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Category: Featured Articles

  • Should You Stay or Go? Writing Exams in University and College

    Should You Stay or Go? Writing Exams in University and College

    When you ask yourself this question, you may be thinking of relationships, moving away to go to school or debating on taking a new job; you might not be thinking of exams. When you get to college or university, you may spend about 120 hours sitting in exams. When I started university, I’d see people get up and leave an exam as soon as they were finished. I would think to myself: Why is that person finishing so early? Okay, maybe you think this won’t apply to you. Many times it did not apply to me, but sometimes, it did. The first time I finished an exam early, I opted to stay until “my time was up,” and thereafter, I never left an exam early. So, why stay? Later, I could articulate a reason: once I got out of that door, it was over. I realized later that I was paying for the full three hours of exam time, and that I should always use the time wisely.

    Staying may mean: Not giving up. While writing a second-year psychology exam, I did not know the answer to two questions. I spent several minutes reading the exam, the questions and my answers to the questions, and then discovered clues to help me find the answers to those two questions. If I left early, I would have never discovered these things. I didn’t just stay for the few marks; I stayed to use the time I was given in the best way I could. If I got up and left, I really would have been shortchanging myself.

    It takes time and practice to become skilled at reading and analyzing questions during an exam. We pay for the time. It’s part of the tuition fee. No one will reimburse you for the time you don’t use. If you don’t show up for a class – you don’t get any money back.

    You must learn to stick it out during an exam and focus. Any small activity can be a distraction. Sometimes, there are big distractions. One tough exam experience took place first thing Monday morning. We wrote in a gym. The heat had been off all weekend, and no one had turned it on. The temperature was freezing when we left the exam; thank goodness I had my winter coat with me. Many others had left their coats outside in the hall, and were not allowed back out to get them. It’s a rule – once you are in, you’re in. Once you are out, you’re out. In mentioning this, remember to always be prepared for the unexpected.

    Writing exams is a study in itself and there are many tips for getting through an exam successfully, but it takes practice. You usually have three hours to totally focus on your paper. You paid for the time. There’s a saying, “The reward of patience is patience.” Stay or go? Here’s hoping you find the few small rewards attached to staying.

  • Career Profile: Television Reporter

    Career Profile: Television Reporter

    For many people, watching the evening news is a daily routine. They learn about world events from reporters who gather facts and inform viewers about what they’ve discovered. Becoming a television reporter involves education and experience, but also the ability to pursue stories and to condense them into forms that fit into news programs. If that idea appeals to you, becoming a television reporter might be the right choice.

    Have you ever worked on a school newspaper or interviewed someone for an assignment? Television reporters spend a lot of their time trying to find the facts about events in their own communities or around the world. This can often involve talking to people and doing research in libraries or archives. They need to research everything they can about their subject/s, so they can ask intriguing questions while getting to the truth or heart of the story.

    Most television reporters prepare for their careers by getting a bachelor’s degree in journalism, broadcasting or television production. Taking creative writing or English literature courses can also be useful. Some reporters might also want to specialize in a particular type of writing or in the history and politics of a certain area of the world. If you know a lot about subjects that involve science or literature, you can work towards specializing in a specific topic. However, reporters have to be prepared to work on any assignments that they receive-usually in the beginning of their career.

    Knowing about camera and recording equipment is also useful for television reporters. Large news stations normally have technicians who operate cameras and sound recording equipment, but at smaller stations, reporters might have to learn how to use all of this equipment themselves. When they go out to report on an event, they have to keep the camera rolling while talking and asking people questions.

    When they first start out, most reporters work on small, local stories. They might report on a local music festival or a problem with playground equipment. In large television stations with many reporters, it might take several years before they can work on bigger stories. However, if they gain skills and experience, they can often move on to other types of reporting. They might never get to work on the most exciting stories, but they could begin to make their own decisions about which ones to cover.

    Salaries for television reporters may vary. When they start out, especially at small stations, reporters might earn only about $20,000 per year. With experience, however, they could reach $100,000 per year, especially if they are willing to travel to different parts of the world. In most parts of Canada, the average salary for a television reporter is between $45,000 and $55,000 per year.

    Becoming a television reporter takes a lot of practice and requires you to be open to the world and what stories it has to offer. If you enjoy talking to people and finding out the facts behind a story, this job might be a good career choice for you.

    Bibliography:

    Halbrooks, Glenn. TV Reporter Career Profile and Job Description http://media.about.com/od/televisionandradio/p/Tv-Reporter-Career-Profile.htm.
    Living in Canada. “Journalist Salary Canada.” http://www.livingin-canada.com/salaries-for-journalists.html.
    Occupation Profile for Radio and Television Announcers http://www.careers.org/occupations/27-3011.00/radio-and-television-announcers.
    Study.com. “News Reporter Career Information, Job Duties and Salary Info.” http://study.com/news_reporter_career.html.

  • How Do I Know I’m on the Right Career Path?

    How Do I Know I’m on the Right Career Path?

    When children are young, they often dream of becoming a ballet dancer, search and rescue pilot, or explorer. Later on, however, most of them begin to think of different careers like teacher or doctor.

    Picking a good career is hard; how do you know you’re going to make the right choice?

    In the past, people tended to choose one career, train for it, and then stay in that career for the rest of their lives. These days, however, permanent jobs are hard to find, and people tend to switch jobs or career paths quite often. Young people starting out in their careers might have twelve to fifteen different jobs in their working life, not including summer work. Although, some of these job changes are within the same career path- people have to be much more flexible than they were in the past.

    This need for flexibility is important to remember as you decide on what career path to pursue. You might start out as a lawyer but then go back to school to study librarianship, or you might use your training as an engineer to get work in theatre set construction. The important thing is to find careers that fit your skills and your personality.

    Knowing yourself can be the key to finding the right career path. Do you love to talk and work with people? You might want to choose a career that allows you to do that, such as becoming a teacher or a social worker. Are you very precise and love to work with your hands? You might want to consider careers such as lab worker, inventor, or mechanic.

    Your skills and abilities can also help you choose the right path. If you dislike studying and memorizing facts, for example, you should avoid careers in medicine. If you have troubles handling stressful situations, you should probably not try to get into the police or security work. You might be able to overcome these barriers, but you should consider other options before you try these difficult jobs.

    Besides all of your personal characteristics, you need to know something about the working world to choose a good career. The available opportunities change rapidly, and a job that seems promising now might disappear entirely within a few years. However, knowing the job market can help you prepare for these changes.

    If you can fill a need, you are likely able to stay in your chosen career path for a long time. No one can predict exactly what will happen in the next few years, but it is a good idea to be as prepared as possible. Consider your options; try things you haven’t considered before. Using trial and error will help you figure things out, and lead you to where you’re supposed to be.

    Bibliography:

    Harris, Peter. “How Many Jobs Do Canadians Hold in a Lifetime?” http://careers.workopolis.com/advice/how-many-jobs-do-canadians-hold-in-a-lifetime/.

    HelpGuide.org. “Finding the Right Career.” http://www.helpguide.org/articles/work-career/finding-the-right-career.htm
    Wikihow.com. “How to Choose the Right Career.” http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-the-Right-Career.

    Work BC.ca. “Self-Assessment.” https://www.workbc.ca/Job-Seekers/Build-Your-Career/Planning-Your-Career/Starting-and-Planning-Your-Career/Self-assessment.aspx.

    Zimmerman, Eilene. “Helping Teenagers Find Their Dreams.” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/25/jobs/25career.html?_r=0.

  • Tips to Boost Your Motivation to Study

    Tips to Boost Your Motivation to Study

    The fall semester is almost over—and you all know what that means: cumulative exams that are worth a scary percentage of your final grade. It feels like midterms were just around the corner and now you have to re-study everything all over again. Understandably, you might not be feeling the most motivated to crack open that textbook. What can you do about this?

    The Carrot: Post-Exam Freedom
    One of the best ways to motivate yourself is to think about the freedom you will enjoy after your exams. This is the carrot method of motivating yourself. All that stands between you and a social life is a few measly exams—you can do this! Whenever you just don’t feel like studying, think about how freeing it will be to be able to binge-watch House of Cards guilt-free.

    The Stick: Failing Your Courses
    No one enjoys the taste of failure, and for a student, failing a course can significantly affect your GPA, which can in turn affect your prospects for scholarships, for graduate programs, for your career aspirations. There are even some programs that require you to repeat the entire year if you fail just one course. So if the carrot is not working, keep yourself motivated by thinking of the negative consequences of not studying.
    What can you do in your day-to-day to help maintain study motivation?

    Here are some specific and easy tips you can follow to help you maintain your study motivation:

    1. Study a little bit every day. Not only will this prevent panic-filled—and ineffective—cramming, you have broken down a daunting task into smaller tasks, making them more manageable and therefore more appealing to do.

    2. Keep yourself well-rested, well-fed, and well-hydrated. If the thought of studying inspires you to groan, that may be because you are tired and/or hungry. Get some rest, get some grub and then sit down with your books and notes. A refreshed mind will take in information more effectively.

    3. Change your computer, tablet, and cell phone wallpaper to a motivational quote or picture. As a student, it’s likely that not a day goes by without you using at least one of these items, so you will have frequent reminders to keep you motivated to study.

    4. There’s an app for that! Seriously, there are motivational apps available. Some of them work by having you set a goal, for example, “I want to study for 1 hour every day” and every day, the app will ask you if you have accomplished this goal. This keeps you on track and accountable. Others work by sending you a different motivational message every day.

    Don’t be discouraged if you aren’t 100% motivated and raring to study every day. You will have off days, but hopefully you will take away concrete tips from this article that will help you minimize those off days.

    Sources:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrot_and_stick

  • Is IQ an Important Factor in your Life and Career?

    Is IQ an Important Factor in your Life and Career?

    Do you know your Intelligence Quotient or IQ? You may have tried some of those quizzes online that claim they can rate your IQ. Perhaps you have resorted to some popular measures to boost your IQ by this and that percent. Some of these brain boosters include games like crossword puzzles and Sudoku. General knowledge dictates that a high IQ is 130 or above, while the average ranges from 85 to 114. But what exactly constitutes IQ?

    Some people have a misconception that students who excel academically—those who get straight As most of the time—automatically have high IQs. However, by standard definition, this is not always the case. While one’s encyclopedic knowledge may partially be a component of a high IQ, IQ primarily focuses on a person’s cognitive abilities. As such, IQ tests are designed to assess a person’s aptitude for solving problems and understanding concepts. Thus, these tests are normally divided into four parts that test spatial ability, mathematical ability, language ability, and memory ability; what does these mean?

    You may know classmates or friends who can talk endlessly about the Aztec or Mayan civilization as if they are history professors, but ask them a riddle and they might find themselves stumped. Or you may know people who can spot grammatical errors in your essay a mile away, but they can’t tell the difference between a trapezoid and a rhombus. Or you may know people who can recite poems by Dylan Thomas or Robert Frost, but give them directions to a new hot spot, and they end up calling you, requesting you to pick them up because they are lost.

    The situations above sound familiar, right? Simply put, extensive book knowledge does not always equate high IQ. Now that you have a good idea of what IQ is, do you think that it is still an important thing to measure in today’s society?

    A study done by the Ohio State University’s Center for Human Research suggests that you don’t have to fret if you have an average IQ or below average IQ. It’s not the end of the world, as they say. This particular study asserts that IQ does not have a link to one’s success. There are other factors that determine success including one’s personality and talent. For instance, you may have tons of creative talent, like in art or music.

    Some experts say that IQ does not hold the same weight as EQ or emotional quotient. EQ is people’s ability to keep their emotions in check, interact with their environment, and cope with pressures and demands of everyday life. You may know someone who is smart and excels in all his subjects but lacks the social skills or grace to help others in need, such as a classmate who may need tutoring.

    In an article in HuffingtonPost.com, UC Berkeley teacher Seth Roberts shares an interesting story about a term project where he asked his students to do anything related to depression- except that library research did not count. Roberts writes that one particular student impressed him, especially since this was one who struggled with writing assignments and class participation most of the term. This student conquered her fears of public speaking and spoke to a high school class about depression. Roberts concluded that resourcefulness and courage do hold more weight than academic excellence.

    So the next time someone mentions they have a high IQ, just let them be. Don’t be hard on yourself. You know that it’s not going to be the sole factor that will determine their success in life, or yours.

    SOURCES:

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/seth-roberts/how-important-is-iq_b_39554.html

    http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/question455.htm

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/intelligence_quotient.htm

    http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-25152532

    http://techcabal.com/2015/10/28/what-makes-a-person-smart/

    http://psychology.about.com/od/intelligence/f/average-iq.htm

    http://www.education.com/reference/article/iq-school-achievement/

    http://www.howitworksdaily.com/in-a-nutshell-intelligence-vs-iq/

    https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/moral-landscapes/201212/can-we-stop-confusing-iq-intelligence

  • How To Be a Filmmaker (and How the Answer is Under Your Nose)

    How To Be a Filmmaker (and How the Answer is Under Your Nose)

    You are sitting in class, but your mind is a million miles away. You can hear the teacher speaking, but all you can see are scenes you want to bring to life: sci-fi battles, the modern day dilemmas of youth, old school slapstick shenanigans, and more. Filmmaking is in your blood, and possibly costing you some marks in class. So how do you go about harnessing that energy and passion in a positive way?

    The first part of that answer may very well be in your pocket. Smartphones offer a myriad of uses, and although filming scenes with the same device you use to text your friends may not feel very professional, it is actually closer to a “proper” camera than you might think. Modern smartphones can record up to 1080p videos at 60 frames per second, or 2160p videos at 30fps. With a few peripherals, such as a lens kit or microphone, you can put together impressive looking and sounding movies at a low cost.

    Even if the director or main stars of a blockbuster get the accolades, all movies are a team effort. You can turn to your friends, or make like-minded friends in classes or after school programs. They do not have to necessarily be people wanting to get into film. Your tech-savvy friend can operate the camera. Your pal who is mastering English class can write the script. An artistic student can draw the storyboards. As a team, it will not only be easier, but the combination of different skills will make your final product even better.

    Most important of all, you need to be prepared to fail. No film or story in its final form is exactly as you pictured it in your head. Not everything you make will be gold. By treating filmmaking as a process, as something you make a habit of, you can produce a body of work. You can upload your videos online and experience the marvelous horror of having an audience. All feedback, from your ever-praising mother to vicious online reviewers, is invaluable. You need to learn to accept feedback from both ends of the spectrum- this is how you grow and learn.

    Looking ahead, research film programs in the post-secondary institutions you want to attend. These programs provide you a very unique environment to learn in, where you will be working alongside others who share your passion and receiving honest and constructive feedback from peers and experienced professionals. The post-secondary environment allows you to meet people from all walks of life. The things you learn from them will inspire your storytelling, just as you will inspire theirs. As you go forward, networking will be invaluable in finding opportunities to turn your passion into a career.

    Yet all of that starts with what you do now. So pull out your phone and get filming!

    Sources:

    Rogerson, James. How to shoot a Hollywood movie on your phone.
    http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/phoning-it-in-how-the-smartphone-is-disrupting-hollywood-1198825/2

    Walters, Ryan E. Should You Go to Film School? A Conversation with Ryan E. Walters.
    http://nofilmschool.com/2013/02/film-school-ryan-e-walters

    Wikihow. How to Be a Filmmaker.
    http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Filmmaker

  • Am I Employable Yet?

    Am I Employable Yet?

    Taking on a post-secondary degree is an important decision that many students make. However, though this education is challenging and eye-opening, sometimes it can be difficult to translate what you learn in class to the workforce. This is particularly true of many university undergraduate degrees, which, due to their strict academic and theoretical nature, often prepare students for careers in research and academia, but sometimes do not provide much information on how to apply their skills in other fields.

    Since post-secondary is such a grand investment, you should have at least a rough idea of what kind of work you’d like to get into once you graduate. It’s important to consider whether you are building up the skills that will be necessary to secure and maintain a job in that field. Unfortunately, good grades don’t always guarantee an easy job hunt.

    Here are some employability skills that are transferable to many work environments, and what you can do now to start developing them.

    Critical thinking. Problem-solving, open-mindedness, and mental flexibility are all part of this skill, and all of these things can come in handy in the workforce. Having an employee who can always see the other side of an issue, and analyze any problem down to its core, is an asset in fields from law to business to engineering.

    What can I do now? Read and evaluate academic papers, solve logic puzzles, and voice your opinion in classroom discussions.

    Organization and time management. In many cases, large projects in the workforce no longer come with a “late-penalty” safety mechanism. That said, staying organized and on top of things is key to actually accomplishing those tasks. Procrastination may have worked in undergrad, but it won’t fly for long; think about how embarrassing it would be for a company project to fall because you didn’t hand in your work on time.

    What can I do now? Categorize your notes and course materials, plan ahead for deadlines, and keep a to-do list.

    Perseverance. Good employees don’t give up after their first try—in fact, they often keep going, trying to find alternative solutions, after a number of small failures. By doing this, you’re showing the employer that the work matters enough to keep trying. This is important in the workforce because you are often faced with competing projects and difficult group dynamics, obstacles you must work to overcome.

    What can I do now? Evaluate yourself when you make mistakes, push yourself to complete extra credit, and speak to your professors and teaching assistants for advice.

    Improvisation. The power to think on your feet is an absolutely underestimated skill. Presentations aren’t always going to go the way you want, or you might discover information that may compromise the value of the project you’re working on. Go with it. Employers will be impressed if you are able to make the best of any situation.

    What can I do now? Challenge yourself by asking “what if” questions, engage in debates, and broaden your knowledge by learning concepts from different fields.

  • What Do I Consider Success?

    What Do I Consider Success?

    Success has no age limit and it’s never a race. The concept of a predetermined age for success is merely a myth. Age is not a limiting factor in the minds of those who wish to succeed, and do. The speeds to which our minds mature over the years are not the same.

    The most prominent leaders we admire today accomplish goals at their own pace—and so can you. Whether you’re still in high school or coming towards the end of your college career, age should not be a worry when working towards your goals. Moving quickly at an unrealistic pace may foster more mistakes than warranted.

    Success is what we make of it. As students, it can become an overwhelming problem that bogs you down. Take your time and become an expert in your field of interest or expertise. There are no shortcuts to achieving success because the learning process is all dependent on self-motivation. Having the patience to move forward will bring you halfway to success already.

    If tomorrow morning you feel that it’s far too late to reach a personal or career goal you’ve set for yourself, leave the worry in the past and move forward. Success doesn’t just present itself to those that are prepared, but also those that are patient enough to see it through challenges.

    Whether you believe that money, grades or personal relationships are of the utmost priority right now, to most people, the end objective is happiness for the self. Given this as the end objective, we can better understand why it’s best to worry less about the speed to which we accomplish our short term goals.

    The key to defining your own success is to plan realistic goals. This involves the process of not only delivering tasks, but solving everyday problems, planning tasks and goals, scope of goals, analysis of resources, the search for solutions, environments, analysis and synthesis of information.

    If you’ve ever felt the need to follow the crowd, you’ve come down with a case called the “impostor system” like the rest of us. Instead of working hard to achieve goals, students might believe that there is luck in being in the right place, at the right time. Skills are what make for achieving goals and success.

    While there is much controversy over what higher education should be teaching students like you, whether this is work skills or academic knowledge and research, the intentions are still the same. Education is aimed to prepare students in leading self-sufficient and happy lives in the present and future.

  • Activism at School and Beyond

    Activism at School and Beyond

    What do student strikes in Montreal, people signing petitions about unjust laws, and asking for better working conditions in Central America have in common? When people try to help others by changing the way the world works, it can often be referred to as activism. No matter how old or young you are, you can be an activist and try to change the political, environmental, economic, or social order of the world. It is not just about changing things to the way you want them to be, but changing things for the better while working with people to find a common ground that will benefit the masses, not the few.

    People get involved in activism for many different reasons. Eight hundred years ago, students in France protested against the issues that concerned them in the universities and towns. Three hundred years later, students in Korea protested against what the king was doing. Over the centuries since then, students have continued to protest against things that they believed were wrong or unjust.

    Activism can take many forms, whether it’s about local or international issues. It can also be a good opportunity to learn about the world and about the problems that people are experiencing. Organizations like Amnesty International, for example, offer courses and workshops for students so that they can learn more about how to be advocates for people in need. Talking with other people can also be a good way to learn about how to become involved in activism.

    Knowing what issues interest you is the first step in becoming an activist. For example, if you have no interest in sports, you are unlikely to be very effective in being an advocate for hockey or football teams. However, if you care about poverty issues or about opportunities for young workers, you can find many organizations with information on how you can get involved.

    Once you know what issues you would like to pursue, you can find people to help you bring causes to light. Signing online petitions is one way of getting involved, and various social service organizations can provide information on issues that need your help. Your school might also have a special project that you can participate in.

    Are you interested in social justice and equality? Organizations like the Centre for Social Justice or Make Poverty History can be good places to start. With many of these kinds of organizations, people can choose their level of participation. If you want to sign petitions, you can do that. If you want to help organize rallies, you might have an opportunity to do that together with other people in the group.

    Many issues are ongoing, such as poverty or the need to help refugees. Others, however, might just involve short-term activism. A few years ago when the Quebec government wanted to raise tuition fees in universities, the students held a protest to try and keep their fees from increasing. Other students got involved in the Occupy movements in various cities to protest student debt and the greed of business leaders.

    If you are passionate about a certain subject and want to make a difference in the world, why not start now?

    Bibliography:

    Amnesty International. “Be a Youth Activist.” http://www.amnesty.ca/get-involved/be-a-youth-activist.

    Catalyst Centre. “School of Activism.” http://www.catalystcentre.ca/school-of-activism/.

    The Centre for Social Justice. “About.” http://www.socialjustice.org/index.php?page=about.

    Rabble.ca. “Quebec government lock-out of students will only add ‘fuel to the fire.’”

    http://rabble.ca/taxonomy/term/3170?page=4.

    Wikipedia.org. “Student Activism.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_activism.

  • How to Live with Roommates

    Many of you may be currently attending post-secondary away from home, or on your way to do so. Whether you’re living in a student residence or have decided to sign a lease on the apartment, chances are you’re not going to be living alone.

    A roommate is not just a great way to save on rent and groceries; in fact, many roommates eventually become very close friends. That said, sometimes it can be difficult to share a space with another person, especially if you’ve gotten used to your old habits. It’s certainly going to be different than living at home.

    Firstly, don’t be fooled by the glamourized Friends-style dynamic—it’s likely that you and your roommate won’t be perfectly compatible. Their sleep schedule, eating habits, and daily routines in general can be completely different than what you’re used to. Moreover, your personalities may clash sometimes, which can lead to conflict over even the smallest issues. However, living with someone different than you can also help you realize how different people live their lives; it can be a positive learning exercise for the both of you.

    Tip: Share your routines. Tell each other about when you go to bed at night, what your class schedule is like, and whether you like crunchy or smooth peanut butter. If you’re clear with one another, you might be able to find some common ground.

    Moreover, living with a roommate can mean that your privacy is limited. Not only are you sharing a space, all of your stuff is in there with you! Some roommates are perfectly fine with sharing everything (lending one another clothes, spotting each other money for pizza, etc.). Many roommates share a bedroom without being bothered. But if you really like your privacy or you’re used to being on your own, this can be a difficult transition.

    Tip: Set ground rules. Maybe you aren’t comfortable if your roommate borrows something without asking you first, but if you didn’t make that clear to them, they might not think they’re doing anything wrong. It also helps to let one another know if you want the apartment to yourself or if you want to be left in peace one day (e.g. studying for finals).

    Finally, considering that your apartment needs upkeep, you have to pull your weight. You’re probably used to doing chores at home, but living on your own is a totally different level of responsibility. You and your roommate are going to need to clean, shop for groceries, do laundry, and pay bills, among other things. If you have a roommate who tends to slack off—or you are the roommate who slacks off—things can get annoying, fast.

    Tip: Split and schedule. There is a lot to do, but you don’t have to do it by yourself! Create a chore list and commit yourselves to following through on your particular duties. You can also change it up every couple of weeks if it gets boring (you do laundry this week, and dishes next week).