December Executive Blog

It is really hard to believe that we are already halfway through December. Seeing retail stores jump from holiday to holiday definitely puts it into perspective how quickly time flies by. Sometimes I feel like I blink once and a month is gone, which I think a lot of you can relate to. It can also feel like a major stressor when you are juggling a job, school, and your life. Deadlines seem to creep up faster than you hoped, unexpected life situations happen, and you can find yourself scrambling to get things done. We have all been there.

I think around this time of year it is also important to touch on mental health. These past few months have been extremely difficult for me. While working a full-time job and really focusing on school, my father was diagnosed with cancer and my mother and stepfather split up. I felt like my life just stopped and honestly, October and November feel like a blur. All of this was all really unexpected and it really took me awhile to be happy again. I just want you to know that you are not alone. Everyone has something going on in their life and there are people and services out there for you if you need them. Our VP External and Student Affairs, Natasha Donahue, wrote her November Executive Blog around mental health and the different services that are available for students that are attending AU, which I highly recommend reading.

We are also nearing the end of a decade with 2020 just around the corner. I spent some time this week reflecting on the last ten years and how far we have come, and more specifically, how much technology has improved. It’s crazy to imagine what studying at Athabasca University ten years ago would have been like. We live in such a digital world now; with all the information we would ever really need in the palm of our hands and most of us spending hours upon hours on our phones or computers each day. Thinking back to the technology that was available to us in 2009, it seems like AU would have been a completely different experience!

As hard as it is for me to believe, at the end of November I hit my six-month mark as Vice President Finance and Administration! Over the last six months, I have definitely learned a lot and as a team, we have completed a lot. I feel so honoured to be on the executive team and to be able to work alongside such an incredibly dedicated and supportive group of people at AUSU. Looking forward to seeing what the next six months brings!

Wishing you a very happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year!

Brittany Daigle
VP Finance and Administration