Welcome Home!

Economics students, young and old, WELCOME BACK!

We hope you are all settled in and ready to study hard (read: party hard). We know from personal experience university life just isn't the same without great friends and a great time. We will however be holding some academic events from time to time and we strongly encourage you to come out to those as well!

You should probably join our Facebook Group if you haven't yet already. It will be the place where we post events and announcements! You can also meet some really awesome people in your classes and maybe make a friend or two. You can also connect with me directly on Twitter! All the links are along the right.

We hope you have a super fantastic year and also hope to see you at one or more of our events! We will leave you with this little quote, it's not meant to discourage you just be somewhat funny.

Brought to you by the UW Economics Society.

Photo: Maple Path by Aunt Owwee

UW Economics Society Wishes You Good Luck!

It's that time again! On behalf of the Economics Society at the University of Waterloo, we want to wish you good luck on your exams!  Even though our hero, Keynes, thought education was a waste of time we paid good money for it!  @uWaterlooEcon will be tweeting encouraging quotes about hard work, perseverance, learning and personal growth to keep you going. There will also be a few interesting articles for your study break!

For those of you taking ECON 402 this term we feel your pain (aside: I myself couldn't handle the strain on my brain). For those taking ECON 311, we are sure you are regretting that choice.

If you aren't in Economics, that's OK. You will probably be coasting through your exams. Just kidding! In all seriousness, we are all screwed.

Have a fantastic break and see you in the Fall!

Pints & Profs

For our last event of the term we are going to Molly Blooms... with the profs!

The purpose for this event will be similar to that of our Prof. Mixer last term which was a huge success. Again, it is going to be a great way for students to meet and get to know their professors outside of a classroom environment.

This event is going to be held July 6th at 5pm at Molly Blooms Pub in the University Plaza.

This is going to be a casual drop by sort of event and we will provide some delicious pub snacks, the beer is your responsibility. Hope to see you all there!

Presentations

UW Economics Society presents a primer to making presentations!

View more presentations from Ethos3

I know what you Waterloo students are thinking, a presentation about presentations?  Who doesn't love a little meta?  It's betta with meta.  We are going to be curating a list of awesome links to help you strengthen your presentations and make life awesome.

Tips from Around the Web
Questions to Ask Yourself Before a Presentation
How to Format Your Data, Choose the Best Chart
10/20/30 Rule for Pitches to Venture Capitalists by Guy Kawasaki
Presentation Pizzazz: Keep Your Audience's Attention [VIDEO]

Presentation and Communication Blogs
Power Presentations
Decker Communications
Presentation Zen
SlideShare

We will be adding more articles and tips on how to make your presentation stand out as they come in!  Be sure to bookmark for updates.

Last updated August 22, 2012.

#uwgrad2012

Congrats to all the University of Waterloo new graduates today!  Shout out to those ones in economics (tehe).  This song reminds me of graduation because of the feeling it evokes.  It's the sense of new beginnings and excitement, very similar to starting at UW!

Anyways enjoy!  I posted the acoustic version to mix it up a bit.  I love Janelle Monáe.

Something Awesome

UW Economics Society presents something awesome (via YouTube and GOOD Magazine)

I know University of Waterloo students need a mind-break!

In a time where there's a free flow of information why is education so static?  For me, this video answers some of those questions.  The next level of awesome this video brings is how it references collaboration.  That very word is in our mandate, coincidence?  I can see words from the future...

The video suggests we could become more motivated to learn by using video games (not something new).  I personally want more games in classrooms but not Angry Birds.  The physicists would have you fooled, you learn nothing in that game!  The best part of the entire video, however, is when Dr. Sugata Mitra asks if math will become a sport. Haha!  There are many good ideas in this video and you might want to keep it in mind while sitting in class.  Are you learning?  Are you motivated to do so?

Experience Exchange

UW Economics Society presents some commentary!

Waterloo Economics students you must watch the above video to fully understand the awesomeness I am about to sell you.  Can you imagine not having your Ye's sushi?  Even the iPads are gone?!  Why would the government do this to those businesses and its citizens?

The Argentina government claims to be stimulating local businesses and industries but the article shows at least some businesses and employees hurt.  At the heart of the story is Argentina's trade balance.

What is a trade balance?  What does that have to do with a trade surplus and why is Argentina so interested in holding it?  The video mentions the resulting deficit is structural, what does that mean?  How and why does Argentina use it's surplus to buy fuel?  This seems very close to the idea of "Buy American" except enforced by a government, why does the Argentina government believe its necessary?

There are just so many questions but all the answers and more can be found in a course, ECON 231 Introduction to International Economics!

You should seriously consider taking ECON 231.  If you are really interested in the topics covered in this video you may also want to consider ECON 436 and 488.

My other blog post about ECON 231 Sharing our Loonie. Check it out! 

King Street Tour

Hey University of Waterloo Students!

The UW Economics Society invites you to our spring term "King Street Tour." It is scheduled for the 31st! Come out and get a chance to socialize and to meet your fellow economists for some drinks, good times and conversation!

Our route 
Meeting at SCH at 7:30pm
Heuther Hotel Patio: 8:00pm-9:30pm
Embassy: 9:30pm-10:30pm
Chainsaw: 10:30pm-11:30pm
McMullans: 11:30pm-2:00am

We'll be selling T-SHIRTS in the UW Economics Society Office in Hagey Hall 128 - come get one anytime tomorrow or when we meet up!

Check out the Facebook event and let us know you are coming. UW Economics Society King Street Tour

Assuming you have the t-shirt, Were going to have free food for you guys at Heuther, free cover/line bypass at Embassy, VIP section and cheaper food/cheap drinks! Line bypass at chainsaw with cheaper pitchers and food, and discounts on food at Mcmullans! You need to show the bars your shirts if you want the discounts/bypass and free cover. See you guys tomorrow!

Games Night!

The UW Economics Society is hosting a Games Night

*May 24 @ 7 pm in HH124*
ATTN: date has been changed to thursday!

We will be playing some good old fashioned board games with your fellow Waterloo econ students! We will provide snacks and refreshments. Games will include: Monopoly, Settlers of Catan, cards, Risk, etc. If you have a specific game you want to play, bring it!

Facebook Event
UW Economics Society Games Night

Can't make it out?  Check out our next event in the making: King Street Tour

Sharing our Loonie

A while back there was some talk about Iceland adopting the Loonie.  I read an article on The Economist declaring that few barriers exist for Iceland adopting the Loonie.  Also for the most part, Icelanders were split down the middle between adopting the Euro vs the Loonie.

There is a link back to the University of Waterloo here!  Robert Mundell, famous for the Mundell-Fleming Model we learn in ECON 202, won a Nobel prize for his work on Optimal Currency Areas.  How is this a connection?  He taught here! 

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

How can one country just adopt our Loonie?  What does this mean for Canada?  Where would we find more information about this?  A great place to start is ECON 231. Ah HA! You thought this article would be enlightening but you were wrong!

I have taken ECON 231 with Prof Bloemhof and I enjoyed it.  It's a bit different than the courses we are used to as university students but experiencing something different, new and exciting can't be all bad, right?  If you want more of the regular flavour I have spoken with Prof Blit and he seems like a cool guy.

So if you are interested in Trade Theory and International Economics ECON 231 is offered every term!

Sources

http://www.economist.com/node/21549967

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optimum_currency_area

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Mundell

Info Session

The Economics Society is EXCITED to announce our first event of the term!

Are you doing a major project or essay this term and need your own data?  Confused on where to look for all this?  Have you ever had to manually enter values into an excel spreadsheet off the StatsCan website?

COME OUT to our information session on ODESI and CANSIM.  Both are databases filled with tables and tables of information.  They are accessible comfortably from home if you know how!  It will be presented by our charismatic Economics Librarian, Sandra Keys.

MONDAY MAY 7, 2012

10am - 1130am,  HH 280

Bring your Laptop if you want to follow along!

See you there!

Graduation Celebration

UW Economics Society supports graduation.

JUNE 14th, 2012
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
HH 334

Are you graduating? G-R-A-D-U-A-T-I-N-G!!!!  Somehow it sounds less exciting when spelled out so pretend I yelled.

For students graduating this or last term, our beloved department is hosting a fantastic event in June to reconnect with fellow students and some professors too!

There is going to be some light refreshments provided as well as free advice (haha). It's up to you which is more likely to draw you back to Waterloo.

Please RSVP to Taryn MacLean
temaclea@uwaterloo.ca

Sincerely,

UW Economics Society

Feedback Request

To all of you that came out to our events last week we hope you found them insightful and useful.  We are looking for feedback on this event around topic choice, planning and execution.  Also, what future topics would you like to see as a focus at E-Con? Who would you like to speak?

Send us an e-mail at uw.economics.society@gmail.com

See you next event!

E-Con: The First Economics Conference @ UWaterloo

MARCH 12-15th, 2012


MON in PAS 1229
@500PM Geoff Malleck on Personal Branding, MBA vs MA and careers
@630PM Phil Curry on Grad Studies and Academia

WED in PAS 1229
@600PM Larry Smith on Career Strategy for Economics

THURS in PAS 2083
@600PM Jean-Paul Lam on Public and Private Jobs and Interviews
@730PM Pirapa Tharmalingam on the Realities of the Job Market

Official Facebook Event Page

The Economics Society is proud to present E-Con: The First Economics Conference.  You have been asking us to organize an event focused on career paths and professional development within the field of economics.  We are going to deliver on that request and are planning the event for March 12th to the 16th.

The speakers have been 100% confirmed.

See you there!

UW Economics Society

KING ST TOUR

First, THANK YOU to all that came out to our Prof Mixer, it was a huge success.  We didn't know so many of you were interested in talking to your professors. haha. I kid I kid.  We had great conversations and had positive responses from professors and students alike.  I know the professors are looking forward to our next Mixer in the Fall!

Now on to our next event!  We are doing a King St Tour [facebook event] We will be selling subsidized T-shirts in our office Monday through Thursday for $10.  Come out and have a great time!




Fox & Fiddle: 8:45 - 9:45
Heuther Hotel: 9:45 - 10:30
McMullan's: 10:30 - 11:30
Chainsaw: 11:30 on

Prof Mixer

Calling all Economics Students!  Are you sitting around doing nothing this coming Thursday night (Feb 9th)?  Get face time with your favourite professors and make sure they know your name!  You can leverage this relationship for a great reference letter for jobs or more importantly, grad studies!

So come out to our Prof Mixer it's from 6-8pm in AL 208!  There's going to be free fancy platters and refreshments.

Helpful Tips by the UW Economics Society
1. Show up
2. Introduce yourself
3. Ask questions about their research and appear interested
4. Tell them why they are interesting
5. Remind them who you are!



Alternatively, you can just be yourself and have a great time!  We look forward to seeing you all there!

Sincerely,

UW Economics Society