Nip Tips

2nd Prize!

2010-04-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

News in today that I've won 2nd prize for this blog for the contest. Congrats to whomever got 1st prize... I know you're out there somewhere (probably blogging away!).

Tip #41: Take a Power Nap

2010-04-14T12:07:00.000-07:00

They say that university is just like kindergarten: you miss your mommy, kraft dinner is your favourite food, and you need your nap time.

Let's face it - although we'd all love to schedule ourselves a perfect 8-hour work day, that's not always going to be possible with night classes, social activities and room-mates. So, my advice is to learn how to power nap.

In my first year at university, my schedule had morning classes almost every day and more classes and other commitments like band practice and work in the evening. I don't know about you, but I most certainly cannot make it through 16-plus hour day without a little time to re-charge. So, I got into the habit of taking a power nap in the afternoon. Not only would I make it through my day without falling asleep during my evening class, but I would be more productive during my study time.

Some quick suggestions:

Set an alarm - do not let yourself sleep away your afternoon. You won't get anything done, and you'll be up all night.
It's OK if you don't actually sleep-sleep while you're taking your power nap. Sometimes all you need is a half hour of rest just lying down doing nothing.
The best time for napping is right after lunch. Your body needs time to digest anyway!
If you find you can't get to a nap because you're thinking too much about what has to be done, then write a list. You can get back to it after your nap.

Even my doggy enjoys a nap here and there...

Tip #40: Things to do in North Bay

2010-04-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

Looking for a new way to see North Bay, besides the interior of its bars? I've complied a list of 10 things to do in North Bay. If you haven't checked some of these things out, you're certainly missing out!

1) The Heritage Carousal and Mini-Train: North Bay has two hand-crafted carousals, most of which were painted or carved right here in North Bay. Relive your childhood on this merry-go-round, or take a train ride complete with a mi nature road crossing and bridge! It's run by volunteers, and a ride costs $1 each.

2) Duschesnay Falls: Ever wonder where those trails in the back of the school lead? One leads to Duschesnay Falls, where you can walk along the waterfall. A photographer's heaven!

3) Grecco's Pizza and Pasta: Go for a meal at Grecco's Pizza and Pasta, located on Algonquin across from the Pro-Cathedral and on Lakeshore Drive. Their pizza is wonderful and doesn't skimp on the toppings. Students even receive a 10% discount at the Algonquin location with their student savers card.*

4) Discovery North Bay: Formerly the North Bay Area Museum, come and check out North Bay and Northern Ontario's history. There are also special exhibits. Most of the museum is interactive, which is fun for the old and young!

5) Capitol Centre: North Bay's downtown theatre hosts numerous shows throughout the year. If you're cash strapped, check out their Sunday Reel Big Shows featuring films that are out of theatre, but not yet released on DVD. Admission is only $5!

6) Burger World Breakfast: Another North Bay Classic, Burger World is a great place to get a cheap and hearty meal. Students also get a 10% discount with a Student Saver Card. Located on Algonquin and near the Northgate Mall.

7) Window Shop Downtown: North Bay's downtown core can be very cute, featuring stores such as "Noveltea," "Pearls," and "London Underground." Lots of these stores offer student discounts. Even if you don't plan to buy anything, it's fun to window shop. Near the end of November, downtown even hosts and old-fashioned Christmas Walk!

8) Picnic at the Waterfront: There's nothing better than a picnic at North Bay's waterfront, where you can walk the boardwalk, play in the sand, and watch a gorgeous sunset.

9) Take a ride on the Kate Pace Way: Did you know that there's a series of bike/roller blade trails in North Bay? Named after hometown hero and Olympian Kate Pace, paths zig zag across town!

10) Champlain Beach: My favourite spot to swim is by far Champlain beach. The bus does go there, but it's much easier to drive. It's located at the end of Premier Road and features a massive beach and great sand!

*You can pick up a Student Savers Discount Card at the NUSU office for free!

I originally wrote this article for the Student Spotlight, the Nipissing/Canadore Magazine!

Tip #39: Save Everything

2010-04-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

This tip is courtesy of my friend and classmate Matt.

Save Everything - old lecture notes, journal articles, research notes etc.

You never know when it may come in handy. I've found that the same journal articles can sometimes be useful for more than one paper, especially as you advance through the year. I've even had cases where we'll read the same article in another class, so I've been able to just pull out my copy of the journal article with my highlights and notes already in the margins!

Just one note, however, is not to self-plagiarize. You can reuse articles or research, but obviously don't copy and paste into your new paper. That's still plagiarism at this level.

Tip #39.2 - Organize said notes... so they don't look like this...

.. or this...

Tip #38: Use the Reference/Help Desk at the Library

2010-04-08T08:26:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to some people who will make your life sooooo much easier: They are our library's help desk staff. The list of things they can help you with is unending:

ordering interlibrary loans
searching for journal articles (in print and online)
finding and using microfilms
finding newspapers, journals and other non-book resources
can't find a book in the stacks (they help me with this ALL the time!
etc. etc. etc.

I am also told that you can book a one-on-one research appointment. If you don't know where to start, then this is certainly the place to go for answers.

If you can't go see them in person (say you're home on reading week or something), I would recommend the Library's website (www.eclibrary.ca), or this fantastic hand-out on Library Tips: http://www.nipissingu.ca/library/remository/LibraryTips.pdf

Tip #37: Save on Entertainment

2010-04-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

Studying sucks - so take a night off and have some fun!

But Holly (you may exclaim), entertainment is expensive, and we are but students of humble means.

Here are some ways to save on entertainment while at university

Love watching movies? No need to spend money at Blockbuster or the local Cineplex. The Nipissing and North Bay Public Library rent out movies for free! There are all the old classics, but also top new releases (especially at the Public Library - you should seriously check out what they have!). As a Nipissing student, you can present your student card to get a library card for the Public Library. If the big screen is more your thing, then check out the notice boards for updates on movies nights. Most clubs have them, and often even serve free snacks. Plus, Nipissing's lecture halls (especially in the H-Wing) can be just like movie theaters with their big projectors. Cinema Politica here at Nipissing also shows independent documentaries (check outhttp://www.cinemapolitica.org/nipissing).

(North Bay Public Library)

Love TV? (but hate the cost of cable)? You can watch most new programs online these days, both in the legal way (ex. CTV and CBC have video players) and the not-as-legal way (ex. sites like megavideo). One tip, however, is that if you're going the not-so-legal route, NEVER download a program from a random site. It will just get viruses on your computer. Instead, go the streaming route.

Love to do fun and wacky activities? Clubs or department student associations always have fun and wacky activities planned for students, usually for free or for a very small cost. I know business and math students go curling at least once a year, history puts on pub nights and poli sci does free lunches all the time. I even know someone who loved playing "NERF" so much that he started a nerf club, and the student union gave him funds to organize activities. Over my time at Nipissing I've been president of quite a few clubs, and I know for a fact that they all want participants for their events - so it's a win-win situation for you and the club when you take part.

(Historical Halloween Pub Night)

Love live music? There are all sorts of bands playing at all sorts of bars and restaurants in the city. For the price of a drink, you can often listen to live music (ex. at the Bull and Quench downtown). If classical is more your style, check out student tickets to the symphony (only $10), go to a concert of the22 Wing Band at a local high school, or check out our own Near North Voices. Often these concerts will be absolutely free!

Tip #36: Reference as you go

2010-04-04T23:12:00.000-07:00

It's paper season over here at Nipissing. All our final papers are coming due, and although it would make sense not to procrastinate and get things done early, it never happens.

However, I do have one tip that will make your life soooooo much easier - Reference as you go.

Nothing is worse then getting to the end of that massive paper and then realize that I haven't been writing out your footnotes. This means you have to go back through all your sources and find the citations, which may take just as long as it took you to write the paper.

So, my advice is to write out the citation immediately. Even if you aren't going to format it perfectly, write out where you got the information, especially the author and page number, so you don't have to go back looking for it.

The worst experience I've had with this is realizing that I didn't reference something, and had already returned the book to the library. Bad news! By now, I've learned better (it only took four years...)

Tip #35: (Don't) Take a Directed Studies

2010-04-01T16:51:00.000-07:00

This year, I took a directed studies course. Essentially this entails writing a massive paper, but no classes. Most students that do a directed studies (and this is a teny tiny percentage of the student population) will do it in their third or fourth year. This year, I thought a directed studies would be a fun way to learn about something I was interested in, but could not take as a course at Nipissing. I also figured that it would be a good precursor to grad school. I've still got mixed feeling about directed studies courses though. Here's why:

DON'T take a directed studies course if you like to procrastinate. This was my major problem with directed studies. No due-dates until the end of the year just begs for procrastination. I also think I had some preconceived notion that it would be an easier class because I didn't have to attend lecture, write exams etc. This is most certainly not the case. You will read more than in a regular seminar course and just because you aren't in class three hours a week does not mean that you aren't doing the same amount of work. There were points during this directed studies that I was ready to just scream because I had left work until the last minute, and had a meeting with my supervisor and was scrambling to produce something.

DO take a directed studies course if you plan to go to graduate school. I think I learned more about self-directed learning and discipline than the actual content of the directed studies course. I've learned to anticipate when I'll be busy, and do my work ahead of time. I've also learned that I need to set my meetings with my advisor before I'm actually done the work as a way to motivate me to get things done by a deadline. I'm glad I've learned this stuff now, instead of next year in graduate school. In addition, because I took this directed studies course, I'm not nearly as afraid of a 50 page MRP (major research paper - for the MA level). I've learned to split papers of this size into distinct parts and then work on each as if they were a stand-alone essay. It makes the paper so much more manageable and less scary.

So I leave this one up to you. It's a great experience in getting to know your independent working style. Nevertheless, it will drive you crazy at times, so be sure you can handle it along with your other classes or else you may set yourself up for failure.

Video Tips - Campus Tour

2010-03-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

Tip #34: Print and Highlight a Campus Map

2010-03-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

For any new-to-Nipissing students next year, here's a great tip!

Print off a campus map from this link, or go to the registrar's office and ask for one.

Next, find all your 'targets,' that is, your classes, offices you need to visit (finance, student affairs etc.), and places to hang out (caf etc.), and highlight them each in a different colour on your map. Then, plan your routes to these rooms from the main entrance by drawing lines in the same colour highligher to the 'target'.

This is what I did my time at Nipissing and it worked wonderfully. You'll also instantly make friends at frosh week because you have a map ;)

Tip #33: It's OK to skim every once in a while.

2010-03-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

Shh.... I have a secret... don't tell anyone... but...

It's OK to skim every once in a while.

There will be times during your university career (oh say, fourth year) when you will be expected to read a book a week... per class. Although I would strongly encourage you to read everything, some weeks it's just not going to happen because of other commitments and schoolwork.

In these exceptional cases, it is OK to skim. Professor K calls it a "reconnaissance mission." Open the book, get what you need, and get out. Here's how:

Start by reading the table of contents and introduction. This will give you a good overview of what the book is going to be about. Don't read it leisurely, go on a mission to get the thesis (ie. what the author wants to prove with the book), and how they plan to prove it. Often, you will also be able to find a brief overview of the other chapters. Then, skip right to the conclusion and do the same thing. Make sure that the same thesis you found in the introduction is there. This is the bare minimum you can do to just survive a class in the pinch.

The next best thing is to "get your feet wet" in each of the chapters. Some chapters have specific intros and conclusions which are helpful, but usually you'll just have to skim into each of the chapters to get a sense of what's going on. If you still have time, you can read full chapters, basing which ones you choose based on the overview in the introduction. Read chapters that might be pertinent to the themes of the class.

What you should strive for, however, is to read the entire text and think critically. Come prepared to class with questions of things you didn't quite understand, important or interesting passages. Be sure to have the answer to the question: "What is the author's thesis?" It will be asked.

Some other things to consider. You just can't skim when it comes to philosophy or theory texts. You'll just have to suck it up and read the whole thing, or else you will be completely lost. I would also just like to remind you that skimming is just a fall-back when everything doesn't quite get done. If you plan to be in class, then you should plan to have done your readings.

Tip #32: Don't pack everything you own.

2010-03-24T07:43:00.000-07:00

So I've been having a very difficult time the past few days trying to make up my mind regarding grad school. One day I've got a box in the middle of my bedroom and I'm packing to go, and the next day I'm unpacked, convinced that I'm going to stay at Nipissing for one more year.

Nevertheless, I do have one tip for prospective students that are in the middle of packing for university: Don't pack everything you own.

There's a few reasons for this. Firstly, your room will not fit everything you own. Secondly, you may not want to bring things that are easily broken.

Here's was my packing list when I was headed away to university (at Cornell -I live at home now at Nipissing):

Electronics:

Boom Box
Television
DVD Player
CDs and DVDs
Digital Camera
MP3 Player
Laptop
Printer
Iron and Ironing Board
Power bar
Reading/Desk Lamp

Kitchen (coordinate with roomates):

one pot
one pan
dishes (plates, bowls, cutlery, cups)
water-bottle
salt, pepper, spice shakers
tea towels, pot-holders, oven mitts
plastic containers
blender
toaster

Bathroom:

toiletries (you can always buy more here)
towels
medicine (like gravol, advil etc. you are not going to want to have to go out and get it when you need it)

Bedroom:

2 Pillows
Bedding (sheets, duvet, cover, quilt)
Stuffed animals or other cuddly things (trust me, at some point you'll need a hug)
Alarm clock
Housecoat/robe

Closet

Hangers
Clothing (if you're having a hard time deciding what to bring, pick out what's near the front of your closet or the top of your drawers. Also consider that although it's summer when you're packing, the majority of our time at Nipissing will be in the snow and cold). Also make sure you bring one really dressy outfit (ie. little black dress) and at least one professional outfit (ie. suit)
Jackets and coats
Umbrella
Boots, running shoes, flats

Other

Books (Just bring a few of your favourites - anything else you can easily get a the library)
Playing cards
School supplies (pens, pencils, notebooks, paper clips, paper, stapler etc.)
Art supplies (markers, pencil crayons)
Letter writing paper and cards (to send letters home)
Tote bags
Photos (of people back home)
Posters to decorate your wall with (and sticky tack to put them up with)

You'll also have to buy some stuff there - like some hand/dish soap, cleaning supplies etc.

Photos: We packed up our big van to bring all my "junk" to Ithaca.

Tip #31: Consider Spring and Summer Classes

2010-03-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

Random useless fact about Holly: I started taking summer classes in grade 11 of high school. I couldn't find a job that summer, so instead I got special permission to take an introductory Canadian History class at Nipissing. I did the same the next summer, and got another 6 credits in Canadian Social History. Ditto for the summer of first year university, when I took the Ancient History Course.

The moral of the story is that I had 18 extra credits towards my degree before I started 2nd year! And the result is I will be able to graduate with a double major (history and political science), minor (French) and teachable (in music). Moreover, I was able to take one less class in my last year, so that I could really concentrate on those honours seminars (and trust me, you will need the time).

In addition, I found it so much easier to concentrate on my schoolwork when I only had one class. For example, during my social history summer class, which was every morning (Mon-Thurs), I could go to class in the mornings and then read and study in the afternoons. I was always on top of my readings because there was no room for procrastination. I also couldn't procrastinate on papers, since I knew they would be due in a matter of weeks.

This being said, I have never taken one of those online summer courses - I have a sneaking suspicion that I would find it very hard to motivate myself when the course was so independent.

Although most students will have to work during the summer - if you're so lucky as to have a job that can allow you to take a course, or even if you can't find a summer job - do something productive and try out a spring or summer class. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Photo caption: 16-year-old Holly at Nipissing, summer of grade 11.

Video Tips

2010-03-19T20:20:00.001-07:00

I know what you're thinking... I haven't blogged in a while, but I do have a very good excuse - my first "Video Tips." I hope you enjoy!

Tip #30: Useful Links

2010-03-14T05:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some links to Nipissing U website pages that all students should know about:

Find out about upcoming events by looking at the Events Calendar (click on the event title to see more information):

http://www.nipissingu.ca/events/

Find your required books (as early as the end of July/beginning of August):

http://www.nipissingu.ca/currentstudents/booklist_artsscience.asp

Be your own academic advisor (won't substitute the real thing, but sure helps), check out the Academic Calendar:

http://www.nipissingu.ca/calendar/

A Fun little thing called blackboard, sometimes also known as your class boiled down to a webpage:

http://blackboard.nipissingu.ca/webct/entryPageIns.dowebct

Can't find your prof's office number or email address? Just type his/her name into the directory:

http://www.nipissingu.ca/directory.asp

All the forms you could ever want (room bookings, timetable planner, letter of permission application etc.):

http://www.nipissingu.ca/forms.asp

Your one-stop research station (the Library):

http://www.eclibrary.ca/library/index.php

Tip #29: Buy Cheaper Textbooks

2010-03-12T05:18:00.000-08:00

I guess this tip isn't exactly relevant right now, since the school year is almost over, but I still thought I'd share some tips on how to get textbooks for cheaper prices.

Obviously, the cheapest option is to buy used. The first place to look is on the bulletin boards at school. There are quite often signs advertising used textbooks on general notice boards. Another way to buy used textbooks is to log onto facebook marketplace. I've sold quite a few of mine this way. You simply check out what's for sale on the Nipissing network, and you may get lucky and find your book. There are also sites that buy and sell used textbooks -I have a friend who tried abebooks.ca and had success finding a French textbook. (On a side note, if you want to sell your textbooks, try selling them to abebooks.ca, it's actually very easy. You probably won't get quite the price that you would if you sold them through notice-boards etc. but it saves time). If all else fails, the Nipissing bookstore has used textbooks alongside the new textbooks, but you have to make sure you buy early before all the used ones are gone!

If you like to go for new textbooks (like me), I would first suggest ordering from amazon.ca. Their prices are usually the best (I often compare to indigo.ca, since I have a Chapters Rewards Card, but Amazon is still better). Plus, if you order more than 35$ (which is always the case for me when I'm ordering my textbooks for the year), you get free shipping. The one drawback is that you really have to order them right when the book list comes out in the summer. However, you can cancel your order at any point before the books are shipped, so if they don't get shipped by the time you need them, you can buy them at the bookstore. The last option, of course, if the campus bookstore. Although generally more expensive, the bookstore does provide an important service to students, contributes financially to the school, and are pretty much guaranteed to order in your textbooks.

Tip #28: Don't go grocery shopping when you're hungry

2010-03-10T05:08:00.000-08:00

This tip really doesn't have to apply just to students. My sister gave me this tip when I was headed off to Cornell and it's soooo true.

When you're hungry and grocery shopping you tend to buy way too much, and also will buy the wrong types of foods. This is especially dangerous when you go shopping, hungry during No Frills Dollar Days (bad idea). If it does happen that you buy way too much, most things can be frozen... I'd go so far as to say anything can be frozen (you may just have to alter it in some way to make it freezable - ex. make soup, muffins, stir fry etc.)

This being said, I wouldn't agree with those who say that you have to stick to the list. Although it's good to have a list of things you don't want to forget, I would also suggest buying something new every time you go to the grocery store. It may end up being gross, but that's what roommates are for :)

Tip #27: Go to office hours at least once

2010-03-07T19:52:00.000-08:00

Not to get all sentimental about Nipissing, but one of the best things about this place is that the professors always find time for you! We call this our "open door policy." I've had professors who have read over drafts of my paper, helped me understand difficult texts and sometimes just had time to chat about politics (and if it's Professor Toivo - over tea!).

One of my professors at Cornell gave us the advice that you should always go to office hours at least once for each class and I think it's a good suggestion. It can be intimidating, but generally Nipissing profs are really welcoming during their office hours. Your mark can only go up if you take the time to get your professor's input before the assignment is due.

Another reason you should really take advantage of office hours is that because you will find that some questions just can't be answered in class, whether it's a personal situation that's impeding your school progress, of if you still don't "get it" and don't want to disrupt the class for the 16th time.

An added bonus is that your prof will know you better when it comes time for references... say for grad school...

Tip #26: It's never too early to do (and present) research

2010-03-05T18:37:00.001-08:00

My first academic conference presentation was at Cornell's Undergraduate Research Conference in 2009 (see picture!). I presented on a paper I had written about French-Canadian participation in the Canadian militia leading up to WWI. Before I showed up at the conference, I was a bit nervous about what it would be like. I got my TA to do a run-through with me, but of course, he prepared me for the worst. Academic conferences are actually pretty cool. It's neat once you realize that you've done so much research that you are really the expert on the topic (well... that could also be because no one knew about this particular topic in the US... hmm...).

So, my next tip (to go around with the series of "it's never too early to..." tips) is to try presenting a research paper at a conference. Not sure where to start? How about the Nipissing University Undergraduate Research Conference! Abstracts (so like a paragraph summary of your research) are due on March 15th, and the conference takes place on March 26th and 27th. If you're interested, or want more information, then email Professor Earl at hearl@nipissingu.ca

Tip #25: Take time to relax

2010-03-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

And I was doing so well.. Sorry I missed a few days here blogging - but I'm back now!!! It's been a busy few days.

Yesterday we had Jeffery Simpson at Nipissing (see my personal blog for photo etc.). I also had my draft of my massive history paper due this week. Add some work in for the conference my sister and I are attending in two weeks, and you've got a pretty busy schedule.

But this is a fantastic segway into my next tip... Take time to relax.

I've found that trying to "keep plugging" when you're just out of energy is just going to make you do the assignment twice. So, if you're feeling stressed, or burned out, or simply tired of homework, take some time to just relax. Take a walk, get a snack or call a friend. I find that at the end of busy days, I just need to take a hot bath to unwind... which is what I'm going to do right now...

Tip #24: It's never too early to start networking

2010-02-26T16:46:00.000-08:00

The last few days I've been getting things ready for our last Academic Success Workshop of the year. (By the way, it's on "Stress Management" and it's at 2:00 in F307 this Friday - you should come!) But that got me thinking about the last workshop we did, on "Networking for Students," which is a topic that I've grown to appreciate over the past few years.My advice to an incoming student would be that it's never too early to start networking.

What is networking (you may ask)? Essentially networking is just meeting new people and growing a network of contacts. It can be anyone from classmates, local businesspeople, members of community organizations etc.

And why would you want to do that (you may ask)? Well, the saying "it's not what you know it's who you know" is often so true. Planning a fundraiser? Well you'll have a network of people to encourage to come to the event, help out, or donate money. Planning on getting a job after graduation? Well, having a network of contacts who may know someone who's looking for an employee will help. And networking doesn't just work one way, you can then do the same for other people. Human beings are social creates - we're meant to meet new people, which will broaden our outlook towards the world.

But how do I network (you may ask)? It can start with something as simple as talking to your classmates. Other great places to meet new people are while volunteering, at special lectures/receptions and at conferences. It can be intimidating sometimes to go up to new people you have never met, but it gets easier every thing, plus it helps if you're prepared.

But how do I prepare (you may ask)? Start off by considering what you want to say, and what you're looking for. Anticipate the questions (ex. so who are you? be sure to have an answer that doesn't stop at your first name). The best advice that I've got (from my friend Sharon) is to be prepared with questions (ex. what projects are you working on right now?). It's great for combating that awkward silence, and you may learn something interesting about this new contact.

For more networking advice, you can contact The Learning Network at mentor@nipissingu.ca (who did the workshop on "Networking as a Student.")

Tip #23: Use a Planner

2010-02-24T17:39:00.000-08:00

I would recommend this one to anyone - not just university students!

My planner is absolutely essential to my academic success! It helps me remember assignments, meetings and work commitments. I like to use one of those ones that opens like a calendar, so that I don't get surprises when I flip pages to the next week (since you've got a whole month on a page).

Along with my planner, I keep myself organized is by making a colour-coded spreadsheet at the beginning of every week, detailing hour-by-hour what I have planned. It's actually a great system that I'd recommend to anyone. You can't forget things when they are staring at you in bright colours! It's also easier to see spaces that will be good for study time. There are also online planner/schedule-thingys that I know some people use if you're more high-tech!

Tip # 22: If you're far from home, try blogging

2010-02-22T16:39:00.000-08:00

Who'd have thought that a blogger would be advising you to blog...

Seriously, though, I'm really glad I kept at blog when I was at Cornell. My friends and family could stay updated on what I was doing on my big adventure. If you're far from home, relatives like that they can know what you've been doing. It will also help you stay connected with the people back home.

Some tips for blogging:

Be consistent: if you plan to blog every day, then blog every day; if you plan to blog every week, then blog every week. It's good to be reliable even in the virtual world. Plus, family may think you've dropped off the face of the earth if you don't blog for days on end when they've been used to daily updates.
Share photos: Just like my "take pictures" tip, posting photos on your blog is always a good draw and helps to explain things that just can't be described any other way (ex. Dragon Day at Cornell)
Be positive: Things don't always have to be rosy, but stay away from too much complaining (no one likes to read complaints)
Remember that the web is public: Don't write anything you wouldn't want a potential employer, your great aunt or your roomates to read.

It may be tough to get into the habit... I actually had a blog before my personal "Maple to Ivy" blog, but it didn't last very long... but you'll be really happy that you blogged about your university experience (and hey - if there's another blog contest at Nipissing next year, you may even win a prize for it!)

Tip # 21: Meet New People!

2010-02-19T07:34:00.000-08:00

I learned this one when I was at Cornell - be proactive about meeting new people!

From day one, I made a point of going up to random people and introducing myself. Generally it went: "Hi, I'm Holly; I'm an exchange student." - Bingo - people are always interested in exchange students, and if not they'll still pity you since you're new and in a foreign country (but don't worry, this still works if you're not an exchange student).

From there, ask tons of questions about them, where they're from originally, their major, their future goals etc. People love to talk about themselves, so it's a super conversation starter!

A great place to try this is before class, in the cafeteria etc. Pick someone sitting by themselves, who's not necessarily engrossed in a newspaper/book and strike up a conversation. I've found that as long as I'm confident, it doesn't feel that awkward.

Tip # 20: You will not get snail mail unless you send it yourself

2010-02-17T07:31:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves getting mail. When I was at Cornell, I really looked forward to getting things in my mailbox. But even though everyone likes to get mail, not a lot of people send it anymore. So my tip for you is that you will not get snail mail unless you send it yourself. Don't expect to get snail mail if you aren't returning the favour!

Tip # 19: Eat Healthy

2010-02-14T07:03:00.000-08:00

If I've developed one thing over my university career, it has been healthy eating habits. It makes sense that eating healthy will help you out at school - you'll be more attentive in class, get sick less and just feel better!

But, "student food" is usually not all that healthy - TV dinners, Kraft dinner, and pizza are usually staples. Here are some suggestions for healthy student living that I learned while I was living on my own while at Cornell:

Getting your vegetables and fruit:

Since I usually only went grocery shopping about once every two or three weeks, I ran into the problem of my fruits and veggies going bad before I could eat them all, and also not having a lot of fresh fruits and veggies that last week before I went grocery shopping again. Here are some ways to get around that:

Store your fruits and veggies in tupperware in the fridge to make them last longer
Apples, oranges and carrots last really long in the fridge
Buy some frozen veggies that you can easily steam in the microwave with dinner (it will do when you run out of the fresh stuff)
Apple sauce and real fruit/veggie drinks will stay for a long time and are an easy way of getting your fruit/veggies
When you do decide to buy something at the caf, go for a salad to get a veggies boost between grocery store visits

Alternatives to Kraft Dinner, TV dinners and canned soup:
I think the reason why so many students eat a lot of these foods are because they are quick, easy, and last forever in the freezer/cupboard. Here are some other suggestions:

Make your own TV dinners! I had some really great take-out containers and I would make massive batches of stir-fries (with more veggies and nutrition than the store-bought ones), fill up my containers and freeze them.
Make a large pot of healthy pasta sauce (tomatoes, beef, veggies if you like) and then freeze them in individual portions. This way, you can easy boil up some pasta (whole wheat is the best choice) and microwave your sauce to go on top)
The same goes for soup - instead of super salty canned soup, make a large pot of your own and then just freeze in individual portions

Other easy meal ideas:

I found that my bread would go stale before I could eat it all, so I just freeze any bread products right away. Microwave for sandwiches or put in the toaster oven for toast. The same goes for muffins!
Leftovers are wonderful things - always make more than you'll eat, so you'll get multiple meals. My favourite was to make a chicken breast and then enjoy it in salads, sandwiches, and tacos for the next few days (but be careful about chicken - I'd usually only give it about three days)
Breakfast foods are great at any time of day - toast, healthy cereal, eggs etc.
If you're craving pizza, try this: get a tortilla, and put on it some cheese, chicken/beef, tomatoes, veggies, and then fry it in a frying pan. The gooey cheese makes it taste like pizza, but it's way healthier!

My chicken soup

A tortilla with cheese, chicken and veggies

Breakfast foods are not just for breakfast...

This is an example of a stir-fry that could be easily frozen

Tip # 18: Read during the Summer or on Break

2010-02-12T06:53:00.000-08:00

yeah.... Reading Week!!!!

I'm not exactly doing anything interesting on Reading Week, but it's still a super chance to get caught up and even work ahead.... which leads to tip #18: Read during the Summer or on Break.

If you are in an arts program, there will be lots and lots and lots of reading. Especially when you hit 4th year, you'll be averaging about three books a week (considering class and project reading). I still haven't figured out the best way to do this, but I do have one suggestion of how to make it a bit easier...

Once the book list is up for my classes, I order them from amazon or indigo online so I'll get them before class starts. During those last few weeks of summer, before things get crazy with school, I try to get through as much of the reading as I can. One important thing to remember is to make good notes (I type them) so that a few months later, instead of re-reading the whole book to prepare for seminar, you can just re-study your reading notes. This made a huge difference for me this year, especially for my History seminar.

The same can apply for Reading Week or Christmas break - it takes discipline to be reading academic stuff over your holiday, but I just keep in mind how much better things will be later on if I'm proactive with my reading now.

So, the plan for my Reading Week is to conquer the large/dense book for my poli sci seminar so I can concentrate on my paper for those last three weeks of class instead!

Tip # 17: Try Casual Work

2010-02-10T06:33:00.000-08:00

I am really fortunate to have a great job on campus. It's a 10 hour-a-week job with the Learning Network, coordinating the Academic Success Workshops. http://www.nipissingu.ca/mentor/workshops.asp

But, it is rather difficult to get a job these days. Many businesses aren't hiring students, especially if they will only be here for 8 months of the year. Nipissing University offers a Work Study program that enables needy students to work part-time on campus. But what if you don't qualify? Or what if you can't commit to a 10 hour a week job?

Here's a solution (that I wish I'd heard about before fourth year): Casual Work.

Casual work is just what the name suggests - a few hours of work for a few days or weeks. You may get a job for a week filing in the education office, covering an office for an hour when they have a meeting, doing coat check for a big dinner, a day's work helping with a job fair at school, or two weeks of envelope-stuffing.

You simply go to the Office of Student Development, fill out a form, add your resume and schedule, and they will contact you when job opportunities come up. The nice thing about casual work is that if you happen to be super busy that week, you can just turn down the potential job. It's a great way to earn a little extra cash, without a long-term commitment.

Tip #16: Forward your Nipissing email

2010-02-08T17:01:00.000-08:00

I forewarn you that the administration probably doesn't like this tip - but someone is bound to tell you about this, so it might as well be me!

It's advised that you check your Nipissing email account every second day. But, really, who wants to log into my.nipissing every second day to check the account, when you'll probably only get an email in it a few times a month.

Here's the solution: just get it to forward to your personal account. This way, you don't have to check it, and will instantly get any important emails. As an added bonus, hotmail will allow you to send emails from the Nip account, along with receiving them.

Here's how you do it:

Sign into your Nipissing Email

1) Go to my.nipissingu.ca
2) Log into your account

3) Click the Email tab at the top

4) Click "launch google mail"

5) Click "Email" (on the left side)

Get your email to forward by:

1) Click "Settings" at the top right corner

2) Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab
3) Beside "Forwarding:" click "Forward copy of incoming mail to (type in your personal email address here) and (keep Nipissing University Mail's copy in inbox)

4) Click "Save Changes" button at the bottom

Allow your hotmail to send from your nipissing adress:

1) When you are in the new message section of your hotmail (where you send a message), click the down arrow beside "from"

2) Choose "Add another email address"

3) At the very bottom, click on the text "Add another account to send mail from"

4) Type in your Nipissing email address

5) Click the "Send verification email" button

6) Now log into your Nipissing Email to find an email from hotmail

7) Click the link to verify

8) Sign into your hotmail account

Tip #15: Go to Class

2010-02-06T13:49:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love my classes this year. I'm taking a seminar on early American history, another seminar on political philosophy, applied music, French and a directed studies course....

But at some point in your university career, you will definitely get a class that you just can't sit though without getting bored. In first year, it's also tempting not to go to class because no one is taking attendance.

Nonetheless, I would encourage you to go to every class. It will certainly save you study time, since you can draw on your experiences in class for exams and assignments. Better to let the prof explain difficult concepts to you than struggle with them last minute. This is where the best learning will happen, and let's face it - if you're not at university to learn, then you've got to recheck your priorities.

Professor Mulburger (a Nip prof who blogs!) points to a link from an American prof who often gets "Do I need to know this?" and responds "You can survive without the things you learn in college. People survive scrounging out of dumpsters and sleeping in doorways. If you want to talk about quality of life, we need to be a bit more demanding." (www.uwgb.edu/dtuchs)

But what about those overly boring classes that you just wish you could snooze through? Taking notes will have you stay focused. Also try participating in class discussions - that will make the time fly. You will also want to come prepared to class with the readings done so you can intelligently follow along (although I'm sure you've heard that one before). I think one of the most common reasons a student will "tune out" is because it just doesn't make sense. If, after asking lots of questions, it still doesn't make sense, then talk to your professor or Academic Services about getting some help.

Tip #14: Don't Let the Bus Rule Your Life

2010-02-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

I figure while we're on the topic of buses, I might as well do my bus rant.

The buses are not all that frequent to the campus, and they will most likely be packed. Sometimes you will even have buses so full that they don't even pick up your stop. It happens, and there's not a whole lot you can do with it.

But in third year, I realized something that I could control. In first and second year, I used to time my life by the bus schedule - "oh sorry, can't talk I have to go catch the bus," or "I'll have to pick up my library books later, I have to get the bus or I'll wait another half hour for it," or even "oh when will this class let out, I'm going to miss the bus." But you really just have to go with the flow and not miss out on things because of the bus. Now, I just wait for the next bus if I have to - it's much less stressful.

And on another note - it's OK in my books to run for the bus. You will feel stupid but it's you might as well just do a quick jog down the student centre hallway instead of waiting a half hour for the next bus. You will feel stupid, but you won't miss anything by taking a little sprint, so that's OK in my opinion (others may disagree though).

Tip #13: Get a 'holder' for your bus pass

2010-02-03T16:46:00.000-08:00

A random tip for today: Get a 'holder' for your bus pass. Since most people at Nipissing take the bus (another large topic I could get into later), you will probably find that you need to carry your bus pass around everywhere. Nothing sucks more than having to try to dig it out of your wallet when the bus comes, or have everything in that wallet fall out as you dig for it.

Some people solve this problem by punching a hole in their bus pass so they can put it on a key-chain and lanyard. I would not recommend this, your bus pass will most likely break before the end of the year. Instead, I invested in a little holder -thingy you can buy in a package from Staples in first year. Now I can safely and easily access my bus pass with my keys. It's secure, but also pops out easily if I need to show someone (like the finance office, for example) my student I.D.

Tip #12: Primary Sources Rock!

2010-02-01T11:36:00.000-08:00

First of all, Happy February!

Second of all, while we're on the topic of sources and libraries, I'd like to share another piece of research-based advice: primary sources rock!

If you're new to the 'university' thing, then a primary source is quite simply "original, first-hand accounts" while secondary sources are "second-hand, published accounts" (and yes, I did just quote that from the National Archives of Canada website.) So for example, in history a primary source could be a diary, newspaper article, map or photograph from the time period I am examining, while a secondary source is an article or book that a scholar wrote about the time period.

One way to impress your professors off the bat is to use primary sources. Why just take what others have said about the topic when you can go to the source?! It may seem daunting at first, but there are so many online resources you can use. If you don't know where to start, take a look at the primary sources the articles or books you are reading have used. They will provide bibliographic information, and then you can also look it up and read it for yourself. Sometimes you may run into the problem that the source is not available online (and Nipissing doesn't have access to a lot of non-electronic primary sources). Some ideas (for history or poli sci at least are to try archives from different countries, Hansards (or parliament proceedings) historical newspapers you can get through the e-resources at Nipissing, or museum websites - they are all online!

Using primary sources puts your paper into the A category (in my opinion) because it shows that you can critically evaluate a source and draw your own conclusions. Not sure which conclusions to draw? Just bring the source you found to your prof during office hours and they will most certainly help you out!

I really wish I had realized the vast amount of primary sources I could have been using right from first year. They really do make the difference between high school and university-level research.

Tip #11: Learn to Interlibrary Loan Early

2010-01-30T13:28:00.000-08:00

Here's another one of those 'learned this the hard way' tip: learn how to interlibrary loan (I.L.L) early - both early in the sense of learn how in your first year and also early as in weeks before you need the books.

We all know Nipissing has a crummy library. We also know that ordering books from another library takes time and is annoying since you can't renew them. But, alas, we must make do with the situation we're in.

So my suggestion is to learn to I.L.L. right away. It's so easy to set up an account with "RACER" the program that does I.L.L.s You can go to the library webpage for a step-by-step guide, or ask a librarian for a hand-out, OR the librarian will actually help you do it your first time (as was my case). Once you have an account and know how, you can order books from all sorts of libraries online from your home, and the library will email you when it comes in.

Since I've found that one of the best ways to find good solid sources for papers is through bibliographies of articles and books, I use the I.L.L system a lot. Nipissing usually doesn't have the specific books that I'm looking for. You may also not know that this service is free and also works for specific articles.

But something to keep in mind is that it will take a week or so for your book to come in. I also learned last week that they can be recalled by the lending library at any time. So my experience has been to order as early as possible (once I know my topic) and to write thorough notes, so you don't get into the experience of needing an I.L.L book a week before the paper is due.

Tip #10: Take lots of photos

2010-01-28T16:26:00.000-08:00

For most people, undergrad is only going to happen once, so my advice is to take lots of photos. Now that my last year at Nipissing is coming to a close, it's nice to look back at my folder of digital photos I have from my undergrad.

Here's a selection of my favourite random Nipissing photos:

The Nipissing Laker and I

The Finance Office on Halloween

First Snowfall of 2008

Matt and Tristan in First Year... lol

Tip #9: Join a Club

2010-01-26T04:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday SPIN (the Student Political Involvement Network, which I happen to be the president of) hosted a fantastic Lunch and Lecture on the Prorogation of Parliament. Essentially, a Lunch and Lecture is a free lunch while listening to a special talk on a political issue. In the past, we've had lectures on Electoral Reform, Super Tuesday, The Canadian Election, Health Care Politics, and our VP Matt's voyage to Ghana (co-hosted with the CIC - Canadian International Council). They are super fun and do attract a lot of students.

Anyway, the point being that clubs at Nipissing are really great in terms of meeting new people, feeling involved in your school community and getting free food (semi-sarcasm on the last one). So, I would suggest that any new student join a club or two. At the beginning of the year, there is usually "Club Dayz" where you can go around to different booths and give your email address to all the different clubs you may be interested in. My advice is to sign up for anything that sounds neat and then take a look at the emails they are sending out or attend the first meeting. From there you can decide if it's something you might like to do.

If you really don't know where to start, I would suggest considering joining the Nipissing University History Club, the Student Political Involvement Network or the Nipissing Young Liberals (all of which I happen to be a part of). You could also visit this link from the Mentorship Program's website with a list of clubs (although it may be a little bit old by now): www.nipissingu.ca/mentor/involvement.asp

Tip # 8: Brown Bag Your Lunch

2010-01-24T13:12:00.000-08:00

This tip is one that really took me a good two years to realise: pack your own lunch!

The cafeteria at Nipissing isn't the worst cafeteria that I've ever seen, but it's not the best either. The best thing at Nip's cafeteria is the salads, but besides that most of the food is over-priced and not very tasty.

So, I'd suggest packing your own lunch. Firstly, it's much cheaper. It's also healthier because you control what's going into your food, and don't get tempted with all the greasy food like pizza and grilled stuff. Finally, I find it better to carry around all sorts of smaller snacks in my lunch bag so that I can just eat when I get hungry at school.

Not sure what to pack? Some of my favourite are: baby carrots/veggies with dip, applesauce, grapes or apples, crackers, muffins, granola bars or dry cereal.

My Lunch Bag

Tip # 7: Back up your files

2010-01-22T21:29:00.000-08:00

So it's the weekend and besides attending the rally against the prorogation of parliament and church on Sunday, my plans exclusively include writing papers! I not only have massive papers for my two honours seminars (in poli sci and American history) but I have a directed studies course that I choose to do as well. I have a whole stack of books that I've been going through ever so slowly, and this weekend I'm going to start writing the next section!

All these papers leads me to tip #7. I've learned this one the hard way...

Here's how it all happens: You're a page away from finishing that massive paper you've been working on for months. Then suddenly, your computer crashes. Everything is lost. (Insert much crying here).

It only has to happen once for you to start backing up your files. There are a few ways to back up files. The easiest has to be memory sticks or external hard-drives. Another option is emailing it to yourself, this way you can access it on any computer.

So I urge you to back up your files all the time, especially when you're working on a paper. Once you're done a section, paragraph or even a fantastic sentence, back it up!

Tip # 6: When going to the library, dress in layers

2010-01-20T20:08:00.000-08:00

Speaking of dressing for the weather...

One thing you will realise (or maybe already have realised) is that the Nipissing/Canadore Library has an unpredictable climate. Depending on the area of the library you are sitting in, what time of day it is and a variety of other factors (which may or may not include whether the dude who runs the heating system at Nipissing misread -20 degree to be 20 degrees), the library may be super warm or super cold. My advice (and the advice many students will tell you) is to dress in layers. This way you can add multiple sweaters or take them off.

Nipissing is building a new library with Canadore, which I will never actually see since I'm due to graduate (and even if I stay here for grad school, it won't be open until the end of that year). But maybe since it's a stand-along building it will be able to control it's own thermostat!

The Learning Library Concept Drawing

Tip # 5: Don't be afraid to dress warmly in the winter

2010-01-18T20:16:00.000-08:00

Particularly if you're from Southern Ontario, you will find North Bay cold. I guess it's not too bad today, but we still get our fair share of cold weather and snow. So my advice to you: Don't be afraid to dress warmly in the winter. Although you may be tempted to forgo the wooly mitts and winter jacket, don't worry about look like the abominable snowman and just wear your warm clothing outside. You won't regret it when multiple buses that are full pass you by and you end up standing in the cold for a half hour (true story - it happened to me on Tuesday this week). Besides, most of us look just as silly in our winter gear!

If you're worried about having to carry around your boots and coat to class, you can always get a locket on campus. The nice thing about Nipissing being all one building is that you can just put your coat away in your locker when you get to school and pick it up again before you leave. You do need a locker tag, so be sure to get one (this year they were available at the finance office) before you put your lock on. Also be sure to get your locker early before all the good spaces are gone (or else you might end up with a locker on the 3rd floor of the H-Wing... no fun)

Tip # 4: Appy for Everything

2010-01-16T14:33:00.000-08:00

It's such a wonderful feeling... I am totally done my graduate school applications! It has dragged on for the better part of a year (including choosing schools, writing the GRE, writing statements of interest/personal statements, filling out forms, asking people for references, mailing packages, ordering transcripts... it's a lengthy process.

This leads me to Tip #4: Apply For Everything. I'm of the opinion that every scholarship/award/school will accept someone, so it might as well be you. I obviously don't suggest spending all your spare time applying for things, and I certainly wouldn't advocate applying for things that have fees (some scholarships have massive application fees... I'd be skeptical about these ones), but if there's a scholarship/award/fellowship that sounds appealing, and there's not cost but your time, go ahead and apply.

This applies to (no pun intended) prospective students as well... there are all sorts of scholarships to apply for, so do as many as you can. I'd say the priority though has to be those scholarships and awards from the school you intend to attend, since you'll have a much better shot than the national awards. Also consider how many of each scholarship are awarded; if it's one in Canada then perhaps your time is better spent elsewhere if you aren't a stellar student and haven't saved the world yet.

After applying to a few awards/scholarships/schools, it does get easier. For example, you can just copy out that list of awards you've already written and can cut and paste paragraphs from essays. However, be careful to tailor each essay to its application procedures and guidelines. They will be able to tell if you cut and paste the whole thing. Make sure you speak to what they are looking for in applicants. My professor always tells me not to be subtle, make sure it's staring the committee right in the face.

So go ahead and apply, apply, apply... You may be pleasantly surprised and you'll never know unless you try.

Tip # 3: Actually look at the bulletin boards

2010-01-15T13:46:00.000-08:00

One of the neat things about Nipissing is that there are tons to community/campus event notice-boards. They are used for a variety of things:

Used books: the best place to sell and buy used textbooks. I've put up notices before about my textbooks and have sold them really fast.
Volunteer/Club Oppertunities: Sometimes community or campus organizations that are looking for new members or volunteers will put up flyers on bulliten boards.
Events: This is the best reason to look at bulliton boards. Most on-campus and even some community events will be posted on the boards. The notices will range from an upcoming community theatre performance, special lecture, workshops, conferences, social event, fundraisers etc. Speaking of that, you should totally come to the special talk presented by the CIC (Canadian International Council) on Monday, January 18th at 7:00pm at the North Bay Public Library by Commander Alex Grant.
Random Notices: This is how I found out about the blog contest - there was a notice on the bulliten board. Other random notices I've seen: cats for sale and a poster that just said 4 8 15 16 23 42 (the LOST numbers)

So, tip #3 is to take a look at the bulletin boards - you just may find something interesting on them. And if you want to post something on bulletin boards - just remember not to post it on the NUSU board without permission, any of the department boards or on the walls (bulletin boards only!)

Tip # 2: When choosing a laptop, "light" is key.

2010-01-13T19:32:00.000-08:00

Most students buy laptops when they start university. The advantages are many: they have come down in price, make taking notes a breeze and are so much more portable than desktops!

I got my laptop (this old beast that I'm typing on right now) in the Spring of Grade 12 (which was in 2006). Back then, I didn't know much about laptops, so I let my brother pick for me. It's a Toshiba Satellite (the early kind). It has served me well for the past four years, but is going to stop working for good probably within the next year. It's super super slow now and gets hit by viruses and whatnot really easy. Someday I think it's fan's just going to go on overdrive and die.

But my main complaint about my laptop is the weight. For 2006 laptops, it's not all that clunky, but today you can get much lighter laptops, and tip #2 to new students is to get as light a laptop as you can! My laptop travels on my back (I'd suggest a packsack case, or else one shoulder is going to suffer) to classes, work and even on trips and after a while it sure makes your back sore. Since most students live more than a minute from school, you will be carrying the thing long distances and muscles will hurt because of it. My next laptop (whenever that happens) will be the best quality light laptop I can afford!

The 2006 Toshiba Satellite

Tip # 1: Go on Exchange

2010-01-11T13:50:00.000-08:00

I'll probably end up talking about my experience abroad quite a bit, so here's tip #1: Go on an Exchange. Last year, I had the opportunity to study at Cornell University with a Killam Fellowship for the Winter/Spring Semester. It was most likely the best experience of my life! Not only did I get to take some fantastic American politics and history classes, but I also met some amazing people, tried out all so many of new things (including rock climbing, swing dancing and living on my own), and traveled around the USA. The Killam Fellowship program, along with a lot of assistance from Nipissing University, family, and all my savings made this experience possible!

While the Killam program was not a traditional exchange, I would encourage any student, especially at Nipissing University, to study abroad, do an international internship, or study on a fellowship. Sometimes the courses you'd like to take aren't offered at Nipissing (case-in-point, you can count the classes on American politics and history at Nip on one hand), so an exchange provides you the opportunity to take a greater diversity of classes. Furthermore, although some will say "it's just the US," any foreign country will provide you an opportunity to reflect on what makes Canada great, while also learning about (and learning to love) your host country.

I think one of the things that most impedes students who want to go on exchange is cost, but if you keep your grades up and take an interest in what's going on around campus, there are fellowships (like mine), international internships (like my friend Matt did) and even bursaries/scholarships to help with exchanges. Plus, if you do a traditional exchange, you only pay Nipissing tuition (unlike mine, where I had to pay full Cornell tuition... hence the crazy cost).

You can contact Melissa in the Nipissing International Office (inside the Office of Student Development) if you want to find out more!

Welcome!

2010-01-11T10:20:00.000-08:00

Being a student has been my full-time job for almost four years now. I like to think I've learned a few 'tricks of the trade.' In this blog, I will be sharing some of my best and worst times at Nipissing University, along with my favourite tips for prospective and new students. Most of this stuff you learn the hard way (ex. upcoming tip on backing up your files) and some were pleasant surprises (ex. go on exchange), but I hope you learn a little something about growing as a student!