Sarah Popil's Lakeland College journey began long before she became its wellness advisor in 2020.

She started out as a Lakeland student and took a winding journey to the position she holds now, one which helped her develop a deeper understanding of the various challenges facing students today and the many resources available to help them find their way.

From Vermilion, Alta., Popil graduated from St. Jerome's Catholic School without a clear idea of what she wanted to do. She went straight to work for four years, saving up to go to school and enrolling in Lakeland's educational assistant program.

“I went on practicum at the high school after my first semester,” Popil says. “They offered me a position and I knew it was too good of an opportunity to turn down, despite not having finished my program. Lakeland had just started offering online programming so I was able to finish my educational assistant certificate while working, which was the beginning of my education journey.”

The challenges of balancing full-time work and full-time studies were tricky but taught her a lot of the resiliency she would eventually return to Lakeland to share with new generations of students.

While working with high school students with learning disabilities, behavioural issues and other special needs, Popil discovered she had a talent for helping these students. Though passionate about her work, she was ready for a new challenge.

“I had realized I had a knack for problem solving and helping students build their own skills,” Popil explains. “And as much as I loved it, I'm a big believer in growth and personal/professional development. I would have loved to stay at the high school for the rest of my life, but I decided to earn my child and youth care diploma and pursue higher education.”

Before she even finished her diploma, Popil enrolled in Athabasca University's bachelor of professional arts program, with a major in human services. As she finished her diploma, she was already taking university-level courses at the same time.

“It was hard,” she confesses. “I worked my butt off. There were some moments where I just couldn't see the end, but it's so amazing when you finally get there. I learned so many hard lessons and certainly hit some walls. I think some of the difficult things I  encountered help me understand the struggles other people can go through and it guides me in the work I do now.

“Tough experiences do not discriminate, no matter who you are. How we choose to deal or cope with these losses is what either builds us up or hinders us. We can't change the past and it's important to place emphasis on the things that you can control rather than what you can't. Surviving hardships can teach you important things about yourself and the world around you. Difficulties help you to strengthen your design, hardships will help you expand your empathy and with time, you will evolve and grow as a person.”

Before accepting the position as wellness advisor at Lakeland, Popil worked as a social/emotional coach with younger children for five years.

“It was really hard to leave those children and the community I had built there. But if you see an opportunity, you have to go for it. I had a really positive student experience at Lakeland. There was so much support from staff who helped me succeed. They saw something in me and helped me nurture it. As a long-term resident of Vermilion, I really wanted to come back to Lakeland to work.”

Popil took the position in January 2020 and hasn't regretted it.

“Every single day looks different for me,” Popil explains. “At first, I was focused on organizing and planning activities and events for students. I would go into classrooms and give presentations on stress management and coping, talking with students and helping them solve a variety of problems.”

Focus on resiliency in all wellness dimensions

Popil focuses on helping students develop resiliency in all the dimensions of wellness - physical, mental, social, financial, academic and spiritual. She shares strategies and resources with students to help them navigate the challenges they are facing, and offers referrals to other agencies that can give additional support, working alongside the campus counsellors.

“My goal is to help students build resiliency. It's helping them find their way, find the balance and happiness that lives within themselves. It's building their capacity for overcoming difficulties, building mental toughness and skills.”

Since the pandemic began, Popil has found an increase in student need, though the challenges they are facing remain the same.

“Many students are anxious and they're finding it difficult to manage stress given all the uncertainty.”

Popil does her best to work with students one-on-one when she can to help students feel connected, always keeping health and safety protocols in mind. The biggest challenge for her is knowing that she can guide students to the resources they need and the paths that might help them, but it's up to them to put in the work and create their own motivation for change and self-efficacy. Her role is to be patient and to support them on that journey.

The biggest challenge for the students, Popil says, is asking for help.

“The most important thing I could say to students who need help but aren't sure about reaching out is to just take that step. Don't be afraid to reach out for help. It's an important part of self-care and change begins with you. Everybody's going to experience something and it's important that we have the ability to ask for help and receive the help we need. It's okay to ask for help. It's why we're here.”

Popil explains that self-care can be more than taking care of our physical bodies and treating ourselves well.

“Wellness is about more than being free from sickness,” Popil says. “It's a spectrum, finding an overall balance for your physical, mental, social, academic, environmental and spiritual well-being. It's about the way we live our everyday life."

Photo - Sarah Popil, Lakeland College's wellness advisor.