Survival Guide
February
Hello!
I’m so glad to hear you are interested in getting involved on campus! There are so many fun ways to get involved and there are a lot of benefits to it too! Not only are you doing a great thing by getting involved, and contributing to making an inclusive community, but you are exposing yourself to various opportunities! Through this you can learn new skills, new facts and topics you never thought to learn about before, as well as making new friends! I hope you find your perfect place to get involved and love it!
- Daniella ♡
Articles!
Benefits of the Ambassador Program
Register for Ambassador Program
Ontario Tech Campus Recreation
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you're considering dropping out - Open when..
So you are considering not returning next, semester… let’s talk about it. First, you are not alone! Everyone has their doubts but also, it's important to recognize your needs. Find a way to practice self-care and when you are ready, here are some supports we can offer you
- Angelique Dack
You’re not alone
After two years in biology, I completely changed direction
From suspension to success: How I failed my first year
I went through first year. Twice.
Transitioning to university as an International Student
Mental Health
Six tips to help you manage stress
Tips to manage your everyday responsibilities
Five natural stress relief methods that actually help
Supports
How getting involved on campus will change your life for the better
From being a mentee to being a mentor: The importance of mentorship
Multimedia
Hi there,
I see you have been studying and you are now ready for a well-deserved break. Here are a few things you can do to get your brain ready for your next session.
First things first, let’s figure out how long your study break should be. Complete the quiz below to find out:
How long should your study break be?
Perfect! Now that you know how long your break should be, choose a fitting activity below:
Looking to do some more fun quizzes? 📝
can we guess your faculty based on your study habits
which font best suits your personality
Ready to chef it up? 👨🍳
Want to break a sweat? 🏃♀️
break a sweat at home with these fitness youtubers
Or are you down to listen to podcast? 🎧
Rotten Mango:
Road to Equity:
Now that you had a great break it’s time to get back to work!
- Fatima Bah
Hello there! If you’re looking for something fun to do, you’ve come to the right place! Here I’ve compiled some of our fun quizzes and articles to help you de-stress and take your mind off of school.
-Sylvia
Looking for a movie or show to watch?
Which show should you binge watch next
Five tv shows with girl squads worth watching for
Why the Bachelor series is the best
Best Black Mirror episodes as compiled by a normal fan
Looking for a fun quiz to do?
Which popular tv series character are you
What famous celebrity are you?
Pick your favourite songs and we'll tell you what sports team to try out for
Looking for a cool recipe to try?
Hunter’s blue and orange bliss cake
Cheap, three-ingredient meals to satisfy your cravings
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you’re feeling burnt out - Open when..Academic burnout leads to procrastination which results in your feeling more stress than you did before. When trying to work through these feelings, let’s unpack the common issues that lead to burnout in the first place.
Mental Exhaustion: The online transition has been hard on everyone! Here are some articles to help work through this and focus on your mental health!
how I go from stressed to blessed
How to combat online meeting exhaustion
Studying tips: There is the idea that breaks are bad but I am here to tell you to GO HAVE A BREAK! Schedule break and read some of these articles:
Eight study tools to slay this year
Top five ways to spend your study break
Getting rid of old habits for the new year
New responsibilities with transitioning online: When we look at online learning, it requires a different approach than in person. Here are articles to help:
tips to manage your everyday responsibilities
Ontario Tech University and the online transition
Procrastination is normal at all stages of education and burnout happens to everyone; you are not alone. If none of these resources help, please reach out to the Student Learning Centre for more information. Your past decisions do not define you but rather what you choose to do from here will.
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you want to up your study game - Open when..Ahh studying. Whether you like it or not, it is inevitable in post-secondary education. I won’t even lie to you, I myself am not the greatest at studying. Studying has always been one of those things that I could never simply hear the way someone else studies and just copy it. I always like to get a comprehensive explanation as to why each part of a routine works. I also feel that studying is almost like an art form in the sense that everyone has their own way of doing the same thing. It doesn't make another way wrong, but one way is trademarked to you and may work better for you than another. I won’t go through how I study because I do not think it will work for most people. However, I will share with you the guide that I tried to base my studying off on for the last couple of years. This guide is packed with information and I feel it really helps you understand every step of the process.
Like I said earlier, everyone has a way of studying that works for them, so don’t be upset that someone's way doesn't work for you. The great thing about studying is that you can always borrow elements from the way another person studies and add it to your regimen. And I say borrow because if you don't like it, you can always drop it and find another one. There is no obligation for you to study in a specific way all the time. I've linked some more resources that you might find helpful.
Your guide for pulling a healthy-ish all-nighter
10 study tips from a life science student
how to create a ta approved study guide
One tip straight out of my study handbook is to write your notes on paper. I bet you've heard this a million times but trust me, it works. It’s not necessarily the act of writing on paper but it's what it does in the long run. There are so many studies as to why it is better but to sum it up in short, it helps you retain more info. I personally can attest to this through “scientific experiment”. I have felt more confident and done significantly better on tests or quizzes which I have not prepared for and only reviewed my notes the night before when those notes were written and taken by me on paper. Meanwhile, some of my worst test results have come from last-minute crams of info from my digital notes. Coincidence? Well maybe. But who am I to doubt science! In all seriousness, I think this is a great strategy to help you study better. The simple way I've found to incorporate this into my study regimen is to either take my initial notes on paper and retype them after class, or take them digitally on a google doc and rewrite them either after the class or as a way of studying before the test. It takes a bit more effort, but the payoff is huge!
Studying may seem a little challenging at first, but as soon as you do it a couple of times consistently, it will become natural. At the end of the day, all you can do is give it your best shot. I hope these tips will help steer you in the right direction. Man, I can already see the 90’s on your assignments!
-Isaac Akhigbe
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you’re feeling overwhelmed - Open when..Hey you,
I hear that you’re feeling overwhelmed. I bet you’re juggling personal, social AND academic commitments. It’s hard being a university student during a pandemic. The first piece of advice I have for you is to take a break, despite the overwhelming tasks you might have. Just when you feel the need to speed up, you often should actually slow down. Sounds crazy I know, but I’m serious.
- Madison
Watch this short Ted Talk. It WILL make you feel better. It will teach you how slowing down will solve that cripping overwhelming anxiety and lead you to a more productive life than ever before.
Do you still feel stressed after you’ve taken some time to relax? No worries, we’ve got just the article for you:
Six tips to help you manage stress
Remember that it is okay to let others know you are struggling. This can even help you because it will allow the people around you to understand what you’re going through. Reaching out to a friend to vent is an instant stress reliever!
❤️
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you need support - Open when..Hi there~
Do you feel alone, or lost? I completely understand, in these unique times, it has become difficult for us to find support. I’m sure you have your plate full of different things, whether it be academic or extracurricular activities and it must be overwhelming.
You’re doing really well so far and I want to say that I’m proud of your journey and growth. Please don’t think you’re not good enough, you are more than enough. You are more capable of achieving your goals than you may think, you just need to believe in yourself. I hope you can reflect on your journey as well and whether you think it was good or ‘bad’, it’s your journey and this is just the beginning of it. I am proud of you, give yourself a hug and appreciate yourself for how far you’ve come <3.
I have something that just may help you as you reflect, listen to this youtube mix- it always helps me calm down and I hope it’ll do the same for you:
‘A Peaceful Place’ ~ playlist
I hope this helped you :) I also have an article, this might help you refocus for school:
I know you must be wondering now - where should I go to get support now?
I have some resources that can help you, I’ll list them out below:
General services that are all available to you
I hope you received some warmth and strength from this, remember, you got this! You’re precious, and you matter - keep going and if you ever feel alone, know that I’m always rooting for you~ :)
- Ilsa Sajid ❤️
Hey! Thanks for stopping by! You have come to the right place!
My name is Daniella, it's nice to meet you! I see that you’re looking to find an internship opportunity, I know how stressful that can be. Especially when you don’t know where to start! Don’t worry, I can help you out with tips that can take you through every step of the way that will result in helping you find just what you’re looking for!
A lot comes with obtaining an internship, co-op, or any job in general. It involves the preparation of a resume, a cover letter, interview prep, and more. This is all a nerve-racking experience! However, something that really allowed me to start up all that jazz was going to the Universities Student Life Portal!
The school’s career centre is super helpful! Throughout the school year, they have multiple workshops that will help you start your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn page and even help you get some interview practice! If you are in your second or third year and looking for a summer internship, go log into the student life portal, in the menu under the tab ‘Co-op and Internship’, you will find the application to fill out and will kick start your process for finding the perfect placement!
One of the workshops that I really enjoyed that I signed up for throughout the year was the ‘Virtual Cover Letter and Resume Workshop’. I learned so much about how to create the perfect cover letter and resume that would be eye catching to companies! There are various others such as Virtual Interviews Skills Workshops, a LinkedIn Workshop and Virtual Networking Workshops! Once you attend a few of these workshops, it will really make a difference and allow you to feel a lot more confident in your application process.
The portal even has many job postings available for you to look at, whether it be a part-time opportunity or internship and co-op, it has many listings that you can look at to get a gist of certain positions you might be looking for. You could even take a look and you happen to find one of them that you are interested in! Perfect! When you find one that you're interested in you have a great opportunity to read about what they are looking for in the position and customize your resume to fit the position!
Once you have been to a few workshops or you have explored a few job opportunities you can book appointments with an advisor at the career centre! They can help you with all your internship needs! If you go into the Student Life Portal, in the menu click on Book an Appointment > Book an appointment under Career Centre > Select your campus location > Book by appointment type > Select your need of choice > Select your time slot > Appointment Booked!
Ontario Tech has so many amazing opportunities to help you out! Take advantage and put the work in by taking the time to go to workshops and make appointments! I promise all the work will be worth it! Even if you aren’t looking to apply right away, it's great to start learning the process now too!
I wish you all the best in finding the perfect internship for you! You got this!
<3 Daniella
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you’re cramming - Open when..Hey!
Procrastination got the best of you? Or maybe you are drowning in assignments? Whatever the reason may be, you are in the midst of cramming, but don’t worry, the Digital Community’s Crew has got your back!
First things first play some tunes to get pumped up! 🎶
Lo Fi Hip-Hop:
Studio Ghibli Instrumental:
Classical Music for Studying
Secondly, utilize the tips in these articles to make your study time as efficient and fun as possible. 📚
Ten study tips from a life science student
Tips for effective remote learning
Ontario Tech University and the online transition
Eight study tools to slay this year
How to pass university math (or any class really)
Ten tips to help you tackle group projects
13 times Rory Gilmore was me during midterm season
How to create a TA-approved study guide
Remember studying can be hard, but you just have to do it!
Good luck! I know you will ace all your assessments!
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you want to set a goal - Open when..Open when you want to set a goal
One great way to achieve what you want is by setting SMART goals.
S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Achievable
R - Relevant
T- Time-bound
Here’s an example of a SMART goal:
I want to increase my GPA from 2.7 to 3.0 by the end of this semester by attending office hours every week and increasing my scheduled study time to 10 hours per week.
Want to learn more about meaningful goal setting? Check it out here!
