Hello friends, welcome back to the final chapter of “International Student Diaries”: a journey of challenges, struggles, and victories. If you missed the first two chapters of the series, please go and read them! In the last two chapters, we saw how we can overcome challenges like making friends, language barriers, and adapting to this new place by taking small steps. However, in this final chapter, I would like to take you through the journeys of some international students from Huron University, including me. This blog would mostly be about that one piece of advice from the students who have been through struggles and challenges. It covers topics including confidence, overcoming your fears, and getting involved in the community.
“I am a South Sudanese, born and raised in Kenya. I came to Canada through the WUSC program and am pursuing a degree in Global Development Studies. One challenge I’ve really faced is fear of being judged—my actions, my words, literally everything I do. That limits someone’s ability to interact and try new things, which may lead to missing helpful opportunities and learning new things. It’s really hard for me to overcome unless I’m really comfortable. Just try to be yourself and stop being scared. The more you get over your fears, the more you get confident, and the more you attract good opportunities and grab them. And try and keep trying new things and making new friends, even if it feels uncomfortable.”
~ Teressa
“Coming to Canada, the place I dreamt of since my childhood, was the best moment of my life. Starting my journey as a refugee student towards my future goals in Canada, being away from home, but I have hope here. As a refugee student and newcomer, I have faced numerous challenges. One of the biggest challenges was being a hijabi girl and adapting to Canadian culture was hard for me. But in every place, you will find your comfort zone with making new friends. I still remember on my first day when I met my first two friends, who guided me through everything. At the beginning of every journey, there are ups and downs, but the best is having hope, being strong, and having patience. I have faced problems such as language barriers, still struggling to get employment, networking with people, academically, and many more, but everything will be fine with a smile and positivity. Everyone’s journey shows how strong and brave we are. With every challenge, I have boosted my inner strength. My advice for every student is to never lose hope, enjoy every happy moment, learn to find a solution for the problem instead of thinking about it and complaining, and keep chasing your dreams. Find a comfortable place in the community with friends. It’s fine to get stressed sometimes, but don’t let the stress stop you. Your journey isn’t just about school; it’s about being strong, staying positive, smiling, and believing in the good things ahead.”
~ Sana
“With a lot bigger dreams in my eyes, confused, surprised, wondering, and obviously anxious, I landed at the YYZ Toronto Pearson International Airport. Communication, dressing, food, culture, and the environment—everything was so different here. Anxious, I was hesitant to even talk to people and ask for directions. It was difficult because I had to come to London from Toronto BY TRAIN. Yes, I had booked a train instead of a bus without knowing how it works here. I was overwhelmed with all these emotions flowing out at the same time while walking toward Union Station, and all of a sudden I stopped. Felt like crying, but somehow I managed to control my emotions by remembering the reason I came here and taking a deep breath. I went to a person standing next to me and asked him, fumbling, “Could you please direct me to Union Station?” He instantly replied, “Sure! I am also going there; we can walk together.” Relief! It was a moment of relief for me. I smiled and told myself, “That’s it? It was this that I was hesitant about.” There, I learned one thing: all it takes is a little spark of bravery to talk to others. This time taught me to live in the present and not think of what will happen in the future. We should JUST DO IT.
Then, when I came to university, everyone was speaking fluently. Everyone around looked so talented and smart, excelling in their lives and competing to achieve the best. My confidence collapsed there; I thought that I would not be able to win the race against them. I was afraid to participate in on-campus activities like club positions, volunteering, and presentations. Only till I realized that I did not have to compete with them. I have to compete with myself by tracking my improvements, analyzing my mistakes, and working on them. In short, the root cause of losing confidence, I feel, is being scared of the results and the mindset of what people would think of me. No, do not let your mind go there; just be yourself and present yourself as you are to the world. You are the controller of your mind, and no external factor has that power. Do not overthink the results. This takes a while to realize, which I think is completely okay. Though things take time, what is more important is the fact that you are approaching challenges with a proper mindset and following your heart. I know sometimes it can be difficult, but believe me, that extra effort would be worth it. Coming out of your comfort zone really helps, which you have already done by coming to this totally different world with many opportunities waiting for you.”
~ Ajay
It’s like when you face a tough situation, it might feel like something totally new, but usually, someone else has been through something similar before. What makes the difference is how you deal with it and the actions you take to turn it around. So, instead of stressing out when you hit a bump in the road, see it as a chance to grow and get tougher. Because the toughest soldiers get the toughest battles. Think about how you can use it to make yourself even stronger, not weaker. So it is totally okay to get stressed but make sure that it does not dominate you.