Blog Posts

6 Beach Vacations to Get Away From Your OTU Residence

6 Affordable Beach Trips for Students Taking a beach trip is a great way to destress after a tough semester — and there are countless options for beach vacations all over the world. Provided you have enough money for the flight (make sure you stay on the lookout for deals), the following destinations are quite affordable in terms of food, accommodation, and activities. 1. The Galapagos Islands Since Ecuador is not a destination that may immediately come to mind, it’s a great place to go if you want something unique, inexpensive, and off the beaten track. The entire coast of Ecuador has great beaches, but the most exciting place to visit has to be the Galapagos Islands. Each island has something completely different to offer — not least the array of wildlife that lives there. In particular, the Galapagos Islands are a top option if you’re taking Spanish classes at university or you’re a zoology major. 2. San Juan Another island destination is San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. The beaches are pristine and often not at all crowded. Plus, there’s a great party scene in the evenings. Since San Juan is a popular choice with students, there are plenty of options for hostels, where you can meet people from all over the world. 3. Panama City There are many beaches you could visit in Florida, but one of the best is Panama City. Although temperatures are high, they’re not unbearably hot — besides, you’ll be cooling down in the water. You have various options for accommodation, although if you come with a group of friends, you’ll likely find vacation rentals to be a cost-effective option. 4. Bali If you have enough for the airfare to reach Bali, you’ll find that it’s inexpensive once you arrive. The island offers many activities for tourists, including snorkeling and beach yoga, and there’s great food available at incredibly low prices. 5. Pogradec For a European beach vacation, a place you may not have considered is Albania. The city of Pogradec has Lake Ohrid — unbeatable in terms of beauty. Its lakeside beaches are particularly popular with locals in the summer. However, the country also has stunning beaches all along its coast, some pebbled, others with pure sand. As more vacationers head to nearby Greece, Albania in general is a great choice if you’re looking to relax away from the crowds. 6. Riga Another lesser-known beach destination in Europe is Riga in Latvia. The capital has much more to offer than just beaches — especially cultural spots, many of which are free to enter. Best of all, you won’t have to spend as much time as you would on a full-blown European vacation. Return from your beach trip to comfortable housing that keeps you feeling motivated for the semester ahead. Leave OTU residence behind and move into the premier off-campus housing at Foundry 1805. Our rentals were designed with students in mind and feature everything you could want from a student apartment, including spacious rooms, free WiFi, and onsite laundry facilities. Book a tour to check out where you could be living when you’re back from your summer adventures.

Shopping for a Student Rental: Oshawa Students’ Guide

When to Start Shopping for University Supplies It may seem logical to start shopping for supplies as early as possible. After all, the lesson that you should avoid procrastination at all costs is drilled into you throughout university. Buying university supplies for the upcoming semester, though, is often the exception to this rule. It’s worth purchasing certain items in advance, but you’ll find that you gain much better deals on other types of products if you wait until the last minute. Furnishings If you’ll be living in a fully-furnished apartment, you won’t need to buy any furniture, which means big savings. However, you will still want some decor to make the place feel like home, such as an area rug, artwork for the walls, and throw pillows. The best time to shop for these is August, as stores tend to be offering great discounts on office and home supplies. Just avoid stores aimed specifically at students, as these are unlikely to have low prices. Stationery Wait until late August or even early September to restock on stationery. Stores begin discounting items as the school start date approaches. Having said that, you should avoid waiting too long, as supplies could run out and you’ll be left with the items no one else wants. Plus, stores will be dedicating less shelf space to back-to-school products and more to Halloween. Textbooks Only buy textbooks once your classes have begun and you’ve confirmed with your professor that you do need all the books on the reading list. Talk to students who took the class previously to see if you can purchase any secondhand books, search for used books online, and check book rental services. It’s a particularly good idea to leave renting books to the last possible minute, as you need to avoid a return date that’s a few weeks before your finals. Clothing If you want to save money, restrain yourself from buying clothes as soon as the stores switch from summer to fall apparel in August. By waiting until September or even October, you’ll find that prices are much more reasonable. You may also like to think ahead to winter and start picking up clothing for colder weather. Although clothing is cheapest at the end of the season, it’s still less expensive in October than it will be in November. Tech You may need some tech before the semester begins, but if it’s possible to wait a couple months before you upgrade your laptop, it’s worth buying later in the year, such as during the Black Friday sales. In fact, if you can hold off buying all your electronics, clothing, and footwear until November, you’ll see some considerable savings. One thing you shouldn’t leave until the last minute is finding a student rental. Oshawa students can still move into Foundry 1805 in time for next semester. Our premier student housing allows you to hang out with other students in shared spaces and chill in your bedroom when you want to be alone. Apply now while immediate move-ins are still available.

Tips for Life in a Room for Rent: Oshawa Near OTU Navigation

How to Get to Know Your Campus When you start university, everything is new and unfamiliar. As well as figuring out how things work at your school, you’ll need to find where things are on campus and how to get from one place to another. It helps to learn where the most important places on campus are as early as possible to avoid getting lost and start building your confidence. There are a few ways to do this. 1. Acquire a Map You’ll likely receive a map of campus with your student orientation package. If you don’t, ask at the new student registration office or search online for one you can keep on your phone. If you receive a physical map, make sure you keep it with you at all times. Having any kind of map will be a lifesaver when you need to find a place you’ve never been to before. 2. Learn to Recognize the Landmarks Pick out landmarks around campus to remind yourself exactly where you are. For instance, these could be distinctive buildings or sculptures on the grounds. Use these landmarks to place key areas on campus, such as the library, campus bookstore, student union, and administration building. 3. Join a Tour Many universities offer students a tour of campus during orientation. Find out when tours are taking place and join one — it could reveal places you missed when exploring on your own. Be sure to ask questions if you need any clarification, such as for the name or purpose of a particular building. 4. Walk to Your Classes in Advance Find all the lecture halls, labs, and classrooms you’ll be using before your first day of classes. Walk to each in order, using your map for guidance. This will not only mean you know you’re in the right place when you arrive for class, it should also eliminate the risk you arrive late! 5. Attend Events You’ll feel more comfortable on campus if you start participating in events like parties, sports games, and concerts early. Attend events for new students, especially those held by clubs you’re interested in joining. 6. Ask for Directions If you ever do get lost, there’s no need to panic. Ask students who look like they know where they’re going for directions. Since everyone was new once, they’ll be able to relate to your situation and should be happy to help. You’ll also need to figure out how to get from your student housing to campus. This will be much easier if you live nearby. This starts with finding a great room for rent. Oshawa, near OTU, has Foundry 1805. You’ll be living just steps from campus, meaning you’ll have no difficulty figuring out your route to classes. Plus, there are many great amenities on site, which will prevent you from needing to search farther afield for things like laundry facilities and study areas, and a number of restaurants and shopping options just across the street. Apply for the fully-furnished private, semi-private, or shared room of your choice while immediate move-ins are still available.

How College is Different from High School: A Durham College Residence Guide

7 Ways College Is Different from High School Everyone knows that college is completely different from high school, but you may be unaware about exactly how the two vary. Learning about the differences can help you prepare for the change. 1. Hours in Class At high school, you have back-to-back classes throughout the day. This results in about six hours of classes a day, 30 hours a week. In contrast, you’ll only take around 12 to 16 hours of classes a week at college. Plus, there could be long gaps between classes, especially if you take some classes at night. 2. Style of Teaching Teachers give classes at high school. They often write down information for students to copy into their notebooks and may work on activities with you during class. The lectures at college are completely different: they’re given by professors or graduate assistants and only provide you with key information about the topic. You’ll need to be taking notes throughout the lecture. There may also be opportunities to join in discussions or answer questions, but this depends on the professor. 3. Class Sizes The maximum class size at high school is about 30. At college, class sizes depend on what school you attend and what classes you take, but they can be anywhere from 20 students to a couple hundred. 4. Homework Requirements You receive regular homework at high school and your teachers are always checking your progress. Homework tends to be task based, with no more than about two hours of reading. At college, your professors may assign readings and other tasks or you may need to rely on the course syllabus to find out what you need to do. You’ll be required to study about two or three hours in your own time for every one hour of class — and you’ll likely struggle to understand lectures if you fall behind schedule. 5. Self-Management At high school, there’s always someone checking that you’re on track and making note of your attendance. Teachers and school administrators will reach out to you or your parents if you seem to be struggling or falling behind. At college, managing your time is up to you. Depending on the class size, your professors may be unaware if you skip class — and they definitely won’t know if you’re on track to submit a project or paper on time. If you’re finding a class difficult, it’s up to you to pay the professor a visit during office hours. For academic skills, you can receive additional support from student services. 6. Tests Regular tests at high school check your knowledge and reveal gaps in your understanding. If you fail a test, you can usually retake it without any negative consequences. Tests are far less frequent at college — each class may have just two or three per semester. This means that tests cover a much larger range of topics and you’ll need to prepare sufficiently to gain a good grade. It’s also rare that you’ll have the chance to do a makeup test. 7. What You’re Graded On High school assesses your understanding of material and your ability to solve similar problems to those you covered in class. You may also receive a higher grade if your teacher knows that you put in a large amount of effort for a subject you find difficult, or you could have the chance to gain extra credit to improve your grade. At college, professors grade on your ability to apply your knowledge to new problems or situations. Tests can contribute considerably to your grade and there tend to be few opportunities to gain extra credit. Another major difference between high school and college is that you’ll be living away from home, which means you’ll be responsible for finding your own housing. Foundry 1805 is a great alternative to Durham College residence. You’ll receive a spacious suite, fully furnished and with plenty of storage. Our student housing is just steps from North Oshawa campus and has great onsite amenities, including study rooms, a large parking lot, and laundry facilities. Sign a lease now to benefit from our early bird pricing.

Life in Shared Accommodation: Oshawa Students’ Guide to Arriving to Class on Time

How to Stop Being Late to Classes Although you may find that no one says anything to you if you arrive late to class, it’s certainly not a good habit. Even if there are no direct consequences, it can be embarrassing to become known as the student who always arrives late. Plus, it’s difficult to break such a habit later in life, which could make it challenging for you to maintain a professional image when you start your career. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to stop being late to classes entirely. 1. Sleep Enough You’ll never want to get up early for your morning classes if you’re lacking sleep. The solution is to set a bedtime that will give you enough sleep to function the next day. You may need to turn down some invitations or return home earlier from events, but this should be worthwhile when you consider that you’ll get to take full advantage of your education. Not only will you make it to class on time, you’ll be able to focus, remember information, and even gain more enjoyment from your classes. If there are nights when it’s impossible for you to get enough sleep (perhaps there was an event you couldn’t miss that kept you up late), take a nap during the day to catch up on sleep. You may like to take a nap right before your afternoon class to refresh your mind — just make sure you wake up in time. 2. Create a Morning Routine Another way to make getting up easier is to incentivize yourself to leave your bed behind. Add activities to your morning routine that wake you up in a pleasant way, such as a series of stretches, a five-minute meditation, a tasty breakfast, or your favourite hot beverage. 3. Aim to Leave Earlier Than Necessary If you know it takes you 15 minutes to get to class, aim to leave your apartment about half an hour before class starts. This just means doing everything you need to do to prepare for your class 15 minutes earlier. You should find you arrive at least a few minutes early, which will give you time to relax and chat with your most organized classmates. 4. Attend Classes with a Friend Arrange to go to each of your classes with a friend. That way, you’ll be letting someone else down as well as yourself if you’re late — most people feel much worse about being late if they know someone is waiting for them. You could even have breakfast with your friend (or lunch, if it’s an afternoon class) or you could meet the evening before to remind each other not to stay up too late. Just make sure you don’t choose to attend a class with someone who’s unreliable. Another way to stop being late to classes is to live near campus. To save money, search for shared accommodation. Oshawa students can share a suite but have a private or semi-private bedroom at Foundry 1805. Since our student housing is just steps away from both Ontario Tech University and Durham College’s North Oshawa campus, you’ll never have an excuse to be late to class again. Apply now for an immediate move-in.

Life in a Student Rental: Oshawa Students’ Guide to a Great University Experience

7 Ways to Get the Most Out of University Making the most of your time at university means going beyond just showing up to class and submitting assignments. Since you’re investing a large amount of money into your education and how well you do could influence the rest of your life, it’s crucial to put in the effort to make these years count. Here are some ways to get the most from your experience. 1. Run for an Elected Position University gives you the chance to be a leader by holding an elected position in a club, organization, or sports team. As well as teaching you valuable skills, this will boost your confidence and give you something impressive to put on your resume. Many jobs require acting as a leader in some capacity, particularly as you advance in your career. 2. Work an Internship You’ll increase your chances of being hired if you have practical experience rather than just academic knowledge. An internship is one of the best ways to do relevant work while you’re still a student. Plus, you’ll gain contacts in the industry — and you could even receive a job offer when your internship ends. 3. Collaborate with a Professor on a Research Project If your interests lie in research, there’s no better option than to assist a professor with a project. Like with an internship, you’ll be paid for your work, make useful connections with people in the field, and be able to put what you’ve learned in the classroom into practice. 4. Volunteer in Your Community Another way to gain skills that will be useful after you graduate is to volunteer. Find a cause that matters to you or a role related to the kind of work you want to do. 5. Receive Guidance from an Advisor Never feel like you need to struggle alone at university. Academic advisors can help you navigate your journey as a student to ensure you make the right decisions. If you’re having doubts about a class, your major, or even your ability to graduate, schedule a meeting with an advisor to talk through your options. 6. Take Advantage of Your Campus Library The internet doesn’t mean that libraries are now defunct — in fact, they’re just as important as ever. You should use the campus library whenever you need to do research, have a media project due, or want to receive advice from an expert about searching for reliable information, writing a paper, or creating a presentation. 7. Live in a Student Community Where you choose to live will have a big impact on your time at university. Instead of settling for a dorm room, think about where you’d be most comfortable. For the majority of students, this will be an off-campus student community, as you’ll have more space, privacy, and freedom, but you’ll still be around other students. Whereas some of these tips take time, one thing you can do right away is look for the perfect student rental. Oshawa students can live in the off-campus student community at Foundry 1805. You’ll be able to choose the number of students you’ll share with and whether you have a private, semi-private, or shared room. There’s also the option to have a personal study area in your apartment. Apply now for an immediate move-in.