Getting the School Year Off to the Best Possible Start

As it always does, the summer seems to have come to an end all too quickly. If you're one of the many students feeling a little reluctant about being back at school, it's time to change your outlook and to take some simple steps to ensure you get the school year off to a great start.

Create a Schedule and Daily To-Do List

If you want to survive college or university, you should have a comprehensive weekly schedule and daily to-do list. It’s the most effective way to stay organized, keep your priorities straight and ensure you complete all your important tasks and assignments. For optimal organization, consider using a cellphone app or a school planner. Create a daily to-do list with specific activities and assignments, then scratch the tasks off your list as you complete them. Alternatively, your weekly schedule can be vaguer and more open ended. Leave room for schedule changes and other surprises. Most importantly, remember that the more organized you are, the easier it will be to meet deadlines, schedule study times and perform well academically.

Use Student Software Programs and Apps

Plenty of software programs and apps are designed for students. They organize coursework and daily schedules, provide a system for balancing your work, school and personal life, provide reminders and help increase productivity and academic performance. There’s also software, apps and websites designed to help with assignments, projects or specific subjects. Apps and websites dedicated to math are particularly popular and useful. Some software and apps can even help you perform research, take notes and write essays. However, if an app isn’t enough, you can seek assistance at your campus learning centre.

Prepare to Live Independently

Independence is one of the most appealing aspects of attending college or university. Whether you’re living on campus or off campus in Ottawa student housing, living on your own can be incredibly fun, but also a little stressful at times. Get prepared and minimize stress!

·         Pack only the essentials

·         Choose your roommate(s) well (if applicable)

·         Learn as much as possible about your roommate(s)

·         Set ground rules

·         Choose affordable housing in a safe, student-friendly neighbourhood and building

·         Learn effective time-management and how to balance your work, school and personal life

·         Keep in touch with your friends and family

·         Ask for help when needed

·         Learn how to pay bills, shop for food and household products, clean, do laundry and cook simple meals

·         Ask for help reading and understanding your lease

Tackle Your Distractions

Distractions are one of the top reasons postsecondary students drop out. Although parties, video games, social media, hanging out with friends, etc. may be fun, they may also be so distracting that they negatively affect your academic performance. Staying up late all the time can also exacerbate stress and anxiety while limiting sleep. A lack of sleep can cause fatigue (obviously), confusion, irritability, health problems and so much more. It can also worsen stress and/or anxiety. All of these issues will negatively impact your ability to retain and recall information, concentrate in class and understand certain concepts. Keep the distractions to a minimum:

·         Only study in a quiet environment

·         Avoid going to parties during exam time

·         Set ground rules with yourself and your friends about partying, hanging out, etc. – stick to them!

·         Don’t overstuff your schedule by engaging in more activities than your time allows

·         Schedule leisure time, including spending time with loved ones

·         Monitor your leisure time, especially time spent on social media or doing online activities

·         Take care of your priorities before doing the fun stuff

·         Follow a schedule

Practice Taking Notes

Unbeknownst to many, notetaking is tantamount to the learning process. The better your notes, the easier it is to recall and retain information. Writing notes can also help with understanding. Often, it’s easier to understand concepts when you explain them to yourself. However, not all notes are comprehensive. For comprehensive notes, make sure they’re organized, use appropriate abbreviations and short phrases and only take notes on the most important points, for instance, don’t take too many or too few. Additionally, use multiple mediums; use note cards for vocabulary or if you’re taking notes from an online textbook, use the software provided to take notes or highlight pertinent information.

A Quick Guide To Moving To University

Moving to university is a major step in many young people’s lives. There are a lot of steps involved in the moving process, which can quickly overwhelm first-time university students, but with a bit of guidance, this process can become faster, easier and more efficient. Below is a quick guide to moving to university with as few hiccups as possible.

Pack Like a Pro

Packing is perhaps the most important and arduous part of moving. It requires planning, patience and organization. Without these things, the process may become time-consuming and stressful. But there are some tips and tricks that could help you pack like a professional. For example:

·         Start packing at least two weeks in advance

·         Create and follow a ‘packing to-do list’ and schedule

·         Scratch things off your to-do list as you complete them

·         Get packing materials

·         Throw away or donate unwanted items first

·         Pack the most difficult items and non-essentials (things you don’t use every day or often) before anything else

·         Some items may be provided by the university or your residence, so only pack the essentials

·         Obtain a list of the items provided, as well as a list of things you should bring

·         Ask friends and/or family to help you with your move

·         Secure a moving van or a car to move your belongings

·         Clean your space and separate your belongings into categories that include 'throw away,' 'leave behind,' 'take,' 'donate,' etc.

·         Label your boxes, don’t overstuff them, use appropriate packing materials (i.e. bubble wrap, packing tape, etc.), especially for fragile items or electronics and pack heavy items on the bottom of boxes

Secure Housing

Finding housing is really the first step in the moving process. It is, of course, also the most important step. But first decide if you want to live in a residence hall or in off-campus student housing. For a comfortable transition into your new housing, look for places that include the following amenities:  

·         A quiet study space, e.g. the library, study lounge or a quiet room

·         Proximity to your campus and/or transit

·         Space for fun and relaxation, such as a games lounge, fitness centre, movie theatre, etc., as well as quick access to neighbourhood amenities

·         A kitchen area or cooking space

·         On-site laundry and parking

·         Storage

·         Reliable Wi-fi

·         A workspace for homework and studying

·         Security and safety equipment and procedures

·         24-hour maintenance

Besides offering student-friendly conveniences, your housing should also be stable, in a safe neighbourhood and secured at least two months before the first semester begins. This will give you time to become familiar and comfortable with the housing facility, neighbourhood and your roommates (if applicable).

Introduce Yourself on Social Media

Social media can introduce you to your university and peers before the school year even begins. It can also offer vital information for navigating the campus, your courses, residence hall and more. Basically, information found on your university’s social media pages can act as a survival guide for your freshman year. Not to mention, social media provides a unique opportunity to connect with your peers, professors and student advisor. In fact, you should connect with your advisor before starting university. An advisor can offer advice on every aspect of university life, including choosing courses, joining student activities, finding a job or housing, making friends and so much more. You can also find ample help and information on campus events at your university’s student union Facebook page or social media groups.

How To Get Back into School Mode

A new school year is approaching, which means it's time to get back into academic mode. A summer full of relaxation, leisure activities and late nights, however, can make it a little difficult for many students to return to a school routine. Check out the following tips and make your transition as streamlined as possible:

Buy Your Textbooks Early

Before the school year begins, choose your first semester courses, create a workable schedule and purchase your textbooks as early as possible. Veteran students know that there’s always a rush to get the highest quality used textbooks at the lowest prices. The longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes. In fact, many used textbooks sell out in a matter of minutes. High competition can also make it impossible to get a fair price. If you want to save a ton of time and money, purchase your books at least two weeks before the semester begins. Ordering early is also essential if you’re buying your books online and having them shipped instead of buying them at the campus bookstore or ordering e-books. The earlier you order them, the faster you get them. An early purchase will also ensure the lowest price and level of competition.

Buy School Supplies

Buying school supplies can help get your mind back in the mode of going to class. To capitalize on this feeling, purchase your supplies one to two weeks before the semester begins. Make a list of all the essential and additional items you will need for the classroom. Besides plenty of pens, pencils and paper, you should also purchase:

·         Notebooks

·         A planner

·         Erasers

·         A stapler

·         Binders

·         A backpack

·         A calculator (if needed)

·         Highlighters

·         Rulers

·         A zip, USB or flash drive 

Follow a Schedule

Following a schedule is a key component of student life. For many, it’s also vital to success. An unpredictable, disorganized summer can leave you unprepared for a highly organized academic schedule. To get back into a rhythm before the school year begins, break out the old (or new) planner, create and follow a schedule. Doing this at least three weeks before the first semester begins can reduce early burnout and make it easier to adjust to the new school year. Plan your bedtimes, wake ups, meals, exercise, leisure activities and work schedule.  

Systematically Wake Up Earlier

Going to bed late and waking up late can be a difficult habit to break. As soon as you can, begin to systematically wake up and go to bed a little earlier. Go to bed an hour earlier and set your alarm to wake you up an hour earlier each week. To maintain consistency, switch this up every three to five days. The goal is to reach reasonable, fixed times for waking up and going to bed. Eventually, your body will adjust to the new sleep pattern.

Pack Up and Secure Housing

Packing and securing housing can be more complicated than most students anticipate, so choose your university residence as early as possible. This will leave plenty of time for packing and generally organizing your move. If you’re an incoming freshman, this process should be started even earlier.

Before packing, create a list of the items you will need, as well as those provided by the university or housing facility (if moving off-campus). Remember that packing is a process that should be done (ideally) over the course of a few weeks. This way, you will have time to organize your belongings, obtain packing materials, move things to storage, throw away or donate unwanted items and, of course, pack. Thorough planning and organization will help you avoid the frustration and stress associated with packing, especially if you’re a first-time mover. Packing a day or two before the semester begins can quickly become overwhelming, as the process is much more involved than you might imagine.

COOKING TIPS FOR STUDENTS

Moving away from home or residence and into off-campus housing is exciting and fun, but it also comes with new responsibilities like cooking your own meals. Unfortunately, many young people don’t have a lot of experience or confidence in this area. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should turn to fast food or even stay with the university cafeteria meals. There are some easy tips that can help you master cooking basics and learn to prepare simple dishes. Below are a few of these tips.

Stock Up on the Staples

Beans, rice, pasta, potatoes, flour, eggs, butter, onions, tomato paste, garlic, cooking oil, soup, ketchup, mustard, bread, peanut butter, milk, tea, coffee, sugar, salt, pepper and other herbs and spices are all kitchen staples every home and cook should have. These are versatile ingredients that can be used in a variety of ways and in a variety of dishes. Most of these ingredients can be found in many recipes, plus, it’s likely that most of the items will last a while, and you won’t need to restock often.

Freeze and Save

To save time, money and food, many people use their freezers for storage. You can freeze meals, sauces, soups and even some food items like bread. Freezing can extend the lifespan of any food. Some frozen foods can even last for months. When it’s time to use them, just defrost or heat them up. Your meal can be cooking while you're studying. For busy students, cooking then freezing their own food is a healthier alternative to frozen meals.

Don’t Be Afraid to Season

Herbs and spices can make any meal tastier. They can also introduce a novice cook to diverse flavours and enhance their confidence in the kitchen. A tastier meal is more satisfying, leading to better leftovers that effectively turn one meal into two or three. If you have dinner guests, good seasoning might impress them, and in turn, inspiring you to cook more often. Plus, good seasoning can just kick any meal up a notch. Seasonings every cook should have, include: cumin, chili powder, dried basil, oregano, garlic salt, onion salt, cayenne and black pepper, salt and paprika. Herb mixes are also convenient ways to season a meal.

Get Shopping and Cooking Tips from Home

Learning from others can be invaluable. However, when it comes to learning to cook, there’s truly no place like home. While at university, it’s likely the meals you will crave will be those from home. So, ask your parents for the recipes to your favourite meals, cooking demonstrations and/or tips for making these meals. You can also ask them for other simple recipes, cooking tips and kitchen secrets. Pair these tricks with shopping tips to become a tour de force in the kitchen. You can ask for tips on:

·         Creating a feasible food budget and shopping schedule

·         Meal planning

·         Buying the essentials and staples

·         Finding bargains and/or discounts

·         Using coupons

·         Shopping at the most affordable grocery stores

·         Choosing the freshest produce and healthiest food products

·         Cooking quick meals

·         Storing certain foods or leftovers

·         Buying foods that last

·         Navigating the grocery store

Plan All Meals

Planning meals can help you save time and eliminate the urge to buy fast food when faced with time constraints. This is an innovative way to stay aware of your health and what you eat. For effective meal planning, plan your meals at least a week in advance. Fortunately, living in off-campus student housing makes it easier to plan meals and watch what you eat. Additionally, ensure your plan and meal preparation includes snacks to prevent impulsive eating and wasting money at vending machines.

A great place for students to live – and cook – in Ottawa is 1Eleven. Fully equipped kitchens make planning and preparing your meals fun. Book your tour today!

Tips to Make Moving Out for the First Time a Stress-Free Experience

Moving away from home can be one of the most stressful steps in young adulthood, but it can also be one of the most fun and exciting experiences. Finding your own home at university or anywhere else can bring freedom, independence and your first real taste of what it means to be an adult. Moving takes time and planning, but with a few simple tips, you can reduce the stress and/or anxiety of moving away from your family home and into your own place.

Be a Smart Packer

Packing is one of the most time-consuming, stressful steps in the moving process. Whether you’re moving away from home or your dorm, you will need to know how to pack and what to pack. To pack successfully, you should:

·         Book a mover, moving van or ask your friends or family for help

·         Take inventory of all your belongings

·         Make a packing 'to-do' list

·         Create a checklist of all the items you will need or all the items you’re going to take or leave behind

·         Buy packing materials and other items you will need in your new home

·         Sort your belongings by room or area and place them into 'keep or take,' 'leave,' 'donate' or 'throw away' categories

·         Throw away or donate any unwanted items

·         Label your boxes by room, area or category

·         Pack the non-essential or rarely used items first and the rest a few days before the move

·         Place all of your packed boxes into an easily- accessible area

If you’re moving to a university residence, there are certain items that will be provided, which simplifies your move. Generally, you will only need essential clothing and shoes, bedding and towels, hygiene products, a few books, a laptop and/or tablet, some kitchen utensils and dishes, school supplies and storage bins. Or, if you wish to live off-campus, choosing a place like 1Eleven, where the suites are furnished, will also minimize what you're required to pack.  

Create a Budget

Moving off-campus can be intimidating, especially if you don’t know how to budget your money. When you move into off-campus Ottawa student housing, you will need to pay for rent, groceries, utilities (if your apartment isn’t all-inclusive), household items, transit, additional housing fees and more. So, a budget is essential to successful financial management. A monthly budget might also be needed when you move into a dorm, as food, entertainment, laundry and transit can quickly become too expensive if you don’t budget well. For help, you could visit your school’s financial centre or download a budget app or software. Just ensure your budget includes all of your income and expenditures. Budgeting successfully can help you save money and more.

Ask for Help

No matter your age or experience, most people need help with the moving process. It’s stressful, time-consuming, labour-intensive and nearly impossible to do alone. The process is especially difficult when you’ve never moved on your own or if you’re moving to your first apartment. Friends and family who formerly attended university should be able to provide useful tips about dorm life and off-campus housing. Your parents and others can teach you how to shop for food wisely, budget wisely, pay bills and create healthy, inexpensive meals.

University services can also provide useful support. For example, you could find housing or roommates from the housing board, get financial support at the financial aid office, find a job on a job board and much more. Your friends and family can also help you with packing, moving and loading boxes, providing a moving van and moving your belongings to university or your new apartment.

Find a Roommate

Roommates can make university living more exciting and affordable. Plus, if you’re moving off-campus, you can choose your roommate(s). Sharing the rent and household expenses and duties can leave you more time and money to do what you like. It could also alleviate some of the stress of moving away from home or residence. Just remember to split the expenses and chores evenly and set some ground rules for cooking, cleaning, parties, guests and sharing common items or spaces. 

 Still looking for housing for the upcoming school year? Book a tour of 1Eleven today!

Top Tips for Settling Into University

Starting university will be one of the major changes in your life. You’ll suddenly be surrounded by new people in a new environment. To feel at home, you need to find ways to settle in.

Get to Know the Area

Familiarize yourself with what’s around by taking a walk or drive. Use the chance to explore as well as to note where key places are — like the supermarket, cafés, bars, and bus stops. This will prevent frustration when you actually need to find those places.

Visit Campus

Take a visit to campus before the semester begins to learn the layout of the buildings. This will avoid you feeling lost when you arrive. Find out where your classes will take place as well as where key places like the library are.

Find Off Campus Student Housing

Whereas living on campus does help you meet new people, it can make adjusting to your new life even more difficult. For instance, you need to learn to live in close quarters with a roommate and share facilities with a large number of other students. Living off campus will make the transition to university easier, as you can create your own space to call home.

Bring Some Personal Items

You should bring mainly just the essentials when you move; however, you will still need a few personal items to be comfortable. Think of ways to make your space comfortable after a long day of classes. For instance, a favourite cushion, framed photos, and posters for the wall can remind you of friends and family and help you feel like yourself.

Join Events

Find out about events organized by your university, the students, and the wider community. This will introduce you to people early on and show you opportunities to purse your hobbies and passions.

Create a Routine

Decide on a routine and make sure you stick to it. Plan things like what time you’ll wake up and go to bed on weekdays, how many hours you want to spend studying, and when you want to socialize. Make sure that you also schedule time just to relax.

Probably the most important item on this list is finding ideal housing. One of the best types of off campus housing is a bachelor apartment in Ottawa. Students can benefit from housing like 1Eleven, a community of bachelor apartments just for students. This is perfect for having your own space, never feeling lonely, and being near to campus.

Skills Your Future Employer Will Be Looking For – Start Brushing Up Now!

University is all about preparing for the future, especially a future job. And preparing for a future job means acquiring knowledge and developing skills that employers will be looking for. Although career preparation and development matters greatly, there are some fundamental skills every college student will need to be successful employees. These fundamental skills include:

•         Good Communication
•         Strong Leadership
•         Demonstrated Self-Discipline
•         Ability to Work Well with Others
•         Proper Organization

Good Communication Skills

Good communication skills are important in many areas of life, especially in a work environment. They can help ensure you get along with your boss and colleagues, report and solve problems efficiently, relay information clearly and accurately and build strong client relationships. Since strong communication must be demonstrated verbally and in writing, many university courses incorporate curriculum that helps build these skills. Most courses include oral presentations and essay writing, designed to help students become better at public speaking, writing and arguing. This can provide an advantage in résumé writing and job interviews, ensuring you leave impressions that can help secure employment. However, to become an even stronger, more confident communicator, engage in extracurricular activities that allow you to demonstrate your skills, such as blogging, debate club, etc.

Strong Leadership Skills

Not everyone can be a leader, but employers are more impressed by employees with strong leadership skills. Strong leaders, or individuals with the ability to become strong leaders, are assets to an organization. To demonstrate strong leadership, you must:

Show initiative

•         Display superior understanding of technical concepts
•         Demonstrate excellent problem-solving skills
•         Have good relationships with colleagues and clients
•         Be willing to take on additional duties and responsibilities
•         Show progression in your role
•         Utilize your skills effectively and efficiently
•         Demonstrate the ability to lead and work well with others, as well as take the lead when needed

Remember, leadership skills can give you the advantage in the interview process and work environment and make you a more desirable employee to future employers.

Demonstrated Self-Discipline

Most employers provide support on projects; create milestones and deadlines and present work guidelines to employees. But they also expect their employees to be self-starters with the discipline to perform duties and complete tasks in an efficient manner. So, to be a successful employee, you will need to manage your work and time well. While this is easy to demonstrate in a work environment, showing this skill during an interview is as simple as providing past examples. For instance, you could explain to your future employer how you used self-discipline to balance work, classes and study time while attending university.

Ability to Work Well with Others

Strong teamwork is one of the most sought-after traits in employees. Thus, it should be a trait you spend a lot of time working on. You don’t have to be a people person, but you should get along with any team members, colleagues from different departments and supervisors. To show your teamwork skill during an interview or on an application, provide examples of successful group projects or other activities you participated in during university. This is important, as college essentially prepares you for group activities.

In fact, these years provide you with extensive experience working with others, especially in your living environment. Maintaining a dorm room or apartment requires teamwork. Team experience gained from living with roommates in residence halls or any student housing Ottawa has to offer can easily transfer to a work environment.

Proper Organization

Disorganized employees are generally less productive, less efficient and less desirable. Proper organization can help you manage your work well, keep track of documents and other important items, maintain high productivity and meet deadlines. This is another skill that’s easy to demonstrate at work, but you must provide examples during the interview process. However, your potential employers may find hints of your organization skills in how you present yourself. For example, a well-organized résumé can serve as the first clue to your organization skills.

Speaking of getting organized, don't forget to secure your place at 1Eleven for the fall – contact us today!

How to Save Money This Summer As A Student Or New Grad

University can be expensive. So expensive that it could have you looking to save money any way you can. For some students or new graduates, this isn’t an easy feat, especially when you don’t have a job or have a mountain of expenses. But, with some ingenuity, it can be done. Since most students don’t attend school during the summer, this is one of the best times to save money. This means:

·         Getting a Summer Job

·         Finding Affordable Housing

·         Walking or Riding a Bike Instead of Driving

·         Choosing Cheap Entertainment

·         Partying Less

Get a Summer Job

For students, summer is the perfect time to get a job. Your job won’t conflict with your course schedule, it will help cover you expenses during your time off and possibly provide the opportunity to save some money. During the summer, you will be able to work full-time and earn more money. Without school in the way, you also won’t have to overextend yourself, which should leave plenty of time for fun in the sun.

Find Affordable Housing

If you’ve been paying too much for housing, summer is the perfect time to look for other options. Ottawa student housing is usually readily available during the season, as students abandon their apartments for home or other housing. You will find that all-inclusive housing, like the suites at 1Eleven, are an affordable option. Our housing is not only affordable, but it also offers a variety of amenities for every season. Renting an all-inclusive apartment can help you save money for the fall, especially if you rent with roommates.

Walk or Ride a Bike Instead of Driving

Maintaining a car can cost a lot of money. This is an expense many college students and new grads can’t afford. Fortunately, during the warm, beautiful summer, you can walk or ride a bike to most destinations. Travelling on foot or via bicycle is even more affordable than taking public transit. It’s also the ideal way for students to travel during the summer. Because it’s free, you’re sure to save money. If you’re travelling a long distance, however, public transit can be an inexpensive, safe way to get there. If you don’t need it, leave the car at home!

Choose Cheap Entertainment

Summer is full of inexpensive or even free entertainment – if you know where to look. For example, you can find fun and excitement at a public park. It’s a free, versatile place to hangout with your friends and that offers plenty of opportunities for fun. You could have a picnic, play sports (e.g. football or baseball) or outdoor games like Frisbee, take a walk or ride a bike, read a book or just ‘people watch.’ Summer is also the time for blockbuster movies, and movie tickets are relatively cheap. Equally cheap and more intellectually stimulating than the movies, are museums and art galleries. Free festivals in and around the city may also become available during the summer, which can be inexpensive sources of entertainment. Just remember to spend your money wisely and be as frugal as possible.

Party Less

Partying is often considered the number one source of fun for many students. Unfortunately, it’s also the most expensive activity to engage in. The cost of drinks, food, transportation and venue entry fees can quickly add up. It’s tempting to want to party during the summer, but remember that the less you go out, the more you save.

Look for ways to save money this summer and set yourself up to start the school year off on the right foot. If you're attending the University of Ottawa in the fall, secure your spot in our affordable student housing residence today!