Blog Posts

7 Skills to Hone During College

When you graduate, employers will expect you to have some crucial skills in addition to knowledge related to your major. There are multiple ways you can learn these skills, including by volunteering, participating in campus clubs and organizations, and working a part-time job or an internship, as well as in the classroom. Here are a few to start building now. 1. Time Management You’ll begin developing better time management skills as soon as you start college because you’ll need to dedicate several hours a week to studying in your own time. You also won’t have anyone reminding you to keep making progress on projects to ensure you meet your deadlines. Being able to explain in a job interview how you created a balance between your schoolwork and your social life can help make you an appealing candidate. 2. Digital Literacy Employers will want to know you’re able to perform basic tasks using a computer without the need for any training. You may need to be familiar with specialist software, know how to use shortcuts, and be able to perform internet research. If you’re lacking any of these skills, watch tutorials, take some free online courses, or ask for help at your college. 3. Teamwork Even positions that typically require you to work independently will involve some collaboration. It’s important to be able to show that you will be a valuable team member. This involves listening to others’ ideas, contributing your own thoughts, and working with teammates to meet your goals. You may be able to demonstrate that you possess these skills if you belong to a club or sports team or if you’ve worked on group projects. 4. Communication You need to have good verbal and written communication skills to succeed in the world of work. Your classes will likely give you plenty of opportunity to improve your writing, but chances to practice verbal communication may be more limited. If you feel this is something you lack, join a study group or become more active in your community to gain experience listening to others, asking for clarification, and explaining concepts. 5. Networking More jobs and other opportunities will be open to you in the future if you hone your networking skills now. Push yourself to network with students and other people by attending events where you don’t know anyone and setting an aim to make a certain number of new contacts. 6. Leadership You may have learned to be a leader without even realizing it, such as if you played a central role in a group project. However, if you want to apply for managerial positions after you graduate, it may be worth taking leadership classes or running for student government. These options will teach you more about delegating, providing constructive feedback, and resolving conflict. 7. Global Citizenship Understanding more than just your own culture is important when working for an international company or for a business that has clients all over the globe. You can develop your global citizenship skills by taking electives that will teach you about other cultures, participating in projects with people from a variety of backgrounds, and studying or volunteering abroad. You also need to learn how to be independent — not just for your career but to be able to survive on your own after graduation. To learn this, it’s important to live in your own apartment rather than on campus. You’ll find Niagara College student housing at Foundry Lofts. In your suite, you’ll have laundry facilities, everything you need to prepare your own meals, and fibre internet to keep you connected. Book a tour to check out our student community for yourself before you sign a lease.

A Guide to Establishing Healthy Sleep Habits

Making sure you sleep enough every night and stick to a consistent sleep schedule requires discipline. There will always be other activities available that may keep you up late or prevent you from studying and mean you need to pull an all-nighter to catch up. However, adopting better sleep habits is crucial for your overall health. Rather than just setting a goal to improve your sleep, you need a strategy to ensure you get at least seven hours of sleep every night. Here’s how to start. 1. Create a Bedtime Routine Just as you have routines for other parts of the day, make a routine around your bedtime. At least on weeknights, never allow anything to interrupt this schedule. A few hours before you want to be asleep, start winding down. For instance, you may like to prepare yourself a caffeine-free tea, dim the lights, and find an activity that relaxes you. When bedtime arrives, try using an eye mask or playing some soothing sounds to fall asleep faster. 2. Turn Off Your Devices Your bedtime routine must definitely not involve any devices that emit blue light. This includes your phone, laptop, tablet, and TV. The effects of blue light last up to a couple hours before you try to sleep, keeping your brain awake and alert. This makes it harder to fall asleep and lowers the quality of your sleep. One way to stay away from screens is to schedule homework earlier in the day. You also need to find more activities that don’t involve screens, such as reading, art projects, or gentle exercise. Lastly, you should set up sleep mode on your phone to stop receiving notifications. 3. Have Fun Without Sacrificing Sleep Don’t let your sleep routine stop you from having the full college experience. If your friends want to go out on Fridays or Saturdays, decide if you can give yourself a little extra leeway. This will only be an option when you don’t have activities early the next morning, as may be the case if you’re a student athlete, you work on the weekends, or you have other commitments. 4. Separate Sleep and Studying To keep sleep and studying separate , you should never study while sitting on your bed. However, you may also like to avoid using the desk in your room at times because it may mean you’re spending many hours in the same place. It’s worth searching for other places to study, such as the campus library, your local coffee shop, or a common area in your student housing. You’ll find it much easier to stick to a healthy sleep routine if you at least have your own room. Moving into Foundry Lofts will mean you have a private bedroom in a suite you’ll share with just three or four other students. Our alternative to Niagara College residence also provides you with a full kitchen where you can prepare a delicious breakfast to incentivize yourself to get out of bed in the morning, a games room where you can socialize without screens, and study spaces to give you a change of scener y. Apply today while there are still some units available.

Top Fashion Trends for Students in 2023

How you present yourself to the world matters. It influences how people perceive you, gives you confidence, and allows you to express your personality. For these reasons, what you wear can impact everything from your social life to your academic performance. To feel comfortable and stylish, it can be helpful to know what’s in fashion for your age group. Learning about the top fashion trends for students will help you prepare your wardrobe in time for the fall semester. 1. Trending Colours The most fashionable colours in 2023 are pink and blue, as well as related tones like lavender and violet. No particular shades are trending among students — anything from shocking pink to pastel blue is in fashion at the moment . You may like to combine pink and blue in the same outfit for a bold look. 2. Crochet Ideal for achieving a boho look, crochet is appearing in all sorts of outfits. Tones range from muted to vivid. As you prepare for the weather turning cooler, pick up some crochet hats, scarves, and gloves. Plus, if you’re looking to take up a hobby, crochet could be a fashionable one to try — you’ll be able to make your own clothes and gifts your friends will love. 3. Ruffles, Lace, and Fringe After several years, ruffles, lace, and fringe are back in fashion, particularly for women’s clothing. Ruffles work especially well for smart casual outfits, such as when you pair a ruffle-neck blouse with jeans. In contrast, lace tends to be mainly for dresses, whereas fringe is appearing in all sorts of outfits, particularly in vibrant colours . 4. Asymmetry It’s possible to show off your unique side while remaining fashionable with asymmetrical clothing. Although asymmetry works with virtually any style, you’ll see it most in urban fashion. 5. 90s Style Fashion trends from the past are always returning. In 2023, some styles from the 90s that are particularly popular among students are baggy or flared jeans, overalls, bike shorts, and chokers. 6. Early 2000s Another decade currently trending is the early 2000s. Some styles to consider include tops with detached and off-the-shoulder sleeves, cargo joggers, and tank tops. Plus, metallic tones are making a comeback — and not just for nights out. 7. Vintage Just about any era from the past is in fashion if the clothing counts as vintage. In fact, vintage is a big trend among college students because many are eco-conscious and want to dress stylishly without increasing their carbon footprint. Wearing second-hand clothes is a great way to achieve this — not to mention it helps you save money and gives you more opportunity to develop your own style than is possible when purchasing from chain stores. Fashion is about much more than just clothing — you also need a stylish apartment. For Niagara College student housing, look no further than Foundry Lofts. Our apartments all come with stainless steel appliances, are spacious, and have nine-foot ceilings. We even have fully-furnished options fitted with stylish decor. Book a tour to see the apartments and other amenities for yourself.

Life on Campus: How to Make Connections & Build Friendships

At college, it’s easy to meet people. What’s more difficult is to develop connections with the people you meet and establish friendships. In addition, it’s important to ensure you form friendships with people you enjoy spending time with, who value you, and who have things in common with you. Although it may feel challenging, it’s possible to make new friends at any time, not just when you start college. Here are some tips to guide you. 1. Participate in More Extracurriculars One of the easiest ways to find people who share your interests is to join clubs, campus organizations, and intramural sports teams. Find out if there are any groups for your favourite hobby or experiment with a new activity . Although the idea of participating in an extracurricular where you don’t know anyone may be daunting, this is actually the best way to make new connections. 2. Join Study Groups Another place where you’ll have the chance to talk to people is in study groups. Find out if there are already study groups for some of your classes — if there are not, set up some yourself. Since you’ll be spending time with the people in your study groups every week, there’s a good chance you’ll develop friendships. As a bonus, you’ll also gain better grades! 3. Start a Conversation In some situations, a conversation is unlikely to arise naturally — it’s up to you to start one. Although this may feel intimidating, you’ll find most people are happy to talk to you. If you’ve seen someone in your class or just around campus who looks interesting, find an opportunity to talk. 4. Reach Out Online If you lack confidence, you may find it easier to start a conversation online instead of in person. Social media is ideal for this. Something simple like commenting on a photo or replying to a post in a group you both belong to could be the start of a new friendship. 5. Ask for an Introduction You can also use your current friends to meet more people. Ask them to introduce you to their friends — if you share the same interests, there’s a good chance you’ll get on well. Plus, you’ll all be able to hang out together. 6. Go Out with Coworkers If you have a part-time job or internship, become friends with some of your coworkers. During breaks or after your shifts finish are perfect times to chat or do something together. Some of your coworkers may not attend your college, making this tactic a great way to expand your social circle. If your job is related to the career you want to pursue after you graduate, you’ll also be building valuable connections in your field. A great place to make connections with potential friends is in your student housing. The Niagara College student housing at Foundry Lofts has plenty of places to meet people, including a games room, movie theater, fireside lounge, and fitness center. Plus, your three or four roommates could all become your new friends. Apply for a lease now while we still have spaces available.

6 Unique Qualities of Gen Z

If you were born between the late 90s and early 2010s, you’re a Gen Zer (most university students are part of this generation). Everything from growing up in the digital age to living through a pandemic as a child, teen, or young adult has influenced this generation’s values and personality, leading to some unique qualities. Here are a few to think about as you start planning for the future. 1. Serious About Work–Life Balance Gen Zers are unwilling to dedicate their lives to work. They are refusing to do unpaid overtime and rejecting the hustle culture. Their idea of success is achieving a healthy work–life balance. In addition, they’re looking to gain specific experiences from work. Many value having a mentor and appreciate the chance to train others. They also like to work with clients and customers. Both of these things suggest that Gen Zers appreciate knowledge sharing and collaborative work. 2. Gamers Although there have been plenty of gamers in previous generations, Gen Zers are different. For one thing, they like gaming to interact with others — it’s a social experience more than a chance to relax. Gen Z’s interest in the metaverse is also different from other generations, with the main focus being spending time with friends in a virtual environment and meeting new people. 3. Financially Driven It’s likely that seeing the struggles Millennials have faced with their finances has led Gen Z to pay more attention to money. A greater proportion of Gen Zers say they want to save money than do members of other generations. Many are unsure about the best way to budget and control their spending. Although they expect banks to provide them with advice, more than half say financial institutions are falling short. 4. Passionate About Traveling Gen Z has been bitten by the travel bug. After Millennials, Gen Z is the generation most likely to have traveled or to have purchased a vacation in the last six months. Gen Zers are using trips to recover from schoolwork and exams or to take a break from work. 5. Social Media Is for Inspiration and Information There are many reasons why people use social media, but the main drivers for Gen Z are inspiration and information. They use platforms to inspire them about where they could travel to next, learn about trends, and find answers to their questions. Other generations tend to use search engines for these things. 6. Nostalgic Perhaps nostalgic is not quite the right word, since it’s decades Gen Zers weren’t even alive to see what they’re passionate about. Yet, their appreciation for historical trends is a unique quality of this generation. This is apparent in their music tastes and fashion choices like low-rise jeans and claw clips. In addition, more Gen Zers say they prefer to think about the past over the future than do members of other generations. A major distinction between Gen Z and the generations that came before is that Gen Zers are asking more from life. For example, many students are not satisfied with traditional dorm rooms and are instead living in apartments in student communities. Foundry Lofts offers Brock University off-campus housing with everything Gen Z students could want, including a games room, movie theater, fireside lounge, and study spaces. Book a tour to see how living here will enhance your university experience.

9 Ways to Create Your Perfect Morning Routine

If you’re not a morning person, getting up in time for early classes can be a challenge. However, having a morning routine can make a big difference . With the right routine, mornings could even become something you look forward to! 1. Sleep Enough No morning routine can make up for a lack of sleep. Figure out how many hours of sleep you need a night and set a bedtime accordingly. Better still, having a regular bedtime and wakeup time will mean you naturally begin to feel sleepy and wake up at the same time each day. Bear in mind that for this to be effective, you may need to put screens away for at least an hour before bedtime. 2. Use Natural Light Waking up to darkness makes it feel like it’s still nighttime. Incorporate natural light into your morning routine by keeping your curtains open as you sleep, opening the blinds immediately , or even spending a few minutes outdoors. 3. Avoid Hitting the Snooze Button Set a limit as to how many times you’ll allow yourself to hit the snooze button — this could be once or twice. If you’re well rested and have a morning routine you enjoy, avoiding the snooze button will become easier. 4. Have an Actual Alarm Clock The problem with using your phone as an alarm clock is it’s tempting to immediately look at all your notifications when you wake up. Before you know it, half an hour has passed and you’re still in bed. This can mean you need to rush to get ready for classes, which ruins the rest of your morning routine. An added advantage to having a separate alarm clock is you can choose a style that works for you. This could even be one that has no snooze button at all. For instance, some wake you up with light or by vibrating your bed instead of using sound. If you need a push to get up, you could choose an alarm clock on wheels that will start moving away from you and around the room — this will also mean you start your day energized! 5. Meditate A top choice for the first activity in your morning routine is meditation. This only needs to last five minutes and is a great way to clear your head or set an intention for the day. Use the guided meditations you find on YouTube or an app. 6. Exercise Another idea for a morning activity is a short workout. This is likely to work best if you’re already a morning person, since it may mean you need to get up slightly earlier. A benefit is it will ensure you fit time to exercise into your day. You could do some simple moves in your bedroom, hit the gym, or search for fitness classes taking place near you. 7. Make Your Bed Avoid the temptation to crawl back into bed by making your bed as soon as you get up. This will signal to your brain that the day has begun and you need to start being active. 8. Eat a Breakfast You Enjoy As well as providing you with the energy you need for the day (especially for your first classes), breakfast can be a treat in the morning. Choose something that’s easy to prepare or even that you can prepare the night before. Ideally, it should also be healthy and filling. Pair your meal with your favourite hot beverage — as well as a glass of water to start the day hydrated. 9. Play Music or Podcasts Add entertainment to your morning routine with music or podcasts. If you choose music, you may find yourself dancing. Podcasts, however, are ideal for learning something new or putting you into a good mood. You can avoid needing to get up too early by living near campus. You’ll find Brock University off-campus housing at Foundry Lofts. All our suites have four or five bedrooms and two bathrooms, meaning you have the privacy, space, and time you need for a relaxed morning routine. Contact us for a lease now — we only have a limited number of units still available.