Curious about what being a student at Vancouver Island University is like? Wondering how to pay for school, where to go for help with essay writing or how to take advantage of all of the extra-curricular activities available on campus?
Check out the VIU Blog for helpful tips and tricks to make university life easier, courtesy of VIU students who have already experienced it and are eager to share their knowledge. From how to pay for university, to what to do if you’re struggling, to finding your tribe, students who have walked the same halls and taken the same courses pass on their best advice.
“It can feel a little daunting being a post-secondary student when considering the bills,” writes Creative Writing student Raymond Wade. “Fortunately, there are plenty of resources and approaches that can help you get through school without breaking the bank.”
“The biggest hurdle to overcome at university is to ask for help. If your professors know you, they can reach out and support you,” advises First Nations Studies student Sheldon Scow, in a column about surviving post-secondary as an Indigenous student. “It’s better for them to know you’re struggling than for them to not know and wonder why you’re not showing up. I know. I’ve lived it.”
The VIU Blog aims to answer all the little questions students and prospective students frequently ask – and some of the big ones as well. For example, in a column about figuring out what to do when you grow up, three VIU experts share advice to help students navigate this path.
“Expose yourself to experiences – you can’t consider what you don’t know,” suggests VIU Psychology Professor Dr. Lindsay McCunn. “Go on volunteer opportunities, ride along with the police and hang out in an elementary school class as an aide. Be proactive and put yourself in the environment you think you want to be exposed to day in and day out. Usually, you will succeed in a setting you feel more comfortable in.”
Check out these articles and many more on the VIU Blog page. Fill out the subscribe link at the bottom of the page to receive these stories straight to your inbox!