Preparing for Residence Life

Living in residence is a great way to make new friends.

So you’re going away to university.  You must be excited to finally get a taste of freedom!  Living on your own is a fun experience, but there are some things you need to know to ensure your transition to residence life goes smoothly.  As a residence veteran myself, I have lived in my dorm for four consecutive years.  Here are some pointers for preparing for your years of independence.

How do I secure my place in residence? 

To secure your place in residence, you must first accept and submit your residence offer.  Sign all forms of your residence agreement and pay your $300 deposit to complete your application for processing.  If you accepted and submitted your residence offer by June 1, you place in residence is guaranteed.  Pay your deposit to your student account and submit your forms to your respected housing office. 

How to Cook Ramen Noodles and White Rice

This technical writing assignment required me to compose a  culinary article.  I chose the famous Ramen noodles (with white rice) because it is one of the most popular food items among college students.

So you’re living on your own in university.  Since Mom and Dad aren’t around to cook your dinner, it’s time you learn how to make meals yourself.  If you like Asian food and don’t have a restaurant nearby, cooking instant noodles and rice at home is always a great meal!  It’s relatively cheap and easy to make.  This dish will teach you how to use the stove and a rice cooker for the first time.  Instant noodles and rice should take you about 30 to 45 minutes to complete.

Why YOU Should Care About Climate Change (Final Paper)

This final college paper, from Digesting Technical Information, assigned me to translate a section of a large manual (50+ pages).  My paper discusses how climate change directly affects human health.  My audience was high school students:

For us high school students, summer is the happiest season.  School’s out!  We have all the time in the world to socialize with friends, relax at the pool and spend time on Facebook.  Imagine if the weather was like this year-round in Canada?  Sure it would be nice initially, but we would eventually get sick of the agonizing heat and humidity.

With climate change on the rise, global warming will make our winters warmer and summers hotter.  It would also increase the occurrence of extreme climate events (e.g. severe storms) and natural disasters (e.g. floods, droughts, hurricanes) that can lead to injuries, sickness and death.  This brochure describes long-term impacts climate change has on our health.  We conclude with strategies for prevention and advocacy against this global crisis.

Technical Writing Translation (College Assignment) – “Why an Entrepreneurship Program is Popular”

During my Digesting Technical Information college course, I translated various technical documents (that was full of jargon, “gobbledy-gook” and convoluted language).  Our class was assigned to make the document understandable for a general audience.  This piece is a translation of a badly written college brochure about an entrepreneurship program.  My audience were college deans who were skeptical of creating of an entrepreneurship program.

It is understandable that you, as a Dean, are sceptical of this new idea of an entrepreneurship program.  I can assure you that  entrepreneurship education has expanded over fifteen years; colleges and universities have adopted programs and courses in this field, even programs for non-business majors.  It has grown popular with both students and the community for the following reasons:

Technical Writing Translation (College Assignment) – “Characteristics of Severe Ice Storms”

During my Digesting Technical Information college course, I translated various technical documents (that was full of jargon, “gobbledy-gook” and convoluted language).  Our class was assigned to make the document understandable for a general audience.  This piece is a translation of an article about ice storms.

Ice Storms are severe cases of freezing rain/ice pellets that cause damage to infrastructure and property.  People can be injured or even die from ice storms’ harsh conditions.  You can be reassured that ice storms are rare in Canada.

• Is my area vulnerable?

Urban areas are most “vulnerable to ice storms, as utilities, infrastructure and transportations systems are normally concentrated in these areas” (Klaassen 9).

• What is freezing rain?

Freezing rain/ice pellets “form when the snow falls into a layer of above-freezing air deep enough for the snow to melt and then passes through a below-freezing layer of air near and at the surface” (2).

Technical Writing Translation (College Assignment) – “Emergency Management Plan: King County Washington Department of Natural Resources & Parks”

During my Digesting Technical Information college course, I translated various technical documents (that was full of jargon, “gobbledy-gook” and convoluted language).  Our class was assigned to make the document understandable for a general audience.  This piece is a translation of an emergency management plan:

Thank you for allowing us to use your church as an emergency shelter; our agency appreciates your generosity.  The Emergency Support Function’s (ESF) provides food and water to the people of King County during an emergency.  It is our duty to prevent fatalities and any damage to the county’s property.  During these relief efforts, King County Government will collaborate with public, private and volunteer agencies to accomplish the task of distributing food and water.  All staff will be properly trained.  A Food and Water Planning Group will be formed by the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

How to Set Up a Drumkit (School Assignment)

Do you want to be the next Travis Barker?  Sure you have the skills, but can you set-up a drum kit efficiently?  Learn how with these instructions!

Bass Drum

Setting-Up The Bass Drum Legs (Spurs)

Figure 1 – Bass Legs (Stagebeat Limited)

1. Place the bass upright so that both heads are perpendicular to the floor.  Loosen the leg by turning the knob (wing nut) counter-clockwise.
2. Pull the leg out to the side and position the leg’s rubber tip on the ground.  Tighten wing nut.  Repeat this for the other leg.
3. The rubber tip can be switched to the spur by rolling up the memory lock nut (above rubber tip) counter clockwise.