How to hang in there when it feels like too much
Some call your post-secondary years the best time of your life. They can also be the most stressful. Is it worth it? Yes. Now more than ever, you need a degree. Bachelor-degree earners make $18,000 more per year than high school graduates, according to data from the 2006 census (Statistics Canada).
- If you’re questioning whether college or university is for you, what’s not working? Finances? Time? Grades? Personal issues? Then think about your academic and career goals. What would it take for you to make progress in this (or another) post-secondary environment?
- Let go of your long-term goals for now. Think about what’s getting in the way and how you can address those immediate roadblocks first.
- “Knowing what support is available can be a huge help,” says Phil Warsaba, Associate Vice President of Enrolment Management, Mount Royal University, Alberta. Figure out what academic, health, counselling, career, and social supports you can access. In a recent Student Health 101 survey, students’ most common regret was not taking advantage of campus resources sooner.
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1. School better have my money
When money may be a deal breaker, get guidance from the right sources (e.g., a financial aid advisor or the sites recommended below). “You don’t want to (by default) seek financial advice from people who aren’t financial experts just because they’re your parents or friends,” says Zac Bissonnette, author of Debt-Free U: How I Paid for an Outstanding College Education Without Loans, Scholarships, or Mooching Off My Parents (Portfolio, 2010).
How to get a handle on your finances
- Even if you don’t think you’ll need loans, research your options for financial aid early on so you can get support faster if you need it.
- Find out whether your school has hardship policies, emergency grants, installment payment plans, and support with scholarships. Some Student Unions have emergency bursaries or even food bin programs to assist students with tight budgets.
- Check in at Academic Advising or the Career Centre to look into a part-time campus job that can help you pay for books and other swag.
- Avoid shopping. Save as much as you can.
For in-depth savings tips and other strategies, try these sites:
+ Dave Ramsey
+ Ramit Sethi
+ Suze Orman
+ Gail Vaz-Oxlade
+ Government of Canada: Student Budget Worksheet
2. Scandalous scholastics
Almost every student has moments of academic failure. You’re not alone. “Your first stop should be Academic Advising. Whether you are at risk of academic difficulty, or simply need advice, [they] can help,” says Steve Fitterer, Interim Vice President of Student Affairs & Campus Life, Mount Royal University, Alberta.
How to get a grip on academics
- Show up for class, show up for class, show up for class.
- Relieve the pressure: Ask your academic advisor how to get assistance with time management. Then speak to your professors about accommodations relating to assignment expectations, if needed.
- Get to know your faculty; take advantage of your professor’s office hours to discuss questions, ideas, and study strategies.
- Form a study group with people who have taken the course or are doing well in it.
- Don’t overcommit. Committing too many hours to other activities can leave you underprepared academically.
- Search online for supplemental YouTube videos that cover the concepts.
- Talk with a university counsellor about available help and how to make sure your schedule matches up with your level of experience.
- Even if you don’t expect to stay in school, keep your grades in shape. It’s way better for your future options to withdraw from a class than to fail it.
“Students underestimate that showing up for class is essentially studying for a test! Also, many students think black or white, all or nothing and are too hard on themselves. Students don’t give themselves credit.”
—Sonya M., third-year undergraduate, Northern Illinois University
3. Better together
“Studies show that the more connected students are with their campus, the more successful they are. Whether it’s getting involved in residence life, joining clubs, or participating in athletics, forming connections helps lead to student success and satisfaction,” says Fitterer.
How to feel like you’re a part of it
- Live on campus if you can.
- If you have to work, get a job on campus rather than off campus. “I worked on campus and made friends through my job, which made it easier to transition,” says John H., a fourth-year undergraduate at Redeemer University College, Ontario.
- Join a student club or start one.
- If you feel as though you cannot get socially connected, talk with a counsellor or advisor, or even a professor. They may be able to point you to resources on campus that can help you adjust.
- If you don’t live on campus, make it a point to be there often. “Schedule time to be on campus when you don’t have classes or school-related commitments and resist the urge to live the commuter experience,” says Phil Warsaba, Associate Vice President, Enrolment Management at Mount Royal University, Alberta.
- Remember that many students experience “impostor syndrome”: the feeling that they don’t belong. “It often takes time to develop relationships and to find groups that you feel most comfortable in. This is normal,” says Amy Baldwin, author of The First-Generation College Experience (Prentice Hall, 2011).
4. Find your fight song
Hang in there if you can, maybe with the help of a short-term leave. Students who leave school and return later in life may have to navigate additional challenges, according to a 2014 study of 4.5 million “non-first-time” students.
How to approach a change of plan
- ”Before dropping out, see a counsellor to explore all funding resources and assess whether there is an alternative plan,” says Liz McDonough, Coordinator of Customer Services at the Student Success Center, McMaster University, Ontario.
- You may be able to take some classes in person and some online.
- Take the right classes: Always check which courses you need with an academic advisor or admissions officer.
- If you may transfer to another school, rigorously check that your credits will transfer too and accumulate.
- If you just cannot stick with it right now, make sure you leave your future options open. Ask whether you can defer your enrolment (e.g., take a year’s leave) without academic penalty and without needing to reapply. Also find out whether you’re eligible for refunds on tuition and fees, and whether you’ll need to repay loans or scholarships.
Students’ stories: Should I stay or should I go?
“Take great consideration as to why you feel you should drop out. It may not fix your problems. Figure out what is truly causing you stress and fix that before you set yourself back a year or more and accumulate more debt.”
— Jeff P., fourth-year undergraduate, Saint Mary’s University, Nova Scotia
“I took part-time classes slowly online to complete my degree. My school offering online courses meant I could graduate. Also there was a great program counsellor who helped me for a couple years. Couldn’t have done it without her.”
—Avril S., 2015 graduate, University of Guelph, Ontario
“My family supported me along with my friends. I had to find a way to exhaust the negative energy in me. This is around the time that I started working out five to six times a week. It was awesome to start doing something with myself that gave me another form of happiness.”
—Stephanie S., first-year graduate student, Trent University, Ontario
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