March 28, 2024

By WILLIAM WITCZAK

Exam time is coming up and a lot of students are starting to feel the pressure of school and life’s other responsibilities. If you ever feel like you can’t take the stress anymore, Counselling Services is here to help.

Located in the Student Life Centre in Room 1A101, Counselling Service offers a free, non-threatening environment to help students deal with any problems.

I decided to use the college’s resources to help deal with some relationship issues that I was experiencing in January and left in a complete state of comfort.

The process of setting up an appointment was quick and painless. All I had to do was simply call, 519-748-5220, ext. 3360 (or alternately you can just walk in and set up an appointment) and within the week I had a date and time to discuss my issues.

Upon walking in I was greeted by the receptionist in a kindly manner, seated for a couple of minutes and was met by my counsellor, Barb Kraler, who walked me to a private room to talk.

Though the talk may have only been for a half an hour, I can honestly say that it calmed me and put me in a better place. While talking about my issues, she gave me some advice to try and follow and also comforted me about going to the counsellor’s office.

“Students may primarily come in and see a counsellor for personal issues,” Kraler said during my session. “We also do career counselling, but personal counselling is the most frequent. And of that, relationship issues would be one of the most common reasons as well as stress, anxiety and depression.

“(There’s) no shame in it at all, it’s one of the most common human experiences … if people find it distracting and hard to focus on school, or things they used to do, and if it seems like it’s taken over one’s life at this time, then that is definitely worth talking about.”

The Doon campus’s location hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The other Conestoga campuses also offer counselling services. Check www.conestogac.on.ca/counselling/contact/location.jsp for the hours.

If there was one thing that I would stress to anyone who’s going through some tough times it would be to make an appointment and talk to someone. The services are here for us and they can do wonders if you just give them a chance.