Our team of writers work relentlessly behind the scenes to keep the Nexus site constantly updated, but who are these mysterious Camosun College students who keep us supplied with stories? Wonder no more, as our new series Meet Your Writers will help you get to know the names behind the pieces you read at Nexus.
Today, we get to know contributing writer Celina Lessard.
When did you start writing for Nexus?
I started writing for Nexus right around this time last year; my very first article was an opinion piece on Valentine’s Day. I was in my second semester at the time, and happened to pick up a newspaper in between classes. I saw an ad asking for student writers and thought, “Why not?” And now here we are a whole year later! It might just be the online semesters getting to me, but it certainly doesn’t feel like a year has passed already.
What has your best experience been writing for Nexus?
My best experience with Nexus was starting to write again. I’ve always been a creative person, but I was neglecting writing for a long time. Writing a book always seemed like a cool idea but it’s hard to make it a reality if you don’t write anything. Writing for Nexus has gotten me back into the groove of typing at a keyboard and making sentences flow together. As for that book, well, I wouldn’t say it’s “in production,” but I have started on it more seriously!
What about the worst? Be honest!
The worst experience I’ve had writing for Nexus was my own fault. I’m not a procrastinator by nature, but college has instilled that habit somehow. I’m usually pretty good with deadlines but for whatever reason, this one article was giving me a hard time. I fell into a slump of writer’s block, and the days somehow kept creeping closer to the deadline. It took me until the night before to actually figure out where I wanted the article to go. Cue the montage music, the click clack of my keyboard, and, ta-da! One finished article ready to publish. It was a super stressful week.
How have you been managing with the COVID-19 lockdown and other measures?
I’m an introvert, so limited social interaction is something I prefer. That said, I do miss lots of things: vacation over reading break, group classes at the gym, and fun events around town, just to name a few. Online-everything is annoying, but I suppose the world would have moved that way eventually, regardless. Over the time that we were actually in lockdown, I don’t think I did anything except schoolwork. Those months are a complete blur of homework and final exams. And for masks, I got used to wearing one; they don’t bother me anymore (wear one, please!). I am thankful for where we are now, and that the world has some semblance of normalcy. I don’t think things will go back to the way they were, but some of that is good. Like the people who learned to wash their hands this year! We all know how to do that now… Right?
What is the most pressing issue facing Camosun students today and based on what you know being a Nexus writer, what needs to be done about it?
I don’t know if I’m qualified to speak for the entirety of the Camosun student body, but I think a huge issue right now is online learning. I know it’s not ideal for anyone, but it ties into so many other things that getting back on campus needs to be a priority. For one, online learning is tough! You don’t get the same learning environment in your house as you do in a classroom. You get a bunch of technology issues (whether your own or the college’s) that you have to deal with on your own time. Aside from the classes themselves, you have to worry about the cost of everything. It isn’t cheaper to learn online. We still have to pay our rent, grocery, and internet bills in addition to our tuition. The sucky thing is there’s not much we can do about it at this point. We, as a community and a country, need to make sure we’re following the guidelines put in place, wearing masks, and sanitizing our hands often. It’s tough—always has been, always will be, but it’s what we need to do in order to get back to in-person classes.
How can people find you on social media?
I don’t really have any public social media—I don’t allow strangers to follow me. Sorry! You can find me on the Nexus website, though!