The first official Co-Curricular Record (CCR) was presented on May 25 to Daniela Rosiu, a recreation and leisure student, by John Tibbits, college president, and Mike Dinning, vice-president of Student Affairs. Rosiu’s involvement included vol-unteering as a Student Life leader and participating in multiple Connect Leadership workshops, Learning Skills workshops and Centre for Entrepreneurship workshops.

The CCR was official-ly launched at Conestoga College in September 2014. It provides a search engine to find various on-campus opportunities for students to maximize their growth and development outside the classroom. Since the launch, the CCR has offered more than 260 opportunities for students to get involved with, resulting in over 1,900 stu-dent participations in the 2014 fall semester and 2,400 student participations in the 2015 winter semester. These opportunities are available to all students at Conestoga College and vary from varsity athletics, volunteer opportun-ities, clubs and societies, com-mittees, recreational oppor-tunities, conferences, and workshops and training.

“The workshops were flex-ible with my schedule, offer-ing two of the same work-shops at different periods of time,” Rosiu said. “I chose the ones that will help me both in my future and in my academics. All the workshops I participated in were great. I

wanted to develop my leader-ship skills not only for college, but for when I am going to the workforce as well.”

Being a new student, there may be challenges with meet-ing new people and finding activities on-campus. With the CCR, students can eas-ily search for all the oppor-tunities available to them and at the same time meet their fellow colleagues at Conestoga.

“It’s great to meet people and make new friendships. It’s nice seeing new faces and being able to say hi to them in the hallways,” Rosiu said.

Like many other students, Rosiu has used the CCR to contribute to building a wel-coming and positive commun-ity on-campus.

Getting involved with the CCR has allowed students to develop transferable skills which they can apply toward their courses and future employment. It can also be used as concrete evidence to support the skills they have learned and developed outside the classroom. “It is important to put it in your portfolio and attach it to your resume to show you did your part and you want to develop,” Rosiu said.

CCR involvement continues to grow at Conestoga College with opportunities available from all areas of the college. To find out how you can get involved, enhance your experi-ence, and make the most of your time at Conestoga, visit the Student Life department in Room 2A101-2 at the Doon campus.

SPOKEMONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 CONESTOGA COLLEGE, KITCHENER, ONT. WWW.SPOKEONLINE.COM 46TH YEAR — NO. 14

Check out your horoscope or do sudoku.Page 10

Fun & Games

A L E A R N I N G N E W S R O O M F O R J O U R N A L I S M S T U D E N T S

Download your free Conestoga safety app.Page 3

Safe and secure

Welcome to the 2015-16 aca-demic year. Whether you’re returning to Conestoga to resume your studies, or join-ing us for the first time, I hope that you will find your experience here to be positive and rewarding.

We’ve made great progress with some major projects over the last few months. The new Athletics & Recreation Centre and the expanded Library Resource Centre at the Doon campus are just two examples

of how the college is growing and improving to meet the needs of our students and the college community.

More expansion plans are currently in development. We will continue to build our pro-gramming, providing more career-focused degrees and pathway opportunities for stu-dents to access the education and training that will open doors to meaningful careers and successful futures.

Growth and change are

important for institutions: they’re important for individu-als as well, as you strive to be the best that you can be and prepare for an exciting future.

During 2015-16, I encour-age you to commit to personal achievement. Your ability to learn, to develop new skills, and to embrace new challeng-es will be the keys to both career and life success.

Get involved with our col-lege community through the many activities and events

provided through Conestoga Students Inc., Student Life, on-campus clubs and groups, and the professional asso-ciations linked to many Conestoga programs. These opportunities will enrich your formal learning, lead to life-long friendships and connec-tions, and help sustain our vibrant community.

Your success matters. If you have questions, or need some support as you progress through your academic jour-

ney, there are many services available to meet your needs.

On behalf of Conestoga, I am delighted to welcome you to the 2015-16 academic year. Work hard to achieve your goals, make the most of your time here, and enjoy the many benefits a college edu-cation provides.

Success awaits you. Best wishes for a great year.

John Tibbits President, Conestoga College

PHOTO SUBMITTEDDaniela Rosiu, a Conestoga recreation and leisure student, was the first recipient of a co-curricular record, which highlights her involvement as a volunteer and participant in numerous workshops. She was presented with the document by John Tibbits, right, president of Conestoga College, and Mike Dinning, vice-president of student affairs.

Develop new skills, embrace new challengesPRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

CCR has successful first year

Page 2 s SPOKE Monday, August 31, 2015NEWS

Now deep thoughts... with Conestoga College

Random questions answered by random studentsWhat advice do you have for first-year students?

“Not to leave their projects until the last minute.”

Nathan Brown,second-year

protection/security and investigation

“Be ready to have an outlook on a vast majority of careers.”

Ruth Ignuta,second-year

protection/security and investigation

“Expect to be here late at night and on weekends. Don’t get distracted by social media.”

Kat Taylor,second-year

public relations

“To manage their time wisely, otherwise it all piles up at the end.”

Darling Deleon,second-year

legal office administration

“Come prepared and expect a lot of work. Pack your own lunch, campus food is expensive.”

Jaime Messecar,second-year

public relations

“Do what you love. Never give up, there’s something out there for everyone.”

Kevin Henry,second-year

protection/security and investigation

Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!

FILBERT CARTOONS

Get your game on in the DenBY JUSTIN FORD

Just because someone is about to decapitate you in Mortal Kombat, or send you flying off the track in Mario Kart, doesn’t mean you can’t be friends. Ironically, these devilishly violent and haz-ardous moments often bring gamers together.

The Den at Conestoga College is more than a place for students to take a load off and play video games, it’s also a place for camaraderie.

Located above the Sanctuary, the Den is a part of the college that often goes unnoticed.

“If you want to come here and meet new people, or just come here to play, the peo-ple are really friendly,” said Trishia Whetham, a second-year business administration accounting student.

With PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Wii U con-soles provided by Conestoga Students Inc. (CSI), it’s a place with a lot to offer stressed-out students.

“We really encourage new students to come enjoy our services, because they actu-ally pay for it (through a CSI fee),” said John Hsu, a third-year supply chain and opera-tions management student and Den leader.

This semester CSI is plan-ning on adding a number of new games to their already impressive 63-game collection, and with new games comes new opportunities for tourna-ments. So get ready to smash or drive your way to victory.

Monday, August 31, 2015 SPOKE Page 3NEWS

BY CARSON DESHEVY-RENOUF

Students at Conestoga College, returning or new, may feel overwhelmed or stressed as the school year begins once again. Fortunately, thanks to Security Services, their safety at the college is one thing they don’t need to stress about.

According to Kirsty Bradley-McMurtrie, director of Security Services, there are many different utilities available that students can take advantage of while at Conestoga.

“We are responsible for all emergency response … we look after safety plans ... lost and found, any issues or concerns as well as training (for multiple safety programs at the college). We are also responsible for lockers, park-ing (and a variety of other services)” she said.

In addition to the long list of services offered by the secu-rity office, which is located across from the library on the Doon campus, they also act as an information desk. Students can walk in and ask for directions or referrals to on-campus resources at any time, as the security office is open 24/7.

If students want to get into classrooms after official col-lege hours (and have their pro-fessor’s permission), whether it be to finish assignments or grab some forgotten items, Security Services is the place to visit to get that access.

In terms of the safety of students, services such as the Walksafe program are essen-tial in keeping the college environment safe and invit-ing.

“We employ students

through the work study pro-gram (which is offered for stu-dents who require financial aid). (Walksafe) is a service offered in the evening to any-one on campus, it doesn’t nec-essarily have to be a student, for escorts to their vehicle, residence or to a home that is close by,” Bradley-McMurtrie said.

Although Walksafe staff are not security guards, they are equipped with a radio so they have direct contact with the Security office should any issue arise.

Another safety measure in place at Conestoga are stra-tegically placed “emergency buttons” around the campus in designated emergency zones. If a dangerous situa-

tion were to arise, students can go to a zone that has a small yellow box that har-bours the “emergency button,” which, when pressed, alerts Security Services A camera will remain focused on that area until help arrives.

In addition, every class-room phone has a security button that is a direct link to Security Services. There are also around 200 cameras on campus that are being “pro-gressively upgraded from ana-log to digital” with additional technology to give Security eyes all around the college’s campus.

If students at any point fear for their safety, not just in school but in any aspect of their lives, Security Services

has measures in place to help.“If a student has a concern

for their safety, whether it be against another member of the college community or just a general member of the community, we will do a personal safety plan. That provides them with informa-tion for safety zones as well as contact numbers if they need assistance,” Bradley-McMurtrie said.

There are also accessible resources available like the free Conestoga mobile safety application for mobile devices that gives students a quick way to contact Security.

“We didn’t want ours to be just a ‘security app,’ that’s why we called ours a safety app … it does have your emer-gency contacts, so it gives you a direct connection to Security and 9-1-1. You have your ‘Safety Toolbox’ that contains a flashlight and loud alarm. You can also send your loca-tion using Google co-ordinates via email to Security if you are not in a position to talk. It is also there if you need to report suspicious activity,” Bradley-McMurtrie said.

The app also contains resources that can connect students to academic coun-selling and personal coun-selling, providing them with information on what is avail-able on campus. In terms of personal counselling the app also contains direct contact to Good2Talk, a 24-hour post-secondary student counsel-ling phone service.

“We are trying to get away from ‘look it up on the I nternet’ and trying to make everything available at every-body’s fingertips,” Bradley-McMurtrie said.

PHOTO BY CARSON DESHEVY-RENOUFKirsty Bradley-McMurtrie, director of Security Services, shows off the free Conestoga mobile safety app which has many features including providing students with a quick way to contact the secu-rity department.

App just one of college’s safety features Varsitytryouts

underwayBY NATHAN BROWN

Students going to college for the first time have a myriad of questions. What textbooks do I need? Where are my classrooms? And how do I get to and from school? Those who enjoy strenu-ous physical activity ask, “What sports are there?”

Conestoga offers a variety of men’s and women’s sports for students, including a hand-ful of varsity sports. These include men’s and women’s volleyball, rugby, indoor and outdoor soccer, badminton and cross-country. They also offer women’s softball.

Tryouts for some of these sports, like rugby, softball and soccer, can start as early as August, with their first games starting in early September, while other tryouts will begin during the first week of school.

“If a student can’t make a try-out, especially those in August, then these students should email the coaches directly,” said Marlene Ford, the athletic co-ordinator at the college. “They won’t turn anyone away.”

However, students must get good grades to play on a team. “We work individually with students who are struggling,” Ford said. “We try to have them keep up-to-date with us, and we help them make their academ-ics and athletics both work.”

Ford

Page 4 s SPOKE Monday, August 31, 2015NEWS

BY CARMEN PONCIANO

As we know, libraries are the heart of any school. It is an area where students have access to information, quiet study and services to help them during their aca-demic years. And the library at Conestoga College is no exception. It has a wide vari-ety of services, but the one that sticks out the most is the information service desk. Though it looks like any ordi-nary “front desk,” it is actu-ally one of the most important parts of the library.

“We can help with a huge range of things but we help specifically on what the individ-ual needs,” said Trish Weigel-Green, director of the Library Resource Centre (LRC).

Whether it be a simple com-puting question or a situation where resources are needed for an assignment, the infor-mation service desk is where you want to go.

As for research, there are four program liaisons who work with faculty and can come into the classroom and talk about some of the school’s online resources. Students

can also book a consultation with a program liaison for further help.

The library is also expand-ing the number of e-books and streaming videos it has.

“Physical books we will be at about 20,000, our e-books 200,000,” Weigel-Green said. “We have about 1,000 physi-cal videos and about 50,000 streaming videos.”

She said what students real-ly need in the library is space,

so the LRC is focusing on e-resources.

Having a wide variety of e-books is also a lot more convenient because students have the ability to access these books and videos wher-ever they are 24-7.

In addition to updating its collection, the library itself likes to be up-to-date. Renovations, which started in May, will see the layout change significantly, provid-ing the space that students require (although there will not be any additional square footage).

“Even if we are full, it won’t feel crowded,” Weigel-Green said. “It will better delineate where groups should be work-ing and where quiet study should be happening so that it is more conducive to both of those types of work.”

Weigel-Green also thinks that the library’s renovation will make it look as profes-sional as the services they offer. The renovations will hopefully be finished before classes start in September, however, even if the renova-tions aren’t done, the library will remain open.

PHOTO BY CARMEN PONCIANOTrish Weigel-Green, director of the Library Resource Centre, says they are continuing to add e-resources because they save space and are more convenient for students.

Library open during reno

PHOTO BY NATALEIGH MCCALLUMConestoga pre-health science graduates Vanessa Varga and Josie Makcrow have both written Spotted at Conestoga posts and have been posted about on the site.

Facebook page all about

being ‘spotted’BY NATALEIGH MCCALLUM

What if you could post an anonymous message to that handsome man you saw read-ing your favourite book? Or to the individual who took the parking spot you were so patiently waiting for? Well, at Conestoga you can.

The Facebook page, Spotted at Conestoga, was created in October 2013 and was immediately a success. The creators, who remain anony-mous, started the page for Conestoga students after seeing other post-secondary schools had similar pages.

Currently, Spotted at Conestoga has almost 6,500 likes and is regularly checked by students.

“It’s not really useful. It’s more entertaining,” said Josie Makcrow, a pre-health gradu-ate.

The purpose of the Facebook page is to get students involved in things going on as well as allowing them to send anonymous messages to people they’ve seen around campus, which is referred to as being “spotted.”

“I think it is somewhat use-ful to know what’s going on in the school,” said Joshua

McCarthy, a biotechnology technician graduate. “Plus it’s funny. A lot of it is joke posts and it’s good humour.”

McCarthy said first-year students should know about Spotted at Conestoga in order to stay in touch with their fel-low students.

“It also shows them that even though this is a place of learning and academics there is still room for fun,” he said.

To get a post on Spotted at Conestoga, students send private messages to the page through its inbox. Even though the point of the page is to be anonymous, the cre-ators do know whose posts are whose. They review the mes-sage to make sure it is worthy of being posted and if it is, it makes it onto the page and other students are able to see it and comment, like or share.

Posts range from funny pic-tures describing the life of a student to seeing a good-looking person and wishing you had said hi. Others are students just simply asking for help or advice. Spotted at Conestoga is becoming more popular every day and the creators’ goal is simple; to connect all Conestoga stu-dents on all campuses.

Monday, August 31, 2015 SPOKE s Page 9NEWS

BY NICOLE NEMETH

A lot of students end up getting part-time jobs to help them pay for necessities or for extra spending money. But some students choose to work for themselves rather than someone else.

Desiree Richards, a Conestoga graphic design stu-dent, has been running her own photography business since she was 16 years old.

“The name of my company is DDR Photography and I offer a variety of photography ser-vices like weddings, portraits, family photos, headshots and more, anything to help grow my portfolio in the direction I want to go when I’m finished school, which is photo styl-ing for magazines,” Richards said.

Krystle McGuire, a perinatal nursing student at Conestoga College, became an indepen-dent consultant for Arbonne last year after becoming frus-trated with having to juggle work, school and family life. Arbonne is a direct sales company that sells environ-mentally-friendly and vegan health and beauty products.

“At first I thought it was worth working a part-time job for someone else until I came across an opportunity to run my own business a few months ago. It was too difficult having to adjust my whole life, and the lives of my family, through the summer while working for the nursing home, not to mention finding a daycare,” McGuire said.

Nick Miller has been selling vintage and retro items online since October 2014 on Etsy, an online marketplace for handmade and vintage items. He used to work for an auc-tion house and an art gallery, where his fondness of mid-century décor and artwork grew. Currently, Miller is con-sidering going to Conestoga to study business.

“I sell vintage housewares and furniture. My time is spent between researching different designers, manu-facturers and time eras, and searching for items at thrift shops, garage sales, estate auctions and other dealers. From there I offer the items in my online shop, Tubular Retro, after they’ve been cleaned up,” Miller said.

Being self-employed is not for everyone though. It requires self-discipline, excel-lent time management and passion to maintain and grow a business.

“Self-employment is great for a person who is passionate about a particular thing that

they can offer a service for,” Miller said. “You have to be passionate because this is a time-consuming activity and the rewards are slow com-ing. Part-time work has the benefit of secure and reliable income with a set schedule and hourly rate.”

One of the biggest advantag-es working for yourself is hav-ing the freedom to set your own hours and work around your course load.

“It offers you the freedom to plan around your work and life and it allows you to determine your income; should you wish to make more you can adjust your workload,” Miller said.

Richards said, “It is nice because you can build your own hours and you don’t need to depend on someone else to help you develop your skills and grow. Everything you do is your own personal style and reflects on you. You also have a choice in which direc-tion your company goes.”

McGuire said, “Running your own business has a lot more advantages, especially when you’re in school. Being self-employed is more gratify-ing and rewarding. Working

part-time equals more secu-rity but it can be degrading at times. Now I can stay at home with my loved ones, make my own hours and enjoy what I’m doing.”

There are many different entrepreneurial paths stu-dents can take while in school depending on their skills. Students can offer differ-ent services such as babysit-ting, landscaping, painting or tutoring; artistic people may want to try their hand at sell-ing their creations online or at craft fairs or can try selling products as an independent consultant.

“I would recommend tak-ing up something on the side and starting your business,” Richards said. “Having the job on the side helps income-wise and also helps to reduce the stresses most students go through with finances during school. Of course, everyone wants to dive head first into it and make tons of money immediately but things that are worth it take time and care, and you always need to remember that what you put in is what you can expect back.”

Students juggle school and self-employment

PHOTO BY NICOLE NEMETHSome students would rather work for themselves, including Nick Miller, who runs an online vintage shop.

BY JACK PARKINSON

School, and especially a new school year, can be confusing. Fortunately for Conestoga students, the War Amps can make at least one detail less stressful.

The War Amps’ key tag ser-vice has been in operation since 1946 and has reunited more than 1.5 million Canadians with their lost keys. The basic principle of the system is sim-ple: The War Amps manufac-tures tags which are attached to a set of keys. If you are out jogging or eating and lose your keys, the person who finds them can put the keychain in a Canada Post mailbox. From there, Canada Post mails them to the War Amps, who reference the key tags against the master list of people in the program, and mail them back to you.

The finder can also call the number on the key tag and a bonded courier will be dispatched to deliver them directly to the owner. The return process can take as little as a few days, depending on how quickly the keys are found and how fast the finder decides to return them.

The service is also free –it only requires your address and some contact information

to order a set of tags from the War Amps website. For a stu-dent starting a hectic school year – and aren’t they all hec-tic sooner or later – a service like this can reduce a lot of worry when it comes to mis-placing something as impor-tant as keys. As a test, I put my spare keys into a Canada Post mailbox and received them in an envelope on my doorstep about 10 days later.

“It really hinges on who finds your keys,” said Rob Larman, a director with the War Amps. Larman has been involved with the organiza-tion for much of his life, start-ing at age 14 when he tried to hop on a train on a dare and lost his right leg above the knee. As a teenager, he was involved in the CHAMP (Child Amputee) program, and helped manufacture key tags as a source of income.

“I basically grew up in the association,” Larman said in a phone interview.

The War Amps was formed by veterans in 1918 in the wake of the First World War, and the key tag service was introduced later as a meth-od to employ amputees. The service is free, but donations are gratefully accepted. Go to www.waramps.ca/keytags.html for more information.

Take advantage of War Amps’ key tags

Page 10 s SPOKE Monday, August 31, 2015FUN & GAMES

AriesMarch 21 -

April 19

AquariusJanuary 20 - February 18

TaurusApril 20 - May 20

LibraSeptember 23 -

October 22

GeminiMay 21 - June 21

ScorpioOctober 23 - November 21

CapricornDecember 22 -

January 19

SagittariusNovember 22 - December 21

CancerJune 22 - July 22

LeoJuly 23 -

August 22

VirgoAugust 23 -

September 22

PiscesFebruary 19 -

March 20

This week will be perfect for you. You can finally prove to everyone how respon-sible and independent you are; make them all proud.

The new responsibility bestowed upon you will keep you busy but don’t forget about people you are leaving behind.

You’re bursting with bright and new ideas for this new year. Use your inventive mind to your advantage. Show them what you’ve got.

You’re worrying about this new adventure and your worry is blinding you to the excitement of it. Let it go and try something new.

New place, new school, new life. This new energy is mak-ing your fly high, keep that attitude for the rest of this week.

You’re stubbornness will hurt you; don’t let it. This is something new, don’t panic.

People around you are anx-ious for the next step but you’re taking each stride with pride.

Whispering Waters wishes you waves of fortune

Horoscope Week of August 31, 2015

Your excitement will carry on to others around you in this new life you’ve set out; keep that positivity.

Stop worrying about things that don’t matter right now. Focus on the now, you’ll be starting something new. Take advantage.

Don’t let your emotions con-trol your new outlook on your life. Take control of the reins and charge forward.

You’re moving in with someone you don’t know; why not get to know him or her the first night. Maybe go out for some coffee.

You’re nervous but don’t fret little one, your new path will soon give you peace.

Useless FactsOh Cliff!

Sudoku Puzzle

Word Search

Fill in the grid with digits in such a manner that every row, every column and every 3x3 box accommo-dates the digits 1-9, with-out repeating any.

The average raindrop falls at 7 miles per hour.

Rats and horses can’t vomit.

Netherlands is the only country with a national dog.

Ancient Egyptian priests would pluck every hair from their bod-ies.

A rodent’s teeth never stop growing. They are worn down by the animal’s constant gnaw-ing on bark, leaves and veg-etables.

Camel’s milk does not curdle.

Monday, August 31, 2015 SPOKE s Page 11NEWS

BY CODY MUDGE

Starting college is intimidat-ing. You’ve likely found your-self in an unfamiliar environ-ment, surrounded by people you hardly know and only the vaguest impressions of what the next few months are going to be like. Perhaps you’re in a new city or even a new prov-ince or country and you want to do more with your spare time than watch Netflix on an endless loop.

Conestoga College’s intra-mural sports programs offer students a chance to play a sport they love and remain active. First semesters can by very trying but the poten-tial benefits of being involved in collegiate intramurals are numerous.

According to Dr. John Ratey, a psychiatrist with Harvard University, everyone knows that exercise makes them feel better, but most people have no idea why. He wrote about the subject in a press release, saying, “We assume it’s because we’re burning off stress or reducing muscle ten-sion or boosting endorphins, and we leave it at that. But the real reason we feel so good when we get our blood pump-ing is that it makes the brain function at its best.”

This boost in brain ability facilitates learning. Through his career in psychiatry, Ratey has explored the roots in our brains and evolu-tionary history surround-ing activity, social interac-tion and learning. An active lifestyle for students can be critical in their academic suc-cess. Even just getting out of the house or dorm has a posi-tive effect.

Students don’t even need to worry about their skill level when it comes to intramu-rals. Sure, there’s a champi-onship to vie for, it wouldn’t be much of a sports league if there wasn’t, but that isn’t the point. Intramurals are about being active and having fun and you don’t need to be a star athlete to do either of those things.

“This is a great opportu-nity to make new friends, stay active and enrich your col-lege experience,” said Ilana Romanow, the intramural co-ordinator for Conestoga’s Doon campus.

Currently, Conestoga College has intramural pro-grams for volleyball, dodge-ball, indoor soccer, squash, ball hockey and ice hockey. Teams meet once a week and students may need to pay a fee in order to participate

depending on which sport they choose as well as ensure they have the proper equip-ment necessary for the sport. Individuals are welcome to sign-up as well as groups

If you’re interested in sug-gesting a new sport, contact Romanow at the college. She is open to any suggestions that students might have to improve the intramural program.

“Intramural sports are offered after school, which should not conflict with any class time. This is a good opportunity to take a break and refresh your mind,” Romanow said.

She encourages new stu-dents to take a chance on intramural sports to gain the advantages of being active, meet new people with similar interests and participate in a co-operative group activity. A sedentary lifestyle might be tempting to a student who feels overwhelmed but being a shut-in shouldn’t be the answer.

Students have to try and get over their nervousness and fear of starting a new semes-ter and focus on their health. This approach ensures that even when stress builds and deadlines seem unachievable you’re empowered enough to think clearly.

Get active with intramurals

BY RACHEL ROY

When walking into a strange setting for the first time there are so many faces and so many different places. Even the familiar Tim Hortons is crazy with its super long lines. You can’t help but feel overwhelmed.

At Conestoga’s Doon cam-pus, the Student Life Centre has an information desk where you can get help. It is by Door 3, and offers the treasure you have been searching for.

This desk is staffed from Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Staff are friendly and knowl-edgeable student leaders who will answer any questions you may have.

Emma Bradshaw, who works part-time at the desk, said don’t be afraid to approach staff even if they are work-ing on the computer. “Come up and interrupt us, we’re all friendly, we’re here to help.”

Some of the things they can assist you with include:n Getting directions and

information about the Student Life Centre.

n Booking group work rooms.n Getting contact informa-

tion for Conestoga staff and faculty.

Assisting you with the Grand River Transit board and Conestoga campus maps.

In a typical day staff get asked between 50 and 100 questions, so over a year they get asked thousands of questions.

Bradshaw said the oddest question she has ever been asked (and it has been asked more than once) was where a person parked his or her car.

The most common questions include:n Where classrooms are.n Where professor’s offices

are.n Professor’s schedules.

(Staff do not have access to those but they will give you the professor’s contact infor-mation).n Where bus passes and

student cards are (two sepa-rate locations).n Where the CSI student

hub is/ where binding is.n Where the third floor of

A-wing is, because it’s hard to find.n And where various ser-

vices are located throughout the college.

Got a question? Head to the info desk

Page 12 s SPOKE Monday, August 31, 2015NEWS

BY NATHAN BROWN

Conestoga Student Inc. has a new board of directors this school year, after an election was held last semes-ter.

The eight successful candidates were: Gurpal Singh, Colin Gaudet, Dita Dragusha, Holly Featherstone, Brian Clark, Hope Krempa, Colton Lauzon and Scot Wyles. Each will bring creative new ideas to the table.

According to Alfred Karathra, the primary electoral officer at CSI, 864 students at the college cast their bal-lots in the election, around 200 more students than last year.

Students were able to vote online via their college email account, something CSI implemented due to the lack of student voting the previous year.

The election set a record for the number of candidates running, with 16 students in the electoral race.

Seven of the eight winning candi-dates provided Spoke with a brief description of what they hope to bring to CSI in their newly appointed positions.

Holly FeatherstoneBringing increased skill-building

opportunities and guest speakers to all campuses is a top priority for me. I already have a youth mentor in mind – and she is interested in visit-ing Conestoga.

Gurpal Singh BhatiaMy purpose is to help others, and

Conestoga College has given me the opportunity to take a step forward and fulfill it. I will do my best to cre-

ate a stronger and more united com-munity at Conestoga.

Colton LauzonMy goal is to give you all a voice;

I welcome the opinions and recom-mendations of all Conestoga students so that we may serve you to the best of our ability.

Dita DragushaI want to keep students informed

of CSI as well as introduce students to events happening at the college. I also want to try to create quiet areas for students to study and do their work, especially in the Waterloo and Guelph campuses. I also want to strive to get additional cameras in the parking lots to ensure students’ safety.

Hope Krempa I would love to continue with the

initiatives that I started this year but wasn’t able to finish, such as an aboriginal student forum. I would also like to help with the formation of more events that directly effect school pride, such as competitions between campuses/schools, intramural sports events, contests and games.

Colin GaudetI plan to continue advocating for

satellite campuses. I also plan to col-laborate with residence to make life there better for students as well as work on the bar to make it something to be proud of.

Scot WylesI want to make a change within the

college community.

CSI board members discuss goals

BY MARYSSA MCFADDEN

They say you are what you eat and if this was true, what would the majority of college students look like?

Most people’s first guess would be pizza since students eat so much of it. Here at Conestoga you can get a slice for as little as $2. A salad or bowl of fruit, however, sits around $5.

This is one of the reasons why some students experience the dread-ed “freshman 15,” where they gain 15 pounds in their first year at a post-secondary institution.

However, according to Ellen Gregg, a health nutritionist for the Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services, unhealthy eating is only one cause of the weight gain.

“We are trying to get away from promoting healthy eating on the basis of weight and are promoting diet quality in terms of helping peo-ple feel better. It is related to positive mental health as well,” she said.

College is a new world for many students and some do not anticipate how time-consuming and stressful the environment can be. Throw in a heavy homework load, a rewarding

family and social life, a possible part-time job as well as attempting to get enough sleep at night and a student can easily move “eating healthy” to the bottom of their to-do list. This is why both mental and physical health take a hit in the first few months at college or university.

There are, however, some small changes students can make.

“What you eat is usually deter-mined by what is around you. Surround yourself with healthy food and try to avoid keeping tempting treats around,” Gregg said.

College life can be hectic at times, but forgetting to eat is not the way to go either.

“If you let yourself get hungry, you are more likely to overindulge at your next meal. Eating regularly provides energy for your brain to learn and being hungry is likely to negatively affect your learning per-formance,” Gregg said.

Of course being active also plays a huge role in avoiding the freshman 15. However, don’t use exercise to com-pensate for poor eating habits. Those who do often have poor outcomes in terms of weight management.

You are what you eat