By Ruth Ormiston. Photo: NORTHFOLK on Unsplash.
At the beginning of September, a brand new cohort of BCom students entered their core year – a milestone year in the program known for bringing both new challenges and new opportunities. Like every September, these students started their core year with an orientation session. This year’s orientation, however, was a little different than those of the past – it was entirely virtual due to Gustavson’s move to online learning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As these students logged on to Zoom to kick off the term, their anticipation of the upcoming (virtual) year was an important reminder of how crucial students’ mental and emotional wellbeing should be as they take on their core courses. Luckily, recent Gustavson grads Caleigh Macpherson and Gabe Velenosi were on hand to offer valuable advice through their “Core Thriving Guide.” Here are their top tips for making the most of core year 2020-2021:
Be honest with yourself and your classmates.
Be open about how your assignments are going and how you’re feeling about them. This honesty will reduce stress not only because you won’t be hiding your emotions and struggles, but also because you might find that your classmates are in the same boat and you can work through it together.
Don’t keep too many things on your plate.
Eliminate or reschedule less urgent tasks in order to avoid burnout. For example, if you typically go to the gym Wednesday evenings but you have a major assignment due Thursday morning, you could move your gym time to Thursday evening so you have fewer tasks on your plate before the big deadline.
Don’t compare yourself to others.
It can be very easy to compare yourself to your peers, especially when you spend most of your classes with them, but this habit is not productive and will likely lead to more stress. Instead, try to focus on your own path and remember that just because it’s different from others’ doesn’t mean it’s not right for you – embrace the fact that what you experience during your degree will set you apart from others.
Practice mindfulness.
By keeping you grounded in the present, meditation and/or yoga can help you let go of unnecessary, stressful thoughts and stop dwelling on them.
Keep lists to stay organized.
Make two different lists each day: one for short-term tasks and one for long-term projects. Be sure to include non-academic tasks on these lists (they could be anything from “do laundry” to “call a friend”) as a good reminder to take some time for yourself!
Network.
Approach networking with the intent of building genuine connections – don’t force connections with people just because they’re working in an industry that interests you.
Increase your online communication.
Although core will look different this year due to its online classes, it’s actually a great opportunity to maximize your online presence. Challenge yourself to update your LinkedIn profile, make more connections on the platform, and attend more virtual events.
And finally… Don’t take yourself too seriously!
You’ve worked hard to get where you are, so allow yourself to go outside your comfort zone, make mistakes, and enjoy the whole experience of core year!
