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Your First Week of School

You on your first day of school (but not really) 

You're all settled into residence and are recovering nicely from Frosh Week when it hits you, class starts Monday. You're anxious, nervous, and excited all at the same time, ready to start that new chapter in your life. So, what can you expect during your first week of classes at Glendon? Based on some of my experiences during my first week of classes at Glendon, here are some things to keep in mind during your first week:

Classes:

Friends: First and foremost, don't worry if you don't know anyone in your class! There's a good chance that a whole bunch of other people in your class don't know anyone either. Be bold, and sit beside someone random. Most of my great university friendships started because one of us decided to sit down beside each other during those first few classes and started talking. And if you do sit by yourself, NOBODY is secretly judging you. It's all good.

Laptop or notebook:  Depending on the class, you'll see a pretty big mixture of people either taking notes on their laptops or kicking it old school (like me) and taking notes with a pen and a notebook. The choice is totally up to you. For the most part, profs really don't care so bring whatever you feel most comfortable with. Most students find that using a laptop is the only way they can keep up with what the prof is saying while others (me) find it distracting - learning about Shakespeare one moment and seeing what your friend ate for lunch on Twitter the next.

Time: If your lecture is three hours, don't worry, you will not die. (Okay, somedays you might feel like you will but you won't, I promise.) There are two important things to keep in mind. One, you will get a 10-15 minute break in the middle of your class and two, you get out about 10 minutes before class ends which will give you plenty of time to get to your next class.

That first week of class: It's very typical for the first week of class to be short, sometimes not even an hour. What usually happens, especially for your first year, is that profs will tell you what you can expect from their class, to not plagiarize, and hand out the class outline for the semester or year. (They will often go over the course's book list but more on that later.) Then they let you go. This doesn't happen all the time but it's sure nice when it does. After they give you their welcome speech, some profs will have a short introductory lecture - "What is language?" (I've had that lecture twice...) - or some profs will feel that the semester is too short and will give you the full-on lecture. Be prepared for both options but usually shorter first lectures happen more often.

Books: 

When to buy your books: Books! My favourite part of the new school year. Cracking the new spine, smelling that book smell....ahhhh....(English major here). As you can see under our new Lion's Den website under "Buying Your Books," for the most part we recommend buying your books AFTER attending your first class. I recently was telling my friend this and she said, "I never understand why people suggest that.” Maybe you're thinking the same thing. In a couple of months you will be able to see your book list for your upcoming fall classes and might want to rush out and buy them but there are a few things to keep in mind. When you do go to class your prof might say, "Oh there was an error online and you're suppose to have this version of the textbook." Or maybe you'll find that you'll only be studying a few chapters from the book and it's not worth it to buy it but rather it's better to get it out from the library. These things do happen. What I've run into is that some books on the online book list will say that they're mandatory purchases but you get to class and really, they're not. (I was suppose to buy this stylistic book for two different classes but never did. I don't feel like I missed out on anything.) So rush out and buy your books or wait it out - the decision is up to you. 

Where to buy your books: There are numerous ways to go about getting your books for the school year which are all good and all have benefits. As mentioned before, the library. York University’s library will often have a few copies of your text book or whatever book you need. Clearly, you can only keep if for a certain amount of time but it’s good to keep in mind if you know you’ll only need your book for a short time. The book store at Glendon sells all of the books needed for your classes. They offer them, usually, both brand new and in used condition. At the end of the year, you yourself can sell back your books to the book store. If you’re not feeling the bookstore prices, your fellow students always put up flyers around campus selling their books and often Facebook groups will pop up with the same purpose.  

Vocabulary: 

Okay, so maybe this one is just me but I think I will always remember my confusion over the word syllabus. After hearing the word “syllabus” multiple times during my first classes, before actually being given it, I was wondering what in the world it was! Well, a syllabus is just a fancy word for a course outline so I learned. I remember even texting my brother saying, “Why do people keep saying the word syllabus?” So to summarize - syllabus = course outline.

Do you have any more questions about what happens on the first day of school? Let me know and maybe I'll make another post like this.

On Facebook? Join our Glendon, Class of 2016 group! And visit our new Lion's Den website for all things related to your transition to Glendon.

Laura's Summer Plans

First and foremost, my summer plans are not as adventurous (or busy) as some people's....*cough* Juan *cough* but I'm still looking forward to some relaxation and summertime fun! During the beginning of the summer/now-ish, I've been working with the lovely people at Glendon recruitment for a very special project, coming soon, which will greatly benefit the Glendon class of 2016 folks! Other than that, my iCal is pretty much blank from May-August....haha

But really, I'll be going to concerts, meeting up with friends, writing for the Canadian music blog I help run, Grayowl Point , other blogs that I can get my hands on, and continually looking for a job!

True to my English Major self though, the most important thing I'll be doing this summer is....READING! Now that readings for school are out of the way, I'll finally be able to tackle my "to-read" pile! Here's a hint of what my summer reading list looks like:

• "The Book of Negroes" - Lawrence Hill (Almost done!) 
• The Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins 
• "Julie & Julia" - Julie Powell 
• "The Game" - Ken Dryden 
• "Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy" - John Le Carré
• Game Of Thrones/ A Song of Ice and Fire Series - George R. R. Martin

What are YOU doing this summer? Most importantly, what are your summer reads? Leave a comment below or hit me up on Twitter or join the fun in our Glendon, Class of 2016 Facebook group. 

I'll leave you now with one of my favourite songs about summer - "Summer Skin" - Death Cab For Cutie -  

Some Things To Bring

With exams now over for us students at Glendon, I can't help but get into the summer-time mood. And with summer right around the corner for high school students, I know that some of you, who are planning to live on residence, are getting a little eager about what to buy and what to bring to your new home at Glendon.

A couple of months ago, one of Glendon's 2016 students asked, on our Facebook group, "What is one must have for our dorm next year?" Well, I've been inspired to answer this question a little more fully in this post! Below are a few items that I couldn't live without during my first year, when I stayed on res:

1) A Fridge/A Kettle 
A mini fridge can be a great addition to your room! Keeping snacks and drinks, etc., at your disposal is great for curbing those late night cravings as you finish up that paper. If you depend on your tea in the morning like myself, a kettle is also an excellent addition to your room. Bring your own tea/coffee and you barely have to roll out of bed to get that caffeine fix. (Also, I had a friend in first year who would leave their kettle on the steam function in the winter to help prevent her room from getting too dry!) And you don't have to worry about other appliances like a microwave, your common room has one!

Your favourite poster

2) Posters
Feel free to bring along that poster you love of your favourite band, ....it's Justin Bieber isn't it..., or pictures of your friends/family to brighten up your walls! You can obviously bring posters from home or buy some new ones, but for the past couple of years, Glendon has had a stellar poster sale at the beginning of the year for you to stock up on. Just a reminder, you're not really allowed to tape up your posters with traditional tape so may I suggest this blue sticky stuff.


3) A Fan/Heater 
Along with the unpredictable weather throughout the school year, the heating and cooling on res can get a little unpredictable as well. One of those fan/heater combinations will do you wonders during your time on campus, keeping you comfortable during those (hopefully) warm September days and those cold winter nights. Edit: I've been told that heaters are technically a no-no! (Oops...) So just stick with the fan. :)

4) Things That Make Your Home, Home 
Bring that huge pillow you love so much, or those favourite sheets you have from IKEA, or those ridiculously old slippers you insist on keeping. Anything to make your new home comfy-cozy and a great place to come home to at the end of the day!

5) A Power Bar 

Yup, a power bar. (No, I'm not talking about one of those healthy granola bar type things but one of these ---------->) If you're like me and have 8 million things to plug in, I strongly suggest a power bar. With limited outlets available, don't be caught with one plug too few!

Thanks to Juan for help with this post! 

Laura's Essentials For Exams

This won't be you...why is he studying? He's 5..

It's just about that time of year again, folks! Exam time. All about stress, little sleep, and well, general moodiness. But everyone, relax! Whether it's your first university exam or your last, they can be stressful, I'm not going to lie, but you don't need to go overboard. Remember to study, ask questions if you need to, and be confident in yourself! Easy! If you need a little extra studying encouragement, below are my personal top five essentials for studying and who knows, maybe they'll help you too.

My top five essentials for exam prep:

Music: This one is a hit-or-miss with people. Some people need dead quiet while studying and music can just be plain distracting. But if you're like me, a little relaxing studying music playing in the background can't hurt. Pro-tip: Every year I make an "Exam Jams" playlist on iTunes. Iron & Wine  makes an appearance every year.

The perfect study space: Whether it is your favourite nook in the library or sprawled out on the floor in your room, the perfect study space can really make all the difference. It's very important to keep your study space organized, not overwhelming, and clear of any distractions! Pro-tip: In addition to my "to-do" list, I keep a "to-do" and "done" pile of books/notes etc. in my study space.

Sweatpants: Yes, sweatpants are on my list. I can't tell you how a comfy pair of pants makes all of the difference when studying... or even when you're writing the exam itself. Pro-tip: By "sweatpants," I mean Roots sweatpants. Really, is there any other way to go?

Hahaha!

Tea: Tea has the great triple threat to it of caffeine, stress-relieving elements, and health benefits. If you feel that you've had too much caffeine for one day, simmer down, and have a cup of herbal tea or rooibos. (It doesn't have caffeine!) (I'll stop before this turns into a blog post about tea.) Tea not your thing? We can't be friends....haha, joking. But remember to keep hydrated. Pro-tip: David's Tea & Teaopia are heaven. 

Breaks: Do not feel guilty about taking a break from studying. I don't mean study for five minutes and then have a Lord of the Rings marathon or anything, I mean a solid 15 minute break after an hour of studying. Or maybe study in the morning, go out in the afternoon, and get back at it in the evening. Pro-tip: Going outside for breaks are the best.

Now, to take my own advice....

What are some of your exam studying tips? 

Awesome Of The Day - "Swackett"

Somebody on Tumblr the other day blogged about how awesome "Swackett" was and showed a picture similar to this ------------------->

A Lord of the Rings reference? The Weather? I had to investigate. Swackett is essentially a weather app. Their claim is that they are, "a different kind of weather app."

With it's very simple format, yes, they make the weather easy to read but what really makes this app awesome, is their design. With the changing weather comes suggestions about what to wear to correspond with the day's temperature. Awesome right? As a bonus, on some days, The Lord of the Rings picture being one of those bonuses, this fun app will have pictures from your favourite movie/television show/pop culture reference instead of the usual people telling you what clothes to wear.

Screen shot from Swackett

In the pictures that I've shown you, the weather appears in Fahrenheit, but fear not, you can customize the weather to Celsius, your location, and even what temperature you consider hot or cold so they can adjust their clothing suggestions accordingly.

AWESOME! 

Swackett is available for your iPhone or your Mac.

A Glendon Club Spotlight: Radio Glendon

Our awesome Radio Glendon man!

Similar to Glendon's student newspaper, Pro Tem, Glendon's radio station, Radio Glendon, is knee-deep in history too! A fun fact: in 1982, my own father used to guest DJ with his buddy (who went to Glendon) - He would also bat his chest and pretend he was in a helicopter to tell the traffic report....but I won't get into that...

Since its creation in 1977, Radio Glendon has gone through a major evolution. Originally a "cable radio" outlet, Radio Glendon converted to an AM radio station in 1990 and later to FM radio in 2005 under the name CKRG-FM. Finally, Radio Glendon made the big change to online radio in 2010.

Taking up new residence at Radioglendon.ca, Radio Glendon is home to a variety of student run shows, filled with the best talk, mainstream music, and even some music that you've probably never heard of. As an extra plus, Radio Glendon strives to be a twenty-four hour radio station and with Glendon's multi-lingual student body, Radio Glendon does not limit itself to English only shows. So whatever time it is and whatever language you speak, Radio Glendon can cater to your needs. 

As this year's Music Industry Rep for the station and on the air every Thursday from 12:30 - 1:30, I can personally tell you that Radio Glendon is one extra-special part of the Glendon student community. Located in the basement of the manor, Radio Glendon is a hidden gem at Glendon, always looking for fresh, new show ideas and new student involvement.

Once again, like Pro Tem, Radio Glendon has been about rebuilding and rebranding, hoping to become more acknowledged within not only the Glendon community but in the student radio community as a whole. We marked this rebuilding process in style with an official launch at the start of the school year.

As two huge supporters of Radio Glendon, Kelly Lui and Nazampal (Naz) Jaswal are two of our most prominent DJs, hosting their show "Hummus and Baba Ganoush Show" every Monday from 11 to 1pm. (You can like the show on Facebook!) Featuring great conversation and always stellar tunes, Kelly and Naz answered a few questions I had for them about their involvement with Radio Glendon:

What do you like most about being involved in the radio station?

Naz - I get to listen to myself talk....*laughs*
Kelly- You get to play the music that you like!
N - Yeah, that's the biggest thing. Actually playing the music that you like and introduce people to sounds that they might not usually listen to.

Why do you think future students should be involved with Radio Glendon?

N - To hear themselves talk. *laughs* I think it's important because you get different voices on the air and you get different music. It's another way for people to express themselves and it's important to have a fun outlet when you're in school.
K - I just love getting that nervous feeling when you're on air. And also, it works on your confidence. As Naz said, having a form of expression and getting yourself out there. It's also a different side to the Glendon personality, I think.

For all things Radio Glendon, we're on Facebook, Twitter, and of course, to listen live check out our website.