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Easily Create a Resume Using Government of Canada’s Resume Builder

The Government of Canada has made it easy to build a resume. If you’re looking to revamp your resume or create a new one, try creating a free account and building one here. 

All you need to do is: 

  • Create a free account 
  • Scroll to the resume builder at the bottom 
  • Input your experience and information into each section 
  • Save and print! 

The builder formats everything for you so all you need to do is save a file! 

You can also access student and recent graduate employment opportunities on the Government of Canada job bank here. 

Try One of These 7 Relaxing Video Games for a Cozy Night in

For those of you in exam season, you may be studying a lot, feeling stressed, or maybe you’re finished exams and want to relax, but just aren’t sure what to do.  

I have some of the BEST relaxing games you can try when you want to have a chill and cozy night in. I enjoy playing games on a computer and a Nintendo Switch, so I have gone ahead and made a list of my favourite games on a Nintendo Switch, Windows, and Mac, so that you can try out some of the games that you may have a system for.   

My suggestion is to sign up for a Steam account and then watch the sales!  

My top PAID games:   

Stardew Valley (Windows, Mac, Nintendo Switch)  

$16.99 on Steam 

You’ve inherited your grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley. Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a thriving home? 

Unpacking (Windows, Mac, Nintendo Switch) 

$22.79 on Steam 

Unpacking is a zen puzzle game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part block-fitting puzzle, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking. 

My top FREE games: 

The Sims 4 (Windows) 

Free on Steam 

Play with life and discover the possibilities. Unleash your imagination and create a world of Sims that’s wholly unique. Explore and customize every detail from Sims to homes–and much more. 

Equinoxe (Windows) 

Free on Steam 

Equinoxe is a contemplative & narrative game with puzzle phases taking place in two mirrored worlds. Discover a quest for self-acceptance and restore the fragile balance of your world by using its main source of energy: water. 

Fayburrow (Windows) 

Free on Steam 

In a world of fairies, a childhood friend suddenly calls Beatrice back to her old hometown. Yet when she arrives, her friend is mysteriously missing. 

LAY (Windows) 

Free on Steam 

Immerse yourself in this adventure of poetic and contemplative exploration as Elise, a young explorer full of energy. This mysterious world awaits you to overflow with colour and life! 

Kinoko (Windows) 

Free on Steam 

The crisp winter air fills your lungs, but you can feel the earth underneath calling for you. The warmth from the sun melts the snow away and flowers bloom. Spring is here. 

BONUS Mobile Game: If you have a Netflix subscription, you can download Terra Nil on your phone for free. 

Terra Nil is an intricate environmental strategy game about transforming a barren wasteland into a thriving, balanced ecosystem. Bring life back to a lifeless world by purifying soil, cleaning oceans, planting trees, and reintroducing wildlife, then leave without a trace. 

Free on the App Store and Google Play Store. 

I would recommend giving the games above a try if you like relaxing activities that can be quite entertaining for an evening. I personally play Stardew Valley often and my friend and I have made it to fall of year 2 (I don’t even want to tell you how many hours I have played this game for). I hope this list helps for those of you that enjoy cozy video games.

5 Ways You Can Practice Mindfulness Today

I have been learning about mindfulness for my own benefit for just over five years now. It has taken me a LONG time to put these skills into practice so believe me when I tell you I also thought it was silly to try breathing exercises when I was angry or trying to think logically when I was sad. It feels silly but remember that silly can sometimes work! 

What is Mindfulness? 

Mindfulness is being present in the moment and focusing your thoughts on what is happening in the here and now. 

Why Should we Practice Mindfulness? 

Some benefits include reducing anxiety, depression, chronic pain, stress, and mindfulness can even help improve sleep. It’s very hard to be mindful with many distractions, and sometimes we even forget to check in on ourselves. Once we break out of feeling guilty for slowing down and being mindful, it gets easier and more comfortable to take pauses. 

5 Ways to Practice Mindfulness: 

  1. Check in on Your Body

Take a pause and think about how you’re feeling physically. Do you notice tension? Where is it coming from? If you bring your attention to your body, it can help bring you back to the present and connect with the information you’re observing about your body so that you can take better care of yourself. 

  1. Use Your Five Senses

Start using all your senses to observe what is going on around you. This can also be called grounding. Start to describe what smells are around you, the noises, and even touch an object near you and describe what it feels like. 

  1. Focus on Your Breathing

You breathe with or without consciously thinking about it. Start to notice your breathing. Take five deep breaths and focus your attention on inhaling and exhaling. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 5, breathe out for 4, hold for 5. Do this boxed breathing activity to help bring yourself to the present. 

  1. Observe and Describe Your Thoughts

As scary as it may feel, take a pause and start to notice your thoughts. What do you notice? Sometimes our brains are running a mile a minute and it’s important to slow it down when we can.  

  1. Mindful Eating

When you eat your meals, you could try to just eat. Try not to watch YouTube, work, or read. Try to be present and focused on eating. Notice your chewing, the sensations, or the taste. Try to describe what the food tastes like. 

Get Prepared for Your First Apartment with #bytelearning

Learning bytes are short courses, typically no more than 6 minutes, that are designed to be easy to digest. You can search Rumie’s library for the topics you would like to learn, then choose a course and start learning! 

This week’s #bytelearning follows the theme #housing. Take a look at the following learning bytes to learn helpful tips to get your first apartment ready for move in: 

Create a First Aid Kit for Your Home teaches you how it’s important to have a first aid kit in your home and shares the best items to keep in one. 

What Essentials Do I Need Before I Move Into My First Apartment shares the most important things you may need when moving into your first apartment and helps you create a plan. 

How I Learned to Maximize a Small Living Space in 3 Creative Ways teaches you many ways you can alter your space to make it feel larger or to just maximize the space you have currently. 

Reminder: The Build Your Own Byte Workshop is taking place on March 29th, 2023 from 2:30pm to 4:30pm. If you registered for the workshop, we hope to see you there and can’t wait to hear everyone’s input! 

Rumie Initiative is technology company, a nonprofit organization, and a Canadian registered Charity. Check out the website here. 

“We fill the gap between what you learned at school and what it takes to succeed by building the habit of lifelong learning.” – Rumie Initiative.  

3 Quick and Easy Meals for When You’re Feeling Tired or Overwhelmed

It is stressful trying to plan your meals, do homework, prepare for the next day, and do all the other things you’re supposed to do in a day. Sometimes you just don’t have time. What I learned as a full-time student was to make quick meals. I didn’t have the time to make exactly what I wanted, so I had to compromise and either order out food or heat up some soup (I do love soup though). The great news is that there are so many recipes online now so you can find a lot of options for quick and easy meals.  

Try some of my favourite food network recipes: 

Turmeric Chicken Flatbread  

This recipe is perfect if you want something quick and filling. If you enjoy spice, hot peppers, and naan bread, this is one recipe you should try! 

Chicken Stir-Fry 

This recipe is simple and quick to put together when you’re feeling overwhelmed or don’t have a lot of time. The perfect combination of veggies and meat (or tofu if you want to substitute). 

30 Minute Turkey Chili 

This is the perfect cozy meal for when you want something hearty and filling. It’s quick, easy, and it’s perfect for lunch or dinner! 

Create Healthy Boundaries with your Friends with #bytelearning

Learning bytes are short courses, typically no more than 6 minutes, that are designed to be easy to digest. You can search Rumie’s library for the topics you would like to learn, then choose a course and start learning!

This week’s #bytelearning follows the theme #health. Take a look at the following learning bytes to learn helpful tips about setting boundaries and having hard conversations with your friends:

How I Learned to Make New Friends shares how difficult it can be to make new friends and what steps the author took to meet people. Some things to remember about meeting new friends is that not everyone has to be a forever friend or a best friend. You can have friends that are important for different reasons such as fun time friends, forever friends, and school friends.

How Do I Socialize in the Post-pandemic World? This learning byte provides helpful advice about socializing post-pandemic. Try keeping your social bubble small and do your best to slowly combat any fears or anxiety you may have.

How Do I Talk to My Messy Roommate About Keeping our Place Clean? This learning byte teaches you the steps you can take to most comfortably and confidently talk to your roommate about keeping the place clean. It is important to find the right time to talk, a polite way to approach your concerns, and to create a plan together to ensure the best outcome.

Rumie Initiative is technology company, a nonprofit organization, and a Canadian registered Charity. Check out the website here.

“We fill the gap between what you learned at school and what it takes to succeed by building the habit of lifelong learning.” – Rumie Initiative. 

Struggling to Keep Track of Your Finances? Try Making a Budget

A budget is a great way for you to organize your finances and plan for the future. It is important to know where your money is going, what your income is, and what your living expenses are. Though it does sound overwhelming, the outcome can be very positive. If you learn how to budget, you can learn how to save, which means you will have more opportunities to spend your money on the things most important to you. Budgeting doesn’t have to be scary, that’s why we’ve got great resources for you!

Let’s look at Government of Canada’s “Making a Budget” to learn why creating a budget is important:

A budget is a plan that helps you manage your money, know your income, track your spending, and save. Making a budget can help you balance your income with your savings and expenses and can guide your financial goals.

Here are some additional reasons why a budget is important:
  • You can set spending limits
  • Save regularly to pay off debts
  • Reduce costs and save money
  • Save for things important to you
  • Feel in control of your money
  • Reduce stress

These are the top free resources for Budgeting according to CNBC:

  • Try Mint for your mobile device (check out a beginner tutorial for Mint here)

Try the resources above to make a budget right for you. Google Sheets requires you to manually input your spending, but Mint does not. 

*The information above was sourced from Making a budget – Canada.ca and Best Free Budgeting Tools of 2022 (cnbc.com).

Learn How to Touch Type with TypingClub

Do you find sometimes you struggle with typing quickly? I did not have the chance to learn how to touch type in second grade, so I am trying to learn how to do it now as an adult. Touch typing can help you type faster and more efficiently so that you don’t have to feel like you’re struggling to keep up with your boss, professor, or teacher when you have to take notes.

I have tried the touch-typing exercises and I think they really help, but the biggest part of learning touch typing is muscle memory. Try to practice as much as you can and eventually your typing speed will improve!

Try the Typing Jungle lesson for fun games and exercises to help you improve your typing skills!

Visit TypingClub here.

Give Yourself an Energy Boost with a 5 Minute Yoga Routine

It’s hard to find energy when the days are short and the weather can be so cold. If you find yourself in need of an energy boost, sometimes doing the opposite of our negative thoughts can help us feel better. If you don’t have a lot of energy, but want to feel a little boost, try a short 5 minute yoga routine. As daunting as it might feel, you might find you’re able to take on the rest of the day with a little more energy.

Yoga with Uliana has a great 5 minute yoga routine to give you a boost!