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As a college student, your free time is limited while you juggle classes, studying, extracurriculars, and maintaining a social life. The free time you do have may be unequally distributed throughout the week. You may be lucky and have some days when your classes are more or less back to back. On other days, though, there will be breaks in your schedule that you need to fill. Here are several ways to use breaks of all lengths more productively.

1. Find Out What Campus Has to Offer

If you’re a new student, use those first breaks you have between classes to explore campus. See what’s on offer in various buildings, including options to eat. You likely already saw the library on your group tour, but take the chance now to explore it properly — perhaps to find a place you’d like to use for studying.

2. Take a Nap

A nap lasting just 20 minutes can be great for your health. It will stop you reaching for another coffee and you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, ready to take on the rest of the day. If you’re unable to make it back to your room, find a spot on campus. For instance, an isolated couch or a big armchair in the library is perfect.

3. Exercise

On the other hand, if you’re feeling energized, a break can be a great opportunity to fit a workout into your schedule. You may be able to participate in a team sport or take a yoga class on campus. Alternatively, you could head to the gym or even do bodyweight exercises in your room.

4. Review Your Notes

After class is the ideal time to read through your notes, as the material will still be fresh in your mind. In addition to helping you retain information, this will show you if anything you’ve jotted down is unclear or unlikely to make sense later. Plus, you can use this time to tie points together or make a note of any areas where you need further clarification.

5. Use Office Hours

Once you have your notes organized, you’ll know what kind of questions you want to ask your professors during office hours. It can be less intimidating to bring up doubts at office hours than during class. Plus, office hours allow your professors to give you in-depth answers. Make an effort to visit all your professors at some point — especially if your class sizes are large, as this could be the only chance you have to gain a valuable contact.

6. Work Through Your To-Do List

Create a to-do list that you can work through whenever you have spare time. Make sure you always choose tasks according to what is most urgent and fits around your time constraints, rather than whatever is most appealing. Otherwise, you’ll find that you keep putting off the most boring or frustrating tasks.

7. Find Volunteer Work

Dedicate some of your free time to an activity you can add to your resume by volunteering. There are many ways you can give back to the community. For instance, you could join the leadership of a college organization, find a charity in your area, get involved in a political campaign, or help out at a local school. If you’re a health major, volunteering at a hospital is a great option.

8. Seek a Part-Time Job on Campus

If you need to earn an income, find a part-time job. Looking for something you can do on campus is ideal, as managers will be understanding of your schedule and allow you to choose hours that fit around your classes. Talk to an advisor or financial officer about what jobs are available.

It’s easier to make good use of your breaks if you live near campus. For off-campus Georgian College residence, there’s Foundry Georgian. Our brand-new student community is just down the street from campus — less than 10-minute walk. Book a tour to check out the housing for yourself.

Living on campus is a popular student residence option in Canada. But still, so many students choose to live off-campus. So what are the reasons for these students to select off-campus living?

Some students choose off-campus living for obvious reasons, such as to enjoy more freedom and because they don’t want the limited social opportunities on campus. And others decide to live off-campus for safety reasons or for a more homey atmosphere.

Although on-campus living is considered convenient for first-year students, upperclassmen often prefer living off-campus. And rightly so because having personal space is almost non-existent in on-campus housing.

Here’re the main reasons why so many university and college students choose to live off-campus:

Shared Housing Facilities are Affordable

On-campus housing is relatively expensive because these facilities usually charge a per semester amount upfront to cover all amenities you’ll use during your stay. On the contrary, off-campus living is more affordable in many cases, depending on the facilities offered at the property.

With a bit of research, you can easily find affordable student housing. Barrie, for example, has facilities that provide all the amenities you could need without costing a fortune. Also, keep in mind that living with roommates is way more affordable than living alone.

You Gain Independence

On-campus residences have strict rules. While some students are okay with that, others prefer more freedom. Living in an off-campus apartment means you’re free to make your own rules. This allows you to create your own routine, live as you want, and have more fun while focusing on your studies.

Also, living off-campus means you are on your own. As such, you learn to manage your day-to-day life without help. You get the chance to learn to cook, clean, manage finances, do grocery shopping, and more. All of these will help you in your future professional and personal life.

Off-Campus Housing is Better for Working Students

Whether you’re doing an odd job or running a small-scale business alongside your studies, you’ll find that living off-campus is a better option for many reasons.

For example, if you come back from work late, an off-campus student housing property won’t give you any hassle, as its core objective is to give students a comfortable living space.

At most off-campus student apartments, you can come and go at your preferred times. But many on-campus residences have strict rules for entering and leaving the premises. That makes them a less attractive option for working students.

Freedom & Fun Go Hand-in-Hand

Whether you’re a party lover or an adventurer, living off-campus offers you more opportunities to have fun. However, on-campus housing facilities have early quiet hours, strict rules, and several limitations that can suppress your fun side.

As an adult, you’d want to focus on your studies and have fun because you understand that life is not all about studies and work. Off-campus life offers you the freedom to go out with friends, enjoy parties, and set your own routine.

You’ll Have Personal Space

Whether you like pin-drop silence or cannot bear an unorganized room, living off-campus allows you to make independent decisions. In collaboration with your roomies, you can make decisions and set rules regarding cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping, chores, and more. On top of that, you can organize your room to your liking, have a roommate or live alone, and follow your own schedule.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, living off campus has many advantages. By budgeting and finding the perfect spot for your needs, you can find an off-campus living facility that feels like home.

Even if you’ve already lived on campus, you may eventually want to transition into an off-campus living environment. Many students start on campus and move off campus to gain more freedom in their later college years. No matter your decision, you can find all of the facilities you need to have an enjoyable experience in an off-campus living space.

Making and keeping friendships can be a challenge in university. You get so caught up in your studies, assignments, and classes that you may sometimes forget to connect with your fellow students.

Many students confess to feeling lonely and stressed due to academic pressure, so much so that they struggle with socialization. It’s understandable; you are in a new place, and you are starting fresh. It takes time and effort to meet and make friends with new people.

If you have no idea where to start, here are our eight tips to make the process smooth:

1. Start Socializing

Sure, you’re more comfortable spending most of your free time in your home, one of the off-campus rooms for rent in Barrie Ontario. But if you want to make friends, you have to step outside your living space and socialize.

Yes, we all need a time out between back-to-back classes and work but socializing is an excellent way to unwind and destress. Plus, you get a chance to meet new people, make friends, and have fun.

2. Take a Lead in Starting Conversations

It’s a good idea to take the lead in conversing with a new person every day. It could be someone who lives down the hall, a new fellow student, your local coffee shop barista, or someone you sat next to on the bus.

While small talk can be challenging for some people, it’s not that bad once you get started. Besides, you never know—you might be helping someone who’s having a rough day.

3. Start an On-Campus Job

For most students, on-campus jobs are the best way to meet new people and make friends — especially after you’ve exhausted the social club scene. On top of that, an on-campus job allows you to get professional experience, make a little extra money, and have networking opportunities.

4. Join a Club

No matter your reasons for joining a club and the type of club, it presents you with an opportunity to socialize, network, and make friends.

Just be sure that the club type resonates with your interests. This will lead you to meet like-minded people, opening more doors of opportunities for both parties.

5. Participate in Sports Activities

Let’s face it: We’re less likely to make friends in our class. This is because we’re too busy studying or getting our homework done. But in sports, we’re out there having fun. We’re sweating and cheering and having a good time.

And it doesn’t matter whether you are good at a sport or not because not everyone on the pitch is a professional sportsperson. Most students play sports to have fun, meet new people, and make friends.

6. Start Volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to make new friends, especially if you’re new to a city. It allows you to meet new people and expand your social network.

Volunteering also lets you rethink your priorities and get a break from school, except this break only adds to your credibility. In addition, you get to team up with people and work for a meaningful, common cause together.

7. Join an Exercise Class

Another way to see new faces is to join a fun exercise class! Exercise classes offer you the best of both worlds. It’s super easy to make new friends and have fun while getting in shape.

Exercise classes also offer you the opportunity to find out what everyone likes to do, what their fitness goals are, how they got started with exercise, and so on. The class may involve cardio, strength training, yoga, dancing, Zumba, Pilates, or a mix of all of these.

8. Get Involved in Student Government

Student government can be a significant part of your university experience. It can help you develop important leadership skills and management experience. The best part: you get the chance to meet new people, network, and make friends.

Also, you can get a voice in decisions that affect you, your fellow students, and the overall university life. As a student trustee, you’ll have the opportunity to host events, socialize, work on committees, and vote on major decisions affecting your campus.