1/Atrium Magazine Spring 2015
/PRESIDENT’S Letter/ Ready. Set. Go. Freshman year marks the beginning of one of the most exciting, rewarding and sometimes terrifying four years of your life. From the first set of lectures, to finally living alone for the first time, first year opens each and every individual to a whole new set of experiences. It is often said that University is the survival of the fittest, it should really be phrased as the survival of the smartest. No, no I’m not just referring to getting an A+ on that exam. While this is an important accomplishment to strive for in your university career, being smart is best reflected in the decisions that you make like the people that you surround yourself with and the lessons you learn. While this is easier said than done, the best thing you can do is to continuously learn and improve. Learn from your experiences, learn from others, and most importantly, learn about yourself. Actions like reading this magazine, attending O-Day, and even joining clubs are all actions that will lead you into becoming the amazing Golden Hawks I know you will become.
BE PROUD OF WHERE YOU LIVE
At the end of it all, when you’re all veteran Golden Hawks, what you will take away from Laurier will be a group of lifelong friends, incredible memories and important lessons that will shape the rest of your life. University is a journey like no other so sit back, and enjoy the ride! Hope this survival guide finds you well, Yash Parekh President
/EDITOR’S Desk/ Dear Reader, When I first entered University I found myself lost in a sea of people; University was unlike anything I had experienced before and living on campus was like an extended camping trip up North. On O-Day, I remember quite vividly the clattering of the cutlery and the whispers of everyone while the speaker was talking and I, too, was lost in thought. Then I heard “University is like a buffet, take from it what you want.” This changed the lens of my mind’s glasses and allowed me to see University in an entirely different light. University wasn’t a place to be anxious about what is but it is a time to experience what can be. In that moment, I decided that I would become a little more adventurous in my endeavours and strive to learn more about myself and my surroundings. The best piece of advice I can give to you is: if you imagine yourself being repulsed by a choice then don’t discount it immediately, instead do the opposite and you may, surprisingly to yourself, enjoy it more than you’d thought. This edition we have decided to move away from our usual “integrative”, “expansive”, and “aligned” business voice and try something a little warmer. Our goal, for this issue, is to you provide you with a guidebook (cheatsheet included) that we hope will help you for your years at Laurier. The writers have carved out each article from their experiences and have tried to provide different perspectives on academics, living, clubs, co-op and much more. We hope that you enjoy reading the issue as much as we did writing it. Onward and upward, as a good friend says.
accommod8u.com 2/Atrium Magazine Spring 2015
Jeel Shah Editor-In-Chief
3/Atrium Magazine Magazine Spring O-Day 2015 2015
Welcome to first year; a time where you have the opportunity to learn about yourself and those around you. In the following pages, you will find articles that have been written just for you. They answer any questions you have about first year including academics, clubs, co-op and much more. You’ll also find a cheat-sheet that you can tear off to jot down any ideas or goals for your first year. Make Laurier your home and most of all, remember to have some fun.
4/Atrium Magazine Spring 2015
Spring 2015 2015 5/Atrium Magazine O-Day
WELCOME TO FIRST YEAR
SUCCEEDING ACADEMICALLY IN FIRST YEAR Effective time management is absolutely essential to having a successful year. BY JOE SHERIDAN In university you can expect to be hopelessly lost in a sea of high achievers, a never-ending stream of work, and dramatically lower marks. Well not necessarily. University is an enormous change from high school and with that comes different expectations around everything from how work is graded to the workload. The truth is that it is entirely up to you to choose to work hard or to abuse your freedom and falter in your first year. Below are some tips that I found to be extremely useful in helping me have a successful first year and hope you can apply as well. Plan It Out Effective time management is absolutely essential to having a successful year. A great way to do this is to use a day-planner or online calendar to allot specific times for readings, studying and group meetings. A four month wall calendar is especially useful for writing down due dates for assignments helping you to see when you will be busiest and remind you about big deadlines. Connect with Your Profs Unlike your high school teachers, profs will make no effort to go out of their way to learn your name or nag you about homework, but most profs are extremely willing to help you. See a prof during their office hours to learn a concept you didn’t understand, get clarification around assignments or to build a relationship with a knowledgeable professional. If you get to know them, they really aren’t scary! Take Advantage of Resources Aside from your profs, there are a multitude of academic 6/Atrium Magazine Spring 2015
resources at Laurier. The SI sessions for BU111/121 offer a great opportunity to earn bonus marks. There is also a Writing Centre, the Math Assistance Centre and a host of academic workshops put on throughout the year. And don’t forget about your classmates who can be a great resource to help clarify confusing material and study with. Work Ahead You’ll quickly realize that university ramps up quickly and is much more compressed than high school. Midterm and final exam periods can be especially stressful so it pays to work ahead at the start of the term when you are not as busy. When you have multiple midterms and major assignments due in a busy week, you’ll be happy that you worked to lighten your workload. Take Time to Unwind No one can be productive all the time and if you do nothing but school work you may quickly burn yourself out. Be sure to block out time in your day for exercise, meals, social outings, and most importantly, sleep! And if you are living away from home, don’t be afraid to head home for a nice home-cooked meal with family. Enjoy Your Year We all make mistakes and can’t do as well as we would like all the time. However, taking responsibility of your academics will help give you your best chance of doing succeeding academically. You’re only in first-year once, so work hard and have fun. Because before you know it, you will have finished your April exams and be wondering where the year has gone. Spring 2015 2015 7/Atrium Magazine O-Day
8/Atrium Magazine Spring 2015
9/Atrium Magazine Spring 2015
WELCOME TO FIRST YEAR
WELCOME TO FIRST YEAR
OPINION: CLUBS
NEW VENTURE: A FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE
“Forget what everyone else is doing.”
“...New Venture will be an experience that will teach you your first practical skills”
BY JEEL SHAH
BY JEEL SHAH & SYLVIA NOVAC
There really is something great about joining a community of individuals who share the same interests and are passionate about the same things as you are; a voice at the back of your head which says, “I belong here.” The current philosophy about clubs is simple: join all of them; whether you appreciate chess or like dragon boat racing, join the club anyway. As if to go down a non-existent wholly unnecessary checklist for clubs that would look best on your co-curricular record, you will attempt to join them all. However, joining a club is as easy as writing your name on the sign-up sheet; but being a part of a club is no easy task. The former involves fulfilling yet another checklist of tedious requirements while the latter requires dedication, passion and the will to do something you think is, simply, awesome.
“...make sure you are dedicated to not only participating but also taking action.” Let’s change our maximum, optimal club participation mindset to something a little simpler and more impactful: join, at most, 1-2 clubs. The natural retort to such a suggestion is “But, Jeel, everyone is joining like a million clubs ...” Forget what everyone else is doing, it is unlikely they will have the same sense of fulfilment you will when you join two clubs as opposed to their five. Joining clubs isn’t a competitive sport where each player is awarded two points for joining and three points for every time they
show up. There isn’t a leaderboard and there most certainly isn’t a prize at the end. In order to avoid this stressful, futile course of action, I recommend that you take a small piece of paper, small enough to squeeze two lines and a maybe a title - there is no cheating. Now, you are restricted to joining only two clubs and the choice to join a club becomes a scarce resource. Use it wisely. Whichever club you decide to join, make sure you are dedicated to not only participating but also taking action. Getting involved isn’t about watching the action as it happens, but instead it is about getting your hands dirty, sinking your fingers into the soil to see how moist the ground is - so to speak. Find out what the goals for the club are, what everyone is trying to learn, and the reasons why they joined. Once you have decided a club is for you figure out how you can help the club by allowing them to utilize your skills and learning how the club can help you further your skills. Don’t be shy to apply for a position because you just joined the club; a number of clubs have positions which are reserved for first year students. Take the opportunity to learn about the club at a deeper level, the impact they are trying to make and how you can help. Pursuing the prescribed, albeit biased, path will surely provide more fulfillment because being a part of a community is more important (and more interesting) than joining a club just for the sake of joining it.
One of the most memorable things you will experience as a first-year will be the BDO New Venture Competition, an eight-month period of intense group brainstorming sessions, late-night report writing and nerve-wracking presentations about your product or service. The premise of the competition is simple: develop an idea from start to finish. You will be randomly assigned to a group of 4-5 individuals whom you may never have met before. Your job will be to find an idea that everyone agrees with, develop it, determine its feasibility and then present it to your classmates, your TA and if you make it to the latter half of the competition, professors and industry professionals. The winner of the 2014 competition was Eco-Degree, an environmentally-friendly car heater that is rechargeable by solar energy. The Atrium sat down with Eco-Degree to learn more about their New Venture experience and their advice to first-year students. A common, and usually unavoidable problem is: idea generation. “Everything has been done before .... That doesn’t sound useful...” are common expressions heard in brainstorming sessions amongst team members. Eco-Degree’s strategy for tackling this problem was to arrive to the brainstorming session with an idea or two already inmind. This helped reduce idle time spent thinking of ideas to increase time spent determining their feasibility. Not every idea will click instantly; they need time to ferment so don’t discard an idea at the onset because it doesn’t seem like it would work. Let it ferment. Finding an idea is only the beginning; as much as this com-
Spring 2015 2015 10/Atrium Magazine Magazine O-Day
petition is about the venture itself, strong teamwork and delegation will be just as important. There will be times when a leader emerges to take charge of the group and guide everyone through the trenches; however, groups can be participative as well where each person takes on a specific role as implemented by Eco-Degree. According to Roger Liao of Eco-Degree, “we delegated our work through a specialization system,” a system in which each team member performs a specialized task relating to fields such as marketing or finance. This aided the group, as they were able to make the most of their skills, thus saving them time in delegating tasks, and planning how they’d be best executed. Conflicts will inevitably arise, although great teams work through issues as they occur, and make the best of any situation. New Venture is likely the first time you will be working with strangers with differing philosophies and work ethics. It is important to be “tolerant of opinions,” says Roger, by compromising on your preferences where possible for the benefit of the venture. See this as an opportunity to develop the teamwork, communication and creative skills you’ll need in your future years at Laurier, as well as in your future career. These next eight months will be full of twists and turns, so be prepared to learn from your mistakes and keep the “big picture” in-mind, whether it’s winning New Venture, or merely doing well on the reports and presentations. Overall, New Venture will be an experience that will teach you your first practical skills as a business student. Pay attention to the process; and remember, above all, to have fun working with your team members and be passionate about your idea. Spring 2015 2015 11/Atrium Magazine Magazine O-Day
WELCOME TO FIRST YEAR
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON CO-OP Free time truly is a luxury, especially when you start working full time. BY ALEXANDRA CUI Co-operative education: Integrating academic learning with real work experience, allowing you to make personal achievements and further your career aspirations. When you’re in a placement, you have the opportunity to learn in a uniquely tangible way that could never be experienced in a classroom. Co-op is a commitment; it’s taking those four months you are so used to having off, to waking up before the sunrise and coming home exhausted after a long day of work. It gives you clarity; maybe working nine to five in carbon-copied cubicles is not where you see yourself in the next 10 years. Co-op helps you realize what you do and don’t enjoy, so that when you walk through the doors of the Schlegel building for the last time, you will have you have a pocket full of work experiences to guide you through the next stages of your career. Laurier’s co-op program is inarguably an incredible opportunity to catch a glimpse of life after graduation and test-drive your career goals. However, it is not necessary to substantiate your degree; Laurier BBA is an exceptional business program with or without the option. Whether or not you’ll be pursuing co-op, consider these other opportunities for both professional and personal growth as a non-co-op student. Look for an internship; you don’t need to be in the coop program to find a job. Being employed is incredibly rewarding and not only will it support your tuition, it gives you experience to leverage your skills. Never underestimate the power of building relationships; attend on-campus networking sessions and ensure you follow up to demonstrate your interest in the work.
12/Atrium Magazine O-Day Spring 2015 2015
If working isn’t for you, try developing yourself by learning something. As an adult, expanding your repertoire of knowledge can actually be fun. Take a look at Coursera, an online education platform that has partnered with renowned universities around the world to offer courses for anyone to take. It provides you with free education in your own home, you can learn anything from HTML to biological science. Alternatively, you can take courses at Laurier to boost your GPA or catch up on missed credits. A downside of co-op is that you lose a lot of your free time; you’re young and this might be the best time for some new experiences. Whether on your own or with some companions, take this time to travel, detach yourself from your norms and immerse yourself in another culture. Return with new friendships, incredible stories and a fresh perspective on your life. You are only young for so long and will never have as much free time as you do now, so seize it with every opportunity. Otherwise, you could donate your time. Contribute to the community on a local or international level. Volunteering for a cause you care about is a great way to develop your soft skills. Free time truly is a luxury, especially when you start working full time. Dedicate this time to progress yourself and set goals, so that when you’ve finished your undergrad, you will have three summers of incredible experience to serve you wherever life takes you.
FIRST YEAR SURVIVAL TIPS
When I came to first year, the keynote speaker had this to say about University “University is like a buffet, you can pick the courses you like and be around people you enjoy but don’t stuff your plate because you will end up eating anything.” ## Academic 1. Buy a calendar and jot the most important dates like your midterm dates and assignment dates. 2. Don’t be shy; talk to your professor if you don’t understand the material. 3. Study a little everyday; you’ll end feeling a lot less stressed and worried when everyone is scrambling to cram a few chapters in at the last second. ## Living 1. Make Laurier your home; keep your room tidy and decorate it to reflect your personality. 2. Think Safe, Stay Safe; you are now living by yourself, familiarize yourself with your floor/room mates and always have an emergency contact just in case something goes wrong. 3. Keep track of your spending; the best way to do this is to keep track of your monthly cash flows, money coming in and money going out. 4. Stay healthy; your GPA is important but so is your health. Try to exercise everyday and try to get plenty of sleep - the latter is an underappreciated commodity when you enter University. 5. Take control and have fun; University doesn’t have to only be about studying; develop good relationships, explore your interests and act wisely. ## Extra Curricular 1. Join 1-2 clubs; don’t join a club for the sake of joining it. 2. Join clubs that align with your interests; join a club where you think you can make the most impact. 3. Try something new.
13/Atrium Magazine Spring 2015
You are now a seasoned veteran and one of the biggest questions you have now is: what now? What’s next? What should I do? Outlined, in the following pages, are articles to answer those questions exactly. They were written with you in-mind by interviewing past Laurier students and giving you the chance to learn from their experiences. Your 3rd and 4th years at Laurier will be daunting and scary, but they just might be the best ones yet.
14/Atrium Magazine Spring 2015
Spring 2015 2015 15/Atrium Magazine Magazine O-Day
JOURNEY THROUGH UPPER YEARS
FINAL YEAR? HAVE NO FEAR “...know what you want to accomplish and set out to meet your goals.” BY HAYDEN MOFFAT Many students who have graduated from Laurier this year can attest to the uncertainty of life after school. Questions like, “Will I have a job?” or “Where do I go from here?” plagued their thoughts for the remainder of their time here. For others, their final year is upon them. Selecting a concentration can be a daunting task and completing the last eight months of school while balancing all the other aspects of student life can also be stressful. Luckily, a student’s time here at Laurier prepares them for any situation. Recent marketing graduate Sean Cameron is no stranger to these fears. During his time here, he developed a passion for brand management through the Co-op program at Laurier, and worked for companies such as PepsiCo and Telus. By participating in school activities, such as DECA, the New Venture Competition, and acting as Director of Philanthropy for the Student Alumni Association, Sean refined many transferable skills needed to be successful in the workplace. He will be starting a new role at Proctor & Gamble this fall. Deciding on what to focus on in fourth year can be tricky. To really hone in on what a student’s passion is, they have to take advantage of the opportunities Laurier has to offer. Whether it’s a certain course, work terms, SBE clubs, or other extracurricular activities, Laurier gives students a chance to experience whatever they desire. “Laurier gives you the chance to get involved in a lot of things; that makes us unique,” says Sean. Every opportunity at Laurier is a chance to start planning for the future and deciding on what career direction to progress to. Being productive doesn’t necessarily mean studying all the time. While some class material transfers to the workplace, a lot of learning takes place outside of lectures. There is Spring 2015 2015 16/Atrium Magazine Magazine O-Day
strength in volunteering on-campus. It is a good way to build on skills that employers value, such as teamwork and time management. Even for students who are heading into their last year at Laurier, it is never late to try something new. What is the most important thing to consider moving into fourth year? “You have to have a plan,” explains Sean “know what you want to accomplish and set out to meet your goals.” Leaving the community at Laurier will be the hardest part for Sean; it is what makes Laurier so unique. It allows students to generate passion for the career they choose, and forms a solid base for beginning in the working world; whether that be through foundational skills or networking opportunities. Carving out a network at Laurier is an important first step in being successful outside of school. Recruiters look at clubs and talk to professors about the students who really excel in their time at Laurier. By building up a network, students make themselves memorable and come out above others. When asked about networking, Sean couldn’t agree more. “Networking is everything […] but it is up to the student to reach out and contact employers.” Taking initiative early is the best approach, as recruiters start posting fulltime jobs in September. Despite the overwhelming feelings about his last year, Sean has positive words for concerned fourth year students. “You will find a job; don’t worry if you don’t land one right out of school.” And for first years just starting their journey at Laurier, the most important piece of advice is to get involved and get involved early. After all, “What’s the worst that could happen if you just try something new?” Spring 2015 2015 17/Atrium Magazine Magazine O-Day
JOURNEY THROUGH UPPER YEARS
A FOREWORD FORWARD “Come in with an idea for your final destination”
JOURNEY THROUGH UPPER YEARS
“Life is about who makes it, not about who makes it the fastest, so drive slow.”
BY DANIEL CHEN
I still remember the blare of the foghorn that unified the nation at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, after Sydney Crosby scored the overtime goal against the United States. It was the same year as the Haiti Earthquake, affecting 3.5 million people and the global downpour of emergency supplies, emergency response teams and the Hope for Haiti Now charity telethon. Arguably, in that same year, the most viral video was the interview with Antoine Dodson – “Hide your kids, hide your wife…and hide your husband” – a close second to the Double Rainbow reaction video. To top it off, one of the most innovative thinkers, visionaries and pioneers of personal computer technology, Steve Jobs, passed away to pancreatic cancer. This was 2010.
“All of us will take our own time to realize our convictions ...” Now, how would you summarize your university experience? It was quick, yet steadfast. That year was a disoriented battle. I would compare it to being lost at sea, in the middle of the water with a single question in mind: which direction do I swim? Come in with an idea for your final destination, no matter how it will change (and it will), and have
Spring 2015 2015 18/Atrium Magazine Magazine O-Day
some sort of bearing. I was lucky to have started university with some sense of direction in mind. I wanted to attain a BBA degree with a concentration in accounting in pursuit of the CA designation. All of us will take our own time to realize our convictions, and I learnt others had other stronger convictions than business when two of my four BDO New Venture group members switched out of the program afterwards. It eventually happens to all of us, you just need to look for it. Often times, there are moments that require reflection. What is next? What do I enjoy? How can I make steps towards doing what I enjoy? These moments of vulnerability are the turning points and foundation on which to build your identity. Take the opportunity to explore the student organizations that match values you possess and/or would like to strive towards. In my first year, I volunteered for Students Offering Support (SOS) as a Residence Representative. Initially, I found the role was not stimulating and so, I transitioned to the Business Development Team and then campaigned to be the Vice President of Business Development by my third year. I cannot stress this enough – your first year can be the greatest exponential experience towards your personal and professional development. The actions and the choices you make will always provide some sort of value. Step back, and look closely.
No other time is better than this instance, right now. I say this with absolute resolution. Venture outside of your comfort zone as confidence builds from past conquests. I joined Sigma Chi in my second year, submersing myself in the Greek Community briefly and carried over facets of that into my own life. I had never watched the movie Animal House before joining, nor can I say that I have now, but I can confidently say that I understand fraternity life without having seen it. On the other hand, Sigma Chi has some qualities that are not aligned with my own values, and that is okay. The ability to step into something foreign, uncomfortable or even contradictory to who you are provides a necessary understanding of your identity against the world. Extend past your comfortable experiences, and establish boundaries for yourself – your morals, values and goals. Once you have solidified your identity and established your standards further, four years will have come and gone. A friend of mine likes to refer it to as ”the four years of your life you will never get back.” I prefer to think of it differently – “life is about who makes it, not about who makes it the fastest, so drive slow.” It is a journey with a final destination in mind, scattered with plenty of detours and pit stops.
interviews with executives like Iain Klugman, the CEO of Communitech. I drafted my question list, firing through each one of them, and then, I paused. I took that brief pause to reflect on the pace I set for the interview; I then looked away from my question list and engaged in a conversation with him. I asked about his personal advice on success, and I made myself mindful and aware of the experience. Practicing mindfulness with each detour and pit stop can take you to another destination entirely.
“Extend past your comfortable experiences, and establish boundaries for yourself – your morals, values and goals.” The events of the foghorn, earthquake, Antoine Dodson video and Steve Jobs’ passing occurred the same year the Class of 2014 started at Wilfrid Laurier University. Each individual was aware, mindful of the goings around them, and by the end, each identity had been molded by both global events and their personal experiences. Our identities are the product of our personal experiences and the world around us. Keep your eyes open.
I joined Atrium Media Group in the winter of 2013 as a writer. My responsibilities as a writer included conducting
Spring 2015 2015 19/Atrium Magazine Magazine O-Day
20/Atrium Magazine Spring 2015