ROAD TO HIGHER LEARNING
T H U R S D A Y, M A R C H 1 6 , 2 0 1 7
S A S K AT O O N S TA R P H O E N I X
D1
Road to higheR leaRning
Immersed in an unfamiliar environment, it’s easy for first-year university students to lose their bearings and feel a bit lost. It’s important to reach out for help, say the authors of the Freshman Survival Guide. G e T Ty I m aG es
The “new” Freshman survival Guide:
Today’s students face new social, emotional and mental challenges
by Hilary Klas sen
Heading into first-year university is an exciting and important step for high school graduates. But a smooth transition is not guaranteed. Nora Bradb u r y - Ha e h l , c o - a u t h o r of the Freshmen Survival Guide, says she’s seen s tu dents s trug gle with the transition, especially t h o s e w h o l e av e h o m e to study. The guide helps new students ease in and be better prepared for campus life. B r a d b u r y - Ha e h l a n d co-author Bill McGarvey shared the vision to create a holistic guide that goes well beyond how to be a successful student. The guide covers social, financial, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of college life. There is a generous amount of fresh material in the second edition. “One big shift was really expanding the section on living in the digital world,” says Bradbury-Haehl. “It’s so fantastic what we’re able to do now.” Bradbur y-Haehl has worked with youth in educational settings in upstate New York for 25 years and sees that a good portion of building and maintaining relationships now happens online. While there are still
cautions about online relationships, she says its good to be aware that sometimes when students are on the phone, they may be supporting a friend who could be having an anxiety attack or whose parents might be splitting up. “It’s one more tool for friendships for giving and getting support,” she says. Bradbury-Haehl “Online is great and in-person can be even better. They’re not opposite.” Another big shift is the way consent is beginning to be handled on college campuses. While there’s still a long way to go, BradburyHaehl says the perspective of colleges has fundamentally shifted when it comes to ideas about dating, sexual assault and safety. She quotes a phrase that is overused but still somehow wise. “’Guys give love to get sex and girls give sex to get love.’ It’s a huge oversimplification and either party can play either role, but it’s something to keep in mind.” Sex isn’t a universal language. ‘Taking it to the next level’ can mean different things to different people. Bradbury-Haehl says it’s good to remember there really aren’ t that many sexual predators out there. “It seems like it when you
look at the rates of sexual assault, but it really is just a few people, usually guys, on each campus. So when somebody tells you about a guy’s reputation, believe them. It is the same guy who rapes 20 women and the statistics bear that out.” Another issue that is creating increasing concern among students is finances. The new guide helps students become more financially savvy. “This is a generation of young people who are going to graduate with more debt than anybody ever has,” says BradburyHaehl. It’s easy to lose your bearings as a freshman, and it’s normal to feel a bit lost. “Everybody at some point during their first semester breaks down in tears out of homesickness, even people who hated being home.” Mourning the loss of what was familiar and getting used to something new is a tricky business, she says. It’s very important to know when to reach out for help. “If you are really sinking or you’re drinking way more than you ever did before and you’re starting to miss class, it’s better to get help sooner than later,” says Bradbury-Haehl. You can save yourself, your family and your bank account a lot
of heartache if you take action once you realize you’re in trouble. The book helps students balance the fun and the serious parts of campus life. Those who were used to helicopter parenting may enjoy a delicious new sense of freedom. “You can get by on the, ‘Woohoo, now I can do anything I want’ for about two weeks and then you can find yourself in a lot of trouble,” says Bradbury-Haehl. It often happens to really bright kids who have gotten by on charm and smarts through high school. “But once you get to university you actually have to do the reading and the homework.” At thefreshmansurvivalguide.com, the authors include a study budget, which has been called the great equalizer. “There are people who come to university with more money than you and better test scores than you, but everybody has the same number of hours in the day,” says Bradbury-Haehl. Students who schedule in their study time can take breaks without guilt, knowing they’re deserved. The first Freshman Survival Guide enjoyed some unexpected attention on the David Letterman Show. Nora Bradbur y-Haehl,
The authors’ soulful advice integrates the bigger questions of meaning, identity, belief and belonging. “It’s not just about how to get good grades and how to graduate from college. It’s about how to do that while you’re becoming the person that you want to be.”
co-author of the new guide, says you can’t buy advertising like that! The second edition of The Freshman Survival Guide is
enjoying significant uptake as well, offering “Soulful Advice for Studying, Socializing and Everything in Between.”
How to make the most of scholarship opportunities by ryan Hall
Each year, thousands of students graduate from Saskatchewan high schools and start their journey into the adult world. For many, pursuing higher education is the next step. Financing that dream has become increasingly challenging. A survey of 18,000 university grads conducted in 2015 by the Canadian University Survey Consortium revealed that the average student in our country accumulates debt in excess of $26,000. In order to assist as many students as possible pursue post-secondary education, the University of Saskatchewan grants over $12 million dollars in awards, scholarships, bursaries and prizes to current and incoming students each year. These scholarships, bursaries, and prizes are given out based on academic merit, financial need, or for a specific merit such as an exceptional essay, or highest grade in a particular course. Not every award is gran-
With rising student debt, pursuing scholarship opportunities is more important than ever for most students. The University of Saskatchewan grants over $12 million in annual awards, scholarships, bursaries and prizes. GeT T y Im aG es
ted at the same time, as there are different cycles that take place over the course of the year. Overall, the deadlines to apply for awards that are open to all students, regardless of college or faculty are March 1 (entering awards), June 1 (continuing scholarships), and October 1 (continuing bursaries). Additionally, individual colleges also hand out awards to their own students in the fall, winter and spring. To help students identify scholarship opportunities, the
University of Saskatchewan Student and Enrolment Services Division (SESD) keeps an up-to-date and searchable online database. Individual colleges and programs, student recruiters, Prospective Students’ Services, as well as the SESD also advertise awards across campus. Students who are already enrolled at the U of S are advised to check the Scholarship and Bursaries channel in PAWS, the online student portal. “It’s important that stu-
dents have multiple ways to access this information, so they can make the most of the opportunities available to them,” says Wendy Klingenberg, manager and associate registrar, Student Finances and Awards at the University of Saskatchewan. This is especially important since each year one out of 70 awards go unclaimed. Often, this is the result of students not being able to compile all the documents needed to apply for a certain scholar-
ship, or because the award is so specific that no one qualifies. When that happens the award is re-advertised and the competition re-opened, because as Klingenberg says “we want to put the money into students’ hands.” When applying for awards, there are some tips that students should keep in mind to increase their chances of success. FIrst, it’s important to pay attention to each scholarship’s eligibility requirements and to make sure that you are a valid applicant. When choosing which awards to apply for, those that require documents to be submitted are more work, but that also means there will be fewer competitors. Overall, students should apply for any award that requires additional documents, and which they are eligible for, to maximize their chances. Finally, during the application process, students often encounter roadblocks or have questions. To help them along, they can turn to the Student Finance and Awards
This secTion was creaTed by conTenT works, PosTmedia’s commercial conTenT sTudio.
unit of SESD, and the friendly staff there will do their best to provide resources and clarity to the application and awardingprocesses. Students are also encouraged to look beyond the U of S, and to pursue nationally, or even internationally, recognized scholarships. “Often, local students don’t think of applying for these awards,” says Klingenberg. “Given how well they perform academically, they are missing out on great opportunities.” Closer to home, there are several other places that students should be looking for scholarships, bursaries, and grants. Institutions such as banks, service clubs and community or religious organizations often have established awards that are handed out on an annual basis, and these can be an excellent resource for students as well. As Klingenberg says, “Many students aren’t aware that there are a number of excellent scholarships offered locally. We want to encourage them to go looking for them, as they are well worth seeking out.”