First-year nursing students at Lethbridge College complete assignments at Buchanan Library on Nov. 18. The group notes November is a stressful time and after completing midterms in the previous week, they had six assignments due on the same day.
With the fall semester in full swing, Lethbridge College students are feeling the pressure – and raising the question of whether the college should extend its reading break.
November can be particularly difficult for students. The mid-point of the semester means midterms, projects, assignments and other non-academic stressors.
Lori Harasem, the health promotion coordinator for Wellness Services, said some students believe the college should have a longer break in the fall semester.
“I definitely have heard from some students that they feel that they would like a bit of a longer break. Others are fine with a long weekend,” she said.
This year’s break fell over Remembrance Day, with students getting one additional weekday off. The fall reading break was first implemented in 2017.
Harasem said the number of students seeking on-campus supports has continued to grow this month.
“Both of our counselling programs and our student support nurses have definitely seen an uptick in November. It’s actually been really high since September,” she said.
The health promotion coordinator said there are multiple reasons why this point in the semester can be difficult for students.
“Everybody is stressed with exams. There’s a lot of financial concerns – for a lot of students their finances are getting low. Also, the holidays are coming up, which some students find stressful as well. So, there’s a few things going on right now, but we have a lot of different resources here on campus and in the community for students to reach out to,” Harasem said.
Harasem added students can always connect with Wellness Services if they need support.
“If the break wasn’t long enough, students can reach out to us or we can refer them to other locations where they can learn some self-care tips and ways to cope with stress.”
According to a report published by the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) earlier this year, three-quarters of the post-secondary students surveyed experienced negative mental health during their studies.
The report also lists students in Alberta as one of the groups most at risk for negative mental health.
The Lethbridge College Students’ Association (LCSA) has seen a spike in the number of students reaching out to the student-led organization about the fall reading break.
Celine Gilbert, a student representative for the Lethbridge College Students’ Association (LCSA), said some students think a two-day break is not enough and want it to change.
“Students continue to come into the LCSA office and ask us why the college does not have a full reading break. A lot of students are spread thin and struggling,” Gilbert said.
The student representative noted if the college were to extend the break, it would need consider the accreditation requirements for some programs.
“The college has programs which require a certain number of days or hours to be accredited. For example, programs like nursing are at the max number of days students can have off right now,” she said.
Gilbert said she plans to research other post-secondary institutions and consult Lethbridge College students on the topic.
“This work is still in its early stages. Having more information and student feedback will help us advocate for solutions.”
Other public colleges in the province, including Medicine Hat College, NorQuest College, Portage College and Bow Valley College, have a three-day break (including Remembrance Day) or a week-long break.
Bow Valley College has a full reading break, with not all programs observing the break – like its health care aide and practical nurse programs.
Lethbridge College registrar Marko Hilgersom said there are a number of reasons the fall break is not longer, in addition to accreditation requirements.
“One reason is our policy for academic scheduling. There has to be a minimum of 63 teaching days. So generally speaking, we’re at about 65 for the fall. If we extend the break, we would be below that and have to either change the policy or start before Labour Day weekend,” Hilgersom said.
The registrar added he is open to helping facilitate discussions about the break.
“There’s a lot of work, but if someone brings it to me and says look into this and bring different groups together for a discussion – I’m more than willing to do that.”
Hilgersom said the college is also working to develop more support options for students, like financial aid packages.
If you or someone you know needs help, resources are available.
To book an appointment with Wellness Services, call 403-320-3289 or email wellness.services@lethbridgecollege.ca for on-campus support.
In case of an emergency, call 911 and then contact Security at 403-320-3206.
