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job search
Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Getting ready for the recruitment term

As the spring term draws to a close, the fall term is drawing nearer. If you are enrolled in co-op at university,  it may be the dreaded recruitment term. On top of juggling courses, assignments, essays and exams, you have to find a job. You have to submit what seems like 200 cover letters and resumes, and attend multiple nerve-racking interviews, just with the hopes of landing a good job with decent pay, in a decent location and with decent responsibilities. Although the recruitment term is stressful and overwhelming, it is a great opportunity to refocus your goals and aspirations.

student sweating during exam
Thursday, July 20, 2017

Tackling the essay exam

Essay exams often test you on the big picture concepts of a course. The idea of writing an essay in one sitting, especially without knowing the question in advance, may seem like an impossible task. Preparing for these exams may seem intimidating; however, essay exams can become a bit more bearable with some good preparation.

public speaker sweating
Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Overcoming public speaking

Almost everyone gets nervous before they have to speak in public. It’s natural and common, but can actually be a positive thing. Public speaking is an important part of many careers and professions, and being an effective public speaking is a huge asset to have. Whether you are speaking in front of an audience of 300 or speaking in front of a board or committee of 10 people, effective public communication skills are essential to getting ahead professionally. First and foremost, you must understand that nerves are okay; it’s your body telling you that something is at stake.

pieces of paper saying NOW, tomorrow, later, next week etc.
Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Beating Procrastination

“I’ll do it later” seems to be one of the most common phrases we say and it seems to be the most common phrase when it shouldn't be. Procrastination is one of those habits that the majority of us just can’t seem to beat. It hits everyone at some point, but can be much more difficult to shake for some people. Except, even our most productive students or colleagues face the same feelings of procrastination; however, they know how to beat it. Recent research regarding procrastination has shown that it is much more complex than a simple “I don't feel like it” attitude.

man studying at desk in vacation clothes
Monday, June 26, 2017

Staying focused in summer

Gone are those days when summer only consisted of swimming, friends and sleep. Suddenly it's summer, and we are all working or studying. It seems that much harder to stay focused when the sun is out and the temperature is hot. It may be much more difficult to get your work done when it seems like this is the time for late summer nights, travelling and adventure. So today, I offer you a few tips on keeping yourself focused when it seems hardest too.

microphone in front of audience
Monday, June 5, 2017

Delivering your speech: the power of nonverbal communication

When I say “public speaking” what comes to mind? Dread? Nervousness? Excitement? “Public speaking” often brings uneasy feelings to first year students, as standing in front of a classroom ranging from first year to fourth years may seem a lot more intimidating than one full of your long-time high school classmates. You have a well-written and researched speech and you have already sought out a peer review from the Writing and Communication Centre, but the easy part is over.

birds flying free from cage
Friday, May 26, 2017

Some newfound freedom: the shift from high school to university writing

All throughout high school, you have learned countless techniques, rules and tricks for academic writing. In high school, there is predictability, reliability, and structure, which often carries over into the writing process. One of the biggest worries for students entering their first year of university is the transition from high school to university writing. Whether it’s assignments, papers, presentations, reports and the like, writing seems to change in university – or at least the expectations do.

A sepia picture of an old style mic on a dark background with 3 spotlights
Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Spoken word poetry

English is an evolving field. The mediums in which it manifests itself have grown numerously and have shown different trends of popularity. In the times of Shakespeare, older prose and plays were very modern, whereas today novels and spoken word poetry seem more prevalent. That might mostly stem from the fact that we live in the Information Age and that expression is the new frontier. Everyone has the ability to create and put their ideas out there into the world. One very modern way of doing so, which has found its way into popular media, is spoken word.