Blog Posts

5 Quick Reads for When You’re Stuck Inside

It’s easy to fall out of the habit of reading for pleasure when you’re a student because of all your other commitments, not to mention the masses of required reading. However, there’s no better activity than reading when you’re stuck inside during the winter. Some quick reads, in particular, will help you regain your love of reading. 1. Dark Places Dark Places by Gillian Flynn (author of Gone Girl) is a murder mystery unlike any you’ve read before. The protagonist is seeking to discover the truth about a massacre for which her brother was convicted. The events are not told chronologically but jump between past and present and are recounted by three of the characters. The new information you receive on every page will keep you questioning what really happened until the end. 2. Sharp Objects If you want more Gillian Flynn after you finish Dark Places, continue with Sharp Objects. It’s another murder mystery in a small town, but this time the protagonist is a reporter who needs to return to her hometown to investigate a murder and a disappearance. At the same time, she’s confronted with darkness in her own life. You’ll likely come up with many of your own theories as the book progresses — and you certainly won’t want to put the book down until you’ve figured out the mystery. 3. Fight Club There’s a good chance you’ve already seen the movie Fight Club (if you haven’t , watching it after you’ve finished the book is a top activity for while you’re still stuck indoors). Chuck Palahniuk has authored a large number of books, but this is his most famous. If you don’t know much about the story already, it’s worth not finding out anything before you read the book to gain the most enjoyment possible. 4. The Perks of Being a Wallflower Another book adapted into a movie is The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Although you’ve left high school behind now, you’ll find this to be an entertaining read. It’s great for remembering what it was like being an awkward teenager — and you’re especially likely to relate to the story if you’re an introvert yourself. 5. One of Us Is Lying For more high school, pick up One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus. All the characters are the classic high school stereotypes — brain, beauty, criminal, athlete, and outcast — and they’re all in detention together. However, the outcast never makes it out of detention: he’s murdered. All four of the other students are suspects, as they all have a reason to want him dead. The story is told through their perspectives, which reveals that they’re much deeper characters than they first appear. Another reason you may be reading less than you’d like is because you constantly face distractions, which can make it difficult to stay focused on a book for long. This is often the case when you live in student residence. The solution is to move into off-campus housing. Foundry First is offering student accommodation in London, Ontario, for students at Fanshawe College. You’ll have your own fully-furnished bedroom in a suite with three to five other students — we’ll match you with people who have a similar lifestyle to you. Apply now to secure your spot while there are still spaces available.

5 Ways to Make the Most of Gen Ed Classes

Although you may not want to, most college students need to take some general education classes. This is important for graduating with a broad range of knowledge, which increases your employability. Even though you may have little interest in courses that are unrelated to your major, it’s worth taking steps to make the most of these gen ed classes. 1. Take Classes You Can Pass Easily One of the best ways to approach general education requirements is to take mostly introductory classes in subjects you find easy. Whereas you may want to challenge yourself at college, gen ed is not the place to do this — there’s too high a risk you’ll lower your GPA. Plus, introductory classes tend to cover a broader range of topics, meaning you’ll gain breadth of knowledge rather than depth. 2. Choose the Most Interesting Classes A different approach is to find the gen ed classes that seem like they’ll be the most interesting. Some of these may be more challenging, but the advantage is you’ll enjoy them, which should help boost your grades. If you look through everything your college is offering, you should find there are several classes you’re likely to enjoy. 3. Ask Other Students for Recommendations Whereas there’s a minimal chance a gen ed class will turn out to be your favourite , some will certainly be more enjoyable than others. Students who have already taken the classes can provide you with valuable feedback. Bear in mind that everyone has different tastes, meaning opinions may vary widely. Nonetheless, other students can at least give you information about the assignments, professor, and class size. Talk to students you know and check what people are saying on social media. This should help you find the most stress-free and least boring classes. 4. Read Course Descriptions Carefully Before signing up for any class, read the course description in full. Find out how many credits it’s worth, its difficulty (this is often apparent from the course code), and the material it will cover. 5. Know Your Graduation Requirements Check your graduation requirements to ensure you know exactly how many credits you need from gen ed classes. Bear in mind, you’re likely only allowed a certain number of credits at introductory level. Once you’ve met the requirements for your major and for general education classes, you’ll likely have a few more credits to cover. Use these to pick some interesting electives. You may like to take classes that will teach you useful skills, gen ed classes in a subject you’re passionate about, or something completely different to any of your other classes to add some variety to your schedule. To make the most of all of your classes, it’s crucial to live in an apartment where you can focus on your homework in peace. Foundry First is offering student accommodation in London, Ontario, as an alternative to Fanshawe College residence. In addition to your fully-furnished suite, you can use our bright study rooms. Contact us now to secure the floor plan you want before all the units are taken.

8 Practical Exam Prep Tips

Students often feel anxious about taking exams because they have no idea how to prepare for a test. It’s actually simpler than you may think — and the right prep can make a huge difference to your performance. 1. Start Early The longer you give yourself to prepare for the exam, the more information you’ll retain . Decide when you’ll start and then create a schedule that specifies when you’ll study and what activities you’ll do. If you have several exams around the same time, it may make sense to devote more time to the most challenging rather than to split your time evenly. 2. Create a Study Space Clean your desk to turn it into a space where you can study comfortably. Remove anything that’s likely to distract you or that’s taking up too much space, as you’ll need to be able to spread out papers and textbooks. In addition, check that you have enough light to read printed materials. You may need to move your desk to a different place in the room or purchase a lamp. Finally, figure out what kind of environment helps you concentrate — options include silence, white noise, or background music. 3. Use Past Exams If possible, find exam papers from previous years that you can use to practise . This is a great way to familiarize yourself with the structure of the exam and to see how the questions are worded. During at least one exam, time yourself to check that you’re able to finish within the amount of time you’ll have on the day. 4. Practise in a Group It can be difficult to stay focused when studying on your own. Inviting others to study with you can mean you stay on track. Whereas you could just ask people you know to ask you questions from flashcards, it’s even better to form a study group with classmates and prepare for the exam together. Cover a different topic each session and use the opportunity to explain concepts to each other to ensure you’ve understood. 5. Make Visual Aids Mix things up by drawing diagrams, flowcharts, and timelines. These could represent processes, events, or key facts. 6. Take Regular Breaks After a certain amount of time, your brain becomes too tired to take in any more information. Figure out how long this is for you and schedule short breaks in between bouts of studying. Going for a walk is ideal, as your mind will benefit from the fresh air and sunlight. 7. Stay Healthy Keeping your body healthy makes it easier to prepare for and do well on an exam. Stay hydrated and eat a balanced diet with foods that boost your memory, such as fruits, nuts, seeds, and yogurt. 8. Be Prepared on Exam Day Find out the time and location of the exam to determine how you’ll get there and what time you’ll need to leave home. Prepare everything the night before to avoid the stress of forgetting something. It’s always difficult to prepare for exams when your study space is noisy and you’re constantly being interrupted. The solution is to move out of residence and into off-campus housing. You can find London, Ontario, apartments for students at Foundry First. You’ll receive a bedroom in a fully-furnished suite (with the option of a private washroom) and you’ll have access to a range of great onsite amenities. Apply now before all the units are taken.

How to Start a Study Group

Students often find that they retain more information and feel better prepared for exams when they study in groups. If no one in your classes has set up a study group yet, you may want to take the initiative. Here are a few things to think about when setting up a group to ensure it’s a worthwhile activity. 1. Invite the Right People Organizing a study group will be a waste of time if you end up using it as an excuse to socialize. This could happen if you mainly invite friends. Better choices are students who you know are committed to working hard and want to achieve good grades. Furthermore, you’ll need the right number of people. If the group is too large, it may be difficult for everyone to participate or you could end up with two conversations happening at once. Avoid this by limiting your group to no more than five members. 2. Stay in Touch with Everyone You’ll need to set up a group chat where you can discuss any necessary changes (such as if you need to meet at a different time or location than normal) and where members can confirm their attendance. You can also use your group chat to discuss anything related to the class between study sessions, such as if there’s a particular aspect of the material you’re struggling to understand. 3. Decide How Your Group Will Work As the person setting up the study group, you’re responsible for clarifying how your group will work. For instance, you’ll need to decide how often you’ll meet and for how long. Most groups find meeting once a week for an hour is ideal. You’ll also need to set rules for the sessions. For example, you may feel it would be more natural to dedicate a couple minutes at the start for small talk, as long as there’s a time limit. Alternatively, you may like to dedicate the entire session to studying. It’s a good idea to check that everyone is in agreement and allow other group members to voice their opinions before you come to any final decisions. 4. Come Up with Ideas for the Sessions If you lack an objective for a session, you may end up wasting your time trying to decide what to do. It’s important to know in advance what material you’ll be covering and what activities you’ll use to study together. You may like to dedicate some of your first session to creating an agenda for future meetings. 5. Choose Somewhere to Study Finally, you need to decide where your study group will meet. Finding the perfect place can be challenging, as you’ll need somewhere you won’t be distracted but also where you won’t be bothering anyone else. There may be study rooms you can use on campus (such as in the library), but there’s no guarantee you’ll find the same room available each week. Your apartment could be the ideal place to hold a group study session — provided it’s large enough and close to campus. You can find London, Ontario, apartments for students at Foundry First. The suites are large with modern furnishings and located just steps from campus. Secure your spot today while there are still spaces.

A Guide to Getting Through Long Lectures

Long lectures can be tough, especially if you find it difficult to stay focused or the class is uninteresting. However, it’s important to attend as often as possible because lectures are key for enhancing your understanding of the material — which leads to better grades. With the right strategy, you can go beyond surviving long lectures and actually enjoy them. 1. Choose Your Classes Carefully When creating your schedule for the semester, consider how much you’re likely to enjoy each of your classes. If you have several required classes with long lectures, split them over multiple semesters. 2. Sit at the Front You’ll be more inclined to pay attention if you’re right within your professor’s line of sight at the front of the room. Try to find a seat near the middle — this will also help you hear better and give you a better view of the presentation. 3. Take Notes Another way to ensure you stay focused is to take notes throughout the lecture. Develop a shorthand to be able to keep up with the professor, and make sure you only jot down the important details . This is especially important if you’re typing — you may be able to type fast enough to write virtually everything , but you won’t be paying attention to the meaning of the words if you just transcribe what your professor is saying. 4. Bring a Bottle of Cold Water Although caffeine can give you a boost of energy, you’ll feel more exhausted than ever when the effects wear off. Instead of bringing copious amounts of coffee to long lectures, come with a bottle of cold water . This will keep you awake without any of the side effects. 5. Attend with Friends You’ll be more motivated to go to lectures if you attend with at least one friend. Plus, having a friend in your class will give you someone to share notes with. For instance, if your concentration wanes at certain points during the lecture, you may miss some important points. You can compare notes with your friend to fill in any gaps you have. If you don’t know anyone in your class yet, strike up a conversation with a classmate after the lecture. 6. Participate If participation is an option during the lecture, make the effort to speak up. Ask any questions you have to clear up doubts or just join in discussions. If you have a question you’d rather ask your professor without involving all your classmates, wait until the lecture finishes or write it down to ask during office hours. Either way, you’ll find this helps you stay more engaged with the lecture. Living near campus also makes a big difference to getting through long lectures — you won’t need to wake up early to make it to class on time and you can go home afterwards to take a nap. Find London, Ontario, apartments for students just steps from campus at Foundry First. After a long day, you’ll be able to come home to relax in your private bedroom or in places like the onsite movie theater and common area lounge. Apply now to improve your college experience.

Simple Student Decorating Ideas to Try

There’s no need for decorating your apartment to be expensive or complicated. With these simple tips, you can transform your student housing into a home that reflects who you are. 1. Hang a Pegboard To gain easy access to small items you use all the time without creating clutter on your desk, use a pegboard. It can be useful for organizing all sorts of items: stationary , mugs, cosmetics, and even an inspiring picture or two. 2. Add Some Colour with Posters Express yourself with posters of your favourite movies or albums. They’ll instantly add a pop of colour to your walls. 3. Pin Up a Tapestry An alternative to posters is a single tapestry. Spend time searching for one in a design you love — ideally, something unique. Hang it next to your bed or behind the couch in the living room. 4. Go Thrifting for Decor Spend some weekends at garage sales and thrift stores to find pieces that complete your space. You may be able to pick up a vintage seat, area rug, or artwork to give your apartment some style. 5. Make Your Desk the Focal Point Your design will look more cohesive if you create a focal point. For your bedroom, the desk is the most logical place, since it’s where you’ll be spending a great deal of time. Add a backboard, some LED lights, and a couple pictures to make the space visually interesting. Aim to keep your desk tidy to enhance the aesthetics. 6. Use Plants for a Fresh Feel A couple of potted plants can bring greenery to your apartment, making the space feel fresh and welcoming. If you know you’ll be busy or you’ve struggled to keep plants alive in the past, choose some low-maintenance options. 7. Make a Photo Collage Create your own piece of artwork by turning some photos into a collage. If you’ve been at college a while, you’ll likely have numerous photos of your friends and adventures. If you’re a new student, you could use photos of your high school friends. 8. Create an Atmosphere with a Galaxy Projector When you want to relax in the evenings, overhead lights can feel harsh. Although a desk lamp is a good alternative , nothing beats the atmosphere you can create with a galaxy projector. This is ideal for winding down with some music. 9. Take a Retro Approach If collecting vinyls is your thing, incorporate records into your design. A large number of records will look great in a bookcase dedicated to your collection. If you’ve only just started collecting vinyls , though, you could hang the few you have on the wall. Of course, to take advantage of any of these tips, you need to have the right housing. You can find London, Ontario, apartments for students at Foundry First. Your spacious bedroom comes fully furnished, meaning you just need to focus on making it feel like your own. All our apartments also have a modern kitchen, a comfortable living room, and several bathrooms. However, we only have limited numbers of each floor plan. Apply now to secure the layout you want.