Blog Posts

What to Know About Studying Abroad

Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You’ll meet people you would otherwise never have met, go on unique adventures, and make memories you’ll remember forever. Nonetheless, studying abroad is not all smooth sailing. To ensure you have a positive experience from beginning to end, here are a few things to bear in mind. 1. Where You Want to Go Depending on the program and your major, you may have a huge number of options to study abroad. It’s crucial that you research your options in depth to ensure you make the right choice. Make sure you know what to expect and choose somewhere you’ll enjoy living. As well as speaking the language (or learning it while you’re there), you should be comfortable with the culture. Liking the food is a plus, too! 2. Monetary Considerations Living abroad brings new challenges for budgeting. You’ll likely need to use a different currency and prices for things may vary from what you’re used to. It’s crucial to adapt your budget for the new country — and stick to it. Be aware that your bank may charge you a high fee for the currency exchange, which will make your purchases more expensive. It may be worth opening a new account or applying for an international credit card before you leave. You should also inform your bank or credit card company that you’ll be abroad to prevent your card from being frozen. If you’ll be using cash frequently , familiarize yourself with the coins to be able to pay and count your change quickly. 3. Phone Plans It’s helpful to have a working phone as soon as you arrive at the airport to be able to contact whoever is picking you up or to make your own way to your accommodation. As your current cell phone plan may have an expensive roaming fee, find out if the provider offers an international plan. Alternatively, you can purchase a new plan at the airport. 4. Packing the Right Clothes Something that’s easy to overlook is the weather, particularly if you’re from a country where temperatures remain much the same year round . Find out if it’s likely to be hot or cold, how the humidity is, and whether it rains or snows a lot during the time of year you’ll be living there. Although you always have the option to buy more clothing when you arrive, it makes sense to come as prepared as possible. 5. Emergency Numbers You may have never needed to call an emergency number in your life, but it’s still worth learning a few basic ones for your new country. In addition to numbers for the emergency services, memorize or write down the number for your university, just in case something happens to your phone. 6. Culture Shock It’s common to experience homesickness when you first arrive in a new country, due to being far away from home in an unfamiliar setting. Even if you know what to expect, you may experience some culture shock. To cope, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your university may have wellness services you can use. You can also try to meet other international students who are facing the same circumstances as you. Call your friends and family regularly to feel less alone and bring things with you that remind you of home, such as food. Finally, keep an open mind and enjoy the experience — after all, it will be over almost before you know it. A great place to study abroad is Canada — for the world-class universities and all the fun you’ll have in student living. Ottawa international students can find great housing at 1Eleven to complete their study abroad experience. Since utilities are included and all suites are fully furnished, you can move in straight away. Book a video tour to see it for yourself before you arrive.

7 Ways to Reduce Your Screen Time

Studying and working on assignments requires spending a large amount of time staring at a screen. This means it’s extra important to cut down on screen time in other ways. The biggest problem is likely your phone. Most people turn to their phones whenever they have some downtime purely out of habit, but there are several ways you can learn to cut down to benefit your health — both physically and mentally. 1. Make Checking Your Phone a Conscious Action Many people check their phones regularly for no real reason. Whenever you take your phone out, think about what you’re going to look at. Avoid opening your favourite social media app and just mindlessly scrolling. 2. Track App Usage Check screen time for specific apps to find out where you’re spending the majority of your time. You may be unaware of just how many hours are going toward a particular app. Once you do know, you can set reasonable limits. In fact, it may be worth gradually decreasing the time you allow yourself to spend on each app to ease yourself into healthier habits. 3. Keep Your Phone Away from Your Bed It’s best to stay away from screens for at least two hours before you go to bed. Otherwise, your mind will be too active and you’ll struggle to fall asleep. Better still, keep your phone out of reach to prevent temptations. This will also help you to get up in the morning, as you’ll be unable to stay in bed reading messages. 4. Turn Off Notifications If your phone is constantly dinging, it can be difficult to avoid looking at it. You may even receive notifications you don’t care about — the problem is that once you’ve glanced at the screen, you’ll undoubtedly think of something you do want to check. You can avoid this by turning off notifications for all but the essential apps. Furthermore, you should change how the app notifies you to make it less distracting. Finally, it’s worth setting up modes for focus and sleep. 5. Use Grayscale Your phone will be less appealing if the display is in grayscale: removing colour will help you do just what you unlocked your phone to do and nothing else. Productivity experts frequently recommend this tactic, as it reportedly helps with feelings of addiction toward your phone. On an iPhone, you can set a shortcut to switch to colour when you need it and then back to grayscale by tapping the home button three times. 6. Have Screen-Free Time with Friends Involve your friends in your efforts to reduce screen time — the likelihood is they’d benefit just as much as you. For instance, commit to calling each other more often instead of texting back and forth, or have get-togethers without screens, such as to practise sports, play boardgames, or cook meals. 7. Delete Apps If all else fails, you may need to take the nuclear option and delete all apps that are wasting your time from your phone. There’s no need for this to be a long-term solution — just keeping apps you don’t need off your phone for a few days (such as around when a big project is due or when you’re preparing for midterms) can be hugely beneficial. One place many students tend to spend a large amount of time staring at screens is in their student apartments. Ottawa students can find activities that involve zero screen time by living at 1Eleven. You’ll have the chance to hang out with other people in places like the games room and communal kitchen or you can spend time alone without any screens at the 24-hour fitness centre . Apply now to secure your spot while suites are still available.

How to Give Your Student Apartment a Spring Refresh

Spring has many connotations, but one of the most obvious is spring cleaning. Refreshing your student apartment will remove cobwebs (metaphorical and perhaps also literal!) that remain after the winter. Use the opportunity to create a space that feels inviting to return home to at the end of the day and that helps you stay focused on the semester ahead. 1. Sort Through Your Belongings Start by decluttering to root out any junk you’ve accumulated and should throw out. In addition, pack away any winter clothing and switch to a spring wardrobe. This will put you in the mood for spring and prevent wasted space. Remember to go beyond your bedroom when decluttering — also check the contents of the cabinets in your kitchen and bathroom. 2. Do a Deep Clean Moving around your possessions will reveal areas that need cleaning, such as under the bed, at the bottom of your closet, and surfaces that were previously covered. Dust, vacuum, wash the floors, and do any other cleaning your apartment needs. 3. Make Your Bed More Comfortable Your bed is the centrepiece of your bedroom. You likely need different bedding for the spring weather, making this an ideal opportunity to give your bed a makeover. For instance, you may want to invest in new sheets or some extra pillows. Don’t neglect to wash all your current bedding before you store it away. 4. Redecorate for Spring Once your apartment is clean and decluttered, you can begin the fun stuff. Think about how you could redecorate for the new season — there’s no need for this to be anything complicated or expensive. Even if you’re not artistically inclined, there are some simple crafts you can do to brighten up your space. One idea is to print out photos of your friends — both ones taken at university and memories of your high school friends. Buy cheap frames at a craft store and paint them vibrant colours . Another option is to make a tassel banner in spring colours using ribbon and tissue paper. 5. Add Some Lighting When you’re unable to be outside, bring a sense of spring to you by increasing the lighting in your apartment. Consider purchasing a lamp for your nightstand or a floor lamp for your living room. 6. Buy Some Spring Flowers Spring is the perfect time to learn to take care of plants. Purchase some flowers and tie a ribbon around their pots for an extra splash of colour . If you’ve never managed to keep a plant alive before, choose something low maintenance . However, if you don’t think you can manage even that, you could always find artificial flowers and arrange them in mason jars. Spring is also a great time to think about where you’d like to live next semester or when you come back to university after the summer. For uOttawa off-campus housing, there’s 1Eleven. You’ll receive a spacious suite either to yourself or shared with a couple roommates and you’ll have access to great onsite amenities. Book a video tour to check out the facilities for yourself.

Simple Solutions for Bringing Your Grades Up

It can be disheartening when you try your best, but you’re unable to reach the heights of the top students in your classes. Fortunately, no matter where you stand now, there are ways you can bring up your grades. Here are a few simple strategies to try. 1. Attend Every Class The first thing to do is to stop seeing classes as optional. You should only be missing classes if you’re unable to attend for a good reason, such as being sick or having a family emergency. Besides, skipping class just means you’ll need to catch up with the material in your own time. Attending classes means you’ll hear key information first hand and have the chance to participate with your own insights and questions. This can bring the material alive and clear up any doubts you have. Plus, if your university awards points for attendance, this could be an easy way to instantly improve your grades. 2. Become Better Organized It’s impossible to get good grades if you forget about assignments until the last minute. Using a planner will help you remember all your due dates, appointments, and other commitments. You can also use your planner to block time for studying, working on assignments, and to ensure you spend enough time preparing for each class. As well as organizing your schedule, sort out your physical space and files. Remove all the clutter from your desk, put your papers in order, and make sure you have all the stationery you need. 3. Get to Know Your Professors You’ll find it easier to reach out for help when you’re struggling if you know your professors. In addition to speaking up more in class, attend office hours. If you’re finding anything difficult or you need feedback about how to do better after a bad grade, you can always turn to your professors. 4. Take Detailed Notes Whenever you’re in class or reading new material, take notes. You’ll find that you retain much more information this way — especially if you’re selective about what you take notes on and write in your own words. Since there’s always a risk you’ll write notes verbatim if you use your laptop, it helps to take notes on paper. You can always type them up later if you want a digital copy for easier search. In fact, it’s a good idea anyway to rewrite your notes right after class to review them. 5. Avoid Distractions Studying should be a distraction-free experience. This means putting your phone away, avoiding the temptation to jump between activities, and asking others not to interrupt you. If you’re unable to stay focused at home, studying in a quiet spot in the library can be a good alternative . 6. Study in a Group While you should be mindful of limiting distractions, it can also be demotivating to study for hours on end alone. By forming a study group, you’ll be exposed to new ideas and points of view, have the chance to learn from others, and be able to explain concepts in your own words. Consider a balanced approach in which you study on your own often but also block out some time for group sessions. 7. Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle Another thing that can help you better concentrate on your studies is to become physically healthy. It’s crucial to eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the day. You should also fit regular exercise into your daily routine, such as by going to the gym, jogging in the park, or attending fitness classes at your university. Finally, you need to sleep enough hours every night, as it’s impossible to study effectively when you’re sleep deprived. If you improve your organizational ski lls, you should find that you never need to stay up late working on papers. It’s difficult to improve your grades if you’re unable to study without distractions at home. The solution could be moving out of your dorm. For comfortable off-campus student living, Ottawa students have 1Eleven. You can have your own apartment or a private bedroom in a shared suite with the option for an en -suite washroom. When you want a change of scenery, you can use the dedicated study spaces. Book a video tour to check out our student housing for yourself.

4 Ways to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone at University

In addition to earning your degree, university is about gaining life experiences, growing as a person, and discovering new things about yourself. However, all this is only possible if you step out of your comfort zone. The good news is there are plenty of opportunities to challenge yourself every day. 1. Switch Things Up Avoid falling into a routine where you go to the same places and hang out with the same people all the time. Push yourself to do something different. The first step is to acknowledge what you may be avoiding. For instance, you may be resistant to try activities where you’re unsure if you’ll know anyone. Commit to experimenting more, such as exploring different areas of campus, signing up for a new club, or even talking to a new person in a class. This may feel intimidating in the moment, but it will ultimately save you from feeling bored and unfulfilled. 2. Do Things You’re Not Sure You’ll Enjoy Stop making assumptions about your likes, dislikes, and skills. It’s impossible to know if you’ll like or be good at something if you’ve never tried anything like it before. Whenever a friend invites you to a new activity or you see a new extracurricular advertised that you would never have considered in the past, avoid dismissing the idea outright. Think about why you’re hesitant to go. Often, you’ll find that the reason is you’re afraid of being uncomfortable — which makes it the perfect opportunity to st ep out of your comfort zone. 3. Find Opportunities Don’t just wait for opportunities to come to you; seek them out yourself. Sign up for a club even if none of your friends are interested in attending with you. Run for an elected position at one of the organizations at your university. Find volunteering work to gain valuable experience and learn skills that you currently find difficult. Apply for a study abroad program, internship, or research position. Do whatever it is that intimidates you but that you know would benefit you. 4. Make Experimenting Ongoing It’s easy to commit to experimenting with new opportunities at the start of the semester — and soon fall back to your old habits. If you have a less-than-great experience, it can be tempting to find solace in your close friends or shut yourself in your room to focus on your studies. However, you need to remember that nothing is easy about stepping out of your comfort zone. At times you will want to give up. To see results, you need to persevere and continue to seek out new ways to challenge yourself, even i n the face of failure. Once you’ve succeeded with the first challenge you set yourself, start searching for the next one. You’ll meet more people and have the chance to engage in an even more diverse range of activities if you live in off-campus housing. Ottawa students can find a community at 1Eleven. You’ll be surrounded by students from both the University of Ottawa and Carleton University who you can meet in places like the fitness centre , games room, and communal kitchen. Step out of your comfort zone today by booking a tour.

Best Summer Jobs for University Students

Summers are long when you’re at university, which is great if you want to find a job. Working over the summer can help pay for your education, give you extra spending money, or gain you some valuable work experience. Even if you don’t find a job related to what you want to do after you graduate, you’ll have something to add to your resume — whatever you do, you’ll learn plenty of transferable skills to improve your employability. In particular, here are a few jobs that are perfect for university students. 1. Lifeguard Competent swimmers can take training to become a lifeguard. This is an ideal job for the summer, since many people will be visiting public pools and waterparks . 2. Dog Walker You can fit dog-walking around other commitments. To decide how much work you can manage, you’ll need to consider factors like how many dogs you can walk at one time and your level of fitness. You should have experience with dogs and be confident handling them. 3. Server If you want a customer-facing role, finding work as a server could be right for you. There tend to be shifts available at all times of the day during the summer. At many restaurants, your performance on the job can make a big difference to how much extra you earn in tips. 4. Barista Working as a barista is similar to being a server, but the atmosphere tends to be more relaxed. Plus, shifts are often earlier in the day, including before business hours. You’ll learn to prepare a variety of drinks, which could become useful for impressing your friends. 5. Receptionist Develop your interpersonal skills by working as a receptionist. You’ll be responsible for answering the phone for a business: patching through calls, relaying messages to the right people, and scheduling appointments. This is great for demonstrating that you’re professional and organized. You may be able to find receptionist work at a hotel rather than at an office. Since hotels often check in guests late into the night (or even 24 hours a day), becoming a hotel receptionist could be beneficial if you want more flexibility. Receptionists often do a greater range of tasks, including cleaning and providing support at onsite events. Plus, you may have the chance to learn management skills. 6. Delivery Driver If you have your own vehicle, you can work as a delivery driver. As an alternative to working directly for a restaurant, you can sign up with an app to do deliveries for multiple businesses in your area whenever you’re available. 7. Babysitter Just having younger siblings at home could mean you have sufficient experience to find work as a babysitter. Search online in places like job sites and local parent groups. You may be able to receive referrals to build up a network of clients or you could be lucky enough to land a daycare job for school-age children whose parents need to work over the summer. 8. Mover Summer is the most popular time of year to move home, meaning there’s a greater need for movers. You’ll need to be able to lift heavy objects and have enough stamina to keep going throughout the day. Search for existing teams you could join or create your own with friends. Keep in mind that one of you will need to have a truck. 9. Landscaper Another job that requires a good deal of physical strength is landscaping. To make a decent income, find a few clients who want regular lawn mowing, weeding, and pruning to keep their gardens looking attractive over the summer. It often makes sense to find a summer job near campus, as you may be able to continue working during the fall semester or you could take summer classes on the side. However, it does mean you need to find housing, as it’s unlikely you’ll be able stay living on campus. For uOttawa off-campus housing, there’s 1Eleven. Not only are the apartments right near campus, it’s easy to reach downtown, where you’ll find plenty of job opportunities. Book a video tour to check out the facilities before you move in.