My Favourite Place To Be

If you’ve heard anything about Thunder Bay, you’ve probably heard about the Sleeping Giant. Or persians (which by the way, are cinnamon bun-like donuts will pink icing you can only get here). If you haven’t heard about the Sleeping Giant, you’ve come to the right place! This beautiful rock formation has been a prominent part of my summer since I can remember, and I’d love to share my experiences with you.

The Sleeping Giant is a beautiful rock formation visible from many different spots in Thunder Bay, including some buildings on Lakehead campus, like the ATAC. It’s nestled amongst the waves of Lake Superior and is a huge tourist attraction here.

(To the immediate left is the head of the Giant, then the arms folded over the chest, and then the legs going towards the right side)

Every time I take a prospective or incoming student on a tour, I take them up to the fourth floor of the ATAC, where there is a nearly perfect view of the Giant. And then I tell them a short version of the legend of Nanabijou (you can read the entire story here): Nanabijou (“The Sleeping Giant”), the Spirit of the Deep Sea Water, rewarded the Ojibway people for their loyalty to the Gods with a grand silver mine. He, however, explained that they could not divulge its whereabouts or its riches to the white man, or He would take it away. One day, one of the young Ojibway men went to trade with the white man, he used the silver from the mine as a trade. The white man soon discovered the silver mine, and Nanabijou, hurt by his people’s betrayal, laid down upon the mine and turned to stone. To this day, any individual that tries to mine the area for silver usually gets flooded out, solidifying this Aboriginal legend. It’s a beautiful story and a huge part of our Thunder Bay and Aboriginal culture here.

Other than looking positively beautiful, the Sleeping Giant offers many different attractions. First of all, you can hike the Giant (usually the feet). Beyond the Giant is also Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, which is where I go every summer with my family. I cannot speak highly enough about their campground there, the hiking trails, the swimming (which is in Mary Louise Lake, not icy Lake Superior), and the vast amount of wildlife. Usually at the beginning of the year, Residence has a bus that takes students to the park for the day. If you get the chance, I highly suggest going. I get so excited every summer to go out there, and always dread coming back into what I call “the real world”. There is such peace out there.

Here is a photo of me at the dock in the campground. Sleeping Giant Provincial Park is actually on the other side of the Giant, not actually on top of it, and you can view it closer from many different spots.

You can even feed the deer and ducks there from your hand!

I can’t speak highly enough about the Sleeping Giant – not only is it a great place to camp, hike, and see wildlife, but because it’s a huge icon of our city. When you’re driving through Thunder Bay, make sure you look to the south and look for the Giant. Or, if you’re just exploring, go up to the fourth floor of the ATAC and look out the massive windows. You won’t miss it!

Getting Your Student Card

I was super excited today when I read today’s media bulletin and found out that students can now get their student card online! Before this, you would have to go into the Chancellor Paterson Library and wait in line to get a photo and the card printed. Considering every other first year student was trying to get it the first week, this was often a long process. Not to mention your photos (like most ID photos) were less than flattering.

But guess what!? Now you can apply for your student card online and upload your own photo for the card! Of course there are some stipulations for the photo (aka no Facebook profile pictures)… however, now you can take your own photo, make sure it does you justice, and upload it online! They will make your photo ID card ahead of time and during your first week (or whenever you get here), you can just pick it up!
The full instructions on ordering your student card online can be found here: https://www.lakeheadu.ca/current-students/photo-id/tb/apply-student-card

Here are some things you will need your student card for during the school year (note that these services may differ a bit if you are not a full-time undergraduate student):

• getting into the gym (all you have to do is scan it at the front desk)
• access to meal plan or declining balance (if you have one)
• as ID during exams and midterms
• getting discounts on things like hockey and basketball game tickets
• adding money to your printing account / for photocopying
• to book study rooms, take out books and course reserves from the library
• getting onto the bus (you get all-semester access to the bus system with your student card and a sticker you receive from LUSU)
• as general ID around campus and town to show you are a current Lakehead student
• And more much!

So make sure you sign up online for your ID – not only will it make the process a lot easier, but it’ll be another thing to cross of that long list of to-do’s. Not to mention you’ll be able to upload your own photo…. (PS. I’m pretty jealous).

Hope you are all having an awesome summer. Talk to you soon!

How I Got Involved

I’ll be the first to admit that my first year at Lakehead wasn’t much more than studying and going to class. I was fresh out of high school and was more concerned about my anatomy bell ringer exam than getting involved at the University. However, now that I’m entering my fourth year, I’m a little older and (hopefully) wiser… and I know a lot more about what Thunder Bay and Lakehead has to offer.
I highly suggest getting involved at University. No only does it give you a great way to make friends, but it also gives you something great to put on a resume AND makes you feel good about yourself.

Some volunteer activities I have enjoyed are:

1. Note-taking. Some students have accessibility issues that prevent them from taking their own notes. As a result, the Student Accessibility Center often asks students in various classes to take notes. Usually, this just entails taking notes like you normally would, as well as jotting down any midterms, important dates, etc that are coming up. Then you simply upload them onto an anonymous account where students needing the notes can view them – it’s all anonymous. I highly suggest doing this because you have to take notes in class anyways… so why not get some credit for it? Once you are settled in class your professor might send out an e-mail saying a note-taker is needed for the class; if they don’t, contact Student Accessibility Services (in the tunnels).

2. Faculty Associations. I love mentioning faculty associations because essentially every faculty (program) on campus has one. They often do things like fundraisers, have different competitions and socials/dances, and have fun events throughout the year. You can just be a member of your association, or even put for President or another higher position. Nonetheless, they are a lot of fun for students, a great way to meet people in your program, and get you involved.
To find your program’s association, simply search the Lakehead website or Google with “Lakehead University [your program] Association”. Some prominent ones include LUNA (Lakehead University Nursing Association), LUBA (Business), LUMA (Music), ESS (Engineering Student Society), and ESA (English Student Association). Many also have Facebook or Twitter pages you can check out.

3. ENACTUS. Enactus is a world-wide organization that teaches entrepreneurial skills to at-risk individuals and students. It sounds business-oriented, but it’s actually open to all students in any program. I was a member of Enactus this year, and four of our members actually went to Toronto to compete nationally. It’s a great way to get involved, and we do a major project every year, along with fundraisers and small workshops.
Here is our Facebook page if you want to learn more: https://www.facebook.com/EnactusLU?fref=ts

4. Outside community projects. There are so many volunteer opportunities here in Thunder Bay; it’s hard not to find something you might be interested in. This summer I started volunteering at the Thunder Bay District Humane Society, and before that I was with the Regional Food Distribution Center (which distributes food to food banks across Northern Ontario). There are always opportunities available including those related to animal welfare, children, food and support services, spots, and more. You’ll find that the Thunder Bay community is very caring and helpful if you decide to volunteer outside of the University.
There are often many posting on the Volunteer Thunder Bay Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/vthunderbay?fref=ts. They also have an application on their website you can fill out and get e-mail alerts about upcoming opportunities.

5. Volunteer on campus. There are always tons of volunteer opportunities right here at Lakehead. For example, you can help to welcome Grade 11 and 12 students on preview days, help out at convocation, and much more! There are always listings available on the MySuccess website (which, by the way, also has postings for off- and on-campus jobs).
https://mysuccess.lakeheadu.ca/home.htm

Overall, volunteering is a really awesome way to get involved at University and meet new people. Even if you weren’t interested in high school, it’s a great thing to start, as employers are always looking for indications of good character – which, as you know, is often shown by volunteer experience. Not to mention having a length co-curricular record (which is essentially a transcript from Lakehead of all your involvement to give to employers) can be a great asset. Most of all, though, volunteering is an eye-opening and humbling experience. I definitely suggest trying it if you haven’t already. You won’t regret it.

Surviving The Northern Weather

I can’t help but chuckle to myself when I see people complain about how cold the weather is where they are… when it’s +2 degree Celsius. Even seeing the differences between students from southern and northern Ontario is almost comical. I’d be in heaven if the coldest it got up north in minus 10.

But trust me, the weather it’s nearly as bad some people seem to make it out to be. I’ll admit that winter starts shortly after Thanksgiving (it usually snows right after Halloween) and often goes straight into April. In my first year, we had a huge snowstorm in late April, resulting in a few deferred exams. But as true Northerners (and you’ll become one soon, too!), we make the best of it! From bundling up with a hot chocolate to skiing and snow-shoeing, the cold Northern weather isn’t as awful as it sounds. Yes, it’s cold. But it’s also beautiful.

What to expect:
With the wind chill, temperatures can go down to -50C at night. The average is probably around -20. We also get a lot of snow. Sometimes up to a foot at once, so expect to see very large snowbanks in the middle of the winter! The snow makes everything absolutely beautiful, though. Unlike in the more southern regions of Ontario and the US, our roads are salted rather than sanded. That makes the snow crisp, white, and beautiful. Someone recently told me that compared to southern winter, the cold here is dry. That means it’s actual snowflakes coming down, not slush! It’s positively beautiful! There’s no better sound than the snow crunching underneath your feet as you walk to class.

How to prepare:
I know you’re probably thinking “Sarah, it’s July and summer, why are you talking about snow?!” Well, you can never be too prepared coming up here – for the winter, anyways. In the fall when it’s still warm, you are going to want to bring some winter gear up with you. Try looking for deals now that it’s summer and things might be on sale.

I suggest:

• a pair of high winter boots. Sorry ladies, Uggs are cute for class, but they’re going to get soaked and your toes are going to freeze. I suggest Sorel boots, which can range between $70-$300 and are very warm and well made: (Something like the photo shown are great, warm, and comfortable. There are also less/more stylish pairs on their website)

• A warm, insulted winter coat. You’ll want something that is warm and is good for very cold weather. I suggest finding a coat with an elastic around the waist, as it prevents the cold air from getting underneath.
• Snow pants. If you are interested in winter sports like skating, skiing, hockey, or winter hikes, you are going to want to invest in snow pants. If you aren’t familiar with snow pants, they are essentially just really thick insulated panted that are similar in fabric/make to a winter coat. They are very warm and keep you dry:
• Long underwear/”Long johns”. These are like long pants, often made of warm, insulted material, that you wear underneath your regular pants. They are great for those late night classes when it’s very cold walking between buildings. They also have pairs that have a top portion that keeps your upper body warm, as well.
• Fleece/fur-lined mitts and a hat. If you try it on in the mall and you’re roasting in it after that minute, it’s perfect for the weather up here.
• A space heater. I’m not entirely sure about residence’s stand on space heaters, but if you can, I definitely suggest purchasing one. Essentially it’s like a fan that puts out heat instead of just air, keeping your room toasty and warm.
• A heated blanket. This is my holy grail in the winter. Once again, if residence allows it, I definitely suggest getting one. They just are blankets with coils in them that warm up, and shut off after a few hours. They are great in the dead of the winter. **heated blankets and space heaters may be considered a fire hazard, so check with your residence contact before bringing one**

How to make the best of it:
Us Canadians love winter. This is even more true for Thunder Bay residents and Lakehead students. If the winter was unbearable, we wouldn’t be living here! The winter experience here is amazing and unique. Make sure you make the most of it; that could include going for a free ice skate on Lake Tamblyn, going cross-country or downhill skiing, enjoying our fun winter carnivals (like those at Fort William Historical Park), or even just building a snowman! There is no better feeling that enjoying a steaming hot chocolate or coffee from a local cafe or The Study in the middle of winter. Like I said, we made the best of it up here – in fact, we barely even notice the cold! Once you’re all bundled up and doing fun activities you could only experience up north, you won’t, either! Lakehead is also well-equipped to handle winter; of course, campus is fully heated, the ice is always salted, and the underground tunnels made it easy to get to class.
One fun thing I did this winter was participate in the world’s largest ice maze (we broke the Guiness record, by the way): http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/fort-william-historical-park-builds-world-s-largest-snow-maze-1.2959238
In any case, look around and make the most of the winter up North!

In the end, winter at Lakehead is beautiful, fun, and a one-of-a-kind experience. If and when you come up here, I assure you that you will love it just as much as I do. It’s an entirely new, fun, and exciting experience for a lot of people. Make the most of it!

And before I go, here is an adorable photo of my dog covered in snow (even our animals love it!):