A letter from your International Coordinator Arun Radhakrishnan
RESIDENCE
NON
Dear Prospective International Student,
It wasn’t easy leaving home for me. It was even harder leaving home for a place that was literally half a world away; a place I had only vaguely heard of, let alone visited. I understood why I was going – for the academic reputation, for the international experience, et cetera – but I had little real idea of what the living experience might be like in Toronto, especially considering my international background.
That’s what this letter is for. If you’re having any of the same worries that I once had, then I’m here to offer you a glimpse into life at Toronto and Trinity to ease your mind. One of my concerns was that I might feel out of place in my new home, or that I would miss the old familiar foods, festivals and even ways of speaking too much. I was most pleasantly surprised on this account. Toronto stands as one of the most multicultural cities in the world – around 50% of its population is foreign-born.
You can be guaranteed, then, that at least somewhere in the city there are restaurants, grocery shops or even entire neighbourhoods where it essentially feels as though you’ve been teleported back home. U of T in particular has student-run clubs representing a huge variety of ethnicities, all of which are very active and run events regularly. They are easy to find and get in contact with, and in no time at all you can be sure to pacify your homesickness.
Trinity College itself has an International Students Association that also hosts events, such as a Thanksgiving party for International students when domestic students go home to be with their families. However, the key thing about Trinity for me, and the factor that eased my own transition, is the intimacy of the community. Trinity is the smallest college in the U of T campus – what this means is that you’ll soon learn to recognize most if not all of the faces you see in the dining hall and around College.
Even better, they’ll recognize you. I found it to be really helpful that I was not lost in a big university “sea of faces” phenomenon – friendships tend to develop quickly and last long due in such a small, close community.
I could not mention life at Trinity, of course, and neglect to mention the traditions. This is what really makes you feel at home. Whether it is merely the ritual of attending High Table Dinner every Wednesday in your gown, or whether you attend each and every club event listed on Trin This Week, the traditions lend structure and purpose to every day life without being intrusive or bothersome. There is always something going on, from the Saints Ball to the Trinity College Finance Committee’s meeting; there is always a buzz of activity in the air that welcomes you and encourages you to join in. I found that the comfortable habits of home life had their place seamlessly filled by the habits of living at Trinity College.
It was not easy leaving the place I grew up in and the people I grew up with. That said, it was so very easy to allow Trinity to grow on me and become my home away from home. It was, without a doubt, the single best decision I have ever made. I hope it will be for you too.
Yours truly,
Arun Radhakrishnan, International Student Coordinator for Frosh Week 2013
Dear Froshies
