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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
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.
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.
“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.
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.
Learning how to effectively communicate in a new work environment can be difficult enough, but add a language barrier and things get even more complicated. Here are Julia's top tips for overcoming language barriers in the workplace.
"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.
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.
Are you an international student that feels like there is a wall that stops you from moving forward? Are you trying to improve your language level, but feel embarrassed communicating in English? You're not the only one. But there are people who are reaching their goals. Find your inspiration and become one of them.
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?
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.
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.
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.
Mario Fong travelled to Hong Kong to join the HSBC trainee program through International Co-op. Dropping everything to live in a new country provided him with personal and professional experiences he won't soon forget.
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.
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!
Bachelor of Sciences graduand Charity Mudhikwa hit the ground running when she came to Canada in 2018 for university, dedicating her undergraduate degree helping SFU students and the community at large.
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.
New to Vancouver? Discover 4 spots Lauretta discovered in her adventures around the city.
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.
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
Do you thrive on innovation and creativity? Enjoy developing ground-up software solutions? If so, IBM’s Extreme Blue internship is for you. It is where business, innovation, research, and software development meet to provide solutions to satisfy business needs. Read on to learn about Warunika’s experience as an Extreme Blue intern in software development.
Jordan began his co-op at TELUS with a limited skillset and a lack of experience. Eight months later, he left TELUS with more than he could have imagined. In this blog post, he shares nine tips that helped him find success during his work term.
The Professional Development Coordinator at SFU's School for the Contemporary Arts interviews Daniel Arnold and Marisa Emma Smith from Alley Theatre about the company, their interest in working with students and advice for emerging artists.
Choosing a career is not about selecting an archetype (like ‘lawyer’, or ‘doctor’, or ‘teacher’), but about exploring who you are, what your skill set is, and what type of career will be a good fit for you. In this blog, I talk about letting go of the pressure to have it all figured out, and to instead embrace different ideas and explore different options to find a career that fits.
The department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology (BPK) will be hosting its 8th Annual Research Day on Friday, March 31. Twelve BPK undergraduate students were asked a simple question: What do you like about research? After compiling all of their responses, I present to you six reasons why we like research!
Nervous about your first co-op job? Don’t be! These five tips will help prepare you for success and boost your confidence levels in no time. Keep calm & read on!
Have you thought about physiotherapy as a career option, or as part of your plan to rid your body of aches or pains? This article focuses on my own personal experiences with Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS) at my co-op placement, and how it has affected my back pain as well as my future in physiotherapy.
If you are an international student struggling with language and culture barriers in Canada, you are not alone. Liu Siyu, is a fourth-year international student here to share her stories about study, work, and career.
For some, seniors can be intimidating and difficult to work with. However, after working as a Student Kinesiologist with 6-8 different clients on a daily basis, Matthew has compiled a list of 10 tips and tricks to help anyone working with seniors in any context, not just kinesiology.
Looking through co-op job postings and have no idea what a job as a Student Kinesiologist entails? I didn’t either. Now that I’ve worked as one, I’m here to shine some light on the subject.
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.
The RCMP is a sought out employer for criminology students. If your main experience to date is in the retail sector, then there is a lot to discover about interviewing and working in the Public Service. Danika shares her experience moving from retail to working for the RCMP.
Having been involved in recruitment and on-boarding processes, discussions with managers and engineering recruitment teams, I share my experiences in recruitment and career development to give you insight into what employers are looking for.
From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, Gary shares his experiences and lessons learned from when he lived and worked in the heart of Bavaria, Germany at the adidas Group global headquarters.
Something that first starts out as a hobby may eventually grow into a highly tangible skill that is valued in the eyes of potential employers. For Jessica, she never considered her ability to create stories from videos would be good enough to pursue a career in it. But that all changed when Vancouver Coastal Health called and offered her a position as a videographer.
Take a deep breath. Look around you. Everyone has uncertainties! However, embracing your uncomfortable and uncertain situation is the first step to discovering yourself. Read Richard's blog to find out how they turn moments of uncertainties into learning opportunities!
SFU has joined the Canadian Bureau for International Education’s (CBIE) Learning Beyond Borders (LBB) initiative to inspire more students to take advantage of learning experiences in other countries. Learn more about this initiative and what is means for you!
Ever needed help with writing a paper? The Student Learning Commons is the place to go. I’m a passionate Learning & Writing Peer Educator. Here’s a glimpse of what it’s like.
After a successful event in 2016, the SFU chapter of the co-ed international medical fraternity, Phi Delta Epsilon, will be hosting a second annual Anatomy Fashion Show on March 4th, 2017. This event is being organized by passionate pre-medical students who wish to raise funds for B.C. Children’s Hospital by putting on a creative, entertaining, and interactive event. Monique, the chair of the organizing committee, shares more information about the event in this article.
Every 10 minutes a senior is hospitalized from a fall—a preventable cause of injury and death among seniors. Megan joined the Fraser Health Patient Safety and Injury Prevention team as part of their multidisciplinary program to prevent seniors from falling. Continue reading to learn more about Megan's co-op experience!
The distinct ping of a notification at work often leads to a reflexive action in many of us. Do it, check the email. Sasha Zalyvadna shares her experience on how to combat the need to check work emails more often than one probably should.
After finishing two co-op semesters in Canada, Health Sciences student Samantha Lui wanted to take things farther and ventured off to Japan for eight months as a Research Assistant with the Kao Corporation. Find out how she successfully transitioned into a new environment whilst exploring every part of this exciting country.
Read Henna's story on how she overcame career pressure and her journey of career and interest exploration!
The Peer Health Educators, also known as the Health Peers, are an amazing group of students who hold events and workshops to promote various health topics to their peers. I was able to interview a few of the Health Peers to discuss their involvement with the program. Whether you are interested in getting involved or want more information on the types of events held by the Health Peers, keep reading to find out more.
Ever thought about working in Management Information Systems? Third year business student Vivyn Zhou shares her journey working for System Improvement in the Decision Support department at Vancouver Coastal Health.
The job application process can be overwhelming, especially you are sifting through an extensive list of companies that you may have never heard of. Amy explains why you should take a chance with a smaller organization and the rewarding experiences that may come with it.
Do you do sit-ups and crunches to to either get or maintain that six-pack? This article sheds light on why learned habits such as this are detrimental for your back health. In addition, I discuss “Spine Hygiene”, which refers to the daily maintenance of the spine as necessary to prevent back issues.
Will technological change and automation do away with the careers you’re focused on? Or will they make them more exciting? Learn about the latest developments and what you can do now to prepare yourself for the future.
Find out more about my co-op job as a Research Assistant for SFU and discover how Lauren learned to navigate the data, politics and presentations to appreciate a side of the university students don’t normally get to experience.
For her second co-op, Environmental Science student Tegan Gallilee-Lang ventured out to the Greater Vancouver Zoo to assist the Fraser Valley Wetlands Wildlife Project. Read about her adventures on the job and her new animal friends!