Key takeaways from my experience studying in Canada

Since I applied to study in Canada, school was always the main priority. My goal for the last two years was to earn a diploma and become a knowledgeable and skilled specialist ready to start working. Now I am in the last term, and things have been going well.

I learned a lot about Telecommunication technologies, worked on various equipment and machines, designed interesting projects and connected with great people from the industry. Yes, from time to time, courses can get challenging, and you may not score up to your expectations, but studying here feels very interesting and engaging. Even online.

Speaking about it, my first term was fully online, which was the most challenging time during my two years of studying. I was back home at that time with 13 hours time difference studying from 9 pm to 3 am. My initial ideas and expectations about school life in Canada were different, but sometimes odd things in life happen, so we have to adjust. 

These are two main things that helped me along the way to overcome difficulties:

1. Friends and people: Canadians are very friendly and always willing to help. Being an international student away from home, I never felt lonely or homesick. I have great friends, teachers, roommates, colleagues and my brother who always supports me and brings happiness, growth and unforgettable memories in my life.
2. Support system for international students: many Canadian institutions have international student centers, Student Associations, Student Life departments that focus on helping students to thrive during their time in school and providing support in different challenging situations. Make sure you connect with them and learn about all available resources and services they are offering. Make the most out of your time in school.

One thing you should always be aware of is finances. Studying in Canada is exciting, promising and very interesting but also requires lots of dedication and discipline to manage school life with other responsibilities. The hardest part is to be able to successfully manage your expenses like tuition fees, housing and all other living expenses. Keeping weekly spending limits is a good idea, and just generally being aware of where you can buy inexpensive stuff always helped me a lot.

But in my opinion, financial stress is worth it because it strengthens the character and prepares one to face the real world. I am graduating from a well known polytechnic institute, where I would have gotten work experience and developed a good network. I am confident that the skills and knowledge I learned here will pay back in the nearest future.