Hi there,
I’m a struggling second year student and something came up with one of my courses that has to be dealt with OSAI. This has been affecting my outlook on university and all my other courses. It has been what occupies my brain all this time. It has been messing with my thoughts and my activities. I don’t want to say I’m depressed because I’m really to get to class but i feel like something triggers the though every time and it gets me really low. I just want to know if there’s any place or someone I could freely talk to about my position in campus. I’m at that stage in which I want to drop everything and leave although there’s only a month left of school. Pls help me out. I’ve been holding all my fears in and I’m really scared thanks
———————————————
hey there,
alright friends, this is a PSA: you are always free to come HERE and talk about any and all thoughts you may be having about school. aska’s about as low-key as it gets on this campus, so if you ever feel like talking something out or just need to vent, and you really want to do it with someone who will be mostly useless but will link to some hilarious and appropriate gifs – you’re always welcome here. we can jive together in this super-rad internet space.
that said, i understand that this low-budget, virtual equivalent of a run-down cafe with a bossy barista might not always cut it, so let’s look at some other options.
first, i know it’s hard to have perspective on this, but you’ve got a lot of stuff weighing you down right now, and you shouldn’t discount how much better you will likely feel when you’re out and finally free in april. if you can, try and just hang in there for one more month; it’s not always gonna be as crappy as it is now (that goes for ALL OF YOU right now blubbering into your red bulls until 3 in the morning and crying about exams).
second, this thing with OSAI is not meant to be stressful. i know it doesn’t look that way, since it keeps being all: “MEETING WITH THE DEAN,” “ACADEMIC POLICY” and stuff (why can’t they just use nice words like “a lil pow-wow with the guy in the tall chair” and “some stuff we wrote down so that the stuff you write is hella rad”?), but really, this isn’t supposed to be a horrible punishment. in fact, here is a quote from the OSAI website itself: “Remember that this meeting is not meant to be an interrogation. Under the Code, it is an opportunity for the Faculty of Arts & Science to present its concerns to you and to provide you with the opportunity to respond. If you are honest and straightforward about what has occurred, then it is reasonable to expect that the meeting will proceed very smoothly.”
they want everything to go well, just like you. honesty is your friend; there’s nothing more you can do. also, you’re not a terrible person. you just made a mistake, whether intentional or not, and all you are expected to do now is talk openly and honestly about it. try and remember that.
finally, if you’re still feeling really nervous or down or upset about this or school in general, you can always talk to your college registrar’s office. if you think you should speak to a counsellor, you can do that with caps. if you’d rather speak with someone online, that’s an option too. and don’t be nervous about those options, either: maybe they’ll be useful, maybe not, but you need to take your feelings seriously and give yourself a chance if you think you need it. however, if you just need someone to talk to and would rather it not be as official/uoft-associated, why not give this letter-writing website a shot?
best of luck,
aska