By Kevin Pilar, Current Student Communications 

Choosing an elective that’s both interesting and fits your schedule and program requirements can be challenging. To help with that, we’ve started a blog series that explores courses across the College in a more meaningful way. By speaking directly with instructors and hearing from students who’ve taken these courses, we’re aiming to give you a clearer sense of what to expect and what you might get out of them.

This first set of courses focuses on one simple idea: understanding the systems shaping the world around you.

CMNS 2223: New Media and Society

Best suited for: students who are naturally curious, open to exploring ideas, and willing to move beyond searching for “the right answer” toward understanding how things connect.

The course title and description leave a lot open to interpretation – and don’t fully capture what you truly walk away with: a new way of seeing the systems shaping your everyday life.

Instructor Caitlin Turner notes that what surprises students most isn’t just what they learn, but how connected it feels to their own world. The course is designed to be flexible and responsive – you will be encouraged to bring forward the issues you’re already thinking about, and class time is used to explore those in real time. Throughout the course, you’ll build a toolkit around media literacy and platform thinking – something you can carry into future courses, projects, and even how you interpret the world around you.

Each week, you’ll move through topics like wearable tech and self-tracking, memes, influencer culture, or algorithms and bias – examining how platforms shape what you see, and what you don’t. You’ll apply that thinking in practical ways. As Turner shares, some students have rethought how platforms influence their decisions – like reconsidering dating apps after analyzing those systems – while others have applied it more directly, such as helping a family business better understand how algorithms affect their visibility online.

Instead of traditional exams, you’ll create podcasts, map out complex ideas, and investigate real-world problems – reflecting the kind of thinking and communication you build throughout the course.

Turner’s goal is simple: “I just need your world to look different in one way.” And for many students, it does. The common thread isn’t one specific takeaway, but a shift in how you see, question, and make sense of the systems around you.

ECON 3300: North American International Trade Issues

Best suited for: students who want a practical understanding of global systems and are interested in building confidence in analyzing and communicating complex ideas.

While CMNS 2223 is about seeing the systems shaping your everyday life, ECON 3300 helps break these systems down. North American International Trade Issues focuses on how global systems function, and how to think through them.

This isn’t your typical economics class. Beyond theory and models, you’ll learn to make sense of complex global issues and explain them clearly. As one student, Luna, shared, it offered “a better understanding of how trade affects countries, corporations, and everyday consumers,” while another noted how the material felt “extremely relevant to the current world we live in.”

Instructor Jeffrey Ward frames the course around application: “It goes beyond the textbook material – we’re using the theories and models to understand what’s happening day to day.”

You’ll begin by learning core concepts, then quickly move into applying them to real-world situations – trade negotiations, global tensions, and shifting economic relationships are brought into the room and worked through using what you’ve learned. You will be expected to take a position, support it using newly learned concepts, and respond to questions from others. So, if you enjoy a spirited debate, this is your kind of class. As Ward puts it, “there’s not necessarily right or wrong – it’s a matter of how you argue it.”

That shift toward structured, evidence-based thinking is where much of the learning takes place. Assessment reflects this, with a final presentation where you’ll explain a trade topic clearly and answer questions in real time.

For some students, it goes even further, shaping what they want to pursue next. One student, Mark, shared that the course “challenged my worldview.” He also noted that it confirmed his decision to continue in economics, while helping him connect big ideas like comparative advantage to everyday decisions – such as how he spends time and chooses a career path.

By the end of the course, you will be able to break down global issues, support your ideas with evidence, and feel prepared to actively participate in discussions in and beyond the classroom.

Are these courses for you?

• CMNS 2223 helps you notice and question the systems influencing everyday life – especially in media and digital spaces. CMNS 2223 is a University Transferable course. Prerequisites are CMNS 1220 or CMNS 1221 or 15 credit hours, and permission from the instructor (Caitlin’s email).
• ECON 3300 helps you analyze and explain systems – like global trade and policy – in a clear, structured way. ECON 3300 is a University Transferable course. Prerequisites are ECON 1150 and ECON 1250.

Connect with your Student Success Advisor to see how these courses can fit into your program and help you make the most of your course choices this Fall.

Related links

• Course description for CMNS 2223: New Media and Society
• Course description for ECON 3300: North American International Trade Issues
• About the Communications faculty at Douglas College
• About the Economics faculty at Douglas College
• BC Transfer Guide

By Delaney Northgraves, Child and Youth Care practicum student, Wellness Team

Exam season arrives faster than I feel ready for. You’d think by fourth year I’d have it down to a science, but every semester still feels like a lot. Classes, practicum, work and life are a balancing act, and some weeks feel better than others. I became especially aware of this during a busy point in the semester when multiple deadlines and exams overlapped. I remember sitting at my desk with lecture slides, notes and a half-finished to-do list spread out in front of me, feeling like no matter what I focused on, something else was being neglected.  

That was when I realized that balance isn’t about doing everything perfectly, but about making choices and adjusting. 

One of the most valuable things I’ve learned is to give myself grace. I can’t be perfect all the time. Grades matter to me, and I want to do well, but I also have to be realistic about what I can handle. Some days I’m on top of things. Other days I’m just doing my best. And I’m learning to be OK with that. 

What I tell myself when everything feels like ‘too much’ 

• I’m doing the best I can with what I have. Telling myself that I am doing the best I can helps me shift from self-criticism to problem-solving. Instead of focusing on what I didn’t get done, I try to notice what I did accomplish, even if it feels small. 

• Progress matters more than perfection. Reminding myself that I don’t need to be perfect to succeed takes some pressure off. I used to think success meant pushing nonstop, but now I see that consistency and effort matter more than flawless performance. This mindset makes it easier to start tasks instead of avoiding them out of fear of not doing them well enough. 

• This is temporary; I’ve done hard things before. When I think, “I’ve gotten through every exam season before; I’ll get through this one, too,” it helps me refocus. Exam stress can make everything feel permanent and overwhelming, but remembering past semesters reminds me that this is temporary and survivable. 

Calming my mind and body during exam season

When my thoughts start racing, I try to use strategies that calm both my body and my mind. One technique I use is “hot cocoa breathing,” where I imagine holding a warm mug, breathing in as if I’m smelling it, and breathing out as if I’m cooling it down. It sounds simple, but slowing my breathing helps settle the physical tension that builds up when I’m anxious. 

I also use the 5–4–3–2–1 grounding exercise, where I name things I can see, touch, hear, smell and taste. This pulls my attention back to what’s happening around me. These strategies help my body relax enough for my thoughts to feel manageable, especially when I feel stuck in my head. 

Taking real breaks instead of pushing through  

I used to think breaks didn’t count unless I was half-studying through them. Now I try to take actual breaks that give me energy instead of draining it. Lately, that looks like taking a short walk in the green spaces on or around campus where I can get some fresh air. 

It also means stretching when I notice I’ve been in the same position for hours, drinking water and taking two or three slow breaths before jumping into the next task. These breaks don’t solve everything, but they help me avoid feeling like I’m running on fumes. 

Keeping things simple helps more than I expected 

When my schedule is packed, the most helpful thing I can do is simplify it. Instead of overwhelming myself with long to-do lists, I try to focus on one priority each day. On days when my energy is low, I make a bare minimum plan so I still feel I’ve accomplished something, without pushing myself too hard. I also set things up the night before, like packing my bag or choosing what I’ll work on first, so my mornings feel less chaotic. Keeping things simple makes my workload feel manageable and gives me a greater sense of control. 

Showing up as I am  

Something I’ve been working on this year is listening to what my body is telling me. If I’m exhausted, I try to rest instead of pushing harder. If I’m anxious, I ground myself. If I’m overwhelmed, I simplify. I don’t always get it right, but I’m trying. 

Exam season is never easy, but every year I surprise myself by making it through. And if you’re reading this while juggling your own mix of classes, work, life, and everything else, you will, too.  

As you head into this exam season, pause and reflect on what helps you feel calm or focused when things get stressful. Whether it’s music, movement, talking to someone or taking a quiet moment for yourself, noticing what works for you can be one small way to care for yourself during a busy time. 

Learn about Douglas College wellness resources and activities.