As someone in her final semester at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), I’ve been reflecting on my experiences a lot. While there is so much I’ve appreciated and enjoyed, there are a few things I wish someone had told me sooner. Here are some tips that can help enrich your university experience:
You could save money on tuition fees based on how you split courses in fall and winter semester
Each course costs a certain number of billing units — most cost one, but some cost two and very rarely three. This might seem obvious, but the number of billing units determines your tuition amount. Keep in mind that you pay the same amount for five to seven billing units.
The trick to potentially saving tuition money is optimizing how you split your courses. I should preface this by saying how you split courses depends a lot on how you learn and what your course requirements are. There are several aspects to consider and plan for. For instance, some required courses are only offered in a specific semester, or taking six courses may be unmanageable for some folks. Let’s look into an example of how splitting courses could save you money:
Let’s say you’re a third-year domestic journalism student, and you’re planning to take courses worth 10 billing units over the fall and winter semesters.
Based on TMU’s current fee breakdown chart for the program, if you were to take four billing units in the fall and six in the winter, you’d pay $3,343.86 (fall semester) + $3,629.09 (winter semester) + $281.00 (dental) which would bring your total to $7,254.76.
But, if you took five billing units in each semester, you’d pay $3,966.17 (fall semester) + $3,629.09 (winter semester) + $281.00 (dental), which would bring your total to $7,876.26.
If you subtract the difference, you’d save a little over $600.00.
The difference may not seem as significant to some of you, but it adds up over the four years you’re in university. The difference was also much higher for me as an international student and saved me over $4,000 (even though I only found out about this in my third year).
Career Boost is a helpful tool
If you’re not familiar, the Career Boost program is a platform that lists potential student jobs on campus. There are certain conditions to be eligible for this program, so check them out before applying to ensure you meet them.
I’ve worked in a variety of departments within the university since my second year, and applying for Career Boost opportunities was one of the best decisions I’ve made during my university career. My biggest complaint is that there are restrictions on which jobs I can apply for as an international student, but the positions I’ve held have truly enhanced my experience.
I’ve made friends with whom I’m still in touch, acquired Canadian work experience, and expanded my network. Another excellent benefit is that my employers worked around my school schedule, giving me lots of flexibility.
Even now, I can walk into certain spaces and interact with colleagues who I know would reciprocate that spirit, which is incredibly heartwarming.
Our school’s gyms are underrated
The Recreation and Athletics Centre (RAC) is truly an underrated spot on campus. This may be a bit biased given I used to work there, but there are plenty of fun opportunities to get yourself moving and involved — group fitness classes, drop-in sports, intramurals, a swimming pool, and so much more.
Even if you aren’t someone who enjoys working out, give the space a shot because you never know what stems out of it.
It’s okay to feel alone, even if you’re in a metropolitan university and city
It’s not always rosy, especially when you’re away from home. There have been times when I’ve seen groups of friends hanging out and felt alone, which is okay. This loneliness has helped me grow as a person, including making me feel more at ease in my surroundings and teaching me how to care for myself. Being alone isn’t necessarily a horrible thing, and believe me when I say everyone experiences it, even if it doesn’t seem like it.
This was advice an upper-year journalism student gave us when we were in our first year attending online classes, and even though someone did say this to me when I began university, I had to include it in this list, given how much it has stuck with me.
When I first moved to Toronto, I had to focus on learning how to take care of myself — whether that was cooking, laundry or managing my house and emotions. Because of this, certain extracurriculars took somewhat of a backseat.
I think my journey with learning how to adapt to this whole new environment has held far more priority than extracurriculars, and to this day, it frustrates me that I couldn’t focus on certain opportunities. It can sometimes feel like you aren’t growing or doing enough compared to your peers and that everyone’s better than you. It’s okay to feel those emotions, but it’s also essential to consistently remind yourself your journey is your own.
Regardless of what year you’re in, know that there are several ways to immerse yourself in the university experience, so take it one day at a time and give yourself grace!