CampusIntel

Metro Transit bus #979, taken by Chris Grady in 2005

Don’t you just hate when you get on the bus and there are those ANNOYING people who think they are in their own car, or are the only person on the bus? Just like there are things you don’t do at a table or on a plane, there are things you just don’t do on a bus! Therefore, I have made this simple guide for those who do not understand proper bus etiquette.

(These are in no particular order)

15. The bus is not a playground, so don’t let your kids act like it is one – Don’t you just hate those parents who let their kids run around like they’re in their own home or on the school’s playground? Why? It’s a MOVING vehicle!!! Come on now, somebody is going to get hurt!

14. Don’t yell ‘INDOOR VOICES’ at your kids (especially when they aren’t even being that loud) – Set an example for your child. By yelling indoor voices, you totally defeat the purpose of them using their indoor voices. If mommy can yell, so can we!

13. Don’t pay with 100 coins – Now I understand if you have a bunch of coins, I’m a student, I totally understand. But come on… Jamming up the coin taker? Pleaseee. Put them in a few at a time if you have 100 coins!

12. Don’t stare at others – This one goes for ALL the time, not just on the bus. But seriously, it is so uncomfortable when you are sitting on the bus and you can feel the person across the isle just staring you down. So you look over at them and then they look away…. two seconds later they’re at it again!!

11. You can listen to your music, but the rest of us DO NOT want to hear it – It’s been a long day at school or work, you have a headache and you’re getting on the bus to go home. You sit down and at the next stop this guy (or girl) gets on the bus and sits behind you, 3 seats back. S/he has headphones on, but might as well have speakers, because everyone on the bus can hear the words perfectly!! I don’t mind if people listen to music, I do it myself sometimes, but I don’t want to listen to YOUR music!

10. Don’t sing aloud to your music – There is a time and a place for everything. You may think a bus is a great place to display your musical talents (or lack there of) but it’s not. Just that plain and simple, if we wanted to hear you sing, we would ask you.

9. Move to the back of the bus – When the bus is getting full and you are standing up, don’t stay at the front of the bus, move to the back! The people in the back don’t bite! I was on the bus the other day (luckily I had snagged a seat) but I noticed these people who were standing right before the step up to the back of the bus and they just wouldn’t go to the VERY back. More people were getting on and it was getting extremely squished near the front. The back of the bus had all that space! Just be courteous and move back! It’s not that difficult.

8. Give up your seat for the elderly – Shouldn’t this one be obvious? Yeah, you may be tired, but when an older lady or man get on the bus everyone should start to get up to give him/her a seat. It’s just not right to have an elderly person standing. I was on a bus one day (standing) and this older man got on the bus and NO ONE got up to give him a seat at first. I was mortified. There were all these people in their 20’s sitting and no one offered him a seat.

7. Talk to your friends not at them – I don’t want to hear your conversation about the crazy party you went to last night or the hotttttt dudee you almost had and I don’t think anyone else does either, so don’t talk to your friend who is on the opposite end of the bus. Enough said.

6. Wear deodorant please – Deodorant or soap, it’s not too expensive. If you can afford to ride the bus, you can afford to cleanse. I was on the bust one day and this guy about my age got on. He was standing near the back door, and I was sitting near it. He lifted his arm to hold onto the bar and I almost puked. I think the person next to me was feeling a bit queasy too! I hope he didn’t think that raunchy smell was me!

5. When you cough, cover your mouth – We learn this in primary! Don’t spread germs, we’re already too close to each other. If you have to cough just be polite and cover your mouth!

4. If the bus is full, don’t take up two seats – It’s just that simple! Put your bag on your lap or on the floor. Not so hard to do.

3. Talking on cell phones – I could go on for a while about this one. It’s okay to talk on your cell, we all do it. But no one wants to hear your conversation about the guy you slept with last night or how you just found out you can fit your entire fist (including most of your wrist) in your mouth.

2. If there are a lot of empty seats, don’t sit by a random person - There are empty seats everywhere but you get on the bus and just have to sit by me! Why????

1. If I’m listening to music, I don’t want to talk to you – I have my earphones in for a reason. A) I want to listen to my music. B) I am tired and had a long day. C) To avoid weird people who like to make small talk with me on the bus.

If you follow these rules I think everyone would enjoy their bus ride just a little bit more! I know I would. As students we’re often forced to take the bus because no one can afford to buy their own car let alone pay for the gas to make it drive! If we just all follow these simple 15 rules then everyone will be happier!

So perhaps you don’t love your partner anymore, or maybe you have different goals in life, or who knows, it could be that you have just stopped getting along. Regardless of the reason, you have come to the conclusion that it’s time to end the relationship.

However, before this moment, you believed the hardest place to be was the dumpee, but now that the tables have turned, you realized you were wrong.

So very wrong.

Breaking up with someone has been proven to be one of the hardest things to do as someone is bound to get hurt. And surprisingly, even though it was your idea, it will end up hurting you more than you expect.

For this reason, I have outlined some ideas to help you Break up and not Break down.

Make sure you want to break-up. You really have to think about this. Ensure this is not a temporary feeling and that it is something, without hesitation that you want. I say this because, once you lose them, more than likely they will be gone forever.

Do it in Person. With the rise of technology, it may seem simpler to break up through text message, msn or via Twitter or Facebook; however, this is one of the worse things you can do. I know this is tempting because it’s much easier for you, but it would also be a type of betrayal. I know it’s hard, but you owe your partner the ability to look him/her in the eye when you break up with them.

Be mature and honest: A relationship is based on trust and dependability – don’t prove you’re unworthy in your last moments together. Sit down with them and explain everything you are feeling and why you think this is the best scenario for the both of you. You also get brownie points if you get a response of “I understand” or “I agree.”

Take Responsibility. Don’t blame him/her. It is already unbearable for the dumpee, don’t make it worse. Take the responsibility for what is taking place and hope that they can relate with your feelings. It’s also important to let them determine when the conversation is over.

Be understanding. It is incredibly important to listen to their feelings and reactions. Do not interrupt or contradict what they have to say. They will listen to what you have to say, so give them the same respect.

Give them space. At first they are going to be angry. Very angry. This is expected. Don’t try to tell them that they are wrong for feeling like they do. In time, they will get over it, and when they do, you will both feel much better.

Avoid dating anyone for a long time. So, I know this is super hard and may not happen, but if you want to have a good chance in staying friends, this step is necessary. If you don’t they may just think you merely broke up with them to be with someone else. If you absolutely must be with someone else (early after the break-up) do yourself and your ex a favour and try to  keep your ex from finding out.

Avoid going where your ex might be. Running into the ex when you or him/her are not ready will be incredibly awkward. Not only that, but it will set back the healing process… almost like ripping off a band-aid when a cut isn’t completely healed.

Stick to your decision: Yes, I left this for the end, but it is so true. Do not delay the break-up further. I know you are hoping that things will get better in the future, but this is rarely the case. Plus putting it off to avoid causing pain will not make things any better. In fact, the longer you take to break up, the harder it will become.

Overall, just keep in mind that there is no painless way of breaking up with someone. No magical words, or powerful things can take the pain away. All that can be done is following these steps and avoiding some common mistakes. This way it will make the pain less for them… and more importantly, for you as well.

With Wizards of Waverly Place distracting my 5-year old I’m gonna take these minutes to start my first blog. I guess this is a place I’m hoping to make some connections with other parents who are returning to university or for anyone who’s thinking about doing it.

But where to start? After having it all …my own house (yes, one full bedroom turned into a closet), a creative career in radio, two dogs and a cat, a great circle of friends, custom-made roller skates and a lot of nice pants. Life was good.

Then I got pregnant.

Yup. I made a baby. I became a mom. An amazing mom. However, by the time she turned three our family was no more. I had sold my house to start a life with her dad so I had no where to live and the work I was getting post mat-leave was not not supporting my daughter and I.

So here I am …in my thirties, a single mom who had to move back to her home town to get the support needed to return to school. Not only that, I had to move back in with my parents. Not so hawt for the social scene…

…well, Molly has advised me I’m allowed to type in one more thing. Mama Mel back on duty.

xoxoxox for all the moms and dads trying to get it done for the ones they love while tending to them too

If there was a class on procrastination – I would get an A+. Currently, through my five years of university thus far, I have learned how to write an essay, how to study, but most of all, amazing ways to procrastinate!

Procrastination is often thought of as being a bad thing; however, in reality, this is not the case. If you procrastinate the right way, it can help you get your schoolwork done and improve the quality of your life.

It’s not like you need any help, but just in case you’re struggling, I have decided to share some of the best ways to procrastinate.

1. Twitter: There is nothing better than reading about pointless things that celebrities have done. If you’re really into procrastinating add me and watch me be a twit! @Alleycat17

2. Check Facebook for updates (Warning: This can become very addictive).

3.Colour-code your agenda. This will make you organized! And what’s more fun than checking what needs to be done and seeing English homework in red and Stats in blue!

4. Work out how many ways you can convince yourself that you’ll eventually do that essay. This doesn’t necessarily mean doing it, but you can always try!

5. Pick new colours or themes for your desktop… the more creative – the better!

6.Check your emails! Who knows, there might be something really interesting in there (other than just how to increase the size of your….).

7. Spend half a day working on an Excel spreadsheet using amazing functions to produce a list of things to do you could have typed in 10 minutes!

8. Make a list about how to stop procrastinating (Who knows… when I procrastinate next… I may write my next blog).

9. Write a blog – Spend time writing some blogs! This of even joining the campusintel.com team!

10. Do homework due far in the future: Yeah, so perhaps this will never happen, but if it does, think about how good you will feel!

11. Assist Others – Why not help others if you can’t be productive for yourself! Volunteer or help a classmate with an assignment!

12. Hang out with your friends. This does not mean chatting with your Facebook friends; instead, get out of the house and leave the technology behind!

13. Go to Starbucks or another coffee shop: There might even be a cute person there that will make you take a ‘double-double take’

14. Watch a movie or show online. It’s cheap and will definitely get your mind off some of that complicated terms that are spinning around in your head.

15. Do some exercise: Go for a jog or a swim, or even some yoga. Physical activity will relieve stress, and it is beneficial to your health.

16. Clean. You’ll be surprised how many people sweep the floors or clean their dorm rooms to avoid doing the term paper. This is a great way to procrastinate as it’s definitely more productive and of course, there’s nothing like that great feeling of seeing that floor again!

17. Read a Blog: April’s Blogs are always a good choice – and heck you’ve already done it! Great job! You’re learning!

Dually noted, however, it is important to not procrastinate at the wrong time. The time to procrastinate is not the morning of an exam or the evening when you should be writing an essay.

However, if it’s not during those times, remember the importance of procrastination — If you are not wasting precious time, you are not doing it properly!

Enjoy Procrastinating!

P.s. What do you do to procrastinate?

This video contains me showing some of my crazy collections! I’d be interested to know if I am the only one with these random collections… anybody else a  collector?

How do we communicate? What tools have we used to communicate? What tools do we use to communicate? Evidently, these are questions that pop-up in my head and in the heads of many who are trying to make sense of our ever-changing world.

As students, we can remember growing up in a world in which our only methods of communication was through old medias such as newspapers, magazines, television and radio. Nowadays, social media has taken over and everything has changed. Now we have blogs (such as Word Press), social networking sites, (like the ever-popular Facebook and Twitter), video sharing sites (I’m sure we’ve all used YouTube once or twice) Photo Sharing Sites (I have way too many pictures up on Flickr), and lastly, crowd-sourcing (Wikipedia is my new dictionary). Evidently, many, many new ways to communicate.

 However, in hopes to answer the question of how we communicate, it is also important to understand the difference between old and new media. For this reason I have highlighted these major differences.

 Dynamic vs. Static

• Old media is pretty static. For instance, a newspaper or magazine is not able to magically change its stories; even if society believes that something within them is not accurate. On the other hand, this blog can be changed for any specific reason and even one’s Facebook page can change depending on relationship status or even the knowledge that one’s parents have Facebook! So although the newspaper’s article cannot change, many, (if not all), of the new social media is constantly altering and shifting.

Detached vs. Interactive

• You can yell at your television, or punch your radio, but they are not going to cooperate or be affected by it. However, if we tie this situation back again to this blog, there is no doubt that if you tell at me, I will definitely react. Furthermore, Blogs, YouTube videos, and Facebook and Twitter comments all provide the audience a grand opportunity to provide feedback and communicate one-on-one with the author.

Individual vs. Mix

• Check out your Facebook feed and you’ll see a mixture of text, pictures, audio clips, and videos. It is a melange and a mixture of different Medias. But that being the case, could you imagine turning on the radio and having text float in the air? Or even reading the newspaper and then one of the pictures turning into a video? I think if we claimed either of those scenarios occurred, we’d be booking ourselves in to the ‘loonie bin’ in no time. Evidently this proves that old media is very individual whereas social medias involve a combination of different tools all mixed into one.

Limitations vs. Freedom of Speech

• Before I wrote this blog, I didn’t get it approved by a committee nor did I send it to my editor to review (although I did get my best friend to check for grammar mistakes, so blame her if there are any). However, could you imagine if television or newspapers worked the same way? Imagine if they were able to publish whatever they wished! Unfortunately, it just does not work that way; Old media have their limitations, where social media seems to allow you the opportunity to write what you want!

Overall, these distinctions prove how our previous tools of communication differ greatly with those that are gaining power presently. Scarily, however, I don’t know if we will ever be able to pinpoint how we communicate…. as it’s just keeps on changing!
Talk to you all soon (on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, my YouTube Channel or heck, even post away and talk to me right here!! [that might be easier])

So perhaps you hoped the ideal gift would enter your head magically or maybe you were busy, heck, perhaps you weren’t even sure if you two would last… but for some reason, it’s a week before Valentine’s Day and you still have no idea what to get that woman that you love.

First of all, don’t worry, I’m here to save the romance and offer you some great tips to ensure that you don’t spend February 14^th in the dog house…or sleeping on the couch.

Show Your Love

• First of all, it’s important to realize that Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to just be one day of the year. Do that something special or buy that unique gift you know she’ll love. Tell her that you love her. Love her with all of your heart and soul. Give yourself completely to her. She knows that that is the best gift she could ever get. 

Rent / Watch a Movie 

• This year, life has been pretty easy on you guys. They have released a movie entitled, “Valentine’s Day” – - think you can handle that one? However, if you’d rather not head out to the hustle and bustle of hundreds of couples, you could always rent a movie (or, *cough* * illegally download it *cough*), go find a snugly blanket, make some homemade treats, and cuddle up together. 

Buy Her a Sweet Card

• I still have a valentine I got when I was eight. It had a bumble bee and said “honey, will you bee mine.” Obviously you don’t have to be as lame as that, but buying a special card or valentine will truly make her feel special.

Buy Her Flowers

• Although I will announce that flowers are a great gesture in saying you’re sorry and perfect for valentine’s day – if you buy a girl flowers for no reason at all – you will get bonus points (and will get the benefit of going “but remember that time I bought you flowers” during a fight). The element of surprise will do wonders. Therefore, if your woman loves romantic gifts, roses will be perfect – they are even the sign of love and passion!
  

Buy Her Jewellery

• I know, I know – this isn’t easy and it’s very intimidating. Girls have their specific taste in shoes, clothes, and of course, jewellery. My suggestion would be to watch her closely for a little while, see what she wears at work, at a party, or even just when relaxing at you at home. There would be no point buying her a beautiful necklace if she never wears them! My only suggestion on this one would be to avoid rings! You’ve heard of promise rings, engagement rings and wedding rings, but have you ever heard of a girlfriend ring? Of course not, because they don’t exist. Nor should they.

Buy Her Chocolate

• I’m going to reveal to you a secret most males do not know… girls love (and crave) chocolate! In fact, girls crave chocolate because it has mood-elevating properties. This is why women sometimes indulge in chocolate after a tough break up or when other stresses occur. Chocolate helps to even out these fluctuations chemically; therefore, it sounds like a win-win for you, you look like a hero for buyer her a special treat, and she’s not moody!

As a final warning, even if she really needs that new vacuum cleaner or toaster, don’t buy it for her for Valentine’s Day. It’s way too unromantic! However, still, do not panic. In fact, more than half the Valentine’s Day cards and gifts are bought are purchased in the day before the holiday… there is still lots of time! Now go out and find that special gift and have a wonderful, and romantic, holiday!

Hugs N Kisses

The Scenario: An employee is needed as a new and exciting product needs promotion. The employer debates long and hard whether it should be a marketing specialist or a public relations practioner. He then debates if he should hire both, because one may not be enough, but that causes him to wonder if they would work independently or if they would collaborate. Not only that, but he is hesitant as he also believes they may get in each other’s way and interfere with each other’s work.

This circumstance has become predominant within today’s society. In fact, it has been stated that marketing and PR are so close, that they often become allies on the battlefield of customers minds. However, it has also been stated that the lines that differentiate between marketing and public relations have blurred or even have disappeared completely.

In order to answer the questions posed within the scenario, it is important to have a strong grasp of what marketing and public relations actually entails. To begin, it is clear that marketing aims at an exchange, usually one that involves money. More specifically, Webster’s dictionary has further associated it as a function that “identifies consumes needs and wants and offers products and services to satisfy those demands.”  Marketing focuses upon gratifying these needs, which, in turn, produces some kind of transaction that delivers those products and services in exchange for something of value.

Conversely, it is this notion of exchange that allows marketing to distinguish itself from public relations. In effect, public relations has been associated with measuring awareness, controlling reputation damage and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships. Evidently, none of these objectives are directly linked to sales.

One could conclude that marketing is focused on a demand for a product and on promoting sales and encouraging consumers, whereas PR aims to create a positive image of an organization. My question now is, upon hearing these definitions, is it safe to conclude that marketing focuses on exchange relationships with one public, while public relations covers a broad range of relationships with numerous audiences?

 It should also be indicated that the agendas of public relations and marketing are different. For example, marketing is interested in the market, or more specifically in transactions between consumers, while public relations is interested in relationships. What is important about this distinction is that, in many cases, good public relations will create a healthy environment for marketing, and thus, good transactions. Therefore, it is as though PR is almost being used as a management function.

Furthermore, through contrasting them once more, one is able to recognize that marketing adds value by increasing profits whereas public relations adds value by decreasing the expenses that are necessary when issues are ignored. Therefore, this concludes how they work best when they are treated as distinct management functions.

I believe they would work well as a team because both marketing and public relations are very similar in structure. For instance, they both have an aim on identifying audiences, segmenting those audiences and are focused on setting objectives. In order to achieve their goals, organizations should make use of both functions. Both marketing and public relations adds its own special, but complimentary, contributions to building and maintaining the relationships necessary for an organization to thrive. For this reason, I believe an organization can’t get by without using both. In fact, as marketing and public relations become more aggressive and communicate with more publics, they often end up talking to the same publics!

Well that’s all for now. Off to marketing class… oh wait… or is it public relations?

P.S. Who would you hire?

So, right now I find myself in a situation where I’m (as my boyfriend likes to point out) ‘burning the candle at both ends’ (meaning I’m doing so much that I’m bound to burn out fast). This being said I’m much happier with things to do, but they do admittedly get a little overwhelming sometimes and I often feel the need to invest in a punching bag around say exam times….So, with these overwhelming thoughts in mind along with a recent class discussion on stress I thought it would be an appropriate time to sit back, relax and write about stress…and how to deal with it if you’re a student.

1. Expect and accept that stress is going to be a part of your life: Ok so it’s unreasonable to think that you can avoid stress altogether. No matter who you are you’re going to be in situations that cause you stress. This is especially true for students as they deal with a lot of competition, deadlines and pressures in classes, studies, life goals and work. It’s an important time in our lives undoubtedly so really…if there aren’t stressful situations in your life it might actually be cause for concern. A little stress can be good if dealt with and used correctly (honestly! It can help you develop resilience, help you grow as a person or develop new skills or strengths and definitely help you to develop coping mechanisms).

2. Manage your time effectively/organize yourself: Often times I find myself making little mental notes of things I need to do…sometimes simple things like reply to emails, schedule a hair appointment, start that assignment, etc. When I’m making these mental notes, I think I’ll remember them before it’s too late…The problem is, even if you’re making note of little things they’re bound to add up and become a LOT of little things you’ve forgotten to do (or things you’ve forgotten altogether) and this can cause stress. So, make lists…I don’t mean you’re your room with thousands of little sticky-notes. I mean make one or two list(s) of the things you have deadlines for (maybe one for school and one for daily life), and note when things need to be done and when you want to do them (i.e. goals for the weekend). Another thing you can do is use a calendar and write due dates and when you need to do what (i.e. read 2 chapters Sat)…this being said…if you DO use a calendar, make sure you actually look at it. Also, make sure you’re not scheduling too much in short periods of time.

3. Know how to deal with stress when it arises: Here’s what I took from that lecture the other day. An optimistic individual will often live a less stressful life than a pessimist as they usually see stressful or unfortunate events as opportunities. They take the time to assess the situation and often determine it to be something that they can grow from and NOT something that happened to them because they ‘deserved’ it or something that is impossible to get over or that is destructive to all aspects of their life. This being said, my advice is, when you know you’re going to encounter a stressful situation: first, step back and assess the situation as a way to grow. Second, collect the resources you need to overcome it (ex: for an exam, go to class, take notes, read the chapters, give yourself time to do this all and create a study schedule so you’re ready for the exam when it comes). Third, if the outcome is bad, try and see it as a learning experience and something to work on and grow from and not as the end of the world. If the outcome is good…then celebrate!

4: Expect the unexpected: when things come up that you haven’t planned for (such as, an assignment you forgot was due, you’re called into work on short notice, the people in the apartment above you are having a loud party when you’re studying, etc.) you’re bound to get stressed, just remember to take a deep breath (maybe scream into a pillow or punch a punching bag to let it all out) then collect yourself and follow the steps just like any expected stressor. If you deal with an unexpected stressor the same way you deal with an expected one you’ll be fine.

5. Make time for yourself: Finally, with all the hassle of things to do, you’re bound to find yourself losing hold of your social life…now before you’re known as the friend M.I.A. step back and see if you’re making time for yourself. By this I mean, make time just to chill out for a bit. It doesn’t have to be anything extensive or often or for a long period of time, but make sure you do take breaks or you WILL burn out (believe me…take this advice from a fellow burning candle).