It’s the little things…

Now that first semester is in full swing, things can get a little bit hectic. You probably will find that some days there aren’t enough hours to get everything done – somehow, we are expected to do school work, study, doing readings and assignments, eat, be social, and take care of ourselves. And oh yeah, sleep too. Don’t forget about sleep.

My last three years at Lakehead University have taught me a lot about how to manage myself and my time.

1. Stay on top of the school work. A lot of the time it’s easy to say “oh, I’ll do it later” or “I have lots of time”. I learned this one the hard way. I remember in my Introduction to Economics class, I literally left five or six chapters to read until the day before the exam. I stressed so badly and I vowed “I’ll never fall behind again”. Of course, it happened again, but I’ve been a lot better about managing my time. Try to get one thing done at a time, and ideally, do the readings/assignments/notes in the same week they were assigned. That way, you won’t fall behind and break down when you realize your exam is tomorrow and you literally have nothing from the class.
2. Keep an agenda. The Lakehead University Student Union (LUSU) has agendas for free down in the tunnels! Take one and use it. It’s a great way to ensure you can manage your time, not miss anything important, and not fall behind. Did I mention that the agenda also comes with exclusive deals and coupons for local businesses (like pizza and flights)?
3. Enjoy the little things. Sometimes you get so caught up in managing your school work that you forget to breath and tell yourself “it will be okay”. The other day my good friend Tingting and I went to the main caf to grab lunch and work on a tedious, long assignment. We sat by the windows in the cafeteria and I was suddenly struck by how lucky I was to be able to study beside such a nice view. Not to mention I had a piece of pizza, so I was quite happy that day!
   Here is a photo of the view of Lake Tamblyn that day – we sat in that table and just chatted for awhile about the assignment.
4. Make friends. Honestly, making friends is the greatest part about University. Sometimes it can be hard – it was for me. But I learned to put myself out there… most people are friendly and want to make friends, too. Sit beside someone new in class and ask “are you from Thunder Bay?” or “what program are you in?” I made my first friend in the business program this way. Friends make your University experience so much fun – you can study together, sit and chat, make jokes, and explore Thunder Bay. I have made such strong connections and new best friends, especially last year… I truly don’t know what I would do without them! We went canoeing the day before class started (my friend from China’s first time!) and it was a great way to end the summer. Truly, making friends and connections with others is an excellent way to make your University experience so amazing!
   
5. Enjoy it. Before you know it, you are going to be walking across the stage and onto the next part of your life. It might sound relieving and exciting, but you’ll miss the friends, the parties, the socialization, the fun you had in University. Don’t get so hung up in grades, marks, assignments – yes, they are important, but they won’t be what you remember the most about your time at Lakehead.

Overall, my first few weeks of class have been both fun, stressful, and amazing. I still can’t believe I only have two years to go! Time flies – so like I said, enjoy it. 😉

Welcome Wolves!

Today we have the amazing privilege of welcoming many new Thunderwolves onto campus! Students from all over Ontario, Canada, and even the world joined us today for our 2015 Move In Day! Campus was bustling with new students, as well as their families and friends, and there was such an amazing energy from dawn until dusk.

Pulling into Lakehead this morning put an instant smile on my face. Students were dancing around the street, holding huge signs and balloons, telling incoming students where to go and how to get to their new homes! People were singing, honking, waving, dancing, it was such an amazing energy that I was so pumped for the rest of the day!

Orientation 2015 also started today — after moving in their things (if they haven’t already!) students were welcomed into the Agora where tables were set up with t-shirts (a different colour for each faculty), wristbands for events, and of course, campus tours! I got a photo of these lovely ladies giving out the t-shirts. For a lot of us, Move In Day and orientation are our favourite days of the year! Everyone is so happy, so excited, and so ready to embark on this new journey.

Some of the awesome campus events going on this year include a carnival on Saturday, fashion show, a fun spin on the Amazing Race, ice-breaking activities, and more! It is such an amazing experience to see both old and new Thunderwolves coming back onto campus. So with the music blaring and campus bustling with hundreds of students, we got to work! 

As many of you know, I am a campus tour guide. I got to tour a lot of amazing new Thunderwolves around campus today, and even saw a few familiar faces of tours I took over the summer! Also – if I took you on a tour and sent you here – hi!!! I got to take students all around campus and a lot of them already had their timetables set up, so I got to show them where many of their classes would be and give them some advice. Of course, if you missed a campus tour, it’s not hard to give yourself one — just walk around campus, pop into the buildings and services, and see what we’ve got waiting for you! We do have an awesome group of guides (some of us in this photo – me, Kirsten, Brooklynn, and Brett!) this year though, so if you see any of us around, feel free to stop us and say hello!

The nice thing about orientation and the first week of school is that are always tons of people willing to help you on campus. Tour guides, volunteers, and staff are all clearly distinguishable. The one thing I always tell incoming students, and you’ll realize it quickly if you visit us, is that the people at Lakehead University and in Thunder Bay are so friendly. I heard from at least five people today that they felt the exact same way. Whether you are asking a random student walking where a building is or trying to figure out what dorm room is yours, everyone on campus is always more than willing to help you. Most of them have been in that exact same position before, after all! So if you’re floating around campus right now or plan to be, remember one thing – ask us! Most students and staff here love to show you around, give you advice, or tell you about their experiences! So don’t be afraid to say hi!

I’m hoping to do more blog posts as orientation goes on, letting you guys know what is happening, what to expect, and what an amazing time we are having here! If you are interested in all the details of what’s going on this week, you find all that information here!

See you soon, and welcome to Lakehead!

 

 

Volunteering at the Humane Society

I have always loved animals and this summer when I found myself with a bit more time on my hands, I decided to head over to the local Humane Society to volunteer! I think that volunteering is not only a great way to update your resume but it is also a very rewarding experience, especially when it involves animals (at least for me).

I started going at the end of July and since then have gone about 8-10 times. Though it is a little bit out of the way (it is past the airport) I still find myself going at least once a week. A few of my friends have started going too!

Volunteering at the Humane Society is very easy. On Saturdays and Sundays at 1pm they have a short, fifteen minute orientation where you fill out some simple paperwork, get a tour, and are told about all the things you can do there. After that, you can come anytime during business hours. One of my all time favourite things to do is cuddle the cats – there are two cat rooms with literally just ten cats in them, and when you go in, they meow and roll all over you, wanting attention. The other day I went with a good friend of mine and an adorable cat named Samoa practically mauled me (lovingly).

There are also rooms with kittens and cats in cages that you can take into a seperate room and play with. Usually we play with them, brush them, and clean up any messes in the room. I think the best feeling about volunteering there is returning a week later and seeing cats and dogs no longer there; the Humane Society is a no-kill shelter, and thus any pet that is missing has been adopted out (yay!). My friend and I had two (what we called) “project cats” that will were working on getting adopted and making more comfortable… we returned last week only to find that they were both adopted! I almost wanted to cry! There is nothing better than that feeling.

If you aren’t a cat or kitten person, there are also many dogs at the Humane Society! A lot of the times I go with a friend or two and we walk the dogs up the road and back. They literally stand with their noses at the cages wanting to be walked, and I always feel so happy when I take them out! It’s awesome when you’ve got a friend with you too as you can just chat as you walk along. Some of the small dogs will try to roll in the mud, too, so I’ve had to bath a few a few times. The other day I went to the Humane Society and they had the most adorable puppies! Here is a picture of Bella, one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever met, and the most gentle walker! If I could I would take every animal home (sorry, mom)! Right now there are even two little guinea pigs (Hog and Harley) at the front reception desk!

Other than that, I try to help as much as I can with clean-up there. Don’t worry, it’s nothing gross. A lot of the time the animal care attendants are wrapped up in caring for the animals that they don’t have time to clean. I usually do simple things like sweeping/mopping, washing and folding laundry, and re-filling the water bowls.

When I leave there, I always leave with a smile on my face. It’s so nice to know that you are making a difference in an animal’s life, many of which are just waiting for their forever home! Like I mentioned, it is an extremely rewarding experience so if you are an animal lover like I am, I highly suggest volunteering here!

You can find more information about the Thunder Bay & District Humane Society here: http://tbdhs.ca/
And the City of Thunder Bay Animals Services Center, which also takes some volunteers, here: http://www.thunderbay.ca/Living/Animal_Services.htm

And now I shall spam you with a few photos, because hey, who doesn’t love to look at cute dogs and cats?!

Dorie, a really adorable cat in one of the cat rooms!

Samoa yet again being playful, two dogs we walked named Dixie and Patches (adopted, yay!) and fluffy grey Smokey!

Kittens! I think they are all adopted now, or close to it! They were so tiny!

Lastly, I would also like to mention that if you are planning to stay in Thunder Bay for a long time and want to get an animal, please consider adopting from a shelter. Or consider adopting in your hometown! Not only are you often saving an animal from being cooped in a cage, you will find that they are the sweetest, most loving animals. I firmly believe that they always remember where they came from and as a result, they truly do love you. We got our dog, Cruiser, from Animal Services over 6 years ago! As you can see, he is a real suck.

Anyways, I hope that you are all excited for the new school year and are looking forward to some back-to-school posts coming up!

Take care!