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How to Prepare for a Great Next Semester

Break is almost over , meaning it’s time to think about college again. Get next semester off to a great start with these tips. 1. Put Your Brain in Learning Mode During your break between semesters, you may fall out of the habit of reading regularly. Prepare your brain for all the learning you have ahead of you by reading any book that interests you, whether fiction or non-fiction. You could even listen to an audiobook. 2. Pay Your Tuition on Time Avoid paying extra for your education by making tuition payments by the deadline. If you need help, visit the financial aid office. 3. Familiarize Yourself with Your Schedule Put in the effort to memorize your schedule before the semester starts. Know which days you have classes as well as when you have extracurriculars and other regular commitments. If you’ll be on campus a couple days before classes start, use the opportunity to figure out how to reach all your classes and activities. Practise the journey from your student housing and then walk from one class to another to ensure you know how to reach each classroom or lab. It may also be worth noting down how long the journeys take you. Bear in mind that sometimes you’ll be heading to a class from the library or dining hall , such as if you have a long break. 4. Stock Up on School Supplies You may be running low on some school supplies or need new notebooks for your classes this semester. Try to pick up what you need during back-to-school discounts. 5. Read Your Class Syllabi Feel prepared for your classes by checking their syllabi. Make a note of due dates for assignments in your calendar and gain an idea for the kind of coursework you’ll be doing. 6. Acquire Your Textbooks The syllabi will also tell you what textbooks you need for your classes. See if you can save money by purchasing used books (from another student or online) or by renting your textbooks — your campus bookstore may offer this service. 7. Send an Introductory Email to Your Professors Use the contact information you have in your syllabi to send each of your professors a short email. Include a brief introduction about yourself and mention something you’re looking forward to. 8. Pick the Best Seat It may be tempting to hide at the back of the room, but this will have a negative impact on your learning experience. Sitting at the front and in the middle will force you to pay attention. You should also consider that you may need to charge your laptop or tablet at some point during the day. On busy days, look for seats near power outlets to prevent your device from running out of battery. There’s also time to improve your housing for next semester. Foundry First has London, Ontario, apartments for students that go beyond the basic necessities and bring you everything you need to thrive at college. You’ll be able to walk to class, pick up food in our self-checkout market, and avoid a gym membership by using our state-of-the-art fitness centre . Apply now while limited spots still remain.

The Dos and Don’ts of Packing for a Student Living

Packing for your student living space requires a delicate balance. You want to bring everything you’ll need to be comfortable and avoid needing to hit the stores as soon as you arrive to look for items you forgot. At the same time, though, it’s important to avoid bringing too much, as it will be difficult to transport everything and your bedroom may feel cramped if it’s too full of stuff. To ensure you don’t fall into either of these traps, follow these dos and don’ts. Do: Make a Packing List You may be tempted to pack things as you think of them. However, this way of packing puts you at risk of forgetting something important and increases the chance you’ll bring things you don’t need. Before you do anything else, write a list you can check off as you go along. This will reveal anything you need to purchase and give you time to search for good deals. Do: Coordinate with Your Roommates Reach out to your roommates to ask them what they’re bringing to the apartment. There are many items only one person needs to bring, including a coffee maker, vacuum cleaner, and an area rug for the living room. Coordinate between you to prevent someone buying an item another roommate already has. Do: Bring Clothing on Hangers Since you’ll need hangers for your clothes, it makes sense to pack your clothes on their hangers. Instead of folding and then unfolding everything, you’ll be able to transfer your clothes straight to your closet. Keep all your clothes in the same place and minimize wrinkles by slipping a garbage bag over a bunch of clothes on hangers. Don’t : Pack Out-of-Season Clothing If you’ll be returning home on your breaks, there’s no point packing clothes you won’t need for several months. Just bring in-season clothes and switch out your wardrobe whenever you go home. Don’t : Forget Toiletries Eliminate the need to go shopping as soon as you arrive by bringing toiletries with you. Since the grocery stores in your college town may not stock some of your favourite brands, it may make sense to bring large supplies. Do: Have Plenty of Towels Laundry is a chore most college students hate. Pack plenty of towels to reduce how often you need to do a load. Having several towels will also be useful for whenever a friend sleeps over. Do: Go Shopping for a Professional Outfit If you don’t already have a business outfit, including this on your shopping list. You’ll need professional attire for job fairs and interviews. Don’t : Use Boxes or Suitcases Pack items in storage containers rather than boxes or suitcases. These will provide you with somewhere to store your belongings in your apartment, such as in your closet or under your bed. Do: Prepare an Overnight Bag When you arrive at your student housing, you won’t want to unpack everything immediately . Put everything you’ll need to survive your first night or two in a separate bag. This should include a change of clothes, pyjamas , toiletries, your phone charger, important documents, and any medications you take. Don’t : Try to Do Everything on Your Own Rely on your support system to help you pack for college. Ask family members or friends to go shopping with you and to help you transport your belongings. You’ll be able to pack less for college if you move into a fully-furnished apartment. Foundry First is offering student accommodation near Fanshawe College. Each of our spacious suites is equipped with modern amenities, including stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops. Apply now before all the spots are taken.

A Guide to Connecting with Your Future Roommate

When you start college, it’s common to share a dorm room or apartment with a stranger. If you live far away from your future roommate, you may have no opportunity to meet up in person over the summer. Nonetheless, it’s a good idea to connect before move-in day. This will mean you feel more comfortable when you start living together, which reduces the chance of any conflict. 1. Add Each Other on Social Media Use social media to gain a better idea of your roommate’s personality. What people post on social media often tells you a lot about them: their interests, how they spend their time, whether they have a large group of friends or a few close friends, and even their political views. You may also be able to use social media to find out if your roommate has pets — as well as being a conversation starter, you’ll want to find out if the pets will be moving into your apartment, too! As soon as you have your roommate’s contact information, reach out and ask your roommate for his or her social media handles. This is a much better option than simply searching from your roommate’s profiles because you’ll come across as friendly rather than sneaky. It also means you’ll be able to see your roommate’s posts if they’re set to private. 2. Have a Video Chat Social media only tells you about certain aspects of a person. To get to know your roommate on a personal level, you need to have a proper conversation. The easiest way to do this is with a video chat. If you stick to texting, there’s a risk you could misinterpret each other. Plus, it can be much more difficult to keep the conversation flowing. Video chat, however, will allow you to gain additional information from things like your roommate’s body language and speech patterns. 3. Set Some Ground Rules A great way to use the time before you move in is to work out the ground rules for your living space. Voice any expectations you have and take the time to listen to your roommate’s thoughts. For instance, you’ll need to discuss the use of shared spaces, division of chores, expenses for things like cleaning supplies, and rules for having guests over (such as whether you’ll need to give each other notice). Working through any issues now will give you time to decide where you’re willing to compromise and come to an agreement, which will lead to a more seamless living situation. You may prefer to live in your own apartment over student residence, but you may be unsure about how to find off-campus housing and roommates before you start college. The solution is to move into a student community. Foundry First offers luxury student housing in London, Ontario. Fanshawe College students receive their own room in a fully-furnished suite, with all utilities included in the rent. You’ll also have access to some great community amenities, such as a fitness center, study rooms, and a movie theater. Contact us to sign a lease.

A Student’s Guide to Using LinkedIn

We usually think of social media as being a fun way to pass the time — catching up with what friends are doing and sharing our own photos and videos. However, some social media platforms can also be valuable for networking purposes, especially LinkedIn. In fact, it makes sense to start using LinkedIn when you’re still a student, instead of waiting until you’re searching for a job, but it’s important to use it the right way. Develop the Online Presence You Want Employers to See Much of what you post online is likely not things you’d want a potential employer to find. However, there’s no use setting everything to private, as you do need some kind of online presence. Creating an online portfolio or website is one option , but that takes a large amount of effort and it may not even be suitable for you, depending on your major. LinkedIn, however, is appropriate for just about everyone . Create an Online Resume LinkedIn allows you to effectively show a resume to employers before you’ve even applied for a job. Plus, there’s the chance to include much more information — about things like what your past jobs involved and your achievements — than you could fit on a traditional resume. LinkedIn is even beneficial if you’ve never had a job, as you can include details about activities and societies you belong to at college, your volunteer experience, your skills, and certifications you’ve achieved. Follow Companies You’re Interested In As well as adding connections, it’s worth following businesses on LinkedIn, particularly ones you may like to work for in the future. This will keep you up to date with what companies are doing and industry news as a whole, but it will also show you more about the values and culture at companies, which can be useful to know before potentially applying for a new job. Check Job Openings Many employers post jobs directly to LinkedIn. You’ll be able to see jobs from the companies you’re following as well as others related to your interests and career goals. Even if it’s too early to start thinking about applying to jobs, it’s useful to see what kinds of opportunities are available to you to ensure you’re developing relevant skills and choosing the best electives. You may even discover a new potential career path that you hadn’t considered. Connect with Alumni People who have been where you are today are great to connect with. It’s likely that there’s an alumni group for your college on LinkedIn, where you can chat with people and grow your network. Graduates who majored in the same subject as you may be able to give you career advice, including where to find internships and volunteering opportunities. Make a Great Impression It’s worth checking your LinkedIn profile often and thinking about how you can improve it. For example, you need to have a high-resolution, professional photo of just you that’s relatively recent . A second important part of your profile is the summary. This gives you the chance to explain who you are and what you’re hoping to achieve. Write it as you would a cover letter and proofread it carefully — the last thing you want is a glaring error on your profile. Ask for Recommendations What you add to your LinkedIn profile is all your own words. Potential employers need to see that other people agree with your assessment of yourself. A great feature of LinkedIn is the chance to give recommendations. You can request these from anyone you like, but it’s best if they come from an employer or your professors. LinkedIn can do plenty for you, but it can’t teach you how to find cheap apartments for college students. The good news is that if you’re attending Fanshawe College, there’s no need to look any further. Foundry First provides affordable student housing that meets your needs. You’ll have a spacious, fully-furnished suite with a private bedroom and a variety of onsite amenities to make you feel at home. Apply now while there are still spots still available.

Tips for Adjusting to College Life

The change of lifestyle that comes with going away to college often comes as a shock to students. Living in a different city and being away from friends and family is difficult for everyone. However, these tactics can help you adjust and feel at home much sooner. 1. Go to All Your Classes Many students use their newfound freedom to skip classes when they start college. However, this can quickly backfire, as you’ll find you lack an understanding of the course material. Besides, classes are a great way to start meeting people, develop a routine for your time at college, and make the most of your education. 2. Learn the Proper Way to Study You may have coasted through high school without putting in much effort. It’s unlikely to be that way in college, though, no matter how intelligent you are. You’ll need to learn how to study, which includes thinking deeply about the material you’re learning, expressing concepts in your own words, and tying ideas together. 3. Join Study Groups Collaborating with other students who are taking the same classes is a great way to study. For instance, you can work through the most difficult parts of course material together to ensure you have a good understanding before tests and assignments. 4. Embrace New Opportunities College is not just about academics: it’s also a chance to meet new people from all kinds of different backgrounds and to learn more about yourself. A great way to do this is to take advantage of all the activities on offer. Explore new passions by joining clubs and expand your group of friends by attending a variety of events. 5. Check In with Old Friends Avoid homesickness by staying in touch with friends from your hometown. In addition to sending quick messages throughout the day, it can be comforting to set up a regular time to have a video call. 6. Chat with Your Roommate Another way to stop feeling lonely is to talk to the people around you. Since you’re already living together, it makes sense to get to know your roommate. Even if you don’t end up becoming close friends, you’ll at least always have someone to chat with. Plus, developing a good relationship early on will mean you’re much less likely to have problems later. 7. Stick to a Budget It’s easy to overspend in college, especially if the friends you make always want to go out. You’re already paying a large amount in tuition — the last thing you want is to rack up debt due to poor financial decisions. Use a spreadsheet to organize your finances and make sure you stay within your budget. 8. Set Goals for Your Time at College Stay motivated by working toward goals. These can be related to any aspect of your life. Just make sure you write them down and create an action plan to ensure you’re able to meet your targets. One last thing you need to learn is how to find affordable housing. This is often a particularly challenging aspect of being a college student, but we can make it easy for you. Foundry First is not just affordable; it’s also comfortable, convenient, and modern — everything you want in student housing. Best of all, it’s just steps away from Fanshawe College. Schedule a tour to check out the suites and onsite amenities.

Maintaining Friendships from Freshman Year to Graduation

The huge number of people you meet at college means you’ll have plenty of opportunities to form friendships. What’s more difficult is maintaining these friendships throughout your time at college — and perhaps even beyond graduation. However, it is worthwhile because it will mean you have deep friendships with people who will support you throughout your time at college. Here are some strategies for forming lasting friendships. 1. Strike Up as Many Conversations as Possible When you arrive on campus, put in the effort to meet as many people as you can. This will increase the chances you find people you feel a connection to. Instead of waiting for people to introduce themselves to you, strike up a conversation — most people will be happy to talk to you. Try to remember people’s names and some basic information about them to show you care the next time you meet. 2. Meet People in Your Student Housing If you’re living in student housing, you’re in the perfect position to make close friendships. As well as having plenty of chances to hang out with your roommates, you’ll be able to meet people living in other units by spending time in the communal areas. Since you’ll see these people every day, it will be easy to form friendships. 3. Talk Students in Your Classes Some of the people you’re most likely to have things in common with are students taking the same major as you. Approach them to talk to them before or after class. For instance, you may like to ask if there are any study groups you can join to get to know these students better while setting yourself up for academic success. 4. Join Extracurriculars and Campus Events Expand your circle further by trying out clubs and attending other events on campus. This is a great way to meet people with similar interests to you. Don’t feel limited to just activities you already enjoy or sports you’ve practiced in the past — college is the ideal time to explore new possibilities. You may find that many of the extracurriculars are not for you, but it’s important to at least give them a shot, as you won’t know unless you try. At the very least, you’ll meet people you may otherwise never have met. 5. Give Friendships Time to Develop Try to spend time with the people you meet on a regular basis to allow connections to develop into friendships. It’s sometimes difficult to know who will end up being your closest friends, but this will likely become clear if you spend more time together. It tends to be easier to maintain friendships with people who live near you. Students looking for housing to share with friends near Fanshawe College can find a home at Foundry First. We have apartments with three to six bedrooms, meaning you can find a floor plan that works for the number of friends you want to share with. If you don’t have friends at college yet, take advantage of our roommate matching service to be paired with students who have similar lifestyles to you. Apply now to secure the type of s uite you want while it’s still available.