The Athenaeum

Tag: study

  • Acadia’s Culture of Getting Involved

    Acadia’s Culture of Getting Involved

    How fascinating is it to go to a school where it is so cool to be involved in extracurriculars? People often talk about the small school experience that Acadia has to offer. Smaller class sizes mean more personal connections with professors, less students on campus means getting to know people quicker, and other benefits about the small size of Acadia are often used to market it as a great choice for a university. One of the best parts of Acadia that’s rarely discussed, though, is the culture of being involved that’s so prevalent.

    Being involved at Acadia is not only normal, but it’s expected of students. Compared to a lot of other Canadian schools, especially larger schools outside of the Maritimes, Acadia encourages students to find their passion and to do something with it. Students sometimes find it surprising to come out of high school and to be so encouraged to be involved in the school and community. This is what Acadia should market: it’s ability to give students so many opportunities to discover their interests and to pursue them, despite its small size.

    Being a part of something other than just classes allows students to destress by doing things they enjoy. Students tend to be happier when they feel like they have responsibilities outside of doing work, which is why it’s so great that Acadia is so welcoming towards those who are involved.

    Here are just a few of the ways students can get involved with extracurriculars at Acadia:

     

    1. Clubs

    There are so many opportunities for students to be a part of a club. Just a few of those available include

    -Medical Response Team

    -Model UN

    -Sisters of Color

    -InterVarsity

    -Program Societies

     

    1. Sports

    -Varsity & Club sports

    -Intramurals

    -The Athletic Complex

     

    1. On-campus Activities

    -Residence Assistants

    -Campus tour guides

    -Jobs at the SUB

     

    1. Volunteer Opportunities

    -S.M.I.L.E.

    -Kinderskills

    -Triple A

     

    1. Jobs/volunteer opportunities within your program

    -Teaching Assistants

    -The Writing Centre

    -M.A.S.H.

    -SIAM

     

    1. The Athenaeum!

     

    This is by no means an exhaustive list. A more comprehensive list can be found on Acadia’s website, but it still does not include everything there is to do in Wolfville. Perhaps it’s because the school is so small that it is that much more important to find something that interests you. With so many opportunities, a lot of students end up finding multiple ways to get involved, which makes Acadia such a unique school.

  • Making Your Way: Or How To Make The Most Of University And Life In General

    Making Your Way: Or How To Make The Most Of University And Life In General

    What does university mean to you? Is it just a series of classes you attend day after day, or the notes you take in your books, or the letter grades printed on your blue transcript? I don’t think it should be. Strictly speaking, you are not only paying for an education, you are also paying for much more. It’s not just the grades you get, or the career you want/are training for – it’s about your development as a scholar, a community member and a human being who exists on the planet Earth. University alone is not meant to simply be vocational training. It’s meant to be a place to experiment and to grow. I have learned since my first year not to derive my satisfaction solely from my grades, but from the people I spend time with and from the experiences I happen to throw myself into. Some people come to university having learned that lesson, others leave without learning anything at all. But some will learn it during their tenure at university, and the realisation will change them forever.

    I graduated from IB in high school. Although the program’s rigour gave me certain studying habits and traits that I will always appreciate, I feel like it robbed me of something important. Growing up in a middle class family and surrounded by friends who constantly pushed themselves to succeed, I developed a sense of inadequacy, one where I was trapped within my own doubts. I forced myself to work harder, because I thought it was the only way to be happy. I believed that I could only be the best I was if I committed to something and conquered it completely.

    When I came to university, this mindset persevered. I spent most of my first year in my room studying and finishing assignments. I rarely went out. I saw almost no benefit to spending time in things that were not school-related. It was a boring first year. Of course, as with most young adults in university, the shells that they lived in while they were in grade school slowly begin to crack and split open, at which point new ideas and aspirations pour in, and the old values and beliefs escape forever. My shell was on the brink of shattering completely. Hesitant to open up to new forms of change, it took a while. A lot of it depended on the development of self-confidence and acceptance. Putting myself in more positions of leadership helped with that quite a bit.

    It’s hard to look back at myself and understand what my motivations were in first year, and before that in high school. It’s almost like I’m thinking about another person. I think this condition is universal. Since then, I have immersed myself in several academic and community initiatives – these are the things that make my work more rewarding. Others have done more impressive things than I have. The bigger point that I am trying to illustrate is this: university experiences are molded much more poignantly by the surroundings in which find for yourself than by the courses you take. Every opportunity granted is an opportunity to learn and develop. It becomes a necessity for my well-being like painkillers for an addict.

    One final note: every holiday break, I try to watch one of my favourite Christmas movies: It’s a Wonderful Life, starring James Stewart. In the film, the protagonist George Bailey is constantly suffering from bouts of indecision: stay in his hometown of Bedford Falls and save it from financial and moral ruin by the ruthless Mr. Potter, or leave it behind and explore the world (a dream he holds in his youth that many students in university probably hold as well). He decides to stay, and it isn’t until the end of the movie that he realizes just how important he is to others. The lesson in the movie is a potent reminder of our place in the community, and how the smallest, most selfless actions can change a place or person for the better. It also teaches us that changing our perspective about ourselves as active members of a larger population can actually change us for the better. This is what happens to George, renewing his individual motivation and passion for protecting those he loves around him. With any luck, university will give you this change of perspective early. You might not gain the recognition or the respect you deserve, but devoting yourself to those around you will make you a far happier person than you knew you could become.

  • Managing Your Werkspace

    Managing Your Werkspace

    First year university can be a challenging time to start over in a new place. New places mean new areas to study and also new ways of cooperating with the environment that surrounds you. The following are a few tips that can help with studying in a new place.

    Part 1: Paper

    It’s important to come up with a good system for filing papers at the beginning of the semester. Having a clear space for paper to be stored will help with the tranquility of your room (especially if it’s hidden). Some students find that having lots of paper on their desk can be a stressful reminder of everything that they haven’t done. The residence rooms at Acadia, for the most part, have a limit amount of desk space (included the wardrobe and dresser). This space is meant to be used for everything from toiletries, extra food, books, hair and makeup items, plants, and other odd things. This means that table space must be cherished. Consider finding a place to store papers that is tucked away and not immediately noticeable. It will make a world of difference.

    Part 2: Electronic Documents

    Decide what sort of naming system you would like to apply to all of your work, and start using it right away. A consistent system will prove to be useful later on down the road.  The physical appearance of a paper free workspace can help to ease tension. It is always a good idea to make the Downloads folder of your laptop as neat as possible. This section will often become overcrowded with lots of PowerPoints and class notes provided by professors. It should also be noted that a lot of people use their computer or laptop screen for Post-It notes that give them a list of things to do. This could lead to the same feelings of clutter if not managed properly.

    Part 3: Space
    Some students find that it’s easier to study in a public place. Some find that it’s easier to study in their room. Take the first couple of weeks to try out new things and see what you like best. It may take a while to find the perfect workspace, but it is very much worth it. The following are a couple of environmental combinations to brainstorm and experiment with:

    • Public A – Public S (a public area where people surround you)
    • Public A – Private NS (a public area where no one can see you)
    • Private A – Private NS (a private area where no one can see you)

    Examples of good places to check out around campus:

    • The K.C. Irving Center
    • The Vaughn Memorial Library (check out the study rooms as well as the quiet room. As for help if you don’t know where those places are)
    • Clark Commons
    • Residence Lounges
    • The SUB (the main floor is great, as well as the Michener lounge)
    • Wheelock Dining Hall
  • Don’t Fly Your Way Through University

    Don’t Fly Your Way Through University

    There is a concerning sentiment held by many of Acadia’s students about the difficulty of courses they should take. Belief that you should take at least one so-called “bird course” per semester is common. A bird course is a class that is notoriously easy, often demonstrated by the high percentage of students that pass with an A or greater. These classes may or may not have a final exam or project, and generally have little-to-none in terms of assignments. The term is of Canadian origin, and it suggests that students who take these bird courses are capable of flying right through them (the actual origin of the word is unknown, from what I can tell. Some resources state that the term comes from the idiom “for the birds,” meaning trivial or worthless, yet others state that it comes from the antiquated opinion that women (sometimes called birds) were capable of taking the course because it was easy).

    Regardless of the perhaps sexist origin of the term, the idea seems to have stuck. In this article I hope to illuminate some of the reasons why you should take bird courses, and why you shouldn’t.

    1. Money: Acadia tuition for Nova Scotian student in the 2015-2016 academic year is $6430.00 CAD. For international students, this figure is more than doubled. If you consider the fact that most students (ignoring first year engineers) are required to take five courses a semester, then by simple mathematics the average student is paying over $600 for a single course over one semester (not to mention the additional cost of textbooks, online homework class keys, etc.). Now the crucial question is: do you consider the courses you are taking to be worth this much? Money is scarce among university students, and for good reason – they are spending most of it on getting an education. But for many, this step is nothing more than a practical necessity for future endeavours. If it means a higher GPA, then why bother with educational idealism?
    1. Intellectual Challenge: This is another important factor. Everyone is here to learn (I hope). Whether that learning enables you to continue doing research, or to proceed to graduate school, or go into the workforce – it doesn’t matter. The skills you acquire will not come from the courses that do not challenge you. They will come from the courses that push you to new limits. Only then will you discover new things about yourself. You will be forced to manage stress and maintain balance in the face of difficulty. However, how much is too much? When will you know if your academic saturation point has been reached – beyond which you begin to struggle and lose footing in a certain topic? These are hard questions to answer. Needless to say, I have yet to come up with an answer, and I’m over halfway finished my degree.
    1. Interest: Most people I talk to about the easy courses they take describe them as incredibly dull. If you don’t have interest in a topic, why would you devote your time to it? Take courses you are serious about, courses that pique your curiosity and expose you to new things. The more interest you have in a topic, the more effort you will put into understanding it. That being said, sometimes you enjoy a course so much you want to spend all your time studying it. Then taking an easier load grants you the most precious gift a university student can have: time. It allows you to prioritize, and work harder on the things that are important to you. Instead of spending your life behind a book, you can spend it with friends, volunteering, or at the gym. It gives you the pportunity for breathing space – keeping yourself healthy and sane so that you don’t burn out early.

    With these three ideas in mind, I think it is safe to say that there is a balance that needs to be struck in order to survive university in one piece while still coming out of it with a real education. I believe in the importance of pushing yourself to your limit. To do such and survive is a proud achievement for anyone. Yet this limit differs between students. With respect to marks: try and remember that a number on a page does not define you as an individual. Yes, it is (sometimes) important to employers, and yes, it is a large factor in selecting medical, law and graduate school applicants (sadly), but don’t let a drop in your GPA motivate you to stop pursuing the topic you love in hopes of restoring your mark to the number you had before. Instead, focus on enjoying your short time here at university, learning what you care about, and spending time with the people you love the most.

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