Blog Posts

12 Items That Go Overlooked When Shopping for University

Packing for university is difficult when you’ve never lived away from home before. It’s easy to forget to buy something — and only realize you did when it’s too late. The good news is that there are certain items that tend to be overlooked the most. Learn from the mistakes of others by adding these things to your shopping list. 1. Formal Clothing You should bring at least one business professional outfit, as you may need one for events like career fairs and job interviews. You’ll also need some formal clothing for whenever you want to dress up for a night out with friends, dates at fancy restaurants, and important socials with the clubs you belong to. 2. Spare Phone Charger It’s a huge inconvenience if your phone charger stops working or you leave it somewhere but forget where. Having a spare at all times will give you a backup and stop you needing to rely on your roommates until you can buy a new one. 3. Planner Being successful at university means staying organized. A planner can help you keep track of classes, appointments, and clubs as well as due dates for assignments. 4. Can Opener If you’re unsure whether the kitchen in your apartment has a full range of utensils, bring a can opener. Otherwise, you may be unable to buy any canned food, which could limit your meal options. 5. Scissors You’ll only realize how much you use scissors when you don’t have a pair. They’re useful for everything from opening food packaging to various study tasks and even cutting thread when sewing a button back on a shirt. 6. Toothbrush The item forgotten most on all kinds of trips is a toothbrush. Although it’s easy to pick up a new toothbrush if you forget yours, the last thing you want is to go to bed on your first night at university without having brushed your teeth. 7. Swimsuit and Beach Towel You never know when the opportunity to go swimming could present itself. You may take a trip to a lake, use the swimming pool on campus or at the gym, or even be lucky enough to find student housing that has a pool. Since it will be uncomfortable to go swimming with a bath towel, make sure you also pack a beach towel — you can even use it if you run out of bath towels when you neglect to do laundry for too long! 8. Trash Can It’s annoying to walk to the kitchen every time you have a piece of trash. You’ll be more comfortable if your bedroom has a trash can. Since this is an item many students are likely to forget, it may be difficult to find one once you arrive in your university town. Add it to your shopping list to buy before you leave home. 9. Pain Medication Having some over-the-counter painkillers on hand for whenever you need them will be invaluable. The last thing you want is to need to head out to the pharmacy when you’re suffering from a headache. 10. Umbrella Something else it’s much better to have before you need it is an umbrella. Purchase a small one that can fit into your backpack and carry it around with you in case it starts raining unexpectedly. 11. Laundry Hamper Keep your room tidy by purchasing a laundry hamper. Otherwise, you may find you end up with a pile of dirty clothing lurking at the bottom of your closet. 12. Suitcase It makes sense to pack a few belongings in a small suitcase. That way, if you’re invited on a road trip or to spend a weekend out of town — such as to visit a friend at a different university — you’ll be prepared. You’ll need to bring fewer things to university if you live in a fully-furnished apartment. For Queens off-campus housing, there’s Foundry Princess. In addition to your spacious suite equipped with stainless steel appliances, you’ll have access to onsite amenities like a 24-hour convenience market, fitness centre , and outdoor swimming pool. Apply now while there are still spaces available.

Your Guide to Starting a New Semester Off Right

It can often take some time to readjust to being at university, even when you’re returning just from a break between semesters. Instead of seeing the new semester as a challenge, view it as an opportunity to do better than ever before. 1. Commit to Becoming Organized From the first day of the new semester, start becoming organized by filling your planner with your class schedule, due dates for assignments, and all your commitments. You should also schedule time for essential activities, such as reading, working on papers and projects, and preparing for exams. Finally, make a note of when your professors have office hours and when there are other drop-in opportunities. 2. Settle on a Study Spot Whereas you may like to change where you study occasionally, you should still have a go-to place that you use most often. The logical choice is the desk in your bedroom, but other options include your favourite café, a spot in the campus library, or a study area in your student housing. Choose the right place for you by figuring out what helps you focus — some people prefer quiet, whereas others like some background noise. 3. Train Yourself to Study It’s important to realize that you can’t will yourself to be great at studying. Like with every skill, you need to work toward your goals. Begin small by committing to stay focused for just a few minutes before you take a break. As the semester progresses, you can increase the intervals you spend studying and take fewer breaks. 4. Join a Study Group It’s often more motivating to study with others. Find out if any of your classmates are forming study groups that you can join to discuss the material and clear up any doubts. You may even like to organize social outings to get to know the people in your classes better or to explore sites related to the topics you’re studying. 5. Receive Support from Family and Friends You never need to feel alone when university is tough. Reach out to family members and friends — both those at school with you and those farther afield. Vent about what you’re finding difficult, share experiences, and celebrate whenever you have a success, such as a good grade. 5. Use the Resources Available to You Your classes and professors are just one aspect of your university education. If you’re struggling with a particular class, find out if you can have a tutor. If you need help writing a paper, head to the writing centre . If you’re unsure about your options, talk to an academic advisor. Whatever it is you need, make sure you address your problems early to be able to take full advantage of the resources available. You’ll gain more from this new semester if you’re living in a comfortable apartment where you can focus on your studies without distractions. If this doesn’t sound like your current living situation, now’s the perfect time to search for a new room for rent. Kingston students can find a bedroom in a fully-furnished suite at Foundry Princess. Nowhere will you find more great amenities and such a variety of floor plans. Apply now while there are still units available to lease.

9 Unconventional Electives to Consider

Electives offer a great chance to take your education in a new direction. You can use electives as a way to learn about a subject that’s always intrigued you, take a break from a demanding major, or gain skills that could benefit you in your personal life or career. The best way to achieve any of these is to consider some of the most unconventional electives. 1. Group Music Electives like group piano or group guitar tend to be aimed at students who have never learned to play an instrument before. If the instrument you learn doesn’t end up being the right choice for you, at the very least you’ll have learned to read music, which is knowledge you can transfer to another instrument. 2. Personal Finance Many students find managing money challenging when they start university — and it only becomes more difficult after you graduate and have more responsibilities. Instead of learning through mistakes, you can acquire all the financial management knowledge you need to use credit cards, avoid debt, and save money through a personal finance elective. 3. Graphic Design All businesses require some kind of graphic design, which means this elective could make you a more desirable hire. Knowing how to make graphics and design websites could also be useful if you decide to launch your own company one day. 4. Screenwriting Taking screenwriting as an elective will mean you see TV series and movies in a completely different light. Plus, if you enjoy writing in your free time, screenwriting will teach you a new way to use your talent. Best of all, you can apply what you learn about writing dialogue and story progression to just about any type of fiction writing. 5. Film Production If you’re more interested in bringing your stories to life, film production could be the ideal elective for you. The class may have an element of screenwriting, along with cinematography and video editing. You’ll learn how to create everything from social media posts to short films. It’s a great way to explore your creativity and develop a marketable skill. 6. Film Studies To learn about film from a more academic point of view than a creative one, film studies is the elective for you. This class is bound to be fun because it involves spending a lot of time watching movies. You’ll then discuss everything from the meaning of the film to its production with your classmates. 7. Physical Education You may be put off by the idea of choosing a physical education elective due to unpleasant experiences during grade school. However, you’ll find that these classes are completely different at university. For one thing, you’ll be able to pick an activity you enjoy — perhaps discovering a new way you like to stay fit. Since you should try to work out regularly anyway, this could be a great way to add some exercise to your schedule. 8. Acting It may not be immediately obvious what you can gain from an acting class if you’re not seeking a career as an actor. However, there are actually numerous benefits, including building your self-confidence, improving your public speaking skills, and learning how to better express yourself. The great thing about acting as an elective is that you’ll be in a class with other students who also have no experience and who will be there to support you. 9. Dance Learn to perform on stage at the same time as staying fit with a dance elective. Not all your classes will involve dancing yourself — there will likely be lectures about dance around the world and throughout history as well as about the role of dance in society. Another way to enrich your university experience is to live in an off-campus student community. For Queen’s University student housing, you have Foundry Princess. On site, you’ll find everything you need to relax and make friends, including BBQ areas, an outdoor swimming pool, and a clubhouse. Apply now before all the rooms are taken.

A Guide to Seasonal Depression in Students

It can be extra difficult when you see your peers excited about winter if you struggle with your mental health due to the change of seasons. In fact, seasonal depression is not uncommon . It tends to happen during the fall and winter when there are many hours of darkness, the most severe months being January and February. This serious condition can make it challenging to carry out even routine tasks. Symptoms of seasonal depression are wide ranging and can be anywhere from mild to severe. Typically, they include fatigue, weight gain, loss of energy, and agitation. Some of these symptoms are due to sleeping too much and craving carbohydrates, which often accompany seasonal depression. Unfortunately, seasonal depression can be especially hard on university students. You’re away from your family, who likely provided you with support in the past. You may struggle to get up in the morning, which can spiral into skipping classes and neglecting your studies. As a result, you may spend even less time outdoors in the sun, which reduces your vitamin D intake and causes symptoms to worsen. Nonetheless, with the right strategy, you can fight seasonal depression. You’ll be able to continue living your life and enjoying the things that usually give you pleasure. Here are some tips to consider. 1. Stick to a Routine One reason why it may be more difficult to manage seasonal depression at university than it was at high school is the lack of structure. You may have classes at different times of the day and various other activities throughout the week. By creating a routine for yourself, you can bring structure back to your life. It can help to write your schedule into your calendar, as this will mean you always know what you should be doing. 2. Have a Set Bedtime and Wake-Up Time One important aspect of your routine needs to be sleep. By setting both a bedtime and a wake-up time, you’ll ensure you sleep the same number of hours each night. This is crucial because a lack of sleep can make your symptoms worse and have an effect on your academic performance. Trying to catch up on sleep later is never a good idea . However, it’s particularly problematic if you’re suffering from seasonal depression, as oversleeping can worsen your symptoms just as much as too little sleep. 3. Stay Active Make sure you exercise on a regular basis, such as by adding a morning run to your routine, finding a buddy to do workouts with, or looking for opportunities on campus, such as fitness classes or an elective that will get you moving. 4. Keep Socializing Seasonal depression can make you want to spend all of your time on your own. Commit to at least a couple social events each week, whether they involve hanging out with friends or attending meetings for a club. You may not always want to go out, but you should find you feel better when you do. If you’re suffering from seasonal depression, the most important thing to do is receive support for your mental health. Find out if your university offers any free or discounted counseling services. You’ll also find it helps to have your own space but also to be near other students — as this will encourage you to keep socializing. You can gain both by moving into student rentals. Kingston has Foundry Princess. You’ll be able to relax in your private bedroom when you need time alone, but you’ll also have roommates who you can spend time with and you can meet more people in our community clubhouse. There’s also an onsite fitness centre to keep you physically healthy. Book a tour to see how living at Foundry Princess could improve your university experience.

5 Options for Earning Income as a Student

Saving money as a student can be a challenge. If you have a tight budget, you may need to turn down invitations to fun events and carefully watch all your expenses, including food. Some students increase their spending money by finding a part-time job, but this can be hard to fit around classes and other commitments. A great alternative is to earn an income by finding gig work or starting your own side hustle. You’ll be able to work whenever you want and will hopefully earn enough extra cash to feel financi ally secure. 1. House Sitting There’s always a need for house sitters, especially during weekends and holidays. You’re particularly well-suited to house sitting if you already have experience taking care of pets. A gig could involve staying in the house or just coming over a couple times a day to feed and walk the animals. To find work, you’ll need to advertise your services, which could be as simple as offering to help when someone mentions a weekend trip and expresses concerns about leaving a pet behind. 2. Blogging It’s likely there’s one niche topic you know more about than almost anyone else. You can share your unique knowledge or insights by setting up a blog. You’re most likely to be successful if you pick a topic no one else is covering (or at least not covering well) but that other people do find interesting. To get started, use a template on a free website builder and pay for a catchy domain name. For the best results, aim to write a blog post or shoot a short video twice a week. To gain more visibility, share the content to social media and use some basic search engine optimization techniques. Once you have a decent number of followers viewing your content regularly, research ways to monetize. 3. Rent Your Car If you live close to campus and have few commitments that require you to go farther afield, you may only need your car to return home at the end of each semester. Instead of leaving your vehicle sitting in the parking lot for the rest of the time, rent it. You can find services online that will help you rent your car safely. 4. Tutoring A classic gig for university students is tutoring. You could offer to help others with a class you’ve already passed, provide homework help for kids at a local school, or even teach English to kids online — tutoring in another country can be particularly convenient due to the time difference. 5. Sell Crafts on Etsy Turn your hobby into a side hustle by setting up an Etsy store. It’s likely that whatever you make has a market — from jewelry and clothing to photographs and gift tags. This is a great way to turn what you enjoy most into an income and perhaps explore more creative outlets. As well as earning more money, it makes sense to cut expenses. A simple way to do this is to search for more less expensive housing. You can find affordable Kingston student housing rentals at Foundry Princess. Choose between apartments with two, three, four, and five bedrooms — all our suites are spacious, feature a full kitchen, and have their own laundry facilities. You’ll also have access to great onsite amenities, including an outdoor swimming pool. Take a virtual tour to check out the apartments and c ommunity spaces for yourself.

How Much Do University Students Spend Each Month?

To determine whether you need a part-time job, how much you should save before starting university, and how to allocate your budget, you need to know how much you’re likely to spend every month. Since every student is different, there’s no standard figure. Instead, you’ll need to consider each of your expenses and determine where your money will be coming from. What Expenses Will You Have? The biggest expense at university is tuition. The good news is you can often avoid paying tuition fees until later by taking out a loan. Alternatively, you may qualify for a grant or receive a scholarship to avoid paying a chunk of tuition fees entirely. Other big expenses you’ll have include accommodation, textbooks, and possibly transport (such as if you want to have a car at university and will need to cover all the related costs or if you’ll be attending school far from home and plane tickets may be expensive). You’ll also have living expenses like food, clothing, entertainment, school supplies, and personal items. Calculate how much each of these will cost based on what you (or your parents) currently pay, by talking to other students, and by researching prices for your location. How Much Will You Receive from Your Parents? Many students receive a monthly allowance from their parents, especially during the first year when they may not have had the chance to earn any money yet. Your parents may transfer an amount to you or provide you with a credit card to pay for essentials. It’s also important to know what your parents expect you to do in an emergency — for instance, will they be able to lend you money but expect you to pay it back? Covering the Rest of Your Expenses If your allowance is not enough to pay for everything you want to do at university, you’ll need to find other ways to cover your costs. Finding a job is the easiest way to build up funds. You can work between semesters at seasonal jobs or year round with a part-time job. If you work throughout the year, you may be able to pick up extra shifts during your spring and winter breaks to increase your earnings. An alternative option is to start a side hustle, such as housesitting, tutoring, or delivery driving. This will allow you to work more whenever you have the time. Try to avoid spending all the money you earn. It’s important to have a fund for unexpected expenses and opportunities. Plus, it’s a good idea if you can graduate with some savings, especially if you want to take some time off before searching for a full-time job or if you’d like to start paying off your student loans immediately . Exactly how much you spend will depend on factors like your lifestyle, where you’re attending university, and your accommodation. Kingston, Ontario, students can save money without sacrificing comfort by living at Foundry Princess. Our affordable suites have everything you need from student housing — along with some extras to make your time at university extra special. For instance, we have a rooftop patio, outdoor swimming pool, dedicated study spaces, and much more. Book a tour before you sign a lease.