Beating the Winter (Term) Blues

January can be a difficult month.

It’s cold.

It’s dark.

The holidays are a distant memory and a busy semester of hard work stretches ahead.

But it’s also an opportunity to re-evaluate your goals, improve your study habits, and turn your focus to personal success strategies for a winning Winter term. Begin by checking out our Events Calendar, staying engaged in the GBC Facebook Group, and prioritizing your mental health and wellbeing.

We polled some of our Graduate Ambassadors to share their thoughts and advice on #WinningAtWinter below.

Dolly Mehta, MMgt Candidate Says...

What I love and hate about January:

Love: A new year & new term means new goals & new drive.

Hate: The cold.

One thing that I do each week to unwind:

I read uplifting, positive books that bring me joy and deep life insights. I have other subject interests (i.e. Ayurveda, Psychology) and love learning about them. I also meditate daily.

One tip for success this term:

An agenda can be a best friend. I’m a little old school in the sense that I like to write down deadlines, assignments, exam dates and the like right in my agenda.

One goal that I have for myself this term:

A stronger commitment to balancing course work with personal life.

Morgan McNaughton, MBA Candidate Says...

What I love and hate about January:

Love: It’s great to catch up with fellow students, hear about their holidays, and get motivated together to take on another term.
Hate: Being a part-time student, I have work in the early morning and class late at night; so I dislike having to leave the house when it’s still dark out, and coming home when it’s dark.

One thing that I do each week to unwind:

I play indoor beach volleyball year round. I find it helps me release tension and stay active. Plus, being in sand with shorts on during the winter is very therapeutic!

One tip for success this term:

Plan your deliverables and extra curricular activities in advance, and give yourself sufficient down time.

One goal that I have for myself this term:

To improve my organization by getting all my readings done well ahead of each class instead of on my commute to school.

Chun He, MAcc Candidate Says...

What I love and hate about January:

Love: It has to be the new subway station. Since I live downtown, the extension has substantially reduced my commute time.

Hate: Hate is a strong word, but what I dislike about January is the weather – especially waking up super early in the morning to shovel the snow.

One thing that I do each week to unwind:

Movies. I like to go to the theatre to watch one movie each week. You feel like you are part of the “movie world” and forget the stresses and deadlines in your real life.

One tip for success this term:

Don’t fall behind. Study what’s covered next week – then you will understand every word coming out of the professor’s mouth. When things make sense, you just feel better.

One goal that I have for myself this term:

Do not procrastinate! Study ahead, ask questions on the spot and be more confident. The things I have doubts about might just also be my classmates’ concerns.