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  • The Summer Before Post-Secondary: What You Need to Know

    The Summer Before Post-Secondary: What You Need to Know

    So, you’ve finally made it! High school graduation is complete and all that separates you from your first year at post-secondary are the months of summer. While it’s important to enjoy your summer and celebrate your accomplishments, there are a few things you should use this time for to prepare for post-secondary. Let’s talk about how you can best prepare yourself for post-secondary this summer.

    1. Get your finances in order

    Post-secondary takes up a lot of people’s time. Between classes, studying, and assignments, a full-time job is not always in the card for full-time students. For many students, this means living on a part-time income. Do your future self a favour and save up as much money as you can the summer before post-secondary, so during the school year you have less financial stress on your shoulders. You will probably still have to budget, but it will relieve some extra stress you don’t need. Applying for student loans and/or scholarships? Be sure to apply for your student loans and applicable scholarships before school starts! Arrange your finances the summer before, so when September hits you can just focus on hitting the books.

    1. Moving away from post-secondary? Do your shopping now!

    Moving away from home is stressful enough. Pile that on top of started post-secondary and suddenly you’ve got a lot more on your plate than you’re used to. The last thing you need to be worrying about a week before post-secondary starts is not having all the supplies you need. So, do your furniture/ school shopping early this summer and save yourself the hassle. The last thing you need to be worrying about the night before post-secondary is how to make your coffee table fit in your room, so make sure to plan everything out early and deliver your furniture to your new home early this summer.

    1. Print out your class schedule and find your classes!

    Don’t let the first day of school be the first time you’re searching for classes. Familiarize yourself with your class schedule, and your overall campus the summer before post-secondary. Take your own personal tour through your campus the summer before to get to know the area itself, and search for things such as the bookstore, coffee shops, the cafeteria and of course your classes. A good tip is look for your classes in the order of your schedule, so you can begin to build a routine on how to travel from class to class. Many post-secondary institutions offer a guided tour through the campus about a week before fall classes start, which would be a good idea to check out as well.

    1. Get into a regular sleeping pattern…at least a couple of weeks before school starts.

    With summer here, most student’s sleeping schedule will go completely out the window. While this is completely normal for student’s excited to see 8 a.m. classes in the past, it’s important to try to get your sleeping schedule back on track a couple of weeks before heading back to school. Try going to sleep and waking up the same time you would during the school year during the last few weeks of summer to make your transition from summer to post-secondary a smooth one.

  • What Really Matters: Skills for Life and Finding Work

    When people are young, they often look forward to growing up. However, when they get older, they often wish that they could change the decisions that they had made. What would you tell your younger self about life and school?

    In school, the grades that students get seem very important. Later on in life, however, people might wonder why they ever cared so much about their marks. School results can be important for getting into certain programs, such as medicine, or for getting scholarships to university, but they aren’t the things that always matter most in life. Instead, the skills that people learn through their courses, volunteer work, and other activities are often more important than the facts that they know, the programs that they finish, or the marks that they receive- real life experience.

    Learning skills rather than getting grades can help in finding work when jobs are scarce, for example. In the past, university or college graduates could usually depend on getting work in their field. Even though that is no longer the case, people can still learn valuable skills in post-secondary education. The ability to concentrate, to do research, to write clearly, and to give presentations is all necessary in the workplace.

    These kinds of skills are also valuable in writing resumes and hunting for jobs. Even if you lack specific skills for a job, an employer might be willing to train you if you have other good qualities, such as the ability to focus on a task. You can emphasize these qualities on your resume, in your cover letter, and in job interviews. They might get you the job, and then you can focus on learning the particular tasks that you need to do.

    While it is best not to apply for jobs too far beyond your current skills, challenging yourself is also important. If you get into an easy but boring job, you will likely become frustrated or restless. If the job is challenging, but still within your abilities, you may find it easier to manage the work and any problems that come with it.

    Finding work can be difficult, and sometimes even the most qualified people have trouble. Being rejected for jobs is hard, but it is important to remember that there will always be other opportunities. Even if a job is difficult and you work with unpleasant people, you can take the skills that you have learned to a new position. Learning to develop personal qualities such as kindness and honesty can also be very valuable. Some even say that half the battle is learning to work and get along with other people.

    Life after high school might sound exciting or scary, but you can already start to prepare for the challenges ahead. The educational system and job market change frequently, but anything that you learn now could be useful for the future.

    Bibliography:   

    Kids Health.org. “Life after High School.” http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/after-hs.html.

    Thompson, Aly. The secret to a long life? Be kind, says 107-year-old N.S. woman http://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/the-secret-to-a-long-life-be-kind-says-107-year-old-n-s-woman-1.2849948.

    Wikihow. “How to Overcome Adversity.” http://www.wikihow.com/Overcome-Adversity.

    Vadhan, Opal. “The 3 Biggest Things I Wish I Didn’t Stress Over in High School.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/opal-vadhan/the-3-biggest-things-i-wish-i-didnt-stress-over-in-high-school_b_7621834.html.

  • Transition Programs for Students with Disabilities

    Transition Programs for Students with Disabilities

    One of the best ways students can get a sense of what to expect when beginning a post-secondary program is to talk with people who have first-hand experience in such programs. These people may be instructors or administrators at the college or university you plan to attend, or they could be other students who have already made the transition to postsecondary school.

    Transition programs are available in many parts of the country, and offer students the opportunity to gather information on the post-secondary experience. There are also initiatives that assist in the transition from school to work, providing valuable opportunities in a workplace environment. Most of these programs are led by students, professors and others from colleges and universities, and some even give participants the chance to spend time living in campus dormitories. Transition programs other than the ones listed here may be available. Contact your local postsecondary institutions to ask if they offer such opportunities.

     

  • Is An Arts Degree Worth the Money?

    Is An Arts Degree Worth the Money?

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

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

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

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

  • Disabled Students’ Leadership On-Campus

    Disabled Students’ Leadership On-Campus

    Student leadership and disabled student groups are important on post-secondary campuses if positive change is to occur. Just as a student council is a vital tool for bringing the needs and concerns of all students to a post-secondary school’s administration, a disabled students’ group can serve to address the needs of a school’s disabled population. Such groups can allow students to network with their peers and to share ideas, offer counseling and information services, and often house a resource library on disability-related information.

    Many Canadian colleges and universities have groups or access committees for students with disabilities. Each offers unique programs, services and features that make it an important part of a school’s structure. The following profiles, taken from NEADS’ CampusNet Web site, identify four groups as exemplary models of student leadership in our community.

  • Campus Disability Services

    Campus Disability Services

    If you’re a student with a disability looking at your post-secondary options, we’ve provided a handy link to the NEADS website where you can access information about campus disability services all across Canada.

    NEADS EdLink is the most comprehensive Canadian directory of college and university disability service providers and links to service centre websites, with listings from coast to coast. Each entry provides current contact information for service providers at Canadian post-secondary institutions. The links to disability centre websites allow access to detailed information on accommodations, physical access, services and supports.

    Access the Campus Disability Services search engine via NEADS on their website.

  • Campus Disability Services

    Campus Disability Services

    If you’re a student with a disability looking at your post-secondary options, we’ve provided a handy link to the NEADS website where you can access information about campus disability services all across Canada.

    NEADS EdLink is the most comprehensive Canadian directory of college and university disability service providers and links to service centre websites, with listings from coast to coast. Each entry provides current contact information for service providers at Canadian post-secondary institutions. The links to disability centre websites allow access to detailed information on accommodations, physical access, services and supports.

    Access the Campus Disability Services search engine via NEADS on their website.

  • Which University is Right for You?

    Which University is Right for You?

    Deciding to go to university is one thing, but deciding which one is another matter altogether. What factors should you consider when evaluating your options?

    Take university rankings with a grain of salt—have a look not only at each school’s reputation, but also what they’re famous for. Many institutions focus their attention on one or two extremely strong programs. Unfortunately, this may mean they neglect other fields. The best thing to do is to choose an overall renowned university (with no defining program), or a university that places a focus on your program. In either case, you ensure you’re getting a good education.

    Regardless of awesome residences or an amazing party scene, when making your choices you have to remember what’s important. The main reason you’re going to university (presumably) is to learn: education should be your priority. Maybe you’ll have a ton of fun at University X—but then again, maybe you’ll achieve your academic goals (and have a better chance of finding a job) with a degree from University Y. Consider that.

    Of course, post-secondary being such a crucial (and expensive) decision, you also want to make sure you’re seeing the issue from all sides. Here are some other factors you can consider when evaluating your options.

    1. Location. Would you prefer to study in a big city or a small “university” town? If your school is close enough to home, commuting may be a cheaper alternative to residence. If your school is far away, consider the adjustments you will have to make (potential homesickness, a new city, and in some cases, even a different culture).

    2. Size. Giant institutions offer some of the most comprehensive resources and talented faculty—but it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. Meanwhile, at tiny schools it seems like everyone knows your name. What’s going to work better for you?

    3. Accommodation. If commuting isn’t an option, where are you going to live? Many universities have different residences (single suites, apartments, etc.), and there are always off-campus options. Residence is an expensive investment, so do your research and make sure your school’s amenities are satisfactory.

    4. Social opportunities. What are you interested in? School is important, but involvement in your school community can be vital to a comprehensive education. (Fortunately, most universities have literally hundreds of clubs and associations, but see what they’re offering anyway.)

    5. Identity. Whether you like it or not, you may come to find you are perceived a certain way because of your university. It’s an unfortunate bias, but you can actually use this to your advantage. Pick a school that will reflect a part of you, and one of which you’d be proud to call yourself a student.

    University research may seem daunting, but you can usually find all of this information on school websites. For a more in-depth look at academics and student life, check out open houses, attend academic sessions, or speak to current students about their experiences.

  • Campus Disability Services

    Campus Disability Services

    If you’re a student with a disability looking at your post-secondary options, we’ve provided a handy link to the NEADS website where you can access information about campus disability services all across Canada.

    NEADS EdLink is the most comprehensive Canadian directory of college and university disability service providers and links to service centre websites, with listings from coast to coast. Each entry provides current contact information for service providers at Canadian post-secondary institutions. The links to disability centre websites allow access to detailed information on accommodations, physical access, services and supports.

    Access the Campus Disability Services search engine via NEADS on their website.

  • University: What to Expect

    University: What to Expect

    Post-secondary education, though an important stage for many people, can be daunting. In high school, you become accustomed to small classes, friends in every course, and teachers who go out of their way to help you succeed—so accustomed that you start to take these things for granted. If you decide to go to university, you’re probably aware by now that things are going to change. The transition to post-secondary is a natural part of growing up, but it’s one adjustment you’re going to have to face head-on.

    Some students (whether by choice or not) move out in their first year of university, because their campus is far away from home or they want to get the residence experience. Regardless of whether you’re living on your own, a resident, or a “commuter” (who gets to school by his/her own means), you may be surprised by your newfound independence. No more bells (or whistles): you are basically let loose in university and given the freedom to make your own choices, a luxury not often afforded to you in high school. Without all those meddling teachers looking over your shoulder all the time, you can roam the university campus, go to all the parties you want, and basically do whatever you like!

    Actually, not quite. Hand-in-hand with independence comes a heavier burden than anything you’ve experienced in high school: responsibility. Sure, you’re free to go to class, or to not go, if you feel like it. You’re free to skip out on that midterm, or leave all your reading for next week. But keep something in mind. You’re paying for your education, and it’s now up to nobody else but you to make sure you keep up. No professor is going to hold your hand and walk you through the semester. Extra help is out there—and so are some amazing opportunities—but now it’s up to you to seek them out. Makes you wish you appreciated those “meddling teachers” while you had them, doesn’t it?

    To be a successful student in university, you have to ensure a balance between your newfound freedom and multitude of obligations. You may find yourself compromising your own desire to go out and play to deal with the workload, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t meet new people, go to events, and join clubs or teams. Weighing independence, responsibility, and the other wonderful traits you’re undoubtedly going to pick up, you start to be able to think for yourself. You start to judge what you personally feel is right or wrong (not necessarily what you’ve been told) and, at some point, you finally establish your identity.

    University is about education. But it’s also about experiencing the world through your own eyes and finally being able to voice your opinions. Take advantage of your undergraduate years and use that voice wisely. Perhaps you’ll learn something about yourself along the way.