Grab your blue light glasses and let’s chat about something that rocked our academic boat this semester- the TSSU strike. Strike’s are nobody’s idea of a good time, but it especially hit us students hard. I’m here to share how the TSSU strike shook things up and left us with a newfound appreciation for the underrated heroes of academia, our trusty Teaching Assistants.
Picture this: it’s the beginning of the semester, assignment due dates are approaching, and suddenly your friend sends you a text saying “TSSU is officially on strike… tutorials are cancelled indefinitely.” Cue the chaos! No more clarifications on lecture materials, no more extra help before those looming exams – it was like the academic support rug had been pulled out from under us.
At first, I truly believed the strike would be resolved in a matter of days. I remained calm and even appreciated the extra resting time during my cancelled tutorial time slots. However, as days and weeks went by, my stress hormones morphed a longing for tutorials and extra support on course material. I missed the void TAs used to fill in deciphering complex concepts, providing valuable insights, and creating an atmosphere where questions weren’t just welcomed but encouraged.
Suddenly, facebook and discord group chats became my lifeline. My peers and I were spamming each other, asking for additional support and clarifications. Although I was struggling, at least I had my peers who were going through the same difficulties alongside me. We helped each other as best we could. Who knew that struggling through a challenging assignment with your peers could be both enlightening and oddly therapeutic?
Flash forward to the resolution of the strike, and there was a collective sigh of relief. TAs were back, tutorials resumed, and I had never been more thankful to go to tutorials. I believe the TSSU strike has quickened my maturity. I have officially retired my complaints about early morning tutorials or those days when I would rather be snuggled up in bed.
To all the TAs out there, you are the unsung heroes of our academic journey. Thank you for your patience, your guidance, and your commitment to helping us succeed. I promise, from now on, I’ll show up to tutorials with the biggest of smiles (and maybe a cup of coffee). You all make our university experience infinitely better <3
#InSolidarityWithTSSU
Happy studying, babes!
Lots of love,
Elisa
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