Dear A&S undergraduate students,
I can’t believe it’s Friday and there are only six weekdays to go until the end of term. It’s amazing how different our sense of time is and how different a day feels in this new reality of staying indoors and online. I know it continues to be a challenge for all of you to balance your course work and daily life and I hope you are all adjusting and finding the supports and resources you need to complete the term. You can do it.
With this in mind, I am including again some resources below around studying and taking tests and exams remotely. Also, below are links to the library supports and some ways to stay active, which is really important for our bodies and our minds, especially now.
Everyone across the Faculty and the University is working together and we are doing our best to help all of you finish your year. Thank you again for your resilience and for your messages and feedback. I continue to be in awe of the sense of community and spirit that I have seen from students, faculty and staff to get through this challenge. And we will get through it together.
To end the week, I promised to deliver something a little different and lighter. I will say I had a lot of fun putting this TikTok together for you, as did my kids who planned and produced it. It may be the only TikTok I ever do and I hope it brings a smile to your face.
Here are those key resources:
Be sure to visit Student Life’s Test and Exam Preparations resources. There you will find videos on preparing for exams and reducing exam anxiety, as well as an Academic Success (mini) online workshop on the top five tips for prepping for an exam. You can even register for a Learning from Home themed discussion, where a learning strategist will talk you through new ways to study under new circumstances.
If you need to access library services, U of T Libraries staff are available online to support your research and study needs. Connect with Ask Chat with a Librarian to start a chat session or visit the online library resources, services and supports for students page to learn more about what the library has to offer.
While you’re studying from home, it’s also important that you keep your body moving. Visit U of T Sport and Rec on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for daily workouts that require no equipment. Or calm your mind with a mindful breathing technique. Researchers from the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education have some great tips.
A&S’s mental health initiatives team has compiled eight strategies on how you can look after your mental health. Or you can take part in an upcoming Mindful Moments event. It’s important to stay in touch with your family, friends and colleagues — whatever network you can draw on to stay connected — and remember to access the various mental health supports when you’re feeling overwhelmed, depressed or anxious.
Lastly, if you have any questions about academic deadlines and procedures for A&S courses, I encourage you to keep referring to the A&S Student FAQs page. We continue to regularly update key questions and answers there.
As always, take care of yourself. Enjoy your weekend, and I look forward to connecting with all of you again on Monday with my next message.
Warm regards,
Dean Woodin
Melanie A. Woodin
Dean, Faculty of Arts & Science
Professor, Department of Cell & Systems Biology
University of Toronto