The financial conundrum Taking advantage of your student status can save you a bundle Trevoll Doré ith one semester down, ance semester W ahead and the holidays behind us, this time of year can leave students tight for cash. That summer job is still a long way away so it’s time to get creative with money spending and saving. Finding ways to live comfortably and go to school can be a real lesson in thinking outside of the box. Messages to spend, spend, spend and to continuously consume are shoved down our throats at every opportunity. Advertisers, marketers and the media are relentless with their messages and images of happiness acquired through material possessions. We have been showered with these messages since the early stages of childhood. Watching cartoons on Saturday mornings, children are bombarded with images of other children who are happier than ever because they happen to be playing with the latest andigreatest tech toy invention. The latest Nerf gun—with real battle sounds—for the boys and the new and improved My Little Pony —that eats and excretes—for girls. Most students have one thing in common; we are at school so that we can go on and have successful careers in our chosen field. While there are many different definitions of success, financial security is on everyone’s list. Let’s face it, while money might not be able to buy happiness, it sure as hell can buy a more comfortable life - style. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to be financially secure or for what it’s worth financially lucrative. Many students spend a minimum of two to four years at post secondary school. Some students are forced to take out a student loan in order to go to school full- time, get things done and progress. Often students are left at the end of their studies with huge debts and spend the first part of their working career working to pay off the debt. Others work 24/7 during the summer in order . to save enough money to ride the savings account wave for two semesters of frugal living. Some are fortunate enough to have parents who have put money away for their education. Regardless of your circumstance, school can be a very financially straining time for many students. It is imperative that you take advantage of your student status. In order to do this, I would like to point out the power of the student ID. For new students it’s a matter of going to the ID office—room 3272 at New Westminster and room D1019 at the David Lam—and having your picture taken and getting your very own Douglas College-issue ID. It’s all done while you wait. For those of you who already have an ID, it’s simply a matter of obtaining an up to date “Winter 2010” sticker Qiiaro from the campus library or ID office. This card is your key to money savings. If you take transit, it offers you the opportunity to travel all three zones On a One-zone pass; now that’s savings! Many companies also offer discounts to students as a lure. If you are going to spend the money anyways, why not take advantage:of the discount? After all, every little bit counts. Don’t forget about the Studentsaver card in the back of your planner. It’s accompanied by a list of places around B.C. that offer discounts to students who flash the card. There are discounts on groceries, arts and culture, entertainment and nightlife, restaurants and fast food, books and school supplies, fitness and recreation, and for when you have to go out and get the latest and greatest, clothing and accessories and retail discounts. Being a student is an awesome opportunity. Years at school are dedicated to the development of your mind and skills that will make you better off in life. Financial burdens can make this time more stressful than need be, so why not take advantage of whatever you can, while you can. You won’t always be a student—that is unless you’re planning on making it a career. Either way, remember: take advantage of you student status; it is your key to savings and financial fulfilment. Fuming? Nodding? Tell us what you think; contact opinions @ theotherpress.ca with your opinions about this or any other article The dreaded English 1130 Academic Writing Maybe not so bad after all By Trevor Doré, Opinions Editor any students are familiar with the class that seems to be a prerequisite for so many programs. The thought of taking a class in which the final grade is composed of a series of written assignments is enough to make most students cringe. English 1130 Academic Writing is notorious for heavy workloads and low average grades. The waitlists are huge and many students only take it because they have to. According to the course outline pulled directly from the Douglas College course calendar, English 1130 Academic Writing “introduces students to the process of writing academic argument essays and includes writing strategies, assignments and exercises which develop their abilities as writers. Students receive instruction in the general principles of composition and the specific development, organization, style and mechanics of the academic argument essay. The course also includes instruction in reading and using source material.” Now, judging by the outline, the course doesn’t sound like a lot of fun. For those who don’t like to write, it may very well not be. However, it does appear to offer some very valuable skills. Reading, writing and using source materials are all skills that you will need for most, if not all, of your other classes. I took English 1130 last semester and I would highly recommend it to anyone, especially those in an academic- based program—and that covers just about everyone. The course sets you up for success in all of your other courses that require you to submit any form of written work. Research methods are outlined and you are taught how to do active reading—a skill that can be used in every course and in everyday life. The course does focus on: pessay writing and I figure this is what probably scares people away in the first place. The course is very work intensive and will require a significant commitment. If you buckle down and really Ste 2 work at it, you will be rewarded. Spend time working on your writing skills, taking instructor feedback into consideration and your reading and writing skills will no doubt improve by the end of the course. If this is not enough for you to be convinced that Academic Writing is worth the time and effort, consider this: once you have successfully passed English 1130, you will be able to write efficiently and effectively. The time that you invest in the class will be paid back to you when it comes time to write essays for other classes. You will also most likely notice an improvement in the grades you receive on essays and in other classes. Essay significance, structure, unity and coherence are all taught and exercised. Once you have completed English 1130 Academic Writing, your essays will be works of art. If you are on the waitlist, I wish you good luck. If you have not registered for the class I suggest you don’t leave it to the last minute or your last semester. The skills you learn in this class will be applicable to the rest of your education. Finally, if you are ~~ currently enrolled, make sure you spend the time and dedicate the effort. It will truly pay off in the end. Fuming? Nodding? Tell us what you think; contact opinions @theotherpress.ca with your opinions about this or any other article 15