For every young person who is currently struggling to find a job, a support system is ready and waiting to help them. Since beginning our search for a ‘career’ (i.e. something more than stocking shelves or walking dogs), my partner and I have been fortunate to find many hidden resources and support mechanisms lying in…
Author: marialegault
I spend my time hiking in nature and reading great novels.
Too Much Introspection
I must confess to any and all of my readers; I’m a little bit obsessed, a little bit over thinking, pretty much everything in my life right now. And it wears at me. Why can’t you just be happy? I chastise myself. What’s wrong with you that you can’t just relax? There are brief moments…
Returning to Reality
After a lovely weekend away at camp for the COEO conference, I’m having a hard time facing the reality of life once again. The weather on Saturday was particularly beautiful, and I slipped away from the crowds of people quite often to gaze in rapture at the yellows, reds, and oranges adorning the trees. Leaves…
A Weekend Away at Camp
This weekend, I will be heading up north to spend some time at the Glen Bernard Camp as a part of the “The Unconvention” hosted by the Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario (COEO). I’m going to be leaving my laptop at home – so, no emails, no Twitter, no Facebook. My phone will only…
NaNoWriMo = Powerful Procrastination Potential
For several years now, I have reflected on my childhood with a fair degree of regret; it seems that I’ve lost the youthful spark and creativity which once drove me to daydreaming and jotting quick stories in care-worn old diaries. The hostile world has interjected into my dreams and tangents – and as a result,…
“Do or Do Not. There is No Try” – Yoda
The fateful words by Yoda seemed the most apt title for my blog entry today. It seems that in my life, I can only do, or not do; there’s really no in between. I require and exert such intense focus on whatever I’m doing, that I can’t easily span between subjects, disciplines, or modes of…
Modern-Day Hermits
It seems like every day, there is a new uncertainty or conflict that we have to mediate, manage, and move on from. I find in myself a constant struggle over everything from scheduling (do I answer this email now, or leave it? ……definitely better to leave it) to the orientation of my life. Lately, I…
Slow Down & Open Your Mind
For this, my 30th blog entry, I wanted to shift the format a little to allow for public input and commentary. Previously, I’d suppressed the option of adding comments to a post because I thought it looked too ‘messy’. However, I am interested in receiving direct feedback on my blog posts. A big thanks to…
Today, I Finished a Draft
Today is something of a milestone for me – I officially finished a final draft of my thesis and sent it, in its entirety, off to my supervisor and committee member. The process is by no means over; I anticipate that I will have further revisions to make, and will then look into setting up…
Viewpoint: The Value of Certifications
In today’s earlier post, I discussed the problems with certifications – they’re expensive, they are offered by a multitude of privately-owned companies, and they are required for jobs on top of an expensive university education. I was rightfully corrected by one of my wonderful readers on the importance of certifications; certifications are undoubtedly a useful…
Viewpoint: What’s Up with the Certifications?
In some of my previous posts, I have alluded to the high expectations placed on recent graduates in our current economy; they’re expected to have critical thinking skills, as well as a whole host of practical, hands-on abilities. While critical thinking skills can be stimulated through conversations with peers and mentors in university classes, credentials…
Self-Employment for All!
In a recent conversation with a friend, the issue of self-employment came up. I’ve previously mentioned the CYBF program and its potential to assist young people who are otherwise unemployed; it seems that the internet agrees with me. In the article entitled “Young, free and self-employed“, Emma Jayne Jones highlights the plight of youth in…
Maria Legault 