BY KENNEDY COLTHERD
Students all over Ontario are going through midterm season. It’s the time of year when they try to cram in as much information as possible. Study groups form, questions start being asked and emails to the teacher get sent but most importantly stress levels shoot through the roof.
Midterms vary in weight, some are worth 10 per cent, while others are worth 15 to 20 per cent. Everything a student has put in to the course at this point often depends on this one paper.
Marissa Baptista, a first year in the Cosmetology program at Sheridan said “I had assignments and tests all due at once plus work, plus family a lot of stuff to handle. To manage my time I make lists, take little breaks and listen to music.” Baptista referred to her stress levels going up to a seven on a scale of one to ten during this time at school.
It’s not just Sheridan students who are finding this time of year difficult or harder to manage than normal. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) mental illness is seriously effecting students. Canada’s youth suicide rate being third highest in the industrialized world. Also according to CHMA “Suicide is among the leading cause of deaths with 15- to 24-year-olds in Canada, second to accidents.
Robyn Rousseau, a second-year Event Management student at Humber said “I would say that I am under a bit more pressure during midterm season because my midterms aren’t all in one week. So I have to find a good balance between midterm studying and regular class projects and mini assignments. To help with the stress of midterms, I make sure that I have most of my assignments or at least the crucial parts completed before Friday or Saturday so I can have a stress-free weekend.
Some colleges and universities are aware of the high pressures and stresses at this time of year they have a whole month dedicated to student health. School’s like University of Alberta have yoga mornings and in their student union building they have hundreds of balloons. Each representing a student who has attempted or has committed suicide.
Sheridan offers many ways for their students to get through midterm season. Last year Sheridan brought in therapy dogs and students were allowed to pet and cuddle the pets as dogs have also been proven as a a way to relieve stress. Pauline Broadhurst, a coordinator for the program explained why she become involved with Therapeutic Paws of Canada with her dog Storm.
“We decided to get a dog again and went to the shelter and found Storm, and we just knew she was just too good of a dog for us to have her all to ourselves and wanted to see what we could do to help.”
Students don’t have to visit a therapy dog to relieve stress. There are other ways, according to author Vivian Goldschmidt. By doing one of these five scientifically proven things, students can also lower their stress and anxiety levels.
- Get more sleep
- Improve your mood by physically smiling more.
- Hang out with your friends
- Get rid of all the toxins in your body. (Go to the gym or drink a healthy smoothie.)
- Believe in yourself. (Think positively)