Emily Allison

With classes gone virtual and social activities shuttered or scaled back, many students may feel as though school has become an all-encompassing endeavor.

But Fawn Rasquinha, a senior peer mentor with Student Life’s Academic Success peer-mentorship program, says it’s still possible to find a happy – and healthy – balance between work and play by studying smarter, not harder.

“We were afforded time to be productive and focus on lectures and studying when we were going to school in person, and now we’re having to create that environment for ourselves, which can be difficult – especially with lectures,” Rasquinha says.

Rasquinha, who is pursuing a master’s degree in the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, says peer mentors like herself are great resources because they are students, too.

“Peers offer that informality where they have been through whatever you're experiencing, and they offer you the same strategies and resources that they are familiar with.”

Here are four areas where Rasquinha says she sees often sees students struggle – and her tips to help them succeed.

Putting yourself first

Many students who are doing their studies online find it difficult to stay motivated and focused on work, according to Rasquinha.

“It's a good idea to carve out space in your home, get rid of distractions, and make it an environment that's conducive to your ability to focus on lectures and tasks,” she says.

Establishing a routine that really works for you is key, she adds.

“Everything is so merged now between your work, home and school life. Structure your studying time around your own energy levels and ability to concentrate and, in essence, create a routine and structure so your day is planned.”

Bite-size pieces

Procrastination is a common experience for anyone facing a big task or assignment, which can initially seem overwhelming and insurmountable.

So, Rasquinha recommends students start small.

“First, I identify what is preventing me from getting started on my work and then develop strategies to tackle that mentality,” she says. “What works for me is to conceptualize my work in the sense that I'm not approaching this task with the mentality of completing a ten-page essay in one day. I initially try to create an outline, and then I do research and fill out the introduction section.

“I really find utility in breaking down tasks into bite-sized and manageable pieces, setting incremental and manageable goals for myself until I eventually get that ten-page paper down.”

Managing your time – and stress

Struggling with time-management and feeling anxious during exam season reflects the shared reality that many students are still “learning how to learn and discovering what works and what doesn't work as a learning strategy,” Rasquinha says.

She adds this can be especially common for first-year and second-year students, where the process of studying for university exams is still about trial and error. Upper-year students who are experiencing excessive levels of stress may want to think about re-tooling their approach, she suggests.

“School-related anxiety is an aspect of the leaning process, but I don't think you should experience it consistently throughout your four years,” she says. “I think when you are experiencing it, it's a signal to try new strategies, develop new skills, and access different resources.”

Know when – and where – to seek help

U of T students seeking additional support have many options.

On the St. George campus, Student Life’s Academic Success programming ranges from online courses and workshops to virtual study hubs and one-to-one supports.

That includes the option of booking an appointment – now on Zoom – with an academic peer mentor such as Rasquinha.

“The good thing about this platform is that we're more flexibly able to meet student's needs in that students may not want to have their camera or microphone on,” says Rasquinha. “We are able to be more flexible with students in terms how they want to engage during their session and participate. In Zoom, you don’t have to commute to us and it's scheduled.”

Student Life has also compiled a list of academic resources on campus, from writing centres to tutoring services.

For students at U of T Mississauga, the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre offers a full range of individual consultations, workshops and programs that are designed to help students identify and develop the skills they need to be successful in their studies.

Similarly, U of T Scarborough students have access to the Academic Advising & Career Centre, which offers workshops and peer coaching, as well as connections to other resources on campus.

“As a graduate student, I know that school-related stress is a very common experience,” Rasquinha says.

“You're not alone in feeling anxious about studying for exams or managing your time.”

From LGBTQ rights to supporting women in developing countries: Meet U of T’s 2020 Loran Scholars

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 21:36:33 +0000

From LGBTQ rights to supporting women in developing countries: Meet U of T’s 2020 Loran Scholars

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 11/19/2020 - 16:36

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Awa Hanane Diagne, one of four Loran Scholars who is attending U of T this year, founded The Woke Folk, a non-profit organization that funds educational opportunities for girls in developing countries (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Emily Allison

Topic

Our Community

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

LGBTQ

Undergraduate Students

University College

Victoria College

Women and Gender Studies

Awa Hanane Diagne, Cai Mitchell, Kaiden Thompson and Margaux Roncière may have just begun their studies at the University of Toronto, but they are already well on their to becoming leaders in the community.

The four U of T undergraduate students are among 36 recipients of the Loran Award in Canada this year. The award, valued at $100,000 over the course of four years, recognizes students who, in addition to academic achievement, have demonstrated their character and made positive changes in their communities.

Offered to students in their final year of high school, Loran Scholars must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 85 per cent. However, what makes this award unique is its emphasis on character and the belief that “integrity, courage, grit and personal autonomy are better indicators of overall potential than standard academic measures.”

Diagne, Mitchell, Thompson and Ronciere faced stiff competition for the Loran Award, having been selected from a pool of more than 5,000 students.

Awa Hanane Diagne

Diagne is the founder of The Woke Folk, a non-profit organization that funds educational opportunities for girls in developing countries. With a passion for social justice and humanitarian initiatives aimed at empowering women, she is studying bioethics and women and gender studies at U of T and hopes to one day pursue a career in law or public policy.

“I have a keen interest in the questions that arise from the important role that medical and technological tools play in society, and I want to observe how, among others, gender, race, class, nationality and disability factor into these questions,” Diagne says.

Diagne, a University College student who is from Montreal, says she was drawn to U of T’s sense of community and the opportunity to live in a culturally diverse city where the possibilities feel infinite.

“From the diverse choice of programs that allows students to hone in on their interests to the amazing extracurricular opportunities, U of T is a space where I feel I really will grow as an individual – all while being able to interact with people who have different backgrounds and interests,” she says.

Diagne says she also enjoys writing and journalism. She is currently a junior editor for Hardwire: The Undergraduate Journal of Sexual Diversity Studies. She also continues to lead The Woke Folk.

“I hope to expand other projects I am involved in – namely my work with The Woke Folk and another amazing organization called Medical Herstory – through the connections I will make on campus,” Diagne says.

Margaux Roncière

Roncière published a book in high school about an international co-operation project that aimed to develop female leadership in Senegal. She also worked on humanitarian projects in Benin and Nepal.

Now at U of T, Roncière wants to continue pursuing innovative solutions to humanitarian crises and is now in the TrackOne engineering program in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

She says she was drawn to U of T’s engineering program because its “outstanding reputation demonstrates its quality of education and its commitment to innovate.”

“I’m particularly interested in sustainability and social impact, and I believe technology can be a great lever for that,” says Roncière, who is from Dorval, Que.

Roncière was a member of her school’s United Nations club and several student committees. As a first-year U of T student, she is pursuing projects that focus on tackling global development and social and systemic change.

“I joined the Engineers without Borders chapter on Indigenous Reconciliation,” Roncière says.

“In the future, I’d also like to get more involved in policy and mental health advocacy, especially within the engineering faculty.”

Cai Mitchell

Mitchell founded a Gender and Sexuality Alliance in high school. He is also the co-founder and editor-in-chief of a student academic journal at his CEGEP.

At U of T, Mitchell is continuing to be an advocate for transgender students and is pursuing his passion for social justice as a member of Victoria College's equity commission. He is also looking into joining in-person LGBTQ-oriented and environmental sustainability initiatives on campus once it is safe to do so.

A former head delegate for the Model UN, where he organized an introductory conference for younger students, Mitchell plans on pursuing a double major in a subject closely related to politics or philosophy such as ethics, society and law, bioethics or sociology. After graduation, he plans to attend law school and work with underprivileged communities.

“In the future, I'd like to go to law school and use those credentials to practise a career where I am helping disenfranchised populations and protecting environmental diversity, whether that's something like legal aid, environmental law or public policy,” says Mitchell. who is from Hudson, Que.

He adds that he was drawn to U of T by its extensive humanities department, which offers a variety of interdisciplinary majors to choose from.

“I wanted to be able to study my passions in an academically rigorous environment – and I knew that as a large and reputable university, there would be opportunities for research and really accomplished professors,” he says.

Kaiden Thompson

Thompson demonstrated his leadership abilities in high school by co-founding and leading a Gender and Sexualities Alliance that allowed students to meet in a safe space to support each other and work to end discrimination related to sexual orientation and gender identity. He was also the drama club’s stage manager, the editor of the yearbook and an executive on student council.

Thompson, a Victoria College student from Indian Head, Sask., plans to join U of T clubs related to environmental sustainability and social justice, and to participate at the Centre for Community Partnerships.

He says was drawn to U of T’s specialist programs in life sciences and the extensive number of research opportunities available in the Toronto region.

“I love the city and the wide range of extracurriculars available at U of T, so I thought this would be the best place to pursue my degree while gaining valuable research experience and also working on my passions outside of school,” he says.

As a first-year life sciences student, Thompson will be applying to the molecular genetics and microbiology program. He hopes to pursue research in the future.

“I think the near future will give rise to advancements in my program that I'd like to be a part of to improve society and our understanding of life sciences,” he says. “I'm currently looking into the possibility of grad school and doing academic research or starting a career in industry like environmental policy, agriculture or biotechnology.”

Internet key to addressing mental health challenges, U of T researchers write in Toronto Star

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 20:10:56 +0000

Internet key to addressing mental health challenges, U of T researchers write in Toronto Star

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 10/08/2020 - 16:10

Cutline

(photo by PeopleImages via Getty Images)

Emily Allison

Topic

Our Community

Mental Health

Rotman School of Management

For those in distress or feeling vulnerable, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it challenging to access traditional, in-person mental health services – but the development of e-mental health services can help bridge the gap.

That’s according to Dilip Soman, director at the University of Toronto’s Behavioural Economics in Action at Rotman (BEAR), and post-doctoral researcher Renante Rondina.

In a Toronto Star op-ed that coincides with Mental Health Awareness Week, the authors write that well-designed online services can help to reduce so-called “sludge,” or barriers such as stigma or long wait times, that impede people’s desire or ability to seek help.

“Internet-based mental health services, or e-mental health, is a promising avenue to meet the mental health needs of Canadians during this crisis,” Rondina and Soman write. “And as with so many aspects of our lives, the pandemic will only increase the level of comfort with and the usage of digitally delivered services.”

Read the op-ed in the Toronto Star

14 U of T startups receive support from Lo Family Social Venture Fund: Betakit

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 02 Oct 2020 16:11:11 +0000

14 U of T startups receive support from Lo Family Social Venture Fund: Betakit

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 10/02/2020 - 12:11

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Olugbenga Olubanjo, the CEO of the startup Reeddi, is one of 14 U of T entrepreneurs who received funding through the Lo Family Social Venture Fund (photo by Daria Perevezentsev)

Emily Allison

Topic

Our Community

U of T Entrepreneurship

Alumni

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Rotman Commerce

Startups

ThisIsThePlace

More than a dozen University of Toronto startups – all focused on making a global social impact – have received support through the Lo Family Social Venture Fund, Betakit reports.

The 14 winning ventures include: Ryan Tam’s startup Aerlift, a drone-operated delivery system that helps governments provide health care to remote populations; Olugbenga Olubanjo’s Reeddi, which has developed a tool that provides clean and affordable electricity to individuals, households and businesses operating in energy-poor regions of the world; and Jamie Lee’s Swate, a mobile app that uses grocery inventory tracking technology to provide recipe and meal plan recommendations so individuals can decrease household food waste.

The Lo Family Social Venture Fund provides support for social startups launched by U of T students or recent graduates that will have a positive impact the global community, with a particular focus on Asia.

Awards for undergraduate students can be up to $15,000 while graduate students are eligible to receive as much as $30,000.

Emily Allison

Student mentor shares four tips for studying, managing stress

Putting yourself first

Bite-size pieces

Managing your time – and stress

Know when – and where – to seek help

From LGBTQ rights to supporting women in developing countries: Meet U of T’s 2020 Loran Scholars

Internet key to addressing mental health challenges, U of T researchers write in Toronto Star

Read the op-ed in the Toronto Star

14 U of T startups receive support from Lo Family Social Venture Fund: Betakit

See the complete list of winners at Betakit