New Students! What to Expect – Class Sizes

Ask a Lakehead student was their favourite thing about Lakehead University is and they will probably say “the small class sizes”. You’ve probably already heard it a hundred times before, and with good reason! Lakehead University is known for it’s small class sizes, intimate atmosphere, and one-on-one experience with professors and instructors. When I take students on tours, I always love to tell them about my personal experiences with the smaller class sizes as well as what they can expect from their classes.

Starting off, if you’re an incoming Fall 2015 student, you’re probably a little bit nervous. Most high school classes are 20-30 students, and media portrays university classes as probably ten times that amount (or more!). For a lot of Universities, class sizes up to 600 students are the norm. The idea of this can be both exhilarating and daunting. It’s probably a bit exciting to imagine yourself in a huge lecture hall, listening to a professor on a microphone, learning alongside hundreds of other students. It’s completely different from what you’re used to which makes it fun and exciting! However, then you ask… “well, what if I need help? Will my professor even know who I am?” Huge classes, although interesting, can often lead to these sorts of problems.

The goods news is – Lakehead isn’t like that. My favourite thing to say on my tours is that at Lakehead University, you are not just a number. You are a student, a face, a human being that your professors, advisors, and deans want to see succeed.

At Lakehead University, over 85% of our classes have fewer than 55 students, and over 50% have less than 25. Many of them are probably smaller than your high school classes! Not so scary anymore, is it?

Of course, some classes are still large, giving you that fun and unique university experience. Generally, introductory classes are the largest – those are classes that many students take as electives or as part of their program. My largest class was in my first year as a nursing student, and was Introduction to Psychology. I also had an Introduction to Economics in my first year of business. Both of these classes were about 200-250 students. Still not nearly as large as some other universities! The nice thing was, was that my professors were still constantly monitoring my learning. They were prompt in responding to emails (one would honestly answer within 15 minutes whether it was 3am or 3pm), and if you needed help, they were more than happy to help you after class, even if they had just instructed 200 other students for three hours! It was also easy to make yourself known. Even among the sea of students, the professors were always asking questions to students in the class, making the class fun and interesting. My Intro to Psych class even had opportunities to earn extra credit!

The majority of other classes are 40 students and below – at least in my experience. This includes classes that are specific to your major such as nursing, engineering, English, French, and so on. Often times your program would be split up into two sections, so rather than teaching all students in the class at once, some students would be in one section of the class and the other at the different time/date. I enjoyed these classes the most. Even in your first year there will be in classes this small, and the classes will generally get even smaller as you move on into upper years. Some classes can get to be as small as 5 or 6 students!

Here is a photo of one of our “typical sized” (as I like to call it) lecture theaters in the ATAC building. Last year I had several classes in this room, which holds about 30-40 students.

Photo from https://www.lakeheadu.ca/about/thunder-bay-campus/images

As I mentioned, these small classes sizes are what make Lakehead University so unique. You can to interact more with your professors, advisers, and other students, engage in discussions, and get the one-on-one help you will probably need at some point. These smaller class sizes also pave the way for closer relationships with your professors. Often times you will have a professor for multiple classes and years, and as a result, they will get to know you very well! This is a huge advantage; many of them will be more than willing to help you find jobs, advise you on your degree and direction, even put you on teams for regional and national competitions! One of my own professors actually helped me to get a job at TD Bank this past spring. I would have never gotten the position otherwise, but because he knew me from class, he was more than willing to recommend me for the position! I don’t think that would have happened if my class was 400 students. Having a smaller volume of students also means that your advisers are often available, which can be very helpful if you need direction for your degree or general advice. No two week waits until the semester is already half over!

In the end, we don’t just say that the class sizes are truly one of the best things about Lakehead. They really are! So get to know your professors and classmates, make those connections, and make your university experience one to remember! Forging those relationships can greatly benefit you both during and after your time at Lakehead, so make sure you make your face known in class and enjoy the smaller class sizes… it sure beats being one face in a sea of people!

Working at Lakehead University

Working on the Lakehead University campus is not only a great opportunity to make friends and money, but also a great opportunity to learn more about the behind-the-scenes work of a University. A year and a half ago I was privileged to get a position as a tour guide at Undergraduate Recruitment here at Lakehead. Back then, I thought it would be a fun job for the summer and a way to supplement my income from my other part time job. Little did I know I would learn so much about myself and Lakehead University, and have a blast doing it!

Like I said, campus jobs are a great way to learn more about the school. Before I had become a tour guide, I had no idea about the awesome, climate-controllable 3D lab in the ATAC building or that a baby that lost its life in the Titanic tragedy actually had its DNA tested here. Not to mention I learned so much about the different buildings, history,and services here on campus. I get to tour people from all over the globe (I’d toured students from Iran, India, the US, and South Africa, just to name a few), chat with them, and take them around the University. It’s an amazing job and you get to learn so much. We also do a lot of events, like the engineering transition tours and grade 11/12 preview days. Here is a photo of a fellow tour guide, Vittoria, and I.

Of course, tour guiding is just one of the many jobs available on campus. If you are an incoming student or already going into your later years, I would definitely suggest checking out the Lakehead University job bank, which can be found on the MySuccess website:  https://mysuccess.lakeheadu.ca/home.htm (PS: you can also find external job postings, volunteer opportunities, and more on this site).

Some of the jobs that I’ve seen other students get are: receptionists, LUSU Centre (such as the Food Bank, Pride Central, etc) coordinators, bookstore clerks, Residence Assistants, Admissions and Recruitment office workers, Aramark (cafeteria) workers, research assistants, teaching assistants, and more!

There are a few other awesome things I’d like to point out about working on campus. First off all, many positions are open just to students. That means that you won’t have to compete with all of Thunder Bay’s population for the job. In addition, it means that your employer will understand that you are a student first, and an employee second. That means around exam time they might be more lenient with hours, so that you can study as much as you will probably need to (or sleep). If you are on the Lakehead University Work Study Program (LUSWP), which many student workers are, you can only work 10 hours per week at maximum. This is great for some of us who just want a few extra hours on top of another job, or simply don’t want to work a lot during the school year. Of course some jobs aren’t on LUSWP and offer more hours. Lastly, there is a great convenience to having an on-campus job. You are going to be there all the time for classes anyways, and it’s nice to be able to jet over right from class and work for a few hours. This is especially convenient if you are living on or near campus and don’t have a vehicle. Save yourself a bus trip to work and just work at Lakehead!

In the end, on-campus jobs are a great way to gain experience, make a bit of money, and learn more about Lakehead University. I highly suggest at least checking out the job bank and keeping an eye out for things like posters with job opportunities. Having the opportunity to work on campus has been a great one; one that I enjoyed so much that I actually decided to move on to work at the on-campus bookstore this school year! So if you see me in there when you’re grabbing your books, make sure you pop by and say hello!

Buying Your Textbooks

Though school doesn’t start until mid-September, a lot of students are currently looking to sell their old textbooks and buy their new ones. As a student at Lakehead, you have a couple of options for getting your textbooks.

First of all, you are going to need to find out what textbooks are required for your classes. Once you are registered for classes, go under MyInfo > For Students, and scroll down to where it says “Textbooks”. Click on “My Book List”.

This link will give you a list of all the textbooks you will need for your upcoming fall and full year classes, as well as the prices at the Lakehead campus bookstore. Your books for second semester will be posted at the end of 2015. Because it’s still a bit early, some classes may not have textbooks listed yet. Be patient!

The first question that you should ask yourself when buying your books is if you want to purchase them new or used. Most students buy their books new from the Lakehead University campus bookstore. Not only does doing this ensure you will have the right edition (the bookstore doesn’t carry old editions), but if you require an online homework/quiz code, that is almost always included in the list price. Many textbooks often have the option to rent, as well – essentially you buy a brand new version of the book for a discount, but return it (in new condition) at the end of the semester. You can also order off of websites like Amazon or other discount online shops, but you need to be careful about doing this. I know a lot of people that either ordered the wrong edition, didn’t get the online code with their book, or did not receive the book on time.
If you are wanting to save a dollar on your books, you can purchase them used. Websites like Kijiji (http://www.kijiji.ca/b-books/thunder-bay/c109l1700126) have sections for books, and there are several Facebook groups for Lakehead students to buy and sell books (search up “Lakehead textbook” and you’ll find a couple). Head my warning, though: buying used/online textbooks isn’t always the most cost effective or the easiest thing to do. Though the book may be $60 cheaper than the LU bookstore, the codes that come with many textbooks are one-time use. If the student who owned the textbook before you used the code or the textbook you ordered didn’t come with one, you’ll need to buy the code on it’s own which is usually around $70-$100 (depending on the book and subject). You can see the problem with this – you are trying to save a buck only to find out you have to shell out more than the book and code would have cost you, brand new, in the bookstore. Not to mention used textbooks are often written in, highlighted, or ruined. If you are buying your textbooks used, make sure you: are buying the right edition, don’t need a code, and are checking the textbook before you buy for missing pages, writing, etc.

So what should I buy?
Whether you are buying new or used books is totally up to you. My personal preference is to buy books new, because if you take great care of them, you can usually sell them later and give most of your money back. Also, you won’t have to worry about having the wrong edition or code for the class. An important thing to note is that all profits (after operating costs) from the Lakehead bookstore go back to students in the form of awards and bursaries. So you might want to cry when you see some prices (those darn Biology books), but remember the profits from the Lakehead bookstore are coming back to you and me. It gives you a piece of mind.

How do I know if my class requires an online homework code?
Many professors will have online homework and quizzes assigned to you on a platform that you sign up with a code that comes with your textbook. There are many different names for these codes, but examples include Wiley Plus, MyMathLab, Mastering Chemistry, and more. When you are looking at your book list, usually in the title of the book it will say if the book includes the code (ie. Calculus + MyCalculusLab). Here’s an example:
In general, if the University bookstore is selling the book with the code, your professor will require it, and you’ll want to buy a book with a code or buy it separately.

Do I have to buy textbooks?
Yes. Welcome to University. If you don’t buy the textbook for your class, expect to either be constantly looking over someone’s shoulder OR failing the class. Some professors may have Powerpoint slides and great lectures, but many require readings in the textbook that isn’t taught in class. The bottom line is: if you want to do well, buy your textbooks.

My final tips for buying your textbooks:
– don’t wait too long to buy your books. You can wait until the first week of classes to see what you professors say but don’t wait any longer than that. Because they know some students will buy used books, the bookstore doesn’t purchase as many textbooks as there are students in the class. As a result, they may run out – not to mention you’ll probably have readings the first week of class and want the book.
– Make sure you buy the right edition of textbook (if buying online or used). Though some editions are similar, some are quite different, even completely. This can make things really confusing when you are assigned pages 445-470 and your book doesn’t even have that many pages. Some students may give you advice (ie. I used this book last year when the new edition was out and had no problems), but in general, try to buy the appropriate edition.
– If you have a tablet or e-reader, try out the ebook version of your textbook! I would suggest trying it out first with one book to see if you like it, but this can be a cost effective way of getting your books. The LU bookstore often has ebooks editions available.
– Navigating the LU bookstore is fairly easy, but if you’re having trouble or have a question – ask! The clerks are more than helpful and willing to give you a hand.
– Avoid writing or highlighting excessively in your books. If your textbooks are in new condition when the year is over, you can sell them at a lot higher price. Of course, if this will hinder your learning, write away – no amount of money is worth a bad grade!
– Lastly, as I’ve mentioned, sell your books on Facebook and Kijiji, or bring them to buyback events at the campus bookstore, when the semester is over. This will give you money to buy your books for the next year. Just make sure you are listing the editions and classes they are for if selling online, and that you won’t need the books in future years. Some degrees have large certification exams at the end (ie. Nursing, Accounting) that you may want to have your books to study for. If you’re in doubt, ask your professors if you should keep the books.

I hope you are all having a lovely summer – and are excited to come see us in the fall!