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I saw a Facebook community post about how important maintaining a healthy work-life balance is for adults and it was more towards mothers or fathers who have family to take care of. Although it was a helpful and important area of discussion, the importance of work-life balance for those of us who also have added responsibilities or totally different sets of responsibilities, like college or university students, is almost never spoken about.

Almost every university or college student I have met in my time in Canada has often complained about how stressful it is to balance work and college to have time for themselves. Some of the most common reasons for this was inflation and the rising cost of living, heavy academic workload.

It was also evident that international students dealt with an even greater level of financial struggle due to higher tuition fees. Due to these issues, students often struggle to maintain a good social life and strong connections, leading to depression, stress and burnout.

These concerns made me wonder if there were any services or help that can help students deal with the issue of improper work-life balance. And I was surprised to find that while most universities do offer counselling services for students to deal with issues like this, they are mostly hidden and never talked about.

This issue needs to be talked about more while also raising awareness on the available resources students can use for help.

Zayan Ghiasudeen,

UPEI student

The current situation regarding Marineland’s beluga whales in Ontario is absolutely devastating. Many people thought closing the park’s doors would lead to a better life for their aquatic mammals, but this has recently proven to be untrue. Thirty beluga whales have been threatened with euthanasia after a request for their export to China was denied by the Canadian government.

I feel that Canada should have protective measures in place to prevent this level of cruelty from occurring to animals.

When these whales were acquired by Marineland, they also acquired a duty to care for them. Now that the park has closed and funds have dwindled, they should still be required to provide for the animals under their custody. If they are financially unable to follow through on this commitment, then the animals should be surrendered to the province until a better solution is found.

After all the poor treatment these whales have faced at the hands of Marineland, the last thing they deserve is to be put to death because they can no longer be used for human amusement. These whales deserve a better end to their traumatic lives.

Animals in captivity should not be faced with the threat of death once they are no longer able to entertain us. Regulations must be put in place to prevent unnecessary euthanasia from occurring on healthy animals who still have long lives to live. Suffering in the entertainment industry or euthanasia should not be the only options for these whales.

Caitlin Schofield,

UPEI student

The cost of living in P.E.I. has risen drastically in recent years, affecting our loved ones, friends and community. Affordable housing must be considered a basic human right, not a luxury. Everyone deserves a safe and stable living environment, and the government has a responsibility to protect tenants and community members.

Students, single parents, seniors and low-income families work just as hard as the rest of the population, yet many are struggling financially. The average cost of rent has simply become unmanageable for too many people. Islanders are living paycheque to paycheque with much of their income going toward rent and basic living necessities. This is not sustainable, and it places an immense amount of stress on our communities.

It is essential that the provincial government do more to protect those who are struggling in our community. Stronger rent controls, more affordable housing projects, and ensuring landlords are not taking advantage of tenants could make a huge difference. The bottom line is that not enough is being done for our communities. Housing should never have become a profit-driven industry at the expense of our community’s well-being.

If things continue this way, islanders and families will be forced out of our province because staying is simply not affordable. This would change our communities and identities as islanders. Affordable housing would help to unite us, reduce inequalities, and create a more positive environment for all. It is time for PEI to make affordable housing for everyone a top priority.

Ellie MacLeod,

UPEI student

I feel strongly that Halloween should no longer happen on Oct. 31 and instead, should take place on the last Saturday of October each year. While I recognize that Halloween is a long-standing tradition, celebrating it on a weekday creates unwanted stress for parents, kids and teachers.

As parents, when Halloween falls on a weekday, the hours preceding and the days that follow can be pandemonium. It begins by rushing home from work to force supper on kids who are thinking of nothing but candy and treats, followed quickly by a scramble to be ready and in costume on time for a 5:30 start time to trick-or-treat. As a result of this rushing, what should be a fun evening often turns into an emotional race against time.

A Saturday celebration would allow families to enjoy Halloween without the pressure of a pre-Halloween rush or post-Halloween crash. Communities would have more opportunities to host relaxed evening events; families could prepare at a manageable pace, and children could trick-or-treat without the looming stress of bedtime and school the next morning.

Teachers would surely benefit from this change as well. Instead of receiving students who are tired and still buzzing from their sugar highs the evening before, students could return to class on Monday feeling rested, focused, and ready to learn.

Traditions can evolve, especially when doing so could benefit the well-being of our families and schools. Let’s make Halloween a true celebration for everyone by moving it to the last Saturday of October.

Alicia MacEachern,

UPEI student

The Canadian housing crisis has grown into one of the biggest economic challenges in our time. It has reached a critical point in our society affecting countless families, leaving them stranded and helpless. There are many factors that are causing this issue including high prices, limited supply/labour and increased population. It has become nearly impossible to find housing that is affordable at a fair price in Canada.

The primary cause of this crisis is the limited supply of materials and labour. We have seen in P.E.I. alone that the manufacturing companies have struggled to stay up to date with their projects. With the ongoing growth of population in Canada, this limits people’s options to very minimum selection. With the population growth and high demand for new housing units to be built, it leaves a select few options for people to purchase a house.

The alternative instead of buying a house and taking out a mortgage is renting. Canadian citizens have hit a roadblock with this alternative due to an 22 per cent increase in rent asking prices. There are limited options for Canadians looking to rent leading to high demand on rent. This causes landlords to steeply raise their prices because of the limited market, making it unaffordable for the average Canadian

Each day that passes, more Canadians are forced to become homeless with no place to live. It’s time for all Canadian citizens and communities to come together and create a sustainable housing future that is accessible and affordable.

Aidan Silvaggio,

UPEI student

The cost of food in Canada continues to increase, which creates a daily struggle for numerous Canadian families. Postmedia’s article titled “