are you feeling so alone?

It is Labour Day weekend and you all know what that means: summer is fading to an end and school has begun again. I am no longer in school, but I understand how stressful the life of a student can be. Here’s some friendly suggestions to keep your chin up when the first easy days of class turn into the nightmarish frenzy of midterms and papers.

Treat yourself - La rentrée is always accompanied by back-to-school sales and advertisements. Its fun to treat yourself to a new sweater or a rad pair of jeans, to feel fresh and stylish on the first day back. If shopping isn’t your thing, you can always get a rockin’ new haircut, or simply treat yourself to a relaxing bath and facemask before bed one evening. Whatever your style, treating yourself and take time to remember that you deserve to feel awesome.

Start a new activity - The beginning of a new school year is ripe with opportunity to join a new club, pick up a new skill, and make new friends. Check out what clubs and services your school offers. Maybe you’d like to learn a new language, or discover a passion for environmental activism. In my last year of university, I joined my school’s taekwando club and LOVED it - kicking and punching proved to be great exercise, great fun, and a great way to take out some stress after a long day in school.

Read for fun - We all get tired of reading assigned books and articles. Even professors and grad students need to rest their eyes sometimes! Try to make sure that reading boring material day in and day out does not diminish any passion you may have for literature. Take the time to find a good book and sneak in a few chapters every week. Your brain will thank you for the entertainment and the break from academia!  

Eat your vitamins - Alright, so I know this is easier said than done. After eight hours of class and studying, I was always more inclined to reach for a Tim Horton’s coffee and donut instead of a balanced meal. But when I took the time to cook in advance, my wallet and my body thanked me. Take the time to eat nutritious food - lots of veggies, legumes, and fruit - and if you are planning to be out all day, bring along a baggie of healthy treats. My favourites are kale chips and a homemade trail mix of sunflower seeds, almonds, goji berries, and dried apricots. Delicious and nutritious for your hardworking brain!

Get enough sleep - I know that pulling all-nighters is super duper fun (not), but try to stick to a regular sleeping schedule. It helps your body and your brain fully recover from a full day of activity and you’ll find you have more energy to keep going. Plus, sleep helps keep your immune system healthy. Schools are often akin to giant petri dishes, and staying healthy is crucial to a successful semester.

Flirt with someone cute - New school years bring new friends and new classmates. Be social! Find a new friend, or, if you are so inclined, bat your eyelashes at a campus cutie and see where the night might take you. Practice consent, have fun and be safe!  

"CISGENDER" IS NOT A DEROGATORY TERM IT IS LITERALLY A TERM CREATED SO THAT PEOPLE WILL STOP SAYING TRANSGENDER VS. “NORMAL"