The (Uni)verse
Elaine Beaulieu
A podcast for university students made by students, The (Uni)verse explores and discusses the good, the bad and the ugly of university life for students everywhere. University is a unique time in one’s life, and we all go through it both laughing and crying! Why not laugh and cry about it all together!
Universities, more than ever, need to develop partnerships with their students to create learning environments that better serve increasingly diverse needs and career goals, but students are often the silent partners. Let this be our voice (and the tag along prof's).
Your co-hosts are Janet Smyth, Laura Wang, Joela and Elaine Beaulieu, from the University of Ottawa, Canada.
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Top 10 The (Uni)verse Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The (Uni)verse episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The (Uni)verse for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The (Uni)verse episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Do you use your smartphone in class?
The (Uni)verse
01/01/24 • 25 min
There has been much talk about whether Smartphones are good or bad for learning. All students use their Smartphone in class either for non-academic related purposes or for their learning during class, using polling apps, looking up vocabulary, Google searches, etc. We do not have the answer to whether phones are good or bad for learning per say, but we can talk about what students do to manage their phone use strategically. In this episode, Diane Riddell generously spends time with us to talk about her research while working in Prof. Luc Bonneville's research group, on the student use of Smartphones in university classes. We hope you'll recognize yourself in some of the strategies and shared experiences described, learn a thing or two and perhaps share your experience using our email address: [email protected]. You can read more about Diane Riddell and Luc Bonneville's research here.
To contact the co-host for comments or suggestions, write to us at [email protected].
Staying motivated
The (Uni)verse
12/15/23 • 24 min
During a semester, especially at the end, it is sometimes difficult to stay motivated. Establishing routines and good work habits can help. Janet, Joela and Laura share their working habits, what works well or works less for them. We hope this might motivate you in these last miles of the semester!
To contact the co-host for comments or suggestions, write to us at [email protected].
The 4th year students answer back!
The (Uni)verse
12/01/23 • 23 min
Following the comments that 1st year students had shared with us, about their fears and aspirations starting university, we asked 4th year students what they would answer back to the 1st year students. There are clearly some general themes coming to the surface, but also, every student is unique, with their unique experience and perspective. Enjoy the ride!
To contact the co-host for comments or suggestions, write to us at [email protected].
1st year experience at university
The (Uni)verse
11/15/23 • 20 min
I think most who went to university will remember their first semester, the expectation, the excitement, the angst! We asked a few incoming students about their expectations, their hopes and their fears and empathize and sometimes wonder about their answers. How did your first semester go? What would you tell yourself thinking back?
To contact the co-host for comments or suggestions, write to us at [email protected].
Little Lab Horror Stories
The (Uni)verse
10/30/23 • 20 min
Most people working in a science lab has a story to share about something that went wrong. We collected a few of these, true stories one and all, admittedly with a few editorial liberties, for a bit of Halloween fun. Enjoy! Mwahahaha!!!
To contact the co-host for comments or suggestions, write to us at [email protected].
Minors, majors and honours - Oh my!
The (Uni)verse
10/16/23 • 23 min
University comes with its own jargon and a wealth of disciplines and program choices that can be both liberating and confusing! Let's try to make light of it and figure out where to get help when you need it! In this episode, Janet, Joela, Laura and Elaine talk with Julie Lamothe, Manager of the Undergraduate Studies Administration at the Faculty of Science at uOttawa.
To contact the co-host for comments or suggestions, write to us at [email protected].
Introducing The (Uni)verse
The (Uni)verse
09/15/23 • 4 min
A quick introduction to the podcast and the co-hosts.
To contact the co-host for comments or suggestions, write to us at [email protected].
Test anxiety
The (Uni)verse
04/12/24 • 46 min
Final exam season is officially on! Exams always bring a certain amount of stress. For the most part, stress is great and useful. It keeps you alert and focus and can be turned into excitement rather than anxiety. But for many students, too much stress can lead to test anxiety, with varying consequences on exam performance and distress.
In the last episode of this series, we talk about how to recognize test anxiety, how to develop strategies to prevent it, to mitigate its effect during an exam, and importantly, what to do if things go horribly wrong.
References used for this episode:
https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/tackling-test-anxiety/
https://sass.queensu.ca/resources/online/test-anxiety
https://opentextbc.ca/studentsuccess/chapter/test-anxiety/
https://www.anxietycanada.com/articles/thinking-traps/
To contact the co-host for comments or suggestions, write to us at [email protected].
Connecting
The (Uni)verse
03/20/24 • 34 min
Going to university is a social experience for many students. You meet so many new people and make new connections, whether these are professional or personal. It is a time of change, when new friendships may arise and old friendships peter out. As you progress through your degree (or change it), interests are in constant flux and the people that revolve around these interests come and go. It can also be a time of loneliness, perhaps you have gone to a university where you have no connections, perhaps there is a language or cultural barrier, perhaps you are simply shy and you need to force yourself to get out there to create new connections. Follow us as we talk about making connections with students, TAs and profs, the challenges, the surprises, the strategies, the beauty and sometimes the pain too.
To contact the co-host for comments or suggestions, write to us at [email protected].
What do you do to relax?
The (Uni)verse
11/15/24 • 15 min
Throughout our lives, as students and professionals, we are constantly under the pressure to perform and deliver (as it should be, within reason). So it is good when you can find something to unwind and relax, perhaps doing something with little cognitive demand, something entertaining, or something that connect us to the people in our lives or even nature. What do you do to relax?
To contact the co-host for comments or suggestions, write to us at [email protected].
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FAQ
How many episodes does The (Uni)verse have?
The (Uni)verse currently has 26 episodes available.
What topics does The (Uni)verse cover?
The podcast is about University, Podcasts and Education.
What is the most popular episode on The (Uni)verse?
The episode title 'Connecting' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The (Uni)verse?
The average episode length on The (Uni)verse is 22 minutes.
How often are episodes of The (Uni)verse released?
Episodes of The (Uni)verse are typically released every 16 days, 6 hours.
When was the first episode of The (Uni)verse?
The first episode of The (Uni)verse was released on Sep 15, 2023.
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