Best Bar in the Bay

I asked Nipissing students, everyone from first years to our fifth year eddies, What is the Best Bar in North Bay? Personally I like the zoo, for it’s music and night club feel, as well as for its sort of “grungy” vibe. 

Surprisingly (to me anyway) the Zoo was not the favorite bar in town for Nipissing Students, and not only did students tell me why they like certain bars, they also told me why they don’t like others. Here’s what Students had to say:

In the Halls:

• The Wall : It’s close, and cheap, especially compared to bars in London.
• The Wall: It’s easy, cheap and student friendly.
• Blur: Me and my friends are older, and I like that it’s the older crowd at Blur.
• The Moose: The Chicken Wings are AWESOME!
• I don’t go to Bars.
• None really.
• The Zoo: More people that I know go there, and I don’t get kicked out as often as I do at the Wall
• The Zoo: It’s close to home, everyone I know goes there, and you don’t get randomly kicked out.
• Cecil’s: I like the bands, and the atmosphere.
• The Wall: It’s the only place I’ve been.
• The Moose: Has good food, especially their wings.
• I don’t go to bars.
• Cecil’s: Really good wings.
• Cecil’s or The Moose: I just like the vibes there

From My Sexuality Class

• 100 George’s: The Wall’s music is too loud and remixed too often
• The Wall: Cheaper, Good food, and Mainly students. There are too many cougars/ pervs elsewhere.
• Cecil’s: period.

On the Facebook Group:

• I’m still looking
• The Zoo: I can just let go and dance.
• I don’t drink.
• There’s this amazing steel bar outside walmart
• The Wall: I feel the safest there, and love seeing the friendly faces of all my friends. Plus the themes and prizes are pretty amazing!!!!! <3
• The Wall: it’s right up the hill

Important and Helpful

This is a list I put together myself of programs and services that Nipissing offers to aid their students as well as some links to important information. Every student should be aware of these services and their purpose, especially first years who are trying to cope with life as an "adult".

• Book List This is where to find out what your text books will be for the semester. Most upper year students suggest that you wait until about a week into the program to buy the books listed incase the text is not required but mainly because upper year students will often sell their used text books, so keep your eyes out for flyers around campus.

• Academic Skills  This is everything from math help to writing help. The purpose of this service is to help you fine tune your skills. Academic skills is also a place where you can find a Peer Tutor, who is an upper year student who has taken the course before and can help you fine tune your skills for specific courses.

• Disability Services This is where to find support if you are someone who has a disability. The support offered is everything from exam accommodations to in class accommodations. The first step would be to read and fill out the self identification form. The Enhanced Service Program can help you with the self identification process. 

• Placement Services  This is where a student can apply for work in the university (or through the university at local businesses). Keep in mind that to qualify for Nipwork, you must have applied for OSAP (you don't necessarily have to get it, but you must apply) and show financial need.

• Peer Mentoring This is a service offered through the university which offers first years the chance to be matched up with upper year students who can guide them through their first year of university. The mentoring program offers workshops on leadership and academic success fridays, as well as providing students to get involved with the school and the community (i.e. building a float for the Santa clause parade, NUreads: reading to youths, Meal Exchange, Etc.)

• Career and Personal Counseling. Career counseling is a service which can help students choose their courses and figure out what they can do with their degree, so that they can find a career that will make them happy, while taking courses that interest them. Personal counseling offers students a venting place, a place to cry and a place to find guidance in their personal life, from coping with roommates to depression, the counselors will do their best to make sure that you get what you need to be healthy and happy.

• Financial Aid Is where you can find information on Tuition Amounts and Due Dates, Scholarship Information, Bursaries, and OSAP including the link to the OSAP Site.

• Nipissing University Student Union Which controls the majority of events involving student life including but not limited to:
• Clubs: which provide meeting places for student interests, any student can petition and create a club, it's super easy and super fun!
• Travel Boards Where students can find rides, or give rides to fellow students. These boards can also be found in the school by the tree house lounge
• Food Bank which is where students low on funds may be able to find a meal they might have otherwise had to go without.
• Frosh Week Probably the most epic event in the history of your student career.

• Women's Center which offers services to women at Nipissing, as well as raising awareness about women's rights and issues.

The Best Part of Christmas Break. . .

One thing that all university students will tell you is that the Holiday break is the best time of the school year. It's like being twelve again, waiting for school to let out, waiting for the first real snow fall, but university does have a twist. I asked some people at Nipissing what they thought the best part of the Holiday Break is, and here is what they had to say:

• The "break" part. Doing absolutely nothing school-related, defiantly.
• Reading books for FUN.
• Going home. 
• The epic family party on Christmas Day.
• Spending time with Family.
• A little sleep perhaps.
• Going home and being able to relax with the family. 
• Reading something OTHER than a textbook.
• Mum's cooking.
• Band practice.
• Family, and sleep
• Seeing all of my family and having someone cook for me!
• Having time to sleep, and maybe some real food.
• Going back to my own church.
• reminding myself of why I'm putting myself through the agony of education.
• Holiday specials
• Getting a head start on next semester's workload.
• Drinking during the week.
• Going on trips to warmer places!
• Christmas baking!
• Seeing my pets again.
• Playing cards with my family.
• Seeing my hometown friends.

Overall I think it's clear that the biggest thing you will miss while at university is your family. The break gives you free time to be with the ones you love and becomes very special to most university students.

Fun Things to do in the Bay!

I know that finding things to do in the smaller towns can be tough, especially in Winter. Lucky for all of you, I grew up in Sundridge which is a town of 1000 people about 30 minutes from North Bay. What did we do for fun you may ask.  Well here is a list of the best things to do in the Bay.

• Go Sledding (there are good hills by Canadian tire on Mckewen, of course the hill by the Monastery Hall,  and in the park on Memorial)
• Volunteer at the animal shelter. (This is my favorite thing)
• Go for a walk on Memorial, by the waterfront.
• The pool hall and bowling alley (connected) on Main Street.
• Browse Allison the Bookman the greatest used book store on Main Street, across from the bowling alley/ pool hall.
• Window shopping at the North Gate Mall, or at the old North Bay mall
• Cheep night at the theater (5.00 tickets on tuesdays)
• The ski hill will open soon.
• There are skating rinks at lower rez. and on Memorial.
• Borrow snowshoes / ski equipment from the athletic center
• Walk the trails by the university (either Duchany Falls, or the ones by the Monastery Hall)
• Go swimming at the YMCA
• Go to the Bars (The Wall, The Zoo/Cecil's, The Moose, 100 George's, The Bull&Quench, Blur)

So now if you are bored and there is nothing to do, you have a list of the epic things to do in North Bay!

The next Question coming up is about the bars in North Bay. What is the best bar in North Bay and Why?

How to De-Stress During the Exam Period

This week I made a group on Facebook in tribute to my blog called Nipissing Answers. On this I asked how students de-stressed during the exam period. Here are some of the answers I got:

• Spend time outside the house/ away from studying, like going for a coffee with a friend or taking a walk... to get caffeine... for the studying ahead.
• History Pub night, coming up Thursday December 9th
• Have sex!
• Yoga and hot chocolate... not necessarily at the same time...
• Build a Snowman, run through the snow, and when you fall make a snow angel!
• Do studying outside with sidewalk chalk!
• Free Hug Week! (December 6th - December 10th)
• Do the dishes
• Beat up on your roommate
• Surf Facebook
• Go to a playground
• Study hard, and then you don't have to worry about the questions.
• Sleeping, eating and doing stuff you enjoy is important to remember when you are in study mode.
• Long hot baths
• Listening to music while studying.
• Get snacks and junk food
• Make your BF give you a massage
• Dance!!!!!!

Here are some places you can visit in case of being stressed that are on the nipissing university website

Academic Skills Program: Student Affairs

Personal Counseling 

Disability Services 

Exam Kits

Where to Meet Guys at Nipissing

I asked this question on facebook and in my Canadian Women's History Class, to get the answers from my friends here at Nipissing;

Where do you meet guys at Nipissing? 

As you may know I have the best boyfriend in the freaking world, he's a Canadore Grad, who now works as a mechanic at Crappy Tire. I therefore need to meddle in my friends love lives and find out where to take them to meet the best guys.

1. If old Lassie episodes are anything to go by, you can meet them at the bottom of wells, and trapped in hay lofts.
2. Through Clubs and Shared Interests.
3. Canadore. . .
4. Most people meet their significant other through work or in shared classes. Other than that, I say online dating sites
5. Ask guys where they meet girls and we'll go there.
6. All the guys I've met up here, I've met through being random. i.e. talking to random guys, sneaking into the theatre to listen to people play piano, etc. So if you're sitting next to a guy on the bus, talk to him! ^_^
7. I hear Halloween parties work (from the guy who met my roomie at our halloween party)
8. Nowhere 
9. I think you might have to lower your standards if you want a Nipissing guy.
10. In my Home Town... there aren't any here.
11. Downtown, 100 Georges has the best guys.
12. Blur (the new dance club)
13. That's a good question, let me know when you figure it out
14. Men's washroom?
15. Math class
16. Police Foundations, at commerce court
17. Business class
18. Fannie's . . . . is that appropriate?

Here are some dating sites for all those lonely hearts out there: 

• Plenty of Fish - Free safe site
• E- Harmony - Has free weekends and weeks, but is mainly membership orientated 
• Match.com  - Requires a membership

Stuff to do, while in class

So, you're sitting in class, bored out of your mind, and have checked facebook twenty times already. What do you do?

• Texts From Last Night
• Games in general (make sure the sound is OFF on your computer)
• The Customer is NOT Always Right
• De-motivational Posters

Now you're out of class, working on Homework!

• How it Should Have Ended
• College Humour

And since you are slacking off anyway try these youtube videos:

• Nipissing Pac Man
• Babies eating lemons
• Baman and Piderman
• Charlie Bit my finger
• Charlie the Unicorn
• Sassy Gay Friend