Blog Posts

How to Improve Your Credit Score as a Student

College is likely to be your first chance to develop a credit score. The choices you make now will have an effect on your life for years to come. For instance, by making smart choices, you’ll receive lower interest rates on loans, be approved for credit cards with better terms, and even find better housing after you graduate. There are several things you can do right now to improve your credit score. 1. Apply for a Secured Credit Card If you have no credit history, it may be difficult to receive approval for a credit card. One solution is to take out a secured card. This type of credit card is connected to an account where you deposit funds. The amount you have in the account at any given time is the maximum limit on your card. You make payments just as you would a regular credit card — the funds in the account are purely for collateral. To improve your credit score, it’s important to always make payments on time and never to use the amo unt in your account. After a while, the creditor may even offer you an unsecured credit card. 2. Become an Authorized User on a Credit Card An alternative to taking out a credit card yourself is to become an authorized user on someone else’s account. For instance, you could ask a close family member, such as a parent, grandparent, or older sibling. You’ll have your own card you can use to make purchases, but the primary account holder will be responsible for making payments. You should arrange to send your family member the funds to pay the balance separately. To build credit in this way, it’s crucial the primary account holder always makes payments on time. A history of timely payments will appear in your own credit history. 3. Take Out Student Loans Many students need loans to be able to pay for college. Although this will mean you have debt to pay after you graduate, it can have a positive effect on your credit score — provided you always pay the installments in full and on time. It’s even better if you start making payments while you’re still in college. However, it’s still important to exhaust your other options first, such as by applying for scholarships and researching grants. This will help you avoid problems making loan payments. 4. Use Credit-Builder Loans If you don’t need student loans, you could improve your credit score with credit-builder loans. This involves making monthly payments over a set period. At the end of the payment period, you’ll receive the amount you’ve paid (minus interest). The lender will report your payment history to the credit bureaus, helping you to improve your credit score. 5. Pay Your Rent on Time Simply paying your rent on time can build your credit. You’ll need to ask your landlord to disclose your payment history to both of the credit bureaus to ensure your rent payments do form part of your credit score. To be able to pay your rent on time each month, you need to find an affordable apartment. For Niagara student housing, look no further than Foundry Lofts. You can choose between a four- and five-bedroom apartment — whatever best matches your budget. Plus, all our apartments are fully furnished (including with in-suite laundry facilities) and rent includes high-speed internet. Apply now to secure the floor plan you want before they’re all sold out.

Ways to Keep a Strong Relationship with Family in College

A big adjustment to make when you start college is being away from your family for prolonged periods of time. In addition to missing your relatives, you may find it difficult to maintain the same kind of relationship. This can be due to a combination of distance, your new freedom, and discovering more about who you are. It’s important to take steps to maintain strong relationships while still embracing your new life. This means discussing boundaries and potential areas of conflict before you go away to coll ege. 1. Talk About Rules for When You Return Home Depending on how far your school is from your family home, you may be paying your family visits on the occasional weekend or only going back for longer breaks. In either case, it’s important to know if you’ll need to continue to follow the rules you had during high school or if your parents will allow you more flexibility. Furthermore, you should discuss whether your bedroom will still be your own private space. Your family may decide to use the room for another purpose after you move out, meaning you may need to share the space when you return or even sleep somewhere else. It’s useful to know this in advance to avoid surprises that could lead to tension — which is the last thing you want after being away from your family for several weeks or months. 2. Set Expectations for Communication Your family members will want to stay in touch while you’re at college. Whereas this is important for maintaining your relationship, you don’t want keeping in contact to become overwhelming. Try to come up with a solution everyone will be happy with and that doesn’t take too much of your time away from college experiences. For instance, you could agree to a weekly video chat or to keeping your family in the loop with regular text messages. 3. Be Clear About Your Financial Responsibilities If your parents will be supporting you financially during college, it’s important to be clear about how much you can expect to receive each month and if there will be any restrictions as to how you can spend the money. You may decide that the amount your parents are able to give you will be insufficient for meeting your needs or that accepting money will have too many strings attached. In these cases, a better alternative is to search for other sources of financing, such as through a part-time job or a scho larship. Make the adjustment of being away from your family easier by finding a place you can call home while you’re at college. An alternative to Niagara College residence is Foundry Lofts. You’ll have your own room in a fully-furnished apartment — equipped with everything you need to be comfortable. Plus, you can take advantage of some great onsite amenities, including a fireside lounge, fitness center, movie theater, and games room. Book a tour to see all the facilities for yourself.

How to Safely Meet Up with Someone You Met Online

As a college student, you have a huge number of opportunities to meet new people. In addition to making friends on campus, you may meet people online, such as in virtual clubs, interest groups, and fandom spaces. It’s easy for these friends to become as close as the people you see on a regular basis. If the opportunity arises to meet up with online friends, you’ll definitely want to take it. However, there are steps you need to take to ensure your safety. 1. Check Your Friend’s Identity There are several ways to confirm someone’s identity. For instance, you could ask to follow the friend on social media and check if the account seems legitimate. Even better, you could have a couple of video chats before you meet up. Online friends who are unwilling to do either of these things may be lying about their personal details. 2. Go to a Public Place It’s best to meet in a public place — just in case the encounter doesn’t turn out as you expected. A good choice is a local coffee shop. Alternatively, if you originally connected over a shared taste in music, a hobby, or an interest, bonding at a concert or convention could be better still. 3. Arrange Your Own Transportation Never rely on someone you’ve only just met for transportation. If you don’t have your own car, go somewhere you can reach by public transit. This will mean you can leave at a moment’s notice if you feel uncomfortable. 4. Involve Another Friend It may be worth inviting another friend to come along with you, both for your safety and to prevent you from feeling awkward. Choose someone you believe will get along with your online friend — perhaps someone who is talkative and will keep the conversation flowing. If you don’t want to bring someone with you, at least let a friend know where you’ll be. This is useful whenever you go out, but it’s extra important when you’re meeting someone new. You may even like to share your live location. 5. Prepare Some Icebreakers Another way to avoid an awkward situation is to think about possible topics of conversation beforehand . Remind yourself that you do know this person — just because you’ve never met before doesn’t mean you’re strangers. Ask personal questions and continue conversations you’ve had online. 6. Have Clear Plans Let your online friend know what you expect from the meeting in advance. For instance, make it clear where you’ll be meeting, how much time you’d like to spend together, and if anyone else will be coming along. Feel free to set boundaries and let your friend know if anything makes you uncomfortable. Anyone who’s worth spending time with will respect your boundaries. You also need to have an exit plan — just in case. You could have an excuse in mind to use if you want to leave early or have a friend call or text you to give you a reason to leave. If your meeting goes well, you may want to arrange to see your online friend more often. Once you get to know each other better, this could include inviting your friend over to your home. However, it’s difficult to entertain guests when you’re living on campus — which is another in the long list of reasons why you should find your own apartment. An alternative to Niagara College residence is Foundry Lofts. Our spacious apartments are ideal for entertaining . Plus, you’ll have access to common areas like the outdoor courtyard, movie theater, and fireside lounge. Book a tour to pay us a visit before you sign a lease.

9 Easy Single-Serve Meals to Make in Your Student Apartment

As a busy student, you have limited time to devote to cooking — but preparing your own meals is much less expensive than eating out. Plus, cooking for yourself will help you maintain a balanced diet. What you need is some ideas for easy meals you can whip up quickly. It’s possible to make all the following as single servings to avoid food waste from leftovers that you end up throwing out. 1. Tex-Mex Bowl A meal can be both filling and healthy — a great example is this Tex-Mex bowl. Use equal parts quinoa and brown rice and add ingredients like beans, tomato, avocado, onion, chili peppers, and cilantro. Top with a fried or poached egg. 2. Pasta in Tomato Sauce A serving of pasta for one person is about 60 to 100 grams . You can make the sauce yourself using tomato, onion, and herbs or purchase a jar of sauce — this will be more expensive but faster. Complete your meal with some chunks of sausage or vegetables like broccoli and spinach. 3. Omelette A great choice for a healthy breakfast or light meal any time of the day is an omelette . For the omelette itself, all you need is a couple eggs, a little cooking oil, and some pepper. You can make the filling from virtually any type of cheese and vegetables. 4. Pesto Pizza For an individual-size pizza, use a naan or pita. Instead of pizza sauce, you can use pesto. Sliced tomatoes and mozzarella are ideal as toppings, but you can use different ingredients if you prefer. 5. Yogurt Parfait To make yogurt parfait, combine Greek yogurt, granola, chia seeds, your choice of fruit (strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries are ideal), and some honey. Prepare it the night before to have a ready-to-go breakfast. 6. Mediterranean Grilled Cheese Put a twist on a regular grilled cheese sandwich by using feta. This goes great with Mediterranean vegetables like roasted peppers, red onion, tomato, and olives. 7. Eggplant Parmesan Using a small casserole dish, you can prepare a single-serve eggplant Parmesan. You’ll need to prepare the eggplant first — dip it in egg, coat it in breadcrumbs, and then fry it until it’s golden on either side. Once you’ve done this, lightly grease your dish and add a layer of eggplant slices. Follow this with a layer of mozzarella and a layer of tomato sauce. Then, repeat all three layers one more time. Top with a sprinkling of Parmesan. It takes just 30 minutes to bake at 180 ºC. 8. Baked Oatmeal Hot oatmeal can be comforting — and it’s just as easy to prepare as cold oatmeal. Simply heat half a cup of oats with a cup of either milk or water (or a combination of the two). Then, stir in a spoonful of peanut butter, some chunks of apple, and a sprinkling of cinnamon. 9. Caprese Salad Salads make great lunches and sides to larger meals, but they become boring when you always use the same vegetables. A new combination to try is mozzarella, tomato, and arugula. You can also make this classic caprese salad a little heavier by adding some avocado. Although all these meals are easy to make, they still require a kitchen, which is something you don’t have when you’re living on campus. You’ll find apartments near Brock University at Foundry Lofts that have full-size kitchens with stainless steel appliances. There are also grocery stores nearby — as well as restaurants for times when you want a treat. Contact us now before all the units are leased.

4 Ways to Build a Strong Resume in College

College is all about preparing for the world of work. In addition to gaining a qualification, you’ll have the chance to participate in activities that will enhance your resume. This is particularly important when you have limited work experience. Of course, not all activities are equal and there are certain things that are extra worthwhile for building a strong resume. Here are a few strategies to consider. 1. Find a Job One of the best things to have on your resume is an employment history. Start looking for a job by searching for opportunities on campus. These positions are often ideal because you’re able to fit your work around your college schedule. Plus, there tend to be numerous positions available, meaning you should be able to find something that matches your interests and gives you the chance to acquire relevant skills. Having said that, there’s no need to limit your search to campus jobs. You may be able to find something that appeals to you more through an external employer. Alternatively, you could even start your own venture or think of a service you could offer on a freelance basis, such as childcare, IT support, or dog walking. 2. Search for an Internship Related to Your Career Goals Another way to gain work experience is through an internship. However, it’s important not to simply apply for anything that comes your way. Instead, think about how an opportunity could benefit you in the future and choose something that will look impressive on your resume. Besides, you have a much higher chance of landing a position if you have a good reason for applying. 3. Use Your College Career Services Whenever you feel unsure about anything related to employment, use your college’s career services. In addition to improving your resume, you may be able to receive one-on-one support for finding a job, searching for suitable internships, and mastering interview techniques. An advisor can also help you with your career goals, including by telling you what skills you need to acquire and what action you should take now to start preparing. 4. Attend Networking Events Besides a strong resume, you’ll need connections in your field. Put in the effort to meet people who could help to open doors for you later. Talk to employers at career fairs, get to know your professors on a personal level, and strive to keep expanding your social circle, especially with students taking the same major as you. Another place to meet people is conferences and other industry specific events. You can even mention your attendance on your resume. While it’s not typical for someone with experience to include this information, it can be helpful for showing your passion and filling up your resume when you have little to include. After spending a long day in classes and at your job or internship, you’ll want somewhere comfortable to come home to. An alternative to Niagara College residence is Foundry Lofts. Our off-campus student community has spacious suites and a management team to keep the buildings in great condition . Apply now to secure our lowest rates.

What to Look For in a Student Apartment

Although living off campus is almost always preferable to staying in student residence, not all student apartments are equal. There are certain things you should look for in an apartment to ensure you’ll be comfortable, safe, and happy. Here are a few starting points to guide you. 1. All-Inclusive Rent Beyond finding an apartment within your budget, it’s best if the rent is all inclusive. This means you won’t need to worry about budgeting for multiple utilities or services, including electricity, heating, and internet bills. 2. Great Amenities Some amenities are essential, whereas others will enhance your experience. Consider which amenities matter the most to you and only visit apartments that offer these features. For instance, you may want a furnished apartment, onsite laundry facilities, somewhere you can park, or air conditioning. 3. Condition of the Property It’s crucial to check that the property is in good working order before you commit to a lease. You can check many things during your tour, including the faucets, toilets, water pressure in the shower, outlets, heating, and locks. Also think about how much natural light you’ll gain and whether the windows are leaky. Look at the appliances: are they modern or old and potentially worn out? Finally, consider your impression of the landlord and the other residents in the building to determine if you’d be comfort able living in the apartment. 4. Safe and Convenient Neighbourhood Since there may be times when you come home late at night, it’s critical that the neighbourhood is safe. You can do some research online, but you should also go with your gut feeling. It’s best of all if you can find an apartment near campus that’s also close to places like a grocery store, a coffee shop, and public transport (if you don’t have a car). 5. Minimal Leasing Fees Bear in mind that some landlords charge extra fees related to the lease, including approval and administrative processing fees. You may also incur a fee if you want to sublease your apartment or delay signing the lease until later. Since these fees can add up, look for a landlord that will charge you a minimal amount. 6. Conditions of the Lease Make sure you read the lease carefully and never allow a landlord to pressure you into signing. Ask for clarification for anything you’re unsure about. In particular, check if there is an option to renew your lease for another year — this will prevent you from needing to look for new accommodation. 7. Maintenance Requests No matter if the building is old or new, you may need to request maintenance at some point. Ask your landlord about how service requests work. For Brock off-campus living where you’ll receive all the above and much more, there’s Foundry Lofts. Our student apartments are just a 10-minute walk from campus. We have both furnished and unfurnished units available for an all-inclusive price. As well as amenities like WiFi , an in-suite washer and dryer, and self-controlled air conditioning, you’ll have access to our fitness centre , lounges, and movie theatre. Apply now while our lowest rates are still available.