Leadership opportunities for next year? Heck yes!

Okay, so that hiatus we mentioned? We're taking a break from that break to bring a quick message to you all.

Do you enjoy helping others and contributing towards their overall university experience? Want to get involved in awesome programs and be part of the Student Success Centre family? Enthusiastic and a team worker? Well...

The Student Success Centre would like to let you know that our applications are now available for leadership positions for 2011!

Please visit: https://careercentral.uwo.ca/ to find the applications and a description of what each position entails. Go to the jobs tab and then search for positions. All positions are posted the following way: Student Success Centre- LAMP Peer Mentor or Student Success Centre - SAO Leader etc....

We require you to complete the fillable PDF document, save it and then upload it as a writing sample. We also would like you to submit a resume and your references.

Applications are due between January 10-20th (depending on the position you are applying for).

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to send them to: success_applications@uwo.ca.

Not sure what to apply for? Head on over to this page and explore away.

What are you waiting for? Brush up that resume and get applying! We look forward to your application!

Good Luck on Your Exams and Happy Holidays!

On behalf of us all from LAMP...

Good luck on your exams and Happy Holidays!
See you in 2011!

Notice: Dec 8th Event is CANCELLED

Due to the weather conditions, the LAMP Event at MedSyd tomorrow (Dec 8th) is CANCELLED.

Where will you be on Dec 8th?

Pre-exam stress getting to you yet? Fact: Taking small breaks between studying is more beneficial than you think. So take a break from reading that text book and come out to the LAMP event on Wednesday, December 8th!

Dec 9th : The Student Success Centre Holiday Open House

If you're interested in a leadership position on campus next year, attending this event is highly recommended!

Mark your calendars! Thursday, December 9th, 1:30pm-4:00pm @ UCC 210

I Wish I'd Known Sooner #3 - Weldon is Overrated: Alternative Places to Study

Ah yes, nothing says holidays are approaching than trying to find a place to study for your winter exams.

Think finding a parking spot on Christmas Eve is impossible? Try finding a cubicle in Weldon at 2pm, weekday or weekend once the last week of classes hit. In fact, if you think that getting to Weldon after lunch on a Sunday will guarantee you a spot, think again. That spot with the electrical plug? Prime real estate.

Holidays are supposed to be a time of sharing, right? Wrong. At least, not when it comes to study spaces; one student will spread their notes across a big table in Weldon's basement, and no, they aren't exactly saving a spot for their study buddy.


So here is the last bit of advice for you before the holidays, because contrary to popular belief, Weldon is not the only library (or study space) on campus. Use it well.

1. Faculty Libraries
Those science kids are intense when it comes to studying at Taylor Library, and it's not just during exam time. I've seen people line up outside the library 15 minutes before it opens during exams, I'm not kidding. If you want peace and quiet, head to the bottom floors where you can set up shop in a cubicle. The Stacks are also a good quiet place to study, but you'll hear footsteps from the floor above you. The Music Library in Talbot College is small, with only a couple tables, but it's also another option. Check out the full list of libraries!

The affiliate colleges (King's, Brescia and Huron) also have libraries that usually aren't too busy. I hear the one at Brescia is really nice and very Harry Potter-esque.

2. Classroom buildings
If you're lucky, sometimes you'll find a free classroom to study in- imagine, all that open space! Social Sci is a good building to start with, otherwise, public spaces (such as Centre Spot in UCC, Lucy's in Somerville House) are also good options if you study well with background noise.


3. Western Rec Centre
Perfect for the student who needs some background noise and movement while they study. Busy location, but I mean, everyone there is plugged into their iPods, intent on their workout and won't bother you.

4. Rez Study rooms
Sometimes, trying to study in your Rez room can be really distracting. Luckily, there are study rooms available. Super handy, an added bonus is that you don't have to leave your Rez!

Add this to your favourites

So how many of you know of The Student Success Centre? This is how I see it, The Student Success Centre is like that well connected acquaintance that you always keep in touch with: they're a great resource and most likely would say "oh yeah, I know someone in that line of work, let me get you his/her contact".

If you want the latest updates brought directly to your Facebook home page on employer meet and greets, workshops, networking events, info sessions and much more, then you need to check out their Facebook page. Who knows, maybe your future job will result from one of these events!

There have been some big names in the past who have come to these events to recruit, such as IBM, Imperial Oil, RIM, Labatt and Deloitte. Just sayin'.

Study Smart!

You can either study hard, or study smart. If you study smart, you'll be efficient and effective. How? Well, attend this upcoming LAMP event and get informed!

I Wish I'd Known Sooner #2 - Essay Help

It's about that time when those final papers are due, if they haven't been due already.

Take advantage of UWO's services, and avoid ending up like this guy.

"I guess I should start my paper..."
Haven't gotten started on that research paper for History and have no clue where to start? The friendly staff at Weldon's Research Help desk would be more than happy to get you started. If Weldon isn't your scene, the site has a handy chat function where you can get the assistance of the knowledgeable staff from the comfort of your Rez.

"Can you look over my essay?"
Personally? No. But good thing the Student Development Centre offers a Writing Support Centre! Their sharp eyes will catch spelling errors, grammar hiccups and such. Check out their drop-in sessions, located in the afternoons at Weldon. It's a busy time for the folks at the Writing Support Centre, so I suggest going early. Alternatively, you could book an hour-long appointment which might be a safer bet.

It's also a good idea to talk to your TA/Prof if you need someone to bounce your ideas off of. After all, they'll (and when I say they, it most likely will be your TA) be the one marking your paper and will know what to look for/what direction you should take your paper in.

Show Off for a Good Cause

LAMP's First Year Committee and Leadership Chairs are looking for acts for our upcoming charity coffeehouse on Wednesday, January 26th @ APK Live!

Whether you're the kind of person to belt out a tune, rock out on your electric guitar, or have a stand-up act, you're just what we're looking for!

Money raised from this event will go towards Unity Project to fund their Art Workshop for residents. It's a great organization that we're totally pumped to be working with!

Interested? This is what we need from you:
- e-mail kdibacc@uwo.ca by Nov., 26th with a sample of your work-

I Wish I'd Known Sooner #1 - Forwarding UWO Mail

Welcome to the multiple part series of "I Wish I'd Known Sooner", simple tips and tricks that we've picked up along the years that well...we wish we'd known sooner. Hopefully you'll find that they'll make your life at Western a little easier!

#1 Forwarding UWO Mail

It's Wednesday evening and you think 'Hey, I haven't checked my Western mail in a while, maybe I should do that'. You log onto your account and not only are there 20 unread messages (yikes!) but one of your profs for a class tomorrow morning sent you an e-mail Monday morning with a link to the reading that you couldn't find.

Do you often forget to check your UWO mail? Rather use Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo or some other account? Well thanks to Mail Forwarding, you'll never miss an e-mail sent to your UWO account!

Here's how:

1. Log onto your UWO account and locate the Options tab on the left-hand side panel
2. Go into Mail > Local Account > Forwarding
3. Enter in the e-mail account you prefer to get your UWO mail sent to. You can also decide to keep a copy in your UWO Mail just in case.
   
4. Save your changes!

As handy as this trick is, we recommend replying/sending any e-mails to profs directly from your UWO account since some profs have a filter on their e-mail.

Bonus! Did you know that you can also forward WebCT mail messages as well? Sometimes your prof will send the class a message via WebCT, so if you don't check WebCT that often, it's a good idea to use the mail forwarding option.

1. Hit 'My Settings' at the top of the page once you've logged in
2. Edit the e-mail in 'My Profile' with your e-mail
3. Go under 'My Tool Options' and scroll down to Mail to change your settings

MIT Professor Meet and Greet - This Wednesday!

Social Sci/BMOS/A&H Professor Meet and Greet

Strategy Bytes Series

NEW for Western students! Helpful, informative presentations on WebCT.

Choose from video, audio, and text formats. Once you've successfully registered, the Strategy Bytes Series will appear on your WebCT OWL; see Learning Skills Services - Online Resources in your course list. To register, click here.



What can you do for me? A Tour of Learning Skills Services

Learning Skills Counsellors help students in a number of ways. This Byte provides an overview of all that SDC's Learning Skills Services can do for students at Western.



Help me! Using the Learning Help Centre

Not sure how you could benefit from drop-in help on campus? This Byte profiles SDC's Learning Help Centre and the kinds of drop-in assistance it provides to Western students.

I thought I knew my stuff! Learning from Exam Errors

Have you been disappointed by the results of a recent exam? Has this happened more than once? This Byte outlines some common reasons for exam errors and provides suggestions on how you can take steps to correct these errors and improve your test performance.



What worked for me: Top Strategies from Successful Students

Each year, SDC's Learning Skills Services has a group of dedicated volunteers who assist students in our Learning Help Centre. Benefit from the learning strategies that they recommend in this Byte. Suggestions are provided for keeping up with courses, studying for tests, managing time, and for specific disciplines. Learn from some of Western's best students.

I'll do it later... Putting Off Procrastination

Procrastination is the bane of many students' existence. What can be done about it? This Byte will help you to examine your patterns of procrastination and provide some strategies to tackle this pervasive problem.

I'm not in high school anymore... Transitioning to Learning at University

Welcome to university! Things are different here...especially expectations around learning. Some of the most pronounced differences in learning between high school and university are outlined in this Byte. As well, the Byte offers some helpful advice on how to adapt to these changes.

First Year Resource Guide

http://www.scribd.com/doc/37561113/Your-Compass-to-First-Year-at-Western

Your Compass to First Year at Western

Explore all the resources UWO has to offer

Student Development Services @ new Western Student Services Building behind the UCC! (519) 661-3031 – http://www.sdc.uwo.ca

This place is basically your one-stop shop for all student-related needs. It is designed with your needs in mind, so make sure you drop by when you feel like you need a helping hand. Below are some of the more hidden services of this place that will ease a whole lot of stress off you. Most of these services are on a first-come-first-serve or appointment basis, so make sure you drop by/call the office before going there to seek for help!

Effective Writing Clinic: Worried about your upcoming essays? Not sure if they make sense or not? Make an appointment with one of the Writing Mentors and have them look over your essays! Each appointment is one-hour long, so make sure you have questions prepared for these mentors before your appointment. They will help you with structuring your essay and develop your argumentation skills. Each essay is eligible for 3 review sessions, so if you have time, go see one of these lifesavers!

Study Skills Workshops: These workshops will prepare you for your first exams and essays, and teach you specific skills that you need for effective studying, writing multiple choice and long answer exams, completing your first essay and what profs look for in first year students, etc. An incentive for you to attend is that you will be rewarded with a Certificate of Academic Engagement upon participation in 5 workshops!

Career Centre: This is a drop-in centre that will not only help you with your resumes and cover letters, but also help you discover your passions and suitable career paths. There are also interview prep sessions for MCATs, summer jobs, etc. There are lots of resources to prepare you for the job market, so drop by and consult one of the career leaders for help. For Western’s job postings, visit career.uwo.ca to access Career Central!

Support for Students with Disabilities: This is where you need to go if you require alternate exam accommodations and permissions. The friendly staff there will also help you if you need help with bursaries for students with disabilities and technology grants to ease the learning experience. Transitioning services such as readers may also be available.

Psychological Services : Stressing about school and life? These certified psychologists are determined to help you alleviate your stress so you can focus on studying. Worry not, all information passed to these professions are strictly confidential, so if you feel like you need someone to talk to, go make an appointment with one of them today.

Indigenous Services: This unit offers transitioning services to indigenous students, as well as resources specifically for these students.

The Student Success Centre @ UCC 210 (519) 661-3898– http://success.uwo.ca/

The Centre for New Students provides opportunities to network with upper year students and to get involved with the Western Community. Get started early to maximize your Western student experience!

Leadership and Mentoring Program (LAMP) | http://www.lamp.uwo.ca
Study groups, networking events, stress relievers, we’re here for you! The LAMP Team to is dedicated to make your first year a blast at Western. Come talk to the team, or your respective Peer Mentor, when you need some advice on how to get through the first year.

Western Scholars and Scholars Electives | http://www.scholarselective.uwo.ca
For all you high-achievers out there, here’s a group dedicated to academic excellence. The Western Scholars distinction is awarded to students who are part of the program and have been admitted into the University with a minimum 90% average and have maintained a 80% rolling average over the course of their degree. Scholars’ Electives is a special program that provides students with an opportunity to research into a cause of their choice. For registration details, please speak with your academic counsellor.

Leadership Education Program (LEP) | http://www.lep.uwo.ca
This is a leadership training program consisting of various modules that will help you develop your leadership skills to get you involved in the Western Community. Ranging from personal management, goal setting, conflict management, and team management, these 2-hour workshops are taught by student leaders and faculty. There are 3 tiers to the LEP, 2 of which consist of elementary and advanced workshops, and the last which consists of service learning opportunities for students. Students will be awarded with a certificate of completion at the end of the program. To sign up, check out the website.

Alternative Spring Break (ASB) | http://www.asb.uwo.ca
This popular spring break program provides students with the opportunity to volunteer for a cause either domestically or internationally during your Reading Week. Popular destinations include Louisiana for Habitat for Humanity, Dominican Republic for Orphanage Outreach, and Costa Rica for International Service Learning.

Western Serves | http://westernserves.uwo.ca
Keep your eye out for the opportunity to get involved with Western Serves! It is a campus-wide service learning event where each team will be assigned to a non-for-profit organization and will help them fundraise/canvass for the day. It’s a great opportunity to meet people and to volunteer for a cause that you believe in. To sign up, visit Career Central at career.uwo.ca and log in to your student account, then look for Western Serves as the employer.

LAMP Kick-Off Event

Join us September 15th from 5:30-7:00pm for our 2010 LAMP Kick-off!

• Learn more about the program
• Connect with your Peer Mentor and your Faculty Team
• Experience Western's Improv Team
• Location: Spencer Engineering Building Room 1059