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Queen's Commerce Mental Health Association

The QCMHA Blog
Welcome to the QCMHA Blog! Here you can find a range of stories, shared by fellow commerce students, about the struggles they face and strategies they've learned over the years.


Taking the Pressure Off
Written By Hailey Kay, Sponsorship Coordinator In high school, I worked very hard in academics and extracurriculars. I placed a lot of...

QCMHA
Jan 272 min read
35 views
0 comments


My First Panic Attack: A Journey From Confused to Slightly Less Confused!
By Anna Lingard, Speakers Coordinator Something I’ve always prided myself on—though I’m almost certain my mother takes credit for it—is...

QCMHA
Jan 204 min read
216 views
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Early Mornings and Healthy Routines
By Jordan Deep, Logistics Director Growing up, I was never really a "morning person". I found waking up at 6 AM for early hockey...

QCMHA
Jan 133 min read
38 views
0 comments


Move for Your Mind: Staying Active at University
By Sarah Galloway, Events Coordinator Returning to Queen’s each year is always a mix of excitement and nerves. The buzz around campus,...

QCMHA
Nov 26, 20242 min read
27 views
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Finding the Courage to Ask for Help
By Leila-El Behairy, Events and Partnerships director Typically, when someone asks you, "who do you look up to?", your mind automatically...

QCMHA
Nov 5, 20242 min read
27 views
0 comments


Practice Makes Progress
By Sydney Yen, logistics coordinator I’ve always strived to excel in everything I do - whether it was being at the top of my class,...

QCMHA
Oct 29, 20242 min read
14 views
0 comments


Breaking Through the Darkness
Written by Charlotte Andersons On December 22nd, 2021, two days before Christmas, I attempted to end my life. It was supposed to be the...

QCMHA
Oct 7, 20242 min read
459 views
0 comments


My Journey to Self-Love and Acceptance
Growing up, I never gave much thought to my weight or appearance, and I always enjoyed the food in front of me without hesitation. Never...

QCMHA
Sep 23, 20243 min read
255 views
1 comment


The Back To School Rush
Written by QCMHA Sponsorship Director, Sophie Sheehan Back-to-school season brings a rush of excitement as we head back onto campus,...

QCMHA
Sep 17, 20242 min read
34 views
0 comments


My Favourite Question - What do you want to do after you graduate?
Written by QCMHA Sponsorship Director, Kieran McSweeney Blowing out the candles of my 21st birthday cake in the middle of the Sahara...

QCMHA
Apr 11, 20243 min read
68 views
0 comments


Navigating Finals Season
Written by First Year Rep, Maddy Davis I knew upon entering my first year at Queen’s that I would have a number of new challenges and...

QCMHA
Mar 25, 20242 min read
47 views
0 comments


The Only Way Out Is Through
Written by Publications Coordinator, Nicole Frank Getting through a depressive episode takes strength. It takes grit. It takes hope to...

QCMHA
Mar 4, 20243 min read
436 views
0 comments


Remember to Breathe
Written by First Year Rep, Noah Mcilveen Entering university this past August was probably the furthest away from myself I had ever been....

QCMHA
Feb 5, 20242 min read
91 views
0 comments


Society as a Patient
Written by QCMHA EDII Coordinator Marium Naqvi Those of us who grew up in Canada are lucky to have been exposed to mental health...

QCMHA
Jan 22, 20243 min read
107 views
0 comments


“New Year, New Me”, Building Constructive Resolutions
Written by QCMHA Sponsorship Coordinator Sophie Sheehan The beginning of a new year brings excitement and presents an optimal opportunity...

QCMHA
Jan 9, 20241 min read
35 views
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Embracing the Struggle
Written by QCMHA Logistics Director Josh Borrell When addressing the MIT convocation in 2023, Mark Rober said, "Yeah, but my real life...

QCMHA
Dec 23, 20233 min read
109 views
0 comments


Grief and the Power of the Letter S
Written by Events Director Clare Butler We all can relate to the incessant number of times you get asked the same three questions in...

QCMHA
Dec 6, 20232 min read
266 views
0 comments


Focus on the Good, and the Good Gets Better: The Power of Your Mindset
Written by Events Coordinator, Olivia D'Amico If there’s one key takeaway I have from my adolescence, it’s that your mindset is the most...

QCMHA
Nov 13, 20232 min read
162 views
0 comments


Maintaining Relationships in University with Work-Life Balance
Written by Digital Strategy Coordinator, Tal Bibas University provides a unique setting to foster relationships that might not otherwise...

QCMHA
Oct 30, 20232 min read
39 views
0 comments


Finding Healing and Friendship Through the Power of Music: My Tate McRae Concert Experience
Written by Publications Coordinator, Lauren Au As the school year began, I was in a familiar but dreadful place. The first few weeks were...

QCMHA
Sep 25, 20232 min read
132 views
0 comments


Balancing University Highs and Lows
Written by QCMHA Events & Partnerships Coordinator, Jordan Deep Our time is university is supposed to be the best time of our lives. It’s...

QCMHA
Aug 23, 20232 min read
131 views
0 comments


Everything Will Work Out How it Should - Just Give it Time
Written by QCMHA Speakers Coordinator Evan Bertoia Throughout my childhood and teen years, baseball meant everything to me. I would wake...

QCMHA
Apr 3, 20233 min read
99 views
0 comments


What I wish people knew about depression
Written by QCMHA Co-Chair Avina Patel No one really talks about depression. I know it’s a difficult topic, and there are a million things...

QCMHA
Mar 28, 20232 min read
159 views
0 comments


Struggling with Change and Adjusting to University Life
Written by QCMHA First Year Representative Nicole Frank Growing up with parents who went to Queens, my childhood was full of amusing...

QCMHA
Feb 28, 20232 min read
112 views
0 comments


The Power of Putting Yourself First
Written by QCMHA Publications Coordinator Rebecca Pin Throughout life, I was the type of person no one thought twice to worry about. From...

QCMHA
Feb 7, 20232 min read
49 views
0 comments


Gratitude Is The Best Attitude
Written by QCMHA Events & Workshops Coordinator Marium Naqvi I was in the second grade when my mom took me to the Dollar Store and asked...

QCMHA
Jan 16, 20232 min read
44 views
0 comments


Coping With Grief & Loss in your 20’s
Written by QCMHA Sponsorship Coordinator Kate Sinclair I have noticed in the past year that people love to avoid talking about death,...

QCMHA
Nov 29, 20223 min read
632 views
0 comments


Comparison, The Thief of Joy
Written by QCMHA Case Competition Coordinator Josh Borrell Everyone is subject to comparison. Whether it is an idol, a friend, a sibling,...

QCMHA
Nov 24, 20222 min read
93 views
0 comments


Getting Over the Barrier of Asking for Help
Written by QCMHA Sponsorship Coordinator Sarah Andersons Facing the barrier of asking for help was one of the biggest challenges I have...

QCMHA
Nov 14, 20223 min read
219 views
0 comments


Catching Some ZZZs
Written by QCMHA Sponsorship Coordinator Kieran McSweeney Sleep, this amazing thing that happens every night (or almost every night) that...

QCMHA
Nov 7, 20222 min read
49 views
0 comments


Living on a High, Yet Feeling Like a Low
Written by QCMHA Co-Chair Maddie Poutissou Anxiety is a really weird thing. It can be that everything around you and in your life is...

QCMHA
Oct 18, 20222 min read
115 views
0 comments


Growing Up, Nostalgia, and Post-Grad Scaries
Written by QCMHA Partnership Director Alex LeBoeuf As a fourth-year student whose university experience has been radically changed by the...

QCMHA
Feb 22, 20222 min read
65 views
0 comments


Diversifying My Mental Wellness
Written by QCMHA Event Coordinator Jordan Leishman Although we might be nearing the end of this pandemic (hopefully), a key takeaway that...

QCMHA
Feb 3, 20222 min read
57 views
0 comments


Choosing Optimism in Hard Times
Written by QCMHA Research Coordinator Taylor Mackenzie I hate to be that person who, unprompted, talks about what an amazing and...

QCMHA
Jan 28, 20223 min read
29 views
0 comments


Embrace Imperfections and Challenge
Written by QCMHA Event Coordinator Larry You Sometimes I describe myself as an introvert who got anxious and insecure easily in the past....

QCMHA
Jan 22, 20222 min read
28 views
0 comments


Exhausting My Limits
Written by QCMHA Research Coordinator Nyla Ward I’m the kid that always hated participation trophies because for as long as I can...

QCMHA
Dec 29, 20212 min read
42 views
0 comments


Road to a Better Me: Learning Self Compassion
Written by QCMHA Co-Chair Ali Jones Self-compassion is something I struggle with every day. I often find myself in a state of negative...

QCMHA
Dec 15, 20213 min read
104 views
0 comments


My Challenging Exchange Experience
Written by QCMHA Speakers Coordinator Jeffrey Hugessen Truthfully, I’m not exactly sure what the purpose of this blog is. If nothing...

QCMHA
Dec 2, 20214 min read
250 views
0 comments


Learning to Accept and Appreciate Uncertainty
Written by QCMHA Marketing Director Maddie Poutissou Why do we like control? Maybe it's because it gives us a sense of well-being, makes...

QCMHA
Nov 17, 20212 min read
40 views
0 comments


The Power of Acceptance
Written by QCMHA Case Competition Coordinator Lauren Macdonald Navigating my mental health has been one of life’s most confusing...

QCMHA
Nov 10, 20212 min read
399 views
0 comments


One big step for ME, One small step for my Anxiety
Written by QCMHA Outreach Coordinator Nathan Gori As a child, I thought my personality resembled a ball of rubber bands: extroverted,...

QCMHA
Nov 4, 20213 min read
107 views
0 comments


A Safe Space
Written by QCMHA Co-Chair Ali Jones About two years ago, someone in my life confided in me about their struggle with suicide. This...

QCMHA
Apr 13, 20212 min read
73 views
0 comments


Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Written by QCMHA member, Taylor Mackenzie First days are always memorable, and my first day at Queen’s was no different. I distinctly...

QCMHA
Mar 9, 20213 min read
64 views
0 comments


Comfort in Silence - A Look at Advocacy & Social Media
Written by QCMHA member, Alex LeBoeuf There’s no doubt that social media platforms have become a significant part of our lives as young...

QCMHA
Feb 27, 20212 min read
28 views
0 comments


Wearing Your Heart on Your Sleeve
Written by QCMHA member, Curtis Kerrigan Something that I have been trying to work on recently, is being more open, especially with the...

QCMHA
Feb 22, 20212 min read
63 views
0 comments


How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
Written by QCMHA member, Heather Hudson Comparing yourself to others is an unconscious habit that everyone partakes in. Even the most...

QCMHA
Feb 15, 20212 min read
115 views
0 comments


Learning To Stay Present
Written by QCMHA member, Caroline Pennock As part of my New Year’s resolution, I have decided to pour my efforts into staying present,...

QCMHA
Feb 8, 20213 min read
26 views
0 comments


Better with the Bullet Journal
Written by QCMHA member Dione Ng For the past five years, I’ve been using the bullet journal system to wade through the messiness of my...

QCMHA
Jan 31, 20213 min read
82 views
1 comment


New Year's Resolutions & Well Being
Written by QCMHA member, Jeffrey Hugessen Last Year when I went home for the Holidays, my brother Richard told me about his goals for...

QCMHA
Jan 24, 20212 min read
28 views
0 comments


How to Best Be a Support System
Written by QCMHA member, Charlotte Knapp Earlier this semester I had the privilege to write a blog post for Care Culture. I was asked to...

QCMHA
Jan 12, 20214 min read
47 views
0 comments
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