Beating the odds | Vancouver Island University

Lindsay Folland shouldn’t make it that far.

“As a child, I was formally diagnosed with the fact that I would never get past elementary school, ”she says. “I was told that I was too socially impaired to have meaningful relationships and that I would need round-the-clock support to bathe, dress, and eat.”

However, she says the people who told her these things were “fortunate and obviously not clairvoyant”.

Lindsay has been in a loving relationship for two years and has been employed in the mental health field for almost three years.

Lindsay has not only shown the naysayers in her personal life that they are wrong, but has also had success in her post-secondary career by completing the VIU program WEST (Workplace Essential Skills Training) with distinction last spring and being selected as the best of the year .

“My father always wanted me to succeed in my endeavors, and since I am the first to keep the family name in post-secondary education, I know it flies on the wings of an eagle and looks proud with my many other angels.” who watches over me, “she says.

We recently met with Lindsay to hear her thoughts on the program, her experience at VIU, and her advice for those facing challenges and doubts in their own lives. Here’s what she told us:

Can you tell us what brought you to the WEST program at VIU and what that decision-making process was like?

I was interested in the unique courses offered by the Workplace Essentials Skills Training Program. As someone who had an individual educational program through a private learning center, I appreciated the student centered approach and the idea of ​​developing my goals and where that could take me. AfHaving completed the program, I now believe that the skills learned are essential and benefit everyone by focusing on learning techniques, communication, goal setting, personal health, budgeting and lots of job opportunities and work-related certificates.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic shaped your overall experience and how have you adapted?

My course, although not initially adapted for online teaching, ended up being 70% online. I live in Errington so commuting to Nanaimo four days a week for personal lessons was a challenge. I spent two nights with a family friend every week so I always had around 80 pounds of laundry, books, food, etc. in a walking bag that I would take anywhere. Although my routine during the pandemic was not used to studying from home, it did bring some relief to me by seeing my family more and not worrying about transportation. I helped set up a weekly social hour for my classmates and myself every Sunday so we could still check in each other and have the supportive and fun atmosphere we usually have during lunch breaks or after class. Being online can be isolating, so I really wanted to make sure we were interacting with each other.

Can you share some of the highlights from your time at VIU?

The biggest takeaways from my time on the WEST program was learning to develop and improve my life skills and realizing my potential as a student. There are so many amazing things I learned in the program, but two years are difficult to sum up in a single article. It made me feel that anything is possible. It was very disheartening to be the first in my family to go to university and when there wasn’t anyone in my life who had experienced it, it really felt like I was going my own way.

AAdvice for new or existing students or those who are considering their education at VIU. to continue?

Familiarize yourself with the support offers for students. There are so many options at VIU that not everyone is aware or feels that they shouldn’t be accessing the Services because “other people need it more”. Everything from advice, advocacy, recreation, funding, educational adjustments, employment, and opportunities to participate in the community. There are a multitude of things to do. I have the feeling that if you struggle with something, you shouldn’t have to go through it because people have a different situation than you. This is one of the things that makes VIU so diverse that there is always someone to help you helps when you need him or when friends are made.

Would you like to add anything else?

In the course of our lives we face a number of challenges and how we step on the plate is our ball. Bravery doesn’t mean you are fearless. Bravery means that despite your fears, you move on and go beyond your doubts. I think as students we think about our future all the time: the next final, grades, accomplishments, the best career, or fear of what will happen next. If this pandemic taught me anything that I could pass on, it was only to be present. My classmates and faculty have gone through battles you won’t see in movies, they lost more than they knew, and had the guts and courage of champions. Take pride in what you are doing and who you are, do things that you enjoy rather than be productive (easier said than done though), and take care of yourself first. Life is too short to just seek approval from others because at the end of the day you are the only one who can accept the praise.

source https://collegeeducationnewsllc.com/beating-the-odds-vancouver-island-university/