Blog Posts

8 Tips for Preparing to Live Off Campus

Many students start their time at college living on campus but end up deciding to move into an apartment after a few semesters. Whereas this change is nowhere as big as moving out of your family home, it’s still a major transition. There are a few things you need to do to prepare to live off campus to ensure you’ll be comfortable and happy. 1. Choose the Right Roommates When deciding who to share an apartment with, consider what it would be like to live with particular friends and acquaintances. It’s important to find responsible roommates who will contribute to cleaning, will pay their share of the bills on time, and have a similar lifestyle to you. For instance, you should have similar ideas as to how often you want to invite guests over and when you want to keep the apartment quiet for studying. 2. Search for Affordable Apartments Have a budget in mind before you start searching for apartments. After all, it’s a waste of time to visit apartments that are too expensive. When calculating how much you can afford, remember to take into account factors like utility bills and transport — you’ll spend much less on transport if you live within walking distance of campus. 3. Read the Lease in Full Unfortunately, there are landlords who try to take advantage of students’ inexperience. Before you sign a lease, read it carefully and ask someone else to take a look, such as a parent or an advisor at college. In particular, check for policies about fees, lease termination, maintenance, and parking. 4. Inspect the Apartment Before Moving In Check the apartment for damage before you move in. Keep a log with photographs to have evidence of any damage that’s already present to avoid being on the hook for extra charges when you move out. 5. Take Out Renters Insurance Renters insurance is inexpensive and could save you a huge amount. It will cover you if your apartment suffers a fire, flood, or burglary. 6. Set Some Ground Rules Setting rules with roommates can feel uncomfortable, but it’s important. For example, you’ll need to have a chore schedule, decide how you’ll share food (you may want to each buy your own or you may prefer to share some basics, like condiments), and agree on etiquette for guests. 7. Always Pay Your Rent and Bills on Time Living off campus is a great way to start building a rent history and credit score — but only if you pay on time. Make sure you never miss a payment. 8. Save Money By Preparing Your Own Meals Moving off campus means no more meal plans. This can save you a significant amount of money, but only if you start cooking for yourself rather than eating out. Make a meal plan in advance and use it to figure out what you need to buy from the grocery store. If you have limited experience cooking, start with easy recipes until you’ve gained more confidence. Key to a great living experience is finding good rooms for rent. Oshawa students can move into Foundry Simcoe. The lease covers a fully-furnished private bedroom, high-speed internet, and a washer and dryer in your unit. You’ll be sharing with either two or four other students — these can be your friends or you can ask us to match you with roommates. Apply now to take advantage of the lowest rates we’ve had all year.

How to Shop for University Affordably

Paying for tuition and housing is already expensive. On top of that, you need supplies like textbooks, stationery, and items for your student apartment. To make sure you stay within your budget, follow these tips to shop for university affordably. 1. Buy Only What You Need Before you start shopping, make a list of what you need. This will prevent you from making any impulse purchases that are a waste of money. Your university may have provided you with a list of what to buy, but it’s worth assessing each of the items in turn to determine if you do need everything. If you have siblings or friends who are already attending university, talk to them — they may tell you that some of the items on the list your school provided are unnecessary. You should also reach out to your roomm ates to prevent multiple people all bringing something you could share, such as a coffee maker or vacuum cleaner. 2. Use What You Have Another way to limit your purchases is to consider what you already have. Bringing bedding, organizers, and storage solutions from home could save you a large amount of money. Plus, you may be able to decorate your apartment with things you already have, such as by creating artwork for your walls by using photos you’ve taken. 3. Take Advantage of Student Discounts Many stores offer student discounts year round ; plus, there are back-to-school sales to take advantage of. Student discounts often make expensive items like laptops considerably more affordable. If a store doesn’t advertise a student discount, always ask — just to make sure. 4. Avoid Student-Specific Items Some stores sell products specifically for students. Be aware that these items tend to have a higher price tag, even though the product is virtually the same as the regular version. This is particularly common with decor, bedding, and furniture. 5. Purchase from One Place Once you’ve found a store selling products at a good price (ideally with a student discount), do most of your shopping there. This will make it easier to calculate exactly how much you’re spending. As an added bonus , you’ll save on gas and will feel less exhausted by the whole ordeal. 6. Look for Quality Items It can be tempting to purchase the cheapest items you find, but this could end up costing you more in the long run . Look for high-quality items that will last several semesters — ideally, they’ll last your entire time at university or even beyond. If you have younger siblings who will be attending university after you graduate, you may even be able to hand down some of your belongings to them. 7. Borrow Instead of Buying You can also benefit from hand-me-downs yourself. Borrow from people who have already finished university or use rental services to spend less on items you won’t need after you graduate. You can rent all sorts of useful things, including textbooks, small appliances, and technology. You’ll also save money during your time at university if you find an affordable student rental. Oshawa students can receive their own bedroom in a comfortable suite at Foundry Simcoe. To help you save even more money, all our apartments come fully furnished, rent includes high-speed internet, and you’ll have a washer and dryer in your unit. Apply now to take advantage of our lowest rates of the year.

6 Tips for Goal Setting Next Semester

The start of each semester is an opportunity to commit to doing better than ever before. Whereas you could set goals for any aspect of your life, it makes the most sense for your goals to relate to your studies. In particular, here are a few goals you should consider setting. 1. Figure Out Where You Can Best Focus on Your Studies Whereas many students prefer to study in a quiet place where they can be alone, others find it more motivating to be around other people and to have some background noise. You need to figure out what works best for you. Experiment with several different places this semester. 2. Find a Few Study Spots Switching up where you study can help you find inspiration and boost your memory. You may like to have one main study spot and just use the others when you need a change of scenery. For instance, you might decide to mostly study at your desk at home but sometimes move to the couch in your living room, go to the campus library, or even sit in the park. 3. Go to All Your Classes Even if your professors don’t check your attendance, it’s important to stop seeing classes as optional. Skipping class can make understanding the material much harder and there’s always a risk you may misunderstand something. Plus, you’ll lose out on the chance to ask questions, join in discussions, and interact with classmates — all things that can help you learn. 4. Complete the Assigned Readings Set a goal to stay up to date with assigned readings. This means reading fully — not just skimming — and taking notes. You’ll find you’re able to follow your classes much better if you’ve completed the readings beforehand. Plus, you’ll be able to spend the time leading up to your exams to review material you’ve already covered rather than learning new concepts. 5. Regularly Review Your Notes Taking notes in class and as you read gives you a record of the most important points. However, if you file away your notes until you come to prepare for a test, you’ll likely find you’ve forgotten a large amount. A better approach is to schedule time each day for reviewing your notes — perhaps also rewriting parts to make them clearer. This will help the information stick in your head, meaning you just need to remind yourself of the fine details before the exam. 6. Stop Procrastinating Know your priorities for your schoolwork and start with whatever is most urgent. It’s easy to convince yourself that you’re being productive as long as you’re doing something of value. In fact, this is the definition of procrastination! If you have an important paper to complete or a test to prepare for, start early. Otherwise, you’ll end up needing to cram or pulling an all-nighter — and your grade will suffer as a result. A goal you should set that’s unrelated to your studies is to improve your housing. If you want to move out of Ontario Tech University residence, you can find a new home at Foundry Simcoe. It’s still just a short walk from your classes, but you’ll have your own room in a modern apartment equipped with a washer and dryer, a smart TV, and high-speed internet. Our most popular units also have private balconies. Apply now to secure your spot.

How to Settle on the Right Major for You

When your friends know exactly what they want to study at university, it can feel extra frustrating that you’re unsure what major to choose. This is often the case when you’re passionate about more than one subject or still unclear about what career you want to pursue. Nonetheless, it is possible to narrow down your options and arrive at the right major for you. Here are some steps to guide you. 1. Consider Your Skills If you want to be confident you’ll succeed, choosing a major according to your talents is the way to go. In addition to looking at your grades and considering what subjects in high school tend to require the least amount of effort, think about your nonacademic skills and how these could relate to a particular major. 2. Think About Your Interests Another way to decide what major to choose is by what most closely matches your interests. Although skills and interests often align, this is not always the case. In fact, you may decide it’s worth working harder on something that doesn’t come naturally to you because you’re passionate about it. Bear in mind, though, that there are other ways to include your passions in your life, such as through extracurriculars at university and as a side hustle or hobby after you graduate. 3. Determine How Difficult a Major Is Likely to Be Your major will likely be easier if it’s something you’re good at and find interesting. However, certain majors are also notorious for being more difficult than others. It’s possible to objectively determine this by considering how many hours of study they require in addition to your classes. Using this metric, the most difficult majors tend to be engineering and architecture whereas the easiest are public relations, communication, and criminal justice. 4. Look at Job Opportunities What you major in will impact what careers are open to you. Write down a number of careers each major could lead to and research the job prospects. Check what kind of salary you can expect to earn and think about whether the work matches your values and is likely to be rewarding. 5. Decide What Factor Matters Most to You All the above are important, but it’s impossible to prioritize everything. Decide what matters most to you, whether that’s enjoying your major, knowing you’ll easily be able to succeed, or a high potential to find a job and earn a good salary after you graduate. 6. Talk to Your Academic Advisor If you’re still unsure what major is right for you, have a discussion with your academic advisor. Your advisor will be able to tell you more about the majors you’re interested in, give you personalized advice, and perhaps even suggest some majors you hadn’t known about that combine the characteristics of a couple you’re considering. No matter what major you end up picking, you’ll need to study hard. Since it can be difficult to focus when you’re living in a dorm, it’s best to search for off-campus housing. An alternative to Ontario Tech University residence is Foundry Simcoe. We have three-bedroom suites and five-bedroom townhouses within walking distance of campus. Rent includes pure fibre internet, an in- suite washer and dryer, all the furnishings you need, and much more. Book a tour to see where you could be living.

7 Ways College Students Can Give Back to Their Communities

Attending college changes you as a person in many ways. For instance, it may make you passionate about a cause or help you appreciate the privilege you have of being able to pursue an education. As a result, you may decide you want to give back to your community. The good news is there are multiple ways you can do so. Choose an option that fits around your time constraints, reflects your values, and helps you develop useful skills. 1. Fundraise for a Cause Fundraising gives you the chance to be creative. Come up with a unique idea to raise money for a cause you care about and ask other students to donate money for your efforts. 2. Volunteer as a Mentor Sign up for a mentor program where you help a child in your community. Most programs will pair you with someone who needs exactly the kind of support you’re able to provide. 3. Donate Your Belongings Make a habit of regularly looking through your belongings for things you no longer need or want. Great times to do this include when you’re moving into new student housing and when you return home on a break and are confronted with all the things you left behind. You’ll reduce clutter and give a nonprofit organization items it can sell to gain more funds — it’s a win-win. 4. Spend Your Breaks Volunteering Abroad Use your breaks productively by searching for programs abroad and volunteering for a few weeks. You should be able to find a cause that matters to you, whether that’s conservation, healthcare, teaching, animal care, or something else. You may also have the chance to gain work experience, practice a foreign language, and meet new people. 5. Paint a Mural in Your Town If you have artistic skills, you may be able to bring some joy to your community by painting a mural. Ask for permission from your municipal government to find out if this is an option . 6. Grow Vegetables in a Community Garden There’s a good chance your college town has a community garden open to volunteers. By growing fruits and vegetables, you can supply healthy food to people who may struggle to afford fresh produce. 7. Visit People in Your Community Reach out to your local senior citizen center, assisted living facility, or children’s hospital to ask about paying the residents or patients a visit. Reading, doing crafts, or just having a conversation could brighten someone’s day. Volunteering can take a toll, especially if you’re working with vulnerable people or doing manual labor. To rest and recuperate after a day of volunteering, it’s important you feel at home in your student rental. Oshawa students can live the ultimate college experience at Foundry Simcoe. You’ll have the chance to meet other people in the community lounge, be able to relax in your private bedroom, and can take advantage of our monthly housekeeping service to avoid another stress in your life. Secure the floo r plan you want while there are still units available.

The Best Ways to Network in Your Field

You’re likely at university to gain the skills you need to pursue a career in a particular field. However, skills alone won’t be enough — you also need to have the right contacts. Building connections means networking. There are several ways you can begin networking while you’re still at university. In fact, you should start as soon as possible rather than waiting until you’re about to graduate. 1. Visit Your Career Centre The career center on campus is a valuable resource for all things related to your future employment, including networking. For instance, the staff may be able to put you in touch with alumni who are working in the field you want to enter or give you advice about how to reach out to other professionals. 2. Pursue Opportunities to Gain Experience Apply for positions that will give you experience in your field. At the same time as exploring possible career paths and developing your skills, you’ll undoubtedly work with people who will become useful connections. Opportunities could include internships, research assistant positions, and work opportunities through your faculty. 3. Use LinkedIn Networking today frequently takes place online. There’s no better place for meeting professionals in your field than LinkedIn. To make a good impression, grow your list of connections by adding everyone you know, complete your profile with information about your career goals and experience, and showcase your key achievements. Then, start reaching out to people who have your dream job and employers you’d like to work for in the future. 4. Ask Professionals for Career Advice Before you can reach out to professionals you find on LinkedIn and people you meet at networking events on campus, you need to have a reason for starting a conversation. One option is to ask for career advice. The best time to do this is while you’re still a student, as people will be more willing to help you. If you wait until you’re looking for a job, in contrast, people may feel like you’re looking for referrals rather than advice. They may be hesitant to help you if they don’t feel they know you well en ough. 5. Stay in Contact Once you’ve met someone, stay in contact to develop a relationship. If you have a genuine connection, the person will be more likely to think of you when a job opportunity arises or will be able to write you a more detailed letter of recommendation. 6. See Everyone as a Potential Connection Don’t underestimate the importance of the contacts you have in completely unrelated fields. Many of them may have large networks that could include people who are in your field. Besides, people who know you well tend to be more valuable contacts than someone you’ve only chatted to briefly online because they’re more interested in helping you reach your goals. 7. Set Networking Goals To ensure you actively network throughout your time at university, set yourself some goals. For instance, you could set a target for the number of connections you want to have on LinkedIn by the end of each semester. You may also like to have a few possibilities in mind for internships several months before you need to apply and a shortlist of career options or companies you’d like to work for. In addition to people you meet on campus and through work and internships, you can network with others who live in the same student rental. Oshawa has a vibrant student community at Foundry Simcoe. You’ll have the chance to meet students from a variety of backgrounds in the community lounge and around the building. Book a tour to check out the facilities.