Dustin Blumhagen is an AU student living in Cochrane, Alberta. Dustin is a teacher, writer, and music lover, and he’s currently enrolled in the Labour Studies degree program at AU. Dustin’s schedule as a freelance writer is a bit chaotic, so The Voice Magazine caught up to him via e-mail, and interviewed him about school,… Read more »
It’s been nearly a decade since I took WGST (then WMST) 422, but the statistics and stories I learned have affected every day of my life since. The part of the course that provoked the most immediate emotional response was the readings?which both the tutor and student interviewed in Tynes? article noted could be unsettling…. Read more »
Can you say that statistics have changed your life? Maybe even saved it? Probably not. But when I took WMST 422 (the precursor to WGST 422, subject of a recent Course Exam article in The Voice), the most important thing I learned wasn’t the global prevalence of violence against women. It wasn’t the responses of… Read more »
There is nothing more that The Study Dude wants for you than to write acclaimed essays that garner millions, make speeches that go down into the annal of history, and make that winning PowerPoint that takes your future company public. Well, in these articles, as The Study Dude, I’ll try to give you the study… Read more »
My name is Philip Kirkbride. I’m a college graduate from Ontario studying at AU. I’ve always wanted to do an exchange program or study abroad but never found the right time to do so. This is part fourteen in the story of how Athabasca University has allowed me to create my own study abroad program…. Read more »
Snorkeling in clear and bright Okanagan Lake the other day allowed me to ponder future course opportunities and dream up esoteric ?Fly On the Wall? Topics. Just as I began to suppose that I’d see no fish on this swim, a huge carp glided into my peripheral vision. Had it been watching me and decided… Read more »
On the last page of every issue of O magazine, Oprah has a column entitled ?What I Know for Sure.? In those few words she summarizes the life lesson that supports the theme of that issue. Some recent topics included: 1. “The only thing you shouldn’t miss is what matters to you.” 2. “What daring,… Read more »
If You’re a student, procrastination is probably as much a part of your day as textbooks and quizzes. Your laptop’s ready, your books are open, but there always seems to be something more important to do. Call a friend, grab some lunch, maybe even help your kids with their homework. Besides, you can always squeeze… Read more »
There’s a chance this may be the final issue of The Voice Magazine?the final in a run That’s lasted more than two decades and that has given readers a wonderful glimpse into the lives and interests of their fellow students. A run, too, That’s helped launch the careers of several former Voice writers, and has… Read more »
Dear Barb: I will be graduating college shortly with an engineering degree and I have already received a job offer, which I accepted. The problem is that I have received a second job offer and the pay is better than the job I already accepted. I am not sure what to do. The job that… Read more »
Student fitness requires learning at optimal physical and mental performance. Studying requires enormous energy?energy that we can’t afford to deplete by spending time on distractions. Our bodies burn so much energy throughout the day that any redirection of that vitality on something irrelevant or superfluous exhausts our supply. With studying, every ounce of energy we… Read more »
Album: we’ll Show You Where The Monsters Are Band: Fable Cry To follow the review that I had done on their singles from this album back in April, I am excited to review Fable Cry’s album we’ll Show You Where The Monsters Are. Full of the same goodness, fun, and eccentricity that we sampled in… Read more »
Film: Red Knot Director: Scott Cohen “But once the realization is accepted that even between the closest people infinite distances exist, a marvelous living, side-by-side, can grow up for them if they succeed in loving the expanse between them, which gives them the possibility of always seeing each other as a whole and before an… Read more »
“How do you defeat terrorism? don’t be terrorized.” – Salman Rushdie We take a taxi to Denden to meet a friend at an outdoor café before searching for another taxi to take us to Bardo, the site of the March 18 terrorist attack that resulted in the deaths of 23 people?19 of them tourists from… Read more »
AU’s online transcript preview is convenient when you just need a copy for your own use. Also, some grant and scholarship providers now accept the PDF preview under the same rules that apply to submitting receipts for taxes (i.e., they will take your word for it, but reserve the right to request a hard copy… Read more »
I remember when the hiring freeze first started. The funding model wasn’t sufficient for AU to support all of its students. Positions started to be left vacant. And then came the massive provincial budget cuts. Layoffs, buyouts, and the elimination of vacant positions. Less staff at the university to assist students. Remaining staff beginning to… Read more »
This one is another of my personal favorites. From April (of course) I wish I knew the tune.
In a puzzling move last week, AUSU Student Council announced it would seek to replace The Voice Magazine with a “Writer in Residence.” Without notice and with minimal fanfare, AUSU placed an upcoming event listing on its website, and on the AUSU Update page in April 3rd’s The Voice, for the seemingly hastily-organized 2015 Annual… Read more »
The death of my husband, following a brief fight with cancer, left me totally devastated. The overwhelming grief was extremely difficult to go through, but I knew I had no choice. To cope, I thought it might help if I fulfilled some of the dreams Ed and I had together. We had often discussed taking… Read more »
It does not take more than a few minutes attending the Athabasca University Convocation to see just what sets AU apart from other universities. One of the first things I noticed was how many graduates had travelled from all over the world to be there, many more than at brick-and-mortar university ceremonies. Since AU is… Read more »
One of the hardest things that I have found I have had to deal with as a distance-learning student is the feeling of isolation. When you attend a traditional university you are surrounded by your peers?like-minded people taking the same courses you are. I live in a small community and, while I am able to… Read more »
This holiday season will be unlike any other I’ve experienced. You see, my Mom passed away suddenly just after Thanksgiving. The weeks that followed were a whirlwind for me; travelling to my hometown in rural British Columbia, funeral planning, making sure my Dad was doing okay and had some support, and also trying to navigate… Read more »
So what’s involved in a Best Of issue? Do I just pick the stuff I like, and foist it off on you people as the Best of? Well, in some cases, yes, that’s exactly what happens. However, most of this issue was picked by students. I don’t get a lot of responses to my calls… Read more »
