Author: WOW_Gail

Moving into your first student apartment is exciting. You’ll finally have freedom, your own space, and the chance to prepare proper meals — no meal plan. Although there are numerous benefits to living off campus, all this independence comes with responsibilities. One such responsibility is splitting bills and other expenses with your roommates. Since this can be complicated, it’s important to work out the details from the start.

1. Look for an Apartment with Separate Leases

Your greatest expense will be your rent. Some landlords only allow tenants to have a single lease for the entire apartment. The downside to this is you may have problems if just one of your roommates pays late. It’s far better to find housing where the landlord is willing to give each of you an individual lease.

2. Decide How to Share Payments

Even if you all have individual leases, there will be costs you need to share. One solution is to use a payment app to reimburse whoever pays. Another option is for everyone to contribute the same amount each month to a checking account.

3. Specify How You’ll Share Food and Household Supplies

There are various ways to share food. If you’re all close friends, you may decide you want to share almost everything and even cook meals together. Alternatively, you may only want to share staples like condiments, milk, and bread. The least complicated option is to share nothing at all.

You’ll also need to think about how you’ll divide household supplies like cleaning products, toilet paper, and garbage bags. Decide which items you’ll share between you and who is responsible for purchasing them.

4. Choose What Utilities You Want to Have

Whereas you’ll certainly need basic utilities like electricity, water, and heating, you have a choice when it comes to things like the type of internet package and whether you’ll share streaming services to watch on the TV in your living room. Determine who will take out the accounts and what day of the month the rest of you need to contribute to ensure the account holder is able to pay on time.

5. Set Rules Around Guests

Having guests over often can increase your household expenses, especially if guests are eating meals at your apartment. You may like to set a rule that roommates who have guests over need to reimburse the rest of you for any food and other supplies the guests use.

6. Put Your Agreement in Writing

It’s worth putting your agreement into writing. Whereas this won’t be legally binding, it will mean you have a record, which could come in useful for avoiding disputes with your roommates.

7. Note Down Who Owns Each of Your Household Items

Another thing to have in writing is what everyone owns. It makes more sense to purchase large items individually, as you’ll then be able to easily divide them between you when you move out. Bear in mind that there will be fewer things you need to buy if you rent a furnished apartment.

Before you start thinking about how you’ll split costs with roommates, you need to find somewhere to live. You can find Brock University off-campus housing at Foundry Lofts. We have four- and five-bedroom fully-furnished apartments. You can share with friends or ask us to match you with roommates. Whatever you choose, you’ll only be responsible for your own lease. Contact us now to secure the type of suite you want while we still have some available.

If you’re struggling with a particular class, subject, or skill, it makes sense to receive extra help through tutoring sessions. Many students are hesitant to try tutoring for reasons ranging from embarrassment about admitting that they’re struggling to concern that even tutoring won’t help them pass a difficult class. If you’re unsure that tutoring would be the right solution for you, consider these benefits.

1. Your Academic Performance Will Likely Improve

The most important reason to receive tutoring is that it can help you gain better grades. Research has found that students who partake in tutoring sessions tend to have a higher GPA. In addition, they’re less likely to drop out of college.

2. It’s a Better Use of Your Time Than Studying Alone

Some students worry that tutoring will take up too much of their time, especially if they already have a packed schedule. However, you don’t need to make any extra time for tutoring: it can simply replace some of the time you currently use to study on your own. This means you won’t need to sacrifice another activity — such as extracurriculars, socializing, or a part-time job — to fit tutoring sessions into your schedule.

3. You’ll Stay Focused

If you struggle to concentrate when you sit down to study alone, tutoring could be the ideal solution. Studying with someone else forces you to stay focused and prevents you from giving in to distractions. It’s also more difficult to make up excuses to skip studying, as you’ll have agreed to meet with your tutor. Many students find that this accountability keeps them disciplined.

4. Hand in Your Assignments on Time

Neglecting to study on a regular basis will mean you’re unable to complete your assignments on time. Tutoring sessions will keep you organized, meaning you never miss a due date.

5. Study in a Way That Resonates with You

A good tutor will find out what your goals are and how you like to learn. You’ll use effective tactics to aid your understanding of the materials from class and target your weakest areas. It’s impossible to receive such support when you’re in a class with numerous other students, but one-on-one tutoring sessions are completely personalizable.

6. Increase Your Confidence

Tutoring will show you that a difficult subject is within your grasp and should give you more confidence in class. Plus, if you feel intimidated about asking a question during class or office hours because you’re worried the answer is obvious to other students, you can always ask your tutor.

Tutoring is just one way to improve your grades. It’s also essential to have a quiet place where you can work on your assignments and prepare for tests in peace. When you’re living in a dorm room, you tend to face constant distractions and noise, which makes studying extra difficult. The solution is to move into an off-campus apartment. You can find Niagara College student housing at Foundry Lofts. You’ll have your own bedroom as well as onsite private and group study spaces that you can use alone and with your tutor. Contact us now while we still have some rooms available.

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 need 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.

If you’re not a morning person, getting up in time for early classes can be a challenge. However, having a morning routine can make a big difference. With the right routine, mornings could even become something you look forward to!

1. Sleep Enough

No morning routine can make up for a lack of sleep. Figure out how many hours of sleep you need a night and set a bedtime accordingly. Better still, having a regular bedtime and wakeup time will mean you naturally begin to feel sleepy and wake up at the same time each day. Bear in mind that for this to be effective, you may need to put screens away for at least an hour before bedtime.

2. Use Natural Light

Waking up to darkness makes it feel like it’s still nighttime. Incorporate natural light into your morning routine by keeping your curtains open as you sleep, opening the blinds immediately, or even spending a few minutes outdoors.

3. Avoid Hitting the Snooze Button

Set a limit as to how many times you’ll allow yourself to hit the snooze button — this could be once or twice. If you’re well rested and have a morning routine you enjoy, avoiding the snooze button will become easier.

4. Have an Actual Alarm Clock

The problem with using your phone as an alarm clock is it’s tempting to immediately look at all your notifications when you wake up. Before you know it, half an hour has passed and you’re still in bed. This can mean you need to rush to get ready for classes, which ruins the rest of your morning routine.

An added advantage to having a separate alarm clock is you can choose a style that works for you. This could even be one that has no snooze button at all. For instance, some wake you up with light or by vibrating your bed instead of using sound. If you need a push to get up, you could choose an alarm clock on wheels that will start moving away from you and around the room — this will also mean you start your day energized!

5. Meditate

A top choice for the first activity in your morning routine is meditation. This only needs to last five minutes and is a great way to clear your head or set an intention for the day. Use the guided meditations you find on YouTube or an app.

6. Exercise

Another idea for a morning activity is a short workout. This is likely to work best if you’re already a morning person, since it may mean you need to get up slightly earlier. A benefit is it will ensure you fit time to exercise into your day. You could do some simple moves in your bedroom, hit the gym, or search for fitness classes taking place near you.

7. Make Your Bed

Avoid the temptation to crawl back into bed by making your bed as soon as you get up. This will signal to your brain that the day has begun and you need to start being active.

8. Eat a Breakfast You Enjoy

As well as providing you with the energy you need for the day (especially for your first classes), breakfast can be a treat in the morning. Choose something that’s easy to prepare or even that you can prepare the night before. Ideally, it should also be healthy and filling. Pair your meal with your favourite hot beverage — as well as a glass of water to start the day hydrated.

9. Play Music or Podcasts

Add entertainment to your morning routine with music or podcasts. If you choose music, you may find yourself dancing. Podcasts, however, are ideal for learning something new or putting you into a good mood.

You can avoid needing to get up too early by living near campus. You’ll find Brock University off-campus housing at Foundry Lofts. All our suites have four or five bedrooms and two bathrooms, meaning you have the privacy, space, and time you need for a relaxed morning routine. Contact us for a lease now — we only have a limited number of units still available.

At college, it’s easy to meet people. What’s more difficult is to develop connections with the people you meet and establish friendships. In addition, it’s important to ensure you form friendships with people you enjoy spending time with, who value you, and who have things in common with you. Although it may feel challenging, it’s possible to make new friends at any time, not just when you start college.  Here are some tips to guide you.

1. Participate in More Extracurriculars

One of the easiest ways to find people who share your interests is to join clubs, campus organizations, and intramural sports teams. Find out if there are any groups for your favourite hobby or experiment with a new activity. Although the idea of participating in an extracurricular where you don’t know anyone may be daunting, this is actually the best way to make new connections.

2. Join Study Groups

Another place where you’ll have the chance to talk to people is in study groups. Find out if there are already study groups for some of your classes — if there are not, set up some yourself. Since you’ll be spending time with the people in your study groups every week, there’s a good chance you’ll develop friendships. As a bonus, you’ll also gain better grades!

3. Start a Conversation

In some situations, a conversation is unlikely to arise naturally — it’s up to you to start one. Although this may feel intimidating, you’ll find most people are happy to talk to you. If you’ve seen someone in your class or just around campus who looks interesting, find an opportunity to talk.

4. Reach Out Online

If you lack confidence, you may find it easier to start a conversation online instead of in person. Social media is ideal for this. Something simple like commenting on a photo or replying to a post in a group you both belong to could be the start of a new friendship.

5. Ask for an Introduction

You can also use your current friends to meet more people. Ask them to introduce you to their friends — if you share the same interests, there’s a good chance you’ll get on well. Plus, you’ll all be able to hang out together.

6. Go Out with Coworkers

If you have a part-time job or internship, become friends with some of your coworkers. During breaks or after your shifts finish are perfect times to chat or do something together. Some of your coworkers may not attend your college, making this tactic a great way to expand your social circle. If your job is related to the career you want to pursue after you graduate, you’ll also be building valuable connections in your field.

A great place to make connections with potential friends is in your student housing. The Niagara College student housing at Foundry Lofts has plenty of places to meet people, including a games room, movie theater, fireside lounge, and fitness center. Plus, your three or four roommates could all become your new friends. Apply for a lease now while we still have spaces available.

If you were born between the late 90s and early 2010s, you’re a Gen Zer (most university students are part of this generation). Everything from growing up in the digital age to living through a pandemic as a child, teen, or young adult has influenced this generation’s values and personality, leading to some unique qualities. Here are a few to think about as you start planning for the future.

1. Serious About Work–Life Balance

Gen Zers are unwilling to dedicate their lives to work. They are refusing to do unpaid overtime and rejecting the hustle culture. Their idea of success is achieving a healthy work–life balance. In addition, they’re looking to gain specific experiences from work. Many value having a mentor and appreciate the chance to train others. They also like to work with clients and customers. Both of these things suggest that Gen Zers appreciate knowledge sharing and collaborative work.

2. Gamers

Although there have been plenty of gamers in previous generations, Gen Zers are different. For one thing, they like gaming to interact with others — it’s a social experience more than a chance to relax. Gen Z’s interest in the metaverse is also different from other generations, with the main focus being spending time with friends in a virtual environment and meeting new people.

3. Financially Driven

It’s likely that seeing the struggles Millennials have faced with their finances has led Gen Z to pay more attention to money. A greater proportion of Gen Zers say they want to save money than do members of other generations. Many are unsure about the best way to budget and control their spending. Although they expect banks to provide them with advice, more than half say financial institutions are falling short.

4. Passionate About Traveling

Gen Z has been bitten by the travel bug. After Millennials, Gen Z is the generation most likely to have traveled or to have purchased a vacation in the last six months. Gen Zers are using trips to recover from schoolwork and exams or to take a break from work.

5. Social Media Is for Inspiration and Information

There are many reasons why people use social media, but the main drivers for Gen Z are inspiration and information. They use platforms to inspire them about where they could travel to next, learn about trends, and find answers to their questions. Other generations tend to use search engines for these things.

6. Nostalgic

Perhaps nostalgic is not quite the right word, since it’s decades Gen Zers weren’t even alive to see what they’re passionate about. Yet, their appreciation for historical trends is a unique quality of this generation. This is apparent in their music tastes and fashion choices like low-rise jeans and claw clips. In addition, more Gen Zers say they prefer to think about the past over the future than do members of other generations.

A major distinction between Gen Z and the generations that came before is that Gen Zers are asking more from life. For example, many students are not satisfied with traditional dorm rooms and are instead living in apartments in student communities. Foundry Lofts offers Brock University off-campus housing with everything Gen Z students could want, including a games room, movie theater, fireside lounge, and study spaces. Book a tour to see how living here will enhance your university experience.

How you present yourself to the world matters. It influences how people perceive you, gives you confidence, and allows you to express your personality. For these reasons, what you wear can impact everything from your social life to your academic performance. To feel comfortable and stylish, it can be helpful to know what’s in fashion for your age group. Learning about the top fashion trends for students will help you prepare your wardrobe in time for the fall semester.

1. Trending Colours

The most fashionable colours in 2023 are pink and blue, as well as related tones like lavender and violet. No particular shades are trending among students — anything from shocking pink to pastel blue is in fashion at the moment. You may like to combine pink and blue in the same outfit for a bold look.

2. Crochet

Ideal for achieving a boho look, crochet is appearing in all sorts of outfits. Tones range from muted to vivid. As you prepare for the weather turning cooler, pick up some crochet hats, scarves, and gloves.

Plus, if you’re looking to take up a hobby, crochet could be a fashionable one to try — you’ll be able to make your own clothes and gifts your friends will love.

3. Ruffles, Lace, and Fringe

After several years, ruffles, lace, and fringe are back in fashion, particularly for women’s clothing. Ruffles work especially well for smart casual outfits, such as when you pair a ruffle-neck blouse with jeans. In contrast, lace tends to be mainly for dresses, whereas fringe is appearing in all sorts of outfits, particularly in vibrant colours.

4. Asymmetry

It’s possible to show off your unique side while remaining fashionable with asymmetrical clothing. Although asymmetry works with virtually any style, you’ll see it most in urban fashion.

5. 90s Style

Fashion trends from the past are always returning. In 2023, some styles from the 90s that are particularly popular among students are baggy or flared jeans, overalls, bike shorts, and chokers.

6. Early 2000s

Another decade currently trending is the early 2000s. Some styles to consider include tops with detached and off-the-shoulder sleeves, cargo joggers, and tank tops. Plus, metallic tones are making a comeback — and not just for nights out.

7. Vintage

Just about any era from the past is in fashion if the clothing counts as vintage. In fact, vintage is a big trend among college students because many are eco-conscious and want to dress stylishly without increasing their carbon footprint. Wearing second-hand clothes is a great way to achieve this — not to mention it helps you save money and gives you more opportunity to develop your own style than is possible when purchasing from chain stores.

Fashion is about much more than just clothing — you also need a stylish apartment. For Niagara College student housing, look no further than Foundry Lofts. Our apartments all come with stainless steel appliances, are spacious, and have nine-foot ceilings. We even have fully-furnished options fitted with stylish decor. Book a tour to see the apartments and other amenities for yourself.

Making sure you sleep enough every night and stick to a consistent sleep schedule requires discipline. There will always be other activities available that may keep you up late or prevent you from studying and mean you need to pull an all-nighter to catch up. However, adopting better sleep habits is crucial for your overall health. Rather than just setting a goal to improve your sleep, you need a strategy to ensure you get at least seven hours of sleep every night. Here’s how to start.

1. Create a Bedtime Routine

Just as you have routines for other parts of the day, make a routine around your bedtime. At least on weeknights, never allow anything to interrupt this schedule.

A few hours before you want to be asleep, start winding down. For instance, you may like to prepare yourself a caffeine-free tea, dim the lights, and find an activity that relaxes you. When bedtime arrives, try using an eye mask or playing some soothing sounds to fall asleep faster.

2. Turn Off Your Devices

Your bedtime routine must definitely not involve any devices that emit blue light. This includes your phone, laptop, tablet, and TV. The effects of blue light last up to a couple hours before you try to sleep, keeping your brain awake and alert. This makes it harder to fall asleep and lowers the quality of your sleep.

One way to stay away from screens is to schedule homework earlier in the day. You also need to find more activities that don’t involve screens, such as reading, art projects, or gentle exercise. Lastly, you should set up sleep mode on your phone to stop receiving notifications.

3. Have Fun Without Sacrificing Sleep

Don’t let your sleep routine stop you from having the full college experience. If your friends want to go out on Fridays or Saturdays, decide if you can give yourself a little extra leeway. This will only be an option when you don’t have activities early the next morning, as may be the case if you’re a student athlete, you work on the weekends, or you have other commitments.

4. Separate Sleep and Studying

To keep sleep and studying separate, you should never study while sitting on your bed. However, you may also like to avoid using the desk in your room at times because it may mean you’re spending many hours in the same place. It’s worth searching for other places to study, such as the campus library, your local coffee shop, or a common area in your student housing.

You’ll find it much easier to stick to a healthy sleep routine if you at least have your own room. Moving into Foundry Lofts will mean you have a private bedroom in a suite you’ll share with just three or four other students. Our alternative to Niagara College residence also provides you with a full kitchen where you can prepare a delicious breakfast to incentivize yourself to get out of bed in the morning, a games room where you can socialize without screens, and study spaces to give you a change of scenery. Apply today while there are still some units available.

During college, summer can be whatever you make of it. You could just use it as a chance to relax — passing the days watching movies and catching up with friends. However, even though you’re likely to need some time for relaxation, dedicating your whole summer to chilling is a waste. A better idea is to use the weeks you have off productively. To do this, you should set goals. Some types of goals are particularly relevant for college students.

1. Keep Learning

Ensure your mind stays active over the summer break to make returning in the fall easier. There are a variety of ways you can keep learning, including by signing up for a summer class, taking online courses, or watching tutorials. Choose a topic that will complement what you’re studying at college, a skill you’ll need for work, or just something you want to learn for fun.

2. Take the First Steps Toward Pursuing Your Dream Career

Gain experience in your field with an internship. This will give you the skills you need to apply to better jobs once you graduate. If you’re lucky, you may even receive an offer from the company where you intern. In some industries, there are even remote internships with flexible hours, meaning you’ll have enough time to meet your other goals, too. You could even pick up more than one internship if you want to explore two potential career paths.

3. Give Back to the Community

Use your time for good this summer by volunteering. This will look great on your resume, especially if you choose something relevant to your career goals. As well as searching for projects near you, consider volunteering abroad for a few weeks to combine doing good with traveling.

4. Finish Some Books

Set a target to read a certain number of books over the summer. Add books that will give you insights into some of the topics you’ll be covering in your upcoming classes as well as books you just want to read for fun.

5. Find a New Hobby

It’s important to have hobbies you can turn to when you need to destress or take a break from your studies. Choose something you’ll be able to continue when you’re back at college, such as a craft or sport. You may like to consider if your college offers a related extracurricular when picking a hobby.

6. Make Some Money

Earn money to start paying off your student loans or to have extra to spend when you return to college. You could look for a temporary job over the summer, pick up gig work, freelance, or even start your own business.

7. Discover a New Podcast

Listen to an episode or two of some podcasts covering topics you find interesting until you discover one you’d like to listen to regularly. It’s great to have a few podcasts in your feed that you can play whenever you need to complete a boring task (such as cleaning your apartment) or for your commute.

8. Declutter Your Physical and Digital Life

Go through your belongings to see what you could get rid of — clothes you’ll never wear again, old handouts from classes, and other items that are taking up space. Next, move on to decluttering your digital presence. Delete old social posts, stop following people who are now unimportant to you, and update your personal information to reflect who you are today.

A final goal for the summer should be to find better housing for when you return to college in the fall. Foundry Lofts offers Niagara College student housing that comes with all the extras you need for the ultimate student experience. Our suites are fully furnished with leather couches, flatscreen TVs, and full-size appliances and you’ll have access to common areas including a games room, indoor atrium, and coffee shop. Apply today to secure your spot.

When you graduate, employers will expect you to have some crucial skills in addition to knowledge related to your major. There are multiple ways you can learn these skills, including by volunteering, participating in campus clubs and organizations, and working a part-time job or an internship, as well as in the classroom. Here are a few to start building now.

1. Time Management

You’ll begin developing better time management skills as soon as you start college because you’ll need to dedicate several hours a week to studying in your own time. You also won’t have anyone reminding you to keep making progress on projects to ensure you meet your deadlines. Being able to explain in a job interview how you created a balance between your schoolwork and your social life can help make you an appealing candidate.

2. Digital Literacy

Employers will want to know you’re able to perform basic tasks using a computer without the need for any training. You may need to be familiar with specialist software, know how to use shortcuts, and be able to perform internet research. If you’re lacking any of these skills, watch tutorials, take some free online courses, or ask for help at your college.

3. Teamwork

Even positions that typically require you to work independently will involve some collaboration. It’s important to be able to show that you will be a valuable team member. This involves listening to others’ ideas, contributing your own thoughts, and working with teammates to meet your goals. You may be able to demonstrate that you possess these skills if you belong to a club or sports team or if you’ve worked on group projects.

4. Communication

You need to have good verbal and written communication skills to succeed in the world of work. Your classes will likely give you plenty of opportunity to improve your writing, but chances to practice verbal communication may be more limited. If you feel this is something you lack, join a study group or become more active in your community to gain experience listening to others, asking for clarification, and explaining concepts.

5. Networking

More jobs and other opportunities will be open to you in the future if you hone your networking skills now. Push yourself to network with students and other people by attending events where you don’t know anyone and setting an aim to make a certain number of new contacts.

6. Leadership

You may have learned to be a leader without even realizing it, such as if you played a central role in a group project. However, if you want to apply for managerial positions after you graduate, it may be worth taking leadership classes or running for student government. These options will teach you more about delegating, providing constructive feedback, and resolving conflict.

7. Global Citizenship

Understanding more than just your own culture is important when working for an international company or for a business that has clients all over the globe. You can develop your global citizenship skills by taking electives that will teach you about other cultures, participating in projects with people from a variety of backgrounds, and studying or volunteering abroad.

You also need to learn how to be independent — not just for your career but to be able to survive on your own after graduation. To learn this, it’s important to live in your own apartment rather than on campus. You’ll find Niagara College student housing at Foundry Lofts. In your suite, you’ll have laundry facilities, everything you need to prepare your own meals, and fibre internet to keep you connected. Book a tour to check out our student community for yourself before you sign a lease.