Kevin Correia

Now that I am a student again I have a compulsive need to print things. A professor sends out class notes in pdf? I need to print it. Solutions to assignments? I need to print it. An email sent out saying this week’s class is cancelled? I need to print it. The digital world only exists to please the senses of the analog world.
I previously owned an inkjet printer from high school through undergrad, but later sold it once I started working full-time at BC Hydro. This time around …

Divergence has been the theme of my life since graduating from university in 2009. In a matter of two years, I’ve had classmates secure engineering jobs in AB, ON, and NL. Others took up graduates studies. Some became engaged/married. And finally, some friends have became homeowners.

The spate of adult-like behaviour got me thinking of a timeless question: should I buy or rent?
The common argument I hear for buying a property is that you are wasting your money when you rent. In other words, your monthly …

Have you ever seen a picture of the back of your head? Or seen yourself in a video? Chances are the voice you hear in a recording does not match the voice you think you have. The same goes for our appearances. The problem is we cannot answer questions about physical appearances, even though we think we can.
We perceive the world with our senses, like everyone else, but we inherently subjective when we try and answer questions like:

Do I look like Steve Carell?
Do you think I look fat?

The Question …

I will admit that I love elections. In the last 5 years, we’ve been privileged enough to have 3 general elections. Do you realize how lucky we are to have this opportunity? Most Canadians have only been lucky enough to an election every 5 years. What do I love about elections? The maps, the debates, the rescheduling of debates to allow Canadians to watch the debate and playoff hockey games, the zingers, the campaign promises which are like an early Christmas present.
What do I dislike? When people have an …

Life can be nomadic when you are a co-op student at the University of Waterloo – especially if you are open to venturing outside the GTA or KW. My first work term was in Waterloo, but after that I tried to always venture wherever I could find an interesting opportunity or city. Here are some life lessons I wish I knew before I signed up for coop.
Kid Sarnia
My co-op adventures first brought me to the bustling city of Sarnia, Ontario. It’s home to a significant …

Tax time is just around the corner: a time of financial confusion, poorly managed RRSP contributions, and a sense of entitlement to tax refunds. There is no doubt doing taxes can be confusing, especially if you are one to pass all your documents to an accountant, but if you take the effort to complete your own taxes you’ll realize the system is not as mysterious as it seems.

My family has always given their taxes to an accountant – a cost of $40 each. When I became a student at …

I first came across Adele when iTunes made Chasing Pavement the free single of the week in January 2008. What struck me when I first heard the song was how soulful she was… especially considering that she was a) 19 at the time and b) did not live through the soul music era. Luckily she managed to stumble upon Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald while browsing at a local HMV store.

Adele’s vocals on her debut album 19 let you know why she won the Critic’s Choice award from the …

During a recent coffee break at work, a coworker shared that he bought a box of Oatmeal Crisp with a free Cineplex movie pass. Movie tickets usually go for $12 these days, and this particular cereal box cost $4. Based on those economics you could keep the movie coupon, throw out the cereal, and still save money in the end.

Like any coupon, there are restrictions which were outlined on the side of the cereal box:

Only valid on Sunday – Thursday
Free general admission ticket in February
Free small popcorn or …

It’s impossible to be a chemical engineering graduate without:

having worked in Fort McMurray
having thought about working in Fort McMurray
having known someone who worked in Fort McMurray

I’ve had classmates work in Fort McMurray, and they have either hated it or loved it. In Spring 2008, I had an offer to work with Syncrude for my last work term, but I turned it down to try other things. The following academic term, I decided to do one of my geography assignments on Fort McMurray to get to know the place …

Everyone has a gym pet peeve.

Grunting weight lifters
People who drench machines in sweat and simply walk away
An expensive gym membership that entitles you to broken antique equipment
The guy that basically doesn’t lift anything and is always going for a drink of water
People who try to pick up at the gym
Imaginary lat syndrome

I have my own pet peeve:People who weigh themselves at the gym

Why is it a pet peeve? Your body weight is constantly …