Day in the life of an international student
Have you ever wondered what a day in the life of an international student at TMU is like? My name is Nick, and here’s how it goes for me as a third-year Nursing Student from Trinidad and Tobago.
While I try to keep a routine, realistically, no two days are exactly the same and what I do depends on the day of the week it is. Typically, my week would involve going to classes, working out at the gym, working on projects for my part-time International Student Ambassador (ISA) role and going out.
A snapshot of my weekly calendar:
Please don’t be intimidated. The Type-A in me likes to organize and have an idea of what I’ve got to do, so almost everything is on there. Google Calendar is just one planning tool that I use to stay productive!
I’m a morning person, so I like finishing all my work during the day (at least, I try to) and leaving time for myself at night. I would normally get up around 8 a.m., shower and make breakfast. After eating my bagel or waffle, I’d probably be sitting at my desk at home. Whenever I feel distracted, I’d make my way to my local Starbucks or the Balzac’s Coffee on campus to do work. The white-noise and fewer distractions in the cafes/coffee shops help me focus, though it might also be the caffeine from my Americano.
Working in Balzac’s on TMU campus
If I have an 8 a.m. class or nursing clinical placements, I’d get up a bit earlier to take the subway downtown.
This semester, I have my clinical placements on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in a family practice/walk-in clinic downtown from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. They are part of TMU Nursing’s experiential learning, which means I get to experience working with real patients and applying what I’ve learnt in class in daily life. At the clinic, I help set up the rooms in the morning, triage patients, take vital signs and provide immunizations under the supervision of my preceptor, a registered nurse working at the clinic.
Getting ready for work at the clinic
Around lunch, I’d have my second cup of coffee or tea which keeps me going. I’ll finish up with my classes, placement or ISA work before heading to the gym. I try to work out at least three times a week, and sometimes, I’d hop over to the Recreation and Athletic Center on campus for a quick lane swim.
Drop-in lane swim at the RAC
My work as an ISA includes leading campus tours, hosting panels and seeing prospective students at open house (from left to right)
My routine after gym involves drinking my protein shake and cooking dinner. I like putting on a show or watching part of a movie while eating. This is honestly the only time that I watch Netflix or Disney+.
Weekend-ing in Toronto
I try to do at least one social activity a week. Typically, on the weekends, I either go out for drinks with my friends, try new restaurants or go to a baseball/basketball/hockey game. In the summer, I like paddle-boarding, going to the beach or sailing!
There’s lots to do as a TMU student in Toronto, and while it’s hard to generalize, hopefully I’ve given you a good idea of a day in my life as an international student!
