In the never-ending chaos that is Sentinel Secondary, two G10 students, Michelle and Emily, took it upon themselves to interrogate interview the newest counsellor – Alexandra Thureau. Who is she? What is she? And most importantly, how is she? You’ll find all that out (and more!) here. By the end of this, you’ll know her better than she knows herself.
Ms. Thureau used to teach at Rockridge, then spent five years away from education and worked for the Vancouver Airport Authority in the operations department before she realigned with her purpose and came into counselling. It was the first time in her life where she felt that she was doing what she was supposed to be doing. After all, authenticity is what she values most :“I am who I am in all contexts of my life.”
Outside of school, her best friend is her labrador named Boo! They like to spend time in the forest together to decompress and Ms. Thureau believes that dogs are the key to happiness! She also loves reality TV like Survivor & Amazing Race (though, understandably, she does not like the Kardashians).
(She also claims that the counselling department is the funniest department in the school. When requested, she did not provide a joke on the spot as she said she relies on spontaneous, witty in-the-moment humour that it seems Michelle and I were unable to conjure throughout the entirety of the interview. It is up to you, dear reader, to decide if she is telling the truth or not.)
Of course, being a new counsellor in the frenzy of “Why does my timetable suck?” “Can I change all 47 of my courses right now?” and “Emailed at 4:32 am.” is no easy task, but she has met each challenge with a bright smile. Her first impression of Sentinel can be best described through the eloquent four-letter word, “WOWW.” Not just “WOW,” but “WOWW.” The incredible staff, welcoming community, and supportive colleagues and students have made her feel incredibly at home. The way that so many of us constantly follow the GUARDS motto every day was also great to see.
With that being said, the academic bar at Sentinel is no joke – rumour has it that 9/10 of Sentinel students are constantly exhausted, asleep, studying, or all three. While it’s fantastic that people challenge themselves intellectually, there needs to be major recalibration. A pillar of Ms. Thureau’s philosophy is to not compare yourself to others, something G11s and G12s should especially keep in mind as they become more academically burdened.
There is a much bigger picture outside of our achievements and we should all be proud of our individual capabilities. Every student should try to relax more, because constantly pressuring yourself to be perfect will only lead to burnout. High school shouldn’t be just about getting that 100% on that test – it should be about learning who you are, broadening your perspective, and making connections and memories.
Education is obviously important – Sentinel’s vast catalogue of electives provides a good opportunity to explore a variety of topics to see what sparks your interest and to find your affinity; however, Ms. Thureau wants to add that there are different paths for everyone: life isn’t linear, and students shouldn’t feel pressured to pursue post-secondary education right away, or at all if that does not align with your future vision (but make sure you have a plan and chat with your counsellor on that one!). The reality is that even if you do a four-year undergrad, oftentimes you will still need to pursue another program or certificate to be job ready. Trades and apprenticeships are wonderful post-secondary avenues and there are opportunities through other routes as well, like taking a gap year to travel the world, volunteering, or entering the working world. Keep learning and expanding your worldview.
What happens in high school does not define our narrative. We should be open to surprises and not be afraid to say yes to new opportunities. Remember that “no” also stands for “Next Opportunity”. It’s important to reframe our mindsets and understand that not everything is the end-all-be-all.
To help us balance the school-life workload, Ms. Thureau has a few pieces of advice:
Ask yourself what makes you happy and let that lead you. Music, dancing, going for a run, talking with a friend, journaling, gaming (reasonably), sleeping, whatever.
Put your phone on DND (Do Not Disturb). (To add on, put your phone in a whole other room. If you can’t see it, you’ll think of it less/be too lazy to get up and grab it.)
It’s important to play – reconnect with your inner child as often as you can.
But that doesn’t mean that the school year has to be bleak! Ms. Thureau looks forward to lots of learning and growing as a new counsellor. She truly cherishes working with students, forming one-on-one connections full of laughter and joy. If we had as much compassion and grace for ourselves as we did for others, we would recognize a lot more of our accomplishments, our strengths, and our virtues. She hopes that she can spend every moment helping students see their own worth and making the world a better place.
The holy trinity of Thureau advice? Practice empathy, be present, and keep a sense of humour.
Let’s all do our best this school year and give a big thanks to the counsellors who make it all possible!
Want to know more? Make sure to book an appointment at the counsellor’s office – you can contact her at her email: athureau@wvschools.ca!
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