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Connections eZineFebruary . 2010

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2 Table of Contents

3 Calendar

4 President’s Circle Awards

5 Destination: Graduation

6 House Hunting Tips

7 UW Residence

7 Message from Health Services --Mumps

8 Masks on Meds

9 Retail Services

10 Safety Tips for Reading Week

11 One Waterloo

12 The Loneliness of difference

ContentsFebruary .2010

Connections eZine

The Student Life Office Ezines are monthly online maga-zines for people that want information about the uni-versity experience. Our focus is on student life news and events. The online magazine is updated monthly with new event promotions, reviews, articles and rich media. Enjoy!

Connections eZineFebruary . 2010

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FebruaryUPCOMING EVENTS

Calendar2010

3rd– 6th Masks on Meds Page. 8 10th Operatic Bass @ 12:30 pm

Conrad Grebel Chapel Dennis Bender, bass vocalist Joanne Bender, piano 12th UWCSSA 2010 Lunar New Year Festival 25th Dance For Haiti 26th–27th Warrior Weekends

ACADEMIC8th – 13th Class enrolment appointments 11th Final examination schedule 15th On - Campus Open enrolment 19th Deadline to receive a 50 % tuition refund 26th Class drop period 1 ends27th Class drop penalty 2 period begins March 1st Intention to graduate forms dueMarch 1st – 7th Pre-enrolment course selection week for Fall 2010

READING WEEK : 15th - 19th Family Day: 15th

(University Closed )

3rd Last day to submit OSAP Rollover Form to add Winter term to Fall only term 3rd OSAP Application Deadline for Winter only term 3rd Deadline to submit OSAP Signature Pages and Supporting Documentation for Winter only term 18th OSAP Application Deadline (full funding) for Winter & Spring term 26th Deadline for OSAP Reviews (appeals) for Winter only and Fall & Winter terms 26th Last day to submit Full-Time Bursary / Award Application for Winter term only

OSAP

Black History Month Valentine’s Day International Friendship Month

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President’s Circle Awards for Leadership and Volunteerism

The 2009 President’s Circle Awards for Leadership and Volunteerism have been an-nounced. Each year, members of the President’s Circle donate funds that recognize stu-dents for their outstanding accomplishments within UW and their community.

The President’s Circle Award for Leadership was established in 2007 to acknowledge the outstanding performances of student leaders at the University of Waterloo. The awards recognize students who have left a lasting impression on the UW campus through en-couraging of student participation, acting as a role model, enabling others to become leaders, or taking initiative to lead by example to make the university community better.

The President’s Circle Award for Volunteerism was established in 1997 to recognize the significant contributions of students in volunteer work both within UW and the commu-nity at–large. The award honours the extra–curricular contributions of students in a vari-ety of service areas, some of which may not be highly visible but nonetheless important to the community.

The 2009 President’s Circle Awards Recipients are:LeadershipBarbara Macdonald, MathCatharine Hay, EngineeringDavid Pritchard, MathKieng Iv, ArtsNick Soave, Environment VolunteerismCatharine Lau, ScienceDragana Kukic, ScienceElissa Cooper, Applied Health Sciences Erika Murray, Engineering

More information about the awards and recipients can be found at:www.pca.uwaterloo.ca.

Updates on the 2010 President’s Circle Awards nomination process will be posted soon.

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Wednesday, February 10th, 11:30-12:20Needles Hall 1116

orTuesday, February 23rd, 11:30-12:20

Multi-Purpose Room, SLC

This informative session will cover: The Intention to Graduate form Convocation details Ordering transcripts Services provided to new graduates How to stay connected to UW

Register at:www.studentlife.uwaterloo.ca

*Lunch will be provided with online registration

Information and Lunch for Graduating Students

Destination: Graduation

- Finish assignment - Do the dishes - Call home - Resume

- Graduate

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House Hunting TipsHouse hunting can be both a very exciting and stressful process. There are many things to consider such as the location, price, and etcetera. There are also many other things you should educate the new student about.

Before they sign a lease, make sure they have considered the following:

1. Are they allowed to sublet? This is especially important for co-op students and students who are not staying in Waterloo over the summer.

2. What is the duration of the lease? When would they have to inform their landlord on whether they would like to renew the lease?

3. What expenses are included in the rent? (Hydro, Gas, Cable, Internet)4. Is parking available? Will they need to purchase a parking pass? 5. What is allowed and what is not allowed? (Pets, barbeques, subwoofers, painting, nailing things

on the wall)6. How long have the current tenants been living there for? This is one of the best indicators on

how happy the current tenants are with the place and their landlord.7. What is necessary to them and what is not? (Dishwasher, furnished vs. unfurnished, A/C, bike

storage, accessibility)8. Are there any leaks or traces of mice infestation? Have them look in the cabinet under the sink to

see if there are any leaks or evidence of mice. 9. Is everything in working order? (Refrigerator, stove, shower, toilet). Insist they turn on the tap to

check out the water pressure. 10. Is laundry included? If so, is there an extra charge? 11. Who controls the temperature?12. Is there a smoke alarm, carbon monoxide detector, and fire extinguisher? 13. Who is responsible for repairs, snow removal, and cutting the grass?

There many things that new students need to consider when looking for a place to rent. Prepare them: tell them to take notes, ask lots of questions, and have fun!

For a complete checklist of house-hunting tips, visit the Off-Campus Housing Website at www.och.uwaterloo.ca

Lina Sinan

Mumps are not just a kids disease.There have been several cases of mumps in young adults during this past fall term within Ontario. Health Services urges those in the following categories to seek mumps immunization:

• People born after 1970 and before 1992 because this cohort may havemissed the sec-ond dose to effectively immunize against mumps.

• People immunized outside of Canada who may have received the firstdose of mumps vaccination before the age of 12 months or vaccine which was not properly refrigerated.

If you are unsure whether or not you or your child have been immunized with the recom-mended two doses of vaccine please check all of your health records by contacting your family physician or the public health department where you attended high school.

Health Services welcomes students, faculty, staff, and union members in the above categories for mumps immunization between the hours of 9:30 - 11:00 and 2:00 - 4:00.

Message from Health Services

UW Residences are now accepting applications for the spring ’10 term.

Living on campus is a stress-free way for new students to enjoy the spring term while not having to worry about landlords, sublets, and the commute to class. Living in residence gives students the chance to meet new people, partake in the academic support that’s provided in residence, and develop lifelong friendships and memories. Spacious green space surrounding all residences will give them the chance to enjoy the warm summer weather while studying outdoors, having picnics with friends, or participating in fun sum-mer activities. Spring term residents have the choice of suite-style residence; Mack-enzie King Village (air-conditioned for those hot summer days), UW Place, or Columbia Lake Village-South. If students prefer the conve-nience of a traditional-style residence they can also live in Village 1. Residence is a great way for students to stay close to class and receive support only available through the residence life experience.

Application available from www.housing.uwaterloo.ca.

UW Residences s

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Masks on MedsThe Doctors of the Commedia dell’Arte

Come and have a taste of our medicine! Masks on Meds presents a roller coaster of events featuring colourful masked char-acters inspired by the Commedia dell’Arte tradition, a form of popular theatre mostly performed in comic mode and based on the skills of the actors. Boasting doctors, confused bourgeois, cunning servants, and splendid lovers will feature in two farces: Molière’s The Flying Doctor and Rolfe’s The Dumb Wife. Both plays, directed by Gabrielle Houle with the Drama students at the University of Waterloo, provide the audience with a delectable taste of popular entertainment, masked performance, sense of improvisation and actors’ inventions. Step into a world where doctors and char-latans use both their knowledge and idiocy to cure their desperate patients!

February 3 - 6, 2010

8 pm

Studio 180, Hagey Hall, University of Waterloo

$12 General

$10 Students & Seniors

Box Office: 519.888.4908 or tickets at the door

Media Contact: Robin Atchison: ratchiso@uwaterloo.ca phone: 519.888. 4567 x 35808

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book salefreedom to read

February 9 & 10 9:30am - 4:30pm

beat the February blahs!

sidewalk saleFebruary 2 & 3 9:30am - 4:00pm

Send Some Love with the

newSomebody Loves Me Bear

Olympic Maniacheer for Canada and saveFacebook Fans:

details on waterloo store’s facebook page

artstu�at writestu�

Macally

ECOFAN15% o�

February 1 - 26

retailservices.uwaterloo.ca

South Campus Hall

South Campus Hall

South Campus Hall

South Campus Hall

Student Life Centre

Jacob McLellan

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Safety Tips for Reading Week:

1. Lock all doors and windows2. Hide any expensive items from plain-sight3. Keep a few lights on such as the front stoop or hall, bath-

room, and kitchen lights (pick up automatic timers from a department store that will automate turning the lights on and off at certain hours to help save energy and deter potential intruders)

4. Leave the curtains the way they normally are to avoid arousing suspicion

5. Have the post office hold all mail6. Do not leave spare keys outside7. Secure sliding doors with a wooden board8. Tell your child not to announce that they will be leaving

on social networking websites9. Register laptop serial numbers with Police services so

they can track it if it is lost or stolen.

The above tips will be very useful in keeping homes as secure as possible while they are left unattended. Break-ins are an unfortunate reality within any large community. If your son or daughter is heading home for the holiday, it is also wise for them to take their most important possessions such as a laptop and sentimental gifts with them. For more information visit: www.police.uwaterloo.ca Have a safe and productive break.

With reading week coming up this month (February 15-19, 2010), many students may be preparing to leave campus for a well-deserved break. It’s important to be prepared and take precautions when leaving a house or residence room un-

attended for an extended period of time. The rates of break-ins and theft increase during reading week due to the number of unattended homes; however, there are some strategies that can be taken that will help keep possessions safe this break.

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The Loneliness of DifferenceIs your son or daughter experiencing loneliness? Change can make anyone feel lonely and new students have faced many changes coming to university. Wheth-er they have come from a rural Alberta or northern Ontario town or from a village in Trinidad or Pakistan, or from a bustling city like Beijing or Bombay, they may long for what they left behind. Their high school pals, their family members and neighborhood, the sights, sounds, weather, food, music — all that has been famil-iar to them and contributes to who they are may now seem far away and out of reach.

The experience of being “different” can also contribute to an experience of loneliness. As a teenager it may have been so important not to be different in order to avoid being targeted or made fun of, or feared, or disliked. Their difference here in university may be a result of the belief that they are alone in their experience: “No one but me feels shy,” or “I am the only one who is struggling in my class,” or “Everyone else has made friends except me.” Their differ-ence may be amplified by the fact that they have not found others who share their difference, perhaps their language, culture or worldview, sexual orientation, unique abilities or challenges.

Is loneliness a disease? No. Loneliness is part of the human condition and has been the theme of our human story across cultures and through generations. Loneliness, whether it be be-cause of a broken heart, or from an experience of being misunderstood or unaccepted, or judged, or ignored — can inspire great art and invention. It can also propel us to connect, to reach out, and to seek out others who share our own unique difference.

How do people know if their loneliness is hurting them? Humans are a relational species. It is not only a part of socialization, it is a physiological necessity imprinted in our genetic code to help us survive. These connections also need to feel meaningful. It is important to know that someone else in the world “gets” us, or believes us, or accepts us, or loves us. For some stu-dents, these connections may have been left behind or have shifted in all the change.

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Some warning signs: If loneliness cuts your son or daughter off from interacting and engaging in everyday events, if their eating and sleeping patterns seem erratic or imbalanced, if they have thoughts of self harm or are contemplating death as a solution, this is not loneliness. This is depression and they need help. Talk to them or have them talk to someone else: a doctor, a counsellor, an advisor, or a friend, because depression can be treated effectively and there are many resources on campus and in the community to help them.

It is a challenge to construct meaningful connections in university. Perhaps the friendships they made in the beginning changed because they went away for work terms. Perhaps the burden of workload and school demands discourage the time it takes to seek out and build these connections. Perhaps the process of making con-nections creates intense feelings of anxiety they would prefer to avoid.

Some suggestions for connection building: allow their differences to lead them to those who share similar experiences. Allow their interests to sustain connections so even if people come and go, the activity continues to draw new people. Nur-ture their curiosity. Encourage them to learn something new, a new skill or hobby like dancing, yoga, badminton or cooking! Suggest they give their time and skills to help others. There are many places on campus to volunteer such as The Office For Persons With Disabilities or The International Students Office or Federation of Students. Ask them to take a workshop at Counselling Services where they will get support, build skills, and realize many other people share similar struggles and con-cerns.

There may also be benefits to spending time alone. It may help them to rejuvenate and reenergize. It may help them organize their thoughts and plan or set goals. What can they learn about themself from their loneliness? How can they soothe, nurture, and care for themself in healthy and compassionate ways? Maybe this is the very thing that will inspire them to write that poem or song, or create that great work of art or science.

“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant” Horace, 65-68 BC

Check out our website for information about individual counseling appointments, or how to register for workshops and for other resources and links:

www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infocs/

by Linda Mackay, MSW RSW,

Counselling Services