by Priyamvada Nagar, Head Writer I always find myself going back to old songs, old memories, old pictures.
I keep them hoarded in an old shoe box, and sometimes bury them in a small box inside my brain that I can never find the keys to until an old embrace walks past. As humans, we hoard a lot of things in our life, not just materialistic ones, but also the issues we face, the battles we fight, the white flags we wave, and the wins we celebrate.
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by Grace Manning, Head Writer This past week, the Mental Health Conference organized by the Psychology Society provided an opportunity for students, staff, and peers who are alike to come together and discuss the ever so prevalent topic of mental health. We all have mental health as it is an essential aspect of our overall being. In fact, it is as important as the heart and brain that keep us alive every day. However, if mental health is so important, how come treatment is not always considered by those who may need it most? If you were to sprain your ankle, your first instinct would be to visit a doctor, so why do individuals not have that same instinct in taking care of their emotional well-being? The answer is stigma.
by Laura Kostwinder, Head Writer We are halfway through the semester, and exam season is fast approaching. With that comes the overwhelming dread of walking to the exam room in a haze, wishing you had read that chapter just once more. If you have ever had an experience where you study a lot and feel like you know the content but do not perform as well as you thought on an exam, you might have been experiencing test anxiety. Test anxiety affects students’ ability to perform well on exams due to the pressure to do well. Here are some tips that may help during this exam season.
by Sophie Samek, Head Writer As I approach the end of my degree, there are a few things I would have liked to tell my younger self trying to figure out how to make the most out of university. It is very easy to become caught up in comparing yourself to your other classmates and trying to curate the best resume. I am no exception to this, I have stretched myself extremely thin in the past just because I thought that I would benefit in the future. Recently, I have learned to say no and really ask myself if this is something I want to be doing or if am I wanting to do it for the wrong reasons. I definitely still slip up with this but I try my hardest to really take a step back and think before jumping into something.
by Sierra Birthelmer, Head Writer As a student graduating in the next few months, my new least favourite question has become, “What are your plans after graduation?” I remember several times in school having to write an essay about where I wanted to be in ten years. When I was little, I wanted to be a veterinarian. As I got older it became a teacher, doctor, artist, and author. Now, it feels like my life in ten years is no longer ten years away. It feels like it’s here, and I still have no idea where I see myself. Scary!
by Priyamvada Nagar, Head Writer There are some days when you feel that everyone is cheering loud for you and you are so close to the finish line, but you just cannot move any further. When standing still feels better than running at a speed that burns you out, when snuggling in your bed for an extra ten minutes feels more comforting than getting up and keeping the hustle going - how do you decide which road to take?
by Gabby Mazza, Head Writer All grown-ups were once children... but only few of them remember it. Something I've noticed about my generation is that we would do anything to feel young again. This weekend, I went to Disney Night at The Western, a country bar in downtown Guelph. The DJ was spinning Disney Channel throwbacks all night and the bar even offered a cocktail menu inspired by iconic Disney celebrities like Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato. I had such a fantastic night. It truly warmed my heart to see every university student in the bar light up as their favourite childhood songs played. I myself felt my heart glow as I danced with my best friends screaming all the words to our favourite old hits. My inner child was at peace.
by Shayndel Jim, Head Writer New Year’s resolutions represent the opportunity to be a new person, however, for many people, they can be a sore topic. Research has shown that only about 8% of individuals are actually successful in sticking to their resolutions (Oscarsson et al., 2020). While this can be very discouraging and create a fear of failure, there are ways to reframe your goals to increase the likelihood that you are successful in achieving them.
by Laura Kostwinder, Head Writer With the holidays finally over, you, like many others, may struggle to find a new routine as classes start up again. After several weeks of sleeping in and binge-watching your favourite holiday movies, you might be overwhelmed and need more motivation. Perhaps, you are already swamped by projects and other responsibilities. Here you will find some tips to boost morale and build momentum so that this semester is one of your best.
by Amanda Godes, General Contributor Kuwait Aid Network (KAN) is a non-profit organization determined to alleviate poverty and malnutrition. Part of KAN’s new mental health initiative is a mental wellbeing survey for citizens and residents of Kuwait aimed at determining the current state of wellbeing among the general population.
by Sonali Khera, General Contributor Past research has shown that being active and academic success go hand in hand! But how could exercise help you do better in school? And does sitting down at a desk for long-periods of time help students get better grades? This year, a group of researchers from Eastern Washington University helped answer these questions.
by Yasmin Elliott, Head Writer On the daily, our lives are filled with uncertainties and trials that often test our limits. Whether it’s an unexpected deadline or a global pandemic, there truly is no way to perfectly plan for every circumstance. Humans are, however, very resilient and this allows us to face these uncertainties without too much distress. Resiliency factors can improve our happiness and well-being because they help us in the face of adversity. In fact, there are activities we can engage in to enhance our resilience. What follows is a review of resilience, its neurochemical basis, and some practical activities you can engage in to enhance your well-being and resilience!
by Priyamvada Nagar, Head Writer Content warning: This post discusses personal experiences with anxiety and mental health.
3:30 am. The clock strikes to 3:31am, 3:32am, 3:33am, and all you can hear is the ticking - not from the clock, but the one coming from inside you. Suddenly, a wave of emotions takes over you and you start to question every single decision you have ever taken and every single essay you have ever written. Every discussion post you couldn’t ace and every failed attempt at trying to win this race; this race called life as a student. by Shayndel Jim, Head Writer For many people, thinking about loving yourself feels very strange. The idea of putting time and effort into loving yourself can make people feel guilty and self-centered, creating feelings of discomfort. In a world that sings about self-love, but also stresses the importance of putting others first, feelings of confusion can arise, accordingly we often have difficulty allowing ourselves to experience it. How to love ourselves is not something that is taught in schools and unfortunately, it is not something that just happens - self-love is something that requires effort and practice, until one day it is as easy as breathing. With it being Valentine’s Day, it can be especially hard to remember to put the love that the month calls for towards yourself, but it is just as important.
by Yasmin Elliott, Head Writer With midterm season fast approaching, students are beginning to face the inevitable accumulation of assignment deadlines, midterm exams, and, consequently, stress. With all these responsibilities occurring simultaneously, it is not uncommon to feel like there are simply not enough hours in the day! The tempting solution to this problem might be to stay up for a few extra hours to study for that upcoming midterm or to wake up at some ungodly hour to finish an assignment that’s due later that day. Engaging in these behaviours at the expense of a goodnight’s sleep, however, severely hinders your ability to perform optimally from both a cognitive and mental health perspective. What follows is an investigation of the role of sleep in memory, problem-solving, and mood, which provides a few examples of the important role that sleep plays in our mental health!
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