Month: August 2021

Preparing for College: Feeling like an AC student!

Welcome to part three of our ongoing series to help you get prepared to start your studies or a new semester!

While some programs will be returning to campus and others will remain remote this Fall we wanted to share some ways that anyone can feel like an AC Student!

Participate in AC Day One Activities

AC Day One is the official start to the semester! It’s a day that involves program orientation, events, and activities which are all currently being delivered virtually. Learn how to navigate the online library, get questions answered about your health plan, booklists and materials, and how to get started with Brightspace and Zoom. Then have some fun! Join in with other students to chat on discord, play trivia, sketch & stretch, enjoy a comedy show, and more! Check out the full listing of events and sign up today!

Add Merch to your Shopping Cart when ordering your textbooks

While you’re scrolling or strolling through Connections – The Campus Store for your textbooks and materials, maybe add a sweater, mug, or even cute pet accessory!

Join Clubs & Communities

Getting involved in extra-curricular activities can help you feel more connected to others and can offer some balance to your school experience. They are a great way to meet people and participate in fun activities or get involved in the community. There are groups for everything from sports and politics, to gaming and culture. Check out the full listing or if you have a great idea, start your own club!

Join Facebook Groups for your program

A quick search of the groups section of Facebook shows that there are all student groups, year specific groups, program specific groups, and more! Join them, meet new people, learn about what’s going on, and get involved with the AC community.

Follow AC accounts on Social Media

Algonquin College has main accounts on most major platforms as well as a variety of accounts for different campuses, services, and departments. Following different accounts is a great way to stay informed about what is going on at AC and can help you connect with other students.

Reach out to people in your program

You’ll be interacting with your classmates on a regular basis, if you find someone you think is interesting or that you might connect with, reach out to them! Reaching out to someone and starting a conversation can be the fastest way to make college friends and feel like you’re part of a student community.

Preparing for College: Planning for a new school year!

Welcome to the second part of our ongoing series to help you get prepared to start your studies or a new semester!

Make sure your technology is up to date and working

First things first! There is nothing worse than having your technology fail when you’re trying to start off the school year, it can leave you behind in your work or unable to participate in classes fully. Check out the requirements for your program and make sure you check all your tools and make sure they are operating to the best of their ability. If you need anything fixed or replaced try to do it before the semester starts, and don’t forget about those student discounts!

Establish spaces to study

There are lots of differences between remote-learning and in-person learning but what is essential for both is to establish some good study spaces whether its at home or on campus. Having a place that mentally helps you shift into study mode can help you maintain focus and make it easier to get work done.

Purchase Your Textbooks (or any other equipment you may need)

Do this before the semester starts so that you can make sure you have everything ready to learn on the first day of classes! Some courses dive right in and you need all your materials, texts, and equipment right from the start. Booklists are available in your course materials or visit the Campus Book Store where you can search for your texts based on the course you’re enrolled in.

Establish routines prior to the start of classes

Depending on your out of school routines, you might be sleeping in a lot or have some irregular life patterns. Starting the week before school, or even earlier, to establish some routines that will help get you ready for school life and schedules school hours can be a great way to make sure you are prepared and ready for the first day. It can be really hard to just jump into changes and giving yourself some time can help your brain adjust and be ready to learn.

Set up your email and check it regularly

Your email is how the college, your fellow students, your professors, and facilitators are going to be staying in touch with you. Make sure to get it set it up and check it at least once a day!

Check out your timetable on ACSIS

Your timetable will tell you where and when your classes are as well as who is teaching them. Check out your schedule on ACSIS well in advance of classes starting so that you can make sure you’re all ready when the first day comes.

Complete your Online Prep!

Algonquin has a whole step by step process of lists, tutorials, and even fun items to help you get ready, prepped, and excited to start the semester. Head over to the Orientation Website for more details.

Download the Brightspace Mobile App

Brightspace is the online portal that Algonquin College uses to make digital materials available for courses, it’s also used for online discussions, assignment submissions, testing, and more. You will get super familiar with the system over the semester. What many students don’t realize is that Brightspace has a mobile app that is easy to use and super helpful especially for seeing what assignments are coming up and keeping track of updates from your courses.

Preparing For College: Budgeting & Finances

We’re excited to bring you a new series all about what to do to get yourself prepared for starting college or even just a new semester!

Apply for OSAP

First things first! Apply for OSAP! You are not obligated to take the money that OSAP offers to you but this is an opportunity to receive grants (the stuff you don’t have to pay back) in addition to loans. Applying for OSAP can also make you eligible for some on campus jobs, so again, APPLY FOR OSAP!

Check out Algonquin College’s Financial Aid webpage for resources and details on applying.

Check out the Algonquin College Bursary Portal

Algonquin College has their own Bursary Portal that you can access through your ACSIS account! It usually requires you to give a few additional details but it only takes a few minutes to complete and can offer you a bit of extra money to help towards school!

Apply for awards and scholarships.

Awards and scholarships are a great way to get some extra funding towards your education and they are available from a wide variety of place, you just have to apply. Algonquin College has their own established awards and bursaries , you can also find listings of grants, scholarships, and awards from websites like Scholarships Canada, Yconic, and Student Awards. It’s also worth checking out your bank, many major banks offer scholarships, grants, and bursaries, you just have to do a quick Google search.

Figure out your expenses.

Figure out what your expenses are! Making a list of your expenses is important so that you know upfront how much money you will need and also so that some large expense doesn’t pop up out of nowhere! Make sure to list: tuition, books, cost of living expenses (rent, bills, car payments, cellphone, etc.), any extra fees for your program and any tools you might need for school (laptop, software, camera, notebooks, tools). And don’t forget to take advantage of student discounts!!

Check out budgeting apps & tools

These days there are all sorts of tools to help you budget. Try a few and see what works best for you. Check out our address your financial stress article for some great ideas for where to start, or this great comparison of budget apps from Young and Thrifty.

Check out the resources from AC

Algonquin College has specific resources from Financial Aid that can help support you financially as you make your way through your education.

Find part-time employment.

If you’re able, try taking on a part-time employment! Algonquin College has job opportunities on campus or find something local to you. Even better, try finding something that relates to your area of study.

Use your summer job to fund your school year.

Summer jobs are a great way to earn money to help you pay for all your needs through the school year or help you get that extra bit of spending money for fun breaks during the semester.

Working while in school? We have some great advice for YOU!

There are lots of benefits to working during your time in College, the top ones that come up over and over again tend to be financial, skill, and/or experience related. Here are our top 3 benefits for working while in school and some advice from AC Alumni and students on managing that work-school life.

Benefits

Money!

The reason most students work is financially motivated, which makes sense, since working while in school can help you pay your bills, lessen your students loans, or even just give you some spending money for the things you want.

Boost your time management skills

Balancing work and school is an excellent test of your time management skills or a great way to improve them. Figuring out how to balance work responsibilities, school work requirements, and your personal responsibilities is good practice for the future. Any employer, no matter what field you work in after college, is looking to hire people who can manage their time and their work effectively to get things done and within time limits.

Work experience

Work experience on your resume is always a good thing. Work experience that ties into your studies is even better! It can elevate your learning by offering you real world experiences to boost your comprehension.

There are great benefits to working while in school, but it is always good to keep in mind that things are not always simple or easy, so we asked some students and alumni for advice they wish someone had given them before they got started.

Advice

Prioritize your studies.

“My number one piece of advice for you, as someone who has been working two part-time jobs through school, is to make school your number one priority and let your employer know this. Making your employer aware of this, or finding an employer who will understand this is absolutely key. College offers you so many opportunities for your future + you are paying to learn, so make the most of the experience!” Paige, Current Student, Business Marketing.

Know that you can do anything but be realistic.

“You are capable of more than you think. If you work hard, it IS going to pay off. You are not expected to take on everything, but you can handle whatever is thrown your way!” Mariah, Recent Graduate of the Recreation and Leisure Studies program, Current Student, Personal Support Worker.

When deciding how many hours to work, remember to book some time for you!

“Make sure you’re giving yourself some downtime and not just filling your schedule with school and shifts at work. Make sure you’re open with your employer and that school is a priority. If your employer isn’t willing to work with you, it might be time to find a new job. Save, save, save! School is expensive, and if you’re going to be working through school, make sure you’re not just spending everything you make.” Abigail, AC Alumni and Current Student, Radio Broadcasting.

Communicate with your employer.

“Prioritize school over everything else, you will get through it. Discuss your priorities with your boss and figure out how your role and hours can be adjusted to best suit your needs.” Joel, AC Alumni, Computer Programming

Vaccinated Ottawa summer bucket list!

As things in Ottawa start to open up a little bit more and vaccination rates go up we thought it would be a good idea to add a few more items to your Ottawa Summer Bucket List! Make sure to check out the Government of Canada’s safety guidelines for fully vaccinated and partially vaccinated individuals.

Adventures in the Outdoors

Looking for some outdoor adventures to try out? There are tons of opportunities all around Ottawa. Try out the brand new and exciting Interprovincial Zipline, Interzip Rogers! Or maybe you want something on the water, in that case check out the white water rafting and kayaking opportunities Ottawa has to offer!

If you’re more interested in hiking, with the lessened restrictions, you should now head out to explore a new trail in Gatineau Park. With a wide variety of trails at various levels of difficulty, there is a little something for everyone.

Ottawa is centrally located to a whole lot of camping opportunities, so if you’re a camper or an aspiring one, you’re in luck! There are lots of local provincial parks you can book with and … FUN FACT: Many provincial parks this summer are offering free day-use from Monday – Thursday, so if you need an affordable daytrip or adventure check them out.

Looking for something truly unique and exciting? Every year around the end of August, just across the river, Gatineau hosts its own Hot Air Balloon Festival! Head over to witness a sky full of hot air balloons, or even sign up to take a ride up in one.

Fun with Friends

If your friend group is fully vaccinated, it opens up a whole bunch of new opportunities for fun together. Ottawa is home to some really great patios that you should check out. Or if you want to try a variety of places why not join in on a tour? There are even some novel ones like the Thursty Pedaler’s 15-person party bike pub or coffee crawl.

If you’re looking for more of a relaxing day on the water, why not head over to Dows Lake for some pedal boating or to any of the Ottawa local beaches for a lay in the sun, frolic in the water, or just a simple picnic?

Have you ever been to a drive in movie? Well. if you have a car (or a friend with a car), grab some pillows, blankets and a group of friends and pile in for a super fun outdoor movie experience!

A favourite summer aspect for lots of us is fresh summer produce! And it doesn’t get much fresher than picking it yourself straight from the bush! Ottawa has lots of spaces in the surrounding area to go have some fun picking your own berries even well into August and sometimes the start of September.

Rainy Day Activities

Ottawa is home to a whole host of museums and galleries that have now reopened in Phase 3! They have wonderful regular exhibits to check out as well an array of special temporary exhibits to explore. There are often some really great student discounts so don’t forget your student card!

Need a break?

Maybe some time to really relax away from all your responsibilities? Nordik Spa Nature should be at the top of your list! A nordic style spa located just over in Chelsea, Quebec, it is the largest spa in North America, and is so immersive you will literally forget that you are only 20 minutes from home.

Want to treat yourself to a nice treatment closer to home? Algonquin College’s Salon and Spa is now open until August 20th.

Did someone say Road Trip??

Around Ottawa there are some stunning small towns and attractions that are definitely worth checking out and make for a great day trip or weekend getaway!

And it wouldn’t be a summer bucket list if I didn’t add Ice Cream!

We found this great round up of Ice Cream in Ottawa organized by locations! So, why not pick a part of town to explore and spot by one (or more) of these great spots!

So, which of these are you adding to your Summer Bucket List?

Don’t forget to grab your mask, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, reusable water bottle, abide by Ottawa Public Health guidelines, and get out to enjoy all that Ottawa has to offer!