This article was written by Avery Groeneveld
Events
As most everyone should know by now, the University of Manitoba will be returning for in-person classes next semester! Now in order to get prepared, skip those long bookstore lines and save some cash by buying your textbooks through the 5 Days for the Homeless Textbook sale! The sale will be running in January and during the start of the winter semester; it is a convenient way for students in all kinds of courses to both buy and sell their textbooks. If you are wondering how this sale will work, essentially if you’re interested in selling any old textbooks you may have, you give them to the 5 Days team and name your price. 5 Days will then add $5.00 on top and sell the books through their convenient website or possibly in person at the University (COVID-19 permitting). If your book sells, you get the cash, and if not, the book is returned back to you! The $5.00 charges also accumulate to fundraise for RAY, the charity that 5 Days supports (for more info on RAY check out the November blog)! Keep up with @5daysum on Instagram to see more information both for when they are collecting books to sell, and when and where the sale will be!
Exams are practically here and if you’re panicking and in need of some extra help, the CSA is holding several Asper Exam Prep Sessions for a variety of courses. Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Corporate Finance, as well as Management Science are all being offered with experts stepping in to go over some course concepts and possibly answer your questions. The times for the events are as follows:
ACC 1110 Dec 11th 12:00 – 2:00 pm
FIN 2200 Dec 13th 6:00 – 8:00 pm
ACC 1100 Dec 15th 6:00 – 8:00 pm
MSCI 2150 TBA
The sessions are free to attend and are super helpful, so if you’re interested in one or several sessions, check out @aspercsa on Instagram for more information!
Student Stories
Here at the Asper Scoop, we have had the privilege of interviewing many different types of incredible student leaders, and this month that trend continues! For the holiday edition of The Scoop, we were able to connect with a few of the amazing executives who work to help run the Asper Commerce Students’ Association.
Marianne Bahalla is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications on the CSA! So anytime you see a graphic for an event, a post on the Instagram page, or even read this blog there’s a high chance it was made by someone on Marianne’s team! She is a third-year student with a Marketing major and a very fashionable dog named Hannah. Marianne loves all of the different events Asper has to offer and she wants all Asper students to subscribe to the CSA Mailing list, so they can find out about the varying events new and returning before they miss out! In her second year, Marianne began her journey on the CSA as the Special Events Co-Chair. Despite running the position in a fully virtual term, she had such a lovely time coordinating events such as Student Appreciation Week and mental health initiatives, that she was inspired to further involve herself in working with Asper students! Marianne wants to thank all Asper students for their engagement, whether it be liking an Instagram photo or even reading this blog, she and the marketing team are always so thankful for Asper students engaging with the content we work so hard to produce for you!
Haris Qamar is a fourth-year student with a major in both accounting and supply chain management. He is currently the Vice President of Academic Events on the CSA, a position that helps to coordinate a variety of events such as case comps, the commerce week, and even Asper graduations! Harris joined the CSA because of the support he had felt during his time as a student and he wanted to build greater connections and friendships with students all over Asper. In terms of events, he has a hard time choosing just one to recommend to students, but he has a love for the “Take a Student to Eat” (TASTE) program and believes students should always be on the lookout for the various initiatives the CSA holds throughout the year. Haris is also a big fan of case competitions, and he encourages other Asper students to step outside their comfort zones in gaining new and valuable experiences. Something (maybe controversial) Haris would like to share is that he loves to microwave his ice cream before eating it, so maybe if you are looking for a different way to eat our holiday desserts you could give it a try!
Connor Egan is the current President of the Commerce Students’ Association. He is a Finance and Management Information Systems major with the ability to name every country in the world and solve a Rubik’s cube in under a minute (two “nerdy” accomplishments he is very proud of). Connor first heard about the CSA before he even joined Asper at a high school career day. When he eventually joined Asper, he ran for first-year representative and despite losing, he continued to be on the first-year committee as Social Co-chair. Since then, Connor has held multiple positions including Director of Marketing & Communications for Commerce Socials, Marketing Coordinator (now Graphic Designer), and most recently Vice-President of Social Events. When asked about his favorite Asper events, Connor also thinks the TASTE program is underrated, citing its ability to connect students with professional mentors. He also loves the student mentorship program Asper runs, as it is a great resource for students who are new to Asper to get connected quicker! Finally, a personal passion of Connor’s are the charity committees, he told the Scoop: “I will always be an advocate for Shinerama and 5 Days (traditional for a VPS). They are a great way for students to get involved in a smaller capacity and introduce them to the operations of the CSA. All of the positions on these committees function very similarly to roles on the general council so they are a great stepping stone in that regard. There is also no committee that gives you the opportunity to connect with as many other people!”. Connor’s final message for all Asper students is to get involved! Whether it be events, case comps, or a position on a STAG or CSA, saying yes to one opportunity can often lead to many more!
University Life
Here at the Asper Scoop, we want to wish you a happy holiday season! May your exams be over soon and the semester wraps as smoothly as possible. For University life this month, please enjoy a short story written for you (and to those who are interested checkout @aspercsa on Instagram for something special about this month’s blog).
‘Twas the night before finals and all through the school, notebooks were covered with sweat, tears, and drool. It had been a long semester of virtual classes, I had bought a new desk and some cool blue light glasses. And although the world was full of festive cheer, as a university student I felt only fear. With all of the cramming and energy drinks, my brain was so full there was no more room to think. So I, with my sweatpants and coffee in tow, settled in at the library to review what I know. Then out on the quad, there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter! I crept around the corner, and what should I see, but my own professor just staring at me. I saw exam papers had littered the floor, and students walked by just spreading them more. I stopped in my tracks and tried to help out, and grabbed every paper without a doubt. Handing them to my teacher, she gave me a smile and asked me to stop and chat for a while. As she noticed the several bags under my eyes, I saw her eyebrows raise in surprise! She bought me more coffee as thanks for the assistance and my eyelids struggled to stay open with resistance. She asked me what I was doing at the library this late, and I just laughed and asked if she remembered the date. “Our exam is tomorrow,” I said with a shiver, “and I need to keep studying if I’m going to deliver”. She noticed the exhaustion inside of my bones, and told me quite kindly “It’s time to go home”. Despite my protests and cowardly whines, she looked into my eyes and said “It’s going to be fine”. I finally relented and went right to sleep, deciding to dream, rather than weep. I knew that my professor had spoken quite true, the exam was tomorrow and there was no more I could do. Before I knew it the semester would close, and I could see family and catch up on my shows. So as exams approach and we all fill with fright, good luck to you all and to all a good night!
Want to keep up with all things CSA? Follow us on Instagram @aspercsa!