By Gabrielle Uwa, Junior Reporter
It’s 11 p.m. on a Tuesday. Textbooks are open, and the shift at The Keg just wrapped. Bryan is hunched over his pharmacology notes, trying to memorize a bunch of drug names while the smell of garlic butter clings stubbornly to his clothes. His room feels heavy: a mix of stress, exhaustion, and that quiet, suffocating air of student poverty.
For many Brandon University students, managing tuition, rent, and groceries means mastering the art of balancing books and bills, and pretending one doesn’t have to suffer for the other. The toll often lands hardest on mental health, as students stretch themselves thin to stay afloat. Between tuition payments, late shifts, and the occasional guilty coffee splurge, university life can feel like a full-time job.
This feature explores how BU students navigate this reality; sharing real experiences, creative money hacks, and what it truly takes to survive (and maybe even thrive) while balancing books and bills.
Statistically speaking, a 2024 Statistics Canada report found that the employment rate for returning students aged 20 to 24 was 61.0% as of May. That number isn’t just a figure - it includes the RAs keeping residence life running smoothly, the tutors helping you through that impossible algebra class, and the baristas at Bailey’s making sure we’re caffeinated before our 8 a.m. lectures. Behind each percentage point is a student balancing exhaustion, ambition, and rent payments, often all in the same week.
“It’s not easy to focus on pathophysiology after an eight-hour shift, but it’s part of the grind,” says a second-year nursing student, Emmanuel. Between work, classes, and assignments that seem to pile up faster than laundry, exhaustion becomes part of the daily routine. Many BU students admit to “living on caffeine and determination, skipping meals, pulling late nights, and catching sleep in twenty-minute bursts between shifts and study sessions”.
The grind, though, can wear you down. Burnout creeps in quietly; through constant fatigue, forgotten deadlines, and that familiar feeling of being one step behind. The good news is that BU offers several supports that often go untapped: Student Services for academic planning as well as writing skills, Career Planning for money management and job search help, and the Peer Wellness Program for mental-health check-ins. These services can’t erase the stress of a packed schedule, but they remind students they don’t have to face it alone.
For students struggling to find the right words or just staring down a blank Google Doc, the Brandon University Writing Skills program is a hidden gem. Located inside the John E. Robbins Library, it offers both booked appointments and 15- to 20-minute walk-in sessions with writing tutors Joan Garbutt or Karen Skinner. Whether you’re polishing a lab report, tackling an essay, or trying to make your citations behave, the Writing Skills Centre can help you untangle your thoughts and strengthen your work. Honestly, if there’s a paper you just can’t get through, this is the place to go; a quiet space where deadlines feel a little less intimidating and guidance is only a conversation away.
Between tuition payments, rent, and the cost of groceries, money management can quickly become one of the biggest stressors for university students. That’s where BU’s career and financial planning resources come in. Advisors help students create personalized budgets, explore scholarship opportunities, and even connect with part-time work both on and off campus. Through the Career Planning Office, students can also learn how to market their skills effectively, build a strong résumé, and prepare for meaningful employment. For those seeking hands-on experience, BU’s Co-operative Education (Co-op) placements offer a chance to gain paid, career-related work experience while earning academic credit.
University can be overwhelming, and mental health often takes a backseat to deadlines and exams. The Counselling Program at BU was created to change that, offering a safe and confidential space for students to talk, heal, and grow. The team includes experienced counsellors such as Dr. Marsha Harris, Sherry Sawatzky-Dyck, and Deidre Gregory, the Indigenous counsellor, all dedicated to supporting students through challenges like anxiety, loneliness, academic pressure, or cultural adjustment. It’s a judgment-free zone that reminds students they’re never alone in their struggles. Alongside the Counselling Program, the Peer Wellness team offers informal, student-led check-ins that provide compassion, understanding, and practical coping tools, all small but powerful steps toward balance and well-being.
University life can be a lot to handle; classes, jobs, and everything in between. But the truth is, no one must go through it alone. Whether it’s planning out your courses with Student Services, landing a Co-op placement or accessing the Career Planning Office, or just talking things out with the Counselling or Peer Wellness teams, there’s always someone willing to listen and help. These supports aren’t just about getting through tough weeks, they’re about reminding students that asking for help is a sign of strength. Sometimes, the best way to move forward is to take that first small step and reach out.