Thinking back to my final year of high school, I can still remember avidly reading the CU Blogs. In particular, I can remember reading the ‘farewell’ blogs of several graduating students. Reflecting on these blogs, it is difficult to fathom that I too am now one of those graduating students who is passing on the proverbial torch! As cliché as it may sound, it still feels like only yesterday that I was pulling up to Carleton’s residences with my Father in a rental car full of my suitcases. They say that time flies and in my case it most certainly has.

As I have mentioned in previous blogs, deciding to attend university out-of-province was one of the biggest decisions that I ever had to make. However, I can now say for sure that coming to Carleton was definitely one of the best decisions of my life. I have developed steadfast relationships with fellow classmates as well as my professors and truly now call Carleton my home away from home. People often say that you do not realize what you have until it is gone and considering how comfortable I have become at Carleton, I know that I will be missing its familiarity and comfort after I officially walk across the stage and receive my diploma in June.

As I prepare to embark on the next chapter of my life, I imagine that my feelings of nervousness are likely very similar to those of you who are about to graduate from high school and pursue post-secondary studies. Change can certainly be a daunting prospect, but it can also be an exciting one! If I had not been brave enough to pursue change and attend school outside of my home province and away from my high school friends, I would likely be leading a much different life than I am now. In fact, whenever I feel nervous about pursuing law school, I remind myself of how positively Carleton has changed my life. In that light, I view the change from undergraduate to graduate studies as one of excitement and possibility.

Some of the best years of my life were spent as a Carleton Raven, and as my undergraduate journey comes to a close, I can only imagine what wonderful experiences you too will have during your time at Carleton.

Thank you for sharing in my Carleton experiences over these past few years!

Your soon to be Ravens Alumna,

Maddie

It’s hard to believe that we’re in February already! It feels like just yesterday it was the first week of classes. Time truly does fly and it is hard to believe that I only have a few months left of my undergraduate degree. I have been asked a few times what day-to-day life is like for a fourth-year student. So, I figured that I would give you an example of the kind of lifestyle you might encounter during your final year of studies.

I didn’t initially intend to do four years of study; rather, I started out at Carleton in a general (three year) BA program. I later changed my mind and switched to an honours BA program. Despite the switch, I already had a lot of my required courses covered, so my fourth year includes a lot of electives. While I’ve been taking third- and fourth-year Human Rights seminars, I’ve also been exploring other courses such as Music of the World’s Peoples and Natural Disasters! I’m certainly out of my comfort zone in some of my electives, but I feel that it is important to experience diverse areas of study, as you never know how they might assist you in the future!

One of my courses this year is a Practicum Placement through the Human Rights program. As Human Rights does not offer co-op, the practicum placement is the next best thing for getting work experience. The practicum requires you to do seven hours of volunteer work per week over a 12 week period and you must complete a minimum of 84 hours in total. You are also required to submit a final paper detailing your experience at the end of the term. I’ve been lucky enough to have been placed with a local agency devoted to helping women and female youth who are, or may be, at risk of coming into conflict with the law. Every week I go to the Ottawa courthouse and assist the society with research as well as providing support as needed. While it can be overwhelming at times, it is great to be able to gain some legal experience as I hope to attend law school after I graduate.

As it stands, I am working two jobs on top of my internship and studies. I continue to work as a Parliamentary Tour Guide at Parliament Hill. Most weeks I work there two days and fill a variety of roles, from giving tours to greeting people at the entrance and operating the peace tower elevator. At parliament I get to work with incredible individuals and also get to practice my French!

My other job is working as a Telecounsellor at Carleton. In the Telecounselling Office, we call prospective students and assist them with any questions they may have. Having come to Carleton from Saskatchewan and having never seen the campus, I had a lot of questions and had to learn a lot of things on my own during the first few weeks of classes. Telecounselling allows me to give other students the advice that I wish I had known when I first started out at Carleton!

From internships to working at Parliament Hill, my schedule is far from empty. While it may appear daunting to take on internships on top of classes, I highly encourage it as it allows you to network and gain experience your area of interest. While my schedule may seem a little hectic, I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Until next time!

-Madison

It is hard to think that in 2009 I was just beginning my university career at Carleton, and now in 2013, I am entering into my eighth and final semester of studies! Despite having seven semesters of university experience under my belt, I’m still a little nervous about embarking on a new semester. Getting back into the school routine and adjusting to a new semester always seems a little daunting at first. Considering this, I’ve compiled a few helpful tips that will hopefully assist you in making a smooth transition into your new term of studies!

I’ve mentioned this before, and I will recommend it again – buy a calendar! As soon as you get your syllabus for each class, make sure to write down the due dates for all of your assignments and scheduled quizzes/tests/exams. I find this is the best way to stay organized and plan your study time. If you found yourself disorganized last semester, I’d also recommend investing in new notebooks and developing a system of saving papers on your laptop. Getting organized early in a semester is important and makes studying for exams a lot less stressful.

I also recommend that you buy your textbooks as soon as you get your outlines for each class. The sooner you get your textbooks, the sooner you are able to do your readings and keep on top of your coursework.

To stay healthy throughout the semester, make sure to eat well and exercise regularly. To promote a healthy lifestyle, also make sure to schedule some time for extracurricular/social activities. For example, you could try out a new fitness class or join a club!

Finally, try to relax and know that you are not alone in adjusting to a new course schedule. Hopefully you will find my advice helpful – I wish you all the best of luck with your new term!

Cheers,

-          Madison

Where has the time gone? I find myself asking the same question year after year. It never fails to amaze me how quickly the fall term can fly by. I can’t believe we’re already in the midst of final exams!

Having had six semesters worth of exam experience under my belt, I thought it would be helpful for me to provide you with some tips for exam studying/writing and time management.

By this time of year, most students have experienced a midterm exam or test of some sort and have an idea of their professors’ testing and grading systems. For each class, make sure to go through your past tests and familiarize yourself with the different layouts, types of questions, grading schemes etc. In my experience, this is an excellent way to prepare for impending finals.

If you haven’t had a midterm yet or are about to embark on final exams for the first time, fear not! Exams are not meant to throw material at you that you have never seen or studied before. By going through your course notes and reading your textbook, you are well on your way to getting a good grade.

Pulling ‘all-nighters’ is not an effective way to study for finals. Getting a good night’s sleep prior to writing an exam is very important. Therefore, plan out your exam study schedule well in advance and allow for adequate study time. This will help to ensure that you are not only prepared but also well rested for your exams.

Time management is critical during exam season. In addition to making a study schedule, I also recommend mapping out a schedule of any social events you plan on attending. By having a visual of your exams on a calendar, you will be able to adequately plan out study time in advance and ensure that you won’t miss out on any great holiday celebrations!

When you’re studying, also make sure to have a reward system in place. Allowing yourself a study break every 30 minutes, or letting yourself eat a piece of chocolate for every paragraph you read/write can be great incentives for increasing your productivity.

Well, It’s time for me to head to class. I hope these tips find you well!

Cheers,

- Maddie

In a recent blog post I wrote in depth about my first year experiences and hopefully tipped you off on some good advice. What I didn’t go into much detail about, however, was my personal life now that I’m a fourth-year student at Carleton!

As I’ve previously mentioned, I had the great fortune of working as a tour guide at Parliament Hill this past summer. I was even more fortunate to have been hired on once again as a guide for the fall/winter season! Having previously worked at Carleton in the Telecounselling Centre and also occasionally as a Carleton University Host, I had never formally worked outside of the university during the school year. While I love my job at The Hill and find my classes at Carleton exceptionally interesting, conquering the work/school balance has been a bit of a challenge for me. I must give credit to those students that work full-time, or even part-time, while consecutively taking on a full academic course load. Time management is something that I thought I prided myself on before, but working two jobs and going to school is certainly showing me that I have much more to learn when it comes to managing my time!

Having lived in residence for two years (Glengarry House in first year and Frontenac House in second), I decided to spend my third year of university living off-campus in an area of student housing very close to Carleton. This year, however, I ventured a little further from campus and rented a really nice place in Ottawa’s popular ByWard Market. Packed full of interesting restaurants and shops, the ByWard Market boasts great entertainment all year round. Fortunately for me, I live close enough to enjoy the location, but far enough away to be able to sleep soundly during the otherwise very loud and energetic weekends. I have found that living alone has both its advantages and disadvantages. Benefits consist of me being able to live independently and not having to worry about cleaning schedules, noise and other roommate dynamics. However, I have also found it somewhat lonely! There’s something to be said for being able to waltz down the hall and have immediate companionship. And cooking portions for one isn’t exactly easy either! Negatives aside, however, I love my place and my independence and I’m sure that many of you will also come to a point in your university career where you too will crave your own space.

Many of my friends have commented to me on how fourth year university feels a lot different than third year. After many discussions over coffee at Roosters (our student run coffee shop), we’ve come to the conclusion that this is because we know this is our final year at Carleton. I know I’ve said it numerous times, but it’s hard to believe that this is my fourth and final year at Carleton. I can remember reading CU Blog posts when I was in grade 12 (and again in my first year of university) where former students had said the same thing. I brushed it off at the time, but I can now truly relate to how they felt. It’s true, your time in university flies by quicker than Rodney the Raven!

I’m not one hundred per cent sure about what I’m going to do next year, but I do know that some time off will be imminent before I apply to law school. One thing is for sure though, I am really going to miss being a Carleton student! Roosters, Mike’s Place, The Page Break, the picnic benches by the rapids – all of these places were things I had never heard of prior to coming to Carleton. Now, having spent the past three years of my life here, they are places I have claimed as my own and places that I cannot imagine living without! So, while I still have one more year here to go, my advice to all of you reading this blog is to make the most of your time at CU. I have made great friends and many fabulous memories here. I can only hope that you too will have incredible experiences here just like me!

Until next time,

- Madison

Well, it’s once again that time of year when assignments start trickling in and quizzes and midterms loom in the upcoming weeks. Stressed yet? Don’t worry! I have some helpful relaxation tips to make the upcoming assignment and test-filled weeks more enjoyable.

• Do you have a calendar yet? If not, get one!

It may seem simplistic, but having a calendar that you can physically jot down due dates and reminders on can come in quite handy. Not only does it help you keep track of dates and deadlines, but it also allows you to plan your social life accordingly. You might have a clustered week where all of your assignments are due at once. Conversely, you might find that test and due dates are relatively spread apart. In any case, having a physical chart to keep tabs on your assignments can never hurt! I find that I become much more calm and level headed when I can see all of my upcoming due dates on a single calendar and can, therefore, plan my study/work schedule accordingly.

• Notes, notes, and more notes!

Are you a passive reader? Force yourself to make notes as you go, whether in the margins of your textbook or on separate sticky notes. You may think that you’re always going to remember what you read. However, once you get into your midterm exam or begin writing a paper, you may soon forget this information. Further, even if you do remember what you read, it can often be difficult to go back and find that particular section unless it is marked/identified in some way or another. I recommend engaging in active reading as it will not only make midterm preparation a lot easier, it will also save you time spent having to re-read materials!

• Is your study space/room clean?

While I am guilty of occasionally leaving clothes on the floor and allowing dishes to pile up in the sink, I find that it is important to make sure that you have a tidy and relaxing place to both study and relax. Having read numerous articles online with advice on how to de-stress and focus, several mention keeping a tidy and calming living space. Everyone has their own tricks on how to relax. For me, one of the best ways to relax and de-stress is to dim the lights and light a few candles. I’m not sure why candles seem to do the trick. Perhaps it’s the feeling of nostalgia I get from candles as my mother would always have several going in the house when I grew up. Or perhaps it’s simply because I choose to use candles that smell so delicious! Either way, whenever I do a quick tidy of my apartment and light a few candles afterwards, I always seem to relax and wind down (not to mention focus more intently on my studies). So give it a try! Give a quick clean sweep of your room, put on some classical music, indulge yourself in a nice cup of tea or coffee, and see if a more relaxing environment positively affects your mood and study habits as well!

Good luck,

Madison

August already, my how the time has flown! Looking back, I can still remember the last few weeks of summer before my first year at university. I was anxious about embarking on a new chapter in my life – particularly since this new chapter required moving to a new province and starting fresh at a university where I knew no one! At the time, I can distinctly remember anxiously checking the mail, desperate to find out which residence I was placed in and also if I had a single room or a double room with a roommate. I recall panicking over course selection and questioning if I had not only made the right choice, but also if I was even ready to take on the challenge of university level education.

Having decided to go to school out-of-province, I, at times, questioned if I was making the right decision. Would I miss my parents? Would my cat forget who I was? What if I didn’t make any friends!? These questions among others were a common occurrence in my daily thoughts as I began embarking on the tedious task of packing – which in and of itself was another monumental task!

So where am I going with this blog? Well, first and foremost, if those of you reading are anything like me, then some of the aforementioned school stresses likely relate to you too. So, being the handy dandy ‘soon to be’ fourth-year student that I am, I’m going to share some of my experiences in order to ease any pre-university jitters that some of you are more than likely having at this point in time.

Parents/Family:

I’ve written past blogs regarding the transition of going from home life to residence/university life but I feel that it is once again important to reiterate the impact which university can have on your family dynamic. However, this impact is not necessarily a negative one! If there is one thing that I’ve discovered since moving away for school, it is how distance literally can make the heart grow fonder! While I admittedly still have the occasional cry when I say goodbye to my family at the airport in Regina, my visits home become that much more important when I do get time to be there. Of course, I’m still able to keep in touch with my family all the time by phone (which I do nearly every day) and Skype. In the past year, Ottawa has really begun to feel like home. While I cherish my visits home to Regina, I tend to yearn for the independent lifestyle that I have acquired here in Ottawa.

My point in sharing this with you is that you should not be afraid of how attending university will affect your relationship with your family – whether you live two hours away or three days away by car! You will always have a special family dynamic! While going away from home wasn’t easy for me at first, I wouldn’t have changed anything for the world!

Friends:

As I previously mentioned, I knew no one in Ontario, let alone Ottawa when I first came to Carleton. Having been a fairly outgoing individual in high school, it was certainly tough to say goodbye to all of the wonderful friends I had made over the years. I suddenly found myself acting more introverted than I normally was, and I was certainly not as outgoing as I had been in high school. While at first I had a little trouble fitting in with my fellow students (as I was rather homesick), overtime, I began to foster great friendships at Carleton with likeminded individuals through classes and extracurricular activities.

Class:

I’ve written many times about the transition into university academics, so I do advise you to check out some of my past blogs for more in depth advice on how to succeed. When considering academics, try to relax if you are indeed stressing out about them as I once was. University is not easy, but it is not impossible either. I was successful in completing my first three years of university, and after this year, I, like many others, will be able to call myself an alumnus and graduate with a diploma. If I can do it, then so can you! Make sure to take the opportunity to meet with professors, talk with teaching assistants, attend workshops and use the services that are provided for students to succeed – if you put in the effort, you will definitely reap the benefits!

The City:

A new city (and at times, province) can be a little overwhelming, especially if you come from rural areas like myself. However, I’m here to tell you that you should not worry at all! While becoming accustomed to a new place is a different process for everyone, I feel like getting adapted to your new place of residence is the first step toward feeling at home. It’s funny how I’ve lived in Ottawa for three years now, yet still find myself doing and discovering new things every day. For example, I went to the National Art Gallery for the first time three weeks ago, and finally went in to check out the architecture in the Notre Dame Basilica yesterday. Exploring the city in which you study is vital to gaining an appreciation and a sense of home and belonging for your new address!

I hope you find some of these tips helpful! As I look toward my final year here at Carleton, I must admit that I’m a little jealous of prospective students like you! Once I finish my degree this year, I will be off to the races on yet another adventure, and will have to leave my comfortable lifestyle at Carleton behind. Going into my fourth year at Carleton, I am thankful for all of the experiences that I have had thus far as they have helped shape me as both a student and as an individual. Milestones are never easy but are always worthwhile, so before embarking on a new chapter in your life at university, enjoy the remaining few weeks of summer!

Cheers!

-Madison

Another school year has come to an end. It’s crazy to think that I only have one more year left to go at Carleton! Unlike the past two summers (where I returned home to Regina to work), I have decided to stay in Ottawa this summer and enjoy the city. As I had never previously spent a summer here, I thought it would be exciting to stay, work and socialize with friends who are doing the same thing!

I must admit, my initial job and apartment hunt were very stressful and made for a rather busy end to my April. Having previously interviewed to be a Parliamentary Guide on Parliament Hill, I was waiting to hear back from the program and beginning to seek out other options in between hunting for a new place to live. Fortunately, I hit a lucky streak, and ended up getting a job and a house within the same week! I am proud to announce that I am an official tour guide at Parliament Hill for the summer, and am also the new tenant of an adorable one-bedroom apartment in the ByWard Market! Not only do I get to work with great individuals on The Hill, but I also get to come home to a peaceful oasis that I can call my own!

I’m currently blogging to you from Parliament Hill (I’m on my lunch break!) and need to get back to work fairly shortly. But before I do, here are some helpful tips to enjoy the summertime in Ottawa (or at least the tips I’ve learned thus far!).

1. You can never wear too much sunscreen

2. Hide from the humidity at all costs (it will follow you even in the shade!)

3. Catch as many concerts as you can, the musical talent in Ottawa is out of this world!

4. You can never eat too much gelato/ice cream

5. Catch the dueling pianos at Fat Tuesdays restaurant and eat their jambalaya

6. Mooney’s Bay is the perfect beach escape on your time off

That’s all for now! I will blog back soon with more adventures from Parliament Hill!

Maddie

It has finally come to that time of year once again – the last few weeks of school before the term ends and exams officially begin (am I the only one who feels like it was just January!?). It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the school year goes by. Here are some tips on how to end off your term on a good note!

1 – Balance studying and leisure.

It may seem impossible to study when the snow melts and is replaced with warm rays of sunshine and green grass (well…sort of green, we’re not quite at that stage yet!). However, it is still crucial to keep your nose in the books so that you can finish the term with excellent grades. If you are having trouble focusing and have a bad case of spring fever, I recommend taking your notebooks outside and studying while you simultaneously bask in the sun. Carleton has a beautiful campus with lots of green (again, off-green as the grass hasn’t quite fully grown back from winter yet) space and excellent study spaces. Whether you want to crash by the river and study along side the rapids as you lean against a boulder, or prefer to cross the canal locks and study beneath a weeping willow tree, there are multiple spaces where you can both enjoy nature and get quality work done at the same time. On the latter note, I definitely recommend hitting up your Zen space solo, as sometimes, despite your friends’ best intentions, work can be hard to get done when the urge to socialize is present!

2 – Don’t get ahead of yourself.

As I’m writing this blog, I currently have three papers on the go, one assignment, and a few extracurricular activities coming up which I need to help organize. Did I mention that all of these things have to be done by the end of this week? (*cue dramatic horror music* dun dun duuuun). However, I am keeping calm and pushing forward. If there is one thing I’ve learned in university, it is that you need to take things one at a time if you are going to make any significant progress. As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, it’s always important to keep organized and to plan things out. I’ve known all term that three of my final papers would be due within the span of two days at the end of the term. By colour coordinating sticky notes and highlighters to each specific assignment and scheduling what days will be designated to working on which paper/assignment, not only will you be saved from a large headache and a lot of stress, but you will also be more productive and at ease!

I should note that it is also important to not stress about unrealistic things. It’s very easy to fall into a downward spiral and panic about upcoming assignments. However, stressing will not get your papers written for you, nor will it benefit your health. Jot down everything that is worrying you and the pressing things that you need to get done. From here you can realistically map out what you must do in order to complete your assignments in an efficient manner. Oh yeah…remember to give yourself some “me-time” breaks too!

3 – Have fun!

I know that this somewhat contradicts my above two points which stress solitary studying and devotion to schoolwork, but it is also important to enjoy the final few weeks of school. For many students, these will be the last few weeks before they pack up their things in residence (or at their rented Ottawa homes) and head home for the summer. While it’s always fun and dramatic to reunite with friends in the fall when university commences, I suggest packing in a few last memorable hangouts with friends before it’s time to head home. On that note, I also recommend that you begin scouring the shops and streets of Ottawa for boxes, as attempting to pack up your residence room and apartments in the spring is a crazy time of year, and a time when boxes are mysteriously low in supply!

My Life:

While I have certainly been under a lot of stress with several papers due before the end of my third year of studies, I did receive some excellent news this past Friday. Earlier on in the year I had applied to be a tour guide on Parliament Hill through the Library of Parliament. I was lucky enough to have been selected for an interview in February. I made it to the French evaluation stage later that month where I had to undergo a French assessment with the House of Commons over the phone to assure my bilingualism for the position. I had been anxiously waiting to hear back about the position and on Friday I was quite literally over the moon when I received a phone call from Parliament Hill offering me a position! Further to this good news, I was also informed that night that I had been selected as the new tenant for a beautiful one bedroom in downtown Ottawa! For those of you who have not heard of the Byward Market, it is a unique area Ottawa just down the road from Parliament Hill which is full of trendy shops, delicious restaurants, exceptional pubs and offers a unique and eclectic farmer’s market year round. Not only is the one bedroom cute and full of character (its an older house that has been converted into four units) but it also has its own little patio and barbeque! I have no idea how to use a barbeque but Google is an excellent teacher and I’m sure I’ll have it mastered in no time! They say that when it rains it pours, and while normally this saying has a negative connotation, in my case it has been happy rain and has significantly altered my mood, despite my present stress over papers.

Until next time!

Cheers!

-Maddie

This blog is dedicated to resolutions that will bring you one step closer to having an incredible semester and scoring an awesome GPA along the way!

• I will attend all classes/tutorials/peer assisted study sessions (PASS):

I know that I have mentioned this before in previous blogs, but I cannot stress how important it is for students to attend lectures and their accompanying components, such as tutorials. It may seem unnecessary at times, particularly if the lecture notes are posted online or you have a friend or fellow classmate who can lend you notes. However, in the end, your education and grades depend on your learning initiatives and whether or not you took the extra step to attend class. Professors often state that they can tell the difference between a paper that has been written by an individual who attends class and a paper by an individual who does not. So play it safe, attend class and learn!

• I will choose a major and/or courses that interest me:

In university you should attend classes because you care about the lecture material and have a vested interest in using the knowledge you gain from class outside of the lecture hall. Having said this, some of you may be wondering, “How do I know what subjects I will like if I have never taken them before?”. In the case of the Bachelor of Arts (BA) at Carleton, students can choose from a number of electives in their first year. These electives should be classes that you find interesting. This way you have a full year to experience different fields of study and determine which areas you enjoy. Just as going to class makes a difference in writing your paper and learning, so too does being engaged and passionate about what you learn!

• I will make use of my gym membership:

When you pay tuition at Carleton you get access to Carleton’s great fitness facilities! Whether you are into cardio, weights, swimming, squash, soccer, you name it – they are all available to you. While it is important to exercise your mind by keeping up with readings for your courses, it is also important to exercise your body and to eat healthy. Carleton’s gym is a great place to de-stress and get active. Athletics also offers a number of exciting fitness programs. So, in the New Year, pop on down and put that membership to good use!

• I will be social:

Whether you are extroverted or introverted, it is always important to meet up with friends and take a break from the world of academia. While school is important, it is also important to have a healthy social life.  Make sure to take a break from studying every once and a while to enjoy yourself. Ottawa is a beautiful city and there is always a lot to do.  P.S. If you haven’t heard of Winterlude, check it out! It’s definitely something to mark on your calendars.

So, there you have it! While there are many more resolutions that I could fire off for you, I hope that these will serve to kick start your new year. Best of luck!

Cheers!

Madison