Peer Academic Coaching Current Students

Meet Disha D. Arts & Science

Specialties: Battling Procrastination, Study & Memorization skills, Exam Preparation & Post-Exam Self-Correction Strategies

What drew me to become a Peer Academic Coach?

As an international student just starting university in a new country, I was looking for every resource offered by the university that would help me work through my courses. So, when I discovered Supplemental Learning & Peer Academic Coaching to be extremely helpful, I was intrigued to be a part of the team of student leaders who were guiding their peers!

Best advice I’ve ever received:

to just start. Everything seems complicated and difficult from the outside but once we start a project, be it anything, it gets much easier. This also helps battle procrastination. “Just start and the rest will come to you by itself!"

What I wish I’d known on the first day of university:

I wish someone had told me that it is not as difficult as it seems. Professors, classmates, and others are all there to support us and to help us have a good university experience. During my first semester here, I felt quite overwhelmed and unsure if I would be able to do well in disciplines I hadn’t ever studied before. But my friends, professors and all the resources on campus made me feel confident quite fast (plus, the library is extremely helpful, especially for arts students)!

Meet Eric K. Computer programming

I never go to class without:

A pencil, eraser, sharpener and lined paper. Study habits are important, but having these on me develops a routine that supports my learning habits.

What I wish I’d known on the first day of university:

Faculty at TRU are very approachable. I thought initially that because faculty mostly have doctorates and advanced degrees, they would not want to talk to first-year students. However, at TRU, reaching out to faculty via email or office hours is not only acceptable but encouraged.

My academic “a-ha moment”:

When I learned what LaTeX is, it blew my mind. Before learning about it, I had been writing all my citations and references manually. It may seem complicated at first, but if you plan to do any academic writing, I strongly recommend learning LaTeX.

What drew me to become an PAC leader:

It feels good to serve my community. Students of computing science too often come by the CAN Lab asking good questions, the kind that really should be asked in a group setting, like an PAC session. As an PAC leader, I can serve the student body in a way that I feel is in great demand.

Meet Kristiana GreenPsychology

My best or most memorable PAC moment:

Making friends with classmates while playing headbands.

What drew me to become an PAC leader?

I learned a lot about learning and recall in PAC, and I want to help others with the same.

I never go to class without:

Paper and pens because I learn best when I take handwritten notes.

Best advice I’ve ever received:

Start assignments and studying earlier than you think you need to! More time than expected is usually best.

Meet Jadyn Michael Psychology + Sociology

Specialties: time management, study skills, test stress, scheduling

What drew me to become a Peer Academic Coach?

I was drawn to this role as a way to engage with students on a more personal level and help to guide them through struggles that they have been having that I have previously faced.

I never go to class without:

Water or my iPad!

Best advice I’ve ever received:

To just start and break tasks down into more manageable components to make it feel easier to complete.