Month: April 2019

How to Prep For a Career While in College

Starting Early: Make it A Habit, Setting Yourself Up For Success

You’ve found a profession you’re passionate about, and you can’t wait to dive into the industry? Glad to hear it! Attending college is the first step to success, but it’s never too early to prepare yourself for your future career. Here are a few practical tips that are sure to help you go far in the future.

Learn to study

Good study habits can make a huge difference in the workplace. Your future employer will be impressed at your organizational, and time management skills. You’ll be sure to wow them with how quickly you learn new things.

Studying doesn’t have to involve a busy library and countless hours of taking and memorizing notes. If that works for you, more power to ya, but don’t be afraid to get creative. Keep it interesting, get more study tips here.

Have fun with it, write up some flash cards, compose a song, draw pictures, get your friends involved, make it a game. There are so many ways you can make studying a more enjoyable and effective use of your time. If you tailor your study sesh to meet your specific learning needs, you’ll retain information way easier.

If you really hate studying, try summarizing your notes after class. It’s a great way to ensure that you understand everything you were just taught. Pro-tip: this is super helpful for meetings too. You’ll spend less time studying because you’ll be more familiar with the subject matter. Bonus!

Osmosis – Probably not the best study tool.

Studying teaches you how to find and focus on the important aspects of a project. Studying will help you become more reliable, focused, and responsible. It hones your ability to think critically, work efficiently, and remain organized. These are all excellent qualities that’ll make you stand out in a crowd. Become a good worker before you even start working.

Get involved

Nothing looks better to a potential employer than genuine passion. Getting involved in your industry before graduating is a great way to get an early start on your career. If you’re an English major, attend some writer workshops. If you’re studying advertising, check out some agencies or participate in the Ontario Colleges’ marketing competition. If you’re in the trades, go to a home and garden trade show to network and hand out resumes to potential summer employers. Try to go out and experience the industry and develop real interest in the things you’re studying.

If you have questions about life in the field, who can answer them better than someone who actually works in it? Try to snag some informational interviews. Interviews don’t always have to be about getting an internship or a job. A simple conversation over coffee, picking someone’s brain for 15 minutes, or even just a phone call can make all the difference. Get the As to all your Qs. It shows that you’re hungry for knowledge, and it makes the person you’re interviewing feel important. Win-win, right?

Not only does all this show that you care about the field you’re going into, but it’s a great way to start networking. Make lasting connections with people in your industry. Having friends in your field is a great tool to have in your belt. Who knows if you’ll need a favour one day?

Get to work

Get your name out there. Start looking for internship opportunities during the summer. Don’t let yourself forget anything you learned. It might be tempting to chill out during the summer, and forget about school for a bit, but getting a head-start in your field will look better on your CV. Gain real-world experience. Improve your portfolio. Set a goal and do whatever it takes to achieve it. Potential employers will recognize your efforts and you’ll be rewarded for it. It’s hard work but, it’ll be well worth it when you have a job straight out of college.

Not sure where to get started? Talk to an AC career advisor. These councilors can point you in the right direction. They’ll show you countless possibilities, and help you lay out your options. Career advisors can tell you how your CV looks, how to network with people, what kind of jobs are out there, and what to say during an interview. This is a powerful tool you shouldn’t forget to use.

Speaking of CVs, is yours looking a little drab? Revamp it. It might seem like a tiny detail, but this is the first thing your future employer will see. It represents your brand and it embodies who you are. If you take the time to make it look nice, it shows that you put care and effort into everything you do. Need help? Try resume.com. This site has dozens of free, stylish templates perfect for your resume.

Change it up

Sometimes we stop caring. Sometimes we forget why we do things. We lose track of our goals, or we lose inspiration. It sucks, but it’s normal. You can counter this in a few different ways.

Have you lost motivation in class? Is it getting harder to take notes? Switch up your note-taking method. Buying a new notepad and pens, or even starting a new Google doc can refresh your brain and help you think more clearly. If you’re having trouble paying attention, sit at the front of the class. You’ll feel worse about watching cat videos if your prof catches you doing it. While you’re at it, make eye contact with your teacher. You’re more likely to pay attention to something if you’re already looking at it.

This will train your brain to be more alert in the workplace, too. You’ll use these skills in future endeavors and it’ll pay off big time. From taking notes in meetings, to asking pertinent questions, your performance will improve. If your boss sees how alert and attentive you are, you’re golden.

Keep at it

Your future career might seem like it’s far away but the best time to get into the swing of things is now! It’s never a bad time to build good habits. Become a better you, and never settle because there’s always room to improve. Your future self will be grateful that you did. You’re going to do great!

Studying Tips: How To Do It Right

Studying is the key to success but man is it hard. It takes discipline and focus to actually commit to the task. Or does it? These super, duper helpful tips will make studying a little less painful. You’ll be doing it like a pro in no time!

Learn to study

Find a good study spot

You don’t always have to camp out in the library. Find a spot that you feel comfortable in. Whether this is your bedroom, a coffee shop, or your mom’s couch; it works if you’re comfy. This will put your mind it as ease. You retain information more easily when you’re relaxed. That’s what studying is all about.

Lady doing DJFind what works for you.

Learning habits

Now that you’ve found a good spot, you need to find a good method. If furiously jotting down notes and memorizing them is your thing, cool. If that technique is getting stale, maybe switch it up a little. Changing things around keeps your brain from getting bored.

Take how you learn into consideration. You know what learning habits work best for you. If you’re a visual learner, draw some pictures, and make it a game. If you’re more an auditory learner, try writing a song or poem to help you memorize things better. Make things more interesting for yourself.

New stuff

Your brain likes shiny, bright colours, the smell of ink on paper, the sound a notebook makes when you crack it open for the first time. Keep this in mind when you’re studying. New stuff is refreshing and you will want to use them. You can check out Connections for any on campus deals.

Taking notes

Taking notes is a great idea, but it’s easy to miss something important if you aren’t paying attention. Try taking point form notes and expanding after class is done. If you summarize your notes later, you’ll spend more time listening in class. Active listening is great way to properly retain information.

You can easily improve your active listening skills in a few different ways. Try facing the speaker and making eye contact. You don’t have to stare them down (that’s weird). Eye contact is a good way to focus on what the speaker is saying. Pretend you’re having an interesting conversation with them. Don’t understand something? Ask pertinent questions. Not only will this show the speaker that you were listening, you’ll also get the answers you need.

When you’re jotting something down, make it count. Cater your note-taking to your learning style. If you’re a visual learner, quickly sketching something you can refer to when studying may work for you. Pictures are an easy way to remember something. You don’t need to be an artist either. Use the sketch as a reminder.

Need some help practicing these tips? The Student Learning Centre holds workshops on study skills and more!

Explain it

If you want to test if you were really listening, try summarize the lecture after class to a friend or family member. Not only will be sure to thoroughly understand what you just learned, you’ll know what to ask about if there are gaps.

Try explaining the lesson to yourself or some friends from class. You should have them explain it to you, too. If all of you are vague on a subject it will be worth bringing it up to the instructor for them to revisit.

Practice

It takes a while for something to become a habit. Studying is no exception. If you need an extra hand, Algonquin College is here to help. There’s a ton of Student Support Services you can take advantage of. This includes studying workshops, tutoring, and lots of other things. You’ll go through a lot of trial and error before you find the right method for your learning habits. Don’t give up. You’re killin’ it, friend! I believe in you.

How to decide between living on or off campus

Moving is tricky. Deciding where to move is trickier. That’s why we wanna help.

It’s your first year of post-secondary education and you’re not sure whether to live on or off campus? That’s a tough call. Good thing we weighed the pros and cons for you! Check out this list if you’re feeling a little torn.

Getting to know your new hood

Moving away from home can be overwhelming. Staying on campus can offer some peace of mind. By the end of your second week, you’ll know the campus like the back of your hand; being close to something you’re familiar with can be really comforting. This means you know how long it takes you to walk to class (meaning you might even be able to sleep in).

Living off campus means exploring a whole new life and neighbourhood. Living in uncharted territory is an adventure. You might have to commute to get to campus but that’s just another excuse to discover something you might have otherwise missed.

Social Butterfly

Living on campus means you’ll be close to your best buds at all times. It means you’ll never be alone and even if you are, you’ll never be lonely. Residence staff match like-minded students to support positive cohabitation. It’s easy to make friends! On campus residence is the greatest thing to ever happen to a social butterfly with events and leadership opportunities planned throughout the year. Whether you’re a bit more reserved or like being around people, this might be the place for you.

Living off campus means fending for yourself. Sure, you’ll get to know people in your hood, new classmates or roommates, but for the most part, everyone around you keeps to themselves. It’s a bit harder to make friends when you don’t already share a common living space. However, this lifestyle might be easier for you to study and reduce stress if you’re not used to a slightly busier lifestyle.

All in?

Some students seek housing in all-inclusive, off campus apartments like this one or this one. Rather than paying various bills, these guys come as a package deal. From communal kitchens, to lounge and study areas, all-inclusive housing is appealing. It’s got many of the advantages of living on campus, despite not actually being on campus.

Residence is also all-inclusive. At Algonquin College, you only pay for your room from September to April so you won’t be locked into a 12-month lease – but if you’re there for a 12-month program, you can stay through the summer too. Enjoy an array of great food options with nine food locations on campus (35thStreet Market Café located right inside Residence has some great grab-and-go items). On-campus Residence also offers spacious rooms and a variety of common spaces, including a games room, movie lounge and fitness room.

If you aren’t living in an all-inclusive apartment, you’ll have a lot more responsibilities. You’ll have to decide whether you want to live with roommates or on your own. You’ll need to figure out how to get to and from school (luckily all full-time Algonquin College students are eligible for a U-Pass). You’ll likely be paying various bills at once. First steps in #adulting. Consider the cost of rent, heating, hydro, gas, parking, laundry, furniture, cable, and Wi-Fi. We promise, we’re not trying to scare you. With cost sharing between roommates, this option is surprisingly most often the cheaper lifestyle.

 

We know it’s a hard decision to make. There are so many different things to consider. Just know that, regardless of where you end up living, you’re going to be just fine. This is a whole new adventure so start exploring, friend!

 

Chelsie McHugh is a third-year Algonquin College – Advertising and Marketing Communications student. She’s a funny, fiery redhead with a passion for writing.