In the lead up to Valentine’s Day, there can be a lot of pressure on relationships, and expectations on partners. There is one way to ensure you are truly happy this Valentine’s Day, and every day after that – by dating yourself.
Ottawa
Congrats, you’re officially one month into the semester! We hope that you’re getting more comfortable on campus and settling into the groove of your classes. With this in mind, it is a perfect time to explore some of our services that can complete and support you during your time here. Continue reading
Eating on a budget as a college student can be challenging. Whether you are living in Residence or off-campus, learning to live on your own and manage a budget is a transition we all face at one time or another. Check out these our top 5 tips to help you stay on track! Continue reading
As we all know, being in school can get pretty intense and strain your mental health. Here are some ways to support your mental health during the school year. There’s something on this list for everyone!
Mind & Body: Physical and Mental Self-Care
- Mood Walks: Weekly outdoor walks (yes, even in the winter) are an opportunity to explore your community, meet new friends, and walk your way to greater mental and physical wellness.
- Sleep: a module with tips and strategies to get more and/or better sleep.
- Stress Management: Tips and videos on coping with stress, check out the workshop to learn more!
- Peer Support – Big White Wall: A free online mental health and wellbeing service offering self-help programs, creative outlets, and a community that cares.
Self-Help Apps & Tools
CBT-based apps for mood tracking and mood management:
- WellTrack: For stress, anxiety, and depression.
- Mindshift: For worry, panic, perfectionism, social anxiety, and phobias.
Workbooks
- Just As I Am The Practice of Self-Care and Compassion: A guided journal to free yourself from self-criticism and feelings of low self-worth.
- Your Best You: Improving Your Mood: Teaches skills to manage your mood and improve general functioning.
- Your Best You: Managing Your Anxiety: A guide to managing different types of anxiety.
- CCI Workbooks: A variety of workbooks on topics such as appearance concerns, assertiveness, disordered eating, perfectionism, self-esteem, social anxiety, and more.
Modules
- Resilience: Strategies to improve your ability to recover after setbacks.
- TAO Self-Help: Educational modules with interactive activities to help you learn coping strategies for stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, anger management, problem-solving, and communication.
More apps and other online tools.
Guided Self-Help Tools
- TAO: You can also use TAO with the help of an AC Counsellor to motivate you and structure your progress.
- Bounce Back: A free skill-building program to help manage low mood, mild to moderate depression and anxiety, stress, or worry. Delivered over the phone with a coach and through online videos, you will receive access to tools that will support you on your path to mental wellness.
Reach Out: Counselling
- Good2Talk: A free, confidential helpline providing professional counselling, and information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being to post-secondary students in Ontario, 24/7/365
- AC Counselling: Access confidential support through a walk-in consultation, where a counsellor will meet with you and help you develop a plan to address your concerns.
- AC Group Counselling: Boosts your skills, coping strategies, and support system by providing a safe, supportive environment where you can share your experiences. It enhances your connection to others and provides you with a variety of approaches and perspectives to help you deal with challenges.
Crisis Support
- Mental Health Crisis Line: For ages 16+ in the Ottawa region seeking support with mental health or other challenging life situations.
- Distress Centre of Ottawa and Region: Confidential support by phone for people either in distress or crisis.
- Crisis Services Canada: Accessible by phone, text, or chat, this service is for Canadians thinking about or affected by suicide.
Good luck,
Eliza Brown, Counsellor at Algonquin College
Each new term may present its own academic challenges. We want you to succeed! Student Support Services offers a variety of resources to help students excel during their time at Algonquin College. Whether it’s your first-term or you are close to graduating, check out these supports to help you achieve your goals!
Happy new year! Can you believe it is already 2020? The start of another year and the start of another semester – and we are especially excited about this one!
You may have heard of the phrase “work-life balance” or “school-life balance”, but this term is a little dated now. With the accessibility of laptops, availability of wifi, the Brightspace App, and emails coming into our phones, the various facets of our lives have never been more integrated. Introducing the updated phrase: “school-life blend”. Wondering what’s available on campus to enhance your school-life blend? Student Support Services has got your back! Continue reading
An obvious benefit of volunteering is the act of helping others – but did you know that there are many other benefits of volunteering such as network building? Here are some unexpected benefits of volunteering! Continue reading
You’ve made it to December! With the end of the semester in sight, some of us may be wondering what to do during the holiday break. Luckily, we’ve got you covered. Check out these FREE events in Ottawa, Perth, and Pembroke in December! Continue reading
The Fall Mid-term Break is approaching! What does that mean for students?
Historically, Algonquin College has offered a Mid-term Break for students to catch up on their studies and assignments, check-in with themselves, seek out supports to help them succeed, and take a break from the day to day class schedule. This year marks the first time this break will be offered every term, including the Fall.
What You Need to Know:
The Fall Mid-term Break is October 21 – 25. This means that for most students at all three campuses, there are no classes during this time. If you are unsure if your program has a Mid-term Break, please check with your Program Coordinator.
Set Yourself Up for Success:
Staying in Ottawa over the break? Check out what’s happening around campus during and after the Mid-term Break!
Services
All Student Support Services will be open during regular hours to help support students. Student Support Services offers a variety of supports including help with academics, career and employment, mental health, accessibility, and more!
Events and Programs
On-going: Volunteering Opportunities
There are many opportunities for you to get involved in! Community Projects are an initiative between the AC Hub and not-for-profit organizations across Ottawa, where students donate their time and give back in a variety of capacities. At Algonquin, we encourage students to be active citizens who are engaged not just with their school, but also with the community around them. Volunteer opportunities available outside of the College are shared on the volunteer database.
October 21: RISE to Success Student Conference
Falling behind? Worried about your academics? Want to ace the rest of the term? Joinref=”https://www.algonquincollege.com/studentsupportservices/?post_type=algonquin-event&p=13319&preview=true” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”> RISE to Success, a one-day student conference to help you soar to your potential. The day will feature study-skills workshops, self-reflection, goal-setting exercises, and more! Learn something new and set yourself up for the rest of the term.
October 28: AC Re-Connect
The AC Hub wishes you a warm welcome back to campus after the Mid-term Break. Find your groove with mini-workshops, pop-up activities, and your favourite fall treats at AC Re-Connect
“I get stressed from juggling classes and my part-time job. How do I balance school, work, and life?”
As a college student, there are so many things to juggle that this can start to feel like a common dilemma:
I say if you’re forced to choose only two, then sorry– you’re doing it wrong.
Follow these 5 tips to improve your work-life balance:
1. Make sure your ‘anchors’ are in place.
What are anchors, you ask? Basically sleep, meals, and other healthy habits like exercise. It sounds basic, but these things underpin your quality of life, not to mention your productivity. If you’re lacking in these areas you’ll start to become overwhelmed, and college becomes a treadmill set to max. So have a consistent sleep schedule, Google easy/cheap/healthy recipes, and if you don’t have much time to work out, at least get out for a walk once in a while.
2. Make a weekly schedule.
First, click here for a schedule template.
Next, fill in your schedule in the following order:
- Fixed commitments (such as classes, work, and commuting)
- Healthy habits (sleep!)
- Homework time
- Everything else (like errands, seeing friends, etc.)
When in doubt about how many hours you need, overestimate. Be specific: assign each block of time to a class. Most students who do this find it’s a bit like a puzzle, but after a few tries, they can make everything fit. If you find that you don’t have enough hours in the week, you may have to make some lifestyle changes.
3. Use a To-do list.
Write a list of everything you have to do, not just school stuff. If your list is so long that just looking at it gives you anxiety, break it down into four sections according to this chart so that you can tell at a glance which items are priorities. Try the app Evernote for added practicality.
4. De-Stress.
It’s normal to feel stressed and overwhelmed when you’re spread too thin. Nip it in the bud before your stress gets out of hand– check out this stress management guide. Remember, figuring out how to have work-life balance that works for you is always a work in progress, so don’t get too discouraged.
5. Ask for help.
There’s a lot of Algonquin staff you can meet with to help you cultivate better work-life balance or improve your routine. For example, Student Success Specialists or Counsellors can be a great starting point.
Good luck!
By Eliza Brown, Counsellor for Counselling Services at Algonquin College.