Mindful minutes and the science of happiness help Langara students get through the summer

Langara College occupies an important position in the constellation of B.C. postsecondary institutions.

The Vancouver school is first in the country in helping students transfer from college to university. Every year, about 2,000 of them move on to other institutions, with about half of them attending the University of British Columbia.

One reason behind this success is Langara's emphasis on providing a smooth entry point for students beginning their postsecondary education.

That can be accomplished through smaller class sizes that enable students to really get to know their instructors. 

But it's also achieved through Langara's impressive student-volunteer program, which helps forge a more cohesive campus community.

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it more challenging for Langara and institutions to nurture that sense of belonging.

But Langara has still figured out a way to make postsecondary education more hospitable, even in the midst of a global health crisis.

It's doing this by offering students a series of regular free sessions over Zoom—and no registration is required.

One of those sessions, 11 Mindful Minutes at 11 a.m., enables students to take time to become more connected with themselves, live in the present, and relax their nervous system.

Another offering, Applying the Science of Happiness during COVID-19 Times, helps students learn the latest information in the burgeoning field of happiness studies. These are 20-minute sessions.

A different 20-minute session, Learning Memory & Academic Success Strategies for Online Learning, helps students improve their focus and concentration while making better use of memory to improve learning outcomes.

Then there's one entitled Resilience: From Stress to Success in COVID times, again offered in 20-minute sessions over Zoom.

For the full list and times, visit the Langara College website.