Wednesday, November 25, 2009
FIRST SEMESTER COMING TO AN END
Students are thrilled that the term is going to end, no more exams, midterms, essays, projects!!!
E INTERVIEW
E INTERVIEW BRIEF STORY
We all learn from experience, and what better way to find out firsthand the survival guide to being a first year student, than to interview someone going into their fourth year in 2010. On November 24th 2009, I interviewed Trevor Faessler, a third year student who’s currently in the Criminology Program at Wilfrid University Brantford. Not only is he a full time student, but he also engages in extracurricular activities including, the Student Council Committee and is practicing his role as the Don of the Lawyer’s Hall Residence. He gave useful tips to survive the first year university and great advice to move onto the second year of university.
At Wilfrid Laurier University, and any other Universities for that matter, many students are still trying to find their footing in a place where they no longer have their parents to rely on, and usually, their friends are off to pursue a career that obligates them to move away. Far from familiar faces, it’s not an easy transition to University without the ease of Orientation Week, and Don’s to welcome you into a jam packed year, that most students are anxious to begin. Surely, in grade 12, students are well aware that the workload should not be lightly expected, even for a first year student. New study habits need to be learned, and time management becomes a key, in the success of one’s first year.
Initiative to do well in school becomes a priority, because professors, unlike teachers in high school no longer are there to remind you of when all your assignments are due, and are usually strict about deadlines. Another major change would be how a student sees themselves in the society as a whole, instead of their state of mind in high school, where smaller things were important. University is now a major foot hold, where your career is at stake, and where you’ll meet a lot of new people, learn to live with them, and in turn will help in preparing you for a life on your own.
A concern most first year students have nearing the end of their first term is finding housing around campus. It is important to consider that whoever you choose to be your roommates, that it be responsible people you can trust and get along with. Conveniently set up in apartment style, the residences at Wilfrid Laurier places you in a suit with 3 to four people for 8 months., allowing you to experience living with complete strangers, and getting to know them, long enough to build upon each other’s trust.
We all learn from experience, and what better way to find out firsthand the survival guide to being a first year student, than to interview someone going into their fourth year in 2010. On November 24th 2009, I interviewed Trevor Faessler, a third year student who’s currently in the Criminology Program at Wilfrid University Brantford. Not only is he a full time student, but he also engages in extracurricular activities including, the Student Council Committee and is practicing his role as the Don of the Lawyer’s Hall Residence. He gave useful tips to survive the first year university and great advice to move onto the second year of university.
At Wilfrid Laurier University, and any other Universities for that matter, many students are still trying to find their footing in a place where they no longer have their parents to rely on, and usually, their friends are off to pursue a career that obligates them to move away. Far from familiar faces, it’s not an easy transition to University without the ease of Orientation Week, and Don’s to welcome you into a jam packed year, that most students are anxious to begin. Surely, in grade 12, students are well aware that the workload should not be lightly expected, even for a first year student. New study habits need to be learned, and time management becomes a key, in the success of one’s first year.
Initiative to do well in school becomes a priority, because professors, unlike teachers in high school no longer are there to remind you of when all your assignments are due, and are usually strict about deadlines. Another major change would be how a student sees themselves in the society as a whole, instead of their state of mind in high school, where smaller things were important. University is now a major foot hold, where your career is at stake, and where you’ll meet a lot of new people, learn to live with them, and in turn will help in preparing you for a life on your own.
A concern most first year students have nearing the end of their first term is finding housing around campus. It is important to consider that whoever you choose to be your roommates, that it be responsible people you can trust and get along with. Conveniently set up in apartment style, the residences at Wilfrid Laurier places you in a suit with 3 to four people for 8 months., allowing you to experience living with complete strangers, and getting to know them, long enough to build upon each other’s trust.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
HOMESICKNESS
It's hard to face the fact that, although you are striving to obtain that independence, and freedom you so longed for, when you first moved out.. It's hard not to admit that home sounds like a good place to be, especially during times of stress. Most of us are scared to admit, but you can only spend so much time with people you've only known for 4 months.. and it's coming down to terms.. that you've been living with your family for over 17 years.. and compared to how long you've been living here.. at residence doesn't compare at all. It's okay to feel homesick every once in a while, it's normal, and it took me, and I'm sure a lot of you a fairly long time for the homesickness to kick in.
Homesickness basically feels like you just don't want to be anywhere but your bed at home. With your old comforter and your old pillows and everything that is familiar to you. When you are away at school you do get used to the new bed but nothing can compare to the old one.
As well when your home and your parents cook for you it's the greatest feeling, they make all of your favorites, when your away at school you end up having to cook for yourself and sometimes the more difficult things is something you don't have the patience and time to do. By eating a very repetitive diet of mr. noodles and canned food, we begin to miss the warm comfort foods of home.
The cure may be something as simple as a visit home, although sometimes it makes it worse. First try calling your loved ones, or using Skype its a quick fix that can easily be done from your dorm room and requires much less traveling time.
Homesickness basically feels like you just don't want to be anywhere but your bed at home. With your old comforter and your old pillows and everything that is familiar to you. When you are away at school you do get used to the new bed but nothing can compare to the old one.
As well when your home and your parents cook for you it's the greatest feeling, they make all of your favorites, when your away at school you end up having to cook for yourself and sometimes the more difficult things is something you don't have the patience and time to do. By eating a very repetitive diet of mr. noodles and canned food, we begin to miss the warm comfort foods of home.
The cure may be something as simple as a visit home, although sometimes it makes it worse. First try calling your loved ones, or using Skype its a quick fix that can easily be done from your dorm room and requires much less traveling time.
STRESS RELIEVERS
GYM AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK
MOVIE NIGHTS, GET YOUR MIND OFF WORK
COFFEE BREAK WITH FRIENDS, SOCIALIZE
STEPPING OUT OF YOUR ROOM AT ALL
A WALK IN THE PARK
CALL HOME, OR A CLOSE FRIEND FROM BACK HOME
NO NOT FOOD
BUT DO REMEMBER TO EAT YOUR 3 MAJOR MEALS
GOOD SLEEP vs BAD SLEEP
Good Sleep:
Occurs during the night..
Bad Sleep:
During the day
Naps longer than 1 hour
Occurs during the night..
Bad Sleep:
During the day
Naps longer than 1 hour
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
THE CONVENIENT DIET
Most Universities have meal plans, to regulate what students consume and slowly enable them to make meal choices on their own on a daily basis. Here at Laurier University, meal Plans aren't a given. So, students are left with the option of making their own meals. At residence for instance, everyone is provided with a stove, a microwave, a fridge, and a few cupboards to store their food. Students are then obligated to make food for themselves, or go eat out. A few choices are:
Eat IN?
Price Choppers/Food Basics/Zehrs/Metro
Many students choose to go grocery shopping with their room mates, to save money, and have a good stock of food available in their residence.
Eat OUT?
Boston Pizza
Subway
Little Caesars
Tim Hortons
Williams Pub
Coffee Culture
My Thai
Eat IN?
Price Choppers/Food Basics/Zehrs/Metro
Many students choose to go grocery shopping with their room mates, to save money, and have a good stock of food available in their residence.
Eat OUT?
Boston Pizza
Subway
Little Caesars
Tim Hortons
Williams Pub
Coffee Culture
My Thai
Sunday, November 8, 2009
UNIVERSITY DOWNHILL FASHION
Following the Freshman 15... clothes don't cooperate as much. First day of classes, everyone is looking their best, all dressed up, looking forward to making a good first impression. After a couple of weeks, people just head to class straight out of bed. Some even show up in their pj's.
Sweats
Sweat pants, sweat shirts, and t-shirts are probably some of the most comfortable clothing ever invented. They are easy to maintain and extremely easy to wear especially right when you roll out of bed. Most sweats are easy to match with everything in your wardrobe. Everyone has a black pair of pants and guess what black matches? Everything!
With the stress of school, students much rather maintain their marks than maintain their appearance. This means that instead of wasting time picking out what to wear students much rather spend the extra 5 minutes studying.
Lack of Hygiene
The new mentality is..skip the shower, brushing your hair, your teeth..skip the washroom all together, because you have the rest of the day to do all that. Besides, people don't hang around much after class, and the teacher could care less what one out of 100 students look like in his lecture hall.
Sweats
Sweat pants, sweat shirts, and t-shirts are probably some of the most comfortable clothing ever invented. They are easy to maintain and extremely easy to wear especially right when you roll out of bed. Most sweats are easy to match with everything in your wardrobe. Everyone has a black pair of pants and guess what black matches? Everything!
With the stress of school, students much rather maintain their marks than maintain their appearance. This means that instead of wasting time picking out what to wear students much rather spend the extra 5 minutes studying.
Lack of Hygiene
The new mentality is..skip the shower, brushing your hair, your teeth..skip the washroom all together, because you have the rest of the day to do all that. Besides, people don't hang around much after class, and the teacher could care less what one out of 100 students look like in his lecture hall.
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