• Tip #1 RULES - When living it residence it is important to know the rules you are expected to follow! All Residence policies can be found online! Get familiar with them and know what is expected of you! Act in accordance with these rules and you will have a great first year free of having conduct meetings due to questionable behaviour.

• Tip #2 RESPECT - When living in residence be respectful of the buildings and staff! A lot of work happens daily to upkeep our buildings so please make sure to avoid leaving garbage in the hallways or common lounges!

• Tip #3 DONS - Either on Duty or just present in your community your Dons are working hard to support students in the first year community. Be respectful to Dons they are not the fun police but they are trying to ensure everyone's safety throughout the year.

• Tip #4 SPACE - Making the most of the space in your Residence room is important. Try rearranging the furniture in your room or following these decorating tips to make the space feel like home!

• Tip #1 COMMUNICATION - Being able to openly communicate with your roommates throughout the year is key! Disagreements will happen and that is okay, the important thing is establishing how you will talk about these disagreements with your roommates. Talk to your roommates face to face when you feel frustrated with them or if you feel that they are not following through with the roommate contract. Voice how you feel respectfully, do not accuse your roommates of their actions. Try using I feel statements to explain what you’re feeling. (EX. I feel unappreciated when the chores for the apartment don't get finished, When you do not say hi to me I feel sad.)

• Tip #2 BOUNDARIES - When living with others it is important to set boundaries early such as letting your roommates know what items in the kitchen can be shared, or how much notice you would like to have when guests are invited to stay the night. This way everyone can feel comfortable in the shared space.

• Tip #3 QUIET HOURS - Quiet hours are in effect Sunday to Thursday from 11 pm to 10 am and Friday to Saturday from 1 am - 10 am. These hours are set by the Department of Residence and enforced by Duty Dons. Your roommates maybe trying to study or get some rest during these times, residence is a place to further your education, do not deny your roommates or yourself this opportunity.

• Tip #4 RESPECT - Knock first before entering spaces that are not shared. Do not go looking through your roommates things without their permission.

• Tip #5 BE KIND - You are not expected to be best friends with your roommates, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be kind to one another. Say hello, take an interest in their day, let them know that they are appreciated and welcome. A few words of kindness can brighten up someone’s day.

• Tip #6 BE INCLUSIVE - Invite your roommate to do something with you and your friends from time to time. You do not have to be friends with your roommates but this is a kind gesture that helps you build a relationship with one another

• Tip #7 Haley- As your Residence Life Don it is one of my responsibilities to help you navigate roommate issues by brainstorming solutions or providing mediated conversations. You can also talk to me about these issues during Hawk Talks even if it is just to vent your frustration a little. Consulting with your Don will be the best way to solve your roommate disputes, you are not alone!

Tip #1 CLEANING SCHEDULE - Make a cleaning schedule! Cleaning can be fun if you all work together to do it. Plan ahead make a schedule delegate tasks and cooperate. Download the chores app to help you and your roommates stay organized about tasks that need to be done in the apartment! You can also add Haley to your group on the chores app to help hold everyone accountable!

Tip #2 SHARE RESPONSIBILITIES - Your apartment is a shared space! Its up keep is a joint effort for everyone who lives there! Be sure to help out around the apartment when you can and communicate with your roommates if you need extra time to get tasks done.

Tip #3 KNOW WHAT TO CLEAN - Consult the following Cleaning Cards to learn what to clean in what space and how it should be cleaned.

Tip #4 LAUNDRY - Now that you are away from home it is up to you to clean your clothes! Laundry is a task that will require you to develop a routine, pick a day out of the week and set a side 2 hours to do your laundry. Establishing a rountine and sticking to it will help ensure you will always have clean clothes to wear! For more guidance of how to clean clothes and what the symbols on labels mean check out this article!

Cooking tips

Tip #1 PLAN - Plan out your meals ahead of time and keep track of the ingredients you need so you can make the most of your weekly trips to the grocery store! An app that I have found helpful is called Mealime. This app allows you to browse through a combination of free and premium recipies, select the ones you would like to make and the app will give you the reciepe and create a shoping list of groceries for you to pick up on your next trip! For tips on how to learn how to cook and plan your meals consult this website! For more tips on how to make food on a budget read this article.

Tip #2 RECIPES - Recipes can be found online by simply typing in the name of the dish you wish to make! For 74 easy recipes with video walkthroughs look at this article from Delish.

Tip #3 TRY NEW THINGS - When learning to cook it is important to be open to trying new things as well as perservering if what you make doesn't look like the picture.

Tip #4 BE SAFE - Kitchens can be dangerous places and can lead to a number of injuries. Always be safe when cooking consult some of these basic kitchen safety rules!

Tip #1 BE ORGANIZED - The fastest way to succeed is to know what you need to do and when you need to do it by. Read your Syllabi and make notes on when assignments are due.

Tip #2 CALENDARS - Keep an online calendar, such as a Google Calendar and fill it with your important dates like when assignments are due. Using an electronic calendar is helpful as it can give you notifications on when a due date is approaching.

Tip #3 START SMALL - Assignments can seem intimidating especially when there are more fun things going on. The best way to get assignments done ahead of time is to break the assignment into small parts and do a little at a time. Laurier has an Assignment Planner that can help you do just that!

Tip #4 NOTES - Take good notes, this means notes that are concise and easy to follow. This will allow you to access the information you need quickly to help you make the most of your time for studying or completing assignments. For tips on how to write notes see this handout.

Tip #5 LIMITS - It is important to be mindful of the obligations you have ongoing outside of your academics. All of the clubs and activities you take part in are important to the enjoyment of your university career but it is important to know how much you can take on at a time. Before taking on a new club or new responsibility with a club, ask yourself how much time will this take away from my academics. Think of your time at Laurier like going to a Buffet with your parents, half of your plate is vegetables and this represents your academics, now you are free to pick out as many other items as you want as long as they fit on the plate. The more items you put on your plate the heavier it will get and the more you will need to set the plate down on the table and eat before being able to get up and get more food. Know your limits and play within it when getting involved with things outside your academics.