Crafting Your Own Pace at PACE

First of all, I would like to start by congratulating every single person who is reading this paper. We must face uncertainty and doubt in the pursuit of our dreams; that is the reality of life. However, with that uncertainty comes boundless potential and opportunities for success. To achieve your goals and dreams, you must have the courage to take the first step into the unknown and the uncertain. Your reason for taking this step must be kept close to your heart. It will serve to move you forward when you falter. Remember, you may falter, but you will not fail. So, for everyone taking that first step, face forward and march on. Your newest adventure has just begun.  

I will be discussing various topics that I believe would be helpful to you and assist you in achieving your goals. We will discuss how to adjust to the intensity of your new program, how to survive the dreaded cold, key tips for getting a job, highlight some amazing AI tools, and finally, some ways to save costs. 

If there's one thing I would say about PACE, it is that you are in an institution where the instructors, administrators and coordinators really do care about you. It is easy to feel the dread and fear of starting a new opportunity. However, I can assure you that it is much easier to be at peace knowing that your instructors truly want you to succeed and are willing to put in the extra effort to guide you to reach that success.  

Ashlie and her team structured the program to mimic real-life work environments, so you are balancing multiple assignments, quizzes, group work and other activities at the same time. The aim of this is to prepare you to thrive and succeed in any organization, no matter where you work. I can assure you that by the end of it, you will be ready for anything. However, since you may not appreciate this sentiment as much during the course, here are a few tips on how you can navigate this and craft your own ‘pace’ at PACE. 

First things first, procrastination is the enemy! If you procrastinate what you need to do this week, it will only double by next week and quadruple by the week after.  Working on that now is paramount to maintaining your mental health and reducing potential stress. For this, I advise you to use what I like to call a ‘3-Day Before System’. This system is as it sounds. Your aim is to complete every assignment, read for every quiz, and complete your group work at least three days before it is due. This gives you a buffer time to be able to adjust and focus on the difficult and extensive pieces of work that you have. Especially when three more tasks are waiting for you next week. 

All notes are available online the moment you start a course, so you can use the notes, textbooks and research options to begin any assignment even before the class starts. I want to assure you that having a fully completed project 3 days before it is due gives you a peace of mind that can only be likened to floating on a comfy cloud on a warm summer’s day. You do not have to submit it early, just conduct your research, consolidate your findings and begin structuring your work.  

When facing a difficult or large project, starting may feel overwhelming. So, how do you start? The answer is simple: start somewhere. Study the question, divide it into sections you can digest, then start researching the section you are most familiar with. Research the topic, your notes, textbooks, blogs, websites, articles and whatever you can get your hands on. The more you research and understand, the better your foundation for success becomes. Think of your favourite movie, product or sport, you can write a 10-page essay on it anytime, anywhere. Build that same level of understanding and familiarity with your project topic. On a lighter note, the program gets progressively less intense towards the later stages as you are prepared to land your dream job. 

One of the most important resources in any period of your life is your relationship with your fellow students and your instructors. Build connections, make friends, be willing to help them succeed, and they will be willing to help you in return. I cannot count how many times I have messaged my colleagues to gain information that has helped me tremendously. Do not underestimate your most important resource, the relationships you make and keep. Try to create study groups or study buddies. The camaraderie of accomplishing goals together and solving problems with like-minded individuals has amazing effects. 

Now, I do not expect you to master all of this by yourself, so I will recommend a few tools that will help you with your time management. The first is your institution's App or website. In PACE, this is called the Pulse app. This gift to mankind has a function that allows you to see what assignments are due, with a “work to do” calendar and deadline reminder. Due to the variety of assignments in different courses, it may be hard to track them all in your head. It is hard because you should not track it all in your head. Write it down! 

You should make a habit of creating your own personal calendar, marking down the due dates for each project and activity. Being able to visually see what is due and prepare accordingly, protects your blood pressure significantly. Nothing gets the heart beating faster than being told by 4:00 PM that a project deadline is 11:59 PM that night. So, create your own calendar, use the relevant apps, study the resources on your institution’s site and give yourself 10 minutes every day to ensure you are aware of what is expected of you. 

Now, we are going to address one of the most dreaded phrases for people who are new to Winnipeg, “Winter Is Coming”. I just want to tell you, it's really not that bad. Just like anything in life, you can adapt and overcome if you prepare enough. Does it get cold? Yes. Does it get very, very cold? Absolutely! However, you are also able to get specialized clothes, shoes, earmuffs, gloves and every other thing you need to comfortably traverse the snowy plains of ‘Winterpeg’. The magic word is ‘layers’. You should always be overdressed with enough layers. The reason is simple: it is easier to remove a layer than find more layers when out in the snow.  Make sure to get the required clothing for the weather, and you will be fine.  

Now, let's talk about transportation. The Winnipeg transit runs through almost the entirety of Winnipeg, and it is very good. With Google Maps to guide you and the ‘Winnipeg Bus Live’ app to give you real-time updates on the time, you will have the freedom to reach your destination even in the heart of winter. Download ride apps for emergencies and make sure you service your car regularly when you get one. Also, don’t expect to get ‘snow day’ holidays just because the snow or cold is coming down hard. Winnipeg has evolved to function in heavy snowfall and cold winds seamlessly. However, as I write this article, it’s spring and the weather is amazing, so you can look forward to that too. 

We will now address the matter of getting a job. What I am going to give you is a set of steps you must follow, and if you can follow them accordingly, you will get a job. Getting a part-time job can be difficult. Getting any job can be very difficult. However, difficult does not mean impossible. Do not give up before you have even started. I will tell you now that it will take a while for most; that is the reality. We must always hope for the best, but plan for the worst. You must act according to reality, not fantasies. 

The first step to getting a job is your resume. Your resume is your introduction to whichever institution may hire you, so you must make sure it is done properly. You should not just apply to every job with the same resume without changing it to match the job. That is like walking into every restaurant in Winnipeg one by one and ordering ramen noodles. You will eventually get a few matches after a very long time, but that level of inefficiency is unacceptable. 

The first thing you are going to do is create a resume that follows the Canadian standard. You might ask, "Why the Canadian standard?" The reason is simple: you are in Canada. Do not let your preconceptions and your previous experiences be what holds you back from achieving your future aspirations. You will create a default resume highlighting the experiences that are relevant for the jobs you want to apply for. Before you apply to any job, edit your resume and cover letter to include keywords from that job description that you are applying for.  

Regarding this, I would like to introduce you to the ‘Applicant Tracking System’ (ATS). This is a software used by companies to manage the recruitment of candidates. The software can make initial selections by scanning resumes to help recruiters identify and select the most qualified candidates. So, your ‘general resume’ that does not have the required keywords may automatically be excluded. 

After you have prepared the right resume and understand how to apply to each post, you are then going to work on what we call ‘consistency’. You are going to consistently apply to a certain number of job postings each day or each week. This is important to ensure that you reach the employer that needs your services, at the moment they need your services. I never said it would be easy, but it will be worth it. I would advise the use of AI systems to assist you in drafting, to make the process easier. If you are new to Winnipeg, the job you start with may not be the job that you want. However, where you start is not where you will finish. The journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step.  

It is important to note that various institutions and companies have their own policy on the use of AI. Only use it when it is accepted and allowed. Now that the disclaimer is done, let’s talk AI and technology. Microsoft, Canva, Google, Adobe and many other systems have integrated AI into their most basic functions to raise efficiency. Recall the commercialization of the laptop or the cell phone and how they changed the game. Same thing with AI and new systems, just on a more technical scale. They are tools to be used for your benefit. How much you can gain from using them, now that is the question. 

You can use ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot and Perplexity for research, drafting and general requests of all kinds. Gamma and Napkin for creating presentations, charts, and diagrams. We have Magicschoolai for a wide range of teaching content, learning planning and aides. Grammarly for grammar and writing improvement. Google Docs, Microsoft SharePoint and Canva are amazing for simultaneous group projects and documents. There is even Google's NotebookLM that can convert a PDF document into a podcast episode to make it easier to understand. There is so much more out there that can assist you if you search for it. To make this easier, there is a website called “theresanaiforthat” to aid your search.  

Lastly, there are various methods in which you can save costs. Winnipeg is a place filled with people and institutions who care and are willing to help if you really look for them. Research and google cost-saving apartments, free winter clothes, free food, free cutlery or even free beds. There are ways you can be assisted or assist someone. For those in desperate or lonely situations, your temporary circumstance at the moment is not your permanent outcome. It is OK to receive help, as you can also help others when you get to a better position. You are loved, and you deserve to be happy. Just remember, as long as you start, you will eventually finish.  

I hope this article has helped you in one way or another. I truly wish you the best of luck, and may you prosper in everything you do. 

Till next time.