Finding resilience and overcoming burnout during the pandemic

By: Madushen Paramanathan

Coming to Canada has always been a dream for me and my family. I always saw it as a place of abundant opportunities, and possibilities, as well as a place where I can end all of my family’s struggles.

But in December 2019, I had a major setback, which triggered a chain of negative consequences and heavily affected my dreams of migrating to Canada. The fact that my chances of exploring the world came to a sudden stop became a huge emotional burden to my family at that time. When the pandemic hit Sri Lanka in March 2020, the financial struggles worsened and took me further away from my dream. I was shattered, confused, and feeling hopeless. I came to a point where I felt like I had to choose one over the other—to either let go of my dreams or leave my family. Rather, I made a choice to keep both.

Ever since I made the decision to fulfill both my dreams and my family commitments, this journey has been nothing but a roller-coaster ride with grit and resilience. When the whole world was on halt because of the pandemic, I worked hard to earn a living for my family while completing my final year of high school. Instead of starting my higher education right after, I worked for 2.5 years in three different industries. Even though the decision to not continue education was driven by my circumstances then, I worked to make it a kick-start to my career and to bring my dreams closer, while also being able to take care of my loved ones. Eventually, I paved a path that led me to Canada to continue with my education and other goals.  

Going through such a phase is never easy. Years of determined work, months of mental struggles, weeks of working 20 hours a day, and days of burnout and breakdowns always posed a sense of doubt if it would be ever worth it. However, this was one of the best phases of my life so far. I have grown and learned so much—there are things that I never would have been able to understand if I hadn’t gone through it. This phase gave me clarity in my life and gave me a vision to follow.  

If there’s one thing that I would take away from this phase, it would be the power of resilience. Being resilient to all the challenges around us is the key to any form of success, in life or in career. I never compromised on my dreams due to the uncertainties I faced. Even though my goals took different shapes from what they initially were, the meaning was still intact.  

Life never eased even after I landed in Canada. Being an international student following an engineering program, working part-time, playing badminton, rugby, and powerlifting competitively. Volunteering to mentor youth through Big Brothers and Big Sisters on top of it all has required a lot of effort and discipline. But I love the process. I love the people and the community that I meet through all the good things I do. I love the experiences I get and the stories that I have gathered, which I will tell around a bonfire a few years later. My stories will carry adventure and resilience that will inspire another generation of youth who dare to dream beyond what the world sees in them. And that makes me feel that it’s all worth it.

You are more than a student and your story is more than just words

The More Than A Student series celebrates all the aspects of who you are outside of the classroom. By highlighting each student’s unique experience, the SSU aims to celebrate the diversity on campus, amplify individual stories and empower students to celebrate the fullness of who they are. What makes you #MoreThanAStudent?