Author Archives: julianne

Working for a tech hub in Kenya and gallivanting around East Africa

By: Scott Henry (Residence Advisor–Hmsm House)

This summer blew my mind. I didn’t know what was in store when I booked a round trip flight to Nairobi, Kenya, estimating that I would be living there for 4 months working for iHub.

iHub is a technology innovation hub based out of Nairobi, Kenya with the goal to catalyze the growth of Kenya’s tech community through supporting startups, surfacing information and connecting people. I was the Assistant Community Manger of iHub’s forward facing initiative in which we provided a community co-working space where entrepreneurs from across Kenya would come to network, collaborate and learn. My role consisted of interviewing new members, facilitating community evaluations, social media strategy and event planning.

While I was there, I had the opportunity to do tons of travelling and meet with amazingly innovative individuals.

Below is a list of some awesome things that I got to do while living in East Africa:

• I’ll always have a Kenyan family
• Went on a vacation to Zanzibar, Tanzania
• Explored Kigali and piloted Arc Initiative
• Met friends in Ethiopia and helped them with technology solutions for startups
• Was a guest speaker at a climate hackathon in Ethiopia
• Networked with some of the most innovative entrepreneurs I’ve ever met
• Helped to organize the largest Startup Competition in East Africa
• Worked with MIT Media Lab
• Went to the very first Google X “Solve for X” event in Africa
• Organized a #FailFare
• Visited most innovations hubs across East Africa

Overall going abroad and stepping outside your comfort zone can be an amazing experience! I encourage you to consider the possibilities that other countries offer!

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By: Ferrina Vora (Resident Advisor-Salish House)

Going for an interview can often be very overwhelming, especially if you haven’t had any experience with one before. Here are some tips on how to prepare and give a great interview!

Dress Code – Figure out what would be appropriate attire to wear to the interview. It may be casual, semi-formal, or even formal. Usually, the interviewer will inform you via email or phone call. However, if they don’t, use your best judgement based on the company/club/organization, or even just ask!

Research – Be knowledgeable and show that knowledge! Know as much as you can about the company and position you are applying for before you head into the interview. Chances are, certain questions will test some of that knowledge, which will in turn effectively indicate your dedication and keenness.

Be on Time – This one is relatively simple. It is very important to be on time! Get there at least 10-15 minutes early. This will show your time management skills and also give you time to get settled and become comfortable with the environment.

Anticipate and practice – Although all interview questions aren’t always predictable, many times the questions can be anticipated. “Why do you want this position?” or “Why do you think you would be a good fit for this position” are often common questions. Anticipate, plan, and practice some of your responses. This will make you less nervous during the interview, and of course, well thought out answers are very impressive.

Don’t be nervous. Be yourself, and keep your professional side in mind! GOOD LUCK!

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By: Emily Davies (Residence Advisor-Hmsm)

Are your meal dollars running out? Tired of snacking on microwave popcorn and cereal? Well, here are some ideas for quick and easy recipes that YOU can make in your very own dorm room.

Oatmeal Bags – I’m serious when I say this, oatmeal saves you $$$ big time! You may think it’s easiest to just buy the instant stuff. But in reality, it’s more expensive in the long run and it’s filled with mystery ingredients (artificial sweeteners, colours, and preservatives). It’s so quick and easy – all you need to do is boil some water when you wake up in the morning, pour it into your oats and BAM, breakfast in seconds and you haven’t even gotten dressed yet. No more skipping the most important meal of the day. This will fill you up and get your brain running for those early 8 am classes.

Ingredients:

1. 1/3 cup of any type of oat (quick-cooking oats, instant rolled oats, old-fashioned regular oats)
2. 1-2 tsp dry sweetener (stevia, brown sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar)
3. Pinch of salt
4. 1 tsp cinnamon (I add 4 tsp of cinnamon, because cinnamon is amazing – natural metabolism booster and lowers your blood sugar)

Optional (but highly recommended):

5. Dried fruits (cranberries, raisins, mangoes, prunes, dates)
6. Nuts (pieces of walnuts, pecans, almonds)
7. Seeds (chia, pumpkin, sesame)

Steps:

1. Put all ingredients into a small Ziploc bag and shake (make around 5+ at a time, so you have breakfast at hand for those early mornings).
2. Boil water (or heat milk of choice for extra protein) and add about ¼ cup to oat mixture and mix.
3. Let sit for 2 minutes and enjoy! J

No-Bake Energy “Cookie-Dough” Bites –This is a great snack to keep in your mini fridge or freezer. This is an adaption from the oatmeal recipes above, but this one is good for pre-workouts, post-workouts, or even to just hold you over till dinnertime. And the best part is that it tastes an awful lot like cookie dough!

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup oatmeal
2. 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (or any nut butter)
3. 1/3 cup honey (or maple syrup, agave nectar)
4. 1/2 cup ground flaxseed (or chia seeds)
5. 1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips (or toffee, carob, white/milk chocolate chips)
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla (if not on hand, add an extra teaspoon of maple syrup/honey)
7. 1 tsp cinnamon
8. Pinch of salt (small packages in the dinning hall are great)

 Steps:

1. Mix everything above in a medium size bowl (if you only have a regular size bowl, cut the recipe in half) until fully incorporated.

2. Let chill in the your fridge for half an hour.

3. Once chilled, roll into balls.

4. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate or put in a freezer bag and freeze. Makes 12-16 balls depending on size.

Ants on a Stick:With celery pieces, smooth on 1 tsp of peanut butter, and add raisins on top.

Freezer Banana Peanut Butter Bites:

Steps:

1. Cut ½ inch pieces of banana

2. Smooth 1 tsp peanut butter on 1 slice, and place another piece of banana on peanut butter side (“sandwich form”).

3. Repeat this process for the remaining banana pieces. Put into a freezer bag and freeze.

Apple “Yummies”:

–       For a snack later in the day: Slice small markings in an apple, sprinkle cinnamon onto a plate, and roll apple in cinnamon. Place in a bag or wrap in paper towel. Enjoy within 4 hours.

–       For a snack on hand: Cut up an apple into slices, melt 1/3 cup of peanut butter. Sprinkle peanut butter onto apple pieces.

o   Option: sprinkle on chocolate chips, raisins, cinnamon, or sugar.

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By: Chloe Woodin (Resident Advisor-Shuswap)

What to do if you think you might be in the wrong faculty!

People are often surprised when I tell them that I’ve been in three different faculties. “Aren’t you worried about adding time to your degree?” they ask me. “So you’ve wasted years and thousands of dollars on courses that don’t even count towards your degree?” “How could you have changed your mind so many times?”

The truth is, I was unprepared to make such a big decision about my future when I first graduated from high school. At 17, I didn’t really understand what it meant to study arts, or science, or engineering at the university level. I didn’t have any real career goals, and I didn’t know how heavily your undergrad degree influences your future job prospects. I had the attitude that “I’ll do what feels right for now, and work out the rest later”.      

It took me two full years out of high school to actually figure out what I wanted to study. I spent my first year in general arts, and another year in science, figuring out what my interests were, what I was good at, and what I could see myself doing as a career, before eventually ending up in engineering physics. My reason for transferring was simple: I tried something out, didn’t like it, made a change. Not everyone will follow the 4-year degree path; for me, it just took a couple tries to get it right.

Although my path to graduation is a little unconventional, I don’t regret the two years I spent in other faculties. I’m confident that I’m heading in the right direction now, and that’s what matters most.

Here are some tips if you’re thinking of transferring:

Ask yourself the right questions:

 Why did you choose your current faculty in the first place?

If the answer is as simple as “I liked this subject in high school/I used to get good grades in this subject”, that might not be a solid enough reason to get you through the next few years. In university you’re expected to do a lot of independent studying, and if you’re not passionate about the subject, you might struggle with motivation.

 Does your current program help you get to where you want to be, career-wise?

What are your career goals? Will your current course of study help you achieve that goal? Even if you don’t have a specific career in mind yet, do jobs in this field sound exciting to you?

If you’re doing poorly in your courses, ask yourself why.

Is it because you’re not used to the increased workload, or because you’re not interested in the subject? Studying can actually be fun if you’re reading about subjects that you like!         

There will always be required courses that you won’t like, but there should be enough courses that you DO like to offset the bad ones.

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