Occasionally challenging to walk on the dangerous black ice, to make my way to school and work

Original author: Ravjot Singh (he/ him)

Editor: X Helping hands

An eye view of the Town of Antigonish from Xavier hall, clicked on January 28, 2022. Copyright @art_nouveau___

I am an international student from India. I recently graduated in May 2022, with a degree in Masters in Applied Computer Science. I arrived in Antigonish during the fall of 2021. Due to a country wide lockdown in my home country and late visa approval, I had to complete the first year of my studies from home country, which was hard, considering the situation of coronavirus in India.

By studying virtually from September 2020 till April 2021, I was able to make some connections with students from India and other countries, which helped me alot for getting my accommodation, before I came here. However, I do believe that one of the biggest challenges that students are facing now is finding a proper housing. Understanding the harsh winters of Canada, as they commonly call it, was occasionally challenging for me to walk on the snow, on the dangerous black ice, to make my way to school and work. Just like any other student who may experience their first winters in Nova Scotia, I did slip twice on the ice, however I was safe. Further, as a vegetarian myself, there were less food options available, that I could rely upon for my nutrition needs.

As an advice for the new or current students at StFX, I can surely say that, since I was able to rent a room, which was within my budget, you would also be able to find a room to rent, if you start looking for it well in advance, understanding the fact that housing is probably cheaper here, as compared to other provinces. There are a number of online websites, which could help you find apartments to rent, Facebook marketplace, being one of the best resources. Making friends, building good connections, and keeping yourself busy, will surely help you overcome your homesickness. Try to be a part of socially engaging groups in the town or you could join the Gym, that could be of great support. For finding a part time job, you can also look for references, which would be helpful. Lastly, talk to the current students at X and the alumni of your programs, who would be able to share more information about the courses and their professors, which could help you in registering your courses.