Your future self will thank you.
New semester, renewed stress. Why does it already feel like exams are right around the corner?
Stress is sometimes unavoidable, but you don’t have to navigate it by yourself (we’d really rather you didn’t).
Whether you’re starting your semester with a fresh, sunny glow or with a bit of dread, I’m here to remind you that support is always available.
How stress piles up
It’s like a marathon. At the start, you feel invincible. You return from three months filled with sun (or more likely, a summer job), and nothing can get in your way. Burnout feels like a term of the past.
But as you keep sprinting forward, you notice an assignment piling up here, an obligation gathering there. It happens bit by bit. You might not give it a thought until it becomes too much to carry.
By reading week, all you want to do is collapse into your bed.
It doesn’t have to be like this. If I could give you one piece of advice, it would be:
Don’t wait until a challenge becomes a crisis.
Save yourself the trouble of encountering stress all at once. Lean on someone before you fall.
That might mean looking into academic accommodations or chatting with a tutor about that concept you struggled with last semester.
Debunking tutoring myths
Despite tutoring being entirely free, some students shy away from it.
For some, it might carry memories of endless sitting and staring at a textbook in foggy confusion.
That’s not the type of tutoring we’re talking about.
Anson Lewis, coordinator for Student Learning Services, explains that some students feel like they can “teach themselves or survive the class,” or even feel that attending tutoring is like admitting failure.
“Tutoring is something all students can and do benefit from at all levels,” Lewis says.
Because you shouldn’t need to carry the weight of your education completely by yourself.
Student Learning Services
Tutoring is here for you to take at your own pace. You can choose a shorter session to accommodate a busy schedule, or skip the commute and opt for an online option.
“Peer tutoring allows for a much smaller, more intimate setting, where the specific needs of each student can be given that extra attention,” Lewis explains.
Working at the Math & Writing Centre over the summer, I saw several hesitant students become return customers. Shy at first, but eventually chatting with their tutors like friends. Tutoring doesn’t have to be formal!
You might benefit from tutoring if you:
- Have a wild-card elective that feels outside your wheelhouse.
- Need a refresh on skills that feel rusty.
- Want to feel more confident throughout your courses.
Advocating for services
If you’ve reviewed your options and nothing seems to fit your situation, don’t despair. It’s not the end of the road.
It just means it’s time for advocacy.
No one wants to live in a reality in which issues go unnoticed, unspoken and unheard. If no one had spoken in support of the IGNITE Soupbar, for example, many students would still be forced to rely only on inadequate and overly expensive food services.
Students are always bringing up important issues. Our Student Advocates’ role is to amplify what your voices have already been saying and what has gone unheard for far too long.
So, speak up for what you believe in!
Start now, stress less later
If tutoring isn’t the right fit, there are plenty of other ways to give yourself a head start this semester.
Anson’s word of advice is to start with an overview of your courses ahead of time, jotting down deadlines and specific assignments.
“It allows you to visualize the course over the entire semester from day one,” Lewis says. Taking note of potentially challenging material can also help pinpoint areas to seek support for early on.
And remember, you don’t have to navigate the semester alone. There are various services on-campus ready to help you:
- Tax Clinic: A different kind of tutoring during tax season for a different kind of math.
- Financial Support: We know our world is far from fair. We’re here to help you carry the burden.
- Accessible Learning Services: Align your journey with your individual needs.
Anson encourages students to use the resources available to them. After all, you’re already paying for them— so why not get the most out of your tuition?
Feature image courtesy of Yen Vu on Unsplash
Need things to get excited about this semester? Check out our official ranking!
