College Life

Spring into our Services

Students studying in DARE.

Welcome to the Spring Term! You may be just beginning your time at Algonquin College, or picking up where you left off last term. Either way, we want you to start on the right track. Each month this summer, we’ll be highlighting relevant and timely services that can help you throughout the term. Let’s get started! Continue reading

You’ve Scored a Summer Job – Now What?

Coworkers shaking hands in an office setting.

With the end of the semester in sight, many of us will be starting a summer job. There’s so much emphasis placed on landing a job, like carefully crafting resumes and rehearsing interview answers, that we sometimes forget to think about what to do after we’ve received an offer!

Luckily, we sat down with the Employment Support Centre to get the scoop on what you need to know going into your first day of work (and beyond). Continue reading

5 Study Techniques to Combat Procrastination

We’re all guilty of procrastination – but sometimes it can be hard to pinpoint why we’re doing it. Procrastination is more than just avoiding something we don’t want to do, “it also has to include an aspect that’s counterproductive, irrational or unnecessary,” says David Ballard, head of the American Psychological Association’s Center for Organizational Excellence. Procrastination can happen when we feel overwhelmed, distracted, or simply hit a wall. Whatever your reason is, we’ve got some interesting study techniques that will have you crossing things off your “to-do” list in no time.

1. The Pomodoro Timer

Pomodoro technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method designed by Francesco Cirillo. It breaks down a task into a series of intervals, with short breaks in between. Continue reading

Confidence on Campus

Algonquin Student Commons

With the first month of Winter term under your belt, you’re starting to hit your stride on campus – you’ve picked your go-to study spot, filled your agenda with upcoming events, and know the warmest routes to all your classes. As you settle into a routine, it’s a perfect opportunity to explore the services that can help make the most out of the semester, and bring you confidence on campus. Continue reading

Check In, Quiet the Noise, Find Your Passion.

The Third Thursday Speaker Series sparks ideas and creates community at Algonquin College. Every third Thursday of the month, we bring in local experts and innovators to share stories that inspire and empower listeners. Here’s a look back at the latest talk.

Between Final Assessments and the holiday season, December can seem like one of the busiest times of the year. But December can also be a time of reflection, a chance to check in with ourselves, and an opportunity to imagine our future. To help us do that, our Third Thursday speaker, Transformational Life Coach Taryn Watts, talked to us about finding purpose and balance in this busy world. Her presentation left us with plenty of food for thought (and I’m not just talking about the famous Third Thursday donut wall!).

Above all, Taryn makes it clear that it’s vital for us to check in with ourselves. As we get older, the “noise of the world,” as she calls it, can get really loud and lead us to lose ourselves. In fact, the average person in North America receives more stimuli in one week than our ancient ancestors did in their entire lifetime! No wonder we get lost.

To help bring ourselves back, find balance, and quiet down the noise of the world, we need to ask ourselves the “big picture” questions, such as Who am I as a person? What truly matters to me? and What do I value? Continue reading

Mid-Semester Revamp

Students Studying.

We’re more than halfway through the semester – and I don’t know about you, but it’s around this time that my study habits could use a tune-up. When you want to hit ‘refresh’ on your routine, it can be hard to know where to start. Luckily, the Library has lots of helpful (and free!) resources to help you own the rest of your semester. Continue reading

When in Doubt: AC Hub Desk it Out

Students at the AC Hub Desk.

Can you believe we’re already a month into the semester? September was a whirlwind – new classes and profs, countless clubs, and activities happening all around campus. If you’re like me, you’ve finally found the most direct route from Baseline Station to your classes, you can find your locker without checking ACSIS (most of the time), and you’re beginning to master Brightspace. You are in the groove of your academic life, but what about campus life? Continue reading