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A Guide to Financial Literacy for Students

College is the first time many students need to be financially independent — and many are not ready. Budgeting, taking out loans, figuring out whether you need a part-time job, and saving money may all be new to you. Learning about financial concepts is key to preventing costly mistakes. Here’s a guide to get you started. Comparing Your Student Loan Options If you’re unable to afford tuition upfront, a student loan can be the solution. However, there are many different types of student loans — some better than others. It’s important to compare options by considering the repayment requirements and interest rates to ensure you find a loan suitable for your situation. You may also be eligible to receive financial aid like grants and scholarships. These are preferable to loans because you never pay the money back. Make sure you research all your options and apply to any programs that are relevant to you. To receive more advice on financial aid options, you should visit the financial aid office on your college campus. How to Budget By budgeting, you ensure you have enough money for all your essentials. It means figuring out how much you need for each of your expenses (such as housing, food, clothing, school supplies, and entertainment) and setting spending limits. It may take you a few months to accurately calculate your budget because you’ll need to track where you’re currently spending money. Make sure you don’t forget to account for unexpected expenses. If you have money left in your budget at the end of the month, the best way to use it is to split it into thirds. Use one-third for fun — as a reward for not spending all of your budget. Allocate the second third to debts, such as your student loan. Put the final third into a savings or investment account. Should You Have a Credit Card? Credit cards can make budgeting more difficult because they give you access to money you don’t actually have . Since interest rates tend to be high, you’ll end up spending much more if you’re unable to pay off your balance in full each month. Plus, missing a payment can hurt your credit score and have a long-term impact. Financial Education Your college may offer financial workshops and other events on campus covering topics like budgeting, credit, investment, savings, and financial aid. Take advantage of these — after all, there’s always more you can learn. Alternatively, you may be able to take an elective to improve your financial literacy while earning credit. A smart financial choice all students can make is to move off campus. You’ll save money and be more comfortable — for instance, you’ll have your own room and be able to prepare your own meals, instead of being stuck with a pricey meal plan. For Durham College student housing, there’s Foundry Simcoe. Since our suites all are fully furnished, you won’t need to purchase any furniture. Plus, the apartments come with a washer and dryer to avoid you needing to spend at the laundromat and rent includes high-speed internet. Apply now to make your time at college more affordable.

8 of the Best Houseplants for Students

Houseplants can add a vitality to your student apartment that will make your home feel welcoming and even improve your mental health. The problem is plants can be difficult to keep alive, particularly if you’ll occasionally be away for a weekend or longer. The good news is some houseplants are easy to care for — and still look impressive. If you’ve never had plants before and know you’ll find it difficult to stick to a strict watering schedule, these are the ones you need to consider for your apartment. 1. Spider Plant There’s nothing easier to grow than a spider plant. Better still, you can start with a small one and it will quickly grow into a large plant if you water it just once a week. As it becomes bigger, it will produce spiderettes , which you can leave hanging from the plant or cut off — either to have more plants for your apartment or to give to friends. 2. Paddle Plant Succulents are great because they require a minimal amount of care. However, they can look boring when they all have the same fleshy green leaves. Paddle plants will bring some colour to your apartment — their leaves range from red tipped to almost entirely red with just green at the base. 3. Inchplant Another choice that has stunning colours is the inchplant . It has striped leaves in shades of green and purple. It requires a little more watering than some of the lower-maintenance plants — at least every three days. If the leaves begin to turn yellow, though, you may be watering it too much. The plant also needs plenty of sunlight. All this may sound like quite a bit of effort, but it’s definitely a plant worth having because it’s sure to impress. 4. Laceleaf Anthurium For a plant with flowers, you may like to opt for a laceleaf anthurium. Both its bright red flowers and dark glossy leaves are heart shaped, which results in an eye-catching plant. You can keep it in top condition by watering it just once a week. 5. Peace Lily Another option for a flowering plant is a peace lily. It’s quite similar in appearance to the laceleaf anthurium, with the difference that the flowers are white and narrow. You only need to water your peace lily when you notice the top soil is dry. Make sure it stays inside to avoid it being exposed to dramatic changes in temperature. 6. Parlour Palm With a parlour palm, you’ll feel like you’re living in a sunny, coastal town: this small plant has leaves just like a palm tree. To help yours thrive, keep it in direct sunlight and spray it with water every other week. 7. Barrel Cactus If you want a plant you can just leave to grow on its own, choose a barrel cactus. It needs watering every two weeks at most — if the soil is not completely dry, leave it for longer. Barrel cacti look great on their own as well as in small groups made up of several different species . 8. Swiss Cheese Plant Native to tropical forests, Swiss cheese plants have holes in their leaves, which gives them a unique appearance. Quite large plants, they’re ideal for a living room. The best way to help yours flourish is to leave it in water for two or three weeks before transferring it to a soil pot. You then just need to water it once a week. It’s difficult to have plants in a dorm room because you lack the space for more than a couple small pots at most. To be able to decorate your home however you want — with plenty of greenery — you should search for an apartment for rent. North Oshawa has the ideal suites for students at Foundry Simcoe. You can keep plants in your private bedroom, your en suite bathroom (for some feng shui vibes), or the spacious living room you’ll be sharing with just two or four other students. Apply now to secure a lease at the lowest rates of the year.

What You Can Do to Avoid Roommate Drama

Conflict with a roommate can be a stain on your college experience. It’s always unpleasant coming home when you don’t get along with the person in your shared space. However, instead of simply accepting your fate, there are things you can do to prevent drama. 1. Discuss Your Problems Never expect issues to resolve themselves if you stay silent. A passive aggressive approach — such as making it obvious that you’re annoyed about something or complaining to someone else and hoping it gets back to your roommate — will only make things worse. First, recognize that your roommate may be unaware that something is upsetting you. After all, what’s normal for one person could be offensive to another. Invite your roommate to a discussion about living together and talk calmly and kindly about anything that’s bothering you. Make sure to ask your roommate if there is anything you need to change, too. 2. Give Each Other Time to Overcome Issues Long-standing bad habits can be difficult to change overnight. Plus, your roommate may need time to find solutions to whatever is leading to the conflict between the two of you. Give your roommate a chance to make adjustments , and only have another conversation about the problems if you don’t see any progress or if your roommate is taking too long to uphold his or her end of the bargain. 3. Find a Mediator Some causes for conflict may be too big for the two of you alone to resolve. In these cases, it’s best to find a mediator. If you live on campus, an RA is a good choice . Otherwise, find someone else who can be neutral and who can help you work toward a solution. It may be beneficial for each of you to initially talk to the mediator one-on-one without the other being there. The mediator can then come up with an action plan or arrive at a compromise that means neither of you will be too unhappy. 4. Remember It Won’t Last Forever The good thing about college is that you tend to live with the same roommate for only a short time before moving on to different accommodations. If your situation is uncomfortable but bearable, just remember that it will be over relatively soon. You can always spend more time in other places — such as the library when you want to study or your friends’ homes during evenings and weekends — to limit contact with your roommate. Of course, if the situation is unbearable and unresolvable, the only solution is to find alternative housing. It’s best if you can switch rooms or apartments with someone you know. However, if that’s not possible, the only option may be to break your lease. In this case, learn from the experience to make better choices for your living arrangements next semester. You’re much less likely to face roommate drama if you don’t share a room. This means moving off campus and into a student rental. Oshawa students can receive their own room in a three-bedroom suite or five-bedroom townhouse at Foundry Simcoe. Apply now before all the units are gone.

How to Split Costs with Your Roommate

There are many advantages to living off campus: you have your own space, rent is cheaper, and there are fewer rules to follow. However, you will need to figure out how to split costs with your roommates for things like paper products, food, and cleaning supplies. It’s essential you agree to these terms from the beginning, since sharing expenses can easily become the source of arguments. Here are some tips to guide you. Decide What to Do About Food It’s important to determine what food items you’ll share and which belong to individuals. You may like to buy groceries together and take turns to cook . However, many college students find it easier to each buy their own food — in which case you’ll need to label food items to make it clear that they belong to you. Even in this case, though, you may like to share some types of food, like condiments. Create a Payment-Sharing System Avoid delays in your roommates paying each other back for shared purchases by creating a system to simplify reimbursements. Alternatively, you can set up a bank account where you deposit the same amount each month and use the funds for agreed-upon purchases. You should make a list in advance of what kinds of products everyone in the household will contribute toward. Pay for Big Items Separately Although you’ll all benefit from things like a lamp in the living room, a toaster in the kitchen, and a vacuum cleaner, you may decide it’s better if just one person pays for each item. This will mean that when you move out, it’s clear what belongs to whom. As long as you all contribute something to the apartment, you should be able to make such a system fair. It’s best to coordinate with roommates before you move in to avoid bringing duplicates of some items and lacking some other essentials. Set Rules for Overnight or Frequent Guests Guests to your apartment can also cost money, especially if they eat shared food or use the household supplies you all paid for. You’ll need to determine if a roommate who invites someone to stay the night or has a guest over frequently is required to contribute more. Write an Agreement You’ll All Sign Once you’ve figured out all the above, write it into an agreement. When all your roommates are happy with the agreement, they should sign it. Whereas this agreement won’t be legally binding (unlike your lease), it should prevent anyone claiming they misunderstood or trying to bind the rules. If you share a lease with your roommates, you’ll also need to make sure everyone contributes their share of the rent and utility costs. If just one person fails to pay on time, the rest of you are on the hook. This can be one of the major disadvantages of living in a student rental. Oshawa students, however, receive individual leases when they live at Foundry Simcoe. This means you are only responsible for paying for your room, and the all-inclusive rent even covers utilities. Apply now to secure your spot in a suite or townhouse.

How to Avoid Falling Asleep in Class

There’s no point going to class if you’re just going to fall asleep. However, staying awake is often easier said than done — particularly if you have a full schedule and always seem to arrive at class exhausted. The good news is there are several things you can do to stop falling asleep, all of which will also improve your concentration and help you avoid burnout. 1. Set a Bedtime It may be tempting to stay up late almost every night, particularly if you have friends who want to hang out in the evenings or if you just want to catch up with social media or relax with some video games. Soon, though, all those late nights will catch up with you and you’ll find it more difficult to stay awake during the day and be productive. To ensure you sleep enough, set a bedtime and make sure you stick to it. Bear in mind that it’s easier to push yourself to go to bed at the right time if you put away all your devices at least half an hour before. Since the light of screens wakes up your mind, this will also help you fall asleep faster. 2. Take Breaks Between Classes Students often feel pressured to spend the entire day productively. This can lead to them trying to dedicate all the time between classes to studying. However, it’s impossible for your mind to stay focused for this long — you’ll only end up arriving to class too tired to focus and possibly falling asleep. A better approach is to be reasonable with how you use time between classes. For instance, as well as studying, fit in some exercise, healthy meals, and relaxation. 3. Put Your Phone Away Some points in your class may be boring, especially if you don’t find the topic engaging or another student asks a question you already know the answer to. Whatever happens, though, you should never turn to your phone in class. In fact, keep it out of sight — then, you won’t feel tempted to look at it and you won’t start being lulled into sleep. 4. Block Websites on Your Laptop It’s equally important to prevent distractions on your laptop. Install an extension on your browser to block websites that tend to distract you. As well as keeping this enabled for the duration of your class, you’ll also find it useful when studying in your own time. 5. Avoid Caffeine A small amount of caffeine is useful for giving your body a quick boost of energy to stay alert. However, continuously drinking caffeine throughout the day to keep your energy levels up will backfire. At a certain point, no amount of caffeine will help. In fact, when the effects wear off, you’ll crash and feel much more tired. Of all the above, getting enough sleep is the most crucial for staying awake in class, but this is only possible if you have a comfortable bedroom and no noisy roommate keeping you up all night. In other words, you need to move out of on-campus housing and search for apartments for rent. North Oshawa students can receive a private room with an ensuite bathroom at Foundry Simcoe. Sign a lease now before all the units are completely full.

9 Affordable Gifts for College Friends

Birthdays and holidays can be particularly difficult times of year for students. You want to give your college friends gifts they’ll like — but you undoubtedly have a limited budget. The good news is there are plenty of great options if you know what to look for. Here are some options to consider. 1. Ramen Cooker The college student diet often consists of significant amounts of ramen. With a special ramen cooker, your friends will be able to prepare meals faster and avoid wasting water. Best of all, they’ll need nothing more than a microwave to use the cooker. 2. Metal Bookmarks Most college students are reading numerous textbooks at any given time — which requires multiple bookmarks to avoid dog ears. The problem with regular bookmarks is they wear out quite quickly. Metal bookmarks can last forever and they come in a range of designs, meaning you can personalize the choice for each friend. 3. Sticky Notes When you want to mark multiple places in a textbook, sticky notes are essential. Regular sticky notes are boring, but ones with cute characters or fun designs make the perfect gift. 4. Coffee Maker If any of your friends spend far too much on buying coffee every day, gift them a coffee maker. Something like a French press or a moka pot will be inexpensive for you to buy and for your friends to use. 5. Portable Blender Maybe you have other friends who are passionate about smoothies. A portable blender will allow them to whip up some fruit on the go. Plus, these blenders double up as a travel bottle, meaning the smoothie is ready to drink and there’s less mess to clean up. 6. Egg Cooker Eggs can be difficult to cook without the right equipment, especially for any friends who are stuck living on campus and have to manage with just a microwave and mini fridge. An egg cooker can help, as it makes cooking eggs in the microwave possible — either scrambled, poached, or as an humour , making them great for a light read when your friends need a break from heavy textbooks. 8. Bedside Shelf When you lack a bedside table, it’s easy for stuff to start piling up at the side of your bed and your room quickly becomes a mess. Whereas a bulky piece of furniture is too expensive for a gift — and may even be impractical for your friend — everyone can appreciate a simple shelf that attaches to the side of the bed. It’s ideal for keeping things like a phone, coffee mug, notebook, or anything else your friend may need at hand. 9. Snacks If you need to stick to a particularly tight budget, remember that everyone appreciates snacks. Find out what your friends’ favorites are and create mini care packages. You’ll have more money for gifts if you search for affordable rooms for rent. Oshawa students can find a home at Foundry Simcoe. You’ll live in a three- or five-bedroom suite that has plenty of space for entertaining friends. Apply now while there are still limited spaces available.