Blog Posts

6 Winter Essentials for Life in OTU Residence

Winter Must-Haves for University Students Winter can be extreme in Canada, and this can make finding the motivation to go to class tough. You’ll find it easier if you’ve prepared to face the weather with some winter essentials. These will help you brave the snow, ice, and cold temperatures. 1. Thermal Gloves Just sticking your hands in your pockets will mean your fingers freeze every time you need to do something with your hands, like open a door. Some quality gloves are a much better solution. Never choose simple wool gloves, as your hands will be cold if your gloves become wet. You need waterproof, layered gloves to keep in the maximum warmth. Gloves that allow you to use your smartphone screen are best of all, as they avoid the need to remove a glove whenever you want to send a quick message, answer a call, or scroll through your social media feed when outdoors. Touchscreen gloves are far preferable to fingerless gloves, as even exposing a tiny amount of skin can be painful when temperatures are low. 2. Waterproof Jacket Another item of clothing that needs to be waterproof is a jacket. Choose one with a thick lining and in a size large enough to fit over your other clothes to allow you to layer up. If you find a jacket with plenty of large pockets, you may be able to forgo a backpack some days. Plus, this is extra convenient when running errands. 3. Scarf Scarves are some of the best accessories to have in the winter, as they add to your outfit and serve a purpose. Make sure you bring a few with you to university to always have a scarf that complements what you’re wearing. 4. Beanie Even if you’re all wrapped up, you’ll be cold if you neglect your head, particularly when it rains or snows — the last thing you want is to be sitting in class with damp hair. A beanie is ideal because it’s designed to keep the heat in and you can pull it over your ears. Choose a neutral colour to match all your outfits or stand out with something vibrant like red, orange, or pink. 5. Hand Warmers When you need to stay out late, hand warmers can come to the rescue. They’re ideal for activities like attending an evening sports game. If your toes start to freeze, you can also put hand warmers in your shoes. 5. Fuzzy Socks Back in your student apartment, slip into some fuzzy socks. These are excellent for warming up feet chilled from a long day outdoors. Since they come in all sorts of patterns and colours, it should be easy to find a pair you love. 6. Hot Cocoa Have something to look forward to when you return home by keeping a pack of hot cocoa mix in your apartment. It’s much cheaper than buying hot chocolate from a coffee shop and simple to prepare. Add some marshmallows and whipped cream to give yourself a real treat. As well as wearing the right clothing, it helps to live near campus. Foundry 1805 offers OTU residence just steps from campus. Plus, you’ll always be warm and comfortable in your suite — since utilities are included in the rent, you never need to worry about your heating bill. Apply to move in immediately while spaces are still available.

Life in Shared Accommodation: Oshawa Students’ Last Semester Tips

How to Make the Most of Your Last Semester When you start college, graduation feels so far away that it’s barely worth thinking about. Eventually, though, that last semester will roll around. It’s exciting to move on, but it can also be sad to think about leaving all your friends and your student life behind. Here’s how to make the most of your final semester before you run out of time. 1. Think About Your Future You only have a few months left to figure out what you want to do after university. This doesn’t mean you need to make plans for your entire life, but you should have an idea of what kinds of jobs you’d like to apply for and whether you’ll need any training or qualifications in addition to your university degree. 2. Enjoy Your Free Time Once you’re working full time, you’ll have much less free time. Your last semester of college may be hectic at times, but you should still have the occasional afternoon with no responsibilities. Designate a day to rest and enjoy your freedom, even if that means just binge-watching your favourite TV series or playing video games. 3. Prioritize Your Friends You may never be with all your university friends in the same place at the same time again. Plus, some of your friends may be moving to the other end of the country, which could make it difficult to stay in touch. Take advantage of the time you have left and make memories you’ll treasure forever. 4. Try New Things If there’s something you’ve always wanted to do or a place you’ve always wanted to visit in your college town, fit it into your schedule. This is an especially good idea if you’ve delayed something until now because it means stepping out of your comfort zone — your last semester is ideal for taking risks and pushing yourself to the limit. 5. Ask Someone Out If you’re single, one new thing to do is to ask someone you barely know out on a date. No matter if it goes well or badly, you’ll gain something from the experience. 6. Dedicate More Time to Yourself It’s easy to become overwhelmed by trying to fit too much into your last semester. By now, you should know your limits. Avoid becoming burned out by scheduling plenty of time for your hobbies and for self-care. This is extra important as you near the end of your time at university, as finals and other responsibilities can be stressful. If you’ve given yourself time to relax, though, you’re more likely to gain the grades you want. 7. Appreciate the Mundane There will be many lasts in your final semester. Some of these you’ll be glad are your last — which is something to celebrate! Acknowledge them all, whether good, bad, or something in between: the last class you attend, your last time at an extracurricular, the last assignment you complete, and the last time you receive a grade. Your final semester is also your last chance to share an apartment you love with other university students. There are far better options than on-campus housing for shared accommodation. Oshawa students can live at Foundry 1805. You’ll have a spacious bedroom, a bright white kitchen with granite countertops, and community amenities like onsite laundry. Apply now for an immediate move-in.

Staying Fit in Rooms for Rent: Oshawa Student Tips

6 Fitness Tips for University Students Staying fit at university will help you cope better with stress, improve your focus, and promote good health for the rest of your life. Even though it may feel like your schedule is already full, you should be able to make time for fitness. Just make sure you’re gaining the most from your workouts by practicing the following tips. 1. Combine Cardio, Strength, and Stretching A fitness routine needs a balance of cardio and strength training, plus some stretching to maintain your flexibility. You may like to stretch after every workout or dedicate a couple days to flexibility exercises. Cardio is crucial because it increases your heart rate, which keeps your heart and lungs healthy. It’s also useful for increasing your metabolism, helping you maintain an ideal weight, and improving energy levels, mood, and sleep. You should fit a minimum of two and a half hours of moderate cardio exercise into your weekly routine, such as low-impact aerobics, dancing, or cycling. Alternatively, do at least one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous exercise like uphill biking or hiking. Strength training is what builds your muscles and endurance, helping to keep your bones, ligaments, and tendons strong. Again, this is useful for weight management, but it can also prevent chronic illness and reduce the risk of injury. You should fit at least two sessions of strength training into your weekly routine and make sure you work all the muscle groups of the body. 2. Use Campus Facilities Paying for a gym membership is expensive — even with a student discount. The good news is it’s often unnecessary because your campus likely has great facilities you can use, such as gym equipment, a track, and maybe even a pool. If you need more motivation, find out if your university holds fitness classes. You may be able to join them virtually from home. 3. Exercise at Home There’s no need to wait for live fitness classes to exercise at home. You can find countless results for routines by searching on YouTube or downloading a fitness app. Both are great ways to try out different types of workouts and find what resonates with you. Start with routines that don’t require any equipment and then purchase whatever you need when you’ve figured out what you enjoy most. 4. Stick to a Schedule Unless you create a workout schedule, you may find it difficult to meet your fitness goals. Block out time each day on your calendar for exercise, specifying what kind of workout you’ll do — this will help ensure you strike the right balance and don’t neglect any muscle groups. 5. Pair Up with a Fitness Buddy Hold yourself accountable by working out with someone else. You can agree to attend the same classes, go to the campus fitness centre at the same time, or practise at-home routines together. When you have a fitness buddy, you’ll be letting down more than just yourself if you fail to go to your workouts. 6. Move More It’s better for your body if you’re constantly active than if you just exercise once and remain sedentary for the rest of the day. Simple things you can do to increase how much you move include walking to campus and biking longer distances, taking the stairs, playing sports on the weekend, and going for a walk when you need a break from studying. Since it’s more comfortable to exercise at home when you have your own space, it’s worth searching for rooms for rent. Oshawa students who live at Foundry 1805 all receive a spacious bedroom in a suite with free WiFi. Plus, the community is walking distance from campus, allowing you to fit in some extra exercise every day. Apply now to take advantage of our promotions.

Sick in Student Housing: Oshawa Student Tips for Feeling Better Fast

How to Beat a Cold or Flu as a Student No one enjoys being sick at the best of times. When you’re a student living away from your family and you need to fend for yourself, it’s that much worse. Plus, it’s important to try and recover as fast as possible to ensure your cold or flu doesn’t impact your academic performance. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to avoid suffering too much. 1. Prepare in Advance Unless you’re only taking online classes, there’s a high chance that you will catch a cold or the flu due to the large number of people you interact with on a daily basis. Prepare for this eventuality by stocking up on things you would need, like food, over-the-counter medication, and throat lozenges. These essentials are always good to have on hand, since you won’t feel like venturing out when you’re feeling under the weather. 2. Receive the Flu Shot Reduce your risk of getting the flu by receiving your annual flu shot. You should find that the vaccine is available at local clinics, pharmacies, and community health centres. 3. Wash Your Hands Frequently Get into the habit of washing your hands every time you come home, before you eat, and whenever you’ve been in contact with other people. Between washing your hands, remember to avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose, and mouth. 4. Keep a Distance from Sick Friends If a friend or roommate is sick, avoid physical contact. Disinfect surfaces and any objects your friend touched and don’t share food. 5. Sleep Enough You’ll recover faster if you’ve been sleeping enough. Aim for at least seven hours a night and stick to a bedtime. If you do fall sick, sleep even more — as much as possible until you feel better. 6. Be Careful with Medication The likelihood is your parents chose medication for you when you were sick in the past, meaning you may be unsure of what to buy. It’s best to describe your symptoms to a pharmacist, as it can be difficult to choose products yourself. It’s also worth calling your parents and asking them what worked well for you in the past. Besides, talking to family when you’re sick should help lift your mood. 7. Stay Hydrated You can easily become dehydrated when you have a fever. Make sure you drink plenty of water, juice, or herbal tea. Avoid coffee and alcohol, as these are diuretics. 8. Know When to Seek Medical Attention Most of the time, you just need to rest and wait to recover. However, if your symptoms are severe or long lasting, you should see a doctor. Symptoms that fall into this category include a persistent fever or a fever of more than 39 degrees Celsius, difficulty breathing, pain in your abdomen, ears, or sinuses, a rash, sensitivity to light, and any other painful or persistent symptoms that concern you. Make sure you know where you’ll go if you do fall sick — the last thing you want is to be researching your options when you need immediate care. You’re more likely to catch a cold or the flu when you live in close quarters with other people in student housing. Oshawa students have their own bedroom and share common areas of their apartment with only a few people when they live at Foundry 1805. You’ll also have a full-size kitchen to prepare comfort food if you do get sick. Sign a lease now for an immediate move-in.

Skills You’ll Gain in a Room for Rent — Oshawa, Near OTU

Life Skills You Can Develop During University Earning your degree is only one thing you’ll gain from your time at university: you’ll also learn life skills that will help you throughout your career. These are particularly useful right after you graduate, as they’ll make your resume stand out even when you’re up against candidates with experience. 1. Teamwork Few jobs require you to work in isolation. Most likely, you’ll need to collaborate with others at least on occasion. It’s important that everyone pulls their weight and contributes to optimize the final results. During your time at university, you may gain practice for these kinds of situations by working on group assignments and through your participation in extracurriculars, such as student organizations and team sports. 2. Time Management The freedom you experience at university will teach you how to organize your time better. You’ll need to create a balanced schedule that allows you to fit a social life and other responsibilities around your classes and due dates. You may even start using new tools to help you with time management, such as a planner and reminders. 3. Digital Literacy The more general and industry-specific software you know how to use, the better. Some job posts may ask for experience using particular software, whereas other employers will just want to see that you’re a fast learner. At university, you’ll also improve existing digital literacy skills, such as typing, researching online, and assessing the validity of information. 4. Communication All the assignments you complete at university will involve communication. Often, this will be written communication, but you may also improve your verbal communication skills, particularly if you give oral presentations, participate in discussions, or need to talk with other students when preparing group work. 5. Networking If you’ve been socializing at university, you’ve been networking. You can demonstrate that you’re particularly capable by taking advantage of additional opportunities, such as study abroad programs, conferences, internships, and volunteering. As well as using these to enhance your employability, networking skills may lead to jobs that you would otherwise never have known about. 6. Creativity You can demonstrate your creative skills in more ways than taking a creative major. For one thing, even majors that are not conventionally creative tend to have their creative side. For instance, you may need to come up with original solutions to problems. You can also choose electives that push you to learn a new skill, such as painting, screenwriting, or performing arts. Alternatively, you could develop your creativity outside the classroom, like in a club or by running your own business. 7. Leadership Learning leadership skills will allow you to progress in your career to manage others or become the head of a team. Sign up for a leadership or management class or develop your skills by holding a position in student government, an organization, or a club. To succeed in all aspects of university, you need a comfortable place to call home. Find a room for rent in Oshawa near OTU at Foundry 1805. Living independently will teach you even more valuable skills — but, at the same time, you’ll have all the benefits of a student community. Apply now to secure the floor plan you want with early bird pricing.

A Guide to Splitting Costs in Your OTU Residence

Should You Split Grocery & Household Supplies with Roommates? When you move into your student apartment, something you need to decide from the start is how you’ll divide costs for groceries and household items. There are a few ways to approach this — the important thing is you come to an agreement and the terms are clear to everyone. Option 1: Each Buy Your Own Groceries The simplest option is to buy all your own food and share nothing. This will help you stay within your budget and avoid surprises like running out of something you need for a meal or having nothing left in the kitchen you can eat due to your dietary restrictions. You’ll need to use a labelling system to ensure no one mistakes your food for theirs. Alternatively, you could assign each roommate a different shelf in the pantry or a section of the fridge — and you’ll also need to make sure visitors are aware of this system. The main downside to this option is you’ll need to buy small quantities, rather than bulk, to avoid food waste. However, nothing is stopping you from asking your roommates if they want things you’re unable to use by the expiration date. Option 2: Split Everything The other extreme is to split everything with your roommates. This tends to work best when your roommates are your friends and you all have similar tastes. You’ll need to agree to a weekly budget and create a shopping list. Check discounts by using a grocery app to stretch your money as far as possible. You’ll then need to decide how you’ll do the actual shopping. You could all go together, but this will mean finding a time when you’re all available. It likely makes more sense to add grocery shopping to your chores and have a different person or pair of roommates go each week. There are several benefits to splitting everything, including that you’ll be able to cook meals to eat together, you’ll never have disputes about someone eating something that belonged to another roommate, and you’ll have just one set of cleaning products. However, you may end up spending more with this option, especially if one of your roommates eats more than the rest of you or someone frequently has guests over who also eat your food. Plus, it will mean you’re contributing to food you barely eat (or may not eat at all). For these reasons, it tends to be the least fair option. Option 3: Split Some Things Your final option may seem like the most complicated, but university students often find it’s the one that works best. Each of you will buy the food you want for your own meals and snacks to stay within your personal budgets. You’ll do your own grocery shopping whenever it suits you. However, everyone will contribute to common items (such as condiments) to avoid having multiples. You could even use this method just for cleaning supplies and other household items but buy all your own food, if you prefer. Figuring out groceries is just one concern when you have roommates: even splitting rent and utilities can be problematic if someone in your household is prone to paying late. When you live at Foundry 1805, however, you’ll receive an individual lease, with utilities included in the price of the rent. Our alternative to OTU residence gives you the full student experience without all the downsides of living on campus. Apply now to take advantage of our promotions.