How to Successfully Register for Courses Without Losing Your Mind

This month I once again had to embark on the monumental task of picking next year's courses. Which ranks pretty high on my list of things I would rather NEVER be doing. It's the worst. This year was absolute mayhem as I tried to figure it out for next year. Some of you might not find course selection stressful, in which case, this post is not for you. You can go on your merry little way, smiling and singing and whatever other happy things you are doing right now. The rest of us who want to curl up in a ball and make it go away - this post is for us. After going through the process 4 times so far, I hope I have learned a thing or two that might be helpful to some people. At least I like to think so...

1. Make a list ahead of your access time. 
BEFORE it's your turn to pick those courses, go through the course listings online and make a list of which ones you need to take, and which ones you want to take, plus a few alternatives juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuust in case your first picks are full. Which, like, never happens....but better to be safe than sorry. HA!

2. Have snacks.
Everything is easier with snackage. I say, when the going gets tough, the tough bring snackage. Some call it emotional eating, I choose to call it resilience.

3. Stay calm.
Try to relax however you can. Play awesome music, make tea, kick out annoying siblings if you have them, and please, for goodness sake, make sure you are in your PJs. Remember to take a deep breath and not get flustered when it doesn't work out.

4. Prioritize.
Remember that list from #1? Well, it works best if that list is in order of importance...for me, that means I put my mandatory courses for my major, then my mandatory courses for my education degree (because I want to finish up the bulk of my BA first), then my electives (in order of the most fun to the least). In my first two years, my gen-ed courses were above my "fun" electives. However you choose to categorize your classes, it helps to have an order, so you make sure you get those important courses, when you want them.

5. Have a plan B...and C....and D....and E....
It took me days and days and probably 30 e-mails ( at least!) to figure out my classes in a way that was remotely acceptable. There were tears and gnashing of teeth, and don't fool yourself and think plan A was accomplished. I had to re-organize my timetable, find new electives, and pull every trick in the book to make it work this year, but in the end, I think it will be OK. I haven't always had this much trouble, and I don't share this to stress anyone out but simply to let you know that it's good to have some back up plans just in case, or at least the time to figure one out on the spot.

6. Don't be afraid to ask.
If you want a course, e-mail the department, e-mail the professor, show up in their offices. It might actually get things done! Don't be afraid to make phone calls, send e-mails, and make your presence known. Universities are big institutions, and they can't read your mind - you have to ask for what you want

7. Let it go.
Whatever happens, try to just let it go. If you don't end up in that super awesome course you wanted, it's OK. If you end up with classes every day when you wanted Friday off, it's OK. If you end up with a 9 hour day of lectures, it's OK (still trying to convince myself of that one ;). If you have more early morning classes than you wanted, that's OK. In the end, as long as you graduate, it's probably going to be just fine. So take a deep breath and let it all go.

8. Pray.
You can't do it on your own - making a timetable match up when there are thousands of other people trying to get into the same courses is not simple. Not losing it and crying in some lady's office at York is an even bigger miracle (trust me, I would know). Keep calm and cast all your cares on the one who cares for you.

Some Thoughts Concerning Education

No, I'm not talking about John Locke's thoughts on the subject. All you Ed students know what I'm talking about, amiright? Enough of that for the summer.

Wes and I were driving back to the city recently and had an interesting discussion about education. You see, if I remember correctly, I was doing the hypothetical worrying thing that I do way too often. I asked him, "what if we get married and then we have a baby and then I stay home with the baby and because it's so hard to get a teaching job before I had a baby I never actually use this degree that I am working on because I never got a job and then I spent all that money on something (a degree) that didn't give us any money in return and then it's like I just wasted my time?" *insert breath here* At which point he started laughing, and then I did too because I realized how ridiculous that whole thing was.

After we both stopped laughing at me...

Wes made a very good point.

He said that he thought society had all the wrong ideas about education...viewing universities as a job factory. And I realized that in my nonsensical moment of worry, I had really had the wrong perspective all along. Thinking of university as a job factory is what I fall back on far too much.

"What it really is," he said, " is an investment in knowledge, in your own education as a person." Even if you never use your degree in terms of a job in the way society expects, you are still a better person as a result. You have still grown and expanded your knowledge. And it's true! I completely agree.

I can really tell how much I have grown in my time at school...learning to live alone, make a solid and concise argument, speak and act in a professional manner, how to manage my own money, and so many valuable teaching skills that can be used in a variety of contexts. Education is more than just a road to a job. It's about growing as a person and developing yourself in so many ways. I like to think of myself as a lifelong learner...learning this lesson was an important part of that journey. So thankful for my guy who humbles me in the gentlest of ways (and often, I think, quite by accident!).

I mean, let's be real. It's also where you learn how long you can REALLY go without grocery shopping, how to do ANYTHING from Pinterest, how to accomplish anything BUT listening to the lecture (I have seen people order delivery pizza, a group of guys watch a sports game, and of course there is the all-too-typical wedding dress purchases, among others), how to communicate just about anything over texting or Facebook because the long distance phone call is too stinkin' expensive. And don't you forget the acquiring free stuff skills that I have been sharpening. Crucial. A big thank you goes out to my friend, mentor, guru, and general free stuff aficionado Renee.

But seriously, pay attention to the first part of this post. It all goes downhill at the end. There is some genius up there though, promise! You should probably go read it again to remind yourself that I can write something useful. Go, read it! Up there.

And right now, I am thankful for a summer break to reflect on these thoughts about education :)

Pretend this is summer...see the sunshine? It's definitely summer in this picture. You can tell by Wes' facial expression that he agrees. 

Ok. This one is ACTUALLY summer. That better? And yes, I was terrified. I am like 40 feet off the ground, aren't I? You let someone do that to you and let me know if you have a more normal facial expression. Actually, on second thought, don't. Let's just all help me out and smile and move on :P
P.S. side note, he's super cool. 

It usually takes me a full month to convince myself it is truly summer. If you, too, need some help, feel free to listen to this song to get you in the proper groove. That's the official term, right?

A few of my favourite things...

I'm going to try something new in this post and share some of my recent favourite things with you! This month (mid-April to mid-May) has been a busy time filled with new experiences, so I apologize for the radio silence over here. I am aiming to get back into my regular routine very shortly! So without further ado, here are my favourites as of late...

1. Teaching kindergarten. I might sound like a broken record, because I know I mention kindergarten a lot here, but I am so LOVING my time at my placement. It's probably one of the most overwhelming and challenging things I have done, but the most fun and rewarding at the same time. I can tell that I have really grown so much now at the end of the year as well, it's pretty crazy. 

2. Watermelon. Mini watermelons have been on sale for a good price lately, and they are soooo good. Best mid-morning snack! They give me hope that summer might eventually arrive.

3. Caffeine. There is nothing like a good Iced Capp or Starbucks trip, and this month they have been so very appreciated. The few times I have managed to bring an Iced Capp to work have been so much better haha. 

4. My water bottle. I have been trying to drink more water this week, and having my water bottle with me all the time helps a ton. I am so horrible for drinking enough water. I got this one for Christmas last year and I still love it!

5. Quiet mornings. I usually listen to music on my walk to work to keep myself moving, but lately I have been turning it off to enjoy the lack of noise. It's so still and now I have been hearing birds chirping, streams running, and even some crickets...all in the (finally) bright mornings. It's so wonderful! 

6. Being done classes for another year. 'Nuff said. Can I get an AMEN??!!

7. This song. It just makes me think of driving around in the summer with friends, rockin' out and singing too loud. I can't wait. 

                                   

8 Simple Steps to Healthier Eating

I often hear people comment that they would like to eat healthier foods, but feel they can't because they are too busy, it's too expensive, etc. Today I want to share some simple steps that anyone can take to make healthy eating a bigger part of their lives too. Because food is important! I hope everyone has the experience of eating food that is so wonderful that they declare, "THIS. This right here is proof that God loves us!" Or is it just me that does that? Ah well, no matter how loudly *ahem* your soul sings when you eat good food, it's an important part of each of our lives, and has the ability to influence our individual health and wellness, not to mention our mood and energy. So how can we eat delicious food that is good for us too? Well, read on friends! 

1. Don't buy it! 
If you don't buy something, then you won't eat it. Seems logical, right? This is probably the most important factor for me. By choosing not to buy food you don't want to be eating anyways, you are basically eliminating the need for self-control from the equation. You only need self-control in that moment in the store and then at home it's easy! It's not there to eat so you are not going to have that problem...

2. It's all about the snacks. 
I have written before about the importance of having healthy snacks around if you want to eat healthy. I find that it is usually the in-between times when I am feeling snack-ish that I crave things like chips or chocolate. I want some tasty morsel to munch on, and it turns out that frozen grapes totally hit the spot!

Fresh produce from the garden is the best snack ever! 

3. Read the label! 
Finding a healthy option can be as simple as reading the label on things you are buying. As a general rule, the smaller the number of ingredients, the better it is. Also, avoid unpronounceable ingredients. For example, apples contain....apples. But a box of good ol' KD? Not so much. The same rule applies when you are comparing brands. When you are buying applesauce, for example, look for the brand with the least ingredients. You should be able to find a variety with literally just apples, or maybe with a little citric acid (vitamin C) to preserve it.

4. Make Substitutions One at a Time. 
The easiest way to change your lifestyle is to make one simple switch at a time. So if you really love to eat crackers, look for a better variety of crackers such as brown rice crackers, or maybe try making them yourself. Then, switch something else the next week, like finding a more natural variety of yogurt. If once a week seems like a lot, try once a month or every other week.

5. Plan Ahead. 
When you walk in the door after a busy day, starving and with absolutely no dinner plans, you are more likely to order pizza or make the Mr. Noodles that are sitting in the cupboard (which I wouldn't have in my house anyways right? haha). Menu plans are a lifesaver for eating healthy, and saving the grocery budget. I don't make a daily plan, but I try to jot down a few meals that I will make when I go grocery shopping so I make sure I have the ingredients and so that I can refer to the list when I don't know what to make. If you think about what you are eating beforehand, you are also more likely to take things out of the freezer to thaw or actually have time to pack a lunch.

Valentine's Day soup...from my Instagram feed

6. Cook Extra. 
This is my saving grace for when I forget to plan ahead. Batch cooking is where it's at y'all. Especially as a university student. I can cook a batch of chili and get 8 meals out of it...one the night I make it and 7 for the freezer. I have a whole bunch of the 2-cup Pyrex containers that I can put in the oven/toaster oven (put it in a cold oven so the glass warms up slowly and doesn't crack) or the microwave no problem. When I have to pack a lunch, I just grab one of my little meals out of the freezer and it's even better than a frozen meal from the grocery store. I will also sometimes freeze larger batches for if I have company, or Wes comes over.

7. Pack Food and NOT Money. 
I learned this trick in high school. If you don't have money to spend on eating out, you are not going to eat out. The way to combat not having food is to just pack a snack! I try to keep some easily pack-able items in my cupboard like crackers, dried fruit, trail mix, a piece of fruit, etc. (grab and go items). I also like to keep an extra granola bar or something in my bag just in case (Clif bars and Lara Bars are my favourite for a treat). This way, I can just bring a couple dollars in case I am stuck and need the subway or an emergency tea (it happens folks!) and maybe my debit card (which I can't use at most places on campus). I have saved myself a lot of money and donuts doing this. I know, because I don't always heed my own advice and pay for it (literally) later.

8. Have a Water Bottle You Like. 
Most of the time when you are just feeling peckish and want a snack, it's actually because you are thirsty or even dehydrated. I find that having a water bottle that I like helps me to keep hydrated and reminds me to bring water with me when I am out. If you are feeling like you want chips but aren't sure you are really hungry, try drinking a glass of water first. Especially if it seems like nothing you eat is really satisfying. Your body may actually be craving water and not salt or sugar.