As an international student, coming to Canada was an exciting adventure. However, there were a few missteps that I made along the way that I wish I could take back.
Looking back on those memories, I can't help but cringe at my naivety and hope in vain that other international students at the University of Toronto were as lame as me.
From letting my landlord bully me with an illegal lease to not recognizing The Weeknd when I saw him in person, these are the things I wish I could go back and do differently.
I thought TTC tokens were regular coins
TTC token machine.
Valentino Visentini | Dreamstime
The first mistake I made was confusing TTC tokens for Canadian coins. When I first arrived in Canada, I was still getting used to the currency.
I had a bag of TTC tokens, and I mistakenly thought they were just another form of Canadian coin. As a result, I shamelessly wasted them without realizing their actual value.
I'll never forget the look on the TTC fare inspector's face when I casually tossed in three tokens (which I had mistaken for $1 coins) into the fare box on the subway. At the time, I thought they were the strange ones. Looking back, I cringe at the thought of how much money I threw away.I signed a lease that wasn't legally binding
The second mistake I made was letting my landlord bully me with an illegal lease.
When I first moved into my apartment, my landlord handed me a lease that had all sorts of rules and regulations. I didn't know any better and thought I couldn't fight against her.
I also didn't realize that many of the things she included in the lease, like a ban on overnight guests and a requirement to clean once a week, are very much against the law in Ontario.
I wish I had been more informed about my rights as a tenant and stood up for myself.
I only bought name-brand winter coats
Canada Goose store.
Dzmitry Zelianeuski | Dreamstime
The third mistake I made was only buying name-brand winter clothes. As someone who was used to warmer climates, I didn't realize how cold it could get in Canada.
I thought only expensive name-brand winter clothes would be worth my time and had magical powers that would actually keep me warm. However, this option also almost bankrupted me. I ended up spending almost $1,000 on my first-ever winter coat.
Looking back, I realize that I could have found many other affordable options for clothing, like thrifting, and still stayed warm.
I didn't recognize the Weeknd in person
Another regret I have as an international student is not recognizing The Weeknd when I saw him in person.
It was in 2017 when he was shooting a music video at the University of Toronto Scarborough. I was walking on campus when I saw a group of people surrounding a man who looked familiar. I'm even sure he made eye contact with me, but I simply shrugged and walked away.
I absolutely hated myself for months when I realized that I had just made eye contact with The Weeknd and didn't even know it.
I really underestimated black ice
So my university's residence tried to warn the students about the dangers of black ice, especially in our area, which had a lot of green gardens often used as shortcuts to get in and around residential buildings.
But I thought it was all an exaggeration. "Pshh, I'm not afraid of a little ice," I thought. One evening, while returning home from a late class, I found my usual route covered with black ice. Despite the warnings, I thought I could handle walking on it because I was in a hurry. If falling three times in a row wasn't a real lesson in humility, then crawling my way out certainly was.- We Asked International Students In Canada To Share Advice For Newcomers Looking To Study ›
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