One of the cornerstones of the university experience is learning how to write a research paper – a written document that organizes and analyzes information you have collected to answer a question of yours or your professor’s choosing. A university research paper is a bit different from your typical high school essay, so we asked John Hill, Coordinator of VIU’s Writing Centre, who has helped thousands of students learn how to write research papers, to break it down into steps.

This is the last edition of the Pulse for 2020 and we wanted to take a moment to express our appreciation and gratitude for all of our students for the patience and resilience they have shown this semester as we all adapted to online delivery. We know it hasn’t been easy, but we continue to be inspired by the ways you have stayed connected and supported one another, from online games nights, to physically distanced walks (when those were permitted), to Netflix watch parties. We hope you all have a safe, healthy and restful break and do some things that bring you joy.

Even though this year might look different due to COVID-19, the holidays should be a time to do some of the things you enjoy and spend time with loved ones, even if many of those interactions will have to take place virtually this year. Because staying healthy through the holidays can be challenging, here are 12 tips to stay healthy this holiday season.

The exam period is right around the corner at VIU, so this issue of the Student Pulse is focused on tips to help you prepare for taking online tests (and how they may be different), as well as stress-busting activities to help you stay on top of your game. You’re almost there, and we are so proud of each and every one of you!

Read on to explore the various kinds of tests you may encounter this year and how you can prepare for them, as well as some general tips to help you get prepared for a successful exam season.

Types of online tests

Here are some different types of tests your instructors may have decided to use this semester to evaluate your learning, and some prep strategies.

Vancouver Island University’s ‘su’luqw’a’ Community Cousins Aboriginal student mentorship program is celebrating its 10^th anniversary in September 2021. In honour of this important milestone, we are sharing the stories of 12 people closely connected with the program – one per month – leading up to the anniversary.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, homes have begun to serve as multi-purpose areas—especially for students. Our living settings have quickly morphed into other forms of essential spaces like gyms, libraries, and offices. This has given us the opportunity to re-evaluate our living environments. The field of environmental psychology gives us insight into optimizing our homes to meet our needs.

From tips on managing stress, to COVID policies and procedures, to  career fair and updated library hours, to supports to help you as we enter the busiest time of the semester, please take a moment to read this issue of the Student Pulse. As always, please reply to this email with any questions you have that aren’t answered here! We are happy to answer them.

A little bit of stress can be a good thing, increasing our alertness, improving performance and heightening our ability to focus. However, when stress levels increase beyond that optimal amount, our performance and ability to focus can be negatively impacted, and there are other physical and emotional impacts. With the uncertainty and ongoing anxiety of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the regular pressures of being a student, you may be experiencing elevated levels of stress.

Here are a few stress management 101 tips to help you maintain your focus and stay healthy:

As we enter November, we wanted to remind you that VIU is here to answer your questions.