Lethbridge College students are receiving virtual support both inside and outside the virtual classroom.
With faculty keeping in touch online — offering library resources, videos from the fitness centre and support for mental health — students, staff and their families can find a range of options to make the period of isolation a little more bearable.
“If students are still looking for support with reviewing papers, studying for online exams, math and science support, study skills… all of those services continue to be available,” associate dean of Student Services, Lindsay Workman, said.
“Our Wellness Services department is front and centre right now. We have supports available to students 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
“There’s creative outlet workshops going on remotely through our wellness services office that are free,” Workman added.
It isn’t where Lethbridge College student Kevin Forsyth thought his post-secondary experience would end.
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“This is my second and final year of a diploma — the Digital Communications and Media program,” Forsyth said.
“Normally we would be looking for jobs right now — we still are to an extent — but we’re getting ready for practicums and that sort of thing and this whole pandemic has kind of thrown a wrench into that plan.”
But Forsyth says his instructors have made distance learning and video chat classes work during mandatory self-distancing.
“They’re a lot more flexible. I’ve been really happy about how the program has handled it… I feel like we’ve had lots of support.”
Forsyth adds that students have been made well aware of the resources offered outside the classroom.
“It’s all just been stuff that I’ve seen on social media for the most part, like Shepell Counselling. Just letting students know they can still talk to someone if they need to,” Forsyth said.
“I think a few instructors have pointed us in that direction if we need it, which is good. So far, I’m doing OK. But who knows where I’ll be in a few weeks or a few months.”
He says the growing pains of shifting to social distancing measures have given everyone a chance to reevaluate the way they typically see their day-to-day.
“It gives us an opportunity to do things in a much different way, a way that things have never been done before,” he said.
“Honestly, I think there’s a lot of things that seem to be easier than people thought. I know there’s a lot of people working from home, and it seems like there are a lot of things that can be done remotely.”
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