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Tips for Finding Places to Live When You’re at University or College

Searching for a place to live is always a struggle for college and university students. There are plenty of rooms for rent in Edmonton , but only some will be suitable for your needs. To ensure you end up with a great place to live, you need to know what you’re looking for and how to find it. 1. Start Your Search Early The sooner you can begin looking for housing the better. If you start your search early, you’ll be able to visit a greater number of places and you’ll have a clearer idea of what is available. You’ll also increase your chances of landing the perfect apartment — remember, you’re competing with other students in Edmonton. 2. View Several Places You may love the very first place you visit. Still, it is best if you view at least a couple more apartments before you make a final decision. The landlord should never pressure you into agreeing to rent a property on the spot. In fact, a pushy landlord is a red flag. Once you’ve searched for a while, narrow dow...

3 Tips for Finding Off-Campus Student Housing

There’s a huge number of benefits to living off campus. For instance, housing costs less and you have more freedom in terms of who you live with, what you eat, and who you invite over. Plus, you gain greater privacy, which becomes extra important after your freshman year — your workload will increase and you’ll need your own quiet place to study. Still, not all off-campus housing is created equal. You need to ensure that you pick well. 1. Distance from Campus Only look at apartments near University of Alberta . Living farther away may seem appealing for the lower costs, but it will ultimately cost you more in time and effort. Whether you plan to walk, bike, drive, or take public transit, the journey should be simple and take no more than a few minutes. Anything longer and you risk being late to classes or becoming exhausted by your daily journey. 2. Quality of the Building Depending on your budget, you may have to settle for something less than the best. However, you should n...

Quick Tips to Help You Find the Best Student Housing

Your student housing is where you’ll spend the majority of your time. It is essential that you are comfortable and happy there. If this is your first time living away from your parents, choosing the right University of Alberta residence may feel overwhelming — but it doesn’t have to be. By taking just a few simple tips into account, you can find the perfect home. 1. Figure Out How Much You Can Afford To calculate how much you will have to spend each month, subtract what you need for food, essentials, and fun. It is best to overestimate how much you’ll spend, as it’s always better to have money left over than to go short. Also consider that you need to have an emergency fund at all times. The amount that is left is your budget for housing. 2. Decide How You’ll Get to School If you’re planning to walk or bike to school, your apartment will need to be quite close to campus. Think about how the journey will feel in the winter months. A car gives you more freedom in terms of dis...

Tips for Choosing the Right Electives

Choosing between electives can be overwhelming if you don’t do your homework. Thinking about what you like, what you’re passionate about and what you want to learn can make the process much more straightforward, maybe even enjoyable. Check out our tips to help streamline your search for electives that you will not only enjoy but that will be of benefit to you and your learning experience, overall.   Remember Your Passions When choosing electives, it's important to consider what it is that you're passionate about. Taking courses in subjects that interest you can make your course load feel lighter and more enjoyable. That said, it doesn't mean you should shy away from trying new things. Courses that challenge or push you outside of your comfort zone could provide motivation and a chance to discover a new talent or interest. Choosing electives is also a prime opportunity to explore subjects you’re interested in but were never able to learn. You might develop a new p...

Start Building the Skill-Set Employers are Looking For

For students, the future is paved with possibilities, but you will need academic prowess and certain skills to reach your full potential. A college degree and even a strong resume isn’t always enough to impress employers. You will need to demonstrate or prove that you can demonstrate the skills of a stellar employee. Things like strong leadership, self-discipline, good teamwork, excellent communication and organization, are all skills that employers look for and value. Plus, the stronger your skills, the stronger your performance. Here's how new graduates or those who will soon be graduating can demonstrate these skills to potential employers. Demonstrating Strong Leadership Truthfully, employers want their employees to succeed. And the most successful employees are those who are strong leaders. Not only do leaders make the best employees, they also help take pressure off management and are generally strong assets to a company. If you’re a leader, you will eventually be given...

Money-Saving Tips for Students

Your college or university years are exciting, full of new experiences and challenges. Living away from home for the first time, learning new skills and meeting new people are just some of the many things you're set to experience, but they all come with a price tag. There's no doubting it, post-secondary can be expensive, and so learning how to budget your money will be key. Take a look at some of the proven tips you can put into practice as a student this year:   Minimize Dining Out Eating out on a regular basis can add up quickly and may not be the healthiest choice. Purchase a meal plan if you live in residence, or prepare your own meals in your off-campus apartment or home. Learn some quick, simple recipes, create a meal plan, prep or cook in advance, and freeze your leftovers. Travel with snacks to avoid splurging at vending machines or purchasing fast food, and be sure to purchase your groceries at actual grocery stores, as they’re much more affordable th...

Planning to Get a Part-Time Job This School Year? Here's How to Balance School and Work

College and university come with a lot of new responsibilities, including academic and financial demands. For many students, working while attending school is a necessity, but failing to manage or to find a good balance between school and work can negatively affect academic performance and even mental health. Finding ways to balance school and work will not only leave you feeling less stressed and in a better position academically, but happier overall, as well. Below are a few tips that can help you strike and maintain this balance. Get a Flexible Work Schedule Many employers offer flexible positions and work schedules to college and university students. Some of these positions can be found at restaurants, retail shops, grocery stores and your own college or university. Flexible work schedules can be created around your course schedule, and it’s often as simple as attending school in the mornings and afternoons and working in the evening or on the weekend. Work/study pro...