CAREERS & EDUCATION HIGHER LEARNING
Find ways to manage uncertainty
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Planning ahead will help you make the best of your school year
arely is everything going totally smooth, even under normal circumstances. Uncertainty is all around us, never more so than today, given the situation caused by the pandemic.
The nature of uncertainty is that it is out of your control; the best you can do is manage worries and do your best to prepare. Here are some ideas for managing the unexpected during COVID.
Given that things hardly go without a hitch, we need to find ways to manage the unpredictable. Some strategies to deal with uncertainty are to prepare for the unexpected and learn to tolerate a bit of trouble. Now with COVID, nothing is really certain — school may start normally and then could even go online. The professors may change, you may need to isolate for two weeks if there are any signs of COVID or if you come in contact with someone who has been affected, or you could get sick. Anything is possible and postponing school may not be the solution, as the future is uncertain as well.
Manage anxiety and worries
Since uncertainty is now a constant, remind yourself of what helps you cope. If talking things over with friends is helpful, be sure to make time to cultivate and maintain your friendships. Joining a group or playing a sport or volunteering or being introduced to new people, even virtually, may help you find supportive community. If you need a way to take your mind off your worries and disappointments, be sure to schedule in breaks with diversions and people who can help. Many find that meditation and/ or exercise is helpful for changing
their mental state and feeling in better control. Having some way to calm yourself should be part of your skill set. Even scrubbing the kitchen floor, with or without your preferred music, can take the edge off anxiety. Plus, you get a good workout! Or even making bread can be both therapeutic and delicious. You get a sense of accomplishment and surround yourself with good smells. Whatever you do, avoid behaviours that can cause more trouble if you turn to them frequently, such as recreational drugs or alcohol. Find positive ways to take care of your mental health. You can also find people to speak to in your campus such as mental health counsellors who can help you deal with stress and anxiety.
Make a note of contact information of other students in your class (at least one or two), your school’s support services and your professors. You may also want to have some ideas for alternatives if your parttime job dries up or if there is a delay in receiving your student loans. Find out what additional services your school offers for students during the pandemic, which could even include financial resources.
Consider working ahead in your studies and having your essays and assignments ready early, whenever possible. School can get interrupted and so can access to resources. If you are part of a group work assignment, don’t fully rely on other members to do their part; some members could drop out. Have some technology back up in case of breakdowns. Make yourself visible to your professors. If Prepare ahead Whenever a weather crisis is they see you attend class regularly coming, we are told to stock up on and are engaged, they may be more our food and water supplies. We inclined to help you if you need a might also get a few good books, favour, such as an extension on an movies we want to see and list some assignment. tasks that need to get done when Avoid letting everything pile up. we have spare time. This is as true during a pandemic as it is for a That goes for your studies as well as your laundry. And try not to fight or snowstorm. fuss with your family or housemates. Make sure to plan for whatever During times of uncertainty, we the pandemic may bring your way. need all the help we can get. Geneviève Beaupré and Susan Qadeer have extensive experience working in university and college settings, providing career, academic and personal counselling to international and immigrant students.
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CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 18 Issue 5 | 2021
