My College Experience

After four challenging years of high school, I have finally made it to college. It has been an

interesting couple of months. Everything about college is different, from no mandatory attendance to

student-teacher relationships. There is so much more love and support at college. There are so many

resources that are there for students to help them learn and grow. One resource in particular is SALS. This

stands for Student Academic Learning Service. They provide tutoring and a quiet space for students to

come and study. They have workshops and pamphlets, all to help students get the help they need. My

friends and I booked a workshop that was about writing tips but because of unfortunate events I missed it.

Another friend mentioned that I can do a workshop online. I was so happy to hear this. I registered for a

workshop called ‘Writing, Peer Tutoring, Learning Skills. I learned so much.

The online workshop provided many tabs of helpful information. The first tab includes general

information about SALS and basic skills needed for everyday life. My favourite thing about this

workshop were the tips that they provided after every topic. They ranged from email tips to general

healthy life style tips; like getting enough sleep, and eating right. I chose this workshop because I find that

the thing I have most difficulty with is how to properly cite work and writing proper emails. I find in this

generation, people seem to have lost the ability to have proper grammar and writing. Everyone talks in

short forms and emoticons. It was very helpful to get good tips on how to write grammatically correct. I

have difficulty with citing because I was never taught in high school. In every module a helpful tab called

‘how to use this module was provided’ where everything is shown. This is such an amazing

accommodation.

I chose SALS because I have heard really good things about it. I have friends in earlier years that

have told me that it is a wonderful place to get help. For my program, Pre-health, there are a couple

mandatory courses: Preparing for Academic Success and Computers. Computers is all about how to use

Word and Excel properly and citing. In this workshop, I learned how to properly cite sources. This was

the first connection that I discovered. In Preparation for Academic Success we learn skills that will help
us in later courses and programs. Every week we talk about a new topic. They range from stress to

teamwork. A connection I noticed in this workshop compared to my course was that in both, the very

important topic of presenting, whether it was in a group or alone was talked about. I also think that those

two courses will help me immensely in the future. An enriched college experience makes college more

fun and allows everyone, of all learning abilities, to feel at home and makes them feel worthy of learning.

I have gained a greater understanding of general skills.

It is important to take advantage of the resources that are provided at school because they are

there to help students. If it is available, it only makes sense to use the services. I happened to also stop by

and check out the Aboriginal club, the library and Smartstart. The Aboriginal club is a very nice

atmosphere filled with compassion and inclusion. There are tables in the room that help provide a quiet

atmosphere. The library is a great resource. It is filled with all kinds of books made for pleasure but also

academic success. Lastly the coolest resource of all is called Smartstart. It is a program that helps young

aspiring entrepreneurs with big dreams. They help them launch a campaign and get a business started.

Two resources other resources that will be academically enriching is the Wellness center where students

can go and participate in all kinds of physical activities, including the gym and the treadmill. This

resource is helpful because it allows students to clear their mind of the stress they may feel because of

school pressures.
 In conclusion, Durham College is full of amazing opportunities to grow and thrive. The

workshops at SALS are very effective and there are many quiet places for students to efficiently study.

The campus is full of amazing professors, which are willing to go out of their way to get a student to

where they want to be. I was miserable for four years in high school. This is my big break. I cannot wait

to see how much more I can learn and how much more I can grow! Thank you to Durham College, for

making this first college experience amazing.