Hey BMSA readers! When quarantine first began, we decided to run a WWD series to share what we were doing cooped up in our homes. We’ve decided to bring that back this week! Discover new ways to be productive, enjoy yourself, and stay healthy, all the while employing social distancing.
Start Volunteering for the Canada Student Service Grant Program
Contributor Si-Cheng Dai
After COVID-19 struck, the government of Canada has been working to ensure that citizens are being supported; the development of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) are examples of such efforts. Within the past month, a similar, but more interactive initiative has developed: the Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) program. If you’re a keen post-secondary student or recent graduate, you can apply to become a part of this initiative to provide relief within your community. Become a volunteer with non-profit organizations registered under the CSSG and start working to make an impact! You may receive beneficial training related to your role, and the recording of your hours on the site. Every 100 hours you contribute (up to a maximum of 500 hours) qualifies you for a $1 000 grant. Those who are receiving the CESB are not eligible, but those who are receiving the CESB are. What are you waiting for? Apply to make a difference and improve the lives around you!
Take a Free Online Course
Contributor Sabrina Ke
With the ongoing months spent under quarantine, many of us have probably felt frustrated and bored being stuck at home. Despite the stress and unpredictability of the current situation, one of the few good things to come out of this quarantine is the extra free time on our hands. This gives us the perfect chance to learn something new, explore our interests. or pick up different skills, and the free online courses provided by universities during this time may be the silver lining we were looking for in the dark storm cloud that is COVID-19. From “Introduction to Psychology” provided by Yale University to “Mechanical Ventilation for COVID-19” provided by Harvard, there is no shortage of free online courses available to suit what you’re looking for. Many of these courses even provide certificates for completing the course, so if you’re looking for a new past-time, why not take advantage of the resources provided by these universities? Check out https://www.coursera.org/collections/popular-free-courses or https://online-learning.harvard.edu/catalog/FRee to start your search and find which courses interest you! Let’s all keep learning!
Pick up a new (or revisit an old) hobby
Claire Millard
You may remember that activity you used to love to do, but in the bustle of school and work it may have gone to the wayside; or what about that hobby that you’ve seen and it struck you as something that would interest you? Now that things are opening up again there many more opportunities to get out of the house and pick up some supplies to engage in a new or long-lost hobby of yours. Now is the time to try out some new hobbies that you have always wanted to try or even revisit some of your old favourites that you haven’t had the time for. I have personally enjoyed kayaking which I picked up this summer as a way to get out of my house but still staying away from large crowds. An important mindset to have is what can I try now that I have the time, not that you are stuck with nothing to do. There is so much out there that you or I have yet to try so why not seize the time you have now and just try it.