Blog Posts

A College Survival Guide for New & Returning Students

College can be tough. It can be difficult for new students who need to learn a completely different way of life, but it can also be challenging for returning students who haven’t yet learned the skills and habits they need to be successful. Nonetheless, college should be a fun and exciting time. By taking the right steps, you can enjoy yourself and succeed — not only at college but in life after you graduate as well. 1. Introduce Yourself to Your Roommates and Neighbours Your roommates and the other students who live near you are all potential friends. Whether you’re a new student or you’re just moving into new housing, spend time chatting to the people you meet when you arrive. 2. Know Where Everything Is If you’re a new student, take a campus tour. Although you may already have visited campus when you were deciding which college to attend, you’ve likely forgotten some of the fine details . Make sure you know where all the key places are before classes start. If you’re a returning student, use your first days back on campus to locate where all your classes will be taking place. You may have some in areas of campus you’ve never been to before, such as if you’re taking a general education class in a new subject. 3. Choose a Study Spot Having somewhere to study on your own is crucial. If you’re a returning student and you had less-than-ideal study habits last semester, it’s now time to change that. Experiment with different places to figure out what works for you. This may be the desk in your bedroom, the campus library, a study room in your student housing, or somewhere else. 4. Commit to Being Organized Make sure you know when your classes are taking place as well as the due dates for all your assignments — and start working on papers and test prep in advance to ensure you gain the best grades possible. To do this, you need to be organized. Purchase a planner, use an organization app, or hang a whiteboard above your desk. 5. Meet Your Professors Attend office hours with each of your professors early on in the semester. Having a personal relationship with your professors can benefit you in numerous ways. For instance, you’ll have leverage if you run into problems and need more time to complete an assignment and your professors will be more likely to let you know about opportunities in the field you want to enter. 6. Talk to Your Academic Advisor Another person it’s important to meet with is your academic advisor. Your advisor needs to be aware of your goals and circumstances to help you create a schedule that works for you. 7. Attend All Your Classes Never consider your classes as optional — to succeed at college, you need to attend all of them. Classes give you the chance to gain a better understanding of the course material, learn what exams will involve, and find out if a due date for an assignment changes . 8. Make Time of Other Activities It’s important to make time for extracurriculars and a social life to have a well-rounded experience at college. Join clubs and organizations to explore interests unrelated to your major, gain useful skills, and enhance your resume. You’ll also meet many people at extracurriculars, which is a great way to expand your social circle and open up new opportunities for socializing. However, make sure you avoid signing up for too many additional activities and accepting invitations to events when you know you nee d to be studying — your priority at college needs to be academics. One thing that will make it easier for you to survive — and even thrive — at college is living off campus. You’ll find London, Ontario, apartments for students at Foundry First. In addition to having your own room in a suite just steps from Fanshawe College, you’ll have access to endless amenities that make it easier to study and socialize. Apply now to secure your spot before all the rooms are taken.

How to Prepare for Graduation

Your life will change dramatically after you graduate and enter the real world. Although this can come as a shock, there are several things you can do to feel prepared. 1. Build a Professional Network Many of the people you meet while you’re at university could be valuable connections once you graduate. This includes other students, professors, faculty members, your employer at your part-time job or internship, and your coworkers. Make sure you’ll stay in contact with all of them after you graduate, as they could help you find opportunities for work, further study, and even housing. Add them to LinkedIn, make a note of their emails, or join the alumni association to keep in touch . 2. Ask Someone to Be Your Mentor A mentor can give you advice about how to land your dream job, progress in your career, and overcome hurdles. A professor who has been particularly supportive in the past, a family friend you often turn to for guidance, or a previous employer can all be good choices for a mentor. 3. Attend Job Fairs Depending on the field you want to enter, you may want to start applying for jobs as soon as you graduate or you could need to start interviewing several months before you finish university. Job fairs on campus are a great way to meet potential employers who are looking for students who are about to graduate to fill upcoming positions. Since you’ll encounter a vast number of opportunities at job fairs, you should limit yourself to talking to just companies you are genuinely interested in working for. 4. Receive Support from Your Careers Centre The career centre at your university can provide you with a wide range of resources that will be helpful for preparing you for the world of work. The staff will be able to show you how to improve your resume, give you interview tips (such as through a mock interview based on questions you’re likely to be asked), and give you more information about possible career paths if you’re still unsure about what you want to do. 5. Clean Up Your Online Presence Whenever you apply for jobs, employers will check what they can find out about you online. In addition to updating your LinkedIn profile with all your relevant experience, see what else employers are likely to find when they search for your name. If anything comes up that may make you look unprofessional or could give a bad impression, change the settings on your other social media profiles to set them to private or delete posts entirely. 6. Improve Your Credit Score Potential employers and landlords may both check your credit score as part of a background check. There’s still time to improve your credit score by controlling how much you spend to keep your balance at less than 30 percent of your limit and paying your bill on time each month. 7. Figure Out How Much You Need to Earn You should have been keeping to a budget throughout university. Whereas your budget will be quite different once you start working, the concept is still the same. Figure out how much you’ll need to pay in rent, to cover your basic needs, to pay off your student loans, and to have enough left over to begin saving for an emergency fund and your longer-term goals. This will help you decide what jobs to apply for. To finish strong, you need to take your studies seriously during your last few semesters at university. This means having a home where you can focus on your schoolwork without distractions . Foundry First offers London, Ontario, apartments for students. You’ll receive a private bedroom in a fully-furnished , modern suite. Apply now while there are still limited spots available.

How to Make a Great First Impression at College

If you’re not naturally a social butterfly, you may be worrying about how to make a great first impression when you start college. This is definitely a skill that’s worth learning, as you’ll find it easier to make friends, have better relationships with your roommates, and increase your chances to participate in exciting opportunities. To ensure you make a great first impression on everyone you meet, there are a few things you need to do. 1. Pay Attention to Your Appearance Before meeting people (such as during social events on campus), make sure you’re presentable. There’s no need to wear smart clothes, as most college students wear T-shirts, hoodies, and sweatpants, but your clothing should be free from holes and tears. When you meet someone, be sure to smile and maintain eye contact. 2. Work on Your Handshake A limp handshake feels like you’re putting in no effort. Plus, it won’t help your professional image. Practise a firm handshake by consciously thinking about what you’re doing when you shake the hands of people you meet. 3. Remember People’s Names People will appreciate it if you remember their names. Make sure you ask everyone you meet and then repeat back their names to both help store the information in your memory and ensure you’re pronouncing the name correctly. Show people that you do remember by using their names during conversations and introducing them to other people you know. 4. Listen During Conversations Some people try too hard to make a good impression and end up dominating conversations, spending the whole time talking about themselves. This doesn’t impress anyone. What will impress people is if you listen and show interest, such as by asking questions. Other students are more likely to seek you out later if you’ve demonstrated that you’re a good conversationalist. 5. Become Active on Campus Present yourself as someone who is actively involved in student life by attending events on campus. To go a step further, you could learn more about clubs, organizations, and resources to become a source of information for students or you could volunteer in booths, campaigns, and other activities. 6. Be Open-Minded When you meet someone new, keep the interaction positive. Controversial topics may come up, especially if students are representing clubs or social campaigns. Instead of disagreeing and immediately engaging in an argument, listen to what others have to say. You’ll be exposed to a variety of viewpoints and meet students from diverse backgrounds at college — you may even end up changing some of your world views. Besides, you’ll gain more respect and will be more likely to sway the opinions of others if you ha ve calm, open discussions. Making a great first impression is just one challenge to overcome at college: you’ll also need to figure out how to find off-campus housing. For students at Fanshawe College, this is easy — you can live at Foundry First. In addition to a furnished suite with WiFi access, you’ll be able to use our onsite amenities, including laundry facilities, parking, and a commercially-equipped gym. Apply now while limited spots are still available.

Must-Have Supplies for College Classes

The last thing you want is to arrive on campus only to realize you’re missing some essentials. However, you also don’t want to be carrying around a number of unnecessary items all day — that can get uncomfortable fast. The trick is to know what are the must-haves and bring just these. 1. Basic Essentials Of course, you’ll need to have some basic essentials with you at all times. This includes pens and pencils (you may like to have a range of different colours ), notebooks (at least one for each class), your textbooks, and your laptop along with a charger. 2. Healthy Snacks It’s easy to be so busy that you have no time to eat a proper meal. Keep your energy levels up by carrying snacks around with you. Healthy choices like protein bars and fruit are best, as they’ll ultimately make you feel better than sugary treats. When you have healthy snacks in your backpack, you’ll be less tempted to purchase something that looks tempting now but that you may regret later. Plus, you’ll save money, as you won’t need to rely on the overpriced food on campus targeted to less-organized studen ts. 3. Hand Sanitizer Before you can eat that snack you packed, you’ll need to clean your hands. A fast way to do this is using hand sanitizer. 4. Water Bottle or Travel Mug Another way you may waste money on campus is if you buy beverages every time you’re thirsty. Water will allow you to stay hydrated without increasing your calorie intake, but sometimes you may need a hit of caffeine. Carry a water bottle and travel mug to satisfy both needs. 5. Lip Balm Dry or cold weather can lead your lips to crack and feel painful . Find immediate relief with some lip balm. 6. Over-the-Counter Painkillers Headaches can easily strike when you’re stressed or feeling rundown. Pick up a generic brand at your local drugstore and keep a few with you at all times . 7. A Planner It often comes as a shock to new students just how organized you need to be to survive at college. A planner can help remind you of due dates, work shifts, meetings, clubs, appointments, and everything else on your schedule. You may think you can remember everything, but you’ll soon realize this is impossible — and it’s better to not figure this out the hard way. 8. A Decent Backpack You may have chosen a backpack in high school based purely on appearances. In college, your backpack needs to be functional: it must be able to fit everything above and anything else you need for specific classes. Even if you’re driving to campus, you can’t expect to keep most of your belongings in your car because you may have back-to-back classes located in completely different areas of campus. Instead, invest in a large, comfortable backpack — you won’t regret it. Another thing new college students often struggle with is figuring out how to find off-campus housing. If you’ll be attending Fanshawe College, look no further than Foundry First. Located just steps from campus, our student housing provides you with everything you need plus much more, including a fully-furnished suite, a commercially-equipped gym, parking, and laundry facilities. Apply now while there are still limited spots available.

Challenges for International Students & How to Overcome Them

Attending college in Canada is a popular option for international students: it gives you the chance to receive a world-class education while having the experience of living abroad. However, you’ll likely face many challenges when adapting to academic practices and norms that may be quite different to what you’re used to. Anticipating these challenges in advance will help you make an action plan for how to overcome them. Formality of Student–Professor Relationships You may find the interactions between students and professors are different in Canada than in your home country. In particular, relationships may be more informal. In classes, you’ll often have opportunities to join discussions and you should feel free to ask questions if you have any doubts. For queries that require a more in-depth answer, take advantage of office hours or drop your professor an email. Academic Expectations The biggest academic challenge international students tend to face is needing to take steps to avoid plagiarism. It can be confusing if you’re not used to referencing sources and formatting papers in the style your college requires . If you’re unsure how to do this, talk to your professors or head to the writing center for advice. It’s important to ensure your formatting is correct before submitting a paper because accusations of plagiarism could cause you to receive a failing grade or even lose your place a t the college. Meeting General Education Requirements In many countries, students only take classes directly related to their major. In Canada, however, you’ll also need to fulfill general education requirements, which means taking classes that cover a wide range of subjects. There are several advantages to this, including that it expands your knowledge, may help you discover new passions, and gives you the chance to meet more people. Connecting with Other Students Your classes are just one way to meet other students. Some of the best places to make friends are at extracurriculars, like sports teams, clubs, and organizations. Choose activities that match your current interests or try something new that you feel you may enjoy. Where to Find Healthy Food Food at college is not always the healthiest, especially if you’re stuck with a meal plan. Whereas you will want to eat out sometimes, it will be easier to stick to a balanced diet and save money if you prepare your own meals. Plus, this means you can eat the dishes you usually have at home, perhaps even to share with new friends. You should be able to find most of the ingredients you need at your local grocery store, particularly if your college town has a large international community. How to Find Off-Campus Housing Living off campus is much more comfortable than staying in a shared room in a dorm. You’ll have privacy, plenty of space, and a kitchen where you can prepare your own meals. You can find rooms for rent by doing an internet search, checking social media groups to see if other students are looking for roommates, or by asking your college for housing recommendations. How to Cope with Cultural Difference Learning as much as possible about cultural differences can help you adjust to living in Canada sooner. Find out if your college has an international student office or a club for international students where you can receive support. Your academic advisor can also offer support, particularly when cultural differences are having an impact on your academics. Finally, if you’re unsure about anything, ask your new friends — they’ll be happy to help. One challenge you can solve right is finding off-campus housing for Fanshawe College. When you live at Foundry First, you receive a furnished suite at an affordable price and access to some great amenities. We have everything you need to make your time as a student in London, Ontario extra special, such as fast WiFi , laundry facilities, gourmet kitchens in every apartment, and plenty of places to meet other students, including a theater, gym, and lounge. Apply now while there are still some spots available.

10 of the Best Netflix Shows to Binge Between Classes

College isn’t all about studying. Whenever you don’t have much homework or you just need a break, Netflix is a great place to turn to. Some shows in particular are great for binge watching when you have time between classes. Here are a few to try next time you’re looking for something new to watch. 1. Money Heist One of the most popular international series on Netflix is Money Heist. It’s full of action, intrigue, and complex schemes. As a bonus, if you’re a language major, this will give you a chance to practise your Spanish. As the final episodes just came out recently, you can now binge watch it to the end. 2. Squid Game Maybe you haven’t even watched Squid Game yet. Stop feeling left out and start bingeing the series now. Although it’s violent and can be difficult to watch at times (especially as you get attached to characters), you’ll find that you’re hooked until the end. 3. Hellbound If you loved Squid Game, the next show on your list should be Hellbound . It’s an adaptation of a webtoon of the same name, although you may also know the director from the zombie movie Train to Busan. The story is sure to grab you: it’s about a prophetic angel who condemns people to hell, even telling them the exact time they will be taken. 4. Colin in Black & White One of the most famous NFL players of our time is Colin Kaepernick due to his stance against police brutality. The series Colin in Black & White is a fictionalized drama in just six episodes that shows how the events in Kaepernick’s life led him toward activism. It’s definitely one to watch if you’re interested in social justice. 5. Seinfeld Since Seinfeld arrived on Netflix a few months ago, it’s become a top show to binge. The classic sitcom hits its target just as well as it did when it was released. Even if you’ve watched it before, it’s worth bingeing from beginning to end in case there are episodes in the nine seasons you’ve missed — and also to relive all the best moments. 6. Big Mouth Although Big Mouth is a cartoon about teenagers, it’s certainly aimed at an adult audience. It’s hilarious and also quite disgusting most of the time. It will make you feel relieved to have left puberty behind. 7. The Witcher Fans have long been awaiting a second season of The Witcher — and it’s finally here. If you enjoy fantasy, this is a show you’ll love. The good news is that season two follows a chronological timeline, meaning there are fewer places where you’ll need to pause and clarify with your friends what’s going on. 8. The Chair Usually, series about university centre on the students. The Chair is different. This comedy-drama is from the perspective of professors and covers a range of social issues — although taken to the extreme. Plus, it stars Sandra Oh, which should be enough reason alone to watch the show. 9. You It’s been a couple years , but You is finally back with a third season. This one brings the creepiness to a new level as Joe, the main character, develops new obsessions. There are more plot twists (and twisted characters) in this latest season than ever before. 10. Cowboy Bebop There are actually two Cowboy Bebop series for you to binge. The original is an anime from the 90s. Netflix bought the rights to this to accompany its own live-action series. If you’re a hardcore fan of the anime version, you may want to skip the new one. Otherwise, it’s worth watching if you’re into sci-fi, especially for the superb acting. Now you just need a place to watch all these Netflix shows. The question is how to find off-campus housing equipped with a big TV and fast internet. The answer for students in London, Ontario, is to come to Foundry First. You’ll be able to watch Netflix in the living room of your suite or in our state-of-the-art theatre. Apply now while there are still limited spots available.