Now that everyone is done with exams, it’s time for summer plans and the agonizing wait for marks. For many of us, the summer provides opportunity for self-improvement such as the York University Peer Leadership Conference (#YUPLC), which brought together student leaders in a series of workshops. Others are relieved to be done or excited to welcome you with Social Orientation.

@leahstate “#yuplc working for scld. Best. Job. Ever. #YorkU“

@justKasra “#YORKU made history #YUPLC is a trending topic in Toronto!!! damn I miss that conference!!!!!!!!”

@L007_  “Shoutout to #YorkU NSA team. Goodluck with your show today! x #Reinassance“

@Chez_____  “Waiting for your final grades from #YorkU feels like yeaaaars”

@itsKaluba  “got my results back like a bawwwse #yorku aint always so bad, no #yorkuproblems today. now to celebrate!!!!!!!!!”

@RamtinWho  “@DavidJambo @Itarizard That’s how amazingly smart #yorku students are. We’re so smart that 4 points aren’t enough.”

@LaceyJ_  “Going to miss res so much. One week until moving day! #village #yorku“

@EdwardFenner “Sadly, Blueberry Hill is now closed – 2 days early – and not because food ran out. #Yorku“

@MacFrosh “#ProjectOrange is going down in history. #YorkU frosh week 2012, be proud that your all apart of this”

How are you preparing to start in September? Have any questions about it? Let us know! You can tweet us @YorkUniversity or find us on Facebook. We’re here to answer any questions you may have about your application, offer, enrolment or anything else that may come up as you get ready to start your academic career at York.

Among other things, York takes pride in its sustainability. Not only do we boast a large number of green spaces and woodlots on both of our campuses, but we use green building practices and promote sustainable practices.

Since the late 1990s, York ensured that all new buildings are built to green standards. This means that York uses the most sustainable materials possible and designs new buildings in order to be as environmentally friendly as possible. For instance, many new buildings use mostly natural light from large windows and radiant heating from specialized building materials in order to reduce energy consumption. The Lassonde and Pond Road Residence Buildings even have gardens on their roofs!

York President Mamdouh Shoukri and YFS President Vanessa Hunt announce the "Take Back the Tap" initiative to ban the sale of bottled water on campus.

York also promotes a number of green initiatives, the most recent of which is our bottled water ban. By 2012, York aims to ban the sale of bottled water on campus. While this might seem counter-intuitive (“What do I do if I want something to drink? Drink pop?”), the University is working to ensure that healthy alternatives are available and that the community is able to avoid sugary drinks while also staying hydrated. Refill stations – also known as hydration stations – are going in across campus and all new students are given free water bottles when they begin classes. This way, the community can stay hydrated and be as green as possible.

York also encourages its community members to participate in the ZeroWaste initiative. The ZeroWaste initiative aims to reduce garbage on campus and direct as much waste as possible into recycling and compost. To do this, York Campus Service and Business Operations includes organic waste containers and two separate recycling bins in addition to garbage bins – and it’s working. The most recent statistic showed that over half of the waste produced by the University is being recycled rather than sent to landfills.

Residents participate in a similar program known as the Rez Race to Zero. The Rez Race to Zero, all the residences compete with one another to produce the smallest carbon

York also organized the 20 Minute Make-Over last Friday. For 20 minutes, teams cleaned up five different areas of campus. This team is heading off into the Danby Woods on the east end of campus

footprint. This includes using shorter showers, recycling more, reducing energy consumption and other sustainable practices. Each residence is measured on a per capita basis on the amount of energy consumed at the beginning of the year versus the end of the year. This year Vanier Residence took the title of greenest residence.

York cares about the environment, and it shows. From waste and energy reduction to sustainable building awards earned by several new buildings, York is proud of its sustainability. The best part? York is the greenest university in Canada according 2011 UI Green Metric Ranking of World Universities! It doesn’t get much better than that. For more information on York’s sustainability, visit the Sustainability Council website.

Anita isn’t quite sure yet what she’ll be doing this summer. She’s going back home to China but “[doesn’t] know other than that.” She just finished her second year in the Human Resources Management program but isn’t too worried about finding work experience yet, explaining that “I’ll probably do that next summer.”

Soon-to-be-graduate Kyle is taking the summer off to hang out with friends. “I haven’t really thought about it much,” he says of his summer. He just finished his bachelor’s degree in History and could use a little time off before beginning his masters this fall.

Oleg doesn’t see things quite the same way. He wants to graduate from the Psychology program on time next spring, so he’s taking a few courses over the summer. “I really don’t want to take an extra year,” explains Oleg. Summer courses might mean less free time, but he also figures it’ll give him the opportunity to work part-time on campus.

Fatima, a third year Computer Engineering student, is starting a sixteen-month internship this summer. Although she’s going to miss seeing her friends on campus, she is “super excited” to start working and finally make some money.

Other students are choosing a half-way point between hanging out with friends and working. Nate, a first year English student, is spending the summer working at his childhood summer camp. He likes hanging out with all the younger kids and figures the experience “will look good on a resume even if isn’t very specific.”

Although our summers are a little longer than they were in high-school, they definitely go quickly. Most of us choose to use the time to get some work experience between semesters, but others know that it’s just as important to relax and wind down a little before the stress of the fall term begins. For information on work experience opportunities available to students, check out the Career Centre website.

A good diet is one of the most popular ways of keeping oneself healthy during exams. Not only will a nice meal keep you energized, but the break can give you time to relax and wind down a little. Taking that break with friends can also provide a chance to laugh and forget about all the work you have ahead of you. The Underground Restaurant in the Student Centre might have reduced hours, but it’s still a great place to hang out and have a nice lunch in between study sessions.

Other students blow off steam by working out or playing sports with their friends. Running around or working out is an awesome way to work off some of the stress of exams and stretch out all those muscles tired out from sitting in chairs studying all day. Even something as low-impact as one of the yoga classes at the Tait McKenzie Centre will help you centre yourself and be more focused in your studies.

Regardless of how you like to study, the best way to keep yourself sane is taking good breaks. Getting a little fresh air and taking your eyes away from your notes will refresh you and help you feel your best. Even if you’re just starting to think about writing high school exams, these are great ways to help you stay happy and healthy while studying. For more information on how York supports your wellness, visit the Health Education website.

York students speak with prospective employers at the 2011 Career Fair, organized by the Career Centre

I’m officially done my undergraduate degree, and now it’s time to find a job. I mentioned my plans to use the Career Centre as much as possible and it’s been great. I may not have a job quite yet, but I definitely feel like I’m learning more about the job hunting process. This week, the Career Centre posted a new tool for students and new graduates to help them towards a fulfilling career. This new tool is called My Career Plan, and it takes us through the career planning – and job hunting – process step by step.

The tool is great because it allows us to move at our own pace. While some people know exactly what sort of a career they want, others are only just starting to think about the future – and even more students are somewhere in the middle. Regardless of where you are in your career planning process, My Career Plan can help you along. It’s flexible enough to allow you start wherever you like.

The Plan uses four steps: Making Connections, Learning About Myself, Exploring My Options and Looking for a job. These steps take students from assessing what resources and skills they already have to exploring the job market and applying for jobs. Each step outlines what you could look at while completing the step. For example, under Learning About Myself the Career Centre suggests that students understand the career decision-making process; attend workshops; research; take a career test; and talk to a career counselor.

The Career Centre also provides you with two ways to track your progress through the My Career Plan tool. You can either print a PDF of the steps or log in to the Career Centre’s online system and track your progress there. Using the online system will also allow you to easily register for workshops, schedule appointments with career counselors and apply for internships and jobs.

I might be pretty far along in my career planning, but I’m still happy to have a tool like this. I’m confident in my ability to find a job, but this tool helps me recognize the little things I might not have thought of. Being able to see that, schedule appointments and workshops and apply for jobs all in the same place is even better!

Even if you aren’t quite ready to think about your career quite yet, the My Career Plan tool will help you identify your skills and resources to help you get the most out of your university experience. Besides, it’s never too early to think about what you’re going to do after graduation. For more information on this new tool, please visit the Career Centre website.

Ruppe (centre, in jersey) and his former teammates at the fundraiser in late March. Image courtesy of YFile

In January, former York student Kyle Ruppe found out he has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This is neuro-degenerative disease that spreads throughout the body and leads to widespread weakness and muscle atrophy and is also known as Lou Gherig’s disease. As a York student, Ruppe played on the men’s varsity hockey team, where his team won the division title each year. When Ruppe’s former teammates found out about his diagnosis, they put together a fundraiser to help Ruppe with his on-going treatment. The event was a huge success, and raised over $3,000 for Ruppe. Students, alumni and administrators came out to show their support for Ruppe.

York is proud of it’s community and this is one of many reasons why. For more information on the event, check out the YFile article and for more information on Ruppe’s journey, visit his website, Kyle Is Beating It.

@JDilecce “You legitimately get more stressed when sensing the library’s aura saturated by procrastinators and overachievers. #ChillOut #YorkU”

@saurabh_b90 “I never though scott library could be this quiet at this hour.. I’m impressed #yorku”

@m_johal “final exam for research methods tomorrow. hopefully it goes well:) #yorku”

@MEHMETCEL “A nice glass of #turkishtea is a basic human right while studying for #yorku#humanrights final exam”

@Anh_Ngo “Love the timmies staff in central square #yorku they make me smile every morning#TheLittleThings”

@no3mii “Free cupcakes at #YorkU :D I wish @ShirlszCurlsz was here so we can eat them together…. *siigghh*”

@ClarifyYU “Oh hey last week of classes, how awesome are you!? #soexcited #yorku”

@livakillaz “Love how I can leave home for class 10 before it starts & still make it in time #yorku#localstudent”

@sarpolli “4 SCHOOL DAYS LEFT OF LIFE AT #YORKU #PARTYTIME”

@_michelle23 “Panther in vari hall!!! @Vanier_College #yorku”

Studying might be important, but clearly it’s never too important to stop tweeting. Twitter is an important part of the way we engage with current and future students so let us know if you have any questions! We’re always here to help. You can find as on Twitter as @YorkUStudents or @YorkUniversity.

Our Spring Open House last Saturday was a raging success. From the Circle of Scholars Breakfast first thing to the free cupcakes at 2:30, everyone had a great day. Students came from all over the GTA to explore York, speak to our staff and find out from current students what life at York is really like. We also had plenty of free food and York swag to give away. Of course York had a collection of photographers running around as well. I’ve collected a few pictures from the day for you here, and we should have more up on the York University Flickr by the end of next week.

The day started early with the Scholar's Circle, a breakfast for York's top applicants. President Shoukri is seen here speaking to the attendees

Members of all the college councils were on hand at Spring Open House. The trio here are from Bethune College Council.

The bus tours were another popular activity at Spring Open House

A handful of dance students from the Faculty of Fine Arts flash mobbed us in Accolade West.

First-year engineering students also put on their own performances at Murphy's Cup, a year-end robotics competition.

In honour of York's 53rd birthday, we offered free cupcakes to everyone at the end of the day.

Everyone spends a little time in York Lanes, and everyone knows just how dated that place is starting to look. Although it’s incredibly convenient to have all those shops and services in one place in the middle of campus, it’s becoming a little more evident each month just how badly York Lanes needs a face lift. That’s why most students are pretty thrilled to hear that over the summer York Lanes will be seriously renovated and revamped.

York Lanes is probably the most central building on campus. All the buses arrive outside York Lanes, its connected to most of the campus eateries and it houses the bookstore. It also has our on-campus post office, transit pass dealer, dentist, doctor, travel agent… and the list goes on. It also has a collection of offices in the upper floor, including York International and Aboriginal Student Services. As you can imagine, it’s a busy place.

The building is now 21 years old, and it’s really starting to show it’s age. The colours seem dated (pastel blues and pinks anyone?) and the seating feels a little lacking. It’s uncomfortable, borderline tacky and a little out of place on our very modern campus. The York University Development Corporation (YUDC) recognizes this and has launched a new project to revitalize our aging campus mall.

This summer, the YUDC will be updating the interior, adding new eateries and creating more comfortable seating. The interior update will focus on the western entrance to the building, and will include a more modern appearance with more glass walls and wood details. There will also be renovations done to the entirety of the main hallway, allowing for more gathering space for students. The new eateries will include exterior doors, allowing for more late night service for residents, as well as improved patio seating. The comfortable seating will be added throughout the building. There’s no word yet on who the eateries will be, although most of us are hoping that campus staple Blueberry Hill gets to keep its prime corner spot.

For more information on the York Lanes update, check out the YFile article.

The year is just about over for students so most of us are pretty focused on studying. I’m trying not to think too much about the myriad of essays and projects I have due this week and next! Since we’re all feeling pretty bogged down, none of us are really thinking about doing much other than studying. The last big events – the college council formals – happened last week, and now everyone is studying and focusing on finishing the year.

You might not be a student quite yet, but this lull in events still has big implications for you – it means more events for you and other future students! Since current students are so focused on studies, everyone else has a little time to focus on future student events.

The biggest event for future students is the Spring Open House, happening this Saturday, March 31, at the Keele Campus. The event includes an information fair, a variety of information sessions, general tours and specific facility tours. There will also be admissions experts, as well as current students, faculty and staff present from each faculty, department and program to answer any questions you may have about your program – or programs – of choice. The Faculties and programs will also be scheduling their own activities. This is an excellent opportunity to get an inside perspective on what life at York is really like. For more information on this event, check out the Future Students website.

The Spring Open House is only one of the awesome events coming up this month and next. For more information on events specifically for future students, visit our events page on the Future Students website. You can also check out the University-wide events on our YU Events website. Remember to register for any events you plan on attending!