Blog Posts

A Guide to Sharing Costs with Roommates

Moving into your first student apartment is exciting. You’ll finally have freedom, your own space, and the chance to prepare proper meals — no meal plan. Although there are numerous benefits to living off campus, all this independence comes with responsibilities. One such responsibility is splitting bills and other expenses with your roommates. Since this can be complicated, it’s important to work out the details from the start. 1. Look for an Apartment with Separate Leases Your greatest expense will be your rent. Some landlords only allow tenants to have a single lease for the entire apartment. The downside to this is you may have problems if just one of your roommates pays late. It’s far better to find housing where the landlord is willing to give each of you an individual lease. 2. Decide How to Share Payments Even if you all have individual leases, there will be costs you need to share. One solution is to use a payment app to reimburse whoever pays. Another option is for everyone to contribute the same amount each month to a checking account. 3. Specify How You’ll Share Food and Household Supplies There are various ways to share food. If you’re all close friends, you may decide you want to share almost everything and even cook meals together. Alternatively, you may only want to share staples like condiments, milk, and bread. The least complicated option is to share nothing at all. You’ll also need to think about how you’ll divide household supplies like cleaning products, toilet paper, and garbage bags. Decide which items you’ll share between you and who is responsible for purchasing them. 4. Choose What Utilities You Want to Have Whereas you’ll certainly need basic utilities like electricity, water, and heating, you have a choice when it comes to things like the type of internet package and whether you’ll share streaming services to watch on the TV in your living room. Determine who will take out the accounts and what day of the month the rest of you need to contribute to ensure the account holder is able to pay on time. 5. Set Rules Around Guests Having guests over often can increase your household expenses, especially if guests are eating meals at your apartment. You may like to set a rule that roommates who have guests over need to reimburse the rest of you for any food and other supplies the guests use. 6. Put Your Agreement in Writing It’s worth putting your agreement into writing. Whereas this won’t be legally binding, it will mean you have a record, which could come in useful for avoiding disputes with your roommates. 7. Note Down Who Owns Each of Your Household Items Another thing to have in writing is what everyone owns. It makes more sense to purchase large items individually, as you’ll then be able to easily divide them between you when you move out. Bear in mind that there will be fewer things you need to buy if you rent a furnished apartment. Before you start thinking about how you’ll split costs with roommates, you need to find somewhere to live. You can find Brock University off-campus housing at Foundry Lofts. We have four- and five-bedroom fully-furnished apartments. You can share with friends or ask us to match you with roommates. Whatever you choose, you’ll only be responsible for your own lease. Contact us now to secure the type of suite you want while we still have some available.

Should You Consider Tutoring Sessions?

If you’re struggling with a particular class, subject, or skill, it makes sense to receive extra help through tutoring sessions. Many students are hesitant to try tutoring for reasons ranging from embarrassment about admitting that they’re struggling to concern that even tutoring won’t help them pass a difficult class. If you’re unsure that tutoring would be the right solution for you, consider these benefits. 1. Your Academic Performance Will Likely Improve The most important reason to receive tutoring is that it can help you gain better grades. Research has found that students who partake in tutoring sessions tend to have a higher GPA. In addition, they’re less likely to drop out of college. 2. It’s a Better Use of Your Time Than Studying Alone Some students worry that tutoring will take up too much of their time, especially if they already have a packed schedule. However, you don’t need to make any extra time for tutoring: it can simply replace some of the time you currently use to study on your own. This means you won’t need to sacrifice another activity — such as extracurriculars, socializing, or a part-time job — to fit tutoring sessions into your schedule. 3. You’ll Stay Focused If you struggle to concentrate when you sit down to study alone, tutoring could be the ideal solution. Studying with someone else forces you to stay focused and prevents you from giving in to distractions. It’s also more difficult to make up excuses to skip studying, as you’ll have agreed to meet with your tutor. Many students find that this accountability keeps them disciplined. 4. Hand in Your Assignments on Time Neglecting to study on a regular basis will mean you’re unable to complete your assignments on time. Tutoring sessions will keep you organized, meaning you never miss a due date. 5. Study in a Way That Resonates with You A good tutor will find out what your goals are and how you like to learn. You’ll use effective tactics to aid your understanding of the materials from class and target your weakest areas. It’s impossible to receive such support when you’re in a class with numerous other students, but one-on-one tutoring sessions are completely personalizable . 6. Increase Your Confidence Tutoring will show you that a difficult subject is within your grasp and should give you more confidence in class. Plus, if you feel intimidated about asking a question during class or office hours because you’re worried the answer is obvious to other students, you can always ask your tutor. Tutoring is just one way to improve your grades. It’s also essential to have a quiet place where you can work on your assignments and prepare for tests in peace. When you’re living in a dorm room, you tend to face constant distractions and noise, which makes studying extra difficult. The solution is to move into an off-campus apartment. You can find Niagara College student housing at Foundry Lofts. You’ll have your own bedroom as well as onsite private and group study spaces that you can use alone and with your tutor. Contact us now while we still have some rooms available.

A Student’s Guide to Beating the Winter Blues

Students often have mixed emotions about attending university during the wintertime. On the one hand, you have the fun of holiday parties, movie nights, and other seasonal activities, like baking treats in your apartment. On the other hand, you need to deal with homesickness when you come back to university after winter break, the stresses of classes, and the cold weather that can make it unpleasant to spend much time outdoors. This can lead to the winter blues: a condition defined as feelings of sadness du e to the days being shorter and colder. If you’re suffering from the winter blues, here are a few things you can do. 1. Stay Active It may be tempting to give up on your fitness routine over the winter because the idea of changing into your workout clothes or jumping into a pool are unappealing. In fact, it’s more important than ever to exercise during the winter. Moving releases endorphins, which improve your mood. If you’re struggling with motivation, arrange with a friend to work out together. 2. Spend More Time Outdoors If possible, you should try to exercise outdoors. If you prefer to work out at the gym or at fitness classes, though, it’s worth finding other ways to spend time outdoors every day. Not only will the fresh air energize you, if you walk briskly, you’ll regulate your breathing, which reduces stress. 3. Create a Sleep Schedule It’s crucial to sleep the right number of hours during the winter. Although it may be extra tempting to skip morning classes (especially if it’s still dark outside when you wake up), oversleeping will make it harder to beat the winter blues. Set both a bedtime and a wake-up time — and stick to them even when you have no commitments in the morning. You can also improve your sleep quality by steering clear of caffeine after the early afternoon and putting away screens at least one hour before you go to bed. 4. Find Activities You Enjoy At university, you’re surrounded by potential friends. Find like-minded people to spend time with to fit more activities you enjoy into your week. For instance, you could search for more extracurriculars to join, hang out with roommates, or make brunch plans on weekends to give yourself a reason to get up. 5. Seek Help for More Serious Conditions The winter blues is a common but mild ailment. It is characterized by a lack of motivation, fatigue, and a low mood — but it usually goes away once you’re back into a routine and enjoying life at university again. A more serious condition is seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This is a clinical diagnosis that has a severe impact on a person’s capability to function. If you’re experiencing SAD, you may want to spend all your time alone, your academic performance may suffer, and you may have trouble sleeping. If you’re concerned that you’re suffering from something more serious than the winter blues, it’s important to seek professional help. For instance, you could talk to a counselor — there may be free or discounted services available to you on campus. 6. Use a Light Therapy Lamp Light therapy is a great investment for beating the winter blues and even coping with SAD. You simply turn on a light box that contains fluorescent bulbs as soon as you wake up in the morning, keeping it on for at least 30 minutes. Most people notice an almost immediate improvement to their symptoms. This is helpful when the days are at their shortest, especially if you’re unable to spend much time in the sunlight. You’ll find it easier to beat the winter blues if you have an apartment where you feel comfortable and at home. For premier Brock off-campus living, there’s Foundry Lofts. With amenities ranging from a movie theater and fitness center to onsite parking and an outdoor courtyard, you’ll have everything you need for the ultimate student experience. We have limited availability for move-ins this winter — contact us now.

How to Establish Your Worth as a Jobseeker

As you near the end of your time at university, it’s important to start thinking about what you can do to improve your chances of landing a job that you love after you graduate. Something crucial to do is establish your worth as a jobseeker. This will ensure you don’t settle for less. You may lack confidence, have limited experience in your field, or feel like you haven’t yet had the chance to fully develop your skills. Nonetheless, you’ve worked hard to earn your degree and have the potential to become a v aluable employee. Here are a few ways to ensure both you and the employers you meet acknowledge this. 1. Demonstrate Your Knowledge Compensate for what you lack in experience with the knowledge you’ve gained during your time at university. You have an unique advantage over more seasoned candidates because everything you learned during your degree is still fresh in your mind. In fact, you may even have more up-to-date knowledge than someone who has been in the field for several years. Make this clear in interviews by using technical terms, offering creative solutions to problems, and discussing ideas of how you could contribute to the co mpany. 2. Find a Mentor Another benefit of being fresh out of university is the contacts you’ve made, such as professors and people you met during your internship. Reach out to those who made a particular impact on you to ask if they’d be willing to be your mentor. Having a mentor will mean you have someone in your corner to provide you with advice, cheer you on, and help you overcome your biggest challenges. 3. Fight Imposter Syndrome It’s common for recent grads to suffer from imposter syndrome. If you let your lack of self-esteem show, you could ruin your chances at a successful interview. If you can’t quite believe that you do deserve to be there, at least pretend. This will help you come across as confident. Later, you’ll even begin to believe it yourself. 4. Set Your Limits To ensure your employer values you, it’s important to set some limits. A major boundary to set is the minimum you’re willing to earn. If you’re looking to enter a competitive field, you may need to start with a low salary — but it’s important to decide how low you’re willing to go. Employers sometimes take advantage of new grads who are eager to enter their field by asking them to take on a huge amount of responsibility for low pay. This could come with promises of a salary increase in the near future that never materializes. Remember, you don’t need to prove yourself: you already have by earning a degree and gaining valuable skills. Bear in mind, pay is only one way employers (or even coworkers) may take advantage of your inexperience. You also need to establish limits for things like working overtime and carrying out tasks that don’t fall under your job description. Whereas it can be intimidating to question your managers, this will ultimately help you present yourself as a professional. 5. Keep Searching for Opportunities When you land your first job after finishing university, you’ll want to celebrate — and so you should. However, your journey is far from over. Keep your options open by checking what else is available. This will enable you to continue progressing in your career. You may end up finding something you enjoy more or that has better terms. Alternatively, you may be able to use an offer from another company as a bargaining tool to increase your salary at your current position. If you still have a few semesters left before you graduate, make the most of your time at university by moving into premier student rentals. St. Catharines students can find the perfect home at Foundry Lofts. Our spacious suites have stylish interiors, in-suite laundry, and stainless steel appliances. Plus, you’ll have access to our incredible community amenities, where you can hang out with friends and meet new people. Contact us now while we still have some rooms available.

How to Come Back Strong After a Failed Exam

At some point during your time at university, chances are you’ll receive a bad grade or even fail an exam entirely. However, this doesn’t mean all is lost and you have no chance of doing well in the future. Here are a few things you can do to come back strong. 1. Work Out Where You Went Wrong When you receive a failing grade, you’ll likely feel all sorts of negative emotions, such as disappointment and frustration. It’s important to give yourself time to process your feelings, but then to move on and take a more objective approach. Try to figure out exactly where you went wrong — whether it was a lack of understanding of the material, a particular mistake you made, or even not dedicating enough time to studying before the exam. 2. Talk to Your Professor If you received feedback with your failing grade, make sure to read it carefully. All the same, it’s worth visiting your professor during office hours to discuss the exam in more detail. This is especially important if you’re unclear about exactly where you went wrong. Your professor will be able to point out your mistakes, explain why your answers were wrong, and give you ideas about how to improve going forward, such as the skills you need to practice or the concepts you need to spend more time learning. Reaching out will also show that you’re committed to doing better, which may mean your professor is more willing to provide you with extra support. 3. Maintain Perspective Although it certainly benefits your GPA to achieve all high grades, each individual grade only has a minimal impact. This means it’s always possible to recover from a failed exam. Since you can’t change the past, the best thing to do is use this as a learning experience. 4. Create an Action Plan to Do Better Next Time Come up with specific ideas for how you’ll ensure you pass your next exams. This could be as simple as ensuring you spend more time studying by creating a schedule you’ll stick to throughout the semester. You may also find it helpful to join a study group to be able to discuss concepts you find difficult with other students. Alternatively, there may be a specific mistake you made that you can avoid repeating in the future. 5. Utilize Campus Resources Support at university goes beyond your professor. Take advantage of other resources that can help you with your academics, such as the campus writing center and tutoring services. One reason you may be struggling with bad grades at university is because you’re not dedicating enough time to studying quietly on your own. This is difficult when you lack your own space at home, as sharing a room with someone may mean you face constant distractions. A solution is to move into Brock University off-campus housing. Foundry Lofts has spacious four- and five-bedroom apartments that are available fully furnished with a desk and chair. You’ll also be able to use our private and group study space s, in addition to many other great amenities. Contact us now for a lease.

How Is AI Changing Career Prospects for Gen Z?

AI is affecting all aspects of our lives, both positively and negatively. However, it’s of particularly great concern for Gen Zers who will soon be entering the workforce. Whereas AI means fun and perhaps a study aid while you’re still in college, it may have a big effect on your career prospects once you graduate. Here are a few things you should be aware of to ensure AI benefits, rather than hinders, your job search. 1. Learn How to Use AI Many people see AI as a threat, especially in regard to work. We’ve all heard the warnings about how people will soon start losing their jobs to AI en masse. However, it’s important to acknowledge that the overall capabilities of AI are still nowhere near what a human can do. The best results require a collaboration between humans and AI. It requires skill to use AI to your benefit. Spend time practicing with tools you’re already familiar with, find out what else is popular in your field, and sign up for AI courses to gain more confidence using tools. 2. Stand Out Against More Experienced Candidates You may be applying for jobs where other candidates have already been working in the field for a while and have more relevant experience than you. One way to stand out is to highlight your AI skills on your resume and in interviews. For instance, you could name the tools you know how to use and discuss novel ideas for solving problems, saving time, or being more productive. This will help show employers that you could be an asset for the company and may make you a more appealing option than even experienced workers. 3. Strike a Better Work–Life Balance AI may do more than influence your employability — it may also impact your experience while you’re working. By carrying out some of your work for you, AI can free up your time for other activities, which will lead you to achieve a better work–life balance. If you have an in-person job, you may be able to use some of this free time to advance your training (in AI or in another beneficial skill). This will turn you into a more valuable member of the team and open up new opportunities in the near future . In addition, AI can make your work more enjoyable. It may automate admin tasks, assist in scheduling, draft emails for you, or process large amounts of data. As a result, you’ll be more organized, less frustrated, and happier in your job. Another major factor that will influence your career prospects after you graduate is whether you have any work experience. For this reason, it’s worth searching for a part-time job while you’re still at college. You’ll have more possibilities if you live near many businesses — but, of course, you’ll also want to be close to your classes. You can find Niagara College student housing located just a short distance from campus in central Thorold at Foundry Lofts. Our apartments are close to places like Canada G ames Park, the Meridian Centre, and the Pen Centre Mall. Take a virtual tour to check out the housing before you sign a lease.