Who doesn’t love a good chicken fajita, especially when you can make it quickly too!  

What You’ll Need: Chicken tenders, red pepper, red onion, chili powder, corn tortillas, guacamole 

Cut a quarter pound of chicken tenders, a red pepper, and half a red onion into thin slices and season with your choice of spices such as chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Use a microwave friendly container, you can never go wrong with a glass container, and place your veggies, followed by chicken and then cover with a lid. Microwave on high for 10 minutes. You can serve your fajita in corn tortilla with a dollop of guacamole and sour cream. This is definitely a yummier and healthier option than Mcdonalds. Try it out and let me know how it tastes!  

Kraft dinner is always a yummy and quick option but try this recipe to make some more authentic tasting mac & cheese and see how it compares.  

What You’ll Need: Macaroni pasta, milk, shredded cheddar cheese, and flour.  

This recipe is super simple and can be achieved very quickly with minimal ingredients. Combine half a cup of pasta, ¼ cup of water, and salt in a bowl. Microwave for 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, adding another ¼ cup of water after the first two minutes of microwaving. Once the pasta is done, add enough milk to saturate the pasta, a handful of cheese, and a small amount of flour to thicken the mix. Stir in these next few ingredients and cook for another 30 seconds on high. Enjoy your gourmet mac & cheese! 

It can be difficult to find good vegetarian options when going out to eat, not to mention how expensive it can get. Try this black bean and quesadilla option for one of those quick days or if you just aren’t feeling meat.  

What You’ll Need: Can of black beans, frozen corn, fajita seasoning blend, lime, diced red onion, cilantro, shredded cheese, corn tortillas, and salsa.   

Black beans are protein packed and delicious! Drain the can of beans and rinse lightly with water. Use a large bowl to store the beans and throw in your seasoning mix, cilantro and a dash of lime juice. Crush your beans and other ingredients to form a paste-like consistency. Spread the bean paste on your tortilla and layer on the corn, diced onion and cheese, followed by another bean-smeared tortilla as a covering. Place your quesadilla on a glass plate and microwave for about a minute to melt the cheese. Top your quesadilla with salsa and enjoy! 

I thought I would also throw in a quick and healthy breakfast option that can be easily prepared before class. You can use your choice of berries but I’m going to be sharing my favourite combination!  

What You’ll Need: ½ cup quinoa, water, cinnamon, milk, banana, raspberries, pomegranate seeds 

Quinoa is a great protein source and provides you with the essential amino acids that enrich your diet, especially if you’re a vegetarian searching for protein rich options. To try this simple and delicious breakfast option, rinse your quinoa under cold water and then place it in a bowl with a cup of water and cinnamon. Microwave on high for 4 minutes, stir then follow up with another 3 minutes in the microwave. Cover your bowl with a lid upon removing it from the microwave and allow it to sit and steam for 2 minutes. Fluff with a fork and add your choice of milk, mashed bananas and top with berries such as raspberries and pomegranate seeds.     

I would highly recommend waiting until your first day of classes to buy materials as professors tend to go over the syllabus and will inform you about the importance of purchasing certain texts. Here are a few places to check out before purchasing those textbooks.

• Library: Before dropping hundreds of dollars on a textbook, check to see if there are cheaper options. Textbooks may be available in a digital format through the library. 
• Gently-used: Maybe an older friend already has the textbook you need and is willing to share it with you. Upper years are also always trying to sell their textbooks, so you may be able to find a half-priced book from them.
• Campus bookstore: The campus bookstore also has a section for used textbooks. Check to see if they have what you need.

Here are a few discounts that students should take advantage of:  

• Fortinos (1579 Main St W): 10% off every Tuesday for students with a valid student ID  
• Shoppers Drug Mart (1341 Main St W): 20% off on Thursdays with valid student ID 
• Food Basics (845 King St W): 10% off every Tuesday for students with a valid student ID  

Did you know that you also can get a student discount on Spotify premium for $4.99/month as well as a 50% discount on an amazon prime subscription?  

I would waste a ton of money on impulse buys prior to budgeting and I didn’t even realize this until I actually started tracking my expenditures. Deciding to become more mindful of my expenses has saved me a lot of money. Budgeting makes it easier to plan, save and control your expenses. With a proper budget, you will be able to make informed purchasing decisions and save your money. There are many tools available online to help you get started.  

As part of the Niagara Escarpment, Hamilton offers many beautiful waterfalls, hiking trails and parks to incentivize getting outside in nature. Right off campus are great trails that lead into Coote’s Paradise, an amazing local wetland area.

I would also recommend taking advantage of excursions put on by the university to amazing spots like Tiffany falls. My personal favourite walking trail is the Hamilton-Brantford rail trail which you can access right off Emerson Street across from campus.

If you want to get close to the water, I recommend Bayfront Park and for a great hike make sure to check out Dundas peak for some amazing views.

Hamilton’s natural beauty is one of the best aspects of the city so make sure not to miss out.  

Another great way to experience a city is through its food. Off the east side of campus is the Westdale neighbourhood which also houses a wide variety of restaurants and cafes with some of my favourite restaurants. If you’re able to venture further from campus, downtown Hamilton is definitely the place. Locke street has some amazing restaurants and shops while Hess Street has some awesome patios. Some of my favourite spots include: 

• Caribbean Flavah on Main Street 
• Bean Bar in Westdale 
• Gown and Gavel on Hess Street 
• Bread Bar on Locke Street

Make sure to explore all these areas and maybe even find your new favourite food place.  

Love sports? Check out: 

• Hamilton’s own CFL team the Hamilton Tiger Cats down at Tim Hortons field 
• Catch an OHL game and see the Hamilton Bulldogs in action at the First Ontario Center. 

Make sure to also keep an eye out for when Tim Horton’s field hosts special events. Just last year it hosted the grey cup, the Heritage classic between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabers and The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) world cup qualifying match between the US and Canadian men’s national teams.  

Love music? Check out: 

• Concerts at Tim Horton’s field and see groups like the Arkells (McMaster alums).
• Concert at the First Ontario Centre and First Ontario Concert Hall where you can see the orchestra.  

Love art? Check out: 

• The Art Gallery of Hamilton on King Street 
• Look out for the exhibits hosted by McMaster’s Museum of Art right on campus! 

Personally, I found the biggest difference between high school and university is the independence. You will no longer be provided with constant reminders to complete assignments or be given worksheets outlining concepts. A lot of the learning will be self-directed and the shift in teaching style can be a big adjustment. Some things that allowed me to become more engaged in lecture material include: 

• Reviewing my notes before class.
• Sitting in the front rows of lecture.
• Using supplementary course materials such as textbooks to fill in gaps of knowledge.
• Using free time in between classes to prepare.

Tip: Use those pockets of time wisely as they can add up! Implementing those steps into my routine helped enhance my learning experience as I was able to follow along with the professor during lectures and absorb the content more readily. Preparing ahead of time will enrich your learning experience.  

Studying can be draining. It can feel like just going to lectures is sufficient, but this is far from the truth. In high school, when teachers announced that there was a test next week, what would you do? Personally, I was a bit of a procrastinator and held off on studying until a few days before the test. Now, this got me through high school, not in university. 

Lectures may be fast paced so something your high school teacher took a week to explain can be glossed over in 10 minutes by your professor. This may seem daunting, but rest assured you will find the right studying habits that will help facilitate your success in the classroom and beyond.  

Tip: Your ability to maintain a routine for studying/reviewing course content on a regular basis will help you succeed as a university student.

A common misconception that many students have is the idea of not having enough time to study. You may think that you need to schedule a strict block of time within your agenda focused on uninterrupted studying. Try using small pockets of time.

• Once you get your timetable for the year, you may notice that you have a 50-minute break in between your classes, and this can’t possibly be enough time to get done the work you planned to for the day. But it is enough time! You can split up the workload throughout the day.  
• If you planned to spend an hour reviewing concepts from your biology lecture earlier that day, why don’t you use the free time you have in between classes to get your revision in.

I wish I had used this strategy in my first year as it would have saved me from many late nights.  

For those of you who do not live on campus, you may have to commute to and from McMaster to get to your classes. You may find that the commute is hindering your productivity as it takes up a few hours from your schedule daily but what if you were able to use this time? Try out the following:  

• Complete a quick assignment on your commute. Use this small pocket of time to maximize your productivity. 
• Pull out your notes and review what you learned in class today on the commute or if you are on the way to school, you could prepare for class and look over today’s lecture content.
• Plan out your workday for tasks that need to be completed once you reach your destination.

A personal favourite of mine, Forest: Stay Focused  is an app that has helped my productivity by discouraging me to use my phone use while studying. These are some features of the app:

• Tracks your personal pattern of time management.
• Grows a tree for every successful 30 minutes of focused studying with the goal of growing a forest overtime.
• If you exit the app, it warns you that you will kill the tree.
• The more you use the app, the more points you earn, and you can eventually use those points to have the company plant a real tree in the world.
• You can also add friends to hold each other accountable.

I highly recommend checking it out.

Setting goals can create a sense of motivation to achieve the task at hand. This is something that has worked well for me. When I set out goals, I feel a certain sense of motivation to achieve the task at hand. Goal setting can be guided using the SMART goals template to ensure that your goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

A goal I would set as a first-year life sciences student was ensuring revision of class content was completed daily in addition to completing assignments and quizzes. This helped me keep up with a fast work pace and ensure that I did not fall behind on previous material. 

Holding yourself accountable can help you more effectively prioritize your goals and enrich your understanding of them. You can use accountability strategies to stay motivated and learn what study strategies work best for you. Accountability can be created through consistent scheduling as it establishes a routine. Some methods for holding yourself accountable can include:  

1. Participation in study groups: This can help reinforce your own learning through immediate feedback. I preferred studying in groups with friends in my first year. This can be an enjoyable and productive experience.
2. Having an accountability buddy: This can help you overcome the temptations to procrastinate. I had a friend be my study buddy and we would commit to testing each other on class material at the end of each week. This made studying for evaluations easier.

Setting a standing time to work with peers can keep you motivated. Connecting meetings with rewarding activities such as taking coffee breaks together can provide an incentive to stay on track and create a friendly work environment.  

Sometimes it might seem that there aren’t enough hours in a day to complete everything you need to get done or it can be difficult to visualize tasks. You must create a disciplined strategy for yourself if you want to achieve your academic goals.

Create a schedule to ensure that you are effectively utilizing your time. I would usually start off the week by listing out all the tasks I have to complete within the span of the week. This would allow me to visualize my goals and create a sufficient action plan. Your schedule will help you prepare well for challenging course exams, and it is an excellent habit to continuously develop and implement in your daily life.  

With many of the courses you take, you will find a surprising amount of overlap in the content that is presented to you and naturally we make connections. This helps consolidate information in a more meaningful way and you are likely to have a better grasp of the content when you are tested on it.  Take a moment at the end of the week to try to connect information across disciplines. 

• Can I apply what I learned in physics today to what I learned in chemistry last week? 
• Can I connect the information I am learning in my intro psychology course to what was taught in biology today? 

By connecting the information to your daily life, you will find overlap and think beyond what is taught in the classroom. It is always so interesting to see the things you are learning applied to your life beyond the classroom.   

Mills library is perfectly situated at the centre of campus. There are many great options in Mills to find a place to study, but when you really need to focus, look no further than the 6th floor. This section is a large and entirely quiet area perfect for intense focus. Generally, everyone tends to be respectful of the silent zone rules.

Tip: When breaks are required there are food options nearby at MUSC.

The basement in Thode is another great silent study option, and it is generally easy to find a private area due to its large size and less central location on campus.

Tip: It will be more convenient for those on or near the west side of campus.

Instead, checkout PGCLL’s M floor lounge for immaculate group study vibes. PG’s M floor lounge is ideal for group work as it has long tables, booths, etc. 

Tip: What further sets this space apart from others is its natural light, modern furnishings, very comfortable setup and food options on the floor below.  

Another great option is Mills’ learning commons. You can access this space either by going to the 2nd floor of Mills from the main entrance or from outside the library at the learning commons entrance. This space is also sectioned into large tables perfect for group work and welcomes conversation.

Tip: This spot tends to stay open later than many other places. 

Firstly, if you have access to one, don’t sleep (pun intended) on the residence study rooms. This is a great option to get some late-night studying done.  

Tip: These options will be your most convenient and will be open for you 24/7. 

If you don’t have access to a residence study room, another good late-night option is the 2nd floor of MUSC. Most of the internal services, food, stores, etc. in MUSC will be closed but the building/study spaces are generally open 24/7 during exam season.

Tip: There are also vending machines and water fountains available.

Asking for help may seem daunting as you are putting yourself in a vulnerable position. I used to view it as a risk of seeming inferior to my professors and peers. I never asked questions despite having many and attempted to devise my own solutions. It is good to be self-directed, but you should not shy away from asking questions.

• You can ask your professor questions through office hours, allotted time slots for drop-ins or simply wait to speak to them at the end of lecture.
• You may have heard the saying “there are no dumb questions” a countless number of times in all your years of schooling, but I just want to emphasize the truth behind this phrase. Professors encounter a wide variety of students with varying skill sets daily, and chances are, your question may not be not be as “dumb” as you may think.

Tip: Asking questions and interacting with your professor can help provide you with networking opportunities for future projects.

In first year, I refrained from networking with professors to seek out opportunities as I believed I was unqualified and did not want to waste their time. This was a misconception. It is never too early to start networking. 

• It helps you get a foot in the door for upper-year projects that may require Faculty supervisors such as independent research studies or even your fourth-year honours thesis project.  
• You are more likely to receive references that you need for a job or opportunities if you can familiarize yourself with your professor. Put a name to your face and let them know that you are here to learn.  

Networking is ultimately a learning opportunity, whether it occurs through formally organized events or casual encounters. There is a lot to learn from people, and most people are willing to share their experiences and expertise. This process does not have to be intimidating and certainly should not be ingenuine.

Tip: The key is to have a genuine interest to connect with a specific person and share your reasons for wishing to connect with them. A genuine interest helps facilitate conversation that is interesting and effortless.  

Networking can occur through various outlets. One method of networking, while I was seeking out research opportunities, was emailing professors whose research interests aligned with my own. Sometimes, you may not receive the most favourable outcome such as joining a lab group or even receiving an email back, and that is completely okay!  

Networking is a rewarding risk, and you cannot always expect to be granted opportunities but you can expect to always learn something. The most important takeaway is to be genuine and go into conversations with the intention to learn something new. You may be referred to a different professor or professional who may be able to provide you with another new and exciting opportunity. 

Tip: Be concise in your emails to professors. Don’t be afraid to use bullet points to get your points across.