Finding Home Away from Home: The Power of Campus Involvement

 By: Bhagya Chandani 

When I first arrived in Canada as an international graduate student, everything felt unfamiliar—the weather, the people, even the way small talk worked. I was excited, but I also felt a little lost. Back home, I had my routines, my favorite cafés, and my go-to friends for a late-night chat. Here, I had to start from scratch. 

I still remember my first few days at the University of Waterloo—walking around campus, trying to memorize building names, and awkwardly waiting in line at Tim Hortons, unsure whether I should say “double-double” like everyone else. But slowly, through getting involved on campus, I started finding my place.  

One of the best decisions I made was joining student events and activities. I attended a board games night, where I barely knew the rules but found myself laughing over a game of Codenames with strangers who soon became friends. I went to a cultural potluck, where I shared stories with students from five different countries while we bonded over samosas and dumplings. At an intramural dodgeball game, I met a teammate who gave me the best advice about surviving Canadian winters—"Layers are your best friend!" (And they were right!) 

It was in these small, unexpected moments—chatting with a professor after class, meeting someone in the library who was also struggling with an assignment or running into a friendly face at a campus event—that I truly started feeling at home. 

Being an international student is challenging, but I’ve learned that the best way to navigate it is by putting yourself out there. Say yes to the club meeting, the study session, the random coffee chat. Because somewhere in those experiences, you’ll find your people, your community, and maybe even a little piece of home.