College Life: the good, the bad, the ugly

Make the best of it all!

2011-11-29T09:20:00.000-08:00

My number one piece of advice is: make the best of the years you have in college! Don't stress yourself out over all the small little things that will happen, just take them one day at a time and learn from it all. Always remember why you are there, to obtain your diploma!!! It can be hard to find the right balance between your school work and social life, but don't waste your money partying every night and drop out, you will regret it and most likely end up back in school trying to finish when you are older!

Parting Ways

2011-11-22T11:13:00.001-08:00

As mentioned earlier in the blog parting ways at graduation is the one thing that will never become any easier. And like the 'I love college' song the graduation song applies to all different ages and will always be apparent at this time in your life.

Time Management

2011-11-21T11:31:00.000-08:00

The following website has useful tips and information on time management, which seems to be a struggling issue for many students.

http://collegelife.about.com/od/TimeManagement/a/Guide-To-Time-Management-For-Students.htm

Choosing the right school for you

2011-11-20T11:44:00.000-08:00

Decided where to go to school is a very important, and possibly, hard decision. There are many factors that are taken into consideration, and the importance of each of them depends on yourself.
Step 1: determine what you might like to study or major in at college
Step 2: develop a list of criteria you want to use to evaulate and weed out colleges
- degrees offered
- majors/minors
- location (rural or urban setting)/distrance from home
- size of the student population
- public vs. private
- costs (tuition, room and board, etc)
- financial assistance packages
- campus resources
- graduation rate/time
- placement success/internship and co-op programs
- accreditation
- class size
- faculty contact/classes taught by full-time doctorally qualified faculty
- quality/reputation/ranking
- degree of pressure to excel
- safety
- student body
- social life
- religious affiliation/independent
- housing options
- realistic entry expectations
Step 3: compile a list of possible colleges and univeristies
Step 4: research each of the schools you are interested in
Step 5: visit the colleges on your list

50 Things to Do while you're in college

2011-11-20T08:07:00.001-08:00

While looking around on the college topic I came across this list of 50 things you should remember/do while you are in college:

http://jeremyau.com/post/907424629/50things

I would highly suggest reading these, they have a lot of useful points!

I love college!

2011-11-20T07:58:00.001-08:00

The song of the college life. It doesn't matter what year it is, this song will always have a way of making it into your college career...it's a theme song. Asher Roth's - I love college

Its songs like this that give college students a bad rep but it's nights like they're talking about that help make this experience a time you will never forget!

2011-11-20T07:53:00.001-08:00

Here is someone elses experience of a dorm room. This is an example of procrastination at its best.

Educational Resources

2011-11-17T17:41:00.000-08:00

Your school library should offer you many different resources to accomodate your studies. At our school there are different hubs that offer help with any assignment that you are working on. They are run by students who are on the honour role.
Aside from the hubs the library also offers tutors that are available to you if you need any extra help. This information can be found at your library information desk or probably online at their website.

The joys of not having a car…Public Transit!

2011-11-10T15:53:00.000-08:00

Many people may class this as the ‘loser cruiser’ but hey personally for six years it has gotten me from point a to b when no other means were available to me. I mean yeah once or twice we have run a red light and I have been in one accident on a bus but generally they are the best option aside from driving as walking can take far too long to get from point a to b.
The Barrie transit information can be found at the City of Barrie website (http://www.barrie.ca/Living/Getting%20Around/Pages/TransitInformation.aspx) which has not only the schedule and the fares but the map that has all the different routes.

Insecurities and what can help

2011-11-10T15:44:00.001-08:00

This post pertains more to females then males but a little for everyone. Insecurities are found in everyone and most pertain to the image of people. My image was and has always been my biggest insecurity and to help me with that I obviously kept my close friends nearby as they always make me feel amazing but aside from that there are a number of gyms and health plans with support systems setup to help you. Personally I joined the gym at our school where they have all different exercise machines and different classes. At your school they have a cheaper rate for students and offer a number of different things depending on the facility. Here is the link for the Barrie Campus Georgian College Athletics Centre:
http://www.georgianc.on.ca/barrie-athletics/fitness-centre
Another thing I found really helped me as along with image my weight has been an issue was weight watchers. I personally did not have time to attend meetings so they offered an online program where you put it all in online and track everything there so with honesty you can accomplish your goal. This is just one of many options but I found it worked for me!
http://www.weightwatchers.com/

Working life…Are there any job opportunities?

2011-11-10T15:42:00.000-08:00

Depending on the area that you live in many times there are not a vast amount of job opportunities out there. In classes especially if you are in a co-op program they will tell you of one website where you can find approved jobs that fit your program, but what about a part time job that helps cover the bills?
A number of places can be very helpful to look for jobs.
# 1 suggestion to any student would be to go around personally with a resume and be well dressed. A personal visit to any location is usually a better way to make an impression before an interview.
#2 Since you are attending school the most logical place to look for a job would be on campus. There are usually a number of jobs available especially at the end of the summer before the beginning of the fall semester. The best place to look would be on your schools website, for Barrie’s campus: http://www.georgianc.on.ca/careers/for-students/job-search/
#3 the government job bank site. http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/intro-eng.aspx From this site you can search all different locations, fields of work and qualifications. You must watch the dates that the jobs were posted on and make sure that you are looking at the most recent postings before sending in your resumé.
#4 www.workopolis.com This site has a process where you can log in and create a profile that allows you to set criteria of what you are looking for. Along with that you can also save your resume to your profile and set it to be available for employers to search. Generally this site you find the job posting and apply by a different means then online.
#5 www.monster.ca This site works the exact same as Workopolis.

Budgeting

2011-11-07T10:48:00.000-08:00

We all do it, we get our OSAP amount and by the end of the year, we find ourselves broke, and not knowing how we spent all that money. Learning how to budget yoursels can be a very useful thing, not only for when you are in school, but for future years as well. The following link is from Georgain College's website, it has useful tips for creating a budget and a form that will help get you started:
http://www.georgianc.on.ca/admissions/financial-aid/budgeting-tips

So where does some of your money go:

ACTIVITY	COST
One movie, every Tuesday, for a year	$300
One coffee, every school day, for 8 months	$258
Order pizza, once a week, for a year	$780
One case of beer, once a week, for a year	$2002
$30 hair cut, once a month	$258
Lunch out, three times a week, for a year	$907
Late video returns, 2 days late, once a month	$144
$5 cover charge, once a week, for a year	$260
Three bar drinks, twice a week, for a year	$1404
One pack of cigarettes per day, for a year	$2847
Total Cost:	$9160

Landlord and Tenant Rights con't

2011-11-07T10:40:00.000-08:00

One thing I found very interesting is how many people did not know that a landlord cannot tell you that you cannot own a pet. They are allowed to refuse to rent an apartment to a person who is applying to rent, but once you become a tenant they cannot refuse this right.
Even if there is a section in your lease about you not owning a pet, and you have signed this, that section becomes void. The landlord cannot evict you for this reason, but if your pet is causing problems, they are allowed to apply to the Board to evict you.
The follow site has more information on this subject, along with some other useful information with regards to some of your rights as a tenant:
http://www.ltb.gov.on.ca/en/Key_Information/STEL02_111463.html

Student Housing

2011-11-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

Finding the perfect house to rent can be hard, especially if you do not know where to look. A great website to use is places for students:
https://www.places4students.com/Index.aspx

This website also provides your with some other sites that are great for finding a place and for other information regarding Barrie:
http://barrie.ontariotenants.ca/index.phtml

Another great one is Kijiji, but you will need to be aware of the scams and how to avoid them.

I recommend creating a checklist of some of the things you would find important when renting a house. When you arrange to view the house with the landlord, bring this checklist with you. This will help you in finding the perfect house!

Some of the things I found important were:
- all utilities included in rent
- internet included
- parking space (since I own a car)
- lock on my bedroom door

Student Discounts

2011-11-05T16:11:00.000-07:00

School is expansive as it is, so why not take advantage of being a student and enjoy some of the discounts you are entitled to!
With your student card in Barrie you are able to get discounts at the following venues:
- Zehrs on Tuesday's
- bus passes for city transit
- Rexall
- Pizza People
- Greyhound
- Gym membership at the school
- YMCA membership
There are much more that I am not even aware of, if you know of any that I missed please let me know! In some cities, with your student card, you are able to ride the city transit for free, although this is not the case in Barrie.

Another great thing with being a student is the SPC card. Any student can get this discount card at most mall locations and it provides you with many great savings. The link below will take you to the SPC website:
http://www.spccard.ca/

Landlord and Tenant Rights

2011-11-05T16:01:00.000-07:00

Your landlord MUST give you at least 24 hours of written notice prior to entering your rental unit, they must also state why they are entering the unit. The only time there would be an exeption to this rule is if you are a border, not a renter.
The following link will explain some of your rights as a tenant and some of your landlords right:
http://www.ltb.gov.on.ca/en/Key_Information/STEL02_111473.html

If your landlord has:
- illegally entered your rental unit
- changed the locks without giving you a replacement key
- withheld or interfered with your care services, vital services
- interfered with your resonable enjoyment of the rental unit
- harassed, coerced or threatened you
You should fill out a Form T2. This is an application about tenants rights, and is free of charge:
http://www.ltb.gov.on.ca/en/STEL02_111281.html

Damage Deposits

2011-11-05T15:53:00.000-07:00

Many landlords ask their tenants for a damange deposit before or when the tenant signs the lease. Many tenants do not know that a landlord is NOT allowed to ask for this. They are allowed however allowed to ask for a rent deposit.
I've attached the link to the landlord and tenant act where you can research this further:
http://www.ltb.gov.on.ca/en/Key_Information/STEL02_111479.html

If your landlord has charged you:
- illegal rent or
- illegal charge
Or if your landlord did not:
- use your rent deposit to credit you last months rent or give it back to you, or
- pay you interest annually on your rent deposit
You should fill out a Form T1. This is a Tenant Application for a Rebate, please know that it will cost you $45 for the first unit + $5 for each additional one. The attached to a link to where you can find a Form T1 and the instructions on how to fill it out:
http://www.ltb.gov.on.ca/en/STEL02_111281.html

Balanced Lifestyle

2011-11-03T18:51:00.000-07:00

College brings alot of stress and worries, crazy busy nights and sometimes weekends and not much time for fun. You always have to remember that you will regret if you live your life just for school. Obviously homework is important but take advantage of student discounts for different meals and events and make sure you know what surrounds you as fun.

Keep in mind the different things that you enjoy doing recreationally and see what deals they offer students. In Barrie if you are of age the bars have deals for students such as The Roxx and The Queens offer free cover before 11:30 on Tuesday and/or Thursday nights. Also the school bars usually have great specials and themes for their pub nights, in barrie it is The Last Class and they always have a rockin' good time!!

You can find pictures and information about The Last Class on Twitter under @TheLastClass or Facebook under Brew Crew Promotions.

Other bars that are around for a good time are places such as The Bank, Club Ash, At the Five Bistro, and many more.

You can find a promo video for the bank at:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMFbFj5BOvY

On top of all of the bars there is mini-putt, Galaxy movie theater, many restaurants, and many more things. A way to find some recreational activities there is a package that the City of barrie has put together so I am sure that many cities have taken the time to do the same and show new comers what they have to offer them. Do your research and find some things to do, all students are on a budget and the city usually has deals to offer you to stay within that budget.

Your rights in your home.

2011-11-02T15:32:00.000-07:00

Many people have no idea what they have the right to do or not do in their rental home. This can mean they don't know how much notice they need to receive before the landlord enters the premises or they just don't understand how their lease works.

This is a website that will give you information on all of these things and all the people are very helpful with answering your questions.

http://www.ltb.gov.on.ca/en/index.htm

Another source would be your city website because many of the issues can be resolved through them aswell.

Second Half

2011-11-02T15:30:00.000-07:00

The first half of our blog we discussed some of our experiences we had through our college program. This half of our blog we will provide links and services that will help students mainly in Barrie as that is where we are located.

Where am I today

2011-10-18T14:50:00.000-07:00

I am in my final year of my University program. I live with two other girls, one of which owns the house I am renting a room in, the other was one of my old roommates. We are all pretty busy with work, school, or relationships, and all seem to have our own lives outside of the house. So far, there has been no drama, yeah!!

It is so nice to only have to deal with the stresses that are caused from school, and let me tell you, there is a lot of them right now. Since I am in the first semester of the forth year of the program, there is a lot of work involved. It seems that I have an assignment due almost weekly, and have a lot of reading required to ensure that I am able to do the assignments and pass my midterms.

This is probably the toughest semester I have had since I have starting any of my post-secondary schooling, and I am beyond excited for all of it to be over. Five years in school is a long time. I am now trying to juggle my schooling with a part-time job, and still have a social life on top of that! I am ensuring I am keeping my school work as my top priority, I do not want to make the same mistake that I made in my first few years of college.

Since I've started my University program, I have lots of drama, heartbreaks, and let downs. But it seems that the good times far out weight the bad times that I have had. Although I find being in school very stressful, I am glad that I decided to continue with it and not stop after college. I've met a lot amazing people, and have become closer to the ones that I already knew. I am looking forward to what lays in my future, and I am sure, it will be just as eventful as my past experiences have been.

Fresh starts, and lasting relationships!

2011-10-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

The drama at the house didn't really start until all of us became busy with school and other things. It seemed that we all took out our frustrations on each other and some of the girls decided they were too busy to keep up with the cleaning. There was many times when some of the girls and I would get into full on screaming matches over the dumbest things, of course, those things didn't seem like nothing at the time.

It got to the point that one of the girls and I didn't even talk for a few months, which made things in the house very awkward for everyone else. We finally ended up sorting things out just as drama was starting with one of the other roommates and everyone.

We all decided that it was best that none of us re-signed out leases for the house and thought it was best to move on from living together. It is really hard living with different personalities and learning how to deal with everyone differently. We all moved out of the house after our year lease was up, and after a few weeks of taking time apart, all starting talking again. The roommates I had in that house I would have to say, even after all the drama we had together, are definitely my closest girlfriends. So I guess, just because you can't live with someone, doesn't necessarily mean that you won't last as friends, because I see those 3 girls in my life for a very, very long time!

New beginnings

2011-10-18T14:28:00.000-07:00

The summer of my final year of college was an eventful one, that is for sure! I had two new roommates that had moved in, one I had lived with at my previous house, and the other girl I had just met through my other roommate.

The semester started off great. We had many nights out together, and for the first few months, there was no drama amongst any of us! By June, things started to get really bad with my boyfriend and I. And by the end of June I had decided it was time for us to end things. It was one of the hardest things I had to do, and it resulted in a lot, and I mean a lot, of emotional ups and downs.

We tried to remain friends for the summer, but by the end of the summer, things were not going well and we ended up not speaking together. This time apart made me really miss him and when I decided I wanted to talk again, and maybe actualy try things again, it was too late. He had moved on and found someone else.

I was lucky enough to have my roommates and family with me to help me through this time in my life. It took along time for me to finally feel like myself again. I finished my college program and moved straight into University to obtain my BBA. I kept myself busy with school and made a lot of new friends because of it. I

In the end, I realized that the breakup was for the best and we were both better off not being together. And although it took me a very long time to come to that conclusion and to fully move on from things, I am glad I did. I feel that it made me have to come out of my shell and go out and meet new people in my program. While we were together, I never really did that. I found that since we broke up, my schooling/grades have improved so much.

Starting my University program being single and living with the 3 girls that I did really made me feel that things were turning around for me, that this was a new beginning. But of course, living with all girls, there is also going to drama invovled!

Library times...not so quiet at gc state!

2011-10-18T13:16:00.000-07:00

The other main thing that was a large part of my college experience was the library at good ole gc state! This library experienced the goods times, the bad times, and the loud times.
I met one of my best friends there and he can pick me out of a crowd because he saw me yelling at another one of my besties for being rude.

The library has watched many tv shows with me, gave me a place to nap during class, a really wicked setup for poker games, and just a place to chill so we didn't have to go home. No one would tell us to be quiet nor would they approach to try and separate or join us. Our group was pretty much untouchable and took over whatever space we needed when we needed it. Rude of us? Some may say so, but this college was highly overpopulated when it came exam time and we needed the space. Back bones were definitely needed around us.

Great times, great people, great life at GC State. I would change alot of things in my life but the experiences I had...priceless, wouldn't change them for the world!

Jobs...or lack of jobs...in Barrie

2011-10-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

Throughout college my work life consisted of working at my co-ops every other term after first year. I started looking for a job outside of a co-op entering into my third year after my H&R Block co-op.

Every January from then on I worked as a CSR for them. In the other terms there were no jobs to be had. I applied to over 100 jobs without one call back for interviews or anything. I was about ready to give up on the battle when I was starting my trek into the Laurentian Business Program and talked to a friend who was looking to hire.

The job was on campus and was very convenient for where I was living and a pretty easy one. I would be making sandwich at the on campus cafe. In August of my last semester I got the job and began to work throughout school. It was easy the first semester to balance a job and classes but come second semester a challenge was posed - I had taken my job at H&R Block back as well.

Working two jobs and going to school can be tiring but being a student money is money and you gotta do what you gotta do to keep the flow coming in. Paying for school by yourself can be very difficult when you're stuck going so long without a job because the one you counted on for so long was only seasonal. Relying on OSAP was out of the picture because up until first year of university I had to claim with my parents.

The 2 job situation worked out in the end though come exam time it was hard, and the 2 weeks that I had to take off for funerals put a pretty heavy cut in the paycheck which took a while to bounce back from. But no matter how much was going on and how much it didn't seem worth it I worked as hard as I could and it paid off in the end. At the end of my first year at my job I got promoted to a supervisor - pay raise, check. more hours, check. I was loving life.

Working and school can always be a struggle but the two sometimes need to happen together. This is where you need to prioritize your time and keep up with all your school work, it's difficult but very possible.