Archive for the 'General' Category

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Never too late to invest in your future

Written by Jen Golletz on March 27, 2012. 3 Comments
invest

Many people told me that it was never too late to go back to school. I always thought that if you didn’t go into post-secondary right after high school, it was too late. Taking a few years would make it too challenging and keeping up with classes would be much harder as I had been out of the schooling world.

I returned to college six years after I graduated. And as it turns out those people were right, it is never too late to return to school.

For those of you who are wavering on whether or not going back to school would be the right decision for you, there are a few definite advantages you have over those who jump right into college after high school.

First of all you have lived. You have spent some time living in the real world and this gives you all kinds of practical skills.

Taking a little time off from education also gives you time to figure out who you are and where you want to go.

More often than not mature students are the most dedicated to their studies because they know what they want and what they have to do to get there.

If you have a goal of getting a diploma or becoming successful in a certain career, do not stop yourself just because of your age. Education has no age limits and it is never too late to invest in your future.

Lethbridge College is full of students who are all different ages and from all different walks of life. If you are interested and would like to speak with someone, academic advisors are available to speak to you about Lethbridge College programs, services and admissions details, or post-secondary education in general.

(403) 320-3322 or email advisor@lethbridgecollege.ca

Image from 401K via Flickr

Test drive a college subject

Written by Lethbridge College on March 22, 2012. 0 Comments
testdrive

College is an expensive (and valuable) investment.  It’s not just an investment of money, but also of time.

This huge commitment may deter you from pursuing a college education.  Many institutions offer a variety of programs. So how do you pick? How will you know if you like a subject area? Taking a college or subject area for a “test drive” may help you better choose a program that fits your interests and skills.

One approach to “test drive” a college subject would be to take a continuing education course.

These courses are less expensive and require less time commitment than a full program and may give you insight into your interests and skills.

For example,  if you’ve always had an interest in graphic design but not sure if you would enjoy a career or educational experience in graphic design, a continuing education course in Photoshop may provide some insight.

Most colleges offer continuing education courses in a variety of subjects with a range of prices.  Lethbridge College also offers a number of continuing education courses that can help you “test drive” a Lethbridge College subject.

Fend off sickness and avoid missing class

Written by Jen Golletz on March 20, 2012. 0 Comments
sleeping

The ability to stay healthy when you’re a student is vital. Missing classes and falling behind can be devastating to your education. But, staying healthy is not easy to do when you are immersed in the post-secondary population. Here are a few key pointers to try and keep yourself healthy and present in your studies.

Get more sleep- There are many things to keep you up at night, finishing off that essay, cramming for that exam or spending time with your friends, but you need to get a good night’s sleep to keep your body and brain working properly.

Lack of sleep impairs attention, concentration, and reasoning, basically everything you need to be a productive student. It also weakens your immune system making you more likely to end up with the latest virus.

It’s pretty straight forward, get home earlier, put down the highlighter and turn off the tube. Your body needs those eight hours.

Eat something green- Trying to find time to get some healthy food in you is not always easy. Avoid processed foods as much as possible; eating items with ingredients that you can’t pronounce is not going to keep the illness away. And ingest as many fruits and veg as you can!

Amp up your vitamin C and find some vitamin D- Take your vitamins! Not just when you are feeling lethargic, take them all the time. Try to incorporate as much vitamin C into your daily life as possible, buy a box of oranges, substitute your Coke at lunch for an apple juice…just get some goodness in you.

In the winter months especially we find ourselves lacking the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D. Decreased levels that are linked to lowered immune systems.  With many benefits, vitamin D speeds up the absorption of vitamin C and helps keep your mood up and your body strong.

Binge selectively- for most post-secondary students alcohol is a reoccurring substance on most weekends (and some weekdays too). There is always a social event or party that your friends will convince you to go to. It is important to try and keep your alcohol ingestion down, not only will it impair your ability to eat right and get a good sleep but studies show that excessive alcohol is toxic to immune systems.

Kill those germs- When you are constantly touching surfaces that many other student have come in contact with, you are bound to pick something up. Sanitize and wash your hands consistently to protect yourself and others from spreading germs everywhere.

Get movin’ but not too much- Moderate exercise gets your antibodies and white blood cells moving, which helps battle stress, sickness and will boost your mood. Just don’t get too carried away, high intensity activity can actually decrease the movement of white blood cells and up your chances of illness.

Health first- When you do start to feel that fever hit make sure to take care of yourself. Stay home, coming to class when you are feeling awful doesn’t benefit anyone, it slows your recovery time and increases the chances that you will spread your sickness to others. Take advantage of on campus health care. Lethbridge College has an on-site clinic, making it convenient and an easy way to see the doc between your hectic class schedules.

What are some of your routines for staying healthy? Please share below.

Image from spcbrass via Flickr

How to avoid the freshman 15

Written by Lethbridge College on March 13, 2012. 0 Comments
freshman15

Sitting in class. Eating cheap food. Doing homework. Partying with friends.  These stationary and unhealthy habits can lead to unwanted weight gain – especially for those who are used to a more physically active lifestyle.

They freshman 15, as it’s often referred to, is the amount of weight typical students will gain during their first year at college.

This doesn’t have to be your fate.  Whether you’ve already started college or are starting shortly, make a commitment to avoid the freshman 15.

Check out this video from Howcast on how to avoid the freshman 15.

No matter what school you attend, make sure to take advantage of the fitness classes and gym facilities.

Lethbridge College has a great physical education complex and fitness classes that students, staff and the public can use.

What are some ideas you’ve used to avoid the freshman 15?

Finishing post-secondary and starting your job search

Written by Jen Golletz on March 7, 2012. 0 Comments
handshake

Are you nearing the end of your post-secondary education and not sure what to do or how to prepare? Life after college can be intimidating and overwhelming. Once you have your diploma in hand it is all up to you to find a job in your field of study. In order to find success in your job hunt you need to be prepared, have a plan and be motivated. Following are a few things you may want to consider as you begin the hunt for your first career job.

Be confident in your job search:

  • Know your interests, skills and preferences
  • Take advantage of the campus career centre, faculty contact, internship contacts, networking and career fairs
  • Start early, don’t think that you will be able to find your dream job in two weeks
  • Network and find out how others in your field have been successful

Create a solid resume:

  • Be accurate and honest
  • Carefully proofread to avoid any mistakes
  • Be consistent with your format and style
  • Strive for a positive impression- be aware of eye appeal and readability
  • Update your resume every six months and make sure that it is focused on your goals

Ensure you have the best references:

  • Get in touch with as many people you can that would be willing to boast about your many skills
  • Quality over quantity- it is nice to have quite a few references but make sure they know you and your work well
  • Ask everyone that you work with or for to be a reference or even to write a reference letter for you. Ask, ask, ask- your intern adviser, the manager at your part-time job, and don’t forget your instructors

Prepare yourself for interviews:

  • Research the company and the position you are interviewing for
  • Be prepared to communicate your experience, skills, goals, and values as it is related to the company.
  • Practice answering interview questions
  • Prepare questions about the position or company
  • Dress as if you already have the job
  • Be on time! Better yet be 15 minutes early
  • Maintain a positive attitude

Utilize social media:

  • If used correctly, social media can be a great asset in communicating with possible employers and selling yourself
  • More and more, employers are using the internet to find out more about candidates
  • Clean up your social medias, although it may be fun to have pictures of the party you had last week but employers may be less than amused with your oh-so-classy party pictures
  • Discover LinkedIn- a social media that allows you to feature your accomplishments, internships and job experience.
  • Keep the profiles you want your employer to see public. This way you are Google-searchable.
  • Visit these sites daily

Use your college connections:

  • Get in touch with the career development centre
  • Talk with your alumni centre and ask for a list of graduates in your field
  • Discuss your future and post school plans with a career advisor

Lethbridge College offers career advising to all current and perspective students and also provides it’s learning community with The Works- a job and career reference.