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SPRING CLEANING!

Our team is doing some spring cleaning starting with user accounts. Login using your CAS credentials for instructions. We appreciate your speedy action so we can move onto other new and exciting initiatives over the summer.

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OLC!

BY STUDENTS, FOR STUDENTS

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Join the community using your SFU CAS account. Then, complete your registration by clicking on your name located in the top right corner of the page.

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Share Your SFU Story 

Have a story to share about your time at SFU? Add your voice to the ever-expanding gallery of community stories on our SFU Stories page! Take about 15 minutes to reflect on your experiences at SFU, including, but not limited to, involvement in clubs, student unions, peer mentorship, and work opportunities. Share your story to educate, inspire, and connect the SFU community. Submissions are welcome year-round, from all years and faculties.

Everyone has a story! What's yours?

SUBMIT

NEW VIDEO SERIES

Multilingual SFU

SFU students (graduate and undergraduate,) staff and faculty share their multilingual experience and welcome you to multilingual week at SFU. Do you have a multilingual story to share? Add it to the OLC.

Watch

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Share Your SFU Story 

Have a story to share about your time at SFU? Add your voice to the ever-expanding gallery of community stories on our SFU Stories page! Take about 15 minutes to reflect on your experiences at SFU, including, but not limited to, involvement in clubs, student unions, peer mentorship, and work opportunities. Share your story to educate, inspire, and connect the SFU community. Submissions are welcome year-round, from all years and faculties.

Everyone has a story! What's yours?

SUBMIT

Changing Times: Stories to Inspire Hope and Resilience

 

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Blog
Discover Your True Self: 7 Tips to Develop Unwavering Self-Belief and Authenticity
Digital Resource Assistant

Take chances as you never know what opportunities may arise. Meet Priyanka Das, a Beedie Co-op student who’s working with SFU’s Communication and Marketing department as a Digital Resource Assistant. Learn more about how she landed her current co-op and other opportunities such as the CEOx1Day finalist by being authentic and believing in their abilities.

VOLUNTEER STORIES

 

FEATURED

Chinmayee's Picks

Chinmayee's Picks

OLC has things to help students go pro. Having been part of the OLC's technical team and coming from a tech background myself, I tend to skim through tech-related articles first, diving deeper into the ones that pique my interest. I've compiled a list of my favourite finds from the OLC website, considering them valuable assets for fellow students.

Jared's Picks

Jared's Picks

Working as an editor for the OLC has been such a positive learning experience and has help me connect with so many unique and engaging stories. I would like to share some of my favourite pieces that I had the pleasure of working on. Yes, their grammar and spelling is great and their writing voice is very personal but each of these had something special.

Serena's Picks

Serena's Picks

It's been an amazing four months as a Copy Editor here at the OLC. I've had the chance to work on a variety of content, and it's been quite a journey. The OLC is a unique space where students can explore and contribute to a wide range of topics. Choosing my top picks was tough with so much good stuff, but here are three pieces that really stood out to me.

FEATURED

Hustle Culture

Hustle Culture

When should you stop and take a break? How much work is too much work? In this episode of Diving Into the Everyday, join us as we explore what is hustle culture, looking at its rise in exposure, and why a person may feel this pressure to participate.

Experiencing A New Culture In Mexico

Experiencing A New Culture In Mexico

I learned a lot more about myself – new interests, being more adaptable, future ambitions, etc. It was one of the most unique and remarkable experiences in my lifetime.

7 Ways to Have a Successful Meeting With Your Supervisor or Team

7 Ways to Have a Successful Meeting With Your Supervisor or Team

If you are struggling to facilitate or actively participate in meetings, you are not alone, as many students share the same struggle in school projects, student clubs and the workplace.

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NEW VIDEO SERIES

Job Search in a Pandemic

New episodes of Career Conversations from SFU Career and Volunteer Services are released every Tuesday on the OLC. Tune in see your most burning questions about the world of work, volunteering, and career exploration answered by guests from diverse professional backgrounds and organizations across Canada.

Episode 3 features Kristina Lee, Director of the IT Division at Impact Recruitment. You don't want to miss her expert tips for job searching during the pandemic and how you can best show off your soft skills to employers.

Watch
person laughing

NEW VIDEO SERIES

Job Search in a Pandemic

New episodes of Career Conversations from SFU Career and Volunteer Services are released every Tuesday on the OLC. Tune in see your most burning questions about the world of work, volunteering, and career exploration answered by guests from diverse professional backgrounds and organizations across Canada.

Episode 3 features Kristina Lee, Director of the IT Division at Impact Recruitment. You don't want to miss her expert tips for job searching during the pandemic and how you can best show off your soft skills to employers.

Watch

NEW POST

Activism Burnout: An Interview with Registered Clinical Counsellors

In light of the increased visibility of injustices around the world, taking a stand and contributing to social justice is becoming more prominent in our everyday lives. As you learn and advocate about different injustices, you may experience activism burnout with added stressors such as balancing work, personal life, school, and extracurricular activities. SFU Health Peers interview Counsellors at Health and Counselling Services for advice.

Read

NEW POST

Why You Should Consider Submitting an SFU Story to the OLC

SFU Stories on the OLC are short-form, Instagram-style, narrative stories that help to build a welcoming SFU community. No matter how big or small, every story has something to offer. Share your story today!

Read

NEW POST

I’m Starting a Minor Late Into My Degree... Now What?

One of our OLC team members, Brianna Tsang, shares her experience of deciding her minor in her 3rd year at SFU. "The knowledge and genuine connections made throughout this process has been an amazing experience and opportunity to have."

Read

NEW POST

Social Media Addiction & Screen Fatigue: A Survival Guide for Jobs in Social Media

When it comes to social media and digital marketing positions, it’s easy to be blinded by the positives. After all, many Communication majors are fascinated by digital marketing and algorithms— and if you’re a digital native, creating social media content might already be second nature to you. Whether you manage social media for your organization or create external content, there are a few bonuses to consider.

Read

NEW STUDENT PODCAST

On the Spot with the OLC

The OLC team is extremely excited to introduce a brand new podcast titled On the Spot with the OLC. Your hosts, Mehtaab and Terae, discuss important topics revolving around community, engagement, education and overall life advice! Within these 12 episodes, your hosts aim to bring a well rounded perspective to a variety of topics as they believe they can provide insightful knowledge about what it's like to be an SFU student. Please make sure to have a listen!

Listen to Episode 1: Creating Community at SFU

NEW PODCAST ON THE OLC

StudioBytes

Welcome to Studio Bytes! A podcast inspired by the energy of the SIAT Studios and the memories students make in those spaces. This podcast invites Alumni back into the studio and we get to learn about their experiences at SIAT and their lives after. In Episode 2 meet SFU Alumni Marie Cheung who shares her experience at SFU, her life post SFU and her time in Europe

Listen to Episode 2: What is Service Design?

Login to Provide your Feedback!

Did you know that each landing page on the site has a feedback section for logged in users? We use this information to discover and fix issues, consider site improvements and addition of new features. Our tech team is focused on feature improvements this summer, so share your input to direct changes to the OLC.

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ABOUT

Our Learning Community

SFU's Our Learning Community has an incredible range of content created by and for the SFU community. This includes diverse and authentic stories, which show a range of inspirational knowledge sharing happening between students, as well as handy tools that help with learning anywhere and everywhere you are.
 
Discover how you can contribute to our ever-expanding learning community.

 

CONTRIBUTE
11112
Members Joined

 

2226
231
Projects Created

 

92
Series Compiled

 

EXPLORE

Recognizing that our SFU community members are versatile storytellers, the new OLC has expanded how you can tell your story. Come take a look by exploring into this brand new range of content curated by our editors; this includes Blogs, SFU Stories, Videos, and Podcasts. And remember, no matter where you are in your learning journey at SFU, we want to hear your story! Learn more on how you can contribute to the OLC.

 

 

EXPLORE
A woman standing with a cardboard box on her head
Blog
How to Navigate Student Mindset Traps

When students enter their first or second Co-op work term, there can be a risk of falling into student mindset traps. These are the habits we pick up as students that are detrimental to our professional performance and development. Read on to learn more about how Bowen learned to avoid student mindset traps after four Co-op semesters working for three different companies.

A person flexing
Blog
Just Like Bunko: Learning Strengths

Everyone has weaknesses. But its focusing on your strengths that grant you success in life.

A picture of Aslam sitting in front of a window.
Podcast
Building Community
a phone screen showcasing Amazon stocks rising
Blog
Get Your Side Hustle On: A Student's Guide to Part-Time Work

As she puts it, grad student Srijani Datta has been a student for most of her life. To support her love of academia she has worked as a reporter, tutor, translator, transcriber, and content writer. Develop your own side-hustle with her tips. 

READ

LEARN

SHARE

CONTRIBUTE

Videos

Read

Learn

Share

Contribute

There is so much to explore on the new OLC!

So, browse around and have fun with the new learning and storytelling tools. Found something not working?

EXPLORE

Recognizing that our SFU community members are versatile storytellers, the new OLC has expanded how you can tell your story. Come take a look by exploring this wider range of content including Blogs, SFU Stories, Videos, Experiential Learning Experiences, and Podcasts. And remember, no matter where you are in your learning journey at SFU, we want to hear your story! Learn more on how you can contribute to the OLC.

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THE LATEST

Catch up on the latest and freshest content from the SFU OLC. You're bound to find a fresh new perspective, the most current advice, and recently published stories that are sure to inspire you.

 

 

THE LATEST
Two women talking while sitting at a  coffee table.
Blog
On Self-Care, Capitalism, and Social Justice

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.

Image of False Creek
Blog
Cycling Out of a Cycle

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.

Collage of 6 social media posts
Blog
Full-Time Co-op, Part-Time Artist: It Can Be Done!

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. 

A person typing on a computer.
Blog
5 Email Etiquette Tips Every Employee Needs to Know

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.

a potrait of Karina in her workplace
Blog
Karina Ibrayeva: Making the World’s Water Data More Usable and Accessible

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.

Person typing on their laptop
Blog
Did your Co-op Term Confirm your Career Path? It’s Okay If It Didn’t.

If you are anything like me, one reason that you might have applied for Co-op was because of the many success stories that you've read and heard about. While these stories can be so inspiring and motivating, I have realized that it’s also important to remember that it’s okay to come out of a Co-op term still unsure of what you may want to do. Continue reading to learn about what I learned after my first Co-op work term.

A headshot of Rifayat against a white background.
Blog
MA student establishes career in health economics through co-op work experience

A master's student recently graduated from Simon Fraser University (SFU)'s Department of Economics, Rifayat Raisa had always been interested in venturing into the field of health economics. Read to discover how she broke into the industry using SFU Co-op. 

Two people using a computer in a top-down point of view.
Blog
From Volunteering to Working: How My Volunteer Experience Helped Me Land a Job That I Love!

Wondering how to land a co-op job that you enjoy with no experience? Volunteer! My volunteer experience with the SFU Health Peers translated into a co-op job with the Canadian Mental Health Association. Keep reading to find out how volunteering can lead to a full-time job!

New Westminster's Pattulo Bridge at night.
Blog
Placemaking at My Urban Planning Co-op

How rewarding it is to be able to work for the city you live in? As an immigrant, it was a unique way of strengthening ties with my new city and gain work experience at the same time. 

Audrey Heath posing in front of a red mosaic
Blog
Communicating Indigenous Narratives

As the Communications Program Assistant at the Indigenous Student Centre at SFU it is my job to create content to share with students that not only promote our programs, but foster community. Read more to find out how it went!

a photo of Jack Le
Blog
SEE Co-op: Look at Sustainability from a Different Perspective

SEE Co-op student - Jack Le has a very interesting experience working with one of the largest energy companies Baker Hughes as an engineering intern. Find out more about his journey in this article.

woman holding a piece of paper with a laptop in front of her
Blog
Business Development & Sales World for Dummies (and Communication Students)

As a Communication major, I’m comfortable with hearing “the medium is the message”, getting lost in 15-page essays, and wondering why a picture of a pipe is in fact, not a pipe (shoutout CMNS 110). Throw me in a tech start-up in a (remote) business development position and well, I’m a touch out of my comfort zone. Keep reading to learn about my experience working in a business role as a Communication major. 

Open laptop, pen, and clipboard on a table. Paper on clipboard reads "my resume".
Blog
Imposter Syndrome and Finding My Confidence With Co-op

Michael joined SFU’s Co-op program during his first year and quickly realized one thing as he began the job search process: projecting confidence and composure are key to showing your best points and skills. Continue reading to learn more about how Michael dealt with imposter syndrome and found his confidence with Co-op. 

A portrait of Justine in an outdoor setting.
Blog
Co-op Work Experience Propels Economics Student's Career Trajectory

Even as a child, economics student Justine Mok loved helping others and she aspired to pursue a career that would allow her to make a meaningful difference. Read on to see how she used her time at SFU Economics to fuel her future.

Four silhouettes on a beach with a sunset behind them.
Blog
How to Capitalize on Your Mistakes

Mistakes and regrets are a part of life, but there will always be a way to move on from them. Look at OLC staff member Terae’s blog on how she learned to accept her failures and find a new perspective on her path to the future. 

Painted sign of the sun and blue skies that says "Burnaby"
Blog
What Is It Really Like Working For a Non-Profit?

I have always wanted to work at a non-profit organization. While my main objective during my first Co-op term was to gain experience in the Communication field, that goal to work at a non-profit had always remained in the back of my mind. Keep reading to learn more about my experience working for a non-profit. 

Girl smiling
Blog
How Working in the Health Care Sector during a Pandemic Rekindled My Passion for Communication Work

Communication? What do you do in Communication? It wasn't until my Co-op term with Fraser Health that I started to gain a solid understanding of what a career in Communication could really encompass. Keep reading to learn about how working in the healthcare sector during a pandemic rekindled my passion for Communication work. 

Vancouver Biennale project under the Cambie Bridge
Blog
Working in the AR Industry as an App Designer

SIAT Co-op Student Michelle Illing talks about her work experiences at Vancouver Biennale and how the SIAT Co-op programs helped her during her work term

white desk with open laptop, computer mouse, phone, notebook, and plant
Blog
Non-Profit, Start-Up or Corporate: What's Right for You?

Co-op can be an overwhelming process. You are entering a trial adult experience where you look for and apply for jobs. But what do you do when you are scrolling through the long list of job postings and a wave of companies and organizations blind your eyes? Continue reading to learn about Carissa's experience working for a variety of industries. 

Four people sit around a table in business casual wear.
Blog
Value People as Much as You Value Your Work!

When a company invests in its people, the work experience can go from good to great. Roop Gill’s anecdotal piece on how she prospered in her co-op despite massive setbacks proves that there is nothing more valuable than workplace connection.

A stethoscope resting next to an open laptop.
Blog
How I Created My Own Co-op Opportunity and How You Can Too

Interested in self-directed Co-ops and want to know more? Read on as Jessica shares her experience creating a self-directed Co-op at TELUS and gives advice that can help make your work term run as smoothly as possible!

A portrait of Marilyn sitting outside with a cup in her hand.
Blog
Meet Marilyn Brimacombe: CMNS Co-op Student Shares Experience Working at FCAT and the Parkinson Society BC

Communication student Marilyn Brimacombe talks about her time at Parkinson Society and FCAT, and how she used Communications skills to her advantage.

5 people waiting to go into an interview
Blog
How I Found a Self-Directed Co-op in the Non-Profit Industry with No Experience

This article outlines my tips for those looking to find their own self-directed co-op and break into the non-profit industry with no experience.

A picture of Alan in front of a Fraser Health COVID-19 VACCINATION poster.
Blog
How to Make a Difference While Working in Health Care

Do you want to make a difference in your community? Are you interested in working in health care for your co-op work term but don’t know if you have what it takes? Read about the skills Alan found helped him have a successful work term in health care.

A collage of three pictures - one of a kayaker on the water on the right, a portrait of Justin in the middle, and a desk overlooking a mountain on the right.
Blog
Immersing Myself in a Work Culture Dedicated to Health and Wellness

With a lot of us working at home, looking after our health becomes a high priority. Check out Justin’s post about how his workplace extended a helping hand and how it affected him and his work positively. 

Abstract art of business and fun cartoon man
Blog
Protecting Work-Life Balance when Working in Non-Profit

“Find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life” has been attributed to several thinkers: Confucius, Mark Twain, and Marc Anthony. Regardless, this sentiment is unrealistic.

View of Dusseldorf, Germany at sunset
Blog
Building Bilateral Relationships: International Co-op in Germany During a Pandemic

Though a move across the world during a pandemic was daunting, I was comforted by my German language ability, my experience having spent time in the country, and the strong co-op support team that stood behind me. 

Portrait of Audrey
Blog
Economics Grad Enhances Her SFU Experience Through Experiential Learning and Community Engagement

SFU Economics Grad Audrey Radstake reflects on her time in Economics, her favourite courses, and how her Co-op terms have already started affecting her future. 

girl sitting in front of laptop and computer monitor screen with emails open
Blog
4 Reasons Why You Should Do Your Co-op with the SFU Co-op Program

Wondering what's it like to do a Co-op term with Co-op? If so, check out Sarah's experience working as the Digital Design and Communications Assistant for the SFU Surrey Co-op Programs, where she had had the opportunity to work with four different Co-op programs!

The staff of Streamline Athletics and Moment Energy pose for pictures
Blog
Two SFU Emerging Tech Companies Among New Ventures BC Top 10

Two SFU-Alumni founded companies, Moment Energy and Streamline Athletes, are SFU’s Coast Capital Savings Venture Connection incubator startups at the Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship this year! Read on to see how each company was formed and what the future looks like.