Blog Posts

5 Questions Employers Shouldn’t Ask During Interviews

Although an interview can feel like you’re being grilled by a potential employer, it’s actually just as much a chance for you to decide if a job is a right fit for you. Unfortunately, certain employers could try to take advantage of the inexperience of students and new graduates to ask questions they’re not legally allowed to ask. Knowing in advance what these questions are can better prepare you for an interview and potentially show you what companies you may be better off avoiding. 1. Do You Have Children? Employers are not allowed to ask you about your family situation, which includes asking if you have kids or want to have kids in the future. This is because employers could use these questions as a way to filter out candidates who may need to take time off for family commitments. Similarly, an employer could be asking because they believe workers with children may be less dedicated to their jobs. Asking about your future intentions could be a way to avoid giving you a job because the employer doesn’t want t o lose you for a few months to parental leave. 2. How Old Are You? Ageism can affect both older and younger workers. For this reason, employers cannot legally ask how old you are. The exception to this is when employing teenagers because employers must adhere to child labour laws. By the time you are at university, though, this should no longer be an issue. 3. Other Personal Questions An interviewer is not allowed to ask you for other types of highly-personal information because an employer could use this for discriminatory purposes. This includes questions about your ethnicity, sexual orientation, marital status, or religion. None of these have any impact on your ability to carry out work. 4. Do You Own a Car? An employer may be concerned about your capability to make it to work on time every day. However, it’s important the interviewer frames this question to stay on the right side of the law. For these reasons, an interviewer is not allowed to ask if you own a car but can ask if you have a reliable way to reach the workplace. 5. Questions About Disabilities Interviewers are only allowed to ask about disabilities that would impact whether you are able to fulfill the duties of the position. For example, a job may require you to have a certain level of mobility, meet physical requirements (such as lifting a certain weight), or distinguish colours . Interviewers may also ask whether you require any reasonable accommodations to perform your duties, but the employer cannot use your answer to determine whether to offer you the job. If you’re looking for a job to pay for your housing costs, an alternative could be to find a more affordable apartment. You can find Waterloo off-campus housing at Preston House and Bridgeport House. Both properties are just a short distance from Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo. We offer fully-furnished suites with private washrooms and great onsite amenities, including dedicated study spaces, a ping pong table, and a pool table. Apply now to secure a spot in your preferred buildin g.

How to Save on Food Costs at University

After tuition and housing, food is your biggest expense at university. However, you are still in control of how much you spend. By making the right choices, you can save money and eat a balanced diet. Here are some tips to consider. 1. Cook Your Own Meals You’ll spend much more if you eat out than if you prepare your own meals. If you don’t know how to cook already, the first step is to learn the basics. Once you’re able to prepare staples like rice, pasta, and potatoes, you can add vegetables and seasoning to create a variety of meals. Also bear in mind that substituting meat in recipes for more vegetables can make meals much cheaper — and often more nutritious. 2. Figure Out Your Meals in Advance Decide what you’ll eat a week in advance to ensure you always have the ingredients you need at home and never feel the need to order food. Use this to make a shopping list — and stick to your list when you’re at the grocery store, rather than purchasing whatever catches your eye. It’s best to go shopping when you’re not hungry to avoid temptations that are not on your list. 3. Shop Smart When choosing products in the grocery store, compare prices — remember, brand-name items are not necessarily better than generics. Look for deals on products you’d buy anyway as well as on healthy foods. You can also save money by shopping at the same store each week to collect loyalty points. Finally, find out if there are any discounts available for students. 4. Prepare Meals from Leftovers You may often find you cook more than you need for one meal, especially when you’re just cooking for yourself. Save all your leftovers and combine them into a new meal to prevent wasting money on food you’d otherwise throw away. 5. Eat for Free Sometimes you may be able to eat for completely free on campus. There are sure to be at least a couple clubs that match your interests — and there’s a good chance their meetings will involve free food like pizza and sandwiches. Other events on campus like student mixers and job fairs may also have free food. Outside of campus, you can find free samples at the grocery store. Sometimes, there’s enough on offer for a light lunch. 6. Opt for Water Many students are in the habit of drinking anything but water before they start university. However, you’ll find that buying large amounts of sports drinks, juice, and soda becomes expensive. As much as possible, drink water when you’re thirsty. If you need some flavour , add a couple of slices of citrus fruit to a pitcher of water or brew some tea and put it in your refrigerator. It’s impossible to save on food costs if you’re stuck with a meal plan. The good news is this is only a requirement if you live in residence . You can find UWaterloo off-campus housing with no meal plan at Preston House and Bridgeport House. Your five-bedroom apartment will come with a spacious kitchen and there’s a communal kitchen on site. Best of all, rent is affordable and all inclusive — helping you to save even more money. Book a tour of your preferred property today.

6 Signs of Sleep Deprivation Students Should Watch For

Not only will there be no one telling you to go to bed on time when you’re at university, you’ll have so many more opportunities to stay up late. For instance, as well as parties and other events, you may fall behind with assignments and need to work into the night to finish on time. The problem with this is it can quickly lead to sleep deprivation, which has serious mental and physical consequences. Knowing the signs of sleep deprivation is important; this way, you’ll be aware of when you need to increase how much you sleep. 1. Falling Asleep Too Easily It’s normal to take at least a few minutes to fall asleep when you go to bed. If you fall asleep instantly, you’re likely exhausted . Similarly, falling asleep at other times — including on public transport, while watching movies, and in class — is a sign of sleep deprivation. 2. Problems Concentrating It’s much more difficult to maintain your focus when you’re tired. If you’re finding your classes more challenging than normal or you’re taking longer to complete assignments, it could be because your focus is waning. By increasing the amount of deep sleep you receive every night, you’ll become more alert, improve your memory, increase your productivity, and regain your critical thinking skills. 3. Anxiety When you lack enough sleep, your mental health can suffer. In particular, it’s common to become stressed, which can make you feel anxious for no clear reason . This is because your brain struggles to process emotional information, which impacts your mood. Sleeping more is a quick fix to improve your mental health. 4. Poor Skin Quality The cheapest way to take care of your skin is through sleep. No amount of moisturizer can achieve the same as enough sleep, as your skin is only able to heal and produce more collagen when you’re resting. You’ll also improve your appearance because you’ll have no more puffiness and dark circles under your eyes. 5. Dehydration Staying awake for too many hours can prevent your body from producing sufficient vasopressin. This hormone is responsible for preventing dehydration by ensuring you retain more water. This will prevent you from feeling thirsty the next day. 6. Physical Ailments Sleep deprivation is linked to a number of physical ailments, ranging from weight gain (often due to increased cravings) to aches and pains. You’ll also find you fall sick more easily and it takes you longer to recover. You may also suffer from sleep deprivation if you’re sharing a room with someone who often comes home late or makes a lot of noise while you’re trying to sleep. The solution to this problem is to move into an apartment with your own room. You can find alternatives for Laurier student housing at Preston House and Bridgeport House. Both properties are just steps from campus, meaning you can sleep in without worrying about being late to class. Better yet, in addition to your own bedroom, you’ll have the luxury of an en suite washroom. Book a tour of the property of your choice. SEO title: Why Sleep Matters in Laurier Student Housing

8 Reasons to Travel as a Student

One of the best times to travel is while you’re a student. Not only do you have several long breaks during the year, but it’s also easy to travel with friends and have some great experiences. Here are several key reasons why it’s worthwhile to travel as a student. 1. Expand Your Horizons There’s only so much you can learn about the world from reading and watching videos. Sometimes, the only way to fully understand is to experience. By traveling, you’ll gain a glimpse of how other people live and experience some of the culture for yourself. 2. Meet People from Around the World When you choose travel opportunities that allow you to interact with other people, you expand your network. Some of the people you meet will be from the countries you’re visiting, whereas others may be travelers like you. These people may become your friends or useful contacts for your career. 3. Improve Your Confidence Traveling puts you in situations unlike anything you’d encounter at home. Realizing you’re able to overcome these challenges will increase your confidence in yourself overall. Plus, potential employees will be impressed with your grit — as well as talking about your travels in interviews, you can include experiences like volunteering abroad on your resume. 4. Perform Better Academically Students who travel tend to gain better grades at university. This is especially true if the things you see and do on your trips are related to your major. 5. Learn About Yourself It may be a cliché to say that traveling allows you to discover yourself — but it’s true. Many students find that traveling helps them identify their purpose, reveals their values, and allows them to truly be themselves. 6. Challenge Your Ideas You’ve likely formed many of your beliefs without giving them too much thought. Traveling will expose you to new perspectives and viewpoints, perhaps even changing the ideas you have about the world. This is key to personal growth. 7. Learn to Be Independent Attending university gives you some independence, but you still have a support system around you. When you’re traveling, you’re on your own. Even simple tasks may be different — and they may be especially challenging if there’s a language barrier. Navigating these difficulties will show you what you’re capable of. 8. Appreciate What You Have It’s easy to take your life for granted. Traveling to less-developed countries , in particular, will help you gain a greater appreciation of what you have. No matter where you go, though, you should find you come to appreciate both big and small things more, such as your friends, your family, aspects of your culture, your favourite foods, and the ease of carrying out tasks in your everyday life. While travel presents wonderful opportunities, it’s also important to make the most of the time you spend at university. To have the ultimate student experience, move into your own apartment. You’ll find UWaterloo off-campus housing at Preston House and Bridgeport House. Both properties have large, fully-furnished suites and great onsite amenities, including a pool table and ping pong table, bright study spaces, and a communal kitchen. Book a tour to visit the property of your choice.

How to Establish Your Personal Brand During Your Job Search

To stand out against other candidates in your job search, it’s important to focus on how you’re different. Your personal brand expresses your values, skills, and reputation in your field. Even before you graduate, you can start working on your personal brand. By doing so, you’ll pave the way to more opportunities, particularly with companies you want to work for and in positions that align with your goals. 1. Develop Your Online Presence Make sure plenty of information about you comes up when an employer searches for you online. Demonstrate your skills and talent by uploading content to a website or blog, creating an online portfolio, and building a reputation — for instance, you could write guest articles for blogs in your industry, appear on podcasts, and create digital products to sell. 2. Set Up a LinkedIn Profile One of the first places employers will look for you is LinkedIn. It’s crucial not just to have a profile but also to fill out all the fields. Here are a few things you should include: Professional profile and cover photos A succinct headline that expresses both what you’re currently doing and what kind of job you want after you graduate A short bio summarizing your skills, achievements, and other information relevant to your personal brand Your work experience Your education, including credentials you’ve gained outside university 3. Explore Other Platforms Depending on your industry, other platforms may be just as useful as LinkedIn. For instance, Instagram is ideal for visual content, whereas YouTube and TikTok allow you to publish videos showcasing everything from projects you’re involved in to opinion pieces. 4. Interact with Thought Leaders In addition to creating your own content, interact with the published content from other people in your field. This is a great way to show what’s important to you with little effort and to make others more likely to approach you. Leave comments on social media posts, interact on LinkedIn groups, and respond when someone leaves you a comment. Over time, you may find you develop real relationships with thought leaders, especially if you strive to have real conversations around topics that matter to you. 5. Gain More Skills Your personal branding is an ongoing process that requires you to constantly improve and add to your skills. Sometimes, this will mean pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, such as by speaking at events, reaching out to people you don’t know for networking purposes, or developing digital skills in areas you find difficult. Key to establishing a personal brand is understanding who you are and what you represent . University is a great time to explore this, most of all if you have an independent lifestyle that allows you to truly be yourself. If you’re looking to move off campus, great alternatives to Laurier student housing are Preston House and Bridgeport House. You’ll have your own bedroom in a spacious suite, fully-furnished with state-of-the-art amenities. Plus, you’ll be able to network with other students (including stude nts who attend other schools) in the communal areas. Book a tour to see why you’ll love living here.

4 Ways to Get Enough Sleep at University

University life can be tough. There’s a lot to juggle, including classes, assignments, presentations, internships, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, work-life balance, and above all - finding the time to sleep! Lack of sleep - or even a disturbed sleep cycle - can have serious health implications. A good night's sleep is essential for your body to repair itself, balance hormones, commit things to memory, and de-stress. Remember that the concept of 'catching up on sleep' and 'sleep debt' is not research-backed. That means sleeping for long hours over the weekend to make up for the sleep you didn't get during the weekdays likely holds little to no benefit. But there are a few ways to ensure that you get the rest you need, even in university. Here are four tips to get enough sleep during university life. Stick to a Sleep Schedule The body's circadian rhythm - also known as the biological clock - is aligned with sunrise and sunset. As such, consistency in your sleep and wake up timing can considerably improve your sleep quality. On the other hand, disturbing the sleep rhythm by being irregular in sleeping times or sleeping and waking late can make it hard to fall asleep when you actually want to sleep. It happens because irregular sleep timing leads to an imbalance in melatonin, a chemical in the body that signals the brain to doze off. Thus, it’s a good idea to create a sleep schedule and be consistent in waking up and going to bed at similar times every night for a few weeks. Doing so will help your circadian rhythm slowly fall into place. Once that happens, you may not even need an alarm to wake up in the morning. Limit Caffeine Intake A caffeine boost gives you a few more hours of wakefulness, but at what cost? While coffee offers benefits like improving performance, focus, and energy, it can disturb your sleep schedule if consumed late in the day. Research shows that caffeine intake after 2 pm can stimulate your nervous system, preventing your mind and body from relaxing and falling asleep at night. While it is understandable why you would want to stay up a little later than usual during university life, try to limit your coffee intake after 2 pm. Instead, go for a walk to refresh yourself if you feel like you need some energy. Exercise Exercise is one of the best ways to improve your sleep and overall health. So, if you’re trying to exercise consistently, be sure to make movement a priority by scheduling it into your week. Exercise can reduce insomnia and help your body unwind before bed. Ideally, you should exercise earlier in the day and definitely no later than two hours before bed, because physical activity can be stimulating for some people and increases alertness. Studies suggest that exercise almost halves the time needed to fall asleep and increases your sleep by about 40 minutes. Also, you can get good quality sleep at night if you exercise during the day. It can even be more effective than most sleeping pills and is therefore something you should incorporate into your routine consistently. Optimize Your Bedroom Atmosphere A sleep-conducive bedtime environment helps you power down quickly for bed and fall asleep faster. Distractors like noise, light, and even temperature can affect your sleep time and quality. You can drastically improve your sleep quality by removing distractors and optimizing your bedtime atmosphere. If you’re a student living in dorms, controlling light and noise can be challenging, especially if you’re sharing a room. In such a situation, you could keep earplugs and eye masks handy so that you can block out light and noise even if your roommate needs the lights on. Fortunately, in terms of off-campus housing, Waterloo has plenty of choices for student living where you don’t have to share a room. Final Thoughts A good night's sleep will help you function better during the day. It will improve your academic performance and help you stay fit and healthy, both mentally and physically. Of course, it's okay to be a little flexible when you need to be, but for the most part, maintaining a sleep schedule will help you keep up with your busy and hectic university life.