Pembroke

Tip of the Iceberg: Is Your Motivation Going On Vacation?

Rolling waves crashing on sand

“How can I stay motivated while taking classes over the summer?”

Summer is almost here! It’s the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the weather. You may feel your mood improving, which is great! What’s not so great is feeling like you’re missing out on hanging with friends or family over the summer. FOMO (fear of missing out) can be a genuine source of stress, and staying focused on school during this time of year can be a challenge. Here are a few tips to help you stay motivated.

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Another Great Year of Volunteering!

We’ve had a fantastic year with our #ACVolunteers! Our volunteers have given their time and energy to support causes they believe in and make a difference in their communities – both at home and abroad. The AC Hub coordinated 41 Community Projects (that’s 1,736 hours of volunteering!) and 3 Global Projects, all of which were made possible by our amazing community partners. Watch below for a glimpse of all the volunteer action!

🎥: Hear what our #ACVolunteers had to say about their volunteer experience!

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The Tip of the Iceberg: Letting Go of Perfectionism

Student experiencing stress while studying

“I’m a perfectionist, and I get really disappointed in myself when I don’t get the grade I was hoping for. How do I move on from mistakes?”

People often think of perfectionism as being perfect or doing something perfectly, and assume it must be a good thing. But relentlessly striving for perfection can become unhealthy. Perfectionists tend to base their self-worth on unrealistic standards, and can become extremely critical of themselves or others.

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Spring into our Services

Students studying in DARE.

Welcome to the Spring Term! You may be just beginning your time at Algonquin College, or picking up where you left off last term. Either way, we want you to start on the right track. Each month this summer, we’ll be highlighting relevant and timely services that can help you throughout the term. Let’s get started! Continue reading

The Tip of the Iceberg: Exam Nerves and How to Beat Them

Student writing an exam.

Dear Patti,

I get very nervous when I write exams. My brain starts going a hundred miles a minute and I cannot focus or remember any of my notes. How can I stay calm?

As our emotional mind starts to “spin,” it can take over our logical mind and make it very difficult to think straight. At these times, using the technique of grounding can help you regulate your emotions. Grounding is a coping technique designed to immediately reconnect you with the present moment using your senses, which can help you focus your mind.

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You’ve Scored a Summer Job – Now What?

Coworkers shaking hands in an office setting.

With the end of the semester in sight, many of us will be starting a summer job. There’s so much emphasis placed on landing a job, like carefully crafting resumes and rehearsing interview answers, that we sometimes forget to think about what to do after we’ve received an offer!

Luckily, we sat down with the Employment Support Centre to get the scoop on what you need to know going into your first day of work (and beyond). Continue reading

5 Study Techniques to Combat Procrastination

We’re all guilty of procrastination – but sometimes it can be hard to pinpoint why we’re doing it. Procrastination is more than just avoiding something we don’t want to do, “it also has to include an aspect that’s counterproductive, irrational or unnecessary,” says David Ballard, head of the American Psychological Association’s Center for Organizational Excellence. Procrastination can happen when we feel overwhelmed, distracted, or simply hit a wall. Whatever your reason is, we’ve got some interesting study techniques that will have you crossing things off your “to-do” list in no time.

1. The Pomodoro Timer

Pomodoro technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method designed by Francesco Cirillo. It breaks down a task into a series of intervals, with short breaks in between. Continue reading

#ACGlobalProjects Recap: Guatemala

View of GuatemalaA stunning sunlit view stretched out in front of our #ACGlobalProjects team as they ascended 3,600 metres above sea level into the highlands of Todos Santos. Over the course of the week, our team would help transform that sunlight into solar power, bringing electricity to the local elementary school, community kitchen, and community centre.

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The Tip of the Iceberg: 3 Steps to Better ZZZs

sleeping cat

Dear Patti,

No matter what I do, I can’t fall asleep. Even when I go to bed early, I’m still tossing and turning at 1am. Help!

Sleep difficulties can strike at different stages: falling asleep, staying asleep and waking up. Trying to regulate your sleep is almost like a research project… you need to try changing different variables to see what is most effective for you. Here are some ideas to experiment with.

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