It is unfortunate that Theresa Martin misinterpreted the intent of my suggestion to work with one’s peers during exam time. I would like to clarify that I was not endorsing “getting a Physics major (to) help with the Biological reason for … depression”. Perhaps Ms.Martin personally finds it difficult to be productive in the presence of her friends, but many often benefit from a working environment with others who can contribute their own understanding to supplement each others’. Also, I agree that I neglected to mention the importance of physical activity. Exercise, regardless of the time of year, is a vital habit in the complex continuum of long-term health.

Carleigh Cathcart

In your article on the letters campaign, Kayla mentions a volunteer that was inspired to help because of an experience working in a native community where there was a tornado.  I believe I am the volunteer she was talking about and I would just like to clarify that Goderich, Ontario is not an aboriginal community.  I simply compared the response to a declaration of a state of emergency there compared to a declaration of a state of emergency in an aboriginal community. Within 24 hours of the storm, Premier McGuinty had toured Goderich and announced $5 million in aid. He also promised that Ontario was behind the community. I believe that Attawapiskat and other aboriginal communities should receive the same support from both governments and other residents of our province and country. Four weeks is an absurd amount of time to take to respond to an emergency.

Thank you for allowing me to make this clarification,

Sophia Jefferson

Dear Editor of the Ontarion,
I received an email from CSA about the UC Student Space Sit-In event to show that students need more space in the library for students. I am an off campus student and I commute from Hamilton and I completely understand the need for more space. But I also think in addition to study space, there needs to be more space for commuting students. I don’t have the luxuries of going home in between classes. That being said, I end up having to bring multiple bags to campus with my books, textbooks, and laptop to go to my classes and do work. I think the ideal solution would be to have a program in the library that allows commuting students to register for a personal cubicle every semester. It would have a greater benefit than just a locker because it would provide a spot in the library where the commuter can go in between classes and work without wandering the library or the campus with multiple bags.

Sincerely,

Kamille Balliram

In response to the response to Carleigh Cathcart’s article, we would like to express how very happy we are to see how much attention the Ontarion has recently paid to helping students during this stressful exam period. We have been particularly impressed with the recent letters to the editor about tips for dealing with exam stress. Speaking as upper year University Students, we know how important it is to equip oneself with exam-coping strategies, and feel that we may have some points of value to contribute to this important discussion.

Although the suggestion of drinking water to increase oxygen intake has merit, it is really only useful for those students with gills; however, for those of us without that luxury (the 99%), we have some alternative solutions to offer. Toting an oxygen tank may be a more efficient way to quickly get that hit that you’re looking for. Volunteering at a retirement home serves the double function of giving you a great resume-builder as well as access to unlimited pressurized oxygen supplies. However, a tank can prove to be somewhat unwieldy. If you’d like a more user-friendly option, consider having your septum perforated to expand your nasal cavity and improve your oxygen uptake capacity (VO₂). However, do NOT do this at home – some of the tattoo parlours in Guelph have started performing this procedure for a very reasonable price.

Typically, after getting your septum procedure done, we would encourage you to take full advantage of the new sensations you will experience in the fresh air of the great outdoors. Thus, we would agree with the suggestion to study in a park; however, given the unseasonably warm weather, we suggest making alternative plans until the temperature is safely below zero, at which point you can return to your favourite park.

Furthermore, we fully agree that studying with people outside of your discipline is inefficient and even potentially detrimental. We would go further, suggesting that you sever all communication with students not in your classes, lest they offer you an alternative opinion to your own or that sanctioned by your professor. This can be emotionally upsetting, or cause you to “overthink things,” complicating your studying process.

Lastly, we would like to point out that study time is most effective when used for studying. While this may seem counterintuitive, we assure concerned first-years that it is, in fact, the case. Writing lengthy letters to the editor may seem like a good way to hone your analytical skills, but resist the temptation. Readers may not be in your program, sparking miscommunication and bad feelings – they simply will not “get you.” We, of course, have only broken this cardinal rule due to our passion for the topic and our belief that our contribution can truly make a difference.

In perpetuity,

Melissa Sarah Eisen, Sylvie Lorraine Vigneux, and Gill Margaret Buckle

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