Christmas can be a very stressful time for people. Behind the lights, the parties and the gifts is any number of pressures that people face.
It starts with students in post-secondary institutions. Before the fun can begin, they have to go through final exams for classes that started just a couple of months before. The pressure for good grades is incredible, the standard that must be met just to get into some universities is very high. I still have nightmares about a final exam for a class I never attended, even though that never happened.
This time around was different for me. I started teaching marketing at Douglas College in September, so I saw the process from the other side of the test. For all the pressure the students took on writing the exams, I put equal pressure on myself making sure they received fair evaluation of their work. The grade I give a student will affect their future, their ability to complete a program and, hopefully, get a good job. Maybe it’ll get easier over time, but for the first term teaching, this was one of the most stressful challenges I have ever faced.
I had one student who was highly stressed going into the final. He’d worked hard all term, had some success and some not so great marks, so his final was very important. His actions at the end of the exam told me he wasn’t confident in the outcome. One of my most rewarding moments was emailing him to say he had one of the highest grades in the class on the exam. What a great present he gave me. I only wish I had the same news for all my students.
The malls and stores are full of people looking for just the right thing to give someone. But for some parents who are struggling, shopping for presents isn’t an option. Fortunately, they were able to go to the Deltassist Toy Depot last week and pick out a few things for their children. Once again, the community donated hundreds of toys and gifts.
It’s very emotional walking into the East Delta Hall after it’s all been set up, knowing every piece there will be cherished on Christmas morning by a child that would otherwise not receive a gift. But their love of that gift pales in comparison to the love the community shows every year.
This weekend, hundreds of families will receive Christmas hampers with canned food and a turkey for a good meal on Christmas, again thanks to the generosity of the community.
So many people and groups come together to make these programs as successful as they are. From city council’s support, the firefighters and CIBC helping load in toys, to the service groups that organize and distribute the hampers, the players and parents of South Delta United for collecting toys and Bal at Panago for feeding volunteers, collecting food and donating $1 from every pizza on Friday, Delta is an incredibly supportive community.
I’m so proud to call Delta my home. Whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year, don’t let the stress of the season take away from the joy it brings.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Brad Sherwin, MBA is a long-time resident of South Delta, and has over 25 years’ experience in marketing, public relations and business strategy. He teaches marketing at Douglas College and is president of the board of directors at Deltassist.
