Category: Campus Life

The New Year is often associated with having resolutions. People want to begin the year by resolving to improve various areas of their lives, whether it concerns their well-being, helping others more, etc. While they’re meant to have a positive impact, they also possess negative implications as well.

If you’re considering making New Year’s resolutions, here’s a look at some of the pros and cons:

Pros

They’re Great For Starting The New Year On A Positive Note

Making resolutions can be a great way to motivate yourself for the new year. This is especially referring to certain resolutions involving things that you’ve always wanted to try. Do you like the idea of starting your days with affirmations? Are you planning on breaking any unwanted habits and/or replacing them with good ones?

Resolutions Can Be Effective If They’re Reasonable and You Put Your Mind To Them

Resolutions are also great when you know you can actually execute them. For example, carving some time out of your schedule (when possible) to research and carry out good recipes or improving your culinary skills are reasonable measures to take if you’d like to eat more nutritious, home-cooked meals.

Of course, nobody knows what you’re capable of better than you. Sticking with resolutions can be challenging, but if you’re determined enough, adopt the logical avenues, and set expectations that are realistic, you’ll likely yield favourable outcomes.

They Might Also Be Something Fun To Do With Others

Following through with a resolution can also be fun and more likely to be successful when people hold each other accountable. Though this depends on how you prefer to work on resolutions (and what they are), choosing to do them with others is an option that may lead to the desired long-term commitment and even enhanced productivity. For example, if you resolve to exercise more, you could do so with friends at a nearby gym on a regular basis and encourage one another while doing so.

Cons

These Resolutions Are Often Associated With Being (Unintentionally) Short-Lived

More often than not, New Year’s resolutions are associated with being short-term or not even taken seriously. Despite feeling motivated initially, some eventually encounter a lack of motivation and stop pursuing them after the first week of January or other events occurring in their lives (understandably) interfere. Sometimes, people also find themselves so caught up in the excitement and optimism during this time that they make their resolutions unrealistic/too ambitious.

They Can Be Easily Forgotten

As people frequently see resolutions in an unfavourable light, they could also be subjected to being forgotten. Unless they’re physically written down somewhere, extremely important to you, or arranged so that you’re reminded of them every day, resolutions are commonly set aside.

Overall, New Year’s resolutions have a good purpose, but also don’t have a reputation for lasting very long. It’s great when you commit to them and enjoy yourself throughout, but life can get in the way. If resolutions are something you’re considering, ensure that they’re worth your while. With everything considered, what’s crucial is making choices that are right for you.

For new students, the environment of post-secondary and prospect of making friends can be overwhelming: There are so many people! How do I talk to them?

Making friends in post-secondary does not need to be a daunting task. In fact, there are many opportunities to make friends even in this era following COVID-19, where learning is both online and offline.

Tips For Making Friends In-Person

1. Participate in Group Work

Some courses will require group work by default, so why not take the opportunity to try and connect with others?

Turn that mandatory participation aspect of a course into something that goes beyond the classroom! People usually exchange contact information for school-related purposes, but interactions do not need to be restricted to those topics.

There is no rule saying that contact with group members needs to be strictly through a school relationship. Feel free to ask your group members if they want to hang out sometime, even if it’s something small like getting a coffee. Even if those interactions do not all result in friendships, there is no harm in reaching out. A friendly gesture can brighten someone’s day.

2. Immerse Yourself in the School Community

Immerse yourself in your school’s community by attending school events, participating in clubs, volunteering on campus, or working on campus! These are great ways to constantly meet people in situations outside of the classroom.

In a classroom, some people may be focused on the lecture at hand (or perhaps dozing off, depending on the student), and it can be hard to know the best time for a conversation. Outside of the classroom, school events, clubs, and work provide something that is a conversation starter in itself!

Discuss thoughts about the event that you are at, the club that you are in, or the job that you are working at. Those are already topics that you and the individuals around you will have thoughts on and will likely be willing to talk about.

Tips for Making Friends Virtually

1. Make Use of Discussion Boards

If you take an online course, chances are that you will be asked to introduce yourself to both the professor and your classmates on a discussion board. Do not be afraid to describe yourself beyond your field of study and why you are taking the course.

Listing simple things about yourself, like a hobby or a piece of media that you enjoy, can be used to connect with other students.

Having a shared interest in common also helps with keeping contact for a long period of time. Sometimes you might befriend someone in a course, but once the course has finished, there may not be enough incentive to keep in contact.

A classmate who only discussed course material with you has less incentive to keep in contact than a classmate who discussed your favourite show, among other topics.

2. Find Internet Spaces Related to Your Institution

A school’s online platform, like Canvas or Brightspace, is not the only place where students will congregate. There are plenty of other spaces online, affiliated or unaffiliated with your institution, where students can be found. Facebook is ripe with groups for students, as well as Reddit, the latter of which tends to have specific subreddits for post-secondary institutions (r/UBC or r/UofT, for example).

Discord, another messaging platform, has “Discord Student Hubs” for this purpose: to meet other classmates within the same school. It requires users to input their school email address, and they will see a hub that is restricted to those with school-affiliated emails for the same institution.

According to a 2021 article, some students at Ryerson University think that the “Discord Student Hubs” system has helped — their Ryerson Discord hub has served as a support network, as well as connected students to people that they may have never met in-person otherwise.

A Final Important Tip: Talk!

You will always be surrounded by people, virtually or not. Strike up a conversation, compliment a person’s outfit, introduce yourself, or ask something about a course as an icebreaker. If you live in your institution’s residency, get to know your neighbours or other people living on the same floor.

The longer you wait, the harder it will be to establish a connection. Even a simple “hello” is a good step! Present yourself as approachable, let people know that you are open to discussions, and be optimistic. Friendships are things that develop more and more with each interaction.

Keep everything in mind, and good luck! It can be scary at first, but everything gets easier the more you try. If you keep trying, those friends will eventually come.

 

Sources:

Leal, L. “The Online Student’s Guide to Making Friends and Finding Peers in the Age of COVID.” Biocord, 25 Aug. 2020, https://medium.com/biocord/the-online-students-guide-to-making-friends-and-finding-peers-in-the-age-of-covid-fb0dc568d6eb.

O’Connor, Ryan. “Discord Launches Student Hub for Ryerson University.” The Eyeopener, 15 Sept. 2021, https://theeyeopener.com/2021/09/discord-launches-student-hub-for-ryerson-university/.

Identify the Source of Stress, Boredom, Or Fatigue

If you are unhappy or dissatisfied at work, it’s a good idea to identify what exactly is making you feel that way. It might be a long-term issue built up over time or a reaction to recent events. You might be able to resolve the problem and continue working – which would be great! However, it may simply be time for you to move on and find something that brings more joy to your workday.

Take some time to think about whether there have been any significant changes or unusual events within your workplace. Has someone you worked closely with quit recently? Did a new manager get hired? While these changes might be unpleasant now, it’s important to avoid rushing into a decision before giving things time to settle down.

On the other hand, the problem may be more significant (and harder to solve). It’s important to feel respected, motivated, and productive at work. Do you get along with your colleagues? Are you happy with your wages and working conditions? Does the work you’re doing match your qualifications? Answering these questions might help you pinpoint the source of your dissatisfaction at work.

Depending on the nature of the problem, you may decide to tough it out and work through it, or call it quits and find something new. Either way, this article will help you figure out your next steps.

Develop Coping Strategies

While you’re figuring out what you want to do long-term, it’s helpful to have some short-term strategies to cope with stress or boredom.

• Journaling: At the end of each workday, take a few minutes to record your thoughts and feelings. What stressed you out today? How did you cope?
• Boundaries: It’s good to be a high achiever, but you’re entitled to set boundaries and enjoy your personal time. Try to avoid checking emails in the evening. Create a separate space to get work done at home, whether it’s an office or a specific corner of the kitchen table.
• Relationships: Have you taken the time to get to know your colleagues? Work can be boring when you spend all day by yourself. Try reaching out to people! Greet your co-workers at the beginning of each shift and offer to create a group chat. Friends make work more fun!

Ready for More? Seek Opportunities for Growth

If you decide that you’d like to stay at your current workplace, you may want to explore some of the opportunities available to you there. Let your manager know that you’re interested in taking on more responsibilities – maybe even a promotion. Your workday will likely become more exciting and less stressful if you do work that takes full advantage of your potential and aligns with your preferences.

Some workplaces also offer volunteer opportunities, such as diversity and inclusion committees or community outreach initiatives. Check out your company’s website or ask your manager if there are any additional ways for you to get involved at work.

Ready for Change? Begin Exploring Other Options

Ultimately, you may decide that this job isn’t for you. That’s normal. You’ll likely have many different jobs throughout your life, and it can take some time to find the right fit.

Quitting isn’t failure. While the job may not have worked out this time, you learned more about your priorities and what jobs you’re not interested in. If nothing else, you’ll be able to make better, more informed decisions in the future.

 

Resources:

Ahmed, S. A. (n.d.). “14 Interesting Ways to Combat Boredom at Work.” VantageCircle. https://blog.vantagecircle.com/boredom-at-work/.

American Psychological Association. (2018, October 14^th). “Coping with stress at work.” https://www.apa.org/topics/healthy-workplaces/work-stress#.

During the pandemic, students were unable to go to in-person classes for weeks or months at a time because of the risk of infection. In post-secondary studies, students often choose to study online. This type of study is not right for everyone, but it can be a good choice for people who can deal with both the pros and cons of this type of learning.

One of the main points in favour of online learning is flexibility. Regular courses require students to be at the school or university at a particular time each week. While this requirement might work for some people, it can also be a problem for people with busy schedules or responsibilities, including looking after family members or working at a job. Although some online courses might require students to log onto group discussions or lectures at specific times, students have much more flexibility than with in-person courses.

Travelling to and from a class can also take time. People need to drive or take the bus to the university or college and then back home after class, besides the time for the actual course and assignments. In winter, bad weather can make it very difficult to get to class. However, going to an online course involves only moving to the computer from elsewhere in the house, allowing students to save money and time on transportation.

With the flexibility and time saving of online learning, people can more easily fit their studies into their lives and are thus more likely to continue with their courses instead of dropping out. Some instructors might require students to join group discussions or listen to lectures at certain times, but normally students can choose their own study schedules. That way, they can fit in doctor’s appointments, shopping trips, cooking, or other tasks. People with busy lives and many responsibilities could benefit from online courses.

Despite the advantages of online learning, this type of course is not always a good choice. For certain classes, online learning might be difficult or impossible. For example, a chemistry course might be impossible to do entirely online because of the need to conduct experiments with potentially dangerous chemicals. Language courses can also be difficult to complete online, depending on how much opportunity for conversation the course gives.

One of the most challenging aspects of online learning is getting the work done. With in-person classes, instructors can remind students to complete their assignments, students can form study groups, and people can keep each other on schedule. Although the same help can be available with online courses, the connections can be more difficult to make over the computer. Without this kind of help, students can have trouble completing their work.

For people who are self-disciplined, online learning can be a good choice. However, living conditions can also make a difference. People who live alone are likely to have quieter homes with fewer interruptions than people who live with family or roommates. Even then, these people still need to cook, clean, and earn a living. They might also find it difficult to keep to a schedule and get the work done.

Online learning can be a good choice for post-secondary students. If you have the right home conditions and are self-disciplined, you might want to consider including online courses in your post-secondary education.

 

Bibliography:

BC Campus. “Pros and Cons of Online Learning.” https://opentextbc.ca/studentsuccess/chapter/pros-and-cons-of-online-learning/.

eLearning Industry. “Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Learning.” https://elearningindustry.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-online-learning

MIT Open Learning. “The Pros and Cons of Online Learning.” https://openlearning.mit.edu/news/pros-and-cons-online-learning.

Western Governors University. Distance Learning vs. Traditional Learning: Pros and Cons. https://www.wgu.edu/blog/distance-learning-traditional-learning-pros-cons2210.html

The Christmas season is upon us once more. Serene snowfalls, joyful music, and uplifting movies are back, alongside the stress of your Christmas shopping list. This is exacerbated by the growing awareness of the climate crisis. The same endless consumption embodied by Christmas commercialism is a major driver of the destruction of our planet. How do we enjoy and partake in the holiday season without a heavy conscience? There is hope. Let us take a look at a growing number of options that allow you to simultaneously enjoy the holidays and reduce your impact on the climate and environment.

Consumerism leads to excess waste, from countless returned goods to nesting dolls of plastic casings and covers. You can help combat this by buying no objects at all. Consider gifts that are instead either homemade or focus on experiences. When you reflect on gifts you have received over the years, the highly personalized ones often endure in our memories much longer than the flashy, expensive toys that provided an initial burst of excitement. A collection of pictures and videos, a personalized book, or an original song can speak volumes. Shared experiences at a concert, museum, or animal sanctuary are unforgettable.

Purchased goods do not necessarily cause significant harm to the planet. Consider purchasing items that are second-hand, have a low carbon footprint, or are reusable. There are more and more household items and kitchenware being sold that can be used again and again. Many of these are everyday items of great practical value and will be a constant reminder of your relationship with the person. Another option is to look at gently used goods. As people try to live greener lives in an increasingly unaffordable world, the stigma associated with used products is eroding. It is a great way to give further life to an item that a friend or loved one can benefit from.

You may still be cynical about engaging in the tradition of gift-giving. For many, it feels shallow, and it is frustratingly difficult to avoid a negative environmental impact. If you and your friends and loved ones feel similar, consider giving the gift of charity. CanadaHelps.org has a great, varied list of different charities, such as protecting wetlands and endangered species. You can donate to charities in honour of a special someone. This is a great way to take a positive spin on gifts that will help raise awareness of important issues for you and those on your gift-giving list.

The messages of hope and love often conflict with the consumerism of each hectic Christmas. The holiday season does not have to be stressful and hypocritical. Focus instead on what you can do to better the lives of your loved ones and the world around you. Instead of endless piles of wrapping paper and plastic going into the garbage, consider homemade gifts or once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Give greater life to products with reusable or recycled goods. Explore different charities for which your dollars will make a lifesaving difference around the globe. There are many ways to partake in the holidays and stay true to its themes of family, love, and peace. You will feel good about it. Your friends and family will feel loved and appreciated. Most importantly, you will make a small but important contribution in the battle to save the Earth.

Sources:

Canada Helps. “Gift Guide.” https://www.canadahelps.org/en/gift-guide/

Feltman, Rachel. “Gifts to save the planet.” Popular Science. https://www.popsci.com/best-eco-friendly-gifts/