Student Life

Are you looking for activities to do at Algonquin College when you’re not in class? Look no further! This segment of the blog will show what student life is like at AC through events, opportunities, and showcasing our population.

PR students to make a buzz for local charity

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Expect our PR students to be busy as bees, and the campus to be buzzing with excitement next term – after hearing presentations from nine groups of their peers pitching on behalf of charities, Algonquin College public relations students have made a beeline for LiveWorkPlay. They will be fundraising for this important community agency through their annual charity fundraiser in the winter 2016 term.

“LiveWorkPlay is an Ottawa-based charity that works with individuals living with intellectual disabilities. Their goal is to help their members gain independence. They achieve this through assisting them with employment, housing, and arranging social events for members to attend,” said Rachel McWhinnie, a public relations student who pitched LiveWorkPlay to her classmates (just call her ‘Queen Bee’). “LiveWorkPlay is all about inclusion over segregation. We are excited to reflect that in our campaign.”

The Algonquin College public relations students will be hosting multiple events, starting in March, to raise funds and awareness for LiveWorkPlay. Last year’s campaign raised more than $26,000 for the John Howard Society. And if you’ll let us wax nostalgic for a moment, over the 27 years of the program public relations students have raised more than $300,000 for 27 different charities (and isn’t that sweet!).

“All of the charities pitched were deserving, and we would have been happy to work with any of them. We are very excited to come together next semester and work with one goal in mind. Everyone is buzzing to work with LiveWorkPlay,” said McWhinnie.

Public relations students have been pitching their charities throughout the month of November. In total, nine charities were originally proposed, and the program has worked with many of the region’s largest and smallest charities, such as the Royal Ottawa Hospital, CHEO, and the Valerie’s Flutter Foundation (apparently our PR students have a thing for bugs…but whatever you do, don’t buzz off as there are plenty of events to come and our students will be looking for your support!)

Here’s a glimpse of how things went down on (in chronological order)…

AC Brings the Thunder to the Ontario Colleges’ Marketing Competition

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For more than three decades, the Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition (OCMC) has been challenging Ontario colleges’ business students to take part in a unique skills competition that tests their marketing mettle in a series of exercises that emulate real-world business challenges. This year the competition was hosted by George Brown College in the heart of downtown Toronto. Over 300 students (16 from Algonquin College) and faculty coaches from 12 colleges in Ontario competed 10 events over the course of last Thursday and Friday.

Algonquin College performed exceptionally well, building upon its reputation as a hub of innovative thinkers. Congrats to all who represented AC so well!

  • 2nd place in Quiz Bowl, Gabriel Loranger-Gagnon
  • 2nd place in Quiz Bowl, Alaina Lau
  • 3rd place in Direct Marketing, Evan Foti and Patrick Gaudreault
  • 3rd place in Retail Marketing, Hailey Hamilton and Benjamin Valiente
  • 4th place in Entrepreneurship, Stephen White and Luke Vucetic
  • 5th place in International Marketing, Gabriel Loranger-Gagnon and Alaina Lau

Patrick Gaudreault and Evan Foti 3rd place, Direct Marketing

Patrick Gaudreault and Evan Foti, 3rd place inDirect Marketing

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Hailey Hamilton and Benjamin Valiente, 3rd place in Retail Marketing

Ask Jasmine: Beating the Blues

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“After the holidays are over I often fall into a funk. Why is that? Any advice for preventing it this year?”

The post-holiday blues! We’ve all been there. It’s that melancholy feeling that often follows a vacation. For some students, returning to a regular routine after a holiday away from school can lead to feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and sadness. Many struggle with lethargy or a lack of motivation as they readjust to school. There’s an expectation that we will feel renewed and refreshed after a holiday, but unfortunately this is not always the case. Sometimes we fall into a funk. The Christmas holiday is a much-needed vacation away from the demands of college life. After exams are over you definitely deserve a break. For many students, the holidays are a time to decompress – a time to nap and sleep in, indulge in sweets and treats, and catch up with family and friends. For others, the holidays are stressful and lead to disappointment after our expectations are not met. Either way, returning to school is often a challenge. Here are some tips for beating the post-holiday blues:

1. Take your Time

Give yourself some time to recover. Feeling a bit blue during the transition back to school is normal. Allow yourself to feel whatever it is you’re feeling without trying to resist it.

2. Stay Active

Plan activities! January and February are formidable months. With the lack of light and the cold weather keeping us indoors, it’s easy to fall into a funk. Check out campus events and activities, go to concerts, plan weekly dinner parties with friends, and organize movie nights. Post a calendar on your fridge and mark it up with stuff to look forward to.

3. Keep Care

Make self-care a priority in your life. Figure out what this means for you and implement it as a regular routine the day you return to school. Need some ideas? Buy yourself some flowers, take a yoga or meditation class, start a journal, make some hot chocolate, take a nap, treat yourself to a nightly bubble bath.

4. Enjoy the Great Outdoors

Get outdoors! I know it’s freezing and your toes feel like icicles but hear me out: We live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. Get out there and take advantage of it! Strap on some ice skates and head to your local rink, check out winter festivals, or go hiking or snowshoeing.

5. Ask for Help

If you feel like the post-holiday blues is turning into depression or becoming unmanageable, reach out for support. Talk to a friend or family member, or contact Counselling Services on campus. Counsellors offer a non-judgmental and confidential place to talk and services are free.

Ottawa Campus Counselling Services: (613) 727-4723 ext. 7200
Pembroke Campus Counselling Services: (613) 735-4700 ext. 2804
Perth Campus Counselling Services: (613) 267-2859 ext. 5610

Jasmine

Jasmine Cady
M.A. Canadian Certified Counsellor, Pembroke Campus
Jasmine.Cady@algonquincollege.com
(613) 735-4700 ext. 2804

This was adapted from the AC Hub Newsletter, a monthly publication produced by Student Services.