gsa-comms

When you start grad school as an international student, you arrive with two suitcases and a lot of excitement . Everything is new—new people, new campus, new routines. You’re eager to dive into research and make the most of this opportunity.   But soon, small challenges start adding up. Things take longer— understanding expectations, adjusting to new ways of communicating, figuring out how things work in a different academic system . You watch others move through tasks effortlessly while you...

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...

School terms have always been stressful, so I’ve been looking for things to do to take breaks that would not only offer relaxation but would also be something exciting to me. Rock climbing, while not “relaxing” to some, has been that hobby for me. I started rock climbing about a year ago, but it has now become a constant in my life. I look forward to getting my assignments and studying completed in a timely manner because it means that I have more time to go climbing.     The climbing gym to...