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  • Academic Resolutions for the New Year (French version available)

    Academic Resolutions for the New Year (French version available)

    Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of 2025. Whether you’ve already got a list of goals you’d like to accomplish next year or are still thinking about what to do tomorrow, don’t leave your academic career out of the picture. When it comes to things like study skills, research abilities, or time management, you can never stop improving—and it’s certainly never too late to start. Consider some of these academic resolutions when you’re setting goals for the New Year.

    Stay on top of things. Don’t let upcoming projects get the best of you this year. Make it your mission to stay organized so you know exactly what’s due when, what’s expected of you, and what’s coming up next. This includes keeping track of assignments and test dates (invest in a day planner—or a handy smartphone app), and doing a little bit each day so the workload doesn’t get too overwhelming. You’ll thank yourself when the deadline rolls around.

    Get involved. There’s more to school than tests and papers: committing to a club or team is a fun way to meet new people, develop your skills, and make yourself known among your teachers. If you have something to look forward to (aside from your next homework assignment), it’s a positive source of motivation, and your academic focus will improve, too. You’ll be surprised at what a positive effect getting involved outside the classroom can have on your grades.

    Challenge yourself. Go beyond what’s expected of you. If something in a class sparks your interest, do some more reading or ask your teachers for extra information (or extra credit). Don’t be afraid to set higher goals for yourself: for instance, if you were hoping and praying for a B paper last year (and you got it!), why not try for an A this time around? It may seem difficult to change your mindset at first, but by motivating yourself, you’re more likely to improve—and your instructors will recognize the extra effort you’re putting in.

    Learn from last year. Is there a class you were hoping to do better in or an assignment you kind of dropped the ball on? Based on your past academic experiences, think of ways to improve yourself this year. Whether it’s revising your study strategy or just working harder, confronting your past slip-ups is crucial to ensure they don’t happen again. Not to mention that teachers and professors love to see their students taking constructive criticism: prove you’ve learned something from the class, and there’s nowhere to go but up.

    Happy New Year and good luck in your academic endeavours!

  • A Student’s Guide to Surviving Winter

    A Student’s Guide to Surviving Winter

    The chill is coming! Colder, whiter days are ahead. We all have to deal with the torment of winter, but there are a few ways to make it easier for all students in high school and college.

    What do we hate about winter most? The cold, right? It’s only half Mother Nature’s fault, the other half is our own. Many of us want to look fashionable in winter, but at the expense of our own warmth and comfort. We’ve all seen guys walking around in the dead of winter with no coat on or only wearing a hoodie, and girls still wearing skirts and small jackets. Don’t be one of those people! Bundle up! Shop around for good quality winter apparel that will keep you warm! Protect your ears, neck and feet. This should go without saying, because if you don’t you’ll end up getting sick and that leads us to…

    Feeling terrible! This will not help you in school. So what can you do when you do get sick? Friendly Dr. Kylie (that’s me!) says that drinking lots of fluids and hot showers usually does the trick for me. Rest is required, but try going to bed earlier rather than taking full days out of school. I have always missed important information on my sick days. We all know that being sick is all too good of an excuse to over exaggerate our need to take a sick day when really a box of Kleenex and some Buckley’s would be all you need. Additionally, in the winter our bodies require extra vitamins because it has to work harder. Taking a vitamin C pill, for example, will decrease your chances of getting sick significantly.

    So you’ve protected yourself, but this doesn’t mean everyone else did, too. Wash your hands as much as possible when using public facilities. You can also try alternatives to using your hands to touch things; whether you’re using your sleeve or shoulder to open a door or grabbing a piece of paper towel before touching the faucets in the bathroom, it all makes a difference. You can also equip yourself with travel size antibacterial gel. If can’t stand the smell of regular antibacterial gels, many companies now make fruit scented ones to counteract the alcohol smell.

    Finally, if you’re like me and are always cold, here’s something I found helped me in my daily commuting. Carry a thermal mug with you and keep it full of whatever delicious hot beverage you like! Whether it be coffee, tea or even hot chocolate, this will not only keep you warm but it will postpone and lessen your hunger resulting in fewer pounds gained during the less active season! You can also make an effort to eat heartier meals with lots of nutrition rather than greasier meals that will only encourage seasonal depression.

    Following the tips above should help you stay warm, cozy and happy throughout the long Canadian winters!

  • All Work and No Play? How to Balance Work with Fun

    All Work and No Play? How to Balance Work with Fun

    Student life can be super stressful, and don’t worry, we hear you. What, with the constant tests, study group sessions, and seemingly endless stream of readings and homework, it can be understandably difficult to find time for yourself.

    It’s important to do well in school, but it’s also important to take a little time off every once in a while. Doing something that you enjoy is a good way for your brain to relax in-between all the hard work it’s doing. If you go easier on yourself every once in a while, you can reduce your heightened stress levels (a clear consequence of working at maximum capacity all the time). Plus, a break from school is a nice reward for a job well done.

    Of course, just as school shouldn’t eliminate the possibility of fun from your life, constant fun shouldn’t replace the time you’re putting into your academics. Achieving a balance between work and play is a key part of being a good student.

    Here are some suggestions for how you can balance your academics with the time you should be taking for yourself.

    Book it. In the same way that you plan out your school assignments and due dates (at least, if you’re conscientious enough to do so), you can plan fun things for yourself, too. On your calendar, make a note of the things you’re going to do in-between your study sessions. You can take relatively short breaks to watch a movie, go out for a coffee, or read a few more chapters of that book you were working on. Stay true to your schedule and you won’t be wondering where your “me” time went.

    Make it work. If you’re cooped up with your books all day, figure out a way to at least make your studying more enjoyable. (Yes, it’s possible!) Working on an assignment you like will probably make you happier than studying something you couldn’t care less about—which is a good point to note for the future as well. If all else fails, make small changes to your work environment, like putting on a playlist of your favourite songs or studying (productively) in a group instead of on your own.

    Treat yourself. Of course it can be difficult to think about taking time for yourself when you’re cramming for a big test. A good strategy is to focus on your schoolwork first—get it all done and out of the way—but have something to look forward to after it’s done. Make sure to do something for yourself right after the test date, as a reward for all the hard work you did. That way, you can relax with the completed work off your shoulders.

  • April Scholarships of the Month – Apply Now!

    April Scholarships of the Month – Apply Now!

    Spring has sprung, and so have applications for scholarships and bursaries. This is the perfect time of year to grab that free cash for school. There are a number of scholarships and bursaries for students from all walks of life – check out just a few of the ones we found this month!
    1. OutputLinks Communications Group Sponsors Scholarships – For students enrolled in Document Management and Graphic Communications. Amount: $1000-$5000 USD. Deadline: May 1, 2015.

    2. The Amazing Travel Scholarship – Open to students who submit an essay or video about why they love to travel. Amount: Top prize of $2500 and an internship plus a trip. Deadline: April 25, 2015

    3. Knowing About Research (KARes) Scholar Award – Open to a grade 12 student in each of the nine school boards (visit link for details) who will be attending a university or community college in Nova Scotia in 2015-16. Amount: Up to $15,000. Deadline: April 15, 2015.

    4. Brian Maxwell Memorial Scholarship – Provincial/National – Awarded each year to two athletes that will be continuing their post secondary education at a Canadian College or University. Amount: $5000. Deadline: June 15, 2015.

    5. Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario (FWIO) Provincial Scholarship – Open to full-time students from Ontario entering their first year of studies at a post-secondary institution. Amount: $1000. Deadline: June 30, 2015.

    6. Make it Right Bursaries and Scholarships – Open to students entering or enrolled in a residential construction program at a Canadian college or university. Amount: $1500. Deadline: June 30, 2015.

    7. The Canadian Printing Industries Scholarship Trust Fund – Open to students in a printing management or technical program. Amount: $1250. Deadline: June 30, 2015.

  • Struggling Students under Stress: My Personal and Professional Perspectives

    Struggling Students under Stress: My Personal and Professional Perspectives

    As a student I struggled significantly with a reading and processing-related learning disability (LD) and, as a result, stress was a big part of my elementary and secondary school experiences. So it’s no coincidence that I’ve spent most of my professional life trying to understand how emotion affects children who struggle in school. Students with LD experience more negative emotion, depressed mood, physical complaints (like upset stomach), anxiety, and stress compared to their peers without disabilities. This is the cumulative impact of a student’s repeated experiences of failure in “one-size-fits-all” schools designed to meet the needs of the mythical “average” student and not adapted to the vast diversity among students in our education system.

    Emotion, motivation, and stress contribute greatly to students’ success or failure in school. How, then, did I — and others like me — become successful in school and in our careers? I’d estimate that seventy percent of my job involves reading and writing. Is it torture? Sometimes it is, but most of the time I love it because I find my work deeply interesting and personally meaningful. I still struggle with my weaknesses, but I work hard to leverage my strengths. You and your child can do the same.

    Noted stress physiologist and Stanford professor Robert Sapolsky points out that the mind can be an incredibly powerful tool for de-stressing the body. We feel stress when we perceive the environment to be bad or threatening. To decrease stress and negative emotion we have to either change our environment or change our perception of the environment. Most of us can learn to use coping skills to overcome stress. That said, sometimes a little stress can go a long way toward improving performance. Memory, flexibility in thinking, and goal-directed behavior can be enhanced by stress. But chronic stress can have devastating consequences on our health, happiness, and ability to be productive in learning and in life. Whatever strategies you and your child adopt to manage and leverage stress, success will ultimately depend on being consistent.

    You can start by making it a habit to ask your child how he or she feels about school. At the dinner table at my house we take turns telling each other about the “best” and “toughest” parts of our day. My husband and I model how to talk about our feelings and then our daughter follows suit. You can help your child build this skill through practice. Try asking questions like: • Why do you think that happened? • How did you feel? • What did you do when it happened? • What do you think you should do if something like this happens again?

    Most importantly, be a good listener. It’s less important to propose solutions than to be a sounding board and a safe outlet for your child to express his or her feelings about school.

    Successful adults with LD often describe having a passionate personal interest that propelled them emotionally through the stresses of formal education. For example, although I struggled with reading, I was deeply interested in science (especially neuroscience) and read everything I could find on the subject! Help your child find ways to pursue his or her interests and to develop self-understanding. Self-understanding allows children to gain control over their environment — leveraging support when they need it and monitoring their progress so that they can become happier and more deeply engaged in school. Certainly, individuals respond to stress in many varied ways, but we can all learn strategies that will help us manage and even prevent stress. And, for children with LD, having supportive adults can make all the difference.

  • Living a Balanced Life

    Living a Balanced Life

    People of all ages have routines. For young children, these routines are usually set by their parents or other caregivers. As they grow up, they have increasing amounts of responsibility for organizing their own lives. For some people, maintaining a balance between work or school and everyday life can be a challenge as they take on new responsibilities and try to manage the old ones. Are you already feeling pressured by all of the things you have to do? You might not be able to eliminate the stress from your life, but you can learn to balance your school work with the rest of your life.

    Are you the kind of person who likes to be busy all the time? Do you fill your after-school hours with as many activities as you can manage? Or are you the kind of person who likes to have a lot of free time? Either way, you might have a hard time or an easy time finding a balance between school and the rest of your life. You might feel stressed and overwhelmed to the point where you think that you can no longer manage. When that happens, what do you do?

    Almost everyone feels stressed at some point. For people who love to keep themselves busy with all kinds of projects, it might be when they take on too much to handle effectively. For people who try to avoid stress, it could be when an unexpected task cuts into their precious free time. Everyone is different. Knowing your limit is the first step towards living a balanced life. Do you work well under pressure? If so, you might be able to take on a lot of activities outside of school. On the other hand, does pressure cause you to crumble? If so, you should limit your after-school activities and give yourself enough free time to relax.

    Part of understanding your limits is learning how to use your time efficiently. For example, what do you do if you your teacher gives you class time to finish your work? Do you try to finish your assignment or do you spend the time doing something else? Doing as much work as possible at school will help you keep more time free in the evenings and on weekends. If you help with an after-school project, do you go to the meetings with all of the supplies you need? How much time could you save by being prepared for all of your activities? You can even use the time you spend in line or waiting for your friends at the mall to plan an assignment or to write down a schedule of activities for yourself.

    Even when they schedule their time efficiently, people can have trouble balancing work and the rest of life. However, you can still try. Find out what you have to do to keep yourself healthy and happy and then work from there. That way, you have a good chance of managing both school and everyday life.

  • Myth: I Don’t Need Money – My Parents Pay For Everything!

    Myth: I Don’t Need Money – My Parents Pay For Everything!

    Many young students might think that having their parents pay for their school tuition, shelter, transportation, food, clothing, hygiene products, entertainment and anything else would provide them with enough money to survive university. But this is a myth! The reality is that money is more than something that is used to purchase the things you want and need. Making money is more than just having money in your pocket, it is building your path to independence and self-sufficiency. Making your own money on top of whatever amount your parents are giving you is a great way of creating independence for yourself. This is hugely important because when you are not dependent on others for every aspect of your material survival, you can feel empowered and able to make your own choices. Having the feeling that you control your own life and are not dependent on your parents will inevitably allow you to see your life more clearly and to see exactly how your own decisions affect your life.

    Working is valuable for gaining money and for experience that can be used in different areas of your life. When you work you are taking on responsibility and people are depending on you to do the job. Having people depend on you instead of constantly depending on others is empowering and reinforces your independence. Additionally, building your work experience looks great on a resume and will help you later in life when looking for a job and for getting through your day-to-day life tasks that inevitably require some taking on of responsibility.

    Having your own money also allows you to have a little fun and minimize the guilt you feel when you spend the money your parents give you. If you want to go on a trip to Wonderland with your friends, get your nails done or even buy some new shoes, having your own source of income will allow you to make these little trips and purchases that make life worthwhile. When you have your own money, you are more in charge of the direction that your life will take. Overall, money enables you to be independent and to make choices better suited to you than you would if you were dependent on your parents.

  • Managing Your School and Life Schedule

    Managing Your School and Life Schedule

    People of all ages have routines. For young children, these routines are usually set by their parents or other caregivers. As they grow up, they have increasing amounts of responsibility for organizing their own lives. For some people, maintaining a balance between work or school and everyday life can be a challenge as they take on new responsibilities and try to manage the old ones. Are you already feeling pressured by all of the things you have to do? You might not be able to eliminate the stress from your life, but you can learn to balance your school work with the rest of your life.

    Are you the kind of person who likes to be busy all the time? Do you fill your after-school hours with as many activities as you can manage? Or are you the kind of person who likes to have a lot of free time? Either way, you might have a hard time (or an easy time) finding a balance between school and the rest of your life. You might feel stressed and overwhelmed to the point where you think that you can no longer manage. When that happens, what do you do?

    Almost everyone feels stressed at some point. For people who love to keep themselves busy with all kinds of projects, it might be when they take on too much to handle effectively. For people who try to avoid stress, it could be when an unexpected task cuts into their precious free time. Everyone is different. Knowing your limits is the first step towards living a balanced life. Do you work well under pressure? If so, you might be able to take on a lot of activities outside school. On the other hand, does pressure cause you to crumble under it? If so, you should limit your after-school activities and give yourself enough free time to relax.

    Part of understanding your limits is learning how to use your time efficiently. For example, what do you do if you your teacher gives you class time to finish your work? Do you try to finish your assignment or do you spend the time doing something else? Doing as much work as possible at school will help you keep more time free in the evenings and on weekends. If you help with an after-school project, do you go to the meetings with all of the supplies you need? How much time could you save by being prepared for all of your activities? You can even use the time you spend in line or waiting for your friends at the mall to plan an assignment or to write down a schedule of activities for yourself.

    Even when they schedule their time efficiently, people can have trouble balancing work and the rest of life. However, you can still try. Find out what you have to do to keep yourself healthy and happy and then work from there. That way, you have a good chance of managing both school and everyday life.

  • Can High School Dropouts Still Go to College or University?

    Can High School Dropouts Still Go to College or University?

    Most people receive a lot of advice over their lifetimes. Can you think of some of the things that others have told you? One bit of advice that you might have heard from your parents and teachers is that you should stay in school and continue on to graduation. That way, you will be able to go to university or college and get a good job in the future. However, not everyone manages to finish high school, whether by choice or through problems in their lives. How can they ever continue their education? The process might be difficult, but high school dropouts can still go to university or college if they want.

    Students might have many different reasons for dropping out of school, such as a crisis in their lives, a change in family circumstances or a move to a remote area of the country where high school is unavailable. Some students might have finished the work to graduate but not have a Canadian diploma because they were homeschooled or because they finished their education overseas. In most cases, the process for getting into a Canadian university or college is similar for all of these people.

    One of the most common ways to get into higher education is to write an entrance exam set by the university or college. Foreign students whose first language is not English often have to pass these exams before they can get into Canadian universities and colleges, and people who have dropped out of high school can do the same to show that they have the skills and knowledge they need. Most universities and colleges also accept people who are at least twenty-one years old as “mature students” without requiring them to meet any specific academic standards.

    Being accepted into a college or university is a good first step, but students also need to be able to do the work or they will not be able to graduate. Students in many post-secondary institutions need to be able to organize their own work, write long papers and complete complicated projects, often with very little help from their instructors. Taking courses through Continuing Education programs or through online universities can help people develop the skills they need to be able to complete their coursework. Some universities, such as Oxford University in England and Stanford University in the United States, even offer free online courses in various subjects. Students might not be able to receive degrees through these programs, but they offer a good chance to learn and to practice the skills they need for their studies.

    Have you dropped out of high school and are you thinking of going to university or college? Many people have done that, and they have been successful in achieving their goals. If you left school but still enjoy learning, you can return to your studies and maybe gain a new career or help yourself become better at your current job. It’s never too late to improve your mind and your skills with a post-secondary education.

  • Managing School and Everyday Life

    Managing School and Everyday Life

    If you’re finding it hard to balance school and everyday life, you’re not alone. Many students find it hard to balance the demands of school, extracurricular activities, part-time work, family responsibilities and social demands.

    But it’s an important skill to acquire and one you will use for the rest of your life. Being able to prioritize your education, activities and responsibilities will help you maintain happiness now and into the future. Prioritizing will also help you remember what’s important and what goals you are working towards.

    Here are a few tips to help you on your way to becoming a more well-rounded, balanced individual:

    –          Create a schedule and stick to it. Write down everything you need to do on a calendar or in a day planner. Make note of class assignments and tests, practices, meetings, work hours, or specific tasks your family asked you to complete. For instance, if your mom asked you to mow the lawn on Saturday then book time to do it. This will ensure you have established time to get everything done. It will also help you realize if you have overextended yourself and don’t have enough time to complete all your tasks.

    –          Try and complete your daily home work as soon as you get home from school. You’ll still be in the school mind set and, by getting it done right away, you’ll have the evening free to relax and do something fun.

    –          If you can work while listening to music you should do it. Listening to music (on low) can make you work faster and make whatever it is you have to get done much more enjoyable.

    –          Don’t watch TV, text your friends, check Facebook and Twitter and clean out your email while you’re in the process of doing school assignments, household chore,s etc. If you do, you’ll seriously extend the amount of time it takes to get the job done.

    –          If you take the bus, use the time to read or review for a test. This will cut down on the amount of time you’ll have to spend doing homework. You could also do some during lunch or a free period.

    –          Make sure you are realistic about what you can accomplish in the run of a day. Set goals that are attainable. Successfully completing your “to-do list” each day will increase your confidence and alleviate negative thoughts and anxiety.

    –          Don’t over extend yourself with too many extracurricular activities. One person can’t complete all of their school work, be in a band, play soccer, rugby, basketball and volleyball, be on the student council and debate team, volunteer at the animal shelter, work part time at the grocery store, babysit their kid brother, go to the movies with their best friends and spend three hours a day talking to their boyfriend/girlfriend. Certain things need to be done, like school work and chores. Other things will help you get to where you want to be in the future. The rest of the stuff can wait until you have free time to enjoy them.

    –          Look for apps that can help you,  such as flash cards, organizing and scheduling apps, exercise/nutrition apps, scientific calculator apps, dictionary and thesaurus apps and a really annoying alarm that ensure you wake up on time.

    –          Be prepared. Get all of your stuff ready the night before. Get out your clothes for school. Make your lunch. Pack your uniform if you have an after school practice or if you have to work. Being prepared will make you less overwhelmed and more ready to take on the next day.

    The main thing is to stay organized and have a clear picture of what it is you are working towards. Sure, everyone wants to be able to do whatever they want whenever they want to, but sadly that just isn’t realistic. Try to remember what it really is you want to do, and if you find you’ve spread yourself too thin try talking to a parent or teacher. They may be able to help you review your schedule and see if there are areas you can cut back on or some activities you can cut out until your work load isn’t quite as heavy.