Blog Posts

What to Look For in a Roommate

Most students share with a roommate (or even a few roommates) during their time at university. If you live off campus, you’ll even be able to choose who you have as a roommate. This can make your life much more comfortable — but only if you choose well. Here are a few things to consider when searching for the perfect match. Budget The last thing you want is to settle for housing that’s lower quality than you would have liked or to feel pressured to stretch your budget to the max. Your roommate needs to be looking for housing within the same price range as you. This will not only ensure that you choose an apartment you both like, but it will also mean that neither of you struggles to make rent payments or pay bills. Best Friends vs Friends vs Acquaintances You may want a roommate purely to share your apartment. Alternatively, you may want your roommates to be your closest friends — you’ll be able to hang out together, head out to parties and events as a group, and perhaps eat meals together. Something in the middle is also possible. What’s important is that you decide if you want your roommates to be your friends or if remaining acquaintances is fine. Things in Common Unless you decide to live completely independently from your roommate, it will make sense to have some shared interests. This is unlikely to be a difficult criteria to fulfill: you may both like playing video games, watching a particular genre of movies, or listening to the same music. Matching Lifestyles It’s also crucial that your lifestyles are not too dissimilar. You should want to socialize the same amount and have similar ideas about how often to have guests over. If you like to stay in most evenings to study, your roommate should be happy to keep the apartment quiet. Similar Standards for Cleanliness Think carefully about how clean you want your apartment . It’s easy to exaggerate and say that you want your housing spotless when actually you don’t mind a bit of mess. It’s important to be honest, as this will ensure you share with people who have similar standards to you — and you won’t have arguments about the state of the apartment. A Good Communicator You must be able to feel that you can talk to your roommate when problems do arise. When you move in, you’ll set some ground rules that you’re both happy with, but it’s always possible that you’ll experience some minor conflicts. Good communication will resolve issues and keep your living situation comfortable. It can be a challenge to find the right number of roommates for the number of bedrooms in apartments you may like to rent. The solution is to decide how many roommates you want first and then look for student rentals. Kingston students can choose between suites with two, three, four, or five bedrooms when they live at Foundry Princess. Plus, if you can’t find enough roommates, we’ll pair you with other students. Apply now to secure the floor plan you want before all the units are taken.

10 Areas of Campus to Visit on a Tour

An important aspect of choosing the university you want to attend is the campus visit. This gives you the chance to see how you feel about a particular school and decide whether you can imagine yourself attending. To make the most of your visit, it’s useful to walk around on your own after you’ve received a guided tour. Use the chance to check out the following few key areas. 1. Facilities Related to Your Major It’s critical to visit the department for your major to see what kinds of facilities the university has to offer. Explore the classrooms, labs, and technology for an idea of what activities studying your major will involve. It’s even better if you can see a lecture in action to find out more about the style of teaching, class sizes, and engagement of the students. 2. Spaces for Clubs and Organizations If you’re interested in pursuing a particular extracurricular, pay a visit to these facilities as well. This could be the performing arts department, music rooms, or areas dedicated to a particular student organization, such as the campus newspaper. 3. Dining Area There may be occasions when you lack the time to go home and prepare a meal or you just want the convenience of being able to buy food on campus. Find out what’s on offer, including whether it’s nutritious and affordable. 4. Careers Centre Thinking about preparing for a career may feel far in the future right now, but it will be hugely beneficial to have a high-quality career centre on campus, especially as your graduation date approaches. Ask about the kinds of services on offer, what resources the careers centre provides, and what companies attend campus job fairs. 6. Bulletin Boards Search bulletin boards around campus for a better picture of student life at the university. Packed bulletin boards are a good sign that there’s an active student life and plenty of clubs to join. 7. Mental Health Offerings University can be stressful at times for many students. If you struggle with your mental health currently or have in the past, counselling services on campus may be particularly important for you. The facilities should feel welcoming and services affordable (or even free). 8. Outdoor Areas Simple outdoor amenities can make a big difference to how you feel while on campus. Being able to sit in a garden or take a walk around the grounds can help you destress . 9. Sports Facilities If you want to join a sports team while at university, the sports facilities will definitely matter to you. You may even like to just attend games as a spectator, in which case you should still pay the stadium a visit. Finally, a well-equipped gym and regular fitness classes could make a big difference to your time at university, as this will mean it’s easier for you to stay fit and lead a healthy lifestyle. 10. The Surroundings It’s also beneficial to live in a university town where there’s plenty to do all year round. Your guided tour may include some sightseeing close to campus. If it doesn’t , make sure to take a drive around the neighbourhood to see the surroundings. Checking the prices at stores and restaurants can show you the cost of living in the area, whereas visiting parks and outdoor activities can give you an idea of how you’ll be able to spend your weekends. Once you’ve chosen where you want to attend university, you’ll need to find accommodation — Kingston, Ontario, has Foundry Princess. Our premier housing gives you everything you need to complete the student experience, including onsite study spaces, a rooftop patio, and even an outdoor swimming pool. Book a tour to check it out during your campus visit to Queen’s University.

8 Innovative Study Techniques to Try

If you’re losing the motivation to study but still have exams to prepare for, chapters to read, or homework to complete, you need to get creative. Trying some innovative study techniques should help you maintain your focus and keep things interesting. 1. Make Flashcards Create a set of flashcards you can use to quiz yourself when you have free time or take to your study group sessions. Make a physical set of cards or use a flashcard app — many allow you to add equations and images. 2. Write Summaries Find different ways to summarize key information. One option is to turn the chapter title into a question and write the main concepts as the answers. Another is to write the main takeaways into your own words on sticky notes that you post all around your apartment. 3. Draw Images Instead of writing your notes all the time, use pictures. There are various ways to do this, including drawing pictures to represent the answers on your flashcards, creating diagrams of key concepts, or even making a storyboard to remember a sequence of events. 4. Use Creative Writing If you’re more into using words than pictures — but still tired of writing dry notes about whatever you’re studying — try a creative writing exercise. Write a short story about the events (you could be a main character) or compose a poem to help you remember the key facts. 5. Read Aloud You may find you absorb information better if you read your textbooks aloud. Avoid a monotone voice, instead speaking as different characters. You’ll remember their voices when you need the information later, which will help with recall. 6. Turn Studying into a Game Gamifying your material is a great idea if you have someone to study with, such as the members of your study group. Some simple options to try include Jeopardy (use the answers on your flashcards or study guide) and Around the Word — face off with other members of your group until you get a question wrong, at which point a new person should take your place. 7. Explain What You’re Studying to Someone Else Being able to explain concepts to someone else means you understand. Take turns to do this in your study group or meet up with friends who are all taking different classes and have each person explain to everyone else what they’ve learned that semester. 8. Sing the Material If you’re struggling to understand something, turn it into a song. It may be that the wording is confusing, but singing may make it clear. Singing also works well for remembering lists, as you’ll be able to sing the list back to yourself later. Something else that will help keep your motivation high is to have a comfortable place to study away from distractions. At Foundry Princess, you’ll be able to study in a private bedroom in your fully-furnished suite or in one of our multiple study areas. Plus, our Queens off-campus housing has great options for when you need to take a break, including an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center, rooftop patio, and BBQ areas. Join our waitlist now.

Tips for Pursuing a Career in AI

Many people are concerned about AI replacing the need for workers — but it’s also creating more job opportunities. If you are passionate about this technology and want to use it to make a difference in the world, you might consider pursuing a career in AI. Here are a few things you’ll need to do to prepare. 1. Have Confidence in Yourself Remind yourself that a career in AI is not out of your reach. It may feel daunting, especially if there are many things you don’t know yet. However, you have plenty of time to learn everything you need to know. Besides, AI is developing so rapidly, there are always new things for everyone — not just you — to learn. Don’t allow imposter syndrome to make you feel like you don’t belong. 2. Search for Mentors and Role Models One way to increase your confidence is to seek support from a mentor. Reach out to someone who is working with AI in the same kind of capacity as you would like to or someone who has a similar background to you. In addition, it’s worth searching for role models. Follow these people on social media and listen to their podcasts to learn more about what they’re doing now and how they reached that point. 3. Familiarize Yourself with the Terminology Be in a position to involve yourself in discussions about AI by learning the basic terminology. Familiarize yourself with the key definitions and the differences between the main types of technology and applications. You may also like to start exploring what areas interest you the most to learn about these in more detail. 4. Use More AI in Your Daily Life Make AI a regular part of your life by trying out different tools. There’s a good chance you’re already interacting with AI without thinking about it (such as through recommendations on streaming services and the posts you see on your social media feeds), but you should also actively seek out AI. For instance, you could use a tool to create a travel itinerary for your next spring break, experiment with virtual try-on features on e-commerce sites, or draft cover letters for internship applications. 5. Understand the Ethical Challenges With every application of AI, ethics are central. If you’re going to pursue a career in AI, you need a good understanding of these issues. This is true for all types of technology, but it’s especially important for AI due to the speed the field is moving and the kinds of applications it has. Read opinion pieces, check out what’s included in the terms and conditions of AI tools, and come up with your own ideas for ethical concerns and ways it may be possible to overcome them. You still have some time left at university before you need to think seriously about your career. Enjoy the remaining semesters you have to the max by moving into better student rentals. Kingston has premier student living at Foundry Princess. You’ll have everything you need on site, including a 24/7 convenience market, a community clubhouse, multiple study areas, and a monthly in-suite cleaning service. Contact us for a lease.

How to Find a Balance Between Academics and Your Social Life

Heading off to university is a huge transition. One of the biggest challenges is meeting the higher academic standards, which is often difficult due to the amount of freedom you suddenly have. For instance, a major aspect of university is making new friends and socializing, but this may interfere with your studies if you’re not disciplined. To make sure you give your academics the attention they deserve at the same time as having great experiences and making lifelong friends, here are a few things you can d o. 1. Add Key Dates to Your Calendar When you become aware of an important date, add it to your calendar. This should include deadlines for big assignments, exams, trips, and important social events. You’ll then be able to work backwards, such as dividing up work on a project over several weeks before it’s due and making sure you finish your homework ahead of time if you know you’ll be away for a weekend. 2. Create a Weekly Routine Having a schedule is a great way to stay on track with due dates while striking a balance between academics and socializing. At the start of every semester, decide what your weekly routine will look like, taking into account all your fixed activities, like classes, study groups, and clubs. Then, fit all your other commitments around these. Particularly important is finding the time for homework — for every one hour of classes, expect to dedicate two hours to homework. Keep the rest of your schedule free. This will enable you to take advantage of any invitations to social events and unexpected adventures that pop up without worrying about them cutting into your study time. 3. Use All Your Time At university, it’s common to have breaks throughout the day between classes and clubs. Take advantage of these small pockets for studying and socializing. For instance, half an hour may be enough time to finish your required readings in the campus library or catch up with a friend over coffee. As a result, you’ll have more time later in the day for activities that take longer. 4. Stay Focused Focus on one activity at a time. If you try to multitask, you won’t be giving your studies your full attention (meaning your homework will take longer and the quality will suffer) and you won’t be completely there for your friends. Choose spots to study where you won’t be distracted, don’t use sessions with your study group as a chance to socialize, and put away your phone whenever you don’t need it. 5. Set Limits Remember you are trying to strike a healthy balance. This means making sure you spend plenty of time with your friends but also being ready to turn down invitations if you know you should be studying. Similarly, it means ensuring you study enough, but it doesn’t mean going overboard. If you’re on track to meet your deadlines, allow yourself to take a break. Something that will make a big difference when balancing your academics and social life is your student housing. Kingston has the ultimate student living community at Foundry Princess. You’ll be able to study more effectively because you’ll have a desk in your private bedroom as well as access to multiple individual and group study areas. Plus, you’ll be able to socialize without leaving the building. Just a few of our outstanding amenities include a community clubhouse, a rooftop patio, and an outdoor swim ming pool. Contact us now for a lease.

A Complete Guide: What to Bring for Classes

You’re likely to have a case of the jitters on the first day of classes at university. Curb your anxiety by making sure you feel ready: use this guide to prepare everything you’ll need for your classes in advance. 1. A Map of Campus It’s a good idea to figure out where your classes will be before your first day. To give yourself extra confidence in case you do get lost, though, it’s also worth having a map on hand. Most universities provide students with a digital map they can check on their phones. 2. Your Laptop You should bring a laptop to class even if you intend to take notes by hand. It will be easier to search for information on your laptop than on your phone, and you may be able to use breaks to do some homework. 3. School Supplies Fill your backpack with all the school supplies you may need for classes. This includes notebooks ( perhaps one for each class), a folder for handouts, pens or pencils, highlighters, and a flash drive. 4. Materials You Need for Classes Check the syllabus for each of your classes or the emails you’ve received from your professors to make sure you have any additional materials you need. As well as textbooks, this may include a specialized calculator or software downloaded to your laptop. 5. A Reusable Water Bottle Keeping a water bottle on you at all times is a great way to ensure you stay hydrated and will avoid you needing to purchase drinks on campus (which may be expensive and sugary). There will likely be places to fill up your water bottle all around campus. 6. Some Snacks You’re also going to be hungry during the day. Bring some snacks for between meals to ensure hunger doesn’t interfere with your focus in class. Packing snacks will also mean you don’t need to search for food between classes, which may be challenging when you’re still becoming familiar with where everything is on campus. 7. The Right Clothes for the Weather Check the weather forecast for the day to ensure you’re wearing comfortable clothes. If you’re prone to feeling chilled, bring a light hoodie in case some of your classrooms are especially cold. It’s also worth packing a poncho or umbrella in case of rain — keep one in your backpack for whenever you need it. 8. A Positive Attitude Although it’s not something you can pack, you should definitely try to bring a positive attitude on your first day. Believe in yourself — although some of your classes may be challenging, you will be able to succeed if you put your mind to it. At university, you typically need to dedicate around two hours to studying in your own time for every hour you spend in class. This means preparing for time outside of classes is also important. One thing you need to do is find a quiet place to study. This is easy when you live in the Kingston student housing rentals at Foundry Princess. You’ll have a comfortable spot to study in your fully-furnished private bedroom as well as access to multiple group and individual study areas. Check out all our other grea t amenities by taking a virtual tour.