Blog Posts

Common Types of Professors & How to Succeed with Them

You’ll meet all sorts of professors at university — some you’ll love instantly, whereas others could fail to engage you or be demanding in their standards for assignments. Typically, professors fall into a few main categories. When you start a new class, it helps to categorize the professor to figure out what you’ll need to do to succeed. 1. The Less Interesting Professor Unfortunately, you’ll probably take some classes that you find boring. The classes students find the most uninteresting tend to be those required to graduate but unrelated to their major. The fact you dislike the class may have nothing to do with the professor and everything to do with the material. Having said that, when professors know that students don’t even want to be attending the class, they may put in minimal effort to engage you and just follow along with the textbook. It may be tempting to skip these classes, but this is never a good strategy. Even if you don’t gain extra credit for your attendance, listening to lectures will help you absorb the information and avoid you needing to devote many hours of your own time to studying. 2. The Professor Who Goes Too In Depth There are two possibilities why you may struggle to follow along in a class: your professor may not be explaining in a way that makes sense to you or the content could be difficult. Some classes you’ll take will push you far out of your comfort zone — and if your professor doesn’t simplify concepts, you may find it difficult to keep up. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your professor for extra help and advice. Other ways to ensure you always understand include reading ahead before class, searching for lectur e notes online, and finding a tutor. 3. The Passionate Professor You’re in luck whenever you find a professor who is passionate about the material you’re covering, especially if you also share an interest in the subject. Even if you weren’t particularly excited about taking the class, you’ll likely find that the professor’s enthusiasm rubs off on you. There are no extra steps to take to succeed with these professors. In fact, you may find they inspire you to work harder at your other classes, too. 4. The Low Talker Some professors don’t project their voice enough, making it difficult to hear everything if you’re sitting near the back. This has a simple solution: pick a seat near the front of the room. Plus, if questions are allowed during the lecture, raise your hand and ask for clarification if there’s ever a point when you don’t hear what your professor said. The likelihood is other students also couldn’t hear and will appreciate that you asked. 5. The Textbook Writer The downside of having a professor who wrote the textbook for a class is that it may be difficult to find the book anywhere other than the campus bookstore — where it’s selling for a high price. Before you buy, though, find out if any students who have already taken the class are selling an old book and check on rental services. There’s also an advantage of having a textbook writer as your professor: your teacher knows the material exceptionally well. If you have any questions about the text, pay your professor a visit during office hours for the chance to talk to an expert. You may be able to drop some classes with professors whose teaching styles don't align with your learning style. However, at some points during your time at university, you will have classes with professors you find uninteresting or demanding and you’ll need to push through because the class is a requirement to graduate. In these cases, the best thing to do is study hard. This means having somewhere you can go to concentrate in peace. For instance, you can find fully-furnished rooms for rent near University of Alberta at 1Ten on Whyte. You’ll have a desk and chair in your private bedroom, access to onsite study rooms, and the use of the boardroom if you want to host a meeting. Apply now to live just 1 kilometre from campus.

5 Smart Study Habits for 2023

You may have earned excellent grades at high school without putting in much effort, but university is different. It’s down to you to ensure you study effectively and use your time wisely. If you want to see improvements in 2023, commit to adopting some smart study habits. 1. Stay Motivated You’ll find it easier to sit down and study if you’re motivated. You may find motivation from meeting your goals, having the chance to overcome challenges, or enjoying the topic you’re studying. Figure out what motivates you and use this to push through when what you’re studying is difficult or you’re not in the mood. 2. Find What Works for You Everyone is different when it comes to best practices for studying. Although you need a place where you can study without interruptions, good lighting to read without straining your eyes, and a comfortable surface to write, other factors differ from person to person. For instance, you’ll need to determine at what time of day you’re able to study best and what kind of atmosphere helps you. You may prefer to be alone or you may find it easier to study when you’re around other people. 3. Create a Study Schedule Draw up a schedule that will keep you studying on a regular basis throughout the week and allow you to finish assignments on time to ensure you never need to pull an all-nighter. Create a study schedule at the beginning of the semester, taking into account key dates. Be realistic about how much you can achieve in each study session and how many days you need to complete tasks. Remember that your study schedule should be flexible. If you discover you need to dedicate more time to studying for one class than another, adjust your schedule accordingly. You should also monitor your progress toward your goals to check that you remain on track. Finally, organize the rest of your time around your study schedule. Although you should have plenty of fun at university, academics need to be your priority. 4. Take Breaks Rather than trying to stay focused for long periods of time, take regular breaks. If your mind is drifting when you’re trying to study, it will take you twice as long to complete tasks and you’ll retain less information. Make a note of how long it takes you to start losing concentration. In subsequent sessions, set a timer and only study for this long. A break of just a few minutes will help you feel refreshed and prepared to continue. Breaks also promote good mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and feelings of not being in control. Use short breaks to do some stretches or to grab a healthy snack. On longer breaks, try to spend time with others, practice your hobbies, or fit in a workout. 5. Reward Yourself After you finish a task, reward yourself. This will give you something to look forward to and push you to keep going until the end. You can also reward yourself for achieving the grade you wanted. Don’t worry about what your classmates achieved — focus on your own goals. You’ll study better if you have a quiet place where you can go to focus without distractions. This is easier when you live off campus. You can find rooms for rent in Edmonton, Alberta, at 1Ten on Whyte — we have apartments ranging from bachelor suites to four-bedroom suites. All are fully furnished, including a study desk and chair in each bedroom. Book your in-person or video tour now.

A Student’s Guide to the Current Job Market

Don’t start thinking all the hard work will be over once you graduate: the next challenge life will throw you is navigating the job market. Even though you’re armed with a degree, you won’t automatically find a job. Knowing more about the current job market and what you need to do to prepare will improve your chances of success. 1. Connections Are Key It’s easier to find jobs if you have connections than if you rely on job listings alone. You should start networking before you graduate — while you’re still around plenty of people who could be great connections for your career, including professors, other students, and people you meet at career events. Make sure you’re actively networking by carrying a copy of your resume or some business cards with you at all times and by striking up conversations with people. Another way to make connections now is to work a part-time job or internship. It’s best to find a job in the field you want to work in after you graduate, but any kind of work will introduce you to new people. 2. Your Experience Is Valuable Employers want to see you have more than just a degree — they need to know you possess the right skills for the job, which you’ll have gained through work experience. Many students are concerned that much of their work experience will be irrelevant to the type of job they’re seeking after they graduate and therefore leave this experience off their resume. In fact, any kind of work will have developed your skills. Depending on what positions you’ve held, you may be able to demonstrate that you’re responsible, work well under pressure, take initiative, or have team-working skills. No matter if you’ve done gig work like housesitting or entrepreneurial work like tutoring, in clude it on your resume. 3. Employers Want Leaders A key skill employers want to see from graduates is leadership. If you have leadership skills, an employer can put you in a position that has the potential for growth and where you could be leading the business in the future. Find ways to develop your leadership skills, such as by holding an elected position in a campus organization, setting up your own club, or leading a research team. 4. Declining Offers Can Be the Best Move The job market is currently favourable to jobseekers. In many industries, there are more positions open than people to fill them. When you receive an offer, think carefully about whether you want to accept. Although it’s always exciting to receive a positive response, you may have discovered the job was not everything you’d hoped for when you interviewed. Alternatively, if you’re hesitant to accept because you’re still waiting for a response from the job you wanted most, it’s worth reaching out to the other company before you decide to accept or decline an offer. 5. You Need to Follow Up It’s important to follow up at every stage when you’re applying for a job. If you don’t hear back with an offer to interview soon after you apply, drop the company an email. You should also reach out after interviews to ensure you’re not waiting around too long for an answer. Start preparing for life outside of education now by learning to be more independent. One thing you should do is move into your own apartment. You’ll find University of Alberta off -campus housing at 1Ten on Whyte, where you’ll receive a fully-furnished suite and access to great onsite amenities, including a gym, games room, and study rooms. Plus, you’ll be close to campus and many of the top sites in Edmonton. Book a tour today.