AFSA BLOG 2K13

Do you find yourself checking your fridge every other minute, in hopes of finally finding something interesting to eat? Putting more time into making the perfect study playlist instead of actually studying? Are you into your sixth consecutive hour of catching up on The Walking Dead? Ah, procrastination. If you don’t get your rear in gear, you know you’ll end up looking like one of the flesh eaters from pulling all-nighter cram sessions.

Here’s some tips to get you motivated, and out of your study slump!

SET A SCHEDULE. Do this at the start of each morning. Write a list of what you need to get done, and when. Set deadlines for yourself. This way, you can realistically visualize your goals, and they suddenly don’t seem so dauntingly insurmountable. 

GET RID OF DISTRACTIONS. Technology is a wonderful distraction tool, that can you occupied for hours. During the time that you allotted to studying, it should be quality time between you, the textbook, and your notes. No one’s going to think you’re dead from not being active on Facebook for a few hours.

ACT NOW. You set out to do something at 1:30pm, and suddenly, you missed your trigger point and it’s 1:32pm! Don’t promise yourself to “get around to it” at 2:00pm instead. Get in the attitude of doing it NOW. Work with a sense of urgency and commit to it. What’s so great about even numbers, anyway?

I realize the painful irony of me writing this article as I eye my own pile of textbooks in front of me. Time to take my own advice. Happy studying, SAF!

From left to right: Lash Kugathasan, Craig Whitmore, Fandi Chan, Zac Hogg and Kevin Elop

Summary of the Event

                                    The Sports & Entertainment Roundtable allowed SAF students to see the many opportunities that an accounting background could provide in non-traditional CATO firms. With the help of the Samsung Youth Editors, AFSA (Education) invited Waterloo alumni like Craig Whitmore, Manager of Revenue Reporting for the Toronto Blue Jays, and Kevin Elop, Chief Operating Officer for Centre in the Square, for an open discussion about career paths, work life balance, and of course, the upcoming season for the Toronto Blue Jays! Early attendees also got a chance to have their photo taken with our guests!

  Sports: Craig Whitmore

  Responsible for millions of dollars in revenue, Craig Whitmore, a CMA and Waterloo Math/Business graduate of 2009, spoke to us about the profit motivation of owners and players. When asked to share a cool story from his job, Craig responded by telling us about his experience at a charity fundraiser whereupon he met Blue Jay notables Vernon Wells and Roy Halladay.

  Entertainment: Kevin Elop

  As a graduate of the MAcc program, Kevin had all the necessary skills to succeed in the traditional accounting setting and became a valuable employee for Nortel before its collapse. However, after traveling all over the world with his family, Kevin found his new calling in the area of entertainment as the Chief Operating Officer for Centre in the Square. When asked if he had any advice to give to students, Kevin emphasized the importance of relationship building and keeping an open mind for success in career and in life.

  Wrap-up

  The Sports & Entertainment Roundtable was both exciting and informative with many students in attendance at Hagey Hall and watching at home via our live stream! With such a great start to this brand new series, I can’t wait to see what AFSA (Education) has in store for us next!

“I now know how to eat like a civilized human being!” shared one student who attended AFSA’s “Dining Etiquette Semi-Formal” last Wednesday. The evening was full of lessons in formality, delicious food, and of course, good fun.

Guest speaker Christine Fegueiras gave tips on how to be a classy culinary diner to impress at your next business dinner. “In today’s society, we have to recognize how more and more business meetings and interviews are being done over a meal”, she explained.

 After the informative (and tasty) lesson, SAF students showed off their funky moves in the dance that followed suit. Yes, the Harlem Shake also happened.

  Thanks to AFSA’s Internal Events that organized the amazing event!

Straight off the @UWAFSA Twitter:

WELP.

Location: University Shops Plaza

Hours of Operation:

Sunday – Friday: 11:00 am – 1:00 am

Saturday: 11:00 am – 2:00 am

Method of Payment: Cash or Debit (And don't forget to bring your BlackCard for a discount!)

  If you got the chance to visit Sweet Dream Tea shop during the fall you term, you would remember a quaint and homey shop sporting plenty of seating space. With comfy couches and a huge collection of board games, Sweet Dreams was a great place to hang out with friends. Now, after a month or so of renovations, Sweet Dreams has reopened with a new look.

Situated in the corner of the University Shops Plaza, Sweet Dreams’ interior resembles that of modern cafes. With a coat of white paint, simple white furniture, and a black accented ceiling, customers can sit down and just focus on their delightful tea and have a good time with friends. And do not worry; despite the lack of comfy couches, there are plenty of games to go around.

  Accompanying the new look is a new menu. Along with their wide range of bubble teas, the shop has also added a variety of loose leaf teas, from green to rooibos. You can get it as single cup, a pot, chilled, or even as a latte. If you are not a fan of tea, do not fret, they also serve specialty drinks such as pina coladas and disco lemonade, and, like any café, coffee.

  Not only were there additions to the drinks menu, but also to the food menu. Showcasing some desserts in the back, you will be tempted to order things like blueberry tarts, or mini vanilla cheesecakes to go with your drinks. If not in the mood for sweets, might I recommend ordering their pesto grilled cheese? Although a little greasy (but really, what grilled cheese sandwich isn’t?), there was the perfect amount of cheese to balance the pesto, that will leave you wanting for more. The neat presentation of it alone could draw you in. Their dumplings would also be a very good choice, if you are looking for a fuller meal.

With the new look, also came a new style of service. Similar to Williams, food and drinks are served to the customers at their table. And when you are finished, the waiters/waitresses kindly take everything back.

  Although the shop may not look the same, it is still a great place to unwind for the day by drinking good bubble tea, while playing an epic game of jenga with friends.    

To reduce a liability, debit or credit?

In free body diagrams, what is usually the downward force?

Who is Ash Ketchum’s rival in the original Pokémon series?

  Don’t know the answers to all these questions? Worry not, some of your very own SAF classmates do.

A battle of wits between students took place this past weekend at the annual AFSA Trivia Competition. After several hours of intense competition and over a hundred trivia questions, AFSA crowned its new champions for the winter term of 2013.

Congratulations to Dumbledore’s Army!

From left to right: Varun, Nitish, Vitu, and Alok

Special mentions to the second and third place teams, Les Quizerables and We Just Came for the Pizza, as well as Julita Kwong for organizing the event.

Ever wondered what life would be like as one of those cute little birds running around campus pooping everywhere? Yeah so have I, hence I decided to compile a list of 4 interesting things (entirely of my own opinion) about what I would do if I were a goose (not to be confused with the vodka brand Grey Goose – that’s another story…).

  4) Take over DC again 

Okay this turned out to be a prank by UW students but it could still happen! What if I was a goose and persuaded all my buddies to invade DC? Would they have to cancel classes? I find that notion slightly amusing…

  3) Jet skiing 

Being an aspiring business professional, I always dreamed of someday doing crazy expensive cool stuff like jet skiing or skydiving. Well, I figured out one day that geese could do both at the same time for no cost whatsoever!

 To elaborate, I was walking to class early in the morning (10:40 AM is too early apparently) with a buddy of mine when, all of a sudden, 15 geese came flying in and hydroplaned across the pond near St. Jerome’s! I swear these guys glided like 20 meters at 50km/h – it was pretty awesome.

  2) Demand my share of UW merchandise

Being iconic birds of UW, Canadian geese have been forever engraved in the UW culture as plush dolls or funny memos on shirts. But is that really fair? I mean imagine if somebody took a picture of you and just posted it without your permission everywhere (look right to see a picture of Terrance in his younger days). Yeah I would want my share of sales revenue for that…just saying.

  1) Migrate! 

As much as I love how quintessential the geese are to our UW culture, I still dream of a time where they would migrate to another place (Laurier maybe?) and torture another group of students. I mean, if you have wings and can fly up to 50km/h you could go places! Hawaii anyone?

  What would you do if you were a UW goose? Share your thoughts with us!

Last Thursday, 200 eager first years attended the annual Tips For First Years event. Experienced and involved upper years ran a few workshops on topics important to the average first year SAF student. For those of you who couldn’t make it, we’ve collected the highlights.

What to do Over Your First Year Summer:

Looking at our co-op schedule, this coming summer in 2013 is the very last long summer break we get for the next few years! Rosanne Lai and Judith Ma shared their advice on how we can make the most of it.

Interested in getting a summer job? While it’s definitely not necessary to gain summer employment in a job that’s specifically relevant to the program you’re in, it’s a great idea to plan to save some money from the summer to help pay off the increased upper year tuition. Research around and you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the internships and government career positions specifically meant for university students over the summer.

Travelling is also what comes to mind whenever a long break is mentioned. Try looking into programs and opportunities that enhance the experience, or scholarships that subsidize the cost!

And of course, use the summer to chill. That should go without saying, though.

Helpful Links:

http://www.myexplore.ca/en/ – The Explore program is a French exchange program in Canada funded entirely by the government. Applications are due end of February. 

http://portail.unice.fr/jahia/page11910.html – The International Summer School at the University of Nice, France is a French exchange program abroad. The registration deadline depends on demand; spots may still be available in April but best would be to apply before the suggested date. 

http://www.centerforstudyabroad.com – A useful compilation of various exchange and volunteer programs abroad to compare prices and experiences.

http://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/SEP.asp – The Summer Experience Opportunities program with the Government of Ontario. Job postings typically come out in February and March, and the program length ranges from 7 to 16 weeks.

http://studentcatalyst.ca/ – Portal to connect volunteers with local non-profit organizations and startups

Life Outside of SAF:

What better time in your life than in university to explore new interests? Jenny Ho and AFSA Blog's own Ronald Chui [Editor's Note: me?] explained some options available at UW. Waterloo offers dozens upon dozens of clubs to fit every passion, from cheese to dance. Take your time to look through the Feds club listing. Don’t be afraid to tread out of your comfort zone!

Part-time jobs on-campus jobs opportunities range from Teaching Assistants, to Housing Dons, to retail services, and more! Conestoga Mall is also just a bus ride away, great for part-time employment, and all the local businesses in the area need someone to run operations.

When the new semester starts, definitely look into joining the various intramural sports you can sign up for in the first week of the term. The CIF and PAC offer great fitness classes. Buying a $50 shoe tag for the entire term for unlimited access to any of the classes is a smart deal you should look into!

Feds Clubs Listing: http://www.feds.ca/clubs-section/clubs-listing/

On-Campus Retail Service Employment: http://www.retailservices.uwaterloo.ca/home.html

On-Campus Housing Employment: https://uwaterloo.ca/housing/

Intramural Sports: http://intramurals.uwaterloo.ca/

Open Recreation and Fitness Classes: http://www.varsity.uwaterloo.ca/sports/2010/7/21/CR_0721100658.aspx?tab=openrecreation

Networking Tips and Tricks:

Ian Weng and Arthur Chan shared some of their best advice on the topic of networking. They advise to always keep an open mind, as networking comes in many forms. A simple friendship with a friend from a club can lead to securing an exciting career.

However, keep in mind that that the point of networking is to meet people, not just get a job. Be comfortable and confident when approaching people. Use the networking sessions provided to find out what type of opportunities interest specifically, instead of blindly rushing into all prospects.

Finally, try to keep your business card on you at all times! You never know who you’ll run into.

Lucky for you, AFSA is offering free business cards to those to sign up and complete a survey!

Survey: http://tinyurl.com/av74324

Business Card Registration: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGYybmJPX3VlUlZrVHk4WDNnVE5HMlE6MQ#gid=0 

Each and every one of us have come a long way since university has begun whether that was this year, two years ago, or even longer. Mistakes are inevitable, but some are avoidable. Before you do anything you wish you had not, read what some of SAF’s very own upper years have come to regret.

Michael Leung; 2A AFM:

I would have liked to join more non-SAF clubs and events in my first year to meet more students and gain other experiences. As much as I love everything SAF has given, it would have been nice to try other things.

Terrance Kwok; 4B AFM:

I regret everything I ate in first year.

Quinntin Fong; 4A Math/CA:

I regret letting myself get by in first year courses through regurgitation without actually understanding the material. I also regret sleeping on the housing situation because subletting is a pain…

Shyam Venkatraman; 2A AFM:

A couple things I regret as an upper year are not studying enough and underestimating the difficulty of the work in first year. This made it a lot more challenging to expand my opportunities and get involved in academically-related initiatives. Also, I regret downloading Call of Duty 4 on my computer which consumed my days and nights.

Anonymous:

AFM is truly a program that places an overwhelming precedence on the power of networking. Reminiscing now, I realize that this is a microcosm of the real business world. Not capitalizing on my opportunities to make as many connections as possible would be my biggest regret. It’s not about WHAT you know; it’s WHO you know. Your name is really one of the only things that differentiate you from the thousands of other students hunting for that job.

Bonnie Li; 2A CFM:

I regret studying in groups too much! Sometimes it's good to share knowledge, but I noticed that everyone studies at his/her own pace. It's also less pressure when you don't compare yourself with others.

Koren Leung; 2A AFM:

I wish I lived in REV. Grades matter, but remember to have fun too. First year is all about finding your own identity and trying new things!

Christopher Cheung; 3A CFM:

The one thing I regret most was staying inside my comfort bubble by sticking only with my friends from high school, playing video games, and watching TV in my room. I missed out on many opportunities to meet new people and try new things. In later years, I decided to join clubs and make new relationships. As a result, I’ve been able to make much more out of my university experience, and it’s been awesome.

Ronald Chui; 4A AFM:

Joining UW AFSA. Oh, and telling you my regrets. But mostly UW AFSA.

Anonymous:

Looking back, my biggest regret about first year is that I was too uptight about school, marks, and the image I conveyed. I realize now that first year was the time to get out, enjoy life, meet new people, and try new things; however at that time, that part of me was overpowered by worries about my future. But hey, it’s never too late to make up for that!

Location: South Campus Hall (SCH)

Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Method of Payment: WatCard and Cash

If you thought SCH was a place only to buy textbooks, Waterloo swag, and some Timmy’s, think again. Through the doors that lead to the Student Success Office and up the stairs, you will find a place that can offer you home-style cooking, daily specials, hot soups, and more.

This eatery is known to fill up fairly quickly, forming a line down the stairs during peak hours. However, if you pick the right day and go at the right time, which is at the beginning of their hours of operation, service is timely. In my visit to the Festival Fare I was graced with quick service and a hearty meal.

Unlike the V1 cafeteria, Festival Fare can provide you with a variety of foods each day. During my time at Festival Fare, shrimp Pad Thai and the turkey burger were their specials of the day. They also sport a fish of the day, often in the form of a filet, with that day being Silver Hake.

Now, I am not a connoisseur of Pad Thai, however, the Festival Fare did a much better job at cooking up a batch than V1’s attempt on Oriental night. Although the noodles were fairly thick, the sweet and spicy sauce, shrimp, almonds, and green onions blended well with each other to make an enjoyable meal. Moreover, similar to ML’s fries, the Festival Fare prepares thickly cut fries that have that perfect crisp. To top off the meal, the people working in in the Festival Fare were kind and helpful in providing service.

Along with good food, the Festival Fare provides plenty of space to sit with friends or to study while eating. With many seats to choose from, it can be a great place to hang out with friends. Be warned, during its busy hours, it may be difficult to enjoy your meal and study.

The Festival Fare only caters for lunch meals, hence their short operating hours. Nevertheless, we accounting students always find ourselves around the southern side of campus, so there is no excuse for one not to check out what the Festival Fare has to offer.   

[Editor's Note: With the CPA Roundtable having come and gone this past Monday, we reached out to AFSA's VP Education, Zac Hogg, who graciously agreed to provide a recap of the Roundtable. His thoughts are documented below.]

Amid all the more socially geared events I was in Waterloo for this weekend, more notably the 3 on 3 rugby tournament, the SAF Awards Dinner, and the ICAO Case competition that I wore a hat to, there was one big reason why I had taken the few days off work to be in Waterloo for an extended 5 day weekend: to meet the minds behind the future of our accounting profession here in Ontario (and Canada), and see the CPA Roundtable in person.

Most people who attended, snuck in, or tuned in over the livestream were watching because they were interested to hear about what the national unification meant for their future as one of the many students in, not only Waterloo, but in Ontario, studying/articling towards one of the two merging designations: CA or CMA (I will assume no Waterloo student is articling towards an Alberta CGA or Quebec CPA as I type). The biggest concern for students walking in to the roundtable was the ability to legacy tag their eventual CPA designation with a "CA." Most students suspected that the professional exam they wrote dictated the designation they earned. Another concern that was discussed during the evening was work experience, and whether or not current work experience would still count towards the new CPA experience criteria.

After the lovely history of the CA and CPA in Ontario and across Canada presentation put on by the ICAO, students went to work on getting these two main concerns answered. And after all the fretting, and worrying for the past few months, students found out that their work experience that currently counts towards CA hours would indeed count towards CPA hours, and more importantly, that their "CPA, CA" legacy tag was dependent upon being a registered CA student with the ICAO before January 31, 2015 (and not dependent upon writing the CFE, the UFE, the NewFE, or, a Newfie).

Some other good points to mention from the discussions that went on in the roundtable:

Go for one designation now, no point going for two at this stage of the game

The SAF's MAcc program will remain a professionally accredited program for the time being, allowing students to still take a crack at the new exam upon graduation

We are "indentured slaves" (just because) in the current CA process and the ICAO will make sure it stays that rigorous for the CPA process (sorry!)

No more traditional and non-traditional paths: the new exam will allow us all to show depth in Financial Reporting and etc. but will offer a choice between depth in Assurance or Management decision making, which makes me even consider whether I be best suited to write the last UFE or write the first CFE. This is a change that works in tandem with the new designation's name: Chartered Professional Accountant. 

We have only 13% of the 36,000 CA's in Ontario in Public Practice, and less of a focus on assurance will allow the profession to evolve and better serve the next up and comers for a life outside of public practice (read: a life beyond "indentured slavery").  

And now a standard plug sign off to contact me if you still have questions about the new CPA process for Waterloo students:

Any questions that you didn't get answered during the CPA Roundtable? Please direct them to me by email and I will try my best to answer them myself or will lead you in the right direction.

As first year students whose business experiences may be limited to high school DECA competitions or working cash registers at grocery stores, the constant bombardment of the term “networking” in SAF may be slightly overwhelming. Developing the skills to network like a pro is crucial when we need to make great, lasting impressions on business professionals and potential employers.

Here are some pointers to help you master the art!

Tip #1: Target

The "quality over quantity" concept applies to networking events too. In a room full of potential connections, it’s impossible to have strong, memorable interactions with everyone in the short amount of time on your hands. So, pick and choose. Scan the room at the beginning of the session and decide the few that you’ll want to approach. Going in with a game-plan allows for you to make the most effective use of your time.

Tip #2: Network with a friend!

Buddying up in pairs or groups of three can definitely be helpful. It takes some of the pressure off having to constantly talk. Feed off each other, and help bring up each other’s impressive accomplishments. However, make sure that you don’t simply talk to each other, and don’t have a group larger than three, which can potentially come off as immature and intimidating.

Tip #3: Show Your Personality

Might be cheesy [Editor's note: it is], but it’s easy to think that networking is about being inauthentic in order to kiss butt. Instead, be mindful of showing your sense of humour. Talk about your personal opinion on current events – without being offensive, of course. This is what lets you stand out amongst the sea of other perfectly capable candidates.

Remember, networking is a skill, meaning the more we practice, the better we get. Have confidence, and have fun!  

Location: St. Jerome’s Campus

Hours of Operation:  Monday – Thursday: 8:30 am – 9:00 pm Friday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Method of Payment: Cash or Debit

Across the bridge, along a path leading to the university colleges, and situated between old buildings unknown to main campus students, lies a quaint café, known as the Atrium. Located on the St. Jerome’s Campus, the Atrium offers a variety of café style drinks, sandwiches, salads, and not to mention jumbo cookies.

If you are tired of the V1 cafeteria food, a walk down to the college campus may grace you with meals such as a roast beef, ham cheddar melt, or turkey and Swiss on rye. Be warned though, operating with only a few staff, the service can become fairly slow – friendly, but slow.The Atrium’s prime location provides you with a serene atmosphere, where you can either choose to sit inside or outside, while enjoying a hot beverage such as a cinnamon dolce latte, caramel macchiato, or a classic like hot chocolate or tazo tea.

Moreover, because the Atrium serves a small number of customers each day, compared to the likes of Williams, they are only ever stocked with just enough ingredients to meet their usual demand. So, if you want their daily specials, like the BLT, you might want to consider an early lunch.

Now, the one thing that won my heart over was not the cozy atmosphere, plenty of eating and studying space, but the electrical outlets. Unlike Williams, if you seek a nice café atmosphere but are low on battery power, the Atrium has plenty of outlets around to get you through that arduous assignment. You can plop yourself beside the fireplace, plug in your laptop, and away you go, busily typing the day away.

The college campuses do not operate under the same meal plans as the main campus, and therefore do not accept WatCard. The only way to purchase Atrium goodies is by cash or debit. However, the change in scenery, friendly service, and good food and drinks will make spending what little money we university students have worthwhile.

Accountant looking for love asks:

Can you give me some advice on how to talk to girls? All this time I’m just focused on my studies which doesn’t leave me much time to flirt. Any help would be appreciated!

Accounting may be thought to be one of the least attractive professions in the world by a lot of people, but this doesn’t mean as an accounting and finance student you can’t have success with the ladies.

The most important thing is balance. If you’re constantly focusing on studying you’re never going to meet anyone. Finding a balance where you can still study and also go out to meet new people is essential. If you’re not doing this there’s no chance you’re going to be able to actually meet girls to talk too. So balance your studies with your social activities if you really want to meet girls to talk to.

Second, you have to be confident enough to actually start conversation with these girls. People are attracted to confidence. They like knowing you’re comfortable with who you are and are confident enough to meet new people. This is a common attraction for both guys and girls. So be comfortable in who you are and more importantly you should be yourself. If you put on a fake show prepare to make really fake relationships. You’ll be much happier with the people you meet if you just be yourself and attract people by being who you are. This is hard for many people to do because we believe we have to be something different but we really don’t.

So after you balance your life enough so you can actually meet people and you build up the confidence and self-esteem to go talk to them you may ask what’s next? Just continue to be yourself and the people who are attracted to that will come out. If you like who you are then people will like you too. Present yourself in a confident manner but more importantly still be a kind person. No one wants to be around a jerk so just treat people how you want to be treated.

Good luck in your attempts to be successful with girls. Just know that you will strike out sometimes and that you will fail. You have to realize that if you don’t try to talk to them you won’t have a chance at all anyway. Get used to not everyone liking you in the way you might want and realize that that’s okay. Have fun and enjoy the experience.

Your one stop shop for gluttonous pleasures

Location 1: UW Plaza

Location 2: Environment 3 Building

Method of Payment: WatCard – Flex Dollars

Are you in need of comfort food? Or need a place to get your creative juices flowing? Then the perfect place to be is at Williams Fresh Café. Sporting two locations, one on campus, one near campus, you are never too far from getting that right cup of joe or a hearty, delicious meal.

The larger Williams, located in the UW Plaza, provides you with the classic coffee shop experience. Fitted with plenty of tables fitting anywhere from 2 to 4 people, booths, and counter seats, the café allows you to sit down and relax, while eating or drinking your order, at the same time listening to music in the background or watching the news on TV. If you decide to eat your order there, you are provided with kind and timely service. Given a number sign, you can take your seat wherever in the café, and soon enough your delicious food is brought forth.

The menu consists of a variety of breakfast, lunch, and dessert dishes, and not to mention, a twist to classic teas and coffees. All of the meals are made daily and most dishes contain ingredients obtained through fair trade and organic suppliers.

Freshly prepared bagels, wraps, and crepes are great meals to begin the day. Nearing lunch time, a panini can take your mind off of those classroom blues, and revitalize you for the next class. A Williams’ panini may contain a variety of ingredients, blending together things such as turkey, apple and cheddar, providing you a satisfying sweet crunch with every bite.

A great way to wash all of that down is by ordering one of their fruit smoothies or lattes. If you have always associated peanut butter with that sticky feeling in your mouth, then you must try the peanut butter banana boost. It will in fact change your idea of peanut butter.

Or you may want to order something warm, like the green tea latte. This little drink, mixed with cocoa leave you wanting more, however it is not natural green tea, rather green tea powder.

[Editor's note: MILKSHAKES. CHOCOLATE. MILKSHAKES. So so so good. #chocolatemilkshake4lyf]

And if you plan your meal right, you may have some room left over for dessert. These desserts could be meals themselves. Anyone with a sweet tooth will rejoice when they see a display case filled with cakes and pies, and a separate menu filled with other delicious goodies. The pumpkin spice cheesecake takes the creamy and soft aspect of cheesecakes and blends it with the spice of pumpkin pie. The waffles are, firstly, huge, and secondly, topped with sweet toppings like whipped cream, chocolate, caramel, and a variety of fruits. If you only get one chance to go to Williams, you better order a waffle.

Now, all of these things may be ordered in the Williams located in the plaza. However, the Williams located in Environment 3 has a much smaller variety. The most you can expect to get are some sandwiches, most of their coffees and teas, and some baked goods.

However, what both Williams have in common is their high prices. If you are like many university students, broke, then you may not want to frequent Williams too many times. Nevertheless, if you can ignore the gaping hole Williams leaves you with, it is a guarantee you will find something you like.

Studious But Sleepless writes:

I've been studying so hard for midterms that I've completely screwed up my sleeping schedule! What can I do to fix up my sleeping patterns?

Hello dazed and accrued students! Before we get to the advice portion, here's a quick introduction:

Dazed and Accrued is, if you couldn't figure it out from the previous sentence, an advice column! If you've got any question at all, be it about school life, cool life, or Sproule life, shoot us a message in our ask box, send us a tweet, or somehow just let us know and we will get on that! BACK TO THE ADVICE:

Midterms are that time of year where the joys of summer are slaughtered and the reality of education and work come crashing down on you – but it’s also the time where your sleeping patterns can get really messed up! Many students feel the need to study into the very late hours of the night (by the way cramming isn’t really recommended, you procrastinators…) and this can make your regular sleeping patterns go out of whack. So how can you fix these awful sleeping troubles that the evil that are midterms bring?

First, you should set up a set sleeping time and a set wake up time. This is essential in your body getting used to a set sleeping pattern. Usually the trouble actually comes from not being able to fall asleep because of your body not being used to sleeping at that hour but there are a couple things you can do to help solve this. For starters, do not nap during the day! If you sleep during the day your body will not be able to sleep earlier later in the night. So avoid napping during the day even if you just pulled an all-nighter.

Try doing things that will tire you out during the day like working out that will tire your body out more. People who work out during the day often have deeper sleeps at night. Many people say reading before you go to bed helps tire you out and sleep better. Avoid things like eating things high in sugar and drinking coffee before bed.

Follow these steps and make sure to set rigid sleep times and wake times. You’re well on your way to fixing the sleeping patterns that midterms destroyed! Congratulations!

Where: 878 Weber Street North, Waterloo  *You can take the iExpress right outside DC to Conestoga, followed by the 21

When: Thursdays and Saturdays @ 7 am to 3:30 pm

Looking around the University of Waterloo, it is easy to see how incredibly dull things can become; the concrete walls, dull skies, and Canadian geese offer little excitement. But wait, worry not! You can venture down to St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market for a day of new discoveries.

St. Jacobs offers fresh farm products from all across the region. Hundreds of food vendors sell delicious goods including fruits and vegetables from some of Ontario’s freshest farms.

The market building consists of several levels: the first level is for the meats, cheeses, baked treats, and lunch, while the second level consists of crafts and home décor. Right next door is Peddler’s Village which boasts furniture, fashions, and housewares. Also, make sure to check out the factory outlet mall adjacent to the market for great deals and discounts. 

As the seasons change, so does the market itself. You can count on the limitless quality flea market wares, plants, accessories, clothing, and food to entertain you for at least several weekends.