Tag: exams

Categories
Opinions

Easier said than done: tips to handle stress

Graphic by Olivia Shan @youngmiddleold

Burnout feels inevitable this time of year, as do tips to help avoid it—but do those “helpful tips” actually work?

It’s 4 a.m. and I’ve just finished my fourth cup of coffee. 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—burnout season. Exams are somehow just around the corner, but you’ve barely recovered from the last exam season. You’re running on fumes and wondering where all the hours in a day go. Inevitably, you’re burnt out. 

And somehow, burnout really does seem inevitable. Harvard Business Review puts it well, saying that this exhaustion “can stem from the demands of an always-on, 24/7 organizational culture, intense time pressure, or simply having too much to do, especially when you lack control over your work, dislike it, or don’t have the necessary skills to accomplish it.” 

(Felt that.)

Our world seems to just be built this way. School prioritizes results over learning, and work prizes productivity over well-being. That realization begs the question: is there anything we can do about it? 

With the end of semester burnout comes a staple of the season: tips and tricks to handle the stress. The issue is that many of these tips are much easier said than done and don’t address the inherent issues within our education system, workforce, and productivity culture. 

To delve deeper, I considered common advice and asked students from various universities and CEGEPs for their thoughts on burnout to find out whether these so-called “helpful tips” are actually helpful at all, and to discover their own personal strategies to manage stress. 

Get more sleep? This is the one I struggle with the most. My roommate, on the other hand, has no trouble prioritizing her sleep schedule. “All-nighters are a scam,” said Georgia C. Leggett, a McGill anthropology student. “I found I did my lowest quality work late at night, so I started making sleep my main priority. It makes me feel better, I get more done, and I buy less concealer.” 

Eat healthy? Nobody prioritizes their health more than Francesca Foy, a McGill finance student who only knows two food groups during exam season: RedBull and Couche-Tard sandwiches. She claims it’s an absolute must for “the grind,” but she does notice a big difference when she makes the time to eat right. She enjoys meal prepping with friends as a social activity: “That way you’re having a good time but also being productive and doing something good for your health. Plus, I suck at cooking, so this is a sneaky way to let my friends do all the work.” 

Stay active? “The problem is that when you’re approaching burnout, every technique feels like a chore,” said Nicolas Lachapelle, who is studying engineering at UOttawa. He and burnout are good friends, so he tackles the issue by going on long stress walks. Personally, I’m a big fan of multi-tasking—listening to your lectures while going for a run, or even doing a reading on a stationary bike can help integrate some movement into your study grind. 

Make studying fun? You can usually find Dylan Badke-Ingerman in the Concordia library (though she’s a Dawson student), distracting me with gossip and suspicious Bulk Barn jelly beans. We’ve taken to hosting regular study sessions, and though we don’t get very much done, the study parties at least make us feel like we’re in it together. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, ” Badke said. “I actually get lots done when we study together.” Well, that makes one of us. 

Find what works for you! Ultimately, you need to find methods and tricks that make sense for who you are and the life you lead. I may never have a proper sleep schedule or a diet that isn’t 95 per cent stolen leftovers (sorry Georgia), but I do have floor naps and Bulk Barn. And when all else fails, I try to remember: school does matter, but not more than health and well-being. So even though I have three more assignments to finish, I think it’s time to call it a night. 

Categories
Student Life

Test our knowledge, not the bounds of privacy ethics

Taking an exam shouldn’t mean giving up your privacy

Concordia University’s OnLine Exam (COLE) system, which uses Proctorio’s technology, has received much backlash online, and rightly so. The platform helps to facilitate evaluations even if students cannot physically be present on campus, an unfortunate reality for many amidst our current COVID-19 pandemic world. However, by using Proctorio’s assets, universities are setting a dangerous precedent. One University of Dallas student journalist put it as “spyware cloaked under the guise of being an educational tool.” From knowing what tabs you have open, direct access to your camera and microphone, the ability to see what devices you have plugged in and eject them, it’s an unprecedented amount of power forced by universities onto already pressured students.

Before I go further, I want to emphasize that academic integrity is essential. Cheaters ruin our world, whether through traffic, shoddy quality goods, relationships, or taxes. Academia has a responsibility to protect itself against this, but not just because it hurts other students and our work. Ultimately, how we conduct ourselves in our schooling is how we approach our workplaces and our communities.

But enough is enough. The line was crossed months ago, and the excuse of COVID-19 simply isn’t good enough. These privacy concerns were already discussed at the start of the pandemic. In an April 7 Medium article, a former Bay Street lawyer (and Concordia alumnus), Fahad Diwan, broke down exactly how the university was violating student rights in a legal context. Shocker — he thinks it’s wrong and maybe even illegal.

“The use of Proctorio needs to be suspended until Proctorio can get manifest, free, and enlightened consent from students,” said Diwan in the post, “and Concordia University can demonstrate that online, closed-book exams are absolutely necessary.”

Well, that didn’t happen. The administration and faculties washed their hands of the controversy with the same excuse everyone is using — it’s COVID.

Let me ask my fellow educators and administrators — would you consent to this? Would you accept Concordia creeping into your computer, your files, your emails? And I’m not talking about your work machines. I’m talking about your personal tech because that’s what Proctorio does to students through their pervasive Chrome extension. Maybe you do because you have “nothing to hide.” And if that’s the case, I encourage you to post your login credentials publicly on your social media so we can all see why you are such a good netizen (please don’t do this — it’s against Concordia security policies, but also super stupid). This attitude is stunningly anachronistic that I feel genuine shame for those who utter it. Your computer, your phone, your tech IS YOUR BUSINESS.

But let’s go further: what if you were required to report your GPS location for every class you taught because the university told you they needed to verify where you were working for tax purposes? After COVID, what if they monitored when and where you were in the building because your phone automatically connects to Concordia’s wireless network? What if they said you needed to record all lectures and submit them to the university, where an independent team including students would assess if you were effective in teaching during your class discourse, as well as scanning for other problematic behaviour? What happens when you are required by Instructional and Information Technology Services (IITS) to install software that would monitor your productivity? What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

These are no longer “what ifs.” They are WHENs. Like I said before, school environments dictate how we conduct ourselves in our communities and workplaces. By insisting students use these platforms instead of exploring alternative evaluation methods and being unwilling to show empathy for students, academia will receive the same fate. But what’s worse is that universities are setting up the digital prisons they so often rail against. How come Foucault’s panopticon, widely taught in the humanities, did not at least come up in the conversation when implementing this Orwellian spy apparatus?

I beg this: is it worth protecting against cheats if it makes you lose your soul? We’re not police officers —  we’re educators. We seek to empower our students, not wield power over them. Worse, we tell the world and every employer that these tactics are acceptable and to use them on the next generation of workers.

You might feel powerless in this situation. But students have the agency to resist. So, if you are taking exams this semester with COLE or with any system that uses Proctorio or other invasive technologies, fight back! Put a sign in your room or wear a T-shirt that says #ScrewCole or #ExamsNotProctology. It’s your right to free expression.

Before taking your exams, post photos on your social media and tag local media and journalists — encourage your friends and classmates to do the same. Because having to take a university exam shouldn’t mean your school gets to look through your life, digital or otherwise.

 

 Graphic by Taylor Reddam

Categories
Opinions

The harsh realities of burnout culture

As I open the 47th window on my computer and prepare myself to fill this blank document with thoughts, opinions and rhetoric I hope you’ll find interesting, to my surprise, my computer shuts down.

A black screen is a daunting thing to see when you have so much to do — 12 articles, 11 soulful yet professional cover letters, 10 tests, nine unread emails and a partridge in a pear tree.

As I trudged through the snow to use a library computer to finish my work, I couldn’t help but think that sometimes I feel like my laptop.

Yes boomers — I just said I feel like my laptop, okay?

I’m the kind of person that doesn’t do well without structure, so when my system feels like it’s about to shut down, I often excuse the emerging breakdown with phrases like, “I thrive when I’m busy,” “The more time I have, the more I waste,” “I’d be bored if I did less” or the classic, “I don’t burnout.”

Listen, no one is above burnout culture. Not Oprah, Elon Musk or even that friend that seems like they are constantly balancing a million internships and projects at once. As a research professor at the University of Houston and a recent public figure, Brené Brown says, “your body keeps score, and always wins.” Brown is alluding to the fact that we need to engage with self-reflection and self-awareness in order to live our best lives, pardon the cliche.

At this point, you might think that this is just another article telling you to slow down, smell the flowers, kiss your dog, go for a run and call your mother — in which case you are absolutely right. Telling people to slow down, live mindfully and engage with their life meaningfully is not new, but at the same time should constantly be part of the conversation.

We are trained as students, as workers and as humans in general, that the only way we have a purpose in this confusing world is through being productive. This philosophy is ingrained in us to function in the cold, fast, capitalistic world we live in. If we are not moving forward, we are moving backwards. If our economies are not getting bigger, faster, stronger, then what’s the point? It’s important that we understand this system, to combat it.

Some public figures are restructuring their philosophy to promote a healthier lifestyle.

Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post, has been advocating for the prioritization of sleep for a few years now. In an interview with National Geographic, she explained that we are currently in “a moment of transformation.”

“What stops people from prioritizing sleep is the fear that somehow they’re going to miss out, said Huffington. We have so many phrases that confirm that – “You snooze, you lose,” “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”

It’s important to remember we are doing our best. If you need to ask for an extension, miss a class, postpone an interview or what have you, don’t beat yourself up. We are all struggling to grapple with showing up for ourselves, listening to our instincts while also trying to succeed. The reality is, if you are constantly pushing yourself and spreading yourself too thin, then you won’t be able to show up the way you want to in every part of your life. You’ll be tired, you won’t be present, and even if you don’t burnout right away, it will happen.

So in the name of showing up for myself and listening to my body, I’ll end this article here. Quite like my computer, I’m shutting down — or at least on sleep mode. Goodnight. 

 

Photo by Britanny Clarke / Graphic @sundaeghost

Categories
Opinions

The millennial obsession with bleak humour

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

An unorthodox stress-reliever: Laughing at your fears

It’s that time of year again. As Concordia’s fall semester nears its end, students are no doubt preparing for the incoming deluge of finals and research papers.

A quick look at the Spotted: Concordia Facebook page reveals a hellscape of pre-exam anxiety: pictures of students in a tired stupor using textbooks as makeshift pillows lie sandwiched between close-ups of empty hard liquor bottles tucked discreetly behind toilets. In among these moments of cinéma verité, one can find dozens of memes (or “image macros” if you grew up in the 1940s) whose messages can basically be reduced to a single, common point: “I am stressed, therefore, I want to die.”

The millennial obsession with nihilistic comedy has always been a fascinating subject to me. Popular TV shows like Netflix’s BoJack Horseman and Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty revolve around perennially depressed main characters who live in uncaring, occasionally violent worlds. It goes without saying that this sort of comedy has developed for a good reason. A 2014 study by Statistics Canada indicates 54 per cent of post-secondary students felt hopeless at some point that year. They face stress from balancing part-time jobs, competitive academic fields and a job market that is in poor shape.

Effective stress management skills are essential for excelling, especially in university. Of course this seems obvious, but it always bears repeating that prolonged high stress levels can impair the physical and social health of students. According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, this can manifest itself through a litany of unpleasant physical and mental ailments, including moodiness, insomnia and anxiety, among others.

One might assume many of these feelings and symptoms will gradually disappear once exams are over. Yet this is often not the case.

Much like pre-exam stress, post-exam stress can also have a detrimental effect on one’s physical health. Researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City tracked people who had recently experienced high-stress in the workplace, and found they had a greater likelihood of asthma as well as problems with digestion and skin irritation after they were removed from that environment. Even worse, some of these symptoms can arrive at a time when students are gathering with their friends and family.

While cliché advice—eat well, sleep well, exercise and take time to breathe—still applies, what about taking the time to laugh? Too often, I find, blogs and websites will make top 10 lists that only include the aforementioned unoriginal tips. Lurid neon headlines like “This year’s best ways to BEAT UP stress” always have the same content. On occasion, authors will actually take the time to update their article with the newest dietary trend, a recent variation of yoga or CrossFit or some unholy combination thereof.

Yet, not one website I visited had the fortitude to write about laughing at your own fears. Bleak humour allows students to offload some of their stress and turn it into something less dangerous.
In a sense, one can say that nihilistic comedy represents a sort of crowdsourced therapy. By inviting others to poke fun of their own insecurities, one makes them less tangible and, therefore, weaker.

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

Categories
Student Life

Some handheld help for school

Screenshot courtesy of Danielle Gasher

Three apps to help you through that final end-of-semester push

It’s that time of the semester when you feel like you might be drowning. As university students are forced to juggle adult responsibilities, end-of-semester deadlines and exams, time management becomes more important than ever.

For us students, it sometimes feels like there simply aren’t enough hours in a day to tick off every item on our to-do lists.  Luckily, the app store is never short on useful apps to help guide us through our studies, and help us survive the end of our semester.

Get Revising

Screenshot courtesy of Danielle Gasher

This app and website allow you to quickly create a schedule tailored to your individual study needs. The app lets you fill in information about the classes you’re taking, your target grade and the classes and assignments you deem a ‘priority.’

Get Revising also allows you to block off time slots when you are not available to study. These blocks of time can include hours during which you have class, work or other important commitments, and the app essentially helps you work around those commitments. Deadlines and exam dates can also be added to the schedule.

Students can then choose the time they want to begin their study sesh, and set a target for the number of hours they want to dedicate to that session. The site then combines the student’s priorities, deadlines and available study time to create coherent and realistic weekly study schedule.

 Headspace

It can be difficult to set aside time for breaks during your study sessions without feeling guilty.

Sometimes, a spontaneous, 10-minute break is all you need to power through the rest of an essay that’s due tomorrow.

Here’s where the Headspace app comes in handy.  You can have access to 10 free meditation exercises, and each session is 10 minutes long and guided by the soothing British accent of former Buddhist monk, Andy Puddicombe.

The sessions guide students through the process of deconstructing, decluttering and, eventually, reorganizing their mind in a more orderly manner. This app is perfect for when students need to take a step back from homework.

The sessions are organized by levels, allowing you to work your way up to more independent meditation sessions with less guidance.  It also creates a sense of achievement as users move up through the levels. Headspace allows listeners to reap the benefits of meditating without possessing the intellectual discipline of a Buddhist monk.

 

myNoise 

Screenshot courtesy of Danielle Gasher

Even when you’re sitting at a desk with every intention of getting work done, it can be difficult to actually focus. Some people study most efficiently in complete silence. Others need a little white noise. The myNoise app and website offer a plethora of realistic soundscapes and noise generators to fill the silence in a way that won’t distract you.

Among countless others, these include natural noises, such as rain on a tent, streams or the sounds of a rainforest.  You can also choose the calming sounds of a winter walk, an exam hall or a coffee shop, or synthetic noises, such as the classic white noise generator.

Additionally, each noise is highly customizable, allowing users to manually adjust which particular sounds they want to enhance.

With a strategic schedule, a clear head and a stimulating environment, the final weeks of the semester are sure to be more bearable thanks to these helpful study apps.

These free apps are available on iTunes for both android and apple phones.  

Categories
Student Life

A cup of joe with a side of homework

Photo by Joyce Salem

Studying for finals made easier thanks to these five student-friendly Montreal cafés

Café Oui Mais Non
72 Jarry St. East
Open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Wifi: yes
Outlets: many

Photo by Joyce Salem

A little far from downtown, this student-oriented café near Jarry metro is worth the detour for studying. A cup of coffee is cheaper here than in chains like Starbucks or Second Cup—perfect for a student budget.

Additionally, the café is conveniently divided into three “studying sections.” The first is a quiet section, where people only whisper. This section is perfect for a Concordian who prefers a library-style volume for studying. The next area is the come-and-go section. In this space, customers can grab a coffee, have a quick chat and dash. A third, more animated section is in the café’s small basement, where customers can chat as they please.

Table sizes vary, and the lighting is bright enough to keep you wide awake during a long day of hitting the books. While the lighting is strong, the atmosphere is relaxed, unlike a library, which can feel a little sterile and cold.

Anticafé
294 Ste-Catherine St. West
Open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Wifi: yes
Outlets: few

Photo by Joyce Salem

While supporting local artists by exposing their work, Anticafé presents its own creativity by offering a new student-café concept.

Rather than pay for what they consume, students pay for the hours spent in the café. It costs $3 for the first hour and $2 for each subsequent hour, for a maximum of $9 for a full day.

Not only is the rate ideal, but the studying arrangements are flawless. The owner converted a two-story apartment into a café, with every bedroom offering a space with tables and chairs. The rooms are useful for group projects or practicing for oral presentations.

The second floor of Anticafé is a little quieter, making it a better option if you have a harder time concentrating.

Crew Collective & Café
360 St-Jacques St.
Open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m on weekdays,
and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.
Wifi: yes
Outlets: many

Photo by Joyce Salem

Crew Collective & Café is located in the Old Port, near Square-Victoria-OACI metro, in what used to be a majestic and towering bank. For students who like to feel like royalty when studying, this is the place to go.

The café is so beautiful and spacious—it has even been used to take wedding photos.  Given the spaciousness and high ceilings, this place is ideal for people who like to study in open spaces.

It is also an interesting place to study alone or with a friend, because it feels like you are working in an office. The atmosphere offers the necessary motivation to get things done.

Small cubicle spaces are available for free next to the long main tables. Others cubicles, with access to a computer, cost $25 an hour. This café  also has a sofa lounge, for a more comfortable study experience.

While the food and coffee are exquisite, the prices are a bit higher, which is a bit of a downfall.  Lattés and cappuccinos are in the $5 range, and sandwiches and salads range from $10 to $15.

Café Aunja
1448 Sherbrooke St. West
Open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Wifi: yes
Outlets: many

Photo by Joyce Salem

Among the other options, Café Aunja is one of the closest to Concordia’s Loyola campus. It’s also one of the more charming options.

During the week, this spot can get packed, but on weekends the place slows down and students can have a couch or table to study comfortably at.

The music in the café is calming. The place isn’t dead quiet, chatter is part of the package, but as in many other cafés, chatter can quickly become quiet background noise.

Behind the counter, there’s a little living room-style section, where people usually take a break from studying while waiting for their coffee. The place is cozy and small, a kind of home-away-from-home nook for studying.

Toi, Moi & Café
2695 Notre-Dame St. West
Open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays,
and from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends.
Wifi: yes
Outlets: few

Photo by Joyce Salem

At this little bistro near the Lionel-Groulx metro station, students have the option of starting their day with a latte and ending it with a celebratory glass of wine. The experience includes table service and friendly staff.

Outlets to plug computers are harder to come by here, but there are nevertheless a few spread out around the bistro.

The tables are far apart, making this place ideal for students who prefer to be in their bubble and forget there are other people are around them.

It might seem odd to study in a bistro, but the soft jazz music and relaxed vibe at Toi, Moi & Café make the place just as ideal for an end-of-term study sesh as any other café.

Exit mobile version