Mental Health

The new year is a time for everyone to start fresh. Look at the new year as an opportunity to start over and nothing is more motivating than wanting to make every 202X “your year.”

I will be going over my transformation from a bumbling Co-op student to a full-fledged Marketing Coordinator and give tips on how you too can navigate through your first work term.

Meet Aliyah Datoo, an SFU Master of Political Science Co-op student. In this quick Q&A, Aliyah shares a bit about her co-op experience. Keep on reading as Aliyah shares her day to day tasks, the onboarding process and how she has felt about the experience.

This was it. I finished writing my resumes, successfully passed the interview process, and accepted the job offer with cheers of joy. I told my mother with a large grin on my face, but in the midst of my excitement, my smile slightly lowered, and a wave of nervousness washed over me.

My role as a Communications Assistant has it’s ups and downs especially during busy seasons of the school year where many events run consecutively one after the other. Time management and efficiency are nothing new for us students because we constantly must meet deadlines and make sure we balance work with school

I never felt that I was good enough from my early years. I was a child that frequently struggled in school. No matter how much I put my heart and soul into projects or homework, I felt constantly knocked down. So a mix of excitement and dread came over me when I was notified that I was accepted into the Knowledge Network Co-op. Continue to read about how I defeated my inner saboteur and learned to work with a learning disability. 

Jennifer Reandy is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) working with SFU’s Indigenous Student Centre (ISC). Read about the common thinking patterns associated with anxiety and how to interrupt them. 

As an undergraduate student, Spencer Chen excelled with a GPA of 4.21 and received numerous merit-based scholarships and awards. She also sought diverse research and community service opportunities to make meaningful contributions to the SFU community.

At SFU, Marina Cummiskey competed as a varsity swimmer and became a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee where she advocated for student-athlete mental health. Marina earned academic honours and the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree in sport psychology at McGill University this fall, with a focus on athletic retirement research.

The Health Peers share some books that have helped with self-growth, healing, and forming good habits.

When it comes to social media and digital marketing positions, it’s easy to be blinded by the positives. After all, many Communication majors are fascinated by digital marketing and algorithms— and if you’re a digital native, creating social media content might already be second nature to you. Whether you manage social media for your organization or create external content, there are a few bonuses to consider.

Sharing tips for good mental health practices is essential for building both a helpful community and a better future for yourself. Read SFU Health and Counselling's tips for being more present in the moment. 

Counselling has a lot of benefits, but it is a human relationship, and sometimes a counsellor you meet may not be the right fit - and that's okay.

2022 is here! Read Terae's piece on how to be kind to yourself in the new year. 

As the year winds down, it's time to look inward. OLC staff member Terae notes down her favourite ways to beat the blues. 

Spring forward, fall back – daylight savings time has taken effect again, and we're in for a long, cold winter. Read our tips on how to see the bright side of things during such a dark time.

Are you feeling frazzled? Do you have a lot of fatigue or forgetfulness? It may be time to take action and bring yourself back to balance with a self-care tool like mindfulness. 

“Gosh Roop! Are you really an international student? But you do not speak with an accent. Wow, I would have never guessed that.” Through anecdotes and introspection, Roop shares a compelling narrative of the struggles of why International students face challenges due to language barriers and biases.

Ever wonder what it would be like to work as a software engineer in the healthcare sector? If so, read about Alex Hoang's co-op experience at Greenspace Mental Health. Greenspace Mental Health “is a web-based platform that helps mental health therapists easily measure and monitor patient progress” and during her co-op, Alex has been mostly maintaining and adding new features to Greenspace’s web platform. 

Thea translates the knowledge she gained from her Co-op work term as a Student Obesity Medicine Assistant, and with the added contextual challenge of the pandemic, shows how she uses these tips and tricks to improve her personal health. Read on to learn more about her clever advice and see how you can easily incorporate them into your daily life.

Unpacking the reality of the Black student experience in Canada. In this article reposted from The Peak, Linda shares why representation matters, how solidarity can be found within community, and the importance of ending Anti-Black racism in Canadian education institutions.

We often forget that breathing is one of the most important things that we do in our daily lives. It is our constant reminder that we are alive. So take some time out of your day and discover what it means to breathe.