dum dum dum da da dum dum , dum dum dum da da dum dum…
Hello Friends,
This week I leave you with the classic song by Queen and David Bowie, Under Pressure. Things are really intense for me right now with USA Symposium 2014, classes, tests and exams. This really sums up how I am doing.
Hang in there team, we are nearing the finish line!
Oh boy, I can relate…
As you may read on the blogs of Glendon’s eAmbassadors, on Feb. 1, 2014 we had a Leadership Conference at Glendon College. There were different presenters, but three (3) in particular stood out to me:
Joseph Lavoie
1. Joseph Lavoie (@josephlavoie) – Joseph delivered an amazing keynote address in which he suggested a different way to approach networking. The thing that stood out to me most in his address: be authentic. Authenticity in your interactions is so important. I see authenticity as an element that helps give your network robustness and longevity. Right now, my network is small, but that’s ok. I’m building it slowly to ensure that my connections and I have a two way relationship, and so that I am affiliated with communities that represent me.
Courtney Mallam
2. Courtney Mallam (@CourtneyMallam) – Courtney is my boss, the strong leader behind our eAmbassadors. I attended her session about developing your digital presence with purpose and intention. The thing that stood out to me most: who you are online should also be who you are offline. Sometimes we forget that things that make it online often stay online – it can be hard to get rid of content about yourself you don’t want online. I have learned to wait 5 minutes or even 1 hour before responding to something that gets me fired up! I don’t want to be known as a firecracker online or offline, so it’s important that I think before I speak (or type).
Daivd Ip Yam
3. David Ip Yam (@davidipyam) – David delivered the closing address for the conference. He is an assistant at Student Affairs at Glendon. David delivered and inspiring talk about leadership as a lifestyle. The thing that stood out to me most: when you stretch your limits, you establish new norms for yourself. I love this! It speaks to so many of those inspirations that we lose when we enter “the real world” but are actually the key to living your dreams and being engaged with the world around you. David spoke about taking small steps everyday to achieving the goals you set out for yourself, and also about having a plan. He also spoke about choices – you choose your life. Doing what you are passionate about requires sacrifices – you may not get to watch TV as often as you want or going drinking every weekend – but that is the choice you make to rise above mediocrity.
I will be making some changes to my online presence based on what I have learned. The biggest challenge for me is overcoming my fears. But I don’t want to be silent as life passes me by, or apathetic to the world around me. I know I want to be a voice and contribute to shaping the world around me.
Ttyl,
Neena
Beginnings are intimidating, especially in the context of writing essays and papers. My husband tells his students that the blank page can be very intimidating because you have to create meaning out of nothing. No easy task, eh? Whether it is writing a blog, an essay or a personal statement, beginnings set the tone. The writer is under a lot of pressure to get things right.The best advice I got about writing a beginning was also from my husband 🙂 Skip the beginning and start writing the body. This actually works! Continue reading
When I decided to return back to school it was so that I could create the career of my dreams. I have always wanted to work as a diplomat. To build this career, I made a plan. First, I wanted to complete a degree in International Studies. Although I have one degree from the University of Toronto, I opted to complete a second degree at Glendon College; to improve my research, writing and critical thought. I will complete graduate studies after my second BA and ultimately pursue my PhD and a career with the Canadian Foreign Service. As I am in my thirties, I do have quite a bit of work experience. When I am applying for internships I am often unsure if this works in my favour. I think that more often that not, internships are intended for students who lack work experience. I have work experience, with many transferable skills. I don’t have much of experience in the field I want a career in – International Relations – and so, much of my extra time is being spent trying to accumulate that experience. I am putting myself out there, applying for every possible opportunity to try and catch my break and have a door open (so to speak). Continue reading
Last week my sister called me and asked me to give her some tips on how to study. My sister also decided to return to school last year, although she is in school part time while continuing to work full time. She said she was having trouble focusing; she wanted to know what I do to focus.
As a mature student, creating a study space can be challenging. When we come home, we are rarely by ourselves. Husbands, wives, children, pets, cooking, cleaning – all these require our attention. Mature students are often caregivers; a lot of our mind space is occupied with the responsibilities of our home and work life. This can leave very little time to study. When we do get the time to study, it becomes difficult to clear our mind and focus so that our studying can be effective. Continue reading
Last week I was confronted with a difficult choice. I had just received my midterm grades for two classes; I did not do as well as I hoped. In addition to the disappointment, I also faced a decision: do I drop this course or do I remain in the class? Do I hope for the best but expect the worst? There were a lot of things to consider, but the two most glaring concerns had to do with academics and finances.
Fifteen years ago, I was a student at the University of Toronto. One of the things that I wish I had done differently was dropping courses that I was not doing well in. For instance, Introduction to Economics – I struggled in this course; by the midterm I had serious doubts about my ability to pass the course. I didn’t even consider dropping the course because I felt that it was a waste of money to do so. I also did not want to increase my OSAP debt any more than I needed to. So I remained in the course and prepared my Mom and Dad for the possibility of failure. Final Grade: 52%, D minus. Come graduation, this mark would be one of the marks that would pull down my GPA.
Fast forward to today. What to do? As a mature student, finances are probably the biggest challenge to doing well in school, the second is time management. To make this decision, I needed to put into context why I decided to return to school. I returned to school to complete an undergraduate degree with the unwavering intention to pursue graduate studies; preferably graduating with first class standing so that I am considered for scholarships and bursaries. After getting my Masters I intend to take the Canadian Foreign Services Exam and build my career as a Diplomat. To do any of this, my GPA needs to remain my first priority. 
Remembering this, the decision became easy – I dropped the course.
When deciding whether to drop a course or not, it’s important to remember that the decision is personal and needs to be put into the context of your life. Try and remember why you are in school and also what you need to do in order to build your future. If graduate studies is not part of your plan, then having one or two lower marks will not really matter. But if you intend to pursue graduate studies, good marks should remain your top priority. Protect your GPA! This is what I am doing my second time around.
Ttyl,
Neena
C’est difficile d’apprendre une nouvelle langue. Imaginez-vous si vous auriez appris deux ou trois! Chez Glendon, j’apprends français et espagnol en même temps. Quelque fois, j’ai confondu les deux. C’est frustrant. Par exemple, au lieu du mot “et” en françias j’écris “y”, au lieu du mot “pero” en español, je dis “mais”. Je me confonds et la personne avec qui je parle! En fait, c’est drôle 🙂 Continue reading
Last week I had my first presentation of the year. It was for my Foreign Policy Analysis class with Professor Edelgard Mahant. This is one of my favorite classes this year. My presentation was jam-packed; so jam-packed that I went over time. This was unfortunate. When I spoke to my husband about this he suggested that in the future I enlist the help of one of my classmates. He or she can provide a signal to indicate to let you know that your time is almost up. This is a great idea! There are other things that you can do to make sure you stay on time, like rehearsing. I didn’t rehearse before this presentation and this really affected my delivery. As I usually rehearse, I know it works!
For those of you are over 30, you will know the expression “burning the candle at both ends”. That is how I feel right now. Midterms, assignments, meetings, homework, readings, tutorials, cooking, cleaning, paying bills, cleaning the cat litter – it all gets too much sometimes. I do admit I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. Continue reading
A Second Time Around 