Thursday, September 8, 2011

Living Away From Home

Living away from home for the first time is kind of like going on vacation. It’s expensive, you get lost but call it an adventure, you party until you or your wallet burn out and your meals consist of questionable food. If this is the first time you’re away from home there’s no reason to be scared; if the rest of us made it so will you. I asked a few students what they thought was the toughest part about living away from home was and this is what they came up with:


 

When in doubt, Google it. Don’t know how to do laundry? Need to save money? Awkwardly trying to settle in? The internet knows all. Don’t spend all your time hiding and moping around in your dorm though. Get out and meet people! September is prime-time for making friends on campus. Everyone is in the same boat as you so why not be the brave one and say hello, organize a get-together with everyone on your floor or ‘adventure’ the city and find the hot spots. Getting a job on or off campus will expand your friendships and get you more involved, leaving you with less time to be homesick.

Yes, there will be plenty to adapt to. Between roommates, cafeteria food, professors that either mumble or have a foreign accent, you’ll get through it – because you’ll have met hundreds of other students who’ve had just as many awkward moments as you do.

A few things about St. Catharines:
  • The weather is different at the top of the escarpment than from below
  • Buy fresh food at the farmer’s market. It’s set up downtown every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
  • The transit isn’t very reliable; the one day you absolutely need to be on time, the bus will go right past your stop.
  • It’s close to everything! 1 hour to Toronto or Buffalo.
And the rest you’ll just have to figure out for yourselves =)
Get comfy, you’re gonna be here for a while!

Samantha


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