Student Life at Home
NIC educational, financial aid and Aboriginal education advisors are available for online drop-in sessions on Thursdays from 1-3 pm PDT starting July 23 and continuing through August. For the online meeting link and directions on how to join these sessions, email questions@nic.bc.ca or indigenousadvising@nic.bc.ca for Aboriginal advising. Learn more at www.nic.bc.ca/life-at-nic/nic-news/news/drop-in-advising/.
Technology Readiness Checklists
To prepare you for success in your studies this fall, North Island College has created Technology Readiness Checklists :
Checklist A: Hardware
Checklist B: Software
Checklist C: Learning Platforms.
These checklists will help you be ready for learning with the right tools and technologies. There are PDF versions available for download. You can check off each item you have completed.
Comox Valley Story Walks
The Comox Valley Lifelong Learning Centre is inviting families of all ages to foster the love of reading among children while enjoying the beautiful walks in Courtenay, Cumberland, and Comox. Each community has a different story to enjoy and a different walk to undertake. The hope is to provide new stories in a new location every month. There is also an opportunity for a prize! Learn more at https://www.cvllc.ca/
Managing stress
What is your stress index? Are you at a point where you would need some support? The Canadian Mental Health Association offers a Stress Index Test to help you identify your stress level and if you are reaching a point where you need extra support. The test is a quick tool that asks you 'yes' and 'No' questions and gives you a small summary of your stress zone.
If you need any support through this time, please reach out to us. You can find information on NIC's counselling services, along with links to community supports, including 24hr crisis lines, on NIC's Counselling page.
Self-Care: Are You in Balance?
A slight amount of stress improves our mental alertness and efficiency, but here are some signs that show when stress stops motivating you and instead become harmful to your health:
- You feel like you’ve lost control of your life
- You often feel guilty about neglecting your different roles
- You frequently find it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand
- You’re always tired
Tips for Staying in Balance:
At work: Schedule brief breaks for yourself throughout the day. Your productivity and effectiveness will increase if you take even a ten-minute break every two hours and overall, you will get more accomplished.
• At the end of each day, set your priorities for the following day. Be realistic about what you can achieve in the time you have available.
• Only respond to email once or twice a day. Then, shut off your email program to avoid being distracted as messages come in.
• Make a distinction between work and the rest of your life. Protect your private time by turning off electronic communications. Don’t be available 24/7.
At home: Create a buffer between work and home. After work, take a brief walk, do a crossword puzzle, or listen to some music before beginning the evening’s routine.
• Decide what chores can be shared or let go. Determine which household chores are critical and which can be done by someone else. Let the rest go.
• Exercise. Even if it’s only for 15 minutes at a time, you’ll feel more energized and refreshed.
• Create and implement a household budget. Start by setting aside some money from each paycheque for the future.
To learn more visit: https://cmha.ca/
Share with us, how you are taking care of yourself at home. Share on social media and tag NIC on Facebook and Instagram OR send us an email at studentlife@nic.bc.ca and we will share on your behalf.
#IamNIC #NICatHome
We encourage you to join our NIC Student Life Facebook group to connect with us, share your views and stay updated on events and information on student life at NIC. Go to the NIC Facebook page and click on 'Groups.'
Healthy Eating
Scroll down for another delicious recipe (slow cooker recipe this time for hot summer days). Send your own healthy recipes to studentlife@nic.bc.ca.
Supports and Services
Our Fall 2020 Virtual Student Orientation webpage has been updated, please check out the updated webpage on the link here:https://www.nic.bc.ca/life-at-nic/nic-news/news/orientation-day-2020/
Our Student Technical Service team is hosting drop-in sessions to answer any questions on how to use Blackboard or MyNIC. Use your computer or mobile device to connect! Learn more at https://library.nic.bc.ca/studenttech
BC Campus has created a website listing various supports in place from filing tax returns, employment opportunities during COVID, to Canada student loan. Please visit the link to learn about these supports in detail: https://covid19.bccampus.ca/category/financial-supports/
Student Employment Services Student Employment supports are available every day, Monday to Friday by telephone or video conferencing and can be booked online via CareerCentral.
Student photo ID
As a student, you are eligible to receive a student photo ID card. With social distancing restrictions currently in place, face-to-face services in Student Services are unavailable; however, you can still get your photo ID card by mail. To do this, use your North Island College email address to email a headshot in .jpeg format between 10-2500 KB in size, as well as a clearly visible copy of another photo ID (driver’s license, passport, BC ID, etc.) to photoid@nic.bc.ca. Once Student Services has received your jpeg headshot, they will produce your ID card and mail it to the current address on your NIC student record. If you have moved and not updated your address, you must do this, or the card will be sent to the wrong address.
We want to hear from you
Have you done any research, work or presentations that would be beneficial for other NIC students? Would you like us to share it? Let us know by sending an email to studentlife@nic.bc.ca.
If there is information you would like to share or see included in upcoming communications, please let us know at studentlife@nic.bc.ca.
Enjoy your week and stay well,
Dean Martin
Manager, Student Life
If you wish to respond or have any questions, please get in touch.
Healthy Eating
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork
Servings: 10-12
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8-10 hours
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 pounds boneless pork shoulder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle or can root beer
- 1 (16-ounce) jar barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Season the shoulder on all sides with the salt and place in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker — if your shoulder has a decent fat cap, place it fat-side up. Pour the root beer over the pork. Cover and cook on the LOW setting until the pork is tender and shreds easily with tongs, 8 to 10 hours. The juices and fat from the pork will render, creating liquid around the pork.
- Transfer the pork to a clean cutting board or large bowl. Shred with 2 forks, discarding any fat or connective tissue. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker. Add the barbecue sauce and stir to coat the pork. Reduce the heat to the LOW or WARM setting for serving.
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
More at: thekitchn
