There are so many different types of new student. International new student, new to the city, new to the school, new to the program, new to the class etc. With each type of new student there are challenges in fitting and becoming integrated into the school community. However, one the most challenging is when you’re not just new to the school and class but new to the country, culture and lifestyle. There is so much more to learn than just what you are studying at school. This “new student” is particularly common at the post secondary, and in particular, university level. Many graduate students are new to the country, culture, climate and lifestyle. This can be very daunting and make it hard to focus on studies. There is no one way to approach this situation but there are some tips and suggestions that we can offer and resources for students.
- Your school is a community and the best resources for students. Use it! They are familiar with new and international students and probably have answers to all your questions. You just need to find where to go and whom to ask while on campus. Just start asking and someone will point you in the right direction.
- Depending on where you are living you may be able to ask your landlord or host a few questions. They may not be able to answer all your questions, but at the very least they can probably help guide you within you neighbourhood.
- If you are living in residence, you will probably have some sort of head or leader that you can go to, a senior student or residence staff member, who will definitely be able to answer more of your questions in detail.
Things to locate once you arrive:
- Your living accommodations (address, rules, lease terms and conditions, utilities etc., others you will be living or sharing the accommodation with)
- Mobile phone provider
- Banking, financial institution
- Transportation
- Shopping, food, clothing etc.
- Emergency contacts
- School, department
Resources for Students
The best way to find these things out is by doing. It’s very easy to feel overwhelmed, tired, impatient and a little afraid to go out and explore. But that’s exactly what you need to do. Get out and explore. Go for a walk in your neighbourhood.
Today’s society is great because we are so connected that it is almost impossible to get lost with google maps at our fingertips. It’s also very easy to become dependent on someone else doing everything for us that we forget we have to make that first initial effort to get connected in a new community. This may be as simple as going to a cell phone provider and getting a new sim card and plan so that you remain connected when out and about exploring. Once you are connected, you should have a bit more confidence to explore and get around. There are many cell phone providers. Below is just short list of providers.
Mobile providers
There are e-banks out there now which are great. It’s also becoming more and more easy to by through e-transfer, with the use of debit and other electronic means that having a physical bank locally to withdraw and deposit money into may not be necessary. However, it’s not a bad idea to at least know what and where the banks are. Some of the main banks are below.
Banks
Food is easy to find. It’s usually everywhere. But at some point you’ll probably get tired of just eating out or always paying premium prices for food so you’ll probably want to know what and where some of the larger and more common grocery stores are. Below is a list of a more the more common grocery store chains.
Grocery Stores
You may get sick at some point and need medication. Know where pharmacies can be found is important. Below are some of the common pharamacies.
Pharmacies
Transportation is important. The are on demand forms of transportation such as Uber, Lyft and local taxi companies but the public transportation system is probably the most economical and the form of transportation you’ll use and rely on the most.
- OCTranspo (This includes the bus system and the o-train system.)
- Ottawa Central Station (Bus terminal)
- Via train terminal (200 Tremblay Rd, Ottawa, ON K1G 3H5)
You will probably end up using Uber most of the time anyone but it doesn’t hurt to know what some of the more common taxi companies in the city are. You can read more about The 10 best taxis in Ottawa.
Common Taxi companies
- City Cab Ottawa
- Blue Line Taxi
- Capital Taxi Ottawa
- Executive Cabs & Limo Services
- West-Way Taxi
- Pro Taxi
- Regal Taxi
You probably will be going to one of the following schools in the city. The main schools here are
Universities and Colleges
Many of the stores where you may want to go shopping for clothes or to just visit are the malls. There are a few malls in the city that may be of some interest.
Some stores that may be of interest are electronic stores. There are many small independent shops out there. The larger chain stores specializing in electronics are below.
If you’re coming from another country where the voltage is different, you may need an adapter. There a be a number of different places where you can locate an adapter. The few chains above and a few other places where you may be able to find a travel adapter are below.
And of course, most important, where to get decent take out! But that’s another post! “Take out resources for students!”
