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Tips for Staying Healthy as a Student

It’s easy to slip into unhealthy practices as a student. You’ll have more independence than you’ve ever had before — and you need to be careful how you use this freedom. Making the commitment to stay healthy will help you feel better both mentally and physically, prevent illness, and teach you good habits for life. 1. Eat a Balanced Diet What you eat has an impact on every aspect of your health, including your weight, immune system, and cognition. Start fueling your body at the beginning of the day. Even if you have a limited amount of time, you should be able to eat at least a piece of fruit or a yogurt on your way out. Make sure most of your meals are substantial , though. This will help you avoid food cravings and prevent you from snacking on sugary or salty snacks. If you do like to snack throughout the day, carry nuts, fruits, or sliced vegetables with you. Ensure you always have enough food at home by scheduling regular trips to the grocery store. Make a list before you go and only buy items from your list. Learn to prepare healthy meals that will energize you, rather than picking up processed foods that may be appealing in the moment but will result in you feeling much less satisfied. 2. Drink Plenty of Water Carry a bottle of water with you everywhere to ensure you stay hydrated. This will not only prevent you from purchasing sugary drinks, it should also kill food cravings. Plus, drinking water keeps everything from your skin and muscles to your brain healthy. 3. Find Ways to Exercise That You Enjoy No matter how busy you are, you need to find time to exercise. Join a sports team, attend fitness classes, head to the gym, or even choose an elective that will get you moving. A great thing about university is that it opens up new opportunities, meaning you should be able to find something you enjoy. 4. Relax You’re more likely to suffer from illness if you’re rundown, which can happen if you never have time to relax. Make sure to dedicate time to self-care every day. This could mean practising a relaxing hobby, working on an art project, or reading for pleasure. 5. Set a Bedtime Most university students don’t get enough sleep. Being sleep deprived can lead to mood swings, headaches, weight gain, and other problems. Set a time to go to bed and wake up every day. If you’re unable to sleep enough one night for any reason, catch up with naps the next day. Remember that you’ll improve your chances of falling asleep quickly if you avoid caffeine from the late afternoon onward and put away screens at least an hour before bed. 6. Stick to a Schedule In addition to having a bedtime, it helps to create a routine for all your commitments. Setting a weekly schedule will make sure you always find the time to eat, exercise, study, and relax. As a result, you should find that you stay organized and avoid stress. 7. Keep Your Home Clean Kill germs that could lead to infections by cleaning your apartment regularly. Pay particular attention to the bathroom and kitchen, but also wipe down surfaces and door handles throughout your home and change your bedding regularly. You’ll find it easier to eat balanced meals, exercise regularly, and sleep enough when you live in a student apartment. You can have your own room in a suite with a kitchen as well as access to a fully-equipped fitness centre when you live at 17Hundred. Our Ontario Tech University off-campus housing has everything you need for an enjoyable student experience. Apply now to receive the unit of your choice.

Reasons to Stay in Your University Town During the Summer

You could spend your summer in various ways , but one option you may not have considered is staying in your university town. There are actually a number of compelling reasons why this could be your best option. 1. Keep Your Mind Active Students often find returning to university after a long summer break especially challenging. It can be hard to regain the same mindset and remember how to study for the first few weeks after you come back. By staying in the same city over the summer, you may find the transition back to classes less jarring. To ensure this is the case, you could drop into the campus library on a regular basis or stick to a light study schedule where you cover the recommended reading for next semester. You could even take a couple of summer classes, which can also make next semester less stressful or push your graduation date forward. 2. Make More Friends You’ll be far from the only student who chooses to continue living in your university town over the summer. You’ll find that this is a great opportunity to become friends with people whom you otherwise may never have spoken to. You should find it easy to meet people in your summer classes, around campus, and at your student housing. 3. Discover New Places The likelihood is there are a huge number of new places waiting to be discovered within your university town and in its surroundings. While you’re attending university, you tend to be too busy to explore — now’s your chance to become a tourist. Making the most of your university town now means you won’t have any regrets after you graduate about missing the opportunity to visit a landmark, a place of natural beauty, or anything else for which the area is known. Plus, when your friends return for the fall semester, you’ll have many great spots to show them. Perhaps you’ll find somewhere to go for a weekend trip or discover a better coffee shop than your regular place. In any case, it will enrich the rest of your time at university. 4. Enjoy Being Alone It’s always important to spend time alone, whether to practise hobbies or just relax. Unfortunately, this can be difficult at university, as you’re constantly surrounded by other people. Often when you’re not in class, you’re socializing or participating in clubs, and much of your free time needs to go to studying. With fewer people around during the summer, you should find you have time to be alone again. You could use the chance to restart some personal projects, learn a new skill, or pursue an activity you’ve always wanted to try. Plus, you can use some of the time for self-reflection and for creating an action plan to reach your goals — both of which should help you feel more motivated when fall semester rolls around. Staying in your university town over the summer may mean you need to find somewhere new to live. Look no further for rooms for rent — Oshawa has a student community at 17Hundred. The all-inclusive rent covers utilities, WiFi , and access to our onsite facilities, including a yoga studio, fitness centre , TV and games room, and study spaces. Book a video tour to see where you could be living.

What to Look For in Student Housing

An alternative to living on campus in a regular apartment is to rent in off-campus student housing. Most student housing is close to campus, although it’s not affiliated with any university. You’ll receive a lease for just your room, rather than the entire apartment, which means you won’t need to find roommates nor figure out how to split expenses. However, since not all student housing is equal, it’s important to know what to look for. Number of Bedrooms and Bathrooms Most places charge less for a room in an apartment with more bedrooms. If having many roommates is not an issue for you, it may make sense to choose the most economical option . Also remember to consider the number of bathrooms, as it’s common to share a bathroom with at least one or two people. Finally, more roommates means sharing the living room and kitchen with more people. Furnished vs Unfurnished Whereas some students do like to rent unfurnished apartments — for instance, if they want to start accumulating their own furniture — most prefer to find a furnished room. The furnishings will be much more substantial and higher quality than you’ll find in your dorm room, but at some student housing, there’s a particular emphasis on stylish interiors. Roommate Matching Since you’ll be sharing with others, you may be concerned about who you’ll have as roommates. If you know other people who also want to live in student housing, you can request to share an apartment with them. In addition, though, many places offer roommate matching. This means you’ll be paired with people who have similar interests or lifestyles to you. Amenities All student housing has appealing amenities, although what exactly a building has to offer does vary. Onsite facilities could include a gym, study areas, and a place to socialize with other residents. Many communities also have all-inclusive rent that covers all your utilities and WiFi . Plus, you may be able to receive housekeeping services for an extra cost. Decide what your priorities are, and search for student housing that provides them. Rules There are far fewer rules at off-campus housing than on campus. For instance, there won’t be a curfew, you’ll be able to invite guests over whenever you want, and there’s no long list of restricted items. However, this doesn’t mean there will be no rules. You won’t be able to share your room with someone else (even if it does have a double bed) and there will be limits on how much noise you can make to ensure the environment is pleasant for other students. Check out the rules for each place you’re consideri ng and decide if they’re reasonable. Receiving a Lease Student housing is designed for people who have never lived away from home before. For this reason, the requirements for receiving a lease tend to be less strict than at a regular apartment. Having said that, to ensure you can make rent payments, some places will require you to have a cosigner. A great option for off-campus Ontario Tech University residence is 17Hundred. We offer a range of floor plans to suit your needs, ranging from two to five bedrooms, all of which are fully furnished. We *also offer great onsite amenities, including a fitness centre , games room, and study lounges. Apply now to secure a room..

What to Pack for Moving into Your Student Apartment

Preparing for university involves many things, but one of the most important is figuring out what to take with you. Armed with this list, you’ll ensure that you don’t forget anything important and can start purchasing all the items you don’t already own. 1. Toiletries Think about what toiletries you use on a daily basis. It can help to write things down right after your morning and evening routines. In addition, make sure to pack a basic first aid kit and any medication you only take infrequently. Finally, bring enough towels to avoid needing to do laundry constantly. 2. Stationery and Study Materials It makes sense to purchase at least some stationery when you arrive at university to limit the amount you need to transport. However, you can save money by packing any pens, pencils, and notebooks you already own. 3. Electronics Start thinking about whether your laptop is suitable for university or if you need to upgrade. Consider what other electronics may be necessary for your major. For instance, you may prefer to have a mouse than to rely on your laptop trackpad and it could be useful to have a flash drive. Large items like printers are unlikely to be necessary unless you’ll be regularly printing materials, in which case you’ll also need to pack paper and ink cartridges. Most students, though, will find that they’re printing so rarely that it makes more sense to use the printers in their campus computer lab. Finally, bring any electronics that will make your life more comfortable, such as noise-cancelling headphones and a bluetooth speaker. Plus, remember that it’s always worth having a spare charger for your phone. 4. Personal Items Depending on how often you’ll be returning to your parents’ home, you may need to pack both winter and summer clothing and bedding. Bring storage containers to keep whatever doesn’t suit the current season hidden away and a laundry basket to keep your bedroom neat. Other personal items to pack include belongings that will make your new apartment feel like home, such as posters for the wall, books, and some favorite things. If you don’t already have one, consider buying a dry erase board to hang above your desk. 5. Kitchen Supplies Find out if your apartment comes with basic dishes and utensils. If not, you’ll need at least enough to prepare and eat your own meals. You may also like to invest in a coffee maker — you’ll save a large amount of money if you make coffee at home rather than buying at a coffee shop every day. 6. Cleaning and Maintenance Supplies Make a separate list of the cleaning supplies you’ll need to pick up when you arrive at your university town. Some things you’ll need almost immediately include trash bags, dish soap, and cleaning products for the bathroom. Make sure you also have a flashlight in case of power outages. If you haven’t figured out where you’ll live, you need to come to a decision before you can finalize your packing list. You can find Ontario Tech University off-campus housing at 17Hundred. You’ll receive your own room in a fully-furnished suite that’s equipped with everything you need, including a full-size kitchen and spacious living room. Apply now while there are still spots available.

10 Fall Activities for University Students

Not only does fall bring pleasantly cool weather and stunning scenery from the changing colours of the leaves, there are many opportunities to have fun during fall when you’re a university student. Make the most of fall this year by filling your free time with these fun activities. 1. Organize a Picnic Spend time outdoors before the weather turns too cold by having a fall picnic. Ask all your friends to bring different things to eat to have a delicious platter. 2. Go for a Hike Although you could just have a picnic in your local park, you’ll work up more of an appetite if you go hiking. Plus, the walk will warm you up if the weather is chilly. Head to your favourite spot or search for a new hiking trail in a nearby forest or nature reserve. 3. Take a Trip to a Pumpkin Patch An essential fall activity is a trip to a pumpkin patch. Go with a few friends and pick out pumpkins to cook or carve into jack-o’-lanterns. Most pumpkin patches also have a number of other activities, such as crafts and hay rides . 4. Find Your Way Out of a Corn Maze The largest farms may even have a corn maze. If you visit one with a complex design, be prepared to be lost for a while. You may like to go with several friends and split up into a couple groups to see who can make it out first. 5. Pick Apples Another activity that may be available at a farm is apple picking. It’s a fun way to spend time outdoors — and you’ll be rewarded for your efforts with fruit you can use as snacks or bake into desserts like apple pie. 6. Host a Halloween Party If none of your friends are throwing a Halloween party, host one yourself. Ask everyone to dress up (you may like to choose a theme), organize some games, and make sure you have plenty of fall-themed treats on offer. 7. Have a Scary Movie Night If you’d prefer to have just a small group of friends over to your apartment, host a scary movie night. You’ll find plenty of classics streaming during this time of year. 8. Decorate Your Apartment Decorating your apartment is ideal whether you’re hosting an event or you just want to get into the mood for fall. Find cheap Halloween and fall decor in discount stores or make your own. 9. Search for a Haunted House One more essential Halloween activity is a visit to a haunted house. You should find there are at least a few in your town — a club at your university may even set up a haunted house on campus. 10. Make a Bonfire Your campus may also organize a bonfire one evening. If not, search for a place to make one yourself. This is the perfect activity for a cold fall night — and it’s even better if you bring along some s’mores to roast. Enjoy the fall to the max by moving into off-campus rooms for rent. Oshawa students can find a new home at 17Hundred. You’ll have a spacious suite where you can entertain guests or relax after your fall activities. Plus, we have several communal spaces, including a TV and games room, a fitness studio, and WiFi study spaces. Contact us to learn about our current promotions.

Pros & Cons of Having a Car at University

There are both advantages and disadvantages to having your own car while at university. There’s no clear cut answer as to whether having a car is a good idea — you’ll need to decide if the pros outweigh the cons for your situation. Here are some considerations to bear in mind. Pro: It’s Easier to Move Around The main benefit of having a car is being able to go wherever you want, whenever you want. For instance, you’ll be able to commute to campus, head to the grocery store and avoid needing to carry heavy bags of food back home, and go shopping to purchase large items for your apartment. Plus, having a car may mean you’re able to go home more often on weekends and breaks. It’s likely that driving will be cheaper than paying for a train or bus ticket. Having your own car could also open up more opportunities for employment. You’ll be able to search for jobs in a wider area, which could mean higher pay, more reasonable hours, or even work you find more interesting and that better matches your career goals. Con: It’s an Added Expense Most students will find that having a car increases their expenses considerably . As well as gas, you’ll need to pay for insurance and unexpected repairs. Furthermore, depending on where you live, parking could be expensive — you’ll likely need to pay for a permit to be able to bring your car onto campus. You may even struggle to find a parking spot sometimes, which could mean you arrive late to class or another commitment. Pro: You May Have More Fun You’ll have plenty of fun at university without a car — but owning a car can definitely help you get more out of the student experience. You’ll be able to travel farther afield at weekends, perhaps to visit friends at other universities, go on camping or hiking trips, or just move around your city more comfortably. Plus, over your breaks, you could organize road trips with friends. Finally, during the winter you’ll have more incentive to go out if there’s no need to brace for the cold in public transit. Con: It Can Be a Hassle Searching for parking spots, keeping up with regular maintenance, and making sure you always leave your car somewhere safe where there’s a low risk that it will be exposed to damage or theft can be stressful. Plus, if you’re the only person in your group of friends who has a car, you may find that people expect you to drive them. You’ll be the last person to arrive home after events if you need to drop friends off first and you’ll often end up being the designated driver at parties. All this could be more stress than it’s worth. If you decide that you do want to have a car while at university, you’ll need to find an apartment that has parking available. For Ontario Tech University housing, there’s 17Hundred. As well as onsite parking, we have secure bike storage for those who’d prefer not to have a car. Book a video tour to find out more about where you could be living.