Exactly one year ago, I laid out four things I learned from four years at Queen’s. Now that I’ve made it through another year and another degree, I thought I would keep the tradition going.
Number five: students don’t rise to their goals—they fall to their support systems.
Queen’s has so many resources. It can be difficult to know them all or when to use them.
I dream about our school using an AI chatbot to navigate the Queen’s website. I’ve noticed even under the best circumstances, it can be difficult to find the right information. Until a robot takes over this task, my office will continue serving as a connector for students. I can’t fit it all into a 400-word column, but here’s a start.
You might not think you know what the Division of Student Affairs (DSA) is, but you certainly use it on a regular basis.
Wellbeing-wise, there’s the Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC) that runs reduced-cost fitness classes and Student Wellness Services (SWS) offers physical and mental health appointments.
The Registrar answers questions related to financial aid, exams, and graduation. If you’re facing an emergency expense and don’t meet the requirements for another support option, look into the Rector’s Bursary.
If you need help developing skills like giving conference presentations, check out the Student Academic Success Service (SASS). I hear they have a great workshop on beating procrastination…but I’ve never gotten around to it.
If you’re looking for strong community connections, visit the Yellow House, Four Directions, the International Centre, Faith and Spiritual Life, or the Ban Righ Centre.
Outside the DSA, the Ombuds office, a lesser-known resource, offers impartial guidance on procedures, advice on rights, and referrals. My office enjoys collaborating with the Ombudsperson to identify systemic issues.
You also have two student governments. The AMS and SGPS work closely with the University administration to advocate for your needs and correspond with external groups like StudentCare to facilitate your Health & Dental plan.
These departments and offices don’t run themselves and employ hundreds of students annually.
In my first year, I utilized the Queen’s Pub (QP) to memorize art history flashcards. Six years later, I owe a lot to all those fries which led me to apply for a job, and later brought me into student government.
Who knows, the next Rector might be serving you a cold one this fall.
At your service,
Niki
Tags
Campus resources, Rector's Digest, student government
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