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Blogs
Welcome
Being one of OLC's classic storytelling tools, blogs are crafted by SFU Community members which include the everyday student as well as expert voices. This is where we share touching stories, resourceful advice, and insightful knowledge with each other. In keeping with the OLC vision, the following blogs are created by and for students, so why not contribute to the OLC today?
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INTERNATIONAL
Morgan Karugaba shares his journey of how he overcame the challenges of uncertainty, by stepping out of his comfort zone.
As an undergraduate student, Spencer Chen excelled with a GPA of 4.21 and received numerous merit-based scholarships and awards. She also sought diverse research and community service opportunities to make meaningful contributions to the SFU community.
Third year Business student, Corina Inigo, shares about her co-op experience with Teach and Learn in Korea (TaLK). She discusses what TaLK is all about and also shares personal anecdotes from her teaching experience.
Job hunting is never easy. This is especially true when you are an international student with no Canadian experience. Follow Alireza's tips and tricks on how to navigate around this barrier in your search for meaningful work.
Still not sure if co-op is for you? Chetachi explains why co-op was such a valuable experience for her and what it was like to work in the corporate world during her Economics co-op work term.
Looking to maximize your time abroad and integrate with locals, but nervous to take the first few steps? Read on to learn how Kendra broke through their personal barriers, and the advice they have for future travellers to make the most of their work term overseas.
The holidays are a time for fun and festivities, but the feeling of being homesick can also creep in during this time. Here are some steps to help you through it!
Have you landed an International Co-op work-term and begun preparing for your semester abroad? Surely, you have done your research and are aware of the cultural differences and nuances between where you are going, and your home country? If you haven’t, have no fear! This article is meant to help you understand the basic tips and tricks to adjust to the cultural differences in your new workplace, making your transition much easier.
Since its launch in 2005, the Students for Development (SFD) program has been supporting Canadian university students' participation in internships in developing countries and emerging economies. Isabel went on the SFD program in Summer 2011 where she worked with ICO (Instituto de Capacitacion del Oriente) in Bolivia.
“Gosh Roop! Are you really an international student? But you do not speak with an accent. Wow, I would have never guessed that.” Through anecdotes and introspection, Roop shares a compelling narrative of the struggles of why International students face challenges due to language barriers and biases.
Ever wonder how it would feel like being an international student in Vancouver? Talk about a reason to party, well coming from a Punjabi family we hardly need a reason to party but if there was ever a decent one, this was it. Read more to find out about Max Shyngs experience!
Coming to a new country thousands of miles from where you grew up and from everything you know is no easy journey. In this award-winning story, SFU Business student Ali Najaf reflects on the past four years since arriving in Canada from Pakistan in 2012, sharing both his challenges and truimphs.
Jacky is a fourth year Business Student who spent his co-op in Beijing China. Read his interview to discover what his co-op abroad was like. Jacky covers preparing for the work term, work life, and living abroad.
As an international student Ha Na had the reality of high tuition, no work experience and challenges in finding employment. She decided co-op was the solution to learn professional work search skills and gain related employment while attending university. She shares her challenges and successes along the way.
Who doesn’t love travelling? Summer is just around the corner and with that comes the time to make our travel plans a reality. Have you ever thought about travelling as a way to boost your career?
A profile on international student and third year psychology major, Rainy Yumeng Jiang, and how community engagement and volunteering has helped her adjust to Canadian culture.
Nancy applied as an English instructor in South Korea with the intention of just adding another bulletpoint to their resume. However, the experiences they have gained from teaching and living abroad has made their co-op so much more meaningful than what can be written on paper. Read Nancy's story to learn more about Teach and Learn in Korea.
There are a lot of things your international student friends have never told you. From depression to pressure to stereotypes - life isn't always easy when you are studying abroad. Read an international students take on life overseas.
"There's a phrase in Israel, "buckle up your elbows" which means that it's time to hustle. This is exactly what brought me to the place where I'm writing to you right now." -- read Kim's story and learn how you can achieve anything with enough courage and motivation.
In this article, SFU Psychology graduate Ravi Bansal shares her experiences of participating in the Hellenic Studies Field School in Greece. Ravi’s travels encouraged her to become involved in the SFU community, opening up an opportunity to attend the Education without Borders conference in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Changing Times: Stories to Inspire Hope and Resilience
Working from home is a common reality for many Co-op students in the past year. Working from home while working for a Health Authority in the thick of the pandemic is a tremendous experience Kaylla went through last year. Take a look at how she learned to stay productive in these uncertain times.
The Latest
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.
Ever wonder what it’s like to work at NVIDIA as a Software Intern? That’s exactly what I did during 2021. I’ll be breaking down my entire experience at NVIDIA from start to finish; alongside the various open-source projects I had a chance to work on while at NVIDIA.
Starting my first co-op work term from home was not ideal. How was I supposed to make meaningful connections with those around me… when they weren’t physically around me?
Taking and implementing criticism is a difficult but important part of professional life. Read on to see how to make it easier on yourself when you get a bad review.
David Oyetola’s Semester in Dialogue experience and how you can learn to make an immediate impact on the world while studying your career.
I imagined that working in social media would be a walk in the park. After all, I’ve spent about half my life rotating through different apps every day like a very boring episode of Black Mirror. What I forgot to take into consideration was that despite its name, I’m not actually the most “social” person at all. Keep reading to learn all about my experience working in social media marketing as an introvert.
Working at any new job is a nerve-wracking task, but being online makes us feel like we start a few more steps behind. Read's Kit's perspective on her first few days working at the Government of Canada, and how to make those really important connections over the webcam.
I started my first co-op with high expectations (and nerves) – I was finally going back in-person at SFU, but this time for my first co-op. I was more nervous than I expected, there were so many questions and I had no idea what to expect.
Even the most well-meaning actions can have unintended consequences. Read SFU student Jillian's piece on what some of the dos and don'ts are for providing help to a blind person are.
2022 is here! Read Terae's piece on how to be kind to yourself in the new year.
I didn’t go into Co-op thinking that I would learn how to take care of myself. I was expecting to gain the traditional benefits–building up your resume, strengthening your professional skills, obtaining good references–but it ended up becoming much more than that.
As I was finishing my third and final lap biking around the Stanley Park Seawall, my legs felt like Jell-O. I never biked this much before (a whopping 53 km that day, by the way), which made me wonder why I agreed to go on a “short” bike ride with my new co-workers at Vancouver Coastal Health. Looking back, however, I am glad that I agreed to join the bike ride. Continue reading to learn how this activity got me to know my co-workers outside of work – something that I didn’t know I needed.
We talked to members of the SFU community about how they celebrated the holiday season.
It's the start of another year, and that means it's resolutions time! Hermine from the Student Learning Commons has some great tips for acing your goals in the new year.
Lost for words? No problem. The first of this two-part series from the SFU Library goes over how to edit your essay, exam, or final paper.
I’m a student at SFU and on top of that, though, I’m a freelance creative. I do a bit of everything. As my first Co-op work term approached, I got nervous. I was terrified, frankly, that I would have to stop creating if I wanted to pursue full-time work. Keep reading to learn about how I learned to balance working full-time and being a freelance creative.
While smartphones and other tech devices are helpful for our personal and professional lives, it’s beneficial to take a day off occasionally. Here are some tips on how to take a break from endless scrolling.
You probably know that dreadful feeling you get after opening an email that is so long your finger gets tired from scrolling. While the process of sending an email may seem intuitive, there are many considerations that should be made before hitting that “send” button. Therefore, I present to you, essential email etiquette tips every employee should know.
Meet Karina Ibraveva, a SIAT Co-op student who's working with Aquatic Informatic as a Junior UX/UI Designer. Learn more about her journey in Co-op by clicking on the link below.
Sydney shares how she managed to combine her long time passion for writing and her work.