Experience at the University of Ottawa

Introduction

The University of Ottawa is the oldest university in Ottawa. It is also one of the oldest universities in Canada. The University of Ottawa is also one of the Top 200 universities in the world. This being said, the university does have a good reputation in Canada, and around the world. The University of Ottawa does accept the most international and exchange students in Canada. The university offers a very wide range of studies. Each program is put under a larger faculty. Some examples of the faculties are Arts, Social Sciences, Engineering, Math, etc. Under Arts, for example, there is music, theatre, history, and communications.

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I have just completed the second year of my studies at the University of Ottawa. I am going into my third year. I am studying French-Spanish-English Translation with a Minor in Arabic Language and Culture.

Here, I will be giving you my opinion and my experiences here, at the University of Ottawa.

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The university is located in downtown Ottawa. This being said, it is quite accessible, regardless of which part of the city you are coming from. Many students live very far, and in the suburbs of the city such as Orleans, Barrhaven, Kanata, and South Keys, and they also have to commute everyday.

It is right beside the Rideau Centre mall, and right in The Market - so you will definitely have things to do in your spare time. The campus itself is a mix of architecture. There are nice old buildings from the 19th century. Then, there are block/bunker style buildings from the 70s and 80s (the majority of campus). Lastly, there are new and modern glass buildings. The campus itself is around one kilometre of distance. So, depending on where your classes are, you will definitely be doing some walking. However, do not worry!

Academics

The University of Ottawa has two semesters: the fall session, and the winter session. However, it is still possible to take courses in the summer, however, it is unlikely that you will be studying full-time in the summer, as only a limited number of courses are offered in the summer.

November is midterm exam season at the University of Ottawa. It is a very stressful time for most, if not all university students. You will have a lot of reading, and a lot of studying to do.

In the second semester, midterm season is usually at the end of February, and the beginning of March.

In terms of the workload and studying - be prepared to read. A lot. In Canada, there is a huge focus on self-learning and home-learning. While you will probably only have three lecture hours per week, you will definitely have hours of reading. This is not always the case, but it also completely depends on your program. I would strongly recommend trying to find notes online (there are tons) and asking upper years for their notes. This will definitely save you a lot of time. There are lots of assignments and papers to do as well.

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Note: When you are registering for courses at the University of Ottawa, make sure that your schedule is as practical as possible. For example, it is better to have back-to-back classes, rather than to have big blocks of time between classes. These blocks are usually unproductive, and going back to your next lecture is usually a struggle.

Note: Try to load your courses for four days of the week, so you can have a long weekend every week. For example, if you want your Friday off, try to plan your courses for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Note: Do not buy textbooks for your classes right away. At the University of Ottawa, textbooks can be very expensive. And, in some cases, you may even not use them. This is why it is important to wait out a few weeks into the semester to really see if you need to buy a textbook. More often then not, many textbooks, notes, study guides, and answer sheets can be found online. Save yourself the money, and do not make the same mistake I did. I paid $172 CAD for a textbook I did not even open once.

This website was made for students to upload their class notes, study guides, and practice tests. However, if you want to download and use the notes you find here, you must sign up for an account. You must sign up here in order to be able to download notes. Once you sign up, you can also upload notes, answer keys, and guides to help other fellow students!

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At the University of Ottawa, more and more of the course-work is actually being conducted and done online. Professors at the University of Ottawa use an online platform, virtual campus called BlackBoard Learn. BlackBoard Learn is where professors post important dates, assignments, lecutres, online quizzes, midterms and final examinations, practice examination banks, useful resources, and much, much more. The virtual campus, BlackBoard Learn is directly linked to your uOZone account, and can be accessed from the main uOzone page. It usually works well, and only has a few outages for a year.

I would, however, recommend that you install the BlackBoard Learn app on your mobile device, just in case your computer is not working, or in case you forgot to check something, or hand something in. I know that the BlackBoard Lean application is availble in the App Store for iPhones, but I am unsure of other mobile platforms.

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Locations

There are places to study all over campus. Literally everywhere. In every building and every floor. So, you do not need to worry about a quiet place to study and work.

There are around 42, 000 students at the university - meaning that the University of Ottawa campus is rather large, and navigating can be quite difficult. The cafeteria is located in UCU - in the very centre of campus, as well as most of the food services, and the all the SFUO offices. Everything cool and important usually happens at UCU, so be sure to pass by daily - you never know what you may catch!

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There are many residences complexes on campus. Recently, the University of Ottawa has began opening campuses off-campus, such as Frield, Henderson, Rideau, and Mann. Yes, there are "off-campus, " but they are all within a 15 minute walking distance from the university. The most popular residence for exchange and international students is Marchand. However, many international and exchange students rent homes with other exchange or international students, because it is much, much cheaper this way. Here is an online printable version of a map of the University of Ottawa campus.

Administration

The University of Ottawa is expensive, even if you're a domestic student. If you're an international student, it's even more expensive - tuition will cost you double that of a domestic student. Everything here costs money. You have to pay around $10 CAD in order to get an official document printed. They will try to take your money here, so be careful, and make sure that you fully do all your research. Residence, and meal plan at the University of Ottawa are very expensive, so I would definitely suggest renting a home or an apartment with some friends.

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The administration at the University of Ottawa can be either amazing, or very, very frustrating. But usually, it is the latter. The University of Ottawa is internationally known for being an administrative nightmare. Make sure you have fully researched your question before asking for help, or asking to get something done. There is a huge chance that it will take a long time to get done, or that it will be done incorrectly. This can be very true with the international office. Always ask a domestic student for help first, as they will probably know better.

Sports and Recreation

There are also many, many sporting events you can watch and participate in, almost every week. There are hocket games, basketball games, volleyball games, and so much more. You can watch almost any sport you want to!

Since we are on the topic of sports, the University of Ottawa GeeGees have a huge variety of sports! And I would encourage every single person on campus to get involved in a sport! You get to stay fit and healthy, you get to meet amazing peoeple and make cool friends, you get to travel for competitions, and you get to represent the GeeGees with your super cool uniform and jersey. You can see all the sports the University of Ottawa has to offer here. At the end of the year, in middle of April, there is the Atheltic Banquet, where you get to dress up nicely and celebrate the sport achievements of not only yourself and your team, but of all competitive teams at the University of Ottawa.

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If you are not really interested in playing for a competitive team, it is okay! There are still plenty of ways for you to stay active during the year. The University of Ottawa has a lot of active programming, and a number of fitness events throughout the year - like Glow in the Dark Yoga! You can check all the facilities and active programs at the University of Ottawa here. There are two gyms at the University of Ottawa. The smaller one is Montpetit, and the bigger one is Minto Sports Complex. The Montpetit gym has two swimming pools, dance studios, basketball, and volleyball courts. The Minto Sports Complex has a hockey rink, a football, and a soccer field, as well as squash courts. You can use both facilities as much as you would like, as the gym membership is included in your tuition. You be will eating a lot of poutine and Beavertails, so stay active at the gym!

The Students' Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO)

Much of the larger events are planned by the Students' Association of the University of Ottawa. They are the federated body that represents all the undergraduate students at the University of Ottawa. They provide a number of services that are useful to all students - domestic, exchange, and international alike. Your U-Pass, for example, which is heavily subsidzed, is a service provided by the SFUO. You can read about all the SFUO's events and services here.

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The University of Ottawa is very big, and it is easy to feel lost within the massive crowd. You may feel lonely, which is totally normal - many other students feel this way too. Luckily, there is a solution to this problem. There are so, so many student clubs at the University of Ottawa that you can join! You can join clubs that do charity work, you can join a club for students from a certain country, you can join a club that plays chess - whatever you want, there is a club for it here. Since there are way too many clubs to list, you can view the complete list of clubs here.

Clothing Exchanges and Saving Money on Clothes

Seeing as how there are so many events at the University of Ottawa, you will need to do quite a bit of shopping. Luckily, there is a way to buy and sell gently used clothes at the University of Ottawa, so you will not need to break your bank. There is a clothing exchange group on campus that you must provide your uOttawa email adress for. You can join the group here.

You may or may not have heard about the SPC Card. It may be useful to you if you do a lot of shopping. The SPC Card costs $10 CAD, and it gets you 10% off at many stores year-round. Though, I must admit that 10% is not a lot when it comes to savings, but if you are shopping for things like shoes, boots, and winter jackets, 10% can save you a bit of money. You can read more about the SPC Card here.

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Moreover, if you like shopping at H&M, there is a way to get discounts there, too. During certain times of the year, teachers and students get 20% off an entire purchase with valid student or teacher ID. But during the entire year, if you bring back old clothing you longer wish to wear to the store, you will get 15% off your entire purchase.

Working On Campus

That being said, you probably do not want to be totally broke during the school year. If you are a domestic student, or an international student with a work permit, you are eligible to work in Canada. I would strongly recommend working on campus during school. Why?

• The employer works around your course schedule.
• Your wage is higher than Ontario minimum wage.
• University jobs look very good on a resume.

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In order to apply to an on-campus job, these are the steps you must follow:

1. Complete the 'Financial Questionnaire' on uOZone. You cannot do anything unless you complete this step.
2. In the 'Finances and Jobs' section, click on the link that says 'Work-Study Program'.
3. You must then apply to be accepted to the Work-Study program It is simpler, and more efficient to apply to both the fall and winter terms at the same time.
4. Once you are accepted, you must build your resume.

Note: I highly recommend that you make your resume bilingual, or as bilingual as possible, since many of the jobs on campus require the candidate to be fluent in both French and English.

5. Apply to every single job. And no, I am not joking. You may think that you cannot do a job simply because it is faculty-specific, but do not let this deter you. I applied for a job meant for Communications students, and I still got to work, even though I am in Translation. You never know what you might get!

Partying and Events

In terms of partying and nightlife and fun, there is quite a bit to do. 101 Week was one of the best experiences of my university career, and I strongly encourage everyone coming to the University of Ottawa to sign up! You make tons of new friends and do amazing and cool events. Each faculty has their own 101 Week schedule and theme. Each faculty has their own unique cheers, and their own unique events! But do not worry, many events involve other University of Ottawa faculties, so you are bound to make friends in every field. If you are unsure as to which 101 Week you should participate in, click the link here to find out.

Now for a little teaser.. What happens during 101 Week... Bar nights on the Quebec side in Gatineau. Silent Headphone Dances. Live concerts by very popular bands. Cabin party in the woods. I would say more... But then I would ruin the surprise!

But it is not all just partying! One of the main 101 Week events is Shinerama - it is a very fun fundraiser that raises a lot of money for cystic fibrosis! You can read more about this amazing cause here.

Apart from 101 Week, which is organized by the students' associations, and federated bodies, there is another Welcome Week for you to enjoy, organized by the University of Ottawa. The University of Ottawa's Welcome Week happens a bit later than 101 Week. During Welcome Week, you can attend free concerts, meet the President of the University of Ottawa, and so much more! To find out more about the University of Ottawa's 2016 Welcome Week, click here.

After all the partying, excitement, and entertainment, there is a little quite period, to focus on what we are all actually here to do: study! But the calm does not last very long here. Why? Because at the beginning of October, there is the annual Ottawa derby. Ottawa's two rival schools; The University of Ottawa and Carleton University, meet head-to-head at the Panda Game. It is called the Panda Game because the trophy is Pedro the Panda! This game is always sold out, and it is a lot of fun! You get to take pictures with the GeeGee, and cheer on our GeeGees men's football team, and the GeeGees women's cheerleading team! Get your GeeGees colours ready! Tickets for this event are only $10 CAD! Get ready to rumble!

After the exhilarating Panda Game, comes Thanksgiving long-weekend. During this long weekend, the University of Ottawa International House plans a trip to New York City for only $310 CAD. This New York City trip was one of my best life experiences ever - I got to meet amazing people - both domestic, international, and exchange students, and I got to see so many of the numerous tourist attractions of New York City. There are less than 60 spots! So hurry, and register fast!

During the last week of October is the University of Ottawa' Reading Week. The Political Science students usually plan a trip to Boston at this time! Many others stay at home in Ottawa, or travel to Toronto, or Montreal.

Halloween is also a lot of fun, and is a very popular holiday at the University of Ottawa. There are always very many parties - be it in residences, apartments, houses, and nightclubs. So get ready to dress up, and go crazy for Halloween, because we go hard here!

Luckily, if you are in the Faculty of Arts, or in the Faculty of Health Science, there is a nice way to de-stress for you! There is usually an annual Montreal party trip every year in mid-November. It is a very, very inexpensive trip, and it is a very, very good time. The trip costs only $65 CAD and it includes a lot. It includes transportation to, and from Montreal. It includes one night in a downtown suite hotel room, with two beds, a small balcony, a kitchenette, a TV, and a separate room with a desk, and couch with a pull-out bed. It also includes breakfast at the hotel, and free V. I. P. entry to Club LaBoom. We typically left around noon on saturday, and came back at around noon on Sunday.

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There are so many other trips constantly being hosted and planned by other university faculties, so keep your eyes open!

Moreover, there are also quite a few opportunities that can greatly help to enrich your professional life. Many faculties and departments at the University of Ottawa have very beneficial networking events, where students, like yourself have the opportunity to meet professionals in the field, and ask questions and perhaps make a few good contacts in the future. I know for a fact that the Telfer School of Management, and the School of Translation and Interpretation have annual networking events. Try to stay on track on Facebook, as all events are posted there.

Faculties also hold conferences and invite guest speakers to speak and discuss relevant topics and current events. Go to everything that interests you!

All faculties on campus plan their own fun events, so people within that faculty, as well as from outside can get to know each other better.

At the end of the academic year is when formals happen. A formal is basically a very fancy cocktail hour, dinner, and dance. At the University of Ottawa, formal season is what students look forward to the most! Although... There is one hard part... Choosing which formals to attend, as there are so many! There are Residence Balls, an Engineering Ball, a Social Sciences Ball, an Arts Ball, a Science Ball, and let's not forget all the sorority and fraternity balls. A ticket for these balls is anywhere from $30 CAD to $50 CAD - they do add up. So choose wisely!

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