No, we’re not telling you to go to your usual class. Well, you should be attending your usual classes regardless, but this is not just about your typical academic courses. This is about CLASS – the Conference for Learning and Academic Student Success!
CLASS was originally a one-day conference where students could attend several different workshops on improving their UBC experience at the academic, social, and professional levels. As the presence of midterms and assignments make October a very busy month, some people were skeptical that students would be interested in attending such an event. However, CLASS workshops are designed especially to help you power through this busy time of year, and so the demand for CLASS workshops was such that this year CLASS is a full week of engaging presentations designed to improve your learning and overall experience at UBC. Pretty cool, eh?
To make it even MORE cool, IPP is also presenting a learning lab during CLASS – Friends with Benefits: Support Networks for Academic Success. In this interactive workshop, students will learn successful strategies for coping with homesickness emotions that begin to creep in after the September excitement dies down. You will get a chance to interact with students who experienced very similar emotions, and also learn about resources available at UBC and in your community. But I won’t tell you much more, because I don’t want to accidentally give you too much information! You can find out more details under our October Learning Labs page, at [link]
Our fellow JumpStart colleagues are also presenting a workshop, Negotiating Language Barriers in the Classroom and Beyond. This workshop focuses on helping students who are new to the English language to learn strategies for better communication skills both inside and outside the classroom. As this might be a common concern of many international students, we highly recommend you to check it out! More information also under our October Learning Labs page, at [link]
Overall, check the CLASS website for more workshops and learning labs, and for a more accurate History of how CLASS was developed and who are the amazing people behind it [link]. You will definitely find something that interests you! If you still don’t believe me, just read their awesome description below:
“Title: GO TO CLASS
Struggling with the midterms? Trying to find ways to study effectively? Fear not, CLASS is here! The Conference for Learning and Academic Student Success is dedicated to helping first-year and transfer students from all faculties achieve academic excellence and personal wellness so you can bathe in roses and milk once again. CLASS aims to help you help yourself, empower you with the knowledge and resources needed to realize your academic goals while pursuing a balanced and healthy university lifestyle. Mark your calendars, the journey begins on Monday October 24th to Friday October 28th, where you will learn the keys to university success through our innovative workshops, inspiring speakers and mentors. Free registration is now open – www.class.ubc.ca: GO TO CLASS!!!”
So pack your lunch, wear those flashy sunglasses, and bring your favourite pen – We hope to see you in CLASS!
