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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
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!
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?
Being an international student at SFU is not easy as there aren't many opportunities to meet other students. The Global Student Centre welcomes all, hosting events that bring students together to celebrate diversity and create intercultural awareness.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Morgan Karugaba shares his journey of how he overcame the challenges of uncertainty, by stepping out of his comfort zone.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
"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 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.
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.
New to Vancouver? Discover 4 spots Lauretta discovered in her adventures around the city.
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.
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
Have no clue on how to start a portfolio? Check out this blog to get useful beginner tips for building your portfolio!
As we’re coming up to the end of the semester, most of us are thinking of looking for opportunities to work over the summer. As such, most of you are putting together your cover letter and resume, and maybe even your portfolio. Besides the research about the company, how do you prepare for those tough interview questions?
Learn all about the engaged student of the week; Shantelle! Find out how she engages with SFU and the community by reading on.
Essential Skills for Aboriginal Futures is an innovative Essential Skills program to the Aboriginal Community through employer partnerships and customized training that supports employment success and retention.
Coqualeetza Cultural Education Centre has the main purpose of promoting, preserving and interpreting Sto:lo Lifestyle, Language, Traditions, and Heritage, from the Sto:lo point of view.
As an SFU student, there are many services to actively prepare for a career after graduation. Indigenous students have all of the career services available to them that any other student has; however, they also have Aboriginal resources as well.
Cover letters. The bane of everyone’s work search. A great cover letter doesn’t just happen by itself; rather, it is the result of you taking the time to do your research, and writing effective and meaningful information in a few well-worded sentences.
What can we take from the "smaller" things that we love? Often, they bring our lives tremendous amounts of meaning. It's important to acknowledge that work isn't the only area of life that we can derive meaning or fulfill our values.
Dealing with conflict is a crucial skill. The field of Dispute Resolution offers a variety of methods to manage and dissipate problematic issues. One popular approach is Issue-Based Problem Solving, which I discuss in this post. Read on for a simple 6-step guide to help you address emerging conflicts.
In this blog post, Patricia shares with us some tips and tricks to creating our own portfolios. Read on to find out more!
Aboriginal women and their children are among the most discriminated against and socially and economically disadvantaged living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The Aboriginal Mother Centre offers a safe and caring long-term home and all of the resources necessary to assist mothers and their children in realizing a brighter future.
We are the leader in Aboriginal Early Childhood Education. We are the Catalyst for focusing expertise and creating opportunities to benefit sites. Keep reading to find out more...
Earning the Duke of Ed Award looks great on your resume as it shows you are a well rounded individual who is connected to the community. It’s a great way to explore your interests and try something new.
Everyone has a picture in their mind when they think of what they will be doing when they land their first co-op job. It’s good to think big, but just remember to think FLEXIBLE. Let me tell you how being flexible allowed me to get a great co-op experience.
You are new to the company, and you don’t know anyone. Where do you start? How about the lunchroom! Read on to learn about Natalie's lunchroom experience for her first co-op job.
University can be a draining experience. So how to do you recharge yourself without delaying your academic or professional plans? Why not go on an international co-op placement? Check out BPK student Evan Hutcheon's adventure, reflections and experiences he gained working in Poland.
When it comes to your career, predicting, planning or trying to figure out what you’ll be doing in the future is well…almost impossible. Did you know that 70% of post-secondary students revealed their career choices were significantly influenced by an unplanned event (Krumboltz and Levin, 2004)?
Of the many debates in the career development world, the one over "passion" might be the most volatile. How much of a role should passion play in career choice? Looking at what we mean by "passion" might lead to some new answers.
Kerri shows you where to find SFU's resources for building your resume, coverletter, and interview skills. Read on to find out how to use this to get volunteer positions.
Check out this week's Engaged Student of the Week! Learn about why and how they are engaged and how you can get involved at SFU too.
Harsimran Kaur is a Career Peer Educator with SFU Career Services, and a third year student studying health sciences, kinesiology, and psychology. Her passions revolve around helping people, and she aspires to a career in emergency medicine and epidemiology.
Indigenous students transitioning to post-secondary often face unique challenge, which is why it's important to learn about all the community resources and scholarships avalible to Indigenous students at SFU.
Saying goodbye is hard under any circumstance, and people tend to avoid doing it as a result. Workplace relationships end all the time, so what's the best way to end them gracefully? I share my thoughts here.
Check out Felice's article giving you the Do's and Dont's of getting involved! Read on to find out ways to get engaged with your university.
Finding a job that you want to wake up for can be a challenge, especially in today’s economy. But what if you could create your own job? I know someone who (almost) did this for themselves and this is his story.
Searching for a career can be an intimidating prospect. Looking for work requires self-confidence and faith in ones abilities, as well as skin thick enough to handle rejection. Add in fear of discrimination and it can be debilitating. This is why educating oneself about Canada’s Employment Equity Act is so important.
Christina shares her experience in leading a group of Aboriginal high-school students through a tour of SFU, where they discussed the troubling statistics of Aboriginal student drop-out rates and the potential for their future.
So you want to work for a certain employer, but they don’t have any job openings. What do you do? One option is to create a “job proposal” for the new position you’re aspiring to. Here’s how to do it.
Crystal Morris shares her education and career journey, which has included a wide variety of roles in government, and the private sector, and how they brought her to where she is today.
Planning to attend a career fair? Don't waste the recruiters time, or your own - learn how to arrive prepared, get the most out of the experience, and leave a great first impression.