Are you a student who is looking for service learning opportunities? Want to support mental health at RRC? We’re searching for students who can devote ten hours to our Healthy Minds, Healthy College Initiative.

Former nursing student and volunteer, Rakesh.

All hours will be completed remotely, with plenty of training and support. Students will use and enhance a variety of skills in the roles of:

•  Ambassador
• Advisory Group Member

To learn more about these opportunities, please attend the Volunteer Information Session on Wednesday, September 23, from 12:00 – 12:40. Register here!

Can’t attend? Register anyway and we’ll send you the recording.

Come work with us to improve mental health at RRC!

As the academic year winds down for most programs, we share our final #COVIDkindness story. Those who participated will be contacted soon regarding the promised prizes. Despite the campaign coming to a close, we encourage you to continue practicing kindness in whatever ways you can. After all, it’s kindness, innovation, and teamwork that will get us through this.

Remember, paying attention to the kind acts you see around you and practicing kindness yourself will help strengthen your wellbeing and resilience. So keep making kindness and gratitude a priority.

From Manvir Kaur, BAM student, Portage La Prairie Campus

“Since this #COVIDkindness movement started, I searched a lot and looked everywhere to notice something that could I send as #COVIDkindness, but unluckily when we search something it’s never found on time. Just like whenever we are in a rush and looking for a hair brush and it is somewhere at home, but you can’t find it on time. Eventually, I received an email, that was from our college and it says, ‘you don’t need to pay for the laptop that you borrowed from the college and the money from you student loan account is 0’. Finally, I got something great for this #COVIDkindness. I was so happy and want to thank College management for this act.”

If you’re interested in developing a daily gratitude practice as a coping tool, check out the Three Good Things exercise outlined by the Greater Good Science Centre at UC Berkley. This is a powerful and evidence based strategy for cultivating good mental health. Whether you work on a formal practice or not, remember to notice the kindness around you.

Guest post by RRC student, Stuart Maddocks

The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the hardest experiences I have faced as a student. It disrupted my routine of having to leave my home to sit in a classroom with my friends and classmates. Additionally, being at home made me more distracted than I would be in the classroom. To overcome these challenges, I had a few strategies to help me get through the rest of my program. Here are some highlights of the methods I used to complete my final year as a Red River College Library and Information Technology student.

RRC Student, Stuart Maddocks

Work on Mental Fitness

For my first strategy, I used the Headspace meditation app. This application is a subscription-based service that provides meditation and yoga exercises for overcoming negative feelings. Exercises on Headspace range from simple guided meditations to “Everyday Exercises” with a different theme each day. As a student, I love Headspace’s student support section which covers topics from presentation stress to job interview anxiety. These exercises helped me get a good night’s sleep after a stressful day of online learning.

Current and future students can visit Headspace at: https://www.headspace.com/ or download the Headspace app on Apple Store or Google Play.

Get Moving

In addition to Headspace, I exercised at least 30 minutes each day. I would go for walks around my neighbourhood and through parks. It helped me get some fresh air after an intense study session. Walking outside provided me a change in scenery away from my usual surroundings at home. These daily exercises also helped me stretched my legs after sitting at my desk for a few hours. Lastly, walking helped me be more active with the gym being unavailable during the pandemic.

Reward Yourself

As a Red River College Alumnus, I cannot stress enough the importance of awarding yourself. In my case, I would watch movies after I complete assignments. Additionally, watching movies allowed me to escape my day to day life from the stresses of the pandemic and college life. I usually watch escapist movies from the Star Wars or James Bond franchises. The locations and settings transported me to another world for a much-needed distraction.

I hope these strategies will be useful for you when you are studying or starting your careers.

If you are an RRC student, staff or alumnus who would like to write a guest post, please contact Breanna Sawatzky.

Reflections from RRC Counsellor, Mark Unruh

The experience of loneliness and isolation has inspired much research over the years. On the surface, the terms isolation and loneliness can appear to be synonymous. Looking closer, isolation may very well lead to loneliness, but is it the main cause of feeling lonely?

A national survey in June 2019 by Angus Reid Institute (in partnership with Cardus) attempted to qualify these two dimensions. The resulting report describes social isolation as the number or frequency of interpersonal connections a person has and loneliness as the relative satisfaction with the quality of those connections.

So, isolation can be thought of as an “objective” measure. In the context of the 2020 pandemic, restrictions can limit our interactions. Loneliness, however, is the subjective experience one has despite the context of where and how these connection are experienced. In this context, social isolation may very well affect the quality of those connections, but is it the main cause of loneliness?

The report goes on to describe the relationship between those who connect in more limited ways with people in their own homes and those who extend their connection experiences more broadly. In summary, they conclude that many people who are not isolated still experience loneliness.

The media and social discourse often portray isolation in the wake of this pandemic as the precursor to loneliness, using descriptors like desolation, solitude or trapped. The implication being that social distancing practices are the culprit.

The Angus Reid report supports this view in part, but there must be more to the story since a significant portion of the population are lonely while not isolated. And remember, this study was completed prior to the pandemic. So, how do social distancing and isolation practices influence the degree of loneliness many people are already experiencing?

Learning from research in this area, we can see this time of isolation as our opportunity to focus on the “how” of connecting. By doing this, we can aim to improve the quality of our connections, despite being separated. During this pandemic, we can improve our subjective experience of connection in many ways. We see this occurring already through news reports and in our own experience. The musician who plays for children outside their window, moving from neighbor to neighbor to play another song. The friend who cooks a meal and leaves it on the doorstep for another and then connects by video to share the same food. These are just two examples.

What have you noticed about your way of adapting how you connect in these unprecedented times? What will you be willing to venture as we settle in for ever changing restrictions into the future?

Of course, nothing will ever replace human connection in physical social settings. As we see stories of connection emerging in other ways, it reveals our ability to adapt and connect while we isolate. This is the inoculation that protects us during these pandemic times.

For some opprtunities to stay connected with your RRC community, check out the Recreation Services news.

RRC Counsellor, Lindsay Storey-Iliffe, ready to support students.

Sometimes, when faced with new challenges it helps to talk things out with an understanding, supportive person. That’s why RRC now offers telephone Wellness Checks.

Simply complete this secure online form, and a Counselling Services team member will call you for a brief, supportive conversation. During the call, you will be invited to express how you’re doing and you’ll receive empathic, non-judgmental support. If needed, you may also be directed to other helpful resources.

You don’t have to go through this alone; we’re here for you.

If you need more support than a telephone Wellness Check can offer, there are a range of other services available to you. Learn more. 

RRC students and staff are practicing #COVIDkindness and paying attention to the kind acts of others. As we do this, our resilience grows. The stories below inspire us all to keep kindness and gratitude a priority throughout these challenging times.

From James Turner, Creative Communications Instructor

From Wade Parke, Co-op Coordinator in Indigenous Student Support & Community Relations

“What does it mean to be part of a team? Like many of you, I miss working together in a communal space with my team. We miss the things that give us meaning. I miss watching and cheering on our Winnipeg Jets. As a Winnipegger, I felt part of that team. As individuals we all pursue our goals and missions in life to the best of our abilities, but what really brings us together is our teams and communities; the coming together to support each other to bring out our best.

Our teams over the last couple of weeks have had to adapt to a new way to work and live. Our families, our jobs, and our community have adjusted, to work together to be the best we can under this cloud of uncertainty. But, what keeps my spirit up and keeps me motivated is being able to connect with my team to work together, talk, laugh, and check in with one another. So as we move forward I want to encourage everyone to be a good teammate at work, at home, and in the community. There’s a saying in hockey called taking one for the team So let’s all take one for the team during this time of adjustment.”

From Paula Amaral, Hospitality and Tourism Instructor

“I want to give a big kindness shout-out to our tech support specialist at the School of Hospitality and Culinary Art: Danny Lam.

When I first started teaching online using WebEx, Danny made himself readily available as he attended my classes while I was teaching. The support Danny showed while being present in the classroom over several sessions was really appreciated and comforting. Not only did he answer my questions when I was unsure of some of the features in Webex and provide valuable information to me and the students, but he also made himself available via cell phone/texting/emailing if I still needed help after I became somewhat proficient with the program. All of this was very much appreciated and put me at ease knowing I could fall back on him if I didn’t know how to navigate my way around. Thank you so much, Danny!”

Join the Movement! Here’s how it works

Over the next few weeks:

1. Pay attention to acts of kindness you witness (or perform yourself).
2. Send a description and photo (where possible) to blsawatzky@rrc.ca.
3. Post on your social media channels, using the hashtag #COVIDkindness and tag in RRC.

Each week, Mental Health Coordinator, Breanna Sawatzky will collate your acts of kindness and share them in a Wellness Blog post. All students and staff are invited to participate.

The Goal

This movement is meant to foster a supportive community environment along with gratitude, both of which promote good mental health.

Everyone who participates will be entered in a prize draw. Prizes are to be determined, based on availability, but will certainly lift spirits.

RRC students and staff are practicing #COVIDkindness and paying attention to the kind acts of others. This is a great way to build your own resilience and minimize the impact of the pandemic on our community. Here are some more stories you’ve shared.

From Kelly Sookram In The Community Services Learning Centre

“I am attaching a picture I took while on our daily walk-about in the neighborhood. Someone had chalked this message on the sidewalk and it sure felt good to read. Such a small act, yet capable of uplifting many spirits!”

From George, Student in the Sonography Program

“A neighbor offered to plow my driveway with his quad.”

From Laureen Janzen, Manager of Counselling and Accessibility

“On Saturday, April 4, the day after all that snow, a city plow drove down my back lane leaving a massive windrow behind my parked car! When I left my house to head to the grocery store, I noticed that not only had the plow come and gone, but my windrow had been cleared. In fact, a neighbor and his two young children were having a great time shoveling several windrows down the lane – spreading a little kindness during this tough time.”

Join the Movement! Here’s how it works

Over the next few weeks:

1. Pay attention to acts of kindness you witness (or perform yourself).
2. Send a description and photo (where possible) to blsawatzky@rrc.ca.
3. Post on your social media channels, using the hashtag #COVIDkindness and tag in RRC.

Each week, Mental Health Coordinator, Breanna Sawatzky will collate your acts of kindness and share them in a Wellness Blog post. All students and staff are invited to participate.

The Goal

This movement is meant to foster a supportive community environment along with gratitude, both of which promote good mental health.

Everyone who participates will be entered in a prize draw. Prizes are to be determined, based on availability, but will certainly lift spirits.

As we adjust to the new reality of working and learning remotely, the RRC community has answered the call and joined the #COVIDkindness movement. Since one of the best ways to take care of ourselves is to be kind to others, we asked you to share your acts of kindness and the kind acts of others. Here’s some of what you’ve shared:

From Kylie Clark in Campus Living

“I really want to shout out the Culinary Arts & Hospitality team for putting together Emergency food packages (free) for Residents yesterday that requested help! So amazing!!!

From Sen Duong, Bachelor of Nursing student

“In the community group that I follow on Facebook I had noticed many people currently struggling with the current situation. With money, with food, with everything. I decided I was going to help. I talked to my sisters and asked if they wanted to put some of our money together and purchase groceries for 2 people in our community. It attracted a few of our friends and family members that wanted to help as well and they donated some money. It even attracted a random stranger in the group who sent me $100 to help! In total instead of just helping out two families we ended up helping 8 families!”

From Paula Amaral, Instructor in the Hospitality and Tourism Program

“The School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts organized and collected over 1068 lbs of perishable goods like onions, carrots, potatoes, etc., and assorted fruits. My colleagues, Graham Martin and Jean-Marc Blanc, personally delivered these goods to Winnipeg Harvest on behalf of the school.”

Join the Movement: Here’s how it works

Over the next few weeks:

1. Pay attention to acts of kindness you witness (or perform yourself).
2. Send a description and photo (where possible) to blsawatzky@rrc.ca.
3. Post on your social media channels, using the hashtag #COVIDkindness and tag in RRC.

Each week, Mental Health Coordinator, Breanna Sawatzky will collate your acts of kindness and share them in a Wellness Blog post. All students and staff are invited to participate.

The Goal

This movement is meant to foster a supportive community environment along with gratitude, both of which promote good mental health.

Everyone who participates will be entered in a prize draw. Prizes are to be determined, based on availability, but will certainly lift spirits.

The following is a guest post by RRC Counsellor Lindsay Storey-Iliffe, MSW. 

During this time of COVID-19, we’re all experiencing loss. As a student, you might be missing your daily routine, including activities like:

• commuting to the college,
• getting coffee with friends,
• gathering in the Library to study,
• having face-to-face interactions with instructors or classmates,
• going to the gym, mall, or bar.

You might be processing the loss of plans and ideas related to school or career. If you live alone you might be missing your connection to other people or if you live with your family you might be missing your “alone” time. You might be experiencing many different losses.

What is grief?

Grief is our reaction to loss. It can affect the ways we behave, how we feel physically, how we feel emotionally and how we think. It is ever changing. In one moment, you might feel like you’re okay, you’re getting your work done, you feel like you can do this and then out of nowhere you feel angry and frustrated and like you can’t do this.

What helps?

Understand that grief is a natural response to loss. If your feelings, thoughts and behaviors are somewhat erratic and out of the ordinary right now, that makes sense. Recognize that you are probably already doing many things to cope and get through each day. There is no one thing that will help everyone, but here are a few things to think about.

Physical Strategies

Check in with your body. How is it doing? Taking care of your physical needs can help your whole system cope better. Schedule time (literally) each day to check in with your body and practice some kind of physical self-care. You might schedule 1 hour once per day or 15 minutes a few times per day. Do what works for you.

Choose activities or physical self-care that you like. This might include a walk around the block, taking a long bath, cooking or eating something healthy, cleaning or tidying your space, dancing, or practicing yoga or breathing exercises.

Emotional Strategies

Make lots of room for feelings! Whatever you are feeling, it is okay. If you can acknowledge your feelings with compassion, they will often settle. For example, “I’m feeling so anxious and that’s okay, there is a lot to feel anxious about” or “I’m feeling happy and that’s okay. I can feel happy and it doesn’t mean I’m ignoring or minimizing what is going on in the world”.

Finding ways to express your feelings can also help. That might mean talking to a friend, family member or counsellor or you might try journaling, painting or drawing. If your emotions are overwhelming you, try self-soothing or distracting exercises like, using a stress ball, spending time with your pet, aromatherapy, listening to music or trying a guided meditation.

Cognitive  Strategies

Check in with your thoughts many times per day. Your thoughts will influence how you are feeling and coping. If your thoughts are increasing your sadness, fear, worry, or anxiety, try to stop them. Try saying to yourself “this isn’t helping; I need to think about this differently” or “I need to think about something else”.

It’s hard to stop thoughts because we’re usually trying to make sense of something, figure it out or fix it. Some things that can help with shifting your thoughts include writing them down, responding to them with compassion, making a list of strengths, or keeping a gratitude journal. You could also watch a movie, play a game, listen to a guided visualization, read a book for pleasure or even sink yourself into some school work.

Support

This is not an easy time and you are not alone. If you are struggling, please know that Red River College has supports ready to assist you.