Blogs

SFU Communication student Clayton Wong reflects on his co-op journey and how his co-ops at Tesla, Snapchat, and YVR Airport shaped his career path. 

Everyone's fitness journey is different! Read about SFU Recreation's Audrey Heath journey with fitness! 

It’s easy to feel burnt out and demoralized when looking around at your peers and contemporaries, but following your path comes with success that feels uniquely yours.

The last couple of semesters of university can feel like forever, especially when you’re losing motivation to continue the journey. Here are some of my tips on how to stay focused and inspired before graduation. 

Today we’re talking to Rifayat Raisa, who graduated in April 2021 from the MA Economics program. During her time at SFU she was able to complete a co-op with Policy Reporter as a Research and Reporting Assistant. With this role she was able to break into the health economics industry and is still with the company today. Continue reading to have a look into her experience with co-op and what she’s learned along the way.

Finding community in your workplace is just one way to enrich your overall working and learning experience. Creating relationships with colleagues, and friendships in the community not only benefits your work life but can reflect a positive personal life as well. Whether this looks like sharing inside jokes with a co-worker, a meaningful conversation with a peer, or a meal with community, these are just some ways to grow your social circle.

The software industry can be intimidating for your first co-op but it can also be a great way to gain a wide skill set that can be applied throughout many industries.

Today we’re talking with Masood Abdinejad, a master of economics student in his second year, who’s currently doing a co-op work term at Natural Resources Canada. Learn about his co-op experience as an international student working in a federal government role.

The OLC loves its co-op students! Nazanin, our Tech Co-op student, reflects on her time here and what her strategies for success were. 

Working from home the last few years has had a steep learning curve. Read on to see how Victoria, a Master's student at SFU, spent her online co-op term and the pros and cons of remote work. 

After entering the workforce eight years ago, how did I just find out that non-for-profits provide the best learning opportunities for students and professionals looking to diversify their skills? Overtime, I have worked for family businesses, not-for-profits, and corporations, but I always found myself growing and learning more while working for a not-for-profit. 

Must shoot your own headshot? Don’t fret! These tips from a professional photographer will make finding a location, picking good lighting, and shooting a photo a breeze.

The day before an interview tends to be the most anxiety-inducing, especially as a Co-op student. Maybe it’s because you really want that specific position, have little professional experience or generally have social anxiety in new and uncomfortable situations. With a little reflection on my interview process, I came up with three tips to hopefully calm your nerves before, during and after your next interview.

Whether you’re like me and have been doing Co-op for a while now, or just have had your fair share of job interviews, then you probably think you know everything there is to be prepared for one. However, I will tell you right now that, unless you have actually conducted a job interview, you most likely do not. Continue reading for some insider tips on Co-op interviews that I feel everyone should know.

Sharing tips for good mental health practices is essential for building both a helpful community and a better future for yourself. Read SFU Health and Counselling's tips for being more present in the moment. 

Want a little more out of your university experience? Here’s why studying at the library is the best way to make the most out of your time at SFU academically and socially.

Running is a drag. Here’s some ways to keep yourself motivated and healhy as you continue on your New Year’s resolutions. 

Your path to discovering your career won’t look like someone else’s. This is an important lesson that I've learned during my Co-op journey that has motivated me to explore all the possibilities of what a future career could entail. Keep reading to learn about how I've continued my Co-op journey and more about how I've continued to learn about myself during this experience. 

So you or someone you've been in contact with has been exposed to COVID. Here are a couple of ways to pass the five-day quarantine and not go out of your mind during it. 

Counselling has a lot of benefits, but it is a human relationship, and sometimes a counsellor you meet may not be the right fit - and that's okay.

A tiny step in learning and building a balanced work-personal life is a big step in your growth and accomplishments.

We all wish we could sleep in longer than we need to every morning when our alarm rings. Here’s an argument for why you should listen to that alarm and even set it back a couple of hours if possible.

How do you re-enter a social world after spending most of your time behind a computer screen? Here are some tips that helped me navigate the uncharted seas of post-pandemic socialization. 

Having self-confidence has consistently been a goal of mine to achieve. And for a long time, I would get scared at the thought of pursuing Co-op positions as I thought that it would surely make me feel less confident about myself. But little did I know, my experiences in Co-op have been one of the biggest factors in building my self-confidence.

Whether it’s an intimate meeting or a large crowd, speaking publicly in front of others can be difficult and intimidating. Follow along to hear some of the best tips for making sure you are prepared and present your most confident self!    

Being a visually-impaired person on a university campus has its own unique difficulties on top of being a university student. Read Jillian's experience on what makes the campus accessible for her, and what resources she uses to make the most of her university career.

Close to graduating or just want to know what the transition from being a student to working full-time is like? Check out Simran’s post about some of the challenges she faced due to her student habits and how she overcame them!

Moving out during COVID was a daunting prospect, but taking that leap of faith has led me to having the best semester since before the pandemic. The skills I learned from this experience have helped me find balance even when life throws challenges my way.  

Stepping out of your personal development comfort zone is a scary thought, but many good things can await on the other side if you take the first step.

Need a practical look at how communication studies are found in real life? These video essays may give you an idea to how media and culture are intertwined with communication through practical examples.