If you’re passionate about a particular issue – ending sexual violence, championing diversity and equity, making life better on campus or promoting mental health – you might want to mark your calendar for later this term when programs like the MacEwan Ambassasdors, Peer Health Education Team, Champions of Diversity and Equity (C.O.D.E.), and MacEwan Anti-Violence Education Network (MAVEN) take applications.
Coming from the other side of the world can also bring students together. MacEwan International hosts all kinds of events and activities to help students connect.
3. Remember: It’s not about numbers
Connection is subjective, says Lyseng. “Someone can have lots of contacts on social media and still feel really lonely. Or someone might have just a couple of really close friends, but the depth of those connections is such that they don't feel isolated.”
What feels right for you is more important than measuring how many contacts or how many friends other people might have, says Lyseng. “Ask yourself how connected you feel with the people you have in your life. Do you have room for more connections right now and, if so, be strategic in where you look for them.”
Sometimes you don’t need to look very far.
“Maybe it feels a bit safer to connect back with people in other areas of your life – someone from high school or a family member that can act as a bit of a bridge,” says Lyseng. “Making space for people who have been an important part of your life in the past and seeking out those supportive connections where you can feel heard and safe might be a good place to begin while you are also looking for opportunities to branch out and meet new people in new ways.”
4. What to do when any of these things feels like too much
If you’re struggling with loneliness and making connections, people are waiting to help. Lyseng says that Wellness and Psychological Services has a series of eight-week group counselling options scheduled for the winter, including a session that focuses on building social confidence.
“It can be a really good place to connect with other people who might be experiencing some similar challenges, to feel more validated and less isolated in some of your experiences,” says Lyseng.
SAMU’s Peer Support service is also a good option. The service is entirely operated by student volunteers trained to help their fellow students work through any issue, including loneliness and isolation. Peer Support volunteers are available through live chats or video chats on weekdays from 9 a.m to 5 p.m.
“Nothing is off limits, and absolutely everything is confidential,” says SAMU VP Thomas Cross-Trush.
No matter what, says Lyseng, feelings of isolation and loneliness are normal – especially during difficult times.
“Ultimately, we are wired to try and connect, so feeling lonely when we aren’t able to do that is natural,” says Lyseng. “It can feel really tricky to try to reach out, but there are so many physical and psychological health benefits to finding that sense of connection – whatever it might look like for you.”