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!

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!

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!

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!

Tips for Course Registration

I know it might seem like the start of the school year is awhile away still (and it is), but course registration is upon us! Here are the dates specifically:

Year 4: June 15th, 9AM
Year 3: June 17th, 9AM
Year 2: June 19th, 9AM
Year 1: June 22nd, 9AM

Registering for courses can be a little bit daunting, especially when you have conflicting courses, electives, or little-to-no prescribed courses you have to take. I’ll be the first to admit that I cried the first time I registered for courses; because I was in Nursing there was a mixture of lectures, labs, and clinical. Here are a few of my tips to make the process a little bit easier:

• Plan ahead of time. Course Calendar and Course Timetable are up already (I’ll post the links and bit more information at the end), so I highly suggest trying to plan out your schedule prior to the day of registration. This is because it can get a bit stressful, especially if you have classes that are conflicting.
• When planning your timetable, write down the course synonym. This is the 5-number under the course code on the Course Timetable. When planning your timetable, write these down. It will make registration a lot easier – all you’ll need to do is input those numbers and register.
• Pick electives carefully. Try to choose classes that you will enjoy or that seem interesting. Electives are your chance to explore outside of your major, so try to diversify a lot! I highly suggest Law & Politics of The Family, which I took in my first year. If you are doing Chemistry for 4 classes a semester, it might be nice to do something like English or Anthropology for an elective!
• Check if your class has a lab or tutorial. If it does, there will usually be an option on Course Timetable right under the lecture. You can tell it’s a Lab if there is “L” at the end of the course code (ie. BIO-2030L). You will need to register for this class separate from your lecture, so make sure you double check! Courses like the sciences, nursing, engineering, and computers often have lab components.
• Pay attention to year levels and prerequisites. The first digit in the course code indicates the year level (ie. BIO-2030 is a second year course). You don’t have to take courses in your year level, but just keep this in mind when you are registering. Obviously, second year classes are harder than first year, third harder than second, and so on. Also remember some classes have prerequisites, which you can find out by clicking on the course name on Course Timetable. If you don’t have the qualification, you won’t be able to take the class.
• Try to register the first few days after registration opens for your year level. Classes do fill up (some faster than others), so try to get in as soon as you can to pick the classes and times you prefer.
• Don’t panic when the website is super slow the day of registration. The hardest part of registration is getting through on my MyInfo that day. Probably 2,000 students are trying to get through to the same system that day. Don’t panic. You’ll get through!
• This is just the beginning of your journey! Don’t stress about how overloaded your timetable might be, or that you have no time for lunch. You’ll get used to your schedule quickly, find times to relax and eat, and get used to the course load. Every semester is always an adjustment, but it’s fun starting new classes!

Some quick notes before I leave you to planning out your timetable:

Course Timetable is where you can find a listing of all classes offered at Lakehead in the 2015-2016 school year. Many classes are open to all students, while others (such as Nursing, some Business, and Engineering) are specific to certain programs.
Here is the Thunder Bay Course Timetable: http://timetable.lakeheadu.ca/index_tbay.html

Course Calendar is where you can find the requirements for your program: http://navigator.lakeheadu.ca/~/Catalog/ViewCatalog.aspx?pageid=viewcatalog&catalogid=20&topicgroupid=9896

If you are having trouble, I highly suggest looking under the MyInfo help. Log in to MyInfo, click on “Student” tab, and under the “Registration” tab it will say “How To Register”. This should give you a step-by-step direction on how to go about registering for your courses. Of course, if you have any problems, you can always contact the University or other students (like myself) for some help!

Good luck!

How to go to University for (almost) free – or at least save some money!

Let’s face it: paying for university is no easy task. Whether you are on OSAP, paying for it on your own, or getting some help from parents and family, everyone wants to save a little bit of money. Over my years at Lakehead I’ve learned a lot about how to save money at University, and I’d love to share some of my tips with you!
I am privileged to have the majority of my tuition paid for by scholarships and bursaries –  but it’s no easy task and takes a lot of hard work, so here are my tips to you:

1. Entrance scholarships and awards. In my opinion, Lakehead’s entrance scholarships are one of their greatest assets. If you are a student coming out of a Canadian high school, you are automatically eligible for an entrance scholarship. The amounts range from $3,000 (over 4 years) to free tuition, depending on what your final average was in high school (you can read more about the levels here: https://www.lakeheadu.ca/future-students/scholarships/entrance-scholarships-awards). Just keep in mind that if you are granted one of these scholarships, you’ll need to maintain an 80% average (90% for free tuition) during your four years at University. I really hope that Lakehead keeps these scholarships for a very long time, because they are really helpful to students and a great incentive to come here!

2. High school bursaries. I don’t know where you are coming from, but in my high school, my guidance office has tons of awards and bursaries that we could apply for before graduation. They ranged from $50 to a couple thousand, and definitely helped with my schooling. If you are from Thunder Bay or the surrounding area, you may also be eligible for the Northwestern Ontario & Simcoe County Citizenship Scholarship (https://www.lakeheadu.ca/future-students/scholarships/northwestern-ontario-simcoe-county-citizenship-scholarships).

3. In-course bursaries. A lot of people don’t realize that every year in the fall/winter, Lakehead comes out with a list of different awards and bursaries. Some of them you literally fill out a budget form (your costs and income), and are awarded bursaries based on your financial need. It’s that easy. Some of them require writing a short paper, essay, or reason why you should be chosen; I highly suggest doing these, even if you aren’t 100% sure you are eligible. A lot of students don’t want to go that extra mile and write a small (less than a page, usually) blurb, making you more likely to receive that scholarship! Look out on your MyInfo homepage (it’ll usually say something like “Fall/Winter Bursary Application Available) for when these awards come out! Many of these are also available to International students, which is a huge plus!

4. OSAP 30% tuition grant. If you are already on an OSAP loan, the 30% off your tuition will already be taken off your loan amount. However, if you are not on OSAP, you can still apply for the 30% tuition and get a cheque in the mail in the winter and spring for roughly $900 each. You must apply for this. You can apply for the tuition grant here: http://www.ontario.ca/education-and-training/30-off-ontario-tuition.

5. Buy used textbooks. I’m always wary about saying this, mainly because it doesn’t always work out to be cheaper. For example, if your class requires an online code (to do online homework), chances are your used textbook doesn’t come with one as they are one-time use. Considering the codes themselves are usually $90+ and the Bookstore textbooks already (usually) come with them, used textbooks can actually cost more. Not to mention the Lakehead bookstore gives back all their final profits to awards and bursaries, so the money is coming back to us students anyways. Still, buying the odd used book here and there will save you money. Also, reselling your books when you are finished with them can also give you money for next year’s books!
If you are interested in buying/selling used books, there are quite a few Facebook pages (just search “Lakehead textbook”) and Kijiji dedicated to this.

6. Get a job on campus. Incoming students may not even want to think about working their first year; I don’t blame them! But let’s face it, working does help you with grocery and spending money. Not to mention you can work during the summer, too! There are tons of jobs off and on campus, but I definitely suggest trying to find one on campus. Because they know you’re a student, your boss most likely won’t load you with 40 hours of work per week, and will understand will exams and term papers come around. Some on campus jobs include tour guide (like me!), receptionist, research assistant, teaching assistant, and more! You can find a listing of current job postings at: https://mysuccess.lakeheadu.ca/home.htm.

I’ve probably missed a lot, but I’ll keep you guys updated on any more tips I might have! I hope that you’ll explore this list and try to apply for some of the things I mentioned. Keep in mind that awards are not just given to student with high marks; of course, this helps a lot, but a lot of them are based on volunteer work, heritage, financial need, and more! So keep your eyes peeled for awards, bursaries, jobs, and anything else that might save you money!

I hope this eased your mind a little about paying for school, and gave you some helpful suggestions to knock a bit of the cost of coming here! Talk to you all soon!