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7 Winter Activities to Enjoy in Ottawa

Ottawa receives a great deal of snow in the winter, which means you’ll have some great cold-weather activities available to you. There are many things for students to do within the city as well as in the surrounding countryside. Here are a few options to try. 1. Winterlude The main event in Ottawa for the season is Winterlude , which takes place during the first three weekends of February. It’s packed with free activities, including a massive snow playground and a professional ice carving competition. 2. Skiing (and More ) Ottawa residents love heading to the cross-country skiing trails over the winter. These include several trails within the city, such as the Rideau Winter Trail and Kichi Sibi Winter Trail. For more trails, head to the Greenbelt area, where there are more than 150 kilometres of beginner-friendly groomed trails — all available for free. Alternatively, you could purchase a daily or seasonal ski pass to use the 200 kilometres of groomed trails at Gatineau Park. These trails are also ideal for snowshoeing. In addition, there are some challenging hills near Ottawa, suitable for downhill skiing and snowboarding. Top choices include Mont Cascades and Camp Fortune. At some places, you can also try downhill tubing. 3. Hiking Many of the groomed trails around Ottawa are also suitable for hiking. For instance, you can walk next to many of the cross-country skiing tracks in the Greenbelt area and at Gatineau Park. 4. Sledding Although the trails are great for tobogganing, if you just want sled, you could go to any of the snowy hills in parks throughout Ottawa. You may like to hone your skills on some gentle hills before you hit the proper slopes. 5. Camping Turn hitting the trails into a weekend adventure by staying overnight. Winter camping is quite the experience. If you don’t feel up to sleeping in a four-season tent, rent a cabin or yurt instead. There are options at Gatineau Park as well as at Parc Omega, including where you’ll have views of the wolf den. 6. Ice Skating There are many opportunities for ice skating in Ottawa, including the Rideau Canal, which is the largest naturally-frozen ice rink in the world. It typically becomes available from late December and remains open until late February. There are other natural skate rinks around rural Ottawa, which allow you to skate through forests and orchards. In some places, you can also play hockey — and you may even see dogs out on the ice. Lastly, you’ll find rinks made from refrigerated surfaces at several places, including Ottawa City Hall (which has the Rink of Dreams) and the Skating Court at Landsdowne . Entry is free for both, and they remain open until March. 7. Fat Biking There’s no need to give up cycling for the winter — fat bikes make it safe to explore Ottawa in the snow. There are several rental places for fat bikes throughout the city. It’s not too early to start thinking about where you want to live next fall during the winter. In fact, beginning your search now will put you ahead of everyone else who will be looking for student apartments. Ottawa students can make their time at university even better by moving into 1Eleven. When you don’t feel like venturing outside, you can socialize with other students in places like the games room or exercise in the 24-hour fitness center. Book a tour now.

What Happens If You Fail a Class?

University is a rollercoaster of emotions. There are many great times, such as when you make new friends, find a class you love, and explore new interests through extracurriculars. However, there are also stressful times, including when you’re studying for tough exams, writing difficult papers, and, worst of all, failing. Many students worry they may fail something — whether a test or an entire class. In the case this does happen to you, it’s important to know what comes next. Reach Out to Your Professor Failing a final exam may mean you receive a failing grade for the class as a whole. However, you still may be able to bounce back. Reach out to your professor immediately to talk about your result and whether there’s anything you can do to avoid failing the class, such as by doing an assignment for extra credit. Even if you’re sure there’s no chance of resolution, you should talk to your professor — to find out where you went wrong. This will help you avoid similar mistakes in the future. Appeal the Grade Professors sometimes make mistakes, which could lead to a grade you feel is unfair. Discussing why you received a failing grade with your professor should reveal if it was a fair assessment of your work. If you feel it was not but your professor is unwilling to change the grade, discuss the possibility of a grade appeal with your academic advisor. This is extra important if failing will lower your GPA to the point you lose financial aid or hurt your chances of being accepted to a graduate program. Decide If You’ll Retake the Class If you’re unable to change your grade, you need to decide if you’ll retake the class or choose something else instead. If you retake, it’s important to avoid making the same mistakes. You may need to become better organized, seek support from a tutor, or take the class with a different professor or in a different format — such as online or hybrid instead of in person. Rethink Your Major If the class is a requirement for your major, you may think there’s no option but to retake it. However, if you are consistently receiving bad or failing grades to the point that your GPA is much lower than you’d like or you’ll be graduating later than you wanted to, you should consider if it’s a good idea to switch majors. Ask yourself whether your career goals are the same as when you started university or whether other classes have revealed new passions you could pursue. Failing a class could lead to the realization that you’re on the wrong path and that another option would better match your strengths. Whereas failing a class is far from the end of the world, it’s always best to do everything in your power to prevent it from happening. One step to take is to move out of student residence. Ottawa has 1Eleven — off-campus student housing where you’ll have your own space to study in peace. In addition to the desk in your bedroom or bachelor suite, you’ll be able to use our dedicated study spaces. Contact us today, while there are still limited rooms available.

How to Get More Out of Your Online Classes

Some people love online classes. You’re able to attend class from the comfort of your own home and there’s often a recording, meaning you can return to the most important parts of the class later. However, other students struggle to gain as much from online classes as they do from in-person classes. You may find you easily become distracted or you feel burned out after sitting behind a screen for many hours. Whatever camp you fall into, there are ways you can make the most of your online classes. 1. Let Roommates Know When You’ll Be in Class Make sure your roommates are aware of the times you’ll be in class to ensure they won’t disturb you. This is particularly important if your roommates are your friends, as they may want to chat at random points during the day. You could share your schedule or put a note on your door whenever you’re in a class and don’t want interruptions. 2. Have a Designated Spot for Studying Put yourself in the right frame of mind for studying by designating a space to take your classes. This could be a desk in your room or another place you associate with schoolwork, such as the campus library or a study room. However, it shouldn’t be your bed — even if you have a class early in the morning, you should be able to find the energy to get up and sit somewhere where you’ll be focused. 3. Put Your Phone Out of Reach To avoid temptations, put your phone somewhere out of reach. Otherwise, if you’re not feeling particularly engaged in the class or you notice you’ve received a notification, you may be tempted to look at your phone instead of paying attention to your class. This could mean you miss valuable information. Whereas you may be able to go back and rewatch the class, this is a waste of time — you should be using study sessions outside of classes for other activities. Treat online classes just as you would in-perso n classes. 4. Split Your Screen Avoid needing to switch from the window with your class to another application by splitting the screen on your laptop. This is ideal if you’re taking notes on your laptop rather than on paper or you sometimes need to search for additional information. 5. Keep a Bottle of Water Nearby If you have several classes back to back , you’re going to feel thirsty after a while. Avoid needing to walk away from your laptop by keeping a bottle of water on your desk. For even longer periods, you should also think about stocking up some healthy snacks as well. Staying hydrated and nourished will help you maintain your focus. 6. Go Outside During Breaks Use breaks between online classes wisely. If you were on campus, you’d have the chance to move by walking from one class to another. You can do something similar with your online classes by taking a short walk outside to include some gentle exercise in your day and to increase your vitamin D intake. If the break is too short for you to go outdoors, at least get some sunlight by sitting near a window for a few minutes. You may like to open the window and take some deep breaths of fresh air to refresh you bef ore the next class. Whether all your classes are online or just some of them, it’s important to have the full university experience, which includes student living. Ottawa has housing just for students at 1Eleven. You’ll be able to take your online classes in your fully-furnished private bedroom or in one of our dedicated study spaces. Plus, you can meet other people in places like the games rooms and 24-hour fitness center. Book a tour to check out the facilities for yourself.

What Can You Do to Gain Work Experience as a Student?

Earning a university degree is a great way to open up career opportunities. However, it may not be enough to land you a job you love after graduation — you also need to have work experience. Whether you’re able to work part-time or you only have summer breaks for seasonal work and internships, there are ways you can gain valuable work experience while you’re still a student. 1. Look on Campus The easiest place to find a part-time job is on campus. Employers are aware you need to fit work around your classes and will create a flexible schedule that works for you. 2. Apply for Internships Early The top internships are often competitive, especially those that pay well and are in a field many students want to enter after they graduate. To improve your chances, you’ll need to apply several months before the summer. Use a document or spreadsheet to keep track of all the positions you want to apply for along with their application deadlines and the supporting documentation you need to apply. 3. Head to the Career Centre If you want to find a specific type of part-time work or are struggling to know where to look for internships, head to the campus career center. The staff will share job openings from nearby businesses, let you know how to hear about interesting internships, and even help you prepare for interviews. 4. Use Your Network Another great resource is your network. This includes other students, your professors, and faculty members as well as your former employers and coworkers. Reach out to these people to ask about opportunities. Just letting them know you’re looking for work will ensure they think of you if they hear about anything. 5. Consider Various Opportunities It’s important not to limit yourself just because you want to gain a particular type of work experience — most roles will enable you to develop transferable skills. Plus, you don’t just need to look for formal internships or jobs. For instance, supporting your professor with a research project could be useful and rewarding. 6. Join Extracurriculars You can gain valuable experience while participating in activities you enjoy by joining extracurriculars on campus like clubs and organizations. Pre-professional clubs and elected roles at organizations will give you the chance to learn skills that will look great on your resume. If you’re not successful the first time, remember you can always try again later. Also bear in mind that other types of clubs may help you develop relevant skills, especially if they involve the chance to volunteer at events or in your community. It’s important to live where you can easily commute to your job or other commitments and where you can relax after a long day of working or studying. This is easier to find in off-campus housing. Ottawa students can find a home at 1Eleven. Choose between a private room in a two- or four-bedroom apartment or a one-bedroom apartment just for you. All the apartments have a kitchen, living room, and furnishings to make you feel at home. Contact us to book a tour.

6 Common University Myths, Debunked

Myths about university abound when you’re at high school. Learn to distinguish the facts from fiction to ensure you make the right decisions. 1. University Is Too Expensive for You Some students may dismiss university outright because they feel like it’s out of their budget. Whereas it is true that university is expensive, there are ways to lower the cost, including through student loans, scholarships, and grants. You may also like to work a part-time job while you study to pay for your living expenses. 2. You Only Need to Apply for Financial Aid After Being Accepted to University Even before you’re sure you’ll be attending university, you should start the financial aid process. This will ensure you receive aid in time to start university and will increase your number of options. 3. If You Did Well in High School, You’ll Be Fine at University University is more challenging than high school because it’s about much more than memorizing information. You need to apply what you learn to new situations and spend a great deal of your own time reading or researching. You should be prepared to put in a lot of effort to keep your GPA up to the level it was at high school. The good news is there are plenty of resources on campus to help you succeed, including tutors, writing centers, and office hours with your professors. 2. Only Academically-Minded Students Go to University Even though university will be difficult, that shouldn’t put you off going. It’s likely you’ll enjoy university more than high school because you’ll be choosing the classes you want to take. Plus, if you don’t intend to go to grad school, it’s less important to have a great GPA — just having a degree will give your career a boost. 5. You Take Whatever Classes You Want at University Although you have a great deal of choice when it comes to classes at university, you will need to meet general education requirements and take required classes for your major. This ensures you receive a broad education but also acquire enough specialist knowledge to succeed in a career after you graduate. 6. You Can Wait to Think About What Major to Declare Although you usually don’t need to declare a major until around the end of your first year (and you can still switch later), it is worth thinking about what you’ll major in as early as possible. This will ensure all the classes you take contribute to your degree, meaning you won’t need to take more classes than necessary. It will also help you plan out your route to graduation, including by taking prerequisites early to avoid pushing back your graduation date. Another common myth about university is that you must live at least your first year on campus. Many students prefer to have their own apartment — for privacy, freedom, and amenities like a kitchen and ensuite washroom. For uOttawa off-campus housing that offers all this and much more, there’s 1Eleven. Your bachelor apartment or shared suite will be fully furnished and located just steps from campus. Book a tour to check out all the great facilities.

A Guide to Personal Branding for Students

To land your dream job, it’s not enough to just have credentials and experience: employers also want to check you’re the right fit for the company. This comes down to your personal branding. There’s no need to wait until you graduate to start working on your personal brand — in fact, it’s useful to start while you’re at university. There are a few things you can do right away. 1. Consider How You Present Yourself You may have opportunities to meet potential employers and professionals in your field while you’re at university. For instance, you may attend job fairs, do job shadowing, or work internships. It’s important to consider how you present yourself in these interactions, particularly when making a first impression. How you decide to present yourself (especially how you dress) should depend on the norms for the field. When you’re working, your field will also influence things like whether you should turn up to meetings early and whether you should participate or just listen. Whatever your field, it’s important to present yourself as respectful and professional. This means paying attention to people rather than looking at your cell phone and minimizing the amount of time you spend on activities unrelated to work. 2. Create a Professional Resume and Cover Letter In many situations, the first contact you’ll have with an employer will be through your resume or cover letter. These are great for expressing who you are. It’s important to keep these documents professional. Use proper formatting and proofread them ( perhaps several times, just to make sure) before you send them. Whenever possible, you should also customize both your resume and cover letter according to the job you’re applying to . This will show you have a genuine interest and allow you to highlight your mo st relevant skills and experience. 3. Brand Yourself Online It’s also important to work on your branding when you’re not actively looking for work or reaching out to employers. You can do this by focusing on your online presence. Start by checking what people will find if they search for you. If it’s not what you want them to see, clean up your online presence by deleting any content that doesn’t match your personal branding. Replace it with content that does reflect the image you want, such as by changing your profile photos on social media, adding a summary expressing your goals on LinkedIn, and sharing articles related to your passions. You may like to create an online portfolio or even an entire website for personal branding reasons. This could showcase examples of your work, feature projects you’ve been involved in, or have a blog where you write articles that demonstrate your expertise . To effectively brand yourself, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to represent . To learn more about who you are and your values, it helps to have an independent lifestyle, which is something you won’t have living on campus. An alternative to uOttawa student housing is 1Eleven. You’ll have your own bedroom or even an entire apartment to yourself in a student community packed with modern amenities. Book a tour now.