Places on Campus

I looked at the calendar this morning. I mean really looked at it, not just to count down the days till my next midterm but to try and make sense of how quickly this semester has gone by. It seems absolutely bizarre that there are only a few more weeks left before classes are over. Waterloo has definitely become a second home and I thought I would share some of my favourite places to spend my time with you ....

1.) Williams- every Tuesday and Thursday between my morning classes you can be guaranteed that you will see me there. It is in EV3 (one of the environment buildings) which is beautiful enough, so by the time you grab a chai latte or a smoothie and a table by the windows your day will be much better. If you are anything like me it is also a great place to pop in your headphones get some work done. 

2.) Residence - this is where I have been calling home for the last seven months so I suppose it is a good thing I like living there. As overwhelming as it can be to share a floor with 50 other students it is also a lot of fun and I am really going to miss it. My don (upper year who lives on our floor) is great and everyone who lives here is really friendly which has made the experience in residence awesome. 

3.) SLC - if you come to waterloo you will spend a lot of time in the Student Life Center. There are silent study sections to get some work done but also lots of tables upstairs that overlook the cafeteria and the cove (where break dancers and cabaret team can often be seen practicing). The SLC is open 24/7 and has places to get food, cash, school supplies, and just about anything else you could possibly need while on campus. There are also lots of events that go on in the great hall of the SLC, like club and volunteer fairs. It is a great spot to get involved and learn about what is happening on campus. 

4.) CIF - Columbia Ice Fields has a great gym with lots of cardio equipment and weights. Sometimes (especially in the nights) it can be packed but if you go in the morning or afternoon there is lots of space. Trust me a workout is a great way to start your day or take a study break, and CIF is the place to go. 

5.) M3 - is it silly to have a favourite lecture hall? Maybe, but I am not going to get too caught up with that! I have had a few classes in M3 this year and it is by far one of the better lecture halls; new, big and it has three projection screens. In the entrance there is lounge furniture and windows ceiling to floor so it is a great place to get some work done before class. 

Study Study Study

Hello everybody,

It has been a while since I last posted (I’m sorry). 

This week is reading week and I am really enjoying being home and spending some much needed time with family, and hanging out with my friends. I spent the last week of school before reading week doing lots of work so I wouldn’t have to spend all this week doing work; but despite my efforts it always seems like there is something else to do. Here are a few tips that to manage your time well and get all of your work accomplished (ON TIME).

1.) Turn off your phone - I know that this is an obvious one but actually following it is completely different. The next time you go to study don’t take your phone and I assure you the amount that you accomplish will be much more than if you were checking your phone.

2.) Reward yourself – Personally I find chocolate effective, I will tell myself that I can have a piece when I finish a chapter of my textbook readings. Splitting up the work into smaller pieces makes it seem more manageable… and you get a snack!

3.) Take breaks with friends- Even fifteen minutes will make you feel refreshed (and wake you up on those days you just can’t seem to stay awake while working). Let’s face it spending time with friends is awesome.

4.) Make a to do list- Just about every day I write down or make a memo on my phone of all the things I want to accomplish in the day. It will help you prioritize what you need to work on, and it feels really good to cross things off your list.

5.) Breath- Accept that sometimes you aren’t always going to be ahead of the game. You won’t always have your readings done ahead of time (or even at all). But no matter how busy you may feel there is always time to sit down and get things done, don’t stress out just keep working!

Get Involved

I have been back to school for a few weeks now and I am starting to figure out what second semester is going to be like. This semester I am taking philosophy, psychology, and a course online which are all things I have never tried before. 

Trying new things is always a great idea, and the University of Waterloo is a great place to start because there are so many opportunities. My biggest piece of advice is to try out several different groups, while still being able to manage your work load with classes, to see what you like best.

This semester I have started volunteering at a fitness program once a week, I blog (which is something I have never done before), and I recently made the University of Waterloo varsity cheerleading team! All of the things I do not only keep me busy, but I have been learning lots and have met many amazing people. 

Sometime this week look up all the clubs, teams, and volunteering opportunities that the school offers and consider trying something, if they are anything like the groups I have become a part of you won’t regret it!

Happy Monday Everybody.

Let the Second Semester Begin

I'm back, and a lot has happened since the last time I posted...

1.) Christmas break has come and gone. In my mind I thought that Christmas break was going to be much longer than the break I had in high school, but I finished exams just one day before high school classes ended. The break flew by and I definitely did not want to leave home and my family yesterday. Being able to relax with my friends and family and celebrate the holidays together was fantastic; I am truly blessed to have such an amazing group of people who love me.

2.) First semester is officially over. Marks were posted to my quest account the Monday after the exam period, and I could see if all my hard work payed off. It was nerve wracking to check all of my final marks but if you have been putting in an effort to do well you can probably guess your mark before you check, so don't spend too much time worrying and waiting for them to be posted.

3.) I have moved out of the residence room I moved into in September, to another room across the hall. After a few months of living with my roommate our living schedules were not compatible, which only added to be stress of being a student. One of the great things about university (and life) is no matter how stressed or confused you are about something, there are always options. Another girl on my floor and I decided to swap places, an arrangement that should work better for everyone.

Some of the most important things I learned last semester had absolutely nothing to do with classes or academics. When living with another person and on a floor with 50 people you learn so many valuable lessons about yourself, problem solving, and can clearly see the things that are important to you (and those things that really aren't so important). Here's to a fresh start of the new semester.

 Happy first day of classes everybody!