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Your true passion is not something you choose — it naturally occurs when you develop strong feelings for an interest after some time of exploring your options. While there are students who start university already knowing where their true passions lie, many are still figuring it out. In fact, college is the perfect time for this because it’s a period of self-discovery. Here’s how to channel your inner passions and discover what motivates you.

1. Explore Your Interests

Although your interests may not develop into your true passion, there’s a good chance they’ll lead you in the right direction. Consider what you like best about your interests and where else you could find these qualities. Search for opportunities in extracurriculars, volunteer work, and electives to see where they take you.

2. Keep Trying

It can take many years to arrive at a true passion — much more than the time you’ll be at college. Enjoy the process: never stop trying new things and learning more about yourself. Even if you end up disliking something, it will teach you an important lesson about what’s right for you. Just make sure you never dismiss something too quickly or for the wrong reasons.

3. Overcome Challenges in the Way

You may have an idea of where your passion lies but feel like there are impossible barriers in your way. Unfortunately, there will always be aspects about your passion that you find difficult. Don’t let these become significant enough to give up — instead, find ways to overcome these challenges.

For instance, if you want to study a major that requires a certain skill you struggle with, ask for extra help. Find a tutor, attend workshops at college, or read books that look at the subject in a new way. All this effort will be worthwhile if it allows you to fully embrace a potential passion.

4. Don’t Let Anyone Stamp on Your Dreams

Reaching the point when you’re able to start coming up with ideas about what you’d like to do after you graduate and possible career options is exciting. However, not everyone may share your enthusiasm. Don’t let these people drag you down — you should never give up on a passion because someone else is envious or because the field is dominated by people who don’t look like you.

Instead, listen to those who have your best interests at heart and who know what they’re talking about, such as your career development advisor. You should find that these people give you support and advice to tackle obstacles rather than telling you to pick another path. You only have one life, and it’s important to spend it doing something you love.

Students often find it easier to allow their interests to develop into passions when they have more freedom, but this can be difficult when you live on campus. It’s much easier when you’re fully independent, which is possible when you’re living in student apartments. Oshawa students can find fully-furnished, modern housing at Foundry Simcoe. Sign a lease now to benefit from our early bird pricing.

There are so many things you should do while you’re a college student — it’s essential to make a list to ensure you don’t forget anything. To avoid an extra-long bucket list, it helps to split your ideas up into different themes. One idea is to create a bucket list just for the winter, which should include at least the following.

1. Decorate Your Student Apartment

If this is your first year away from home, it’s likely the first time you’ve been in charge of the decorations. Collaborate with your roommates or just decorate your bedroom with things like a tree, a greeting card display, and homemade ornaments.

2. Go Ice Skating with Friends

Head to the nearest ice rink or frozen lake with your friends to skate. If you’ve never skated before, you should find that you get the hang of it after you try a few times.

3. Hold a Christmas Movie Marathon

On an evening when it’s too cold to venture out, invite a couple of friends over to watch Christmas classics. Ask everyone to bring their pajamas and prepare some hot chocolate to turn the night into a slumber party to remember.

4. Make a Snowman

After a heavy snowfall, head outside with friends to build a snowman. You could even form teams and compete to see who can make the best or most original snow sculpture.

5. Have a Snowball Fight

Whether spontaneous or planned in advance, a snowball fight is a must for every college student. If you do this on the same day as you build snowmen, you can hide behind your snow figures for protection or to ambush the other students.

6. Head to the Hills for a Sledding Day

For a longer day out in the snow, go on a sledding excursion. This works best somewhere with plenty of reasonably steep hills. You may be able to pick up a sled in a thrift store or you can make your own out of something like a cookie sheet, a lid to a storage container, or even a piece of cardboard wrapped in a trash bag.

7. Send Handwritten Cards

Go beyond simply signing your greetings cards and write each recipient a personalized note. Include a few updates about your life and let recipients know that you’re thinking of them. Send these cards to your close friends from high school, relatives, and anyone else important in your life.

8. Do a Homemade Gift Exchange

Holiday shopping can mean you exceed your budget for the month on gifts alone. Save money and give something more meaningful with homemade gifts. You could even organize a Secret Santa or White Elephant where everyone makes gifts instead of buying things.

9. Bake a Gingerbread House

A gingerbread house looks impressive and is not actually too difficult — provided you have some patience! You just need to cut the gingerbread to the right shape, glue the pieces together with royal icing, and then decorate the house with the candy of your choice.

10. Give Something Back

Give more than gifts over the holidays by volunteering your time. Find a cause that you care about and that needs support this time of year. For instance, you could offer to feed animals or walk dogs at an animal shelter, pay the residents of an assisted living facility a visit, or serve food at a homeless shelter.

11. Reflect on Your Year

It’s easy to become so focused on the future and on setting new year’s resolutions that you neglect to acknowledge what you’ve already achieved. Consider the goals you had at the beginning of the year and the progress you’ve made toward them. Think about what challenges you overcame, what you managed to do that you never imagined would be possible, and what you’ve learned — beyond just academics.

Many of the activities above are much more fun if you have a great student apartment. For Durham College off-campus housing, there’s Foundry Simcoe. Your spacious suite with a private bedroom will be a great place to hang out with friends. Apply now for an immediate move-in or to take advantage of our early bird pricing.

Temptations abound in college, which can make it difficult to stick to a budget. However, you’ll thank yourself later if you do, as you’ll consistently make your money last to the end of the month and may even be able to start paying off your student loans. Plus, learning how to budget now will set you up for financial success in the future.

Here are some simple yet effective ways to keep your spending in check.

1. Use a Budgeting App

Budgeting used to be complicated. It required making spreadsheets and updating them regularly to reflect your purchases. Now, though, there are countless apps to choose from that will make your life easier. They show you where your money is going to help you to improve your spending habits.

2. Make Full Credit Card Payments

Credit card debt has some of the highest interest rates. If you already have some debt, pay as much as you possibly can each month until it’s gone. Then, make sure you only spend within your means going forward to avoid accumulating any debt again.

3. Apply for a Cash-Back Credit Card

If you’re being responsible with your credit card — meaning you have no debt and you’re spending within your means — it’s worth applying for a card that offers cash back. This means that every time you spend, you’ll earn money or other rewards.

4. Buy with Student Discounts

Many businesses offer student discounts, including subscription services when you sign up with a student email. It’s worth choosing brands that offer such deals, as you can end up saving a significant amount.

5. Search for Coupons

Another way to take advantage of deals is to use coupons. After all, it doesn’t make sense to pay full price when a discount is available. Always do an internet search to look for discount codes before you place an order for anything expensive.

6. Cook Your Own Meals

It’s almost always cheaper to cook than to eat out — plus, it helps you stick to a healthier diet. There’s no need for cooking to be time consuming or difficult. If you’re not used to preparing food, start with simple recipes to learn the basics and consider making enough for a couple meals at a time.

7. Write a Shopping List

If you head to the grocery store without a list, there’s always a risk you’ll waste your money on food you never end up eating. Consider what you’ll eat over the upcoming week and make sure you have the ingredients for just these meals and for some healthy snacks.

8. Find Free Ways to Have Fun

Maintaining an active social life on a budget can seem like a challenge, but it’s more than possible when you attend free events. You should be able to find events on campus virtually every week — they’re also a great way to expand your social circle.

9. Quit Smoking

Smoking is an expensive habit. Even if you find it difficult to quit now, it will be much more difficult if you wait until you’re older. Plus, every week you continue smoking is more money wasted. To incentivize yourself, you could designate all the money that would go to cigarettes or vaping to your fun budget.
10. Spend in Cash

Withdraw the amount you assign in your budget to non-essentials and make sure you only spend that cash. Reserve credit cards for just necessary expenses.

A final way to save money is to find affordable student housing. For off-campus Ontario Tech University residence, you have Foundry Simcoe. The suites are modern and fully furnished, meaning there’s no need to worry about extra expenses like furniture. Apply now while there are still a few spaces left and you can move in immediately.

Birthdays and holidays can be particularly difficult times of year for students. You want to give your college friends gifts they’ll like — but you undoubtedly have a limited budget. The good news is there are plenty of great options if you know what to look for. Here are some options to consider.

1. Ramen Cooker

The college student diet often consists of significant amounts of ramen. With a special ramen cooker, your friends will be able to prepare meals faster and avoid wasting water. Best of all, they’ll need nothing more than a microwave to use the cooker.

2. Metal Bookmarks

Most college students are reading numerous textbooks at any given time — which requires multiple bookmarks to avoid dog ears. The problem with regular bookmarks is they wear out quite quickly. Metal bookmarks can last forever and they come in a range of designs, meaning you can personalize the choice for each friend.

3. Sticky Notes

When you want to mark multiple places in a textbook, sticky notes are essential. Regular sticky notes are boring, but ones with cute characters or fun designs make the perfect gift.

4. Coffee Maker

If any of your friends spend far too much on buying coffee every day, gift them a coffee maker. Something like a French press or a moka pot will be inexpensive for you to buy and for your friends to use.

5. Portable Blender

Maybe you have other friends who are passionate about smoothies. A portable blender will allow them to whip up some fruit on the go. Plus, these blenders double up as a travel bottle, meaning the smoothie is ready to drink and there’s less mess to clean up.

6. Egg Cooker

Eggs can be difficult to cook without the right equipment, especially for any friends who are stuck living on campus and have to manage with just a microwave and mini fridge. An egg cooker can help, as it makes cooking eggs in the microwave possible — either scrambled, poached, or as an omelette. As a result, your friends will be able to eat healthier meals.

7. College Handbooks

There are some great books available to teach college students everything they need to know to survive the next few years. Most have a good dose of humour, making them great for a light read when your friends need a break from heavy textbooks.

8. Bedside Shelf

When you lack a bedside table, it’s easy for stuff to start piling up at the side of your bed and your room quickly becomes a mess. Whereas a bulky piece of furniture is too expensive for a gift — and may even be impractical for your friend — everyone can appreciate a simple shelf that attaches to the side of the bed. It’s ideal for keeping things like a phone, coffee mug, notebook, or anything else your friend may need at hand.

9. Snacks

If you need to stick to a particularly tight budget, remember that everyone appreciates snacks. Find out what your friends’ favorites are and create mini care packages.

You’ll have more money for gifts if you search for affordable rooms for rent. Oshawa students can find a home at Foundry Simcoe. You’ll live in a three- or five-bedroom suite that has plenty of space for entertaining friends. Apply now while there are still limited spaces available.

There’s no point going to class if you’re just going to fall asleep. However, staying awake is often easier said than done — particularly if you have a full schedule and always seem to arrive at class exhausted. The good news is there are several things you can do to stop falling asleep, all of which will also improve your concentration and help you avoid burnout.

1. Set a Bedtime

It may be tempting to stay up late almost every night, particularly if you have friends who want to hang out in the evenings or if you just want to catch up with social media or relax with some video games. Soon, though, all those late nights will catch up with you and you’ll find it more difficult to stay awake during the day and be productive.

To ensure you sleep enough, set a bedtime and make sure you stick to it. Bear in mind that it’s easier to push yourself to go to bed at the right time if you put away all your devices at least half an hour before. Since the light of screens wakes up your mind, this will also help you fall asleep faster.

2. Take Breaks Between Classes

Students often feel pressured to spend the entire day productively. This can lead to them trying to dedicate all the time between classes to studying. However, it’s impossible for your mind to stay focused for this long — you’ll only end up arriving to class too tired to focus and possibly falling asleep. A better approach is to be reasonable with how you use time between classes. For instance, as well as studying, fit in some exercise, healthy meals, and relaxation.

3. Put Your Phone Away

Some points in your class may be boring, especially if you don’t find the topic engaging or another student asks a question you already know the answer to. Whatever happens, though, you should never turn to your phone in class. In fact, keep it out of sight — then, you won’t feel tempted to look at it and you won’t start being lulled into sleep.

4. Block Websites on Your Laptop

It’s equally important to prevent distractions on your laptop. Install an extension on your browser to block websites that tend to distract you. As well as keeping this enabled for the duration of your class, you’ll also find it useful when studying in your own time.

5. Avoid Caffeine

A small amount of caffeine is useful for giving your body a quick boost of energy to stay alert. However, continuously drinking caffeine throughout the day to keep your energy levels up will backfire. At a certain point, no amount of caffeine will help. In fact, when the effects wear off, you’ll crash and feel much more tired.

Of all the above, getting enough sleep is the most crucial for staying awake in class, but this is only possible if you have a comfortable bedroom and no noisy roommate keeping you up all night. In other words, you need to move out of on-campus housing and search for apartments for rent. North Oshawa students can receive a private room with an ensuite bathroom at Foundry Simcoe. Sign a lease now before all the units are completely full.

There are many advantages to living off campus: you have your own space, rent is cheaper, and there are fewer rules to follow. However, you will need to figure out how to split costs with your roommates for things like paper products, food, and cleaning supplies. It’s essential you agree to these terms from the beginning, since sharing expenses can easily become the source of arguments.

Here are some tips to guide you.

Decide What to Do About Food

It’s important to determine what food items you’ll share and which belong to individuals. You may like to buy groceries together and take turns to cook. However, many college students find it easier to each buy their own food — in which case you’ll need to label food items to make it clear that they belong to you. Even in this case, though, you may like to share some types of food, like condiments.

Create a Payment-Sharing System

Avoid delays in your roommates paying each other back for shared purchases by creating a system to simplify reimbursements. Alternatively, you can set up a bank account where you deposit the same amount each month and use the funds for agreed-upon purchases. You should make a list in advance of what kinds of products everyone in the household will contribute toward.

Pay for Big Items Separately

Although you’ll all benefit from things like a lamp in the living room, a toaster in the kitchen, and a vacuum cleaner, you may decide it’s better if just one person pays for each item. This will mean that when you move out, it’s clear what belongs to whom. As long as you all contribute something to the apartment, you should be able to make such a system fair. It’s best to coordinate with roommates before you move in to avoid bringing duplicates of some items and lacking some other essentials.

Set Rules for Overnight or Frequent Guests

Guests to your apartment can also cost money, especially if they eat shared food or use the household supplies you all paid for. You’ll need to determine if a roommate who invites someone to stay the night or has a guest over frequently is required to contribute more.

Write an Agreement You’ll All Sign

Once you’ve figured out all the above, write it into an agreement. When all your roommates are happy with the agreement, they should sign it. Whereas this agreement won’t be legally binding (unlike your lease), it should prevent anyone claiming they misunderstood or trying to bind the rules.

If you share a lease with your roommates, you’ll also need to make sure everyone contributes their share of the rent and utility costs. If just one person fails to pay on time, the rest of you are on the hook. This can be one of the major disadvantages of living in a student rental. Oshawa students, however, receive individual leases when they live at Foundry Simcoe. This means you are only responsible for paying for your room, and the all-inclusive rent even covers utilities. Apply now to secure your spot in a suite or townhouse.

Tutoring sessions are one of the best ways to improve your grades. Many students use tutoring for classes required for their majors (since dropping the class is not an option), but you can also use tutoring for electives. If the sessions will lead you to better academic success, they’re worthwhile.

Tutoring Can Help You Even If You’re Not Struggling

A common perception is that tutoring is just for students who are failing a class — this could not be further from the truth. If it’s important for you to do well in a class, tutoring sessions could be a good option. It can be beneficial to talk about the course material with someone who knows more than you, can correct any misunderstandings you have, and can engage you in a discussion that will increase your enjoyment of the subject.

Decrease the Risk You’ll Drop Out

If you are struggling, university can feel like a lonely existence. Having additional support can boost your confidence as well as your grades. When you’re more likely to pass your classes, the chances you’ll decide to drop out will fall.

Identify Where You Need Help

The simple act of a tutor asking you what you need support with may help you identify problem areas. Alternatively, you may find that you don’t understand a certain topic as well as you thought you did when you cover it with your tutor.

Retain More

Many students understand the course material in the moment but find it hard to remember the details later. Tutoring sessions will improve your retention, as you’ll be actively engaging with the material. If you’re able to explain what you know to your tutor, you should be able to recall the information later, such as during your midterms.

Stick to Your Study Schedule

When due dates for assignments are far in the future, it can be difficult to find the motivation to study — even though you know you’ll regret leaving things to the last minute later. Having a tutor should help keep you accountable. At the very least, you’ll attend your tutoring sessions (and hopefully prepare for these sessions). Most students, though, will find that tutoring helps them become more disciplined about studying in general.

Gain Confidence

It’s common to feel self-conscious about asking questions in class — especially if you’re convinced that everyone else knows the answer. Working with a tutor should show you that the doubts you have are completely normal and may even give you the confidence to speak up in class.

Become More Organized

For some students, the difficult part of university is not the academics so much as the need to be organized. It’s up to you to ensure you attend your classes and are aware of due dates. A slip-up may result in a bad grade — even if you understood the material and were capable of an excellent grade. A tutor can teach you to become better organized and ensure that you’re prepared for upcoming assignments.

Tutoring is just one way to improve your grades. Another is to improve your study technique. The problem is it can be difficult to study if you’re faced with unavoidable distractions, such as a noisy roommate. The solution is to move into an off-campus Durham College residence. At Foundry Simcoe, we have suites and townhouses equipped with everything you need to succeed, including a comfortable desk in your private bedroom. Apply now to move in immediately before all the spots are gone.

Conflict with a roommate can be a stain on your college experience. It’s always unpleasant coming home when you don’t get along with the person in your shared space. However, instead of simply accepting your fate, there are things you can do to prevent drama.

1. Discuss Your Problems

Never expect issues to resolve themselves if you stay silent. A passive aggressive approach — such as making it obvious that you’re annoyed about something or complaining to someone else and hoping it gets back to your roommate — will only make things worse.

First, recognize that your roommate may be unaware that something is upsetting you. After all, what’s normal for one person could be offensive to another. Invite your roommate to a discussion about living together and talk calmly and kindly about anything that’s bothering you. Make sure to ask your roommate if there is anything you need to change, too.

2. Give Each Other Time to Overcome Issues

Long-standing bad habits can be difficult to change overnight. Plus, your roommate may need time to find solutions to whatever is leading to the conflict between the two of you. Give your roommate a chance to make adjustments, and only have another conversation about the problems if you don’t see any progress or if your roommate is taking too long to uphold his or her end of the bargain.

3. Find a Mediator

Some causes for conflict may be too big for the two of you alone to resolve. In these cases, it’s best to find a mediator. If you live on campus, an RA is a good choice. Otherwise, find someone else who can be neutral and who can help you work toward a solution. It may be beneficial for each of you to initially talk to the mediator one-on-one without the other being there. The mediator can then come up with an action plan or arrive at a compromise that means neither of you will be too unhappy.

4. Remember It Won’t Last Forever

The good thing about college is that you tend to live with the same roommate for only a short time before moving on to different accommodations. If your situation is uncomfortable but bearable, just remember that it will be over relatively soon. You can always spend more time in other places — such as the library when you want to study or your friends’ homes during evenings and weekends — to limit contact with your roommate.

Of course, if the situation is unbearable and unresolvable, the only solution is to find alternative housing. It’s best if you can switch rooms or apartments with someone you know. However, if that’s not possible, the only option may be to break your lease. In this case, learn from the experience to make better choices for your living arrangements next semester.

You’re much less likely to face roommate drama if you don’t share a room. This means moving off campus and into a student rental. Oshawa students can receive their own room in a three-bedroom suite or five-bedroom townhouse at Foundry Simcoe. Apply now before all the units are gone.

Since the habits you develop at college will likely stick with you for a long time, now is the perfect time to become healthier. There are many things you can do that require minimal time, effort, and expense but will make a big difference to your life.

1. Keep Your Apartment Clean

Make it part of your routine to do a little cleaning often. Wipe down surfaces and door handles, make your bed every morning, and do your laundry before you run out of clothing. Having a clean home will protect you from illness and improve your mental health. Bear in mind that it’s extra important to clean in the winter, as your windows will be shut more, which allows dust to build up.

2. Exercise Regularly

Much of your life as a college student may be spent sitting — either in class or at your desk when you’re studying at home. This means there’s a good chance you’re not moving enough. However, one of the great things about college is the chance to try out sports and activities you were never able to practice before. Experiment with as many as you can until you find one or a couple you love to incorporate into your weekly routine. You’ll find that you sleep better, improve your immunity, and just feel better overall.

3. Sleep Enough

Many college students try to survive on far too few hours of sleep, often believing that they can make up for what they missed on weeknights through naps on the weekend. However, your body is unable to function well like this. You’ll struggle to focus in class, you’ll be more irritable and stressed, and your immunity will be lower.

Setting a bedtime can help (it’s worth setting a notification on your phone to remind you), but this may not be enough if you find it difficult to fall asleep. The most important thing to do is stop looking at screens at least one hour before bedtime. Blue light wakes up your mind and makes it harder to fall asleep. Use this time to read, do some stretches, work on an art project — whatever helps you relax. In addition, avoid coffee from the late afternoon onward, as caffeine can stay in your body for hours and continue to have an effect.

4. Eat a Balanced Diet

Having the freedom to eat whatever you want can mean you’re tempted to make less-than-ideal choices. Just paying more attention to what you choose can go a long way. Often, mindlessly eating the first thing that appeals to you ultimately won’t be what makes your body feel good. On the other hand, eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, will keep you energized and satisfied.
The best way to eat a healthy diet is to go grocery shopping rather than to rely on what’s available on campus. As well as buying ingredients for meals, think about what you can have for snacks. You’ll end up spending less as a result, since unhealthy snacks sold in stores on campus tend to be pricey.

5. Drink Plenty of Water

Whenever you can, hydrate with water. Carry a reusable bottle with you everywhere: to classes, to your extracurriculars, and when you’re out and about. This is another money-saver, as it will prevent you from needing to purchase beverages, and you’ll end up consuming far less sugar.

6. Know Yourself

Stay alert for signs that you’re becoming unwell or need rest. It can be tempting to ignore indications of exhaustion because you never want to miss out on fun opportunities. However, it’s important to be alert for signs of burnout, as it can impact your academic performance and mean you no longer feel like socializing.

It’s easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle when you have a comfortable place to live. For Durham College student housing, there’s Foundry Simcoe. You’ll have your own room where you can sleep undisturbed, a kitchen where you can prepare healthy meals, and great restaurants nearby for when you don’t feel like cooking. Apply for a lease now while units are still available.

Figuring out whether you should drop a class may be one of the most difficult decisions you have to make at college. You need to be sure you won’t regret your decision, especially if you drop the class too late to receive your money back. Having said that, there are certain indications that dropping a class is the best course of action.

1. Other People Recommend It

The most important person to talk to before you drop a class is your student advisor or registrar. It’s critical that you’re clear about the process and know what the consequences of dropping the class will be. In addition, though, you should talk to students who have already taken the class, your professor, and the department head. They can tell you if the class will become even more difficult and if you’re likely to continue struggling.

2. It Will Lower Your GPA

The last thing you want is to allow a single class to bring down your GPA. If the class is a requirement for your major, it could be better to take it at a later date — when you’re more prepared or you have more room in your schedule. If the class is an elective that you thought you were going to enjoy, learn from the experience. There may still be time to switch to something completely different.

3. You’ll Definitely Fail

There’s no point continuing with the class if you’re sure you’ll fail. For some classes, the final exam counts for your entire grade, in which case you may be able to work to improve your understanding of the material. However, if the class uses a continuous assessment model and something happened early that ruined your chances of passing — such as you missed the due date for a crucial assignment, you submitted the wrong work, or you forgot to set your alarm and overslept on the day of the test — the only solution may be to drop the class.

4. You Received Incorrect Information

Perhaps you thought the class was required for your major or maybe you missed the section in the course outline that specified a prerequisite that you don’t have. The class could even have changed from previous semesters and you read old information. In any case, it may be better to take the class later or drop it entirely.

5. Your Attendance Is Almost Nonexistent

You may skip a class because you dislike it or because you struggle to fit it into your schedule. In the latter scenario, you may have two classes back to back located on different parts of campus, or the class may clash with the schedule for your part-time job or another commitment. It’s best to come to the conclusion early that you can’t possibly attend the class, so it would be best to drp it.

6. The Class Is Simply a Nightmare

There may be a chance that you’d pass the class (perhaps even with a decent grade) if you stuck with it, but it’s ruining your life at the moment. It doesn’t matter if this is due to the materials, the professor, your workload, or something else: if a class is negatively affecting your mental health, it’s not worth continuing.

There’s also a possibility that the class is not the problem: it’s your study space. This is likely the case if you feel that several of your classes are unmanageable or that you’re falling behind in general. Instead of dropping classes, find a better place to study than your dorm room. A great solution is to move into Durham College off-campus housing. At Foundry Simcoe, you can have your own room in a five-bedroom townhouse or in a three-bedroom suite. Apply now before all the units are sold out.