Upon being accepted at a Canadian university, you’ve probably experienced a mix of emotions. From excitement to confusion and anxiety, you can’t wait to begin a whole new experience in a different culture. Be prepared to make new friends and have life-changing experiences. We’ll help you get the best experience while studying in Canada.

1. Take advantage of the school’s online resources

While you may be tempted to stay at your York University residence all day, use your time to learn as much as possible about the school. Learn about where you’ll find transportation, the health and safety of neighboring cities, the Canadian culture and more. The school website usually has loads of information for international students so it’s a great place to start.

2. Make friends

One thing about meeting new people especially from other countries is that it helps to improve your vocabulary and you’ll learn the language much faster. Staying at a York University housing facility will expose you to people from different parts of the country. Don’t just hang out with people who speak your language. Speak English in informal conversations and you will learn the language quicker plus you’ll have friends to visit in other countries when you leave school.

3. Learn the Canadian culture

Canada has different customs which would be very interesting for an international student to learn. When you understand the culture, you’ll be able to interact with people more smoothly. Learning people’s customs also help you to engage with conversations and make new friends easily. Remember that Canadians have a diverse background and culture. There’s never a right or wrong way of doing things. In general, they are very polite people, though casual. For instance, if calling a teacher, one would normally use Miss or Ms but for friends, you’d simply use their first name.

4. Canadians keep time

Punctuality is important in Canadian culture. If you’re running late for a meeting or causal date, make sure to call the other person or at least text and say you’ll be a little late. Cancel the meeting if you can’t keep time. It’s a rule of thumb not to arrive more than 10 minutes late. Also, don’t arrive at someone’s place more than 10 minutes early because the host may be unprepared. However, if you are going for a job interview or school meeting arrive at least 10 minutes before time so that you can prepare. Simply learn to keep time.

5. Offer a student’s account

Do your research on a student account that offers low service fees. You can get a debit card that you can use to make deposits and withdrawals or pay bills. You’ll usually be asked for your foreign passport and photo to open a bank account. Some banks will need your home address or residence details if you live in apartments near York University.

6. Get appropriate insurance

International students need adequate travel medical plan that will cater for any health care expenses while in Canada. Your school may recommend a certain coverage for you so be sure to visit their website to see what they prefer for their international students. A suitable insurance plan should cover for accidents or injuries that happen during your trip as well as while you study in Canada.

Source : https://quadatyork.ca