The fall term will see virtual events switching to in-person
BY: BRETT MACLAREN
As some virtual events end for the academic year, Red River College Polytechnic’s Campus Well-Being unit is beginning to plan for an in-person fall semester.
“Hopefully I’ll see you all again,” said painting instructor Kisa MacIssac on April 14—the final virtual paint night.
It was the Campus Well-Being unit’s last paint night of the academic year and possibly the last one to run virtually.
Breanne Sawatzky, acting manager of the unit, said some events currently being delivered virtually, like yoga, will be transitioning to in-person if they haven’t already.
Sports facilities at the Notre Dame Campus and Exchange District Campus will expand their hours, intramurals will be reintroduced, and new activities will be made available for RRC Polytech students.
“We’re looking to bring some diversity into the mix and try some new things,” Sawatsky said.
The team will make hires for multiple new positions this spring. Positions like Sport & Fitness Supervisor and Recreation & Wellness Coordinator will ensure more variety and frequency in events for students.
Sawatzky said that virtual events may still happen, but it really depends on students to determine which events will continue.
“Students will tell us by their attendance whether something is worth it to them,” said Sawatzky.
Going forward, MacIsaac hopes there is an option for both virtual and in-person events in order to better accommodate for students who live outside the city or who have children.
In a world full of distractions like social media, she said students need to remember to keep up their mental health.
“We need time to be still, pause, and take a moment to just breathe,” MacIsaac said.
With so many potential well-being events, MacIsaac encourages students to be brave and try something outside their comfort zone.
Rong [Angela] Ge, a student at the Language Training Centre at RRC Polytech, regularly attended virtual paint night.
“The virtual paint nights give me an opportunity to escape from the real world and take a break from everything going on,” Ge said.
She said she would love to attend in-person events in the next year, but would also want virtual events to be available.
“I prefer virtual events if my schedule is full,” said Ge.
Event schedules will be updated on the Campus Well-Being website.
