Blog Posts

7 Things to Do as the Spring Semester Winds Down

The end of spring semester is a milestone. You’ve achieved a lot over the past few months — now you just have one semester left before the end of the school year. There are a few things you should do as spring semester winds down to make your return to classes stress free and to prepare for success. 1. Sell Your Textbooks The most organized students will already be looking to purchase textbooks for next semester. Sell any you no longer need to gain some extra spending money for spring break and to reduce clutter in your apartment. 2. Get Rid of Clothes You’ll Never Wear Again Go through your closet to find clothes that are no longer your style. Throw out any broken clothing and donate the rest. An alternative to taking clothes to your local thrift store is to see if any other students would like them — perhaps you could even organize a clothing exchange. 3. Reorganize Your Bedroom Rethink the layout and storage in your bedroom to make it more convenient going forward. There may be a more logical way to have your belongings that helps you study, clean, and stay organized. 4. Refresh Your Resume Unless you’ve updated it recently, your resume is likely now out of date. It may not reflect the classes you’ve taken, the projects you’ve completed, or the volunteer positions you’ve held over the last few months. Make sure you include all your relevant experience and skills. You’ll be glad you did when the time comes to apply for summer jobs and internships or if your campus holds a job fair next semester and you need a resume to give to employers. 5. Check How You Appear Online Potential employers won’t rely on your resume alone when considering you for a position — they’ll also search for your name online. Run a search yourself to see if the results are what you want people to know about you. As well as checking for things you should delete , think about what you could add. For instance, you may like to update your LinkedIn profile or create an online portfolio. 6. Take Time to Relax Spring semester can be hectic. Even though you’ll have the chance to rest soon, go easy on yourself during the weeks leading up to spring break to ensure you don’t burn out. For instance, spend some nights in watching movies with friends and make time for self-care. 7. Fit Workouts into Your Schedule No matter how busy you are, it’s important to focus on your health. Find time to exercise on a regular basis — it’s a great way to clear your mind. The end of the semester is also the ideal time to think about your housing situation. If you’re still living in a dorm, consider moving into an apartment. Foundry Lofts offers the ultimate Brock off-campus living experience. In addition to our spacious suites, we have some great common areas , including a movie theater, outdoor courtyard, and fitness center. Secure a lease before spring semester is over.

8 Alternatives to Travel This Spring Break

Although spring break is often synonymous with travel, taking a trip is far from your only option . If you’re unable to travel this year, there are several alternatives that can make for a fun or productive spring break. 1. Revisit Your Fitness Goals If you had ambitious fitness goals at the start of this year but haven’t followed through with them, you still have the chance to get back on track. Start a workout routine you’ll be able to continue during the semester. You could hit the gym, search for fitness classes to attend, or create a workout you can do at home. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it’s something you’ll enjoy to keep the momentum going. 2. Invite Someone Special to a Picnic Take a picnic with someone who also stayed behind for spring break. This is a great opportunity to catch up with a close friend or have a romantic date. There’s no need to go far or do anything extravagant — just grab a blanket and some tasty nibbles and head to your local park. 3. Spring Clean Your Apartment Spring cleaning is essential when you’re a student — and there’s no better time for it than spring break. Go through all your belongings to see if you have things you no longer need, organize your desk, and do a deep clean of your entire apartment. Having a tidy home will make you feel better and improve your focus. 4. Reach Inbox Zero It can also feel refreshing to clean up your digital life. Delete all the emails you no longer need and assign those you do still need to folders, until there’s nothing left in your inbox. Finally, unsubscribe to any promotional emails you don’t want to make it easy to keep your inbox empty. 5. Search for Volunteer Opportunities If you’re unable to commit to volunteering on a regular basis due to other commitments, search for projects happening just over spring break. For instance, you may be able to volunteer with kids or participate in a charity event. Not only will you feel satisfied that you’re using your time for good, you’ll have something to add to your resume. 6. Watch, Read, or Listen to Something New Find a new way to keep yourself entertained when you have some downtime over spring break. You could start watching a series everyone has been talking about, pick up a book you’ve been meaning to read for a long time, or try a new podcast on a topic you find interesting. 7. Spend Time with Family If you’re able, try to visit your family over spring break. Even if you can only go for a day or two, spending time with parents, siblings, grandparents, or cousins is always worthwhile. 8. Make a Vision Board A vision board is a great way to think about your goals for the rest of your time at university, your future career, and all the other things you want to achieve in life. Create a collage of pictures and words that express your ambitions and hang the board above your desk where you’ll see it whenever you start feeling demotivated about your studies. Another way to spend spring break is to search for better student rentals. St. Catharines students can find the perfect home at Foundry Lofts. Our four- and five-bedroom apartments are fitted with modern furnishings, stainless steel appliances, and in-suite laundry facilities. Apply now to secure the floor plan you want.

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.