsf-osb.nsf/eng/br01399.html.

     

    After the section on budgeting Long gives eleven more chapters of detailed analyses on financial strategies, many of them useful. He says, “A penny saved is not a penny earned. A penny saved is a hell of a lot more than a penny earned today.” We know that simply by keeping our savings in the bank, they grow with interest. That can apply to scholarship money or bursaries that may be extractable for personal holding (OSAP, for example).

    Chapter six, on ‘The Second-Hand Market’, is my personal favourite, advocating the benefits of getting everything and anything used or pre-owned. Shopping in thrift stores doesn’t only help your wallet, but choosing to reuse can help our planet too.

     

    I’m glad to have been given this book, and prepared to become more money-conscious. With sky high tuition costs and the absence of established careers at this point in our lives, it’s smart to consider advice from anyone, outdated or otherwise, especially a published professional. And where did my grandmother find this yellowing treasure? At Value Village, naturally.