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Getting Started at George Brown College
Maximizing The Opportunity

Whether you are coming to college right from Grade 12 or returning to school after being away for a while, there are some things you may want to know about the GBC college experience. This following information is designed to give you some ideas that should make your college experience easier, more productive and enjoyable.

• Choosing your program
• Paying for your program and finding time to study
• Your social life, being successful academically, solving problems
• Staying healthy, finding help, getting employed
• Fitting in where it counts

Choosing your program

We hope you have chosen your program with the following elements in mind:

• You have some genuine interest in what you will be studying.
• You know that you have the ability and background to learn the material.
• You have looked into the marketability of the profession you are planning to study and believe you will be able to find or create work in this field.
• You have spoken to people in this industry and feel aware of the typical job requirements

Paying for your program and finding time to study

In determining whether you have sufficient funds to pay for your education, you may be aware that the following are sources of financial assistance:

Ontario Student Assistance Plan (OSAP)
 

GBC bursary is for students who are in financial difficulty.
You can get an application at the office for Financial Assistance.

You can judge your expenses using the following figures. Many factors can change these figures both up and down

Rent: It can be difficult to find a two-bedroom apartment for under $900 per month.
Transportation: A TTC monthly pass is almost $ 100. There is a discount fare for students who use the GO trains.
Books: The cost of books varies but can be between $300 - $600 each semester. There are book vouchers available for students in financial need who are in their first semester of college.
Do not forget the costs involved for telephone, heating, food, toiletries and clothing
Try drawing up your personal budget including income and expenses to see if you are being realistic.

Have you budgeted enough time?
Many fulltime college programs have 6 or 7 courses in each semester. Each course may take 3-4 hours per week of home study and when you include studying for exams and placements, there may not be very many hours to do other things. Some students take part time employment but this is not always manageable, particularly if there are family obligations as well.

Setting priorities becomes very important in managing time. It is also important to keep track of due dates for papers and exams. You might try drawing up a weekly schedule link and crossing out the time you are in class, commuting, working, exercising and all other regular obligations. When you look at your weekly schedule, you should be able to determine the time you have available for studying and assignments. Mark a three-hour block of time that you can use to cover times in your schedule that you were unable to complete your studying. Knowing you have some flexibility in your schedule can keep you calmer and you are less likely to take time from other important commitments.

Your social life, being successful academically, solving problems

The years that you spend at college are opportunities to meet great new people, many of whom share similar interests.

They are also the people who can: supply you with class notes when you have to miss a class become members of your study group can explain material to you form the beginnings of your career network make the college experience more interesting and fun

Some students find the academic work easier than others. If you are having a difficult time, try to figure out what might be the cause. Here are some possible explanations:

• Do you have sufficient school preparation for the courses? If you find you do not know some of the background material that is necessary to understand the work, you could ask your teacher to recommend a book to help you catch up through self-study or/and you might need to take a more basic course or get tutorial help.
  

• Have you approached your work in an organized and sensible way? Do you know how to study? If you have always had difficulty with studying, maybe it's time to change your approach. You can learn about studying at one of the many workshops that are offered through Counselling. Some of the topics include, time management, exam taking strategies and note taking.
   
• Some students have Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorder. This may have gone undiagnosed when you were younger. Some signs of a learning disability include difficulty with reading speed, time management, very poor handwriting, disorganization and problems with retaining information or understanding concepts. Some signs of attention deficit disorder include more than the usual difficulty getting started and focused on work. If you think this is a possibility, you may want to discuss this with a counsellor.
   
• The college offers a free Peer Tutoring service for students.
  Once you have attended an orientation session, you can use the tutoring labs as often as you like. Come to Counselling to sign up.
   
• Being mentally preoccupied or actually busy with too many problems can interfere with doing well. Free and confidential counselling is available to help you. Counsellors at the college can help you with personal, career or study concerns and they can help you find referrals to agencies in the community. You can also browse 211Toronto.ca link on the internet to find sources of help in Toronto.
   
• Depression can be particularly hard on students since primary symptoms include problems with concentration and loss of motivation. Depression should not go untreated since it can put your school year in jeopardy, it feels terrible and most often responds to treatment.
   
• Have you been realistic in giving yourself all the time that is required? Essays need preparation time to even decide what and how to research. Frequent short study sessions are often better than one long one. You need time to allow new material to sink in and become part of your understanding. It has been said that, "conscious learning becomes unconscious knowledge".
   
• The college has a Learning Resource Centre where you will find a variety of resources to help you with your studies.

Staying healthy, finding help, getting employed

It is difficult to imagine that you will escape some stress as you proceed through your semesters. Exams usually happen too close together and assignments all seem to be due the same week. Between life's up and downs, world events and a full time academic program, stress can't be far behind. Without some stress we could get bored but with too much, we could get ill. Learning to control stress is a lifelong asset. It will serve you well not only during final exams but also in the dentist's chair, driving during an unanticipated blizzard, giving a speech and other dreaded circumstances.

There are a few key ways to control stress:

• You can learn to keep your body relaxed by learning muscle relaxation. It is pretty hard to feel tense if your muscles are relaxed.

• You can solve some of your problems. For instance, if exams stress you out, try over studying so you feel there is nothing you don't know. If you have too much to do, try giving some of it away. e.g. teach your 10 year old how to do the laundry. Other people are often better at spotting solutions. Share some of your problems with family, friends or a counsellor and consider some of their ideas.

• For those things that you can't change, try to change your attitude since you have no control over the outcome anyway.
   
• There is no better way to manage stress than a little exercise. Brisk walking is a good exercise particularly if it is for 35 minutes or longer. Both campuses have a gym. There is no excuse.
   
  If you have concerns about your health and don't have a family doctor, you can find a doctor who is taking new patients by going to the website of the College of Physicians and Surgeons for Ontario or go to a walk in clinic in your neighborhood. Walk in clinics are listed in the yellow pages under "Clinic-Medical".
  

One of the benefits of being at school is the opportunity to meet the faculty. Faculty can enrich your experience and help you bridge to employment. Even if you are on the shy side, it is a good idea to try and have contact with faculty members. They can help you understand your studies through discussion, recommending additional sources of help and stimulating ideas for your assignments. They can tell you the direction your field is taking as you choose courses and can suggest people to help you with employment. They are your references for jobs and scholarships. Neglect them at your peril!

Counselling is your one stop shop for counselling, tutoring, job search, workshops and referrals. The counsellors at the college can help you with personal problems related to family, relationships and friends. We know that your education is an important key to employment and the college is prepared to help you in the following ways:

Job Search: Come and see us for all your job search needs: workshops on résumé writing, interview techniques, the informational interview. Counsellors can also see you individually for your job search needs.

The Student Affairs Department: The Student Affairs Department hires around 300 full time students every year to work part-time as: peer tutors, peer note takers, and peer advisors. If you would like to apply for a position fill out an application on-line or stop by the counselling office at either the St. James or Casa Loma campus to receive an application.

JobSpyder™: A powerful job search engine! With JobSpyder, individuals can search over 500,000 Canadian and 3,900,000 US jobs currently advertised on the Internet, including corporate, educational, government, not-for-profit and job boards. More detailed information, check the website of Students Affair/Career Services.

The Human Rights Advisor is responsible for implementing and monitoring The Prevention of Discrimination and Harassment Policy, which is based on the Ontario Human Rights Code. This is a confidential service where you can seek advice as well as resources. The advisor can be reached by calling 416 415 5000 Ext. 4646

A Safe Walk program to help you get to your car or streetcar/subway safely A Benefits plan to cover medical and dental needs Legal consultation where it is indicated. Advocacy Clubs (political, religious, entertainment) Free student cards for travel and other discounts

Fitting in where it counts

Whether you have been born and raised in Canada or have come from someplace else, you may wonder in a country with so many different cultures, if there is a Canadian culture? Living, working and studying with people from so many different backgrounds can be confusing but never boring. With a good degree of tolerance and goodwill, misunderstandings can be kept to a minimum.

In many circumstances, particularly at school and on the job there are behaviors and attitudes that can be considered part of Canadian culture. There is the expected culture in the classroom, the accepted practices of the interview, the niceties of public life and other areas where there is a common ground. It is important to know these even if some seem silly or even wrong.

Disregarding common practices may jeopardize a job, getting along in your school groups and even a relationship. If in doubt, the easiest way is to notice and/or ask. For instance, are you comfortable shaking hands and do you know when it would be important to do this? Knowing the accepted practices for a job interview and in your chosen work may be critical to landing and keeping a job. How casual can your language be in the classroom? Knowing and doing what is expected in the classroom may make your college experience generally more pleasant and successful. You can attend a workshop on Canadian Workplace Culture through Counselling.

Equipped with a good attitude, hard work, sufficient funds and time, failure is not an issue.

Good luck in making the best of the college experience.
You can't beat the practice for making the best life.

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Revised: September 5, 2011