When I finally decided it was time to do something with my life and get a better education, I never thought that I could’ve, especially without a high school diploma. Going to university was never a possibility for me. Well, turns out I was wrong.
When I was living in Edmonton, Alberta, I had a chat with a career counsellor who suggested I consider Bishop’s part-time general interest program. This program is exactly for people in the same situation that I was in, a young adult trying to get an education in order to have a successful future. This program gave me the chance to attend university classes and successfully complete a full semester. After that, I was able to apply the next semester and become a full-time student at Bishop’s University. Now, I am pursuing a degree in Sociology with a minor in Indigenous Studies.
Finding a system that works
It’s been such a rewarding experience for me, and I often find myself trying to convince people my age to give university a shot. However, since this program isn’t widely known, most don’t believe it’s even possible.
Nonetheless, university is hard. I thought the hardest challenges I would encounter were choosing classes, finding motivation, and getting out of bed in the morning (a.k.a. the struggle is real!). In the end, my biggest challenge was staying on top of assignments the first semester. Being prepared is key to really succeed in university.
Slacking is not an option; after not submitting assignments on time and treating university like high school, my grades were not as good as they could’ve been. This semester being more prepared I am doing far better, and I am less anxious for midterms.
Take advantage of the resources
Bishop’s offers a lot of resources to students who are facing difficulty. For example, the Community Cupboard is an initiative provides food such as basic pantry items and meal kits. Students have access to free counselling sessions with therapists and social workers who help students with all kinds of needs. Being a smaller university, I believe that Bishop’s has the ability to better focus on their student’s success and well-being.
Find your community
Located in Lennoxville just outside of Sherbrooke, we are surrounded by hiking trails, parks, and mountains; so as an avid hiker, Bishop’s is the school for me. If I’m bored, I often go on hikes with my dogs or with friends. Right now, I am not really into extracurricular activities at school.
But if that’s your thing, Bishop’s always has something exciting going on! It’s a great opportunity to have fun and meet new people. I think it’s important to help students especially those who are away from home create friendships and a community. If you are thinking of going to university but think you might need a little bit of extra help, I recommend Bishop’s for its smaller class sizes and its very accommodating teachers. Bishop’s University not only made me proud of myself but also allowed me to inspire others.
