Why Living in RES was the BEST decision of my life!

People always ask me what living in residence was like. I don't know how else to say it but living in

Look how HAPPY they look!

residence was the BEST decision of my whole university life. I learned so much about myself and York as a result of living on campus.

DISCLAIMER: I think that I should mention that as an international student I didn't have a ton of options when it came to living in Toronto, just because I didn't know my way around the city, so living in residence was the best option for me.

What should you expect from living in residence?
-Events, upon Events, upon EVENTS

I <3 Movie Night

--When I first moved in I thought that living in residence meant that I'd just have a place on campus to sleep and store my stuff. I didn't think there'd be so many things to do. Within my first month I had been to more residence run events that classes...there were things that happened almost every day! Events like, house meeting, meet and greets, movie nights, game nights, weekly t.v. show viewing parties in the common room, baking nights and so many more. Honestly I didn't expect my
Don, a.k.a. residence adviser, to have so much for me to do or to care so much that I come out and take part. So there's no shortage of things to do in residence on a weekly basis. All you have to do is venture out of your room to take part!

-Always having someone to hang out
 --Since there are so many people living in residence there's never a shortage of people to hang out with. If you attend a few house events, you'll meet some of the people that live in your building, in your house or on

your floor. Meeting people means that no matter what time of day it is there's someone there for you to hang out with. So gather up your courage and be brave enough to step out of your room and knock on the door next to you and meet your new best friend. That's exactly what happened to me, the girl I wound up being BFF's with knocked on my door and introduced herself...the rest as they say is history!

-Convenience of being right at the heart of the action
 --Being on campus means that you're always here. So you have lots of opportunities to attend events that happen at night without worrying about having to catch the last bus back home. So you'll find that your ability to get involved is even easier since you don't have to worry about commuting home after an event. Also living on campus means that you can sleep in a little bit later so if you have an 8:30 class you can wake up at 8:15 and still make it to class with time to spare!

Common Myths about Residence
-Endless Parties: There are lots of really fun events that happen in residence, and there are parties that happen however, the residence life staff do a really good job at making sure that people don't have parties every night or that the parties aren't too loud or don't go too long into the night. Around exam time in fact

Not exactly accurate!

there are quiet hours that are strictly enforced so that everyone has the opportunity to study for their exams!

-There are No Rules: Sometime people move into residence expecting there to be no rules, however in order to keep everyone safe there are some rules but nothing that infringe too much on your independence. Things like drinking in public spaces, smoking, or destroying furniture are rules that keep us all safe. But no one is going to be your parent.

-Sharing a bathroom means I'll never get to shower: For some reason people seem to think that living in residence will mean that there will be long lines waiting for showers, sinks or toilets. Yes you do have to share your bathroom with more people than you might be used to, it does not mean that you'll never have a chance to take a shower. Since everyone has different class and work schedules there are very few if any times that you'll find yourself waiting for a shower. I lived in residence for two years and I NEVER had to wait for a shower, and I lived on a floor with 23 other people!

I can't say enough good things about living in residence, I really enjoyed every minute of my time there. If you're on the fence about applying for residence or you're worried about moving in let I hope that you feel inspired to apply and are excited to move in! If you have any questions about anything that I wrote about here feel free to comment below!

Until next time, remember to take it one day at a time and catch me in the Zone!

Nicole

First Day of University Check List

When you're in primary, middle and high school you are given a list of all the things that you'll need to

bring with you on the first day. However when University rolls around, you are suddenly (or not so suddenly in the case of some folks) an adult and you're expected to simply KNOW what you need for the first day of school.

If you're anything like me, then you probably are sitting at home right now thinking, "What the heck should I bring with me? What should I wear? What will I NEED? Will I need school supplies? Will a need to have a laptop, will I be the ONLY one without a laptop? WHO CAN I ASK?!?!"

First of all let me say, calm down, take a deep breath, you'll be fine. Here's a short list of some of things you might want to bring with you on your first day of school. This is be no means a REQUIRED list of things to have, neither is this an EXHAUSTIVE list of what you'll need. Feel free to take my list and add to it as you see fit.

Clothing
--York's Keele campus is huge, it houses over 90 different buildings and sits on hundreds of acres of land. With that mind you might want to dress comfortably. Comfortable shoes are a must, at least for day one since you don't really know how much walking you'll be doing, especially if you don't know
exactly where your classes are.  Similarly the temperatures in different buildings varies and so you might want to bring a light jacket, just so you don't freeze. Overall I'd recommend comfy clothing so that you can move freely and quickly from one class to the other.

School Supplies
--Unlike high school you probably won't need a backpack full of school supplies, you might not need scotch tape, or glue; you might not need a stapler or hole puncher with you either. You probably will need pens, pencils, highlighters, white out and erasers. Some people think that in university EVERYONE will have a laptop, or that you HAVE to
have a laptop in order to do well. Let me step in here and just say that everyone needing or having a laptop in class is a MYTH. For the majority of my classes I myself used a notebook, and hand wrote my notes. You can absolutely do well in university without a laptop. I would recommend attending the first class without a laptop since the first lecture probably won't be too content heavy and laptops are heavy and difficult to transport.


Food/Drink
--It's really important to remember that you'll be on campus for at least 3 hours, and during that time you might get a little hungry. For those of you that have planned to have multiple classes on the same day, you might want to seriously consider bringing some snacks or a packed lunch and a water bottle with
you.

**Insider Tip: Lines at restaurants on campus during the first weeks of classes are going to be very long so bringing food is always a good idea just in case you don't have time to wait in line between classes!**

Electronics
--You might want to bring your cell phone, iPod/ MP3, iPad/ Tablet or Laptop with you to keep you entertained throughout day while you're moving between classes. Be sure to bring your chargers with you to school so that you can charge them between classes at the Vari Hall charging stations between
classes.

I hope that you found my list helpful, and that you can make some use of it, if there's anything you want to discuss about what I've written here, please feel free to comment below!

Until next time, remember to take it one day at a time and catch me in the Zone!

Nicole

Lecture? Tutorial? What's the difference?

Typical University Lecture

In most High Schools, a class is a class is a class. However you might notice as you're enrolling in your courses for the fall that some of your classes are not in fact classes at all. You might find that some of your
 "classes" are Lectures, some Seminars, some Tutorials while some are Labs, depending on your program you might have some PKIN classes, practicums or even performance type "classes". You might be at a loss trying to figure out these difference between these types of classes, so that's where I come in!!

Lecture vs. Tutorial vs. Labs
--A Lecture is probably the most standard, form of University instruction. You might recognize this from TV shows or movies, it is usually characterized by a large number of students, gathering in a large hall sitting and listening to a Professor or instructor discuss a particular topic for anywhere from 1-3 hours.

Typical Tutorial Room @York

--Tutorials operate in conjunction with lectures, they usually occur either before or after the lecture with smaller groups of students working with a TA. In tutorials you have the opportunity to engage with the course material more directly than you do in lecture. You have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the importance/ significance of the readings to the course objectives. Tutorials generally last anywhere from 1-2
hrs depending on the class.

--Labs are very similar to tutorials in that they also occur either before or after the lecture, and they are smaller groups of students working with a TA going over specific lab components affiliated with the course.Labs usually last anywhere from 1-2 hrs depending on the class.

Labs can be FANCY!

Both Tutorials and Labs record attendance, and they both have participation points allocated to them. This can be a less intimidating way for students to engage with material and TA's/ course directors. That being
said I would highly recommend attending both lectures and tutorials/ labs, since they are a great way to ask your questions and get more familiar and comfortable with course material.


Now for those of you that have been adding up the amount of time I have listed here might be thinking "WOAH that a LOT of class time! Ain't nobody got time for that!" Let me put your mind at ease and explain that at York you are required to have at least 3hours of taught instruction per class per week. That means that you're lecture + tutorial/ lab time must equal a total of 3 hours. So you might have a 1 hour lecture followed by a 2 hour tutorial/ lab or a 2 hour lecture followed by a 1 hour tutorial/ lab.

So be sure to step into Class!

You might also be interested to know that generally in the FIRST week of class you will not have tutorials or labs. Especially if your tutorial section occurs BEFORE your first lecture. As a general rule professors cancel the first week of tutorials so that students have a chance to get accustomed to the course and have the opportunity to purchase books, and other course materials so they are prepared for the tutorial or lab.

University is all about going to class, hopefully you feel more ready to attend your first day now that you know a little more about what you should expect from your Lectures, Tutorials and Labs. If you have any questions you you wanna chat about what lectures, tutorials or labs are really like, feel free to comment
below!

Until next time, remember to take it one day at a time and catch me in the Zone!

Nicole

And so it begins!!!

I can't believe that school has started already! It's kinda hard to believe that just a few weeks ago I was finishing up my summer courses, and already it's begun again.

You can always tell when a new semester starts at York because there are always LONG lines, crowded hallways and busy bathrooms! I love York in the fall, everyone is so excited and hopeful about the new school year.

Working in the RED Zone this year has already proven to be a MAJOR learning experience for me. I had no idea how invaluable our directional services are. I knew that the Keele campus was HUGE but I had NO IDEA just how much help students really needed to get find their way around. What will all the construction, congestions and confusion it's no surprise that the lines at the RED Zone booth stretch from the centre of Vari Hall to pillars on the side.

It's good to know that you're helping people find their way and feel more comfortable here at York. If you're lost there's nothing worse than wandering around a strange place all alone.

If you need the RED Zone for anything York related we are the best and first place you should visit. If you need us we couldn't be easier to find, we're located in the middle of Vari Hall, we're there everyday Monday-Friday from 10am-4pm. If you can't get to us in person, we're all over social media, feel free to contact us via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter and of course our Blogs.

Come see us if you need us!

I'm so excited to get started this year and I hope that you are just as excited as I am.

Remember to keep it real!

Nicole

Top 3 Differences between Highschool and University

Everyone is always telling you that University is a big change from High-school, and that's true BUTTT  here are a few differences you might not have considered that will be a big change from high-school.

Just one of MANY differences!

1. The amount of free time you have.
There is no real "homework" in the traditional sense of the word. At least no homework in the style you might be accustomed to in high-school. At the beginning of the semester you might think that you have so much free time since you don't have assignments due till the middle end of October. It might be tempting to slack off...but don't since it can be really hard to break bad habits that you form at the beginning of the year.

Try not to waste the free time you do have!

2. The sheer amount of people you'll have in your lectures.
There are 60,000 people that go to York. That's far more then some people are accustomed to. That means you'll have lots of people in your lectures. In first year lectures are pretty big since there are so many people that all have to complete foundations courses. Your first lecture might have between 300-700 students depending on your program.

Don't worry it's not impossible!
You will figure out how to navigate all these ppl!

3. You might not realize how much walking you'll be doing when you get here. There are 82 buildings on this campus so you'll be walking all over the place...it's important to wear comfy shoes. It's also important to know where you're going, and the quickest way to get from one class to the next. With so many people and buildings it can be really easy to get a little bit lost, have no fear though the RED Zone has you covered. If you ever find yourself lost you can always stop by our booth in Vari Hall and we'll give you directions and help you out!

Getting in some exercise is
as simple as walking to class!
You'll see!

Those are the top 3 difference between life in High School and Life here in University. Hopefully now that you know you'll be ready to hit the ground running! It is possible to do well in University, just remember, everything in moderation. Finding balance in your life can help you to become a successful student and really excel while you're at York.

It's your first class...don't know what to expect?

 You've had a good nights sleep...of tossing and turning and waking up every five minutes. Now it's 7:00am and you think...well it's as good a time as any to get ready to go to school. For the first time in your life you got ready in record time and you find yourself getting more and more nervous as the seconds turn to minutes and you know that your first University class is approaching.

Maybe you're getting a ride, maybe you're driving, maybe your busing, however you're getting to York you figure it's about time to get on the road. After braving traffic and long bus lines you FINALLY walk into Vari Hall and you look around and you see HUNDREDS of people buzzing around on their way to and from class. In that moment you might be thinking..."WHAT THE HECK DID I GET MYSELF INTO?!?" But you figure you better get out of the fray and find your class since it's about to start.

You're pretty sure you might get lost amongst all these people so you stop by the RED Zone and get directions. After a little chat with an RSA you find your class and you reach for the door, you're more nervous now than you ever remember being before. You see other people walking in so you put on a brave face and walk in as well.

Ok so here's what to expect in your first class.

1. Awkward Silence: On the first day (unless you went to frosh) there will be dead silence in class until the prof comes in. No one will know anyone else and so no one will want to talk, this will be very awkward so PREPARE yourself for this fact. 

2. Words of "encouragement" from the Professor: Prof's always say that their class will be the one that will challenge you. They always threaten that their class will be the hardest class you've ever taken. Don't let these threats intimidate you, professors want you to take their class seriously and so this is their way to give you a wake up call so you'll make the effort to do well.

3. Expect diversity: York has people from all walks of life, from all races, religions and creeds. Some people are from the city, some from small towns, some are international, some came from big high schools and other from small ones, some people are straight outta high school and some have taken a victory lap. Moral of the story there are TONS of different people.

   

4. Generally you won't have a full lecture on day 1: Most professors will introduce themselves, the TA's and hand out the official syllabus. The Prof will go through the syllabus from start to finish, answer any questions and give a run down of how they will be running their class. They might give a very short lecture after covering the syllabus.

5. Generally if you have a tutorial on the first day of school you won't actually have that tutorial: If you have a tutorial BEFORE you have attended your first class, you generally will not have to attend that tutorial. What I recommend is going to the tutorial anyway just to make sure you know where it is so that the next time you have it you won't be late because you got lost. As a rule if no one shows up within 10 mins of the official start time of the class you are allowed to leave. 

Hopefully by the end of day 1 you'll feel a lot more comfortable on campus! If you have any questions, or you get lost or you just wanna chat feel free to stop by the RED Zone, myself and the other RSA's would LOVE you see you!

GOOD LUCK!

Nicole

First Day Jitters? Here's the Scoop on all you'll need on day 1 !!

With the summer coming to an end, you're probably starting to get some butterflies flying around in your stomach. I know that when on my first day I had to give myself a pep talk to just get out of bed. But I promise you it's not as overwhelming as it might seem at first. Going to University for the first time is A LOT for anyone, so if you think you're the only one whose worried, you are not alone!

Here's a check-list of things that might help you get through your first day of school!


1.  Your class schedule: You'd be surprised at how many students don't actually print it and bring it with them. It has all the info on it that you'll need to find the LOCATION and the START and END time of all your classes. Make sure you print it out and bring it with you on day 1.

2.  A campus map: If you don't want to get too lost then you should have a campus map with you. Don't worry if you do get lost that's what the RED Zone is for. WE GIVE DIRECTIONS!! Come visit us we have maps and we know where everything is!

3.  A reusable water bottle and snacks: We have lots of hydration stations all over campus where you can get free filtered water, having a reusable bottle means you can skip the line ups at the restaurants and shops and save a little money. Also you're allowed to eat in class so having a small snack with you to munch on in classes or between them will mean that you won't disrupt the class with a growling stomach.

4. Bring some music: It can be a little boring waiting between classes or walking between classes, so having some music might make the down time between classes less boring.

5.  Bring things to write with or on: whether it's your laptop, ipad, tablet or the basic pen and paper, you'll need something to write on and with. Prof's usually go over the syllabus and they may even give a short lecture. You'll want to write down important things the prof says about due dates and assignments.

**Lots of students ask me if it's better to take notes with a laptop or with a pen and paper. Honestly it all depends on the prof, some are pretty old school and don't like laptops in their lectures, some are really tech savvy and encourage students to use laptops. Also some profs speak quickly and it might be easier for people to type notes than to write them. On the first day of class you'll be able to determine which note-taking utensil is best for you.**

Things you probably won't need for the first day of school.

1.  Don't bring every book for every class you're taking: Chances are that you will not need all the assigned books for the first day of class. Typically profs don't lecture for the entire class on the very first day so you probably won't be expected to have all your books with you. Also that might be a lot to carry, and you don't want to tire yourself out carrying all your books around on day 1. 

2.  Don't bring your final high school transcript: Unless the student services has asked for your transcript, you won't need it on your first day. Some times people think that profs will want to look at your grades, honestly profs assume that if you're in their class then you have a certain level of knowledge. You don't have to prove everything on the first day. 

3.  Don't bring every single school supply you own: You're not going to need to have scissors, glue, a stapler, a staple remover, paper clips, colour pencils, markers...etc. on the first day. Just make sure that you have at least one working pen and you'll be fine. Sometimes people bring entire office supply stores with them on the first day and it just ends up taking up space in their backpacks.