The Voice Magazine recently had a chance to chat with Victoria Lang (she/her), “a born and raised Calgarian who loves to spend … time in the mountain terrain and relaxing inside during a cold day.” Victoria obtained her “BA in Psychology from Saint Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia and got to enjoy the small-town experience while also seeing everything the east coast has to offer.” She is currently an AU “non-program student acquiring prerequisites for the AU Master of Counselling program with the anticipation of being a Marriage and Family Therapist.”
Victoria let The Voice Magazine know how she best studies and provided some personal study tips for students. “I normally study best after a good workout as I find it raises my overall energy levels and increases production. I keep motivated by reading Psychology Today and keeping up with the latest research and studies,” she stated.
She also had some advice for new and prospective students. “I would advise them to research the path(s) they are interested in and map out what they want the result to be, this is because some programs require more schooling later, volunteer work, or field work. Other than this, I would encourage them to have fun and make the most of their learning experience!”
When she is not studying, she keeps busy. She stated, “I love to travel and have been all over the world, although visiting my family in California is always the top of the list. When I am not travelling, I like to go to the gym or relax with my guilty pleasure of reality TV.”
Victoria let The Voice Magazine know about several of her most memorable vacations. “Over the years I have had a lot of memorable vacations and when asked which one was the best I he to divide them into different categories; one being the food scene and the other being experiences. I would have to say my tip to Egypt, Israel, and Jordan when I was 14 would be the top of the list for experiences. It was a family vacation and out tour guide was able to get us in to meet the Israeli army and participate in some of their styles of training. Food wise, I would have to say India trumped with their exceptional flavors and creativity, whereas East Asia was a close second,” she explained.
Jessica also finds time in her schedule to read. “I would have to say the current book I am reading Highway of Tears by Jessica McDiarmid has had the largest impact on my life so far. It is an eyeopener for anyone as it is about the pursuit of justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. With respects to current events regarding the racism and indifference Indigenous Peoples face within our society. It motivates me to continue my journey to become a counsellor and help those who have suffered a great deal of trauma.”
When asked who in her life has had the greatest influence on her desire to learn, Victoria chose her mother, stating, “My mom had the greatest influence on my desire to learn as she was unable to attend university therefore, she made sure I received the education necessary to succeed.”
Victoria described online learning as “a great experience!” She continued, “There is a plethora of interesting courses, and the professors are incredibly reliable. Although I did previously graduate from an in-person university, I love the freedom that AU gives me to take my courses anywhere and work at times that are convenient for me.”
Her most memorable course was also the first she took at AU, namely PSYC 315: Psychology and the Mass Media. “This is because I love psychology and I find media studies interesting, but most of all I had a great tutor who was reliable and enlightening. This in turn made my first experience at AU gratifying,” she explained.
As for communication with her course tutors? “I find that the tutors at AU are personable and understanding that there can sometimes be a learning barrier as it is an online university. Nevertheless, they try their hardest to help students understand the material and are engaging when doing so.”
When asked which famous person, past or present, she would like to have lunch with, and why, she chose Eminem. “Although there is not much depth to this answer, I do enjoy his music and creativity when listening to the writing style. One could argue he has an interesting background and life story. That lunch would entail a variety of my favorite foods such as curries, dim sum, and sushi.”
As for her most valuable lesson learned in life? “My most valuable lesson learnt in life was to live life to the fullest. This was instilled in me from a young age to just enjoy doing the things you love. Therefore, I travel a lot and am working towards an occupation that will be fulfilling and something I enjoy doing. It is cliché but if you do something you love you will never have to work a day in your life.”
And her proudest moment? “The proudest moment in my life would be graduating from Saint Frances Xavier University and being honored into the tradition of attaining an X Ring. I was the first member of my family to graduate from a secondary institution.”
As a final thought, Victoria added, “I would just like to end with saying that AU has helped my transition back into academia stress-free and I feel supported by the AU community.” Best of luck Victoria!
At times, in an online learning environment, it can feel like you are all alone, but across the nation and around the globe, students just like you are also pursuing their Athabasca University (AU) studies! Each week, The Voice Magazine will be bringing you some of these stories. If you would like to be featured next, do not hesitate to get in touch!