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Completing college will make a big difference to the job opportunities available to you. Unfortunately, though, most employers still prefer candidates with at least some experience. There are several ways you can gain work experience while you’re still a student to give yourself an edge over other graduates.

1. Use Your College Career Services

Beyond providing you with an education, your college can help you in ways. One service you should check out is career support. An advisor will be able to give you ideas for possible jobs to pursue that match your goals, prepare you for interviews, and check your resume.

2. Search for a Job on Campus

There are usually many opportunities to work on campus. Often, these positions are only open to students, which reduces the competition. Other advantages to working on campus are that it will be easy to get to your job and you’ll have an employer who understands that you need to fit your schedule around academic commitments (like classes and preparing for exams).

3. Volunteer at a Club

A great way to pair your passions with work experience is to join a club at college and volunteer for a leadership position. You may need to win an election to gain the post you want, which could mean you face some competition. If you’re unsuccessful in your first year, consider settling for a different volunteer position and running for the next election after you’ve learned more about the club. This will look extra impressive on your resume.

4. Apply for a Summer Internship

To gain experience for the career you want to pursue, find an internship for the summer. Check your college publications to see if they’re advertising anything you may be interested in and do your own research. Bear in mind that it’s sometimes necessary to apply several months in advance and that the application process can take several steps. Keep a note of upcoming deadlines to ensure you don’t miss out on a great opportunity.

5. Network with Your Contacts

Utilize all your connections to open up more possibilities than you’d find on your own. Talk to professors, alumni, and family members who have contacts in the field you want to enter. You’ll find that people want you to succeed and will be happy to help.

6. Consider Diverse Opportunities

Avoid limiting yourself too much when looking for a job or internship. Dismissing opportunities because you’re only interested in something specific could mean you end up with nothing. Remember that a wide variety of positions could give you valuable experience, including learning how to collaborate in a team, developing your organizational skills, and working with customers.

After a long day of classes and work, it’s important you have a comfortable home to return to, such as in student rentals. Barrie students can live in a spacious townhouse or suite at Arcadian Students. As well as spending time alone in your private bedroom, you can relax in the clubhouse, work out at the fitness centre or outdoor basketball hoop, or escape to one of the study rooms to work on an assignment. Apply now to secure our lowest rates.

Online classes have now become permanent for many students, for better or for worse. Unfortunately, it can be more difficult to stay focused when you’re staring at a screen than when you’re in the same room as your professor. The good news is that there are ways to stay engaged and take full advantage of your classes, even when they are online.

1. Decide Where You’ll Take Classes

Put yourself in the right frame of mind by designating a spot for all your classes. For most students, this will likely be a desk, but you may prefer the couch in the living room, the kitchen table, or somewhere else in your student housing. Just make sure you won’t face too many interruptions and will be able to remain there comfortably until your class is over.

2. Exercise During Your Breaks

Between classes, step away from the screen to give your eyes a rest and move your body to prevent strain. Depending on how much time you have, you may even be able to fit in a short workout, a stroll, or some quick stretches. It’s best of all if you can head outdoors for some fresh air and sun.

3. Sit Near a Window

If possible, take classes near a window. This will give you some sun all day long, increasing your vitamin D intake. Plus, glancing outside to the trees and blue skies is relaxing, which can keep you motivated during classes.

4. Keep Your Phone Out of Reach

When a class is moving a bit slowly, it can be tempting to reach for your phone to check if you have any messages or to start scrolling through social media. Soon, though, you’ll find that you’re not paying any attention to the class. To take full advantage of your college education, you need to at least try to stay focused. The best way to do this is to keep your phone out of reach during class time.

5. Let Others Know That You’re in Class

Another way you may become distracted is if the people you live with want to talk to you during class. This is particularly a risk if you like to take classes in a shared space, such as in the living room. However, roommates could also knock on your door if you’re in your bedroom. Let everyone around know when you’re in class and need to be left alone. You could even use a system like a sign hanging on your door.

6. Stay Hydrated and Eat Well

It’s difficult to stay focused if you’re dehydrated or hungry. Keep water nearby, and perhaps some healthy snacks as well. Plus, figure out when you’ll have meals — if you’re limited for time, you could prepare food in advance.

7. Split Your Screen or Handwrite Your Notes

To avoid missing parts of the presentation, split your screen to watch the class and type at the same time. Alternatively, you may prefer to handwrite your notes. Many students find that this helps them retain information better, and you can always type your notes up later when you’re organizing them after class. Of course, it may be difficult to write quickly enough, depending on how fast your professor talks.

To succeed with online classes, it’s crucial that you’re able to attend in a quiet environment. This means having either a private bedroom or access to a study space. At Arcadian Students, you’ll have both. Our alternative to Georgian College residence provides you with your own room in a townhouse or suite as well as community amenities like a clubhouse and study rooms — and everywhere has fast internet. Apply for a lease now to start getting more out of your time at college.

It’s difficult to know when you should start looking for your post-college job. You’re unavailable to begin working immediately, but, ideally, you want something lined up for soon after you finish college. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this problem: it depends on a variety of factors, including your industry and the kind of job you want. You may be able to wait until spring of your senior year to start applying, or it could be necessary to start reaching out to companies much sooner. Here are some considerations to help you make the right decision.

Jobs with Training Programs

You’ll need to apply early if the job you want requires you to complete a competitive training program. Recruitment for these kinds of jobs often starts in September, but candidates don’t typically receive offers until at least November. This includes jobs in the financial sector, particularly in consulting and accounting.

Internships Leading to Employment

Some organizations recruit many of their new employees through internship programs. In particular, positions in banking and business management tend to start out with internships, with the top students being offered employment when they graduate. If this is likely to be the case for the kind of job you want, you should apply for internships that you can take over the summer of your junior year.

Opportunities Available Later in the Year

Some companies don’t start the recruitment process until the spring or later. This includes small businesses that lack training programs as well as companies in sectors like advertising, communication, publishing, and the arts. Furthermore, assistant positions often open as they become available, particularly for editorial, human resources, gallery, and broker’s assistants.

Finally, many other jobs only open in the spring after companies have finished internal promotions and determined their need for additional employees.

Unlisted Jobs

It’s also possible to apply for jobs that are unadvertised by reaching out to companies you’d like to work for. You should do this as early as possible, sending a resume and cover letter detailing your relevant experience and explaining what kind of position you’re interested in. Ask when interviews will begin for suitable jobs. If you receive a reply that interviews are several months away, it’s a good idea to send another email nearer the time to remind the company that you’re still interested.

Including Your College Education on Your Resume

In all the above situations, you’ll be using a qualification you haven’t yet earned to land the job. For this reason, it’s important to include your college education on your resume. All you need to do is include the name of the institution, the type of degree you’re earning, your major, and your expected graduation date. You can even include the words “expected graduation” after the date to make it extra clear that you’re still in college.

Make your senior year of college the best yet by moving into better student housing. Barrie has Arcadian Students — modern student living with all the amenities you need to be successful in your final year, including spacious private bedrooms, high-speed internet, and quiet study rooms. Secure your spot before all the suites are taken.

Although you likely started the semester with the best intentions, it’s not unusual to notice your grades start to slip at some point. This can be demotivating — which can make your grades slip even further. To improve your performance and achieve the grades you want, there are a few things to do.

1. Figure Out Why Your Grades Are Slipping

It’s only possible to fix your situation if you can figure out why you’re having problems. There are several possibilities, ranging from a workload that’s too heavy to misunderstanding the expectations of your professors. Alternatively, it could just be that you don’t enjoy what you’re learning.
To determine the cause of your poor grades, assess each of your classes in turn. You may be succeeding with some classes and struggling with others. Think about whether those you find difficult have any similarities. If you’re finding all of your classes too challenging, there could be an external factor at play.

2. Create an Action Plan

Once you know why you’re struggling, you can start thinking about ways to overcome your problems. If you find the material for several classes difficult, working with a tutor may help. If your personal life is impacting your ability to study, you may find it beneficial to use any counselling services your college offers. Whatever you decide to do, write down your ideas along with a timeline. To check that you’re on track, set some achievable goals, such as obtaining a particular grade on your next paper.

3. Be Disciplined

To see results, you’ll need to stick to your action plan. This may mean attending every lecture and tutoring session without fail or paying a professor a visit during office hours — even though you find talking about your assignments uncomfortable. You’ll also need to make sure you stick to a study schedule, including when other opportunities arise that are more appealing, such as going out with friends. Finally, you’ll need to put in the effort to stay focused while you’re studying and avoid distractions. Otherwise, you’ll find that you end up writing assignments right before the due date, which makes it difficult to do your best work.

4. Reassess the Situation and Adapt Your Action Plan

Check that you’re right about the reasons for your grades slipping and that your action plan is working by monitoring your grades. If you’re still not seeing the results you wanted, you may need to come up with more solutions (such as dropping a class or activity) or improve your self-discipline. Alternatively, it may be that you need to be more realistic about what you can expect to achieve at college.

If one of the reasons why you’re struggling to do well is that you’re unable to concentrate on your study while living on campus, the solution is to search for rooms for rent. Barrie students can find a home in a vibrant student community at Arcadian Students. You’ll have your own room in a five-bedroom suite or townhouse along with great onsite amenities like study rooms, a clubhouse, and an outdoor area. Apply now to secure our lowest rates — available for a limited time only.

When you’re not particularly in the mood for a lecture, it can be hard to stay focused — especially if the lecture is long. In fact, some students choose just to skip them. However, this means it’s much more difficult to do well on your assignments and finals, as you’ll have missed out on key information to help you understand the materials. Here are a few things you can do to get through even the longest lectures and come away feeling that you’ve learned something.

1. Watch the Recording

It’s worth watching the recording of the lecture at a later date to refresh your memory, such as before you write a paper on the topic. If your college doesn’t record lectures, you can make your own audio recording using your phone. Either way, consider increasing the speed of the playback. This is effective and will prevent you from spending a large amount of time on the same lecture twice.

2. Sit at the Front

To stay focused (and make a clear recording of the lecture), it’s best to sit at the front near the middle of the room. You’ll also be able to hear better and have a clear view of the slides.

3. Learn to Take Better Notes

Note taking sounds easy, but most students quickly discover that this is a skill they need to improve. It’s important to use shorthand to keep up with the lecturer — after all, it doesn’t matter if no one else understands what your notes mean, although it should be obvious to you later. It can also be useful to use diagrams instead of just sticking to words.

Whereas typing can mean you take notes faster, many students find that they retain information better when they write by hand. You may also like to write in two or more different colours. If you want to have a digital version of your notes, consider typing them up later. The added benefit of this is it means you’ll look through your notes again soon after the lecture.

4. Ask Questions

If your professor says something you don’t understand, ask for clarification. While there will likely be a limited amount of time for questions, most professors still want their students to be able to follow the lecture. For more in-depth discussions, save your question until after the lecture or visit your professor during office hours. Just make sure you do ask at some point.

5. Fuel Up

Avoid heading to an early morning lecture on an empty stomach. If you don’t have time for a proper breakfast, at least grab a quick, healthy snack. It’s also worth having a bottle of water with you. This is better than relying on caffeine and energy drinks, as you won’t crash later and feel worse than ever.

6. Attend with a Friend

Try to make a friend in every class. This should motivate you to attend your lectures. Plus, you can talk afterward about what you learned and compare notes to ensure you didn’t miss anything important.

7. Choose Classes You’ll Enjoy

You’ll look forward to your lectures if you enjoy the topics. While many classes are essential for your major, you can still choose electives that interest you. If you find many of your required classes boring, you may like to consider switching majors.

To succeed at college, you’ll also need to dedicate plenty of time to studying on your own. Find a room for rent near Georgian College, Barrie, where you can study in peace at Arcadian Students. Our student housing also has high-speed internet and dedicated study rooms. Book a tour to check out the community before you sign a lease.

Spring break is the time of year many college students most look forward to. The problem is that trips can easily become expensive and you may end up spending more than your budget for the month. However, with some careful planning, there are several ways you can save money and still have a great time.

1. Choose a Lesser-Known Destination

Whether you want beaches and sun, the party scene, or adventure, there are a huge number of possible destinations. Avoid the most popular places and think outside the box. You may even find somewhere that’s relatively unknown now but becomes a top destination in a few years.

2. Search for Deals

Spend some time seeking out deals. Look for discounts on accommodation, monitor flight prices, and see if you can find all-inclusive packages at a good price.

3. Book as Soon as Possible

The moment you find a good deal, book your trip. Prices will start to increase as spring break nears and tourists who didn’t think ahead will need to pay a premium.

4. Share Expenses with Friends

Travelling with a group of friends is not only more fun, it will also save you money. Renting one large vacation home instead of separate hotel rooms is much less expensive and means you’ll always be with your friends.

Staying in a house also allows you to prepare some of your own meals. Of course, going to restaurants is part of the fun of travelling, but there’s no need to eat out for every meal. If you find a grocery store when you arrive, you can at least stock up on food for breakfast, snacks, and quick meals. It could even be an enjoyable experience to prepare a few dinners together with your friends — and you’ll be able to use the money you save for things like excursions.

5. Set a Budget

Decide how much you can afford to spend during your trip after you’ve paid for flights and accommodation. It’s best to divide this evenly over each day to ensure you never overspend on an expensive meal or buy too many souvenirs and run out of money before spring break is over. It can help to talk about your budget with friends to make it clear what you’ll be able to do on the trip.

6. Ask Locals for Recommendations

Once you’ve arrived, talk to locals to find out things like where to eat and what kinds of activities are worthwhile. After all, some of the best food in the area may not be from the flashy restaurants where tourists tend to go. If you’re lucky, locals may also be able to recommend you free activities, such as concerts in the park, farmers markets with free samples, and great hiking spots. Strike up conversations with different people you meet — from the property owner to your Uber driver — to receive a variety of suggestions.

7. Use Public Transport

Whenever possible, use public transport instead of ride sharing and taxis. For instance, find out where buses run or rent bikes. Just make sure your safety always comes first — it’s better to spend a little extra at night than to take risks. You can also save money to have more to spend on your trip by moving into student rentals. Barrie students can join the community at Arcadian Students.

Our fully-furnished apartments and townhouses are just a short walk from campus, meaning you’ll also save on bus fares and gas. Secure your spot at our lowest rates before it’s too late.

If you’ll be graduating this academic year, it’s never too soon to start preparing. Use this pre-graduation checklist to make sure you have everything in order.

1. Check You Meet Graduation Requirements

The last thing you want is to find out that you fall short of the requirements to graduate. Talk to your advisor to ensure you’ve taken all the necessary core courses for your major, that you have enough credit from electives, and that you’ll be able to meet the deadlines to graduate when you want. Once you’ve confirmed this, you’ll still need to apply to graduate through your college website.

2. Drop Classes That Start After You Graduate

You may have registered for classes that will start after you intend to graduate. It’s important to drop these classes, as your college will otherwise likely keep you on the attendance list. If you want to use the classes to pursue a second qualification, such as a graduate certificate, you’ll need to apply for the program before you can enroll in any classes.

3. Confirm Your Address

Make sure your college has the right permanent address on record for you. This will ensure you receive your credentials shortly after your convocation.

4. Make Any Outstanding Payments

Pay any bills you still owe your college, such as fees, fines, and tickets. If your college may owe you refunds, set up a direct deposit to receive the amount straight to your bank account.

5. Acquire Your Academic Regalia

Find out what academic regalia you’ll need for your convocation. This may include a gown, cap, tassel, and liripipe. Decide if you’d like to purchase all or some of these to have a memento of your graduation or if you’d prefer to rent everything to save money.

6. Share the Bookstore Link

Family members and friends attending your convocation may like to purchase a gift to congratulate you on your graduation. If you know this to be the case, send them a link to your college bookstore, where they’ll be able to find items like credential frames, graduation pins, and your school mascot.

7. Order Your Commemorative T-Shirt

There may be an option to receive a T-shirt with names of all the students in your graduating class. If you want one, it’s worth ordering it in advance.

8. Receive Job-Seeking Support

Prepare for your life after graduation by meeting with the careers support team at your college. You should be able to find help with things like creating a resume, applying for jobs, and interview technique. Sometimes, these services remain available to students a while after they’ve graduated.

Once you’ve graduated, finding a job is just one option. Another is to stay in education a little longer and earn a graduate qualification. This will give you an advantage over other candidates in the job market. If you’d like to continue your education, you’ll need to start thinking about what to do for student housing. Barrie students can live in a brand new townhouse community at Arcadian Students. You’ll have everything you need to be successful, including high-speed internet, study rooms, and a fitness centre. Secure your place now at the lowest rates available.

Working part-time as a student will give you an income to support yourself and perhaps even help you pay off some of your student loans. The problem is you’ll need to fit your job around all your other commitments, including classes and extracurriculars. Plus, many students are in the same boat and all competing for the same jobs. To be successful in your search, look for jobs that tend to offer flexibility and have a high demand for workers. Here are a few positions to consider.

1. Childcare

If you’ve always enjoyed taking care of your younger siblings, find a job in childcare. Work freelance as a babysitter and you’ll be able to choose how often you work — parents will usually need you during weekends and evenings. If you take night classes, you could alternatively look for a job at a daycare centre or find a parent who needs a nanny during the day.

2. Pet Care

Do you prefer animals to kids? Plenty of jobs involve taking care of pets. Set your own schedule by becoming a dog walker (this is also a great way to ensure you exercise enough) or find a job as a groomer or providing another type of animal care. An extra benefit is that being around animals can help with managing stress.

3. Bartender

A great option for an evening job is to become a bartender. You’ll find it fun to learn how to prepare a variety of drinks (a skill that will definitely come in useful) and you’ll meet new people all the time, especially other college students.

4. Driver

An ideal option for students who have their own transportation is to become a driver. Sign up on a few apps and log in whenever you have free time. On occasions when you’re willing to forgo a night of partying, you should find you have plenty of clients. Alternatively, you could do food or ecommerce deliveries.

5. Barista

Coffee shops are favourite hangouts for students looking for a caffeine fix or a change of scenery to study. For this reason, there tend to be a great number of them in college towns. Find one that will allow you to take shifts during the day that fit around your classes.

5. Cashier

Another position that tends to offer shifts that can work well with your schedule is a cashier. This usually requires no prior experience, as you’ll receive all your training on the job. Options for work include grocery stores, shops on campus, and fast food restaurants.

6. Server

A job as a server will look great on your resume, as it shows that you’ve acquired valuable people skills. Other advantages include the high demand for workers in the evenings and often a free (or at least discounted) meal with every shift.

7. Nursing Assistant

When possible, it makes sense to find part-time work that is related to what you want to do after you graduate. For example, if you’re looking to start a career in healthcare, you should try to gain some valuable experience by working as a nursing assistant. Positions may be available at a hospital, clinic, or assisted living facility.

8. Security Guard

You can find regular evening work as a security guard by working as a bouncer at a bar or monitoring a building after business hours. Alternatively, there may be weekend jobs available at places like museums and stadiums.

9. IT Support

Computer science majors — as well as anyone with a good understanding of IT — are in a great position to provide support to others. It’s common for problems with simple solutions to flummox someone who lacks a background in IT. Working as a support specialist will put your skills to good use and earn you an income.

After a long day of studying and working hard, you’ll want to come home to somewhere comfortable. An option for off-campus Georgian College residence that has everything you need is Arcadian Students. You’ll be living on the same street as campus in a modern apartment equipped with a washer, dryer, and high-speed internet. Book a tour to check it out for yourself.

Winter break initially comes as a relief, but it’s easy to quickly become bored. It can come as quite a shock to go from having a packed schedule to having almost no responsibilities. However, there are plenty of things you can do over winter break to make the most of your time.

1. Prepare for Next Semester

Preparing for the upcoming semester will help you avoid a rush at the beginning of next year. You could purchase the textbooks you’ll need for your classes and list the books you no longer need on online marketplaces to make some cash. If no one gives you a planner as a present, buy one yourself and fill it with key dates, goals for the year, and other important information.

You could even prepare for beyond this semester by researching study abroad opportunities and internships. Sending applications early will put you at the top of the list, which is crucial if there are only a limited number of available places on your preferred program.

2. Set Health and Fitness Goals

You may have found it more difficult than you expected to stick to a balanced diet and to exercise daily while at college. Now is the perfect time to change that by preparing for a healthier lifestyle next year. Beyond setting intentions, you could learn to cook while at home — your parents may be able to help you with recipes and tips. In addition, you could start a new fitness routine that you’ll be able to continue either in your student apartment or at the gym when you return to university.

3. Find a Seasonal Job

Give yourself something to do and earn some spending money by searching for a temporary job. Many businesses require extra help at this time of year, such as for deliveries, in warehouses, and in retail — this extends until after the holidays when businesses are dealing with returns.

4. Start a Business

If you want to run your own business after you graduate, now is the perfect time to gain some experience. Explore ideas for a startup over winter break to operate either in your local area or online. For instance, you could offer a pet sitting service, provide activities for local kids while their parents are busy, or sell crafts. It’s best if whatever you choose relates to your major or career goals.

5. Search for Volunteering Opportunities

Another way to gain valuable experience and have something to put on your resume is to volunteer. Many local nonprofits welcome volunteers, even if they’re only able to commit to a couple weeks. You could work at an animal shelter, senior centre, or soup kitchen. Alternatively, you could start your own initiative, such as by collecting items like food, clothing, and blankets from locals to give to homeless people.

One more thing to do during winter break is think about how you can improve your housing situation. You can find rooms for rent in Barrie, Ontario, at Arcadian Students. You’ll be living in a brand new townhouse, fully furnished with modern appliances and just 10 minutes from campus. Apply now while there are still spots left.

The holiday season means one thing when you’re a student: holiday parties! Instead of throwing a run-of-the-mill party, though, why not use a holiday theme? It’s a great way to say goodbye to friends until next year and ensure it will be a party everyone remembers.

1. Ugly Christmas Sweater

Ask all your guests to arrive in the ugliest Christmas sweater they can find. Then, all of you should vote which is the ugliest — it’s best if the winner can receive a prize. There’s always a chance that two people will come dressed in the same sweater (especially if some of you shopped locally), in which case you can have an additional Who Wore It Best contest. To improve your own chances of winning, add extras to your outfit like tinsel, bows, fairy lights, and foliage.

2. Cookie Competition

Another competition-based party requires everyone to bake a batch of cookies (enough for at least one per guest). You then try them all and vote which is best. You could have one prize for the tastiest and another for the best decorated.

3. Cookie Decorating

An alternative that still involves cookies is a baking and decorating party. This is ideal if some of your friends live on campus and are unable to bake cookies at home. Pick out a favourite recipe or two and prepare the cookies together.

4. Dress-Up Bar Crawl

Give a regular bar crawl a holiday twist by dressing up as Santa, an elf, or something else festive. Use the opportunity to discover new spots around the city. If you prefer to stay in, you could create your own bar crawl in your apartment by asking guests to prepare holiday-themed drinks for others to try.

5. Secret Santa

Instead of buying gifts for all your friends, have a Secret Santa. Use an online name generator to randomly assign everyone a recipient (this will eliminate the risk of people picking their own names). Then, set a price range and give friends a chance to buy gifts before the party. It will be fun opening the gifts together and guessing who gave which present.

6. Holiday Movie Night

Put a spin on your regular movie night by watching just holiday classics. You should find there’s plenty to choose from. Get cozy with some hot chocolate and plenty of pillows.

7. Tree Decorating

There are various options for a tree decorating party. For instance, you could all decorate a full-size tree or you could purchase supplies to make your own decorations for trees of all sizes. If some of your friends don’t even have a tree yet, you could make your own miniature ones.

8. Holiday-Themed Karaoke

There’s no need to have a karaoke machine to throw a sing-along party — all you need are YouTube videos with lyrics and some decent speakers. To stay in the holiday spirit, set a rule that all songs must be festive.

You’ll be able to throw a party in your own apartment if you live at Arcadian Students. Our off-campus Georgian College residence has a clubhouse where you can hang out with friends and spacious suites with plenty of room for entertaining plus a 42-inch wall-mounted TV. Apply now before all the rooms are taken.