Barbara Lehtiniemi is a writer and photographer from Ontario. She’s a graduate of Athabasca University, having completed her Bachelor of General Studies degree in 2018.
A regular contributor to The Voice Magazine for over ten years, Barbara has also contributed to other publications including Chicken Soup for the Soul and Maclean’s. Barbara writes in several genres, including non-fiction, fiction, and poetry. She’s eternally grateful to The Voice Magazine for providing the opportunity to explore an array of topics and writing styles.
Barbara has a fondness for travel, used bookstores, everyday absurdities, and oversized wine glasses. Originally from urban Southwestern Ontario, she now lives on a windswept rural road in Eastern Ontario.
Athabasca University’s library launched a new orientation video series earlier this month. This 9-part series provides students with a quick overview of how to navigate the AU Library website and how to conduct effective research. The video series is presented in easily-digestible chunks of about 4 minutes each. Each video builds on the previous one… Read more »
Summer can play havoc with your studies. Many people look forward to summer with its long days and warmer weather. While most university students have a summer break from their studies, AU students often keep at it year round. Studying in summer has its advantages. A few extra statutory holidays provide some bonus time, longer… Read more »
Summer in Canada is officially underway! When I was growing up, summer meant camping. For several weeks each summer, my parents would load up us five kids and hit the road. Even in the big land-yacht autos of the 1970s—before they invented minivans—there weren’t enough seat belts for all seven of us, so when seatbelt… Read more »
It’s always a thrill to open an AU box full of course materials. For a book nut like me the excitement of receiving pristine books is beyond compare. Even textbooks make me giddy with anticipation. The AU box is like a cornucopia of books. Books for English courses are the best. There’s a textbook or… Read more »
They say travel broadens the mind?and it does. So do books. If reading books broadens the mind, and travelling broadens the mind, then reading books while travelling must really give the old noodle a workout. Travelling is conducive to reading. For starters, You’re on vacation and (theoretically) have more leisure time. Additionally, travel often comes… Read more »
AU students can now write exams where they study?at home. Online invigilation for AU students was launched June 2, 2016, after a successful pilot project. Partnering with online proctoring service ProctorU, AU now offers its students the choice to write online exams from home. With ProctorU, students can schedule exams 24 hours a day, 7… Read more »
Two years ago I started out on an accidental journey. That journey has taken me?virtually?across Canada from the east coast to the west, and around the world. During this journey, I met a flautist, a saxophone player, and a woman who sings in her car. I met world-travellers, new Canadians, and people living in the… Read more »
Whoever said, “summertime and the living is easy” probably wasn’t a homeowner. All winter you look forward to the warm weather of summer. Trudging through late winter’s grainy slush you begin to anticipate the smell of freshly-mown grass, the crisp taste of icy beers on the deck, a refreshing dip in the pool. You wait… Read more »
Does it ever feel like searching for the page you want on a university website is like trying to swim through quicksand? University websites are notorious black holes of information—so densely packed they just suck you in. It’s not necessarily the fault of poor web design (although for some university websites you wonder), It’s primarily… Read more »
Can tomatoes improve your study skills? One of the challenges of self-directed study is the essential need for self-discipline. In-class university courses mean having your studies measured out for you, in increments of class time and fixed dates for assignments and exams. Self-directed study allows welcome flexibility, but the freedom to arrange your own time… Read more »