Now that the school term has begun in earnest, there comes the period marked by feelings of panic and over-commitment. If you’re anything like me, you’re very good at agreeing to things and making plans that are still a long way off, when there’s that safety buffer zone. Suddenly, by some trick of the calendar, these plans go from being abstractions of the future, theoretical and non-threatening, to being alarmingly real.
When I first started back at school, this would drive me to consider dropping out and running off into the forest never to be heard from again, or, at the very least, dropping a bunch of classes. Now that I find myself in my final term at Camosun, I’ve learned to ride this period out and just let things unfold, with pauses to take stock of my progress and adjust accordingly along the way. This isn’t the only tip I would pass on to students just starting (or anywhere along) their higher-education journey, and I’ll elucidate a few more here for your perusal.
Take weird classes that you’re not sure about
Explore your options. I came into this school with a pretty set-in-stone idea of what I wanted to learn and where I wanted to go with it. I am now miles from that, in a completely different program, and loving every minute of it, with a whole new picture of what my future looks like. The catalyst was when I took Intro to Anthropology just because it sounded kind of interesting and fit well into my schedule, and my mind was completely blown. So, just get out there and see what makes your head and heart catch fire.
Don’t be scared to raise a stink
This school, like any institutional monolith in our messy society, has its problems and its failings. Anyone who remembers my diatribe against the Career Development course at Camosun will know that I don’t like when things are unjust (or just plain stupid), and I went on a little crusade. A helpful resource when you’re doing battle with the ensconced offices of power here at Camosun is the Ombudsperson. Their job is to help you, and they function kind of like a kindly, old, wise person. They don’t exactly wield a terrible and fearsome power, but they do know what you should do next. Talk to them.
Take advantage of everything
The library is cool and good, and they have way more material than you think (especially in that little enclave behind the desk). The Centre for Accessible Learning is fantastic, and if you’re like me with a brain that either does something really well or not at all, they are a lifesaver. The Counselling Centre staff are lovely, and you can speak to them when things go south. They are good at what they do, and sometimes you just need to cry directly at someone for it to all feel manageable again.
My final and best piece of advice is to take the leap and get wild with it. Run that risk. That’s how I ended up writing for Nexus, and it’s been one of the most fulfilling, fun, and wildly edifying things that I’ve done with my time here. So join a bizarre club, go to the events, submit that piece of creative writing to The Point, write for Nexus, or try out for a sports team. You never know what it might lead to, and chances are you’ll be glad you did it.