Hey! How’s this past semester been? 

If you’re doing fine, that’s excellent! If, on the other hand, you’re wincing or grimacing and want a short and sweet list of tips and tricks from a soon-to-be grad, I’ve got your back.

Let’s dive right into it.

I’m having a hard time making friends or finding community on campus.

You’ve probably heard the correct adage that joining clubs is a good way to make friends, but there are additional ways of going about it. 

For instance, if you’re a student seeking community on campus, I’d recommend visiting walk-in spaces like kihêw waciston and the Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity.

Another approach is to be bold. See someone you’d like to get to know better? Try striking up a conversation with them or asking if they’d like to collaborate on a group project! If they don’t seem interested in building a connection, that’s okay — respect their decision and keep reaching out to other folks. There’s plenty of other Griffins in the sea of students on campus.

I’m not sure whether I want to continue with my program.

If there’s enough time for you to do so, connect with your program advisor and catch them up on what’s been going on. Maybe a different major or minor, or a lower course load would work better. An advisor can explore these options with you and let you know how they would affect your academic progress. Heads-up, though: if you’ve got funding and are thinking of switching to a part-time course load, make sure you research how this switch will affect it.

To self-assess whether your program’s a good fit for you and ensure you’re on track to landing your dream job, you could check if it’s on alis, an online career resource that was created by the Government of Alberta. If your dream job is on there, you can browse its occupational profile to learn more about its conditions, average salary, minimum education, and more.

Sometimes a program just isn’t a good fit, and that’s alright. Before you withdraw or switch programs, touch base with MacEwan’s Academic Advising Centre to ensure you’re making a fully informed decision.

I’d like to learn more about my student loans.

There’s nothing as disheartening as running into issues with your student loans, and staying on top of policy changes that affect them is a solid approach to staying out of trouble. 

For example, Alberta Student Aid (ASA) implemented a series of consequential changes for the 2024-25 academic year. If the “What’s New” page seems daunting and you only want a high-level summary of key changes, I recommend checking out ASA’s current Academic Progress policies. 

If you have questions about your loans, you can connect with ASA, read through MacEwan’s financial aid pages, or contact MacEwan’s Fees and Financial Aid team.  

I need help, but I’m not sure where to go.

MacEwan offers tailored supports to help you navigate different situations and concerns, including professional counselling through Wellness and Psychological Services, confidential support through the Office of Sexual Violence Prevention, Education and Response, medical appointments at the MacEwan University Health Centre, and learning accommodations through Access and Disability Resources (ADR). 

These are just some of the teams you can turn to for help, so if these don’t match what you’re looking for, check out the university’s Campus Resources page to browse other available supports. Alternatively, MacEwan’s Student Success Navigators can guide you in identifying the best resource for your needs.

I’m still feeling discouraged.

Don’t give up — you’ve got this! No matter how things have gone this past term, I’m confident you’ll succeed on your academic journey, whether it’s a smooth line from A to Z or a path with some twists and turns. Just keep going, and in a few years, you’ll get to cross the stage and join MacEwan’s grads on whatever post-grad path you choose.

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Photos by Amanda Erickson