Where I’ve Been!

Hey there everyone… long time no see! I tend to drop off a bit here and there, and after leaving my job at the Lakehead University Undergraduate Recruitment office (I graduated!), I stopped writing in this blog.

However, recent changes in my life – and a whole new slew of visitors to this blog – have pushed me to update you guys on what’s been going on.

I graduated from Lakehead University this June with my Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree, with a concentration in Accounting. My last semester was probably one of the greatest I’ve ever had; great friends, amazing professors, and of course the end being near. I was blessed to have been awarded the Dean’s Scholar Award for the Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree, indicating that I graduated at the top of my class. Considering all the long nights and study sessions I endured, this was an awesome accomplishment. I was so happy to stand beside all my fellow students on that stage and finally say “we did it!”. Such intelligent, friendly, bubbly, and amazing people I got to meet along this journey. Grad was an amazing experience… they even gave out yellow and blue donuts (Persians, from a previous blog post!) after the ceremony.

Wolfie was with us for all four (or in my case, five!) years.

They always say that life really changes when you step off that stage, and those are wise words. My peers are all working full time jobs now, some of them are buying houses, and a few are even having kids. It’s an exciting and changing time, that’s for sure! Unfortunately, the full time job I mentioned in my previous blog post didn’t work out… at no fault of my new employer, of course, but more because of a personal limitation of my own. I’m hoping to chat about this topic a little more in an upcoming blog post. A lot of individuals have been finding my blog when looking for mental health resources or stories, and I really want to show my experience at Lakehead University through another blog post or more. I have been very hard on myself, and mental illness has unfortunately really gotten me down.

Luckily, I have a new plan. After I switched out of nursing (if you want to hear more about my switch from nursing to business, it’s in an earlier blog post), I learned that things don’t always take the path that we intend. Five years ago I wanted to be a pediatric nurse; now I’m an accountant. Luckily because of that experience I’m a bit better at adapting at changing circumstances and most of all, reaching out for help.

In my most acute mental illness phase, I ended up going to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Center and seeking out counselling. Though Lakehead University offers great counselling services right on campus (literally right beside the dorms!), my situation was a little more acute. With the help from a psychiatrist, my counselor, and my professor, things have been looking up. Words can’t even describe how lucky I feel to have graduated from, and made connections within, my University. One of my phenomenal professors suggested that I pursue the Masters of Science degree program at Lakehead. Involving 1-year of full time studies and a full research project, the prospect was both daunting and exciting. I have decided to pursue this path, and believe that it will help me to not only advance my career, but my own personal happiness. I will be concentrating in both business (accounting) with bits of education in the mix.

This is a big change in my path and my life, but I am grateful to have this amazing opportunity. Going forward, however, I know I need to give myself some advice. I spent most of my university life worrying, having panic attacks, and losing sleep over single percents on exams and even small quizzes. Here are a few tips I’m giving myself going forward, and if you’ve found that mental health has stopped you from enjoying your post-secondary life, they might be able to help you, too!

1. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Marks aren’t everything. Sure, some employers will look at them when deciding who to hire, but if you’re great at an interview or even just have a great resume overall, marks probably won’t be a make it or break it. Take it from me – no grade is worth your mental health!
2. Take breaks. Do something you love. I love to paint and craft. When I get overwhelmed or anxious, I revert to that.
3. Don’t overstress. Trust me when I say you don’t need to re-read that paper for the tenth time. One spelling mistake that may or may not be in there isn’t worth staying up until 2am. Also, give yourself some slack in group projects; these can be stressful because you have to worry about group dynamics and getting a good grade. Try not to control the whole thing. You’ll burn yourself out.
4. Have a good support system. Whether it by on-campus (Student Health and Counselling) or off-campus (hospital and outreach programs) nurses and counsellors, your own family, friends, or even your pet, have something or someone you can talk to about your troubles. I know there is a bit of a stigma out there about counselling (I even didn’t like the idea at the start), the help I have received has been phenomenal.
5. Take care of yourself. Whether that makes taking a shower when you’ve been curled in your dorm room for the entire weekend, or getting a healthy (but yummy!) snack from local cafes or our own cafeteria (salad bar, anyone?!), take care of your body. It will nurse your mind.
6. Money isn’t everything. We think grades = job = money = happiness. I’ve learned (the hard way) that happiness is the start of all. Flip, move, and change that equation. Start there, and you’ll never be led astray.

I am so elated to have started this new leg of my journey at Lakehead. I honestly didn’t even consider going anywhere else for my Masters degree; I have such great mentors and supports here in Thunder Bay, and the research opportunities here are unending. If you are interested in discovering more about Lakehead University’s Masters programs, click here. If you have any further questions about these programs, please contact Lakehead’s Graduate Studies department at gstudent@lakeheadu.ca!

I Got A Full Time Job!

This year is absolutely flying by… it’s hard to believe that in just seven months I will finished my undergraduate degree and graduating from Lakehead University! This realization didn’t really hit me until I started to apply at local accounting firms here in Thunder Bay… and I got a full time position starting in May! I will be a Junior Staff Accountant at one of our local firms, and I’m still in shock. With today’s economy and job prospects, getting a job (whether you have a degree or not) can take some time. I am blessed to be able to be in a program and an industry that hires you before you graduate.

It’s definitely a huge burden off of my shoulders! Accounting firms in town tend to weigh grades pretty heavily when hiring. I’ve been busting my butt to get good grades my last four years at Lakehead. Now that I’ve been hired, a long of that stress has been lifted off of me. That being said, of course I can’t just give up and not try hard anymore. My marks are still important to me and I am so glad to know that my hard work (finally!) paid off. But now some of that edge to get a certain level of marks is off me. I feel like I can breathe again and don’t have to stress as much over exams and marks!

The awesome part about my new job is not only that it’s directly in my field of study, but that they are also paying for me to continue my education. If you know anything about being a CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant), it’s a 30-month process of exams and practical experience, on top of an undergraduate degree. The exams can get very expensive, and I’ll likely actually be coming back to Lakehead University for a semester so that I can get ahead in the CPA path. The awesome part about this new job is that they are going to cover the costs of this – including costs of exams and student membership dues!

It’s truly a blessing and I feel so happy to have gotten this position. I can chalk getting this job not only to my marks, but also to my hard work and constant networking (which is often easy to do in Thunder Bay considering our small size)! I start in May… I feel like a “big girl” now!

Here’s my five biggest tips to landing a job after (or before!) graduation:

• Network, network, network. This is important in all disciplines. The more people you know and the more connections you make, the more likely that one of those people could help you land a job! Almost all faculties are involved in our career fairs, and chatting with employers is a great way to get your name known.
• Work hard. I’m not sure about other industries, but in business, a lot of entry-level applications will ask for your transcript and/or GPA. Obviously having a high GPA shows a degree of persistence and drive, making you look good!
• Get to know your professors. I bet they know about a few open positions, and if you’re lucky they might even offer to be a reference on your resume!
• Apply early. A lot of people say “I’m only going to apply after exams when I don’t have to worry about school.” Considering that’s likely what everyone else is doing too, employers are going to be swamped with resumes come May and June. Make yourself stand out by searching for positions early and applying. They will appreciate your initiative and you’ll likely be in a much smaller pool of applicants!
• Apply to do co-op. A lot of co-ops lead to work after graduation. Make a good impression on your co-op organization and you could land a full time position there! PS – co-ops are paid too!

Go To Lakehead For Free…

Have you heard about Lakehead University’s amazing entrance scholarships? If you haven’t, you should, because these are amazing scholarships that make your decision to come to Lakehead even easier.
Lakehead University’s Entrance scholarships are awarded to students – international and domestic – with no application required! Just by applying to Lakehead you are automatically entered into receiving these scholarships. These scholarships, which can be extremely beneficial to students looking into financial aid or simply not wanting to have to pay for their education, are solely based upon High School marks (in your final year of High School – grade 12 here in Canada).

Here are the levels for domestic (Canadian) students, which can be found in more detail here:

(Yes.. that says FREE tuition…!)

When I graduated from my local high school here in Thunder Bay, I received the second tier (90-94.9%) and it was any amazing help to me. I received $2,500 per year, and that was before my other scholarships. In the end, I ended up paying very little for my first four years at University because of this scholarship and some others that I have received. Of course all of these scholarships do require you to maintain a specific average – free tuition requires you to maintain a 90% average in University throughout your four years, and the others require an 80% average. Unless in high school you were on the very cusp of these averages, I wouldn’t worry too much about losing the scholarship. My grades dropped only about 2-3% from high school to University, and in my upper years, my average only increased. I never really stressed about losing my scholarship, and I only know a few people who lost their’s.

Note that these scholarships are also unlimited – meaning there is no “cap” to the number of students that can receive them. If you got within these averages in high school and are coming to Lakehead, these scholarships will automatically be applied to reduce your tuition amount.

Of course there are options for you international students, as well! Lakehead University international students are also automatically entered in to receive entrance scholarships, however these scholarships are limited in number and are at different amounts than those above. You can find more information on the Lakehead University International student entrance scholarships right here!

The entrance – and other scholarships – I received from Lakehead University were just one of the many reasons that I decided to come to Lakehead. I applied to a few other Universities here in Ontario, and none of them offered such a high value scholarship… some didn’t mention one at all! I am so happy that I decided to come to Lakehead and am so blessed to be able to have the majority of my education paid for (because of my hard work and diligence in applying for other scholarships, of course)!

My biggest tip for you High Schoolers reading this blog and thinking of coming to Lakehead is to try to get your marks as high as possible in high school. Hard work in your final year of high school can have a long lasting effect on not only your whole University life, but your entire life (no loans)! So work hard, keep your nose in the books, and it’ll pay off!

Some other scholarships you may want to consider are listed below. I was blessed to be able to receive the Northwestern Ontario & Simcoe County scholarship when I graduated high school (although the value was different at that time), further funding my education.

Have any questions? Contact Student Awards and Financial Aid! Also, if you’re a current Lakehead student, don’t forget that the In-Course bursaries application is due Oct 15! 🙂

**NOTE: these entrance scholarship amounts and requirements are for the 2017-18 academic year, and details may change, or the scholarship(s) may not longer be available, for other years**

Fun Classes to Try!

A few weeks ago I made a post about Lakehead University’s business program, but I thought I would make a more general post about some awesome classes that students in any major can take. These classes make great electives! Some of them I have actually taken (donated with a * beside it) and some I have just been interested in or heard good things about!
Keep in mind that the classes offered do change from year to year and were originally taken on the Thunder Bay campus, so if you’re reading this post in a year that’s not 2016 or looking at these from Orillia, things may have changed since!

1. Family Law * (taken 2012-2013)
This is a class I believe all students should taken. Not only is the professor, Kevin Cleghorn, an amazing lawyer, but he is also a great professor. You learn all about family law matters including spousal and child support, division of assets, and divorce. When I took this class it was in-class but now it is offered online. The exam was completely open book and you had the option to do a midterm, assignment, and a paper. If you opted only to do the exam, it was a 100% of your final grade. I found this class very exciting, stimulating, and I feel like it is great knowledge for anyone to know, law student or not!
Find it here – Fall semester, POLI-2315-FDE

2. Introductory Accounting * (taken 2013-2014)
I was required to take this course as a part of my business degree, but I think it’s a good class for everyone to take. It teaches the very basics of accounting and isn’t overly complicated. Considering a lot of students in a variety of majors end up in administration, this might be a great addition to your resume!
Find it here – Fall semester, BUSI-1512-FA (For business students, BUSI-1012-WA/WB)

3. World Religions
My sister took this class last year and really enjoyed it. It’s a lot of reading but is very interesting (as you can imagine). You write two papers, there are some discussions on the online message boards, and a completely open book (including computers) True and False exam. My sister said it was a very eye-opening class, and a great way to learn about the world around us!
Find it here!

4. Online Anthropology * (taken 2012-2013)
So each year the Anthropology department chooses an intriguing topic to make an online class on. When I took it, it was the Peoples & Cultures of Africa. I loved this class – it was an interesting class that consisted of reading articles sent to us (no textbook!) and 3 papers. No exam, no midterm. That might have changed with the topic but it’s worth looking it! I also found it extremely interesting! This year the topic is Alien Depictions in Anthropology which sounds so awesome to me! I wish I had an elective this year so I could take it!
Find it here – Winter semester, ANTH-3811-WDF

5. Introductory Psychology * (taken 2012-2013)
I always tell students this is our largest class on campus – running about 250+ students, everyone seems to love this class! Mike Moland, the professor, is a super awesome and funny guy, and makes this 7-10pm class a lot more bearable. You learn all about basic psychology concepts, parts of the brain, and why we act the way that we do. Students in Psychology and Nursing are required to this is class, but many students in Social Work, Sociology, English, and other arts take it.
Find it here – Full year, PSYC-1100, there are three options at different times and different professors! I had Mike but I heard Professor Sajna is also excellent!

6. Violence
If I had electives this year I would take this class in a heartbeat. I’m unsure if it’s a new class or not, as I’ve never heard of anyone taking it, but it sounds very interesting to me. It is all about events such as mass murder and homicide, as well as serial killers and genocide. Morbid, I know, but I do find this topic very interesting and I believe it is a class a lot of students (Making A Murderer, anyone?) would enjoy taking.
Find it here – Fall semester, CRIM-3511-FDE

7. Astronomy
A lot of business students take this class in their final year… mainly to break up those heavy business classes and learn something interesting. I was in this class for a short time my first year, and there were a ton of videos, visual/online diagrams, and articles!
Find it here – Fall Semester, GSCI-2310-FDE

Some final parting tips in choosing your classes and electives:

• make sure that you don’t have specific classes you need to take for your electives – this usually happens in your upper years (you can choose electives from a list) but double check your requirements prior to registering.
• if you want to switch things up, try an online class. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to sit at your computer for a few hours and work on a class. Of course, this isn’t for everyone, and if you prefer in-class instruction, stick with that!
• mix it up. If you’re into a certain subject it doesn’t hurt to branch out and try new things. That’s what my first year was all about. You never know what you might be interested in, and where you might learn something new (granted, you’ll learn something new in every class).
• look at the course online as soon as it’s made available to you. You usually have about a week or two after classes start to switch in and out of classes. Seeing the course online ahead of time lets you see the key topics, testing methods, and other important information. If you check it out early and don’t like it, it’s nice to switch into something else quickly and not miss too much! If your professor is already listed for the class, you can also e-mail them and see if they have a tentative course online to look at!

Decoding Course Codes

Just writing a short post for you guys explaining how our course coding system works!
Let’s start with an example: PSYC-1100-YA

PSYC-1100-YA

So this the beginning letters on the course code denote what faculty the class is offered by. For example PSYC is Psychology, GSCI is General Science, BUSI is Business, BIOL is Biology, and so on. Keep in mind that some classes (for example most Nursing, Engineering, and Business) are only offered to students in that program; the system will tell you this if you try to register for them… so don’t worry, you’re not going to get stuck in a fourth year engineering class by accident!

PSYC-1100-YA

This number is a way to identify the class as well as the year level. Class numbers that start with a 1 (1100) are first year level, 2 (2100) is second year, 3 (3100) is third year, and so on. As long as you don’t need any prerequisites you can take any year level you want, but some classes do require special permission from the faculty (especially if you’re in first or second year) and, of course, upper year classes are more difficult than lower year level.

PSYC-1100-YA

This letter denotes the semester that the class is offered in. F is for Fall (Sept-Dec), Y is for Full Year (Sept-April), and W is Winter (Jan-April).

PSYC-1100-YA

The final letter is the section. Some classes will only have one section (A), but if the classes are large they may split the class into several sections with different professors and/or at different times. Those denoted with DE (ie. FDE or WDE) are classes offered online.

Some other considerations:

NURS-1511L-F6

Having an “L” beside the course code donates that this is a lab. Some classes have lab components that must be registered for separately – make sure you check to see if your class has a lab! The course code for the lab will be the exact same as the regular in-class code, but with an “L” beside it. Check with your faculty member or on the Lakehead University website if you are unsure – the best way to find out is to search the course listings here. Common classes with labs include sciences, engineering, nursing, and languages.

CHEM-3451T-F1

This “T” has the same purpose as the “L” above but stands for Tutorial inside of Lab. Make sure you check if there is a tutorial for your class, like the lab! So far I’ve only see tutorials in Chemistry, but always check!

Synonyms:
When you look at the course timetables you will see that each class has a Synonym, which is a 5-digit number below the course code. These synonyms simply make it easy to register for your class. On the online sheet to register, you can simply put in the synonym and not other information on the class, click register, and it’ll bring up the class for you to add to your timetable. Easy, right?!

As far as I’m concerned, that’s the whole rundown on our course codes! I cried the first time I registered for classes (I was overwhelmed and really had no idea what was happening) so don’t worry if you’re freaking out! If you have any questions, calling Academic Advising would be your best help – they will be able to direct you and answer any questions, even walk you through the registration process!

Do I Regret Choosing Lakehead?

I noticed that one of my search terms this month was the question “were you happy you chose Lakehead?” I think that this is an awesome question and one I can definitely answer. It’s one thing to say that I like Lakehead, but it’s another saying I’m glad I came here.

There are two sides to this answer. I can easily say that I love Lakehead University and that I am so glad I came here. Between the faculty, the beautiful campus, the amazing job prospects, and all the friends I’ve met… well, I have never regretted coming to LU. I just feel like I belong here. When I walk around campus and see my professors and they wave at me, I feel like I belong. I can sit in the caf with my friends and have a slice of pizza or we can go for a hike on campus. The best part about coming to Lakehead University was the community that took me in. Think of Lakehead as one family – something I bet a lot of big schools can’t say! We cheer on each other at hockey games, we laugh at orientation, we ask people for an extra dime in the coffee at Tim Horton’s. Working at Lakehead has not only solidified my love for this community and this university. I honestly can say I have never met someone that wasn’t friendly, unwilling to answer my questions, or was just plain rude. Never. We welcome new students in with open arms, we turn to you in your first class of the semester and say hi, we offer awesome bursaries and free coffees on Student Appreciation Days!

It’s safe to say that I have never once regretted coming to Lakehead University. I love it here and I can’t imagine making friends and getting an education anywhere else. The only other side to this answer is that sometimes I wish I had gone away for school. I was born and raised and Thunder Bay, and if Lakehead University had been in a different city than where I was born, it would have made the experience sweeter. I just see the relationships that the students in dorms and the apartments made, and the awesome time they have at orientation. Now this isn’t saying that students who are local don’t have fun (we do!) but I feel like being “new” to the city would have made this experience all the more exciting.
Now that I’m an upper year student I’m a bit more involved in volunteering and events on campus, so I still get that awesome experience. But to see the photos of moving in your first dorm room, or meeting your new roommate, or sitting up at the ATAC until 3am… well, sometimes I wish I had gotten all that experience! Lakehead is so amazing at welcoming in new students, and I feel like being an out-of-town student makes your experience all the more amazing. Still, I never once regretted coming to Lakehead, and I certainly can’t wait to spend many more years here!

I can honestly, genuinely say that Lakehead University is a great school. You’ve probably heard it hundred times before in our postcards or on our website. But let me tell you, as a current student, that Lakehead is an amazing school. We are a community of our own. We are proud, and we support one another. From our faculty to our students, the nature around us and our state-of-the-art facilities… well, it just makes Lakehead University an extra special place to study, live, and learn. I hope you will consider coming here.

Lakehead University’s Business Program

To be brutally honest when I decided I wanted to try the business program at Lakehead I didn’t know very much about it. I remember looking at my Grade 12 booklet from Lakehead at thinking Commerce was law/government (lol). I decided to make a little blog post about our business program, how it works, and why you might consider it! Even if you aren’t even considering business it might be worth a read. Going into University as a nursing student I never thought I would be majoring in business… but here I am, with one year left to go!

Your First vs. Your Last 2 Years
Your first two years in Commerce could be considered “general years.” Everyone has the same classes (minus electives) which include a little of everything: finance, accounting, HR, economics, marketing, information systems, and more! This is really awesome because if you’re not sure what you want to major in, this gives you a taste of all the different options!
Your final two years (or one) are narrowed down to one specific major. Our faculty offers the Bachelor of Business Administration, which is just one year after the first two where you take more general classes. You also have the often to take 2 more years (4 in total) and specialize in a certain discipline: HR, Marketing, Finance, International Business, Accounting, and more! You can find the full list here! Keep in mind you can even double major, or minor in a lot of these! I’m an Accounting major!

Cool Networking Opportunities and Case Competitions!
Our business program is super awesome for sending students in disciplines like Finance, Marketing, and Accounting to case competitions. We get an often all-expenses paid trip to participate in these awesome competitions (usually in Toronto or Winnipeg). They are a great opportunity to travel, get to see a new city, and spend time with classmates. The focus most of the time isn’t even the competition itself but just getting more experience and getting to know one another! And don’t worry – almost all students, if they show initiative and a want to go, get to go!

AACSB Accreditation
This probably doesn’t mean much to you right now, but this accreditation makes our school internationally recognized, and our degrees more prestigious! (Only 5% of Universities in the WORLD have this accreditation)

Workload and Schedules
Obviously over the years scheduling changes and classes occur at different times. I thought I’d share my Fall term schedules with you guys (from the last three years) so you can see what kind of classes I took, and what the workload was like!
AND YES – you saw right! Business students get Fridays off. Sometimes we have midterms or make-up classes on these days, but most times, they just make a nice long weekend!

Fall Term Year 1 (My course load was especially light this year because my Nursing credits transferred over, meaning no electives!). Classes included Intro to Economics, Statistics, and Management!

Fall Term Year 2 Classes included Business Writing, Managerial Accounting, and Marketing 1.

Fall Term Year 3 (This was my first year specializing in Accounting!). Classes included Business Law, Intermediate Accounting, Taxation, and Human Resources.

And that’s it! Ultimately I can say our business program here at Lakehead is amazing – from the faculty to the classes to the job prospects… Well, it’s safe to say that I think I made a great choice in what I majored in. I hope that you might consider it, too!

How to Survive University with Mental Illness (or any other Disability)

It took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that I suffer from a mental illness. The words mental illness themselves make me feel sick. But I’ve struggled for a long time, and it’s been a long road, and sometimes I even like to recognize that I have a mental illness because it makes me realize just how strong I am.

I think I eluded to it in my very first blog post, but if you’re not wanting to back that far (and I don’t blame you), I’ll start off by saying that I’ve been suffering from severe anxiety – a mental illness – for a very long time. Unfortunately, a hard first year at University (due to lack of knowing what I wanted to major in) only intensified the anxiety. And like any other disability (whether it be learning, mental, or physical) sometimes you feel like you’re the only one that is going through it. I remember sitting in my Family Law class in first year, wanting to burst into tears, because I felt like everyone was happy but me.

Anxiety affects up to 12% of Canadians, and I’m sure this number is more than triple if just looking at post-secondary students. Between paying tuition, studying for classes, managing friends and group projects, starting new jobs, and writing 50-page papers… well, sometimes you can get a little overwhelmed.
First of all, I’d like to say that if you do suffer from anxiety, depression, or any other sort of disability… you are not alone. Many, many students suffer from anxiety right here on campus and as a result, there is A TON of support available to you.

As a fellow student suffering with anxiety, here are some tips that have helped me over the years:

1. Talk to your friends and peers. You’d be surprised just how many others are suffering from anxiety, and the help/support that they can offer. And even if they can’t relate, sometimes it’s just nice to have a hug or a shoulder to cry on. I just helped one of my best friends go through a very, very hard time in her life, and just like she’s helped me through seizures and panic attacks, I know she appreciates having me there.
2. Stay in touch with family. If you are close with your family, make sure to keep those phone calls/FaceTime dates going. Sometimes all you need is to hear mom or dad’s voice and you’ll feel better.
3. Visit Student Health & Counselling. Talking to on-campus doctors and counselors was a massive help for me. Because they exclusively see students, they know the issues that students face regularly and how to help them through it – whether that be with meditation, counselling, or medication.
4. Chat with someone at Student Accessibility Services if you feel your disability is severe. Unfortunately I suffer from seizure-like episodes from my anxiety, and I’m able to have accommodations for tests and exams, such as breaks. This can be really helpful, especially for students that may have panic attacks or need extra time during exams. A lot of students use this service (you do need documentation of your illness, but it is often easy to obtain from an on-campus doctor).
5. Make friends and be social. Try to get out of the slump – and I know it’s not that easy – by going out and having fun. Whether it be enjoying a skate and free hot chocolate on Lake Tamblyn, having apps at the Outpost, or even just hanging out and watching a movie, sometimes you just need to take a breather.
6. Talk to your professors. You will find that they are more than willing to accommodate you if you are upset or severely overwhelmed. They may offer additional resources to help you study, maybe even an extra day to finish up your paper. They aren’t there to make your lives miserable, and the majority of them are very, very understanding… they’ve been in our shoes, after all!
7. Find things you love. Whether it be reading, writing, working out, playing video games, painting, chatting with friends, volunteering, watching a favourite TV show… find something, and do it regularly! It’s easy to get caught up in schoolwork, but you need to take some “you” time, too. My thing is painting and doing crafts, it really soothes me.
8. Take it easy, and take a step back. This is my 1000000% best tip… and though I’m still having trouble with it myself, I’ll let you know that just talking to myself often helps a lot. A lot of my anxiety comes from school work and getting high grades… called “performance anxiety” and sometimes I have to step back and tell myself “getting a 95 isn’t worth my mental health” or “my thoughts are irrational. I need to relax”. It’s hard, especially in the beginning. But if you know what really triggers the anxiety, it often helps to tell yourself what really matters to you, and if this issue is really worth your mental health. It’s a battle – trust me, I know – but it’s also about baby steps.

This year I am also struggling a lot with anxiety due to changes in jobs (I had to quit a great job I was offered :()… but I always try to remind myself that things do and will get better. Sometimes I feel hopeless. I even have felt suicidal. But remember that there are people out there that love you, and that you are strong, intelligent, driven, and worth it. Stress gets to all of us. Life isn’t easy — in the words of Gary Allan: “life ain’t always beautiful, but it’s a beautiful ride.”

I don’t mean to scare anyone that is reading this and perhaps considering going to University. Let me tell you this… stress effects every student differently, and if you find yourself overwhelmed, there are so many services out there to help and so many students with a listening ear!
And last, but certainly not least… let me tell you, it’s all worth it. When you hit that A on your exam, or find a job you love, or you get to see your friends, or you go for dinner to celebrate the end of another year… you look back and say “wow, I really did it”. University isn’t easy, but life isn’t easy. And the fact that you are doing something you love, getting a great education, and building a great future for yourself makes it all 100% worth it. As the saying goes…

 

Landing a Summer Job

A lot of out-of-town students decide to spend the summer in Thunder Bay, and getting a job can be a great experience and a lot of fun! I was recently speaking with someone from CPA (Chartered Professional Accounts) Canada and explained to them why our job prospects are so different up here. Because we have one university (and one college) and many, many student jobs available, getting a job in your field of education isn’t always such a battle. For example in Toronto you’re going to be completing with hundreds (if not thousands) of students from different Universities – in Thunder Bay depending on the job you might be competing with fifteen.

This year I was offered a position at MNP, a local accounting firm. As a third year accounting student this is a huge step for me. The great thing is that often these summer positions can lead to post-grad jobs and even lifetime careers. They also give you related experience that, if anything, looks great on a resume. In the past I’ve also worked at TD Bank, the Lakehead bookstore, and as a tour guide on campus.

My sister is a nursing student here at Lakehead and had no issues getting a job at a nursing home here in town. She will also be working with the hospital for several weeks this summer. Jobs in many majors are available, and we often hold career fairs with local businesses offering jobs. Jobs include those with the City of Thunder Bay, Government of Ontario, accounting firms and banks, nursing homes, Thunder Bay Police, law firms, school boards, car rental agencies, the Canadian Armed Forces, and more. A lot of these places are fighting for students like us!

It’s important to know that Lakehead also has a variety of summer positions available (which can often lead part-time into the school year).You can find these openings listed on https://mysuccess.lakeheadu.ca. If you have access to your Lakehead e-mail account you can access this site. Listings are for both on campus and off campus jobs – it’s essentially a job bank exclusive for Lakehead students! Some postings currently available include: Civil Engineering Student @ Allnorth, Web Developer, Grade 1/2 Teacher, Marketing Associate, Research Assistant for Civil Engineering, and more! As you can see there are a variety of positions open to every major.

I think that getting a job locally is a great option, especially if you plan to stay in Thunder Bay. Because we are a close-knit community, summer jobs and networking can create great experiences and lead you to a full career!

Crunch Time

It’s that time of year where students are laying in their beds, watching three seasons of Walking Dead, knowing that they should be studying but still… never really quite getting to it. Exams can be stressful, but here are a few strategies that you can use – even before you start University – to make finals at least a little bit less painless!

1. Keep up with the work.
This is probably the best, #1, (almost) unfailable way to make exams easier. By keeping up with notes in class and with the readings, you’ll have a lot less to learn come finals period. All you will need to do is read over your notes, memorize key points, and not need to learn everything in two days! Of course, this is easier said than done, but even just trying to keep on track makes a huge difference.
Keep in mind that everyone takes notes and keeps updated on readings a little differently. Some of my classes I prefer to take notes on my laptop – like the one shown below – some classes I like to write on paper. Find out what’s best for you and the specific class!

2. Find a good place to study.
Whether it’s on the first or fourth floor of the library (social study areas), the second or third floor (quiet study areas – you can hear a pin drop in there), in your bedroom, living room, in a coffee shop (the Study on campus is a great spot), or elsewhere, find what suits you! Setting yourself up with a yummy cup of coffee or in comfy clothes can help a lot, too!
My all-time favourite place to study is on my bed. I have a whole ton of pen stains all over my bedspread… but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make!

3. Use your resources.
Many of my professors offer additional resources to further your learning. Don’t just rely on what they teach in class or show in the textbook. One of my professors actually posts videos on Desire 2 Learn (our online course system) showing him teaching concepts on screen! It’s an awesome way to learn and review before the exam. I find that almost all of my professors do things like this – and it is SO helpful!
You can also find helpful tutorials on YouTube – here is one of my favourite channels.

4. Help yourself.
I’ll admit to you guys that this semester has not been easy – stress wise – for me. Luckily, I found some amazing resources at Lakehead that I find truly invaluable. About a month ago I had a seizure during my midterm, and was told to register with Student Accessibility Services. The staff in this office are phenomenal. Now I am able to write my exams away from my class, and when I need to seize (or have a panic attack, even just take a little break) they stop my time and allow me to rest. This is extremely advantageous to students like me who have conditions like anxiety and seizures – as well as those with physical and learning disabilities – to be able to be do their best. If you have a condition like me and you think that you may require accommodation, I highly suggest speaking with them. They are flexible, kind, and more than understanding. By allowing me to do my exams in a different manner, I find a lot of my stress has dissipated and I’ve been given the tools to do my very best.

5. Be calm.
Trust me, I know it’s easy to freak out. I had a good month of severe stress because I was worried over one exam… but with the reminder that the holidays are soon upon us and I’m only 4 finals away from freedom… well, let’s just say it’s a great incentive!

6. De-stress.
Whether its an ice skate on Lake Tamblyn, catching a movie with friends, or enjoying some quality time with Wolfie…
…have some fun! University can be stressful, but it can also be a lot of fun, too!