6.9.05 [ Fresh Start ] 1 comments 
At the front of the 'City' section in today's Edmonton Journal is an article on the U of A's 'Fresh Start' program. The program is designed for students that "[...]suffer from deep depression that jeopardizes their academics[...]", "students [...] enrolled in programs their parents chose, but have no passion for the classes", and students "[...]who may have been cut off financially and emotionally from their parents and can't juggle full-time work with full-time studies."
I think of my experience entering University. My parents were undergoing a nasty divorce; still, today, though my dad has remarried and has had two children with his new wife, there is a daily struggle to deal with the consequences. Five years ago, it had left my father and I in financial ruin. My mother had decided, since I chose to live with my dad, that she would be divorcing me as well; she cashed my education fund before I turned 18 and left town. She didn't leave us with nothing, however. She filed some criminal charges against my father which, though ludicrous, cost us dearly. I would wait up all night in the lobby of the RCMP building while they had my dad in lockup; this was a weekly ritual. Months of court--and the entirety of my dad's disposable income and credit--later, found the charges dismissed by three independent judges. The scars are not erasable.
When you find your father, your symbol of strength and power, curled in the fetal position in your sister's old room every morning, sobbing uncontrollably, it is a poor moment to mention that you are unsatisfied with his recommended field of study. No, in times like that, you must face those swirling whims of adolescence tooth and nail: buckle down.
For many, working full-time and attending classes with the same vigor is overwhelming. This is not the case for those with a fractured family life, however. One might find that locking himself in a cubicle or spending his evenings crafting a greasy spoon are a fine way to spend his time if the alternative is moping around the house. One might, though, find himself a little distracted--this is not a problem so long as legal narcotics remain widely available on University campuses (as an aside, whatever mental state you study in, you must write your exams in that same state--the effects of context are marked).
The 'Fresh Start' program was indeed available while I was in University. However, a prerequisite for being selected to participate is that you must be failing your courses; only when one's academic performance is exceptionally poor is there any sign to administrators that things are not as they should be. For the rest of us, those who have seen adversity in our lives and have managed to remain honours students, the message we send to administrators is this: "we can deal with University, we can deal with Life". And, it's true.
I haven't done any drugs in almost two years; when I drink, it's usually just 'a drink' with an old friend. Though not at the top of my class, I am at par with the other students in honours economics. And, I now have my degree--a double-major in economics/psychology. The 'Fresh Start' program is a good thing. It should be there for those who need it--a social safety net. I am glad, though, to have managed without it.
I think of my experience entering University. My parents were undergoing a nasty divorce; still, today, though my dad has remarried and has had two children with his new wife, there is a daily struggle to deal with the consequences. Five years ago, it had left my father and I in financial ruin. My mother had decided, since I chose to live with my dad, that she would be divorcing me as well; she cashed my education fund before I turned 18 and left town. She didn't leave us with nothing, however. She filed some criminal charges against my father which, though ludicrous, cost us dearly. I would wait up all night in the lobby of the RCMP building while they had my dad in lockup; this was a weekly ritual. Months of court--and the entirety of my dad's disposable income and credit--later, found the charges dismissed by three independent judges. The scars are not erasable.
When you find your father, your symbol of strength and power, curled in the fetal position in your sister's old room every morning, sobbing uncontrollably, it is a poor moment to mention that you are unsatisfied with his recommended field of study. No, in times like that, you must face those swirling whims of adolescence tooth and nail: buckle down.
For many, working full-time and attending classes with the same vigor is overwhelming. This is not the case for those with a fractured family life, however. One might find that locking himself in a cubicle or spending his evenings crafting a greasy spoon are a fine way to spend his time if the alternative is moping around the house. One might, though, find himself a little distracted--this is not a problem so long as legal narcotics remain widely available on University campuses (as an aside, whatever mental state you study in, you must write your exams in that same state--the effects of context are marked).
The 'Fresh Start' program was indeed available while I was in University. However, a prerequisite for being selected to participate is that you must be failing your courses; only when one's academic performance is exceptionally poor is there any sign to administrators that things are not as they should be. For the rest of us, those who have seen adversity in our lives and have managed to remain honours students, the message we send to administrators is this: "we can deal with University, we can deal with Life". And, it's true.
I haven't done any drugs in almost two years; when I drink, it's usually just 'a drink' with an old friend. Though not at the top of my class, I am at par with the other students in honours economics. And, I now have my degree--a double-major in economics/psychology. The 'Fresh Start' program is a good thing. It should be there for those who need it--a social safety net. I am glad, though, to have managed without it.
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