Spring 2022 Reflections
Sishuo Alice Yang
April 20, 2022
To be honest, it was my first semester in the Writing Center, and again, it was one of my most rewarding. From being overwhelmed at first to being able to think independently and answer students’ questions with ease, these valuable experiences have seen me grow. Although I have encountered many difficulties and faced various challenges and obstacles in the process of helping and guiding students online, I have really gained and grown a lot. As they say, “Gives the human by the fish to be inferior gives the human by the fishing”. Coaching students in critical thinking has also brought me numerous new ideas and thoughts. I am grateful to the writing center and Emily for giving me this opportunity. I am extremely appreciating for that!
A common problem students encounter, especially during the pandemic, is how challenging online learning can be when it is somewhat difficult to adjust to online classes. It was also life-changing, and abundant of the students I met were stuck in different countries and regions and had difficulty returning to Canada. They work extremely hard trying to juggle their studies and how to make peace with the whole pandemic. Anxiety, sadness, and loneliness filled everyone’s lives throughout the process. More specifically, I totally identify and understand this feeling, and what the writing center can bring to the table is encouragement and recognition while balancing their studies. Each person is an individual, and they all have their own sparkle. The Writing Center provides a platform to help students practice their academic skills while providing them with the most help and emotional value, encouraging them to do better. I think this is another reason for the Writing Center to exist.
Clearly, I would say about today’s environment is that one of the biggest reasons students feel overwhelmed and stressed is due to the fact that they are not sure what they are supposed to be doing. It is also a flaw brought on to some extent by the lack of campus activities, the inability to socialize face to face, make new friends and teachers all the reasons why students feel lost and anxious. However, I would like to say that I would like to encourage students to communicate more. Setting goals and breaking down the huge plan into smaller parts to accomplish step by step. It will give students clarity on where to go with their studies and not say they are confused and anxious because they are not sure what to do. Meanwhile, it will also allow them to be more relaxed and at ease to enjoy life and learning. Matching online instruction to their learning style and developing students’ ability to think independently and deal with problems is what is most significant things need to do.
My last comment is to encourage my fellow students to live up your dreams. The world is an ever-changing space, we each hold a valuable space in the community that we are building. As future leaders, we remain hopeful and resilient even in difficult situations. I hope you will land on a bright future and a smooth career path.
