Level 4 Reflection Blog: Our Experiences Online as an Ambassador

Learn more about how students Jaron, Hala, and Shannaanth navigated online learning as Level 4 Ambassadors.

Jaron

The transition to an online environment added a new kind of challenge, another way to push myself. There are many benefits to learning in an online environment. One of my favourite ones was being able to wake up knowing that I didn’t have to rush so much before class since I didn’t have to try to find parking, take the bus or walk. It definitely saved up a lot of time. This also meant that it was more important than ever to know how to manage that time.

We were fortunate enough to have many workshops dedicated to providing tips and tricks on how to manage your time in an online environment on the Student Life Portal. Being able to participate in events and workshops was also a great way to keep busy when it was easier than ever to procrastinate. I’m really glad that the Ambassador program continued throughout the pandemic. It was a great way to get away from school and work. It allowed me to meet new people through online events and encouraged me to do something besides lectures while we couldn’t go out. 

Hala

I greatly enjoyed my experiences online as an Ambassador as it allowed me to manage my time efficiently. Moreover, I did not have to worry about missing or showing up to an event late as I could access events online through various platforms, such as Google Meet. I also really enjoyed how I could receive the contact information of other individuals and students in a quick manner to help me network and make new friends. An example of this was when I participated during the MyStart Orientation that took place online back in September of 2020.

Many students were not too keen on this change as it was the first time that orientation was scheduled to take place online due to the pandemic. However, being able to adapt to adversity due to circumstances that are out of our control is key. I was able to use this skill in other aspects of my life to help me cope with new and ongoing challenges. Therefore, being a part of the Ambassador program has helped me build my resilience and overcome adversity.

Shannaanth

The transition from in-person to online was a challenge that required me to step out of my comfort zone. As a student going through online learning, I loved it since I was able to save time on transportation and other activities. One of the online events I liked was the Virtual Open House with various virtual rooms that I was able to be in at the same time. Online and from home is a nice comfort that can save you time, but you need to have the discipline to stay focused and use workshops to help you stay on top of your work.

As a student, we had lots of workshops to provide tips and tricks on how to manage time, which helped me as I went through university. As an Ambassador, you will get newsletters that indicate the events that will occur throughout the upcoming weeks. Based on the given events they will have a certain number of points associated with it, that can be used for each level of the program as you progress as an Ambassador. During the pandemic, there were not many ways to communicate with others however, the Ambassador program has events that help you communicate with other students. I have met new people and it has been an awesome experience that I will continue throughout my university.