City of Residence: London, Ontario

Year arrived in Canada: 2022

School: Huron at Western University

Academic Program: Economics

LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanaminlual/

1.  What inspired you to pursue your studies in Economics of all the academic programs that were available to you?

Before coming to Canada, I always knew that I was going to pursue Public Health, but during placements I was placed in a liberal arts school. I enrolled in Economics and found it interesting. I was still confused about what I wanted to do, if pursuing Economics was worthwhile. But then I attended one of Maisha Canada’s fireside chat sessions where Nhial Kuch was the speaker. I was inspired by him and his academic journey. He inspired me to continue pursuing Economics and I am loving the journey so far!

2.  Do you have any advice to new students joining post-secondary institutions on choosing academic programs and careers for success post graduation?

First, be open-minded and take your time to decide what you want and self – reflect on what interests you. After that, investigate the potential Career outcomes of your desired program post graduation. Where do you see yourself working with your new skillset and is it something you will enjoy doing for a very long time? To get a better sense of what your day-to-day work will look like, get internships within your industry and see if that line of work actually interests you. And more importantly, seek guidance from others who have already walked that path. They will enlighten you on what to expect and ensure your expectations are realistic.

3.  What challenges do you think hinder new students from succeeding in Canada?

One challenge is not making meaningful connections and not knowing what they want. Another thing is the pressure to support families back home which can lead to stress. Having to think about money can be a big distraction that takes away focus from school.

4.   How can new students cope with loneliness and feeling out of place when they first arrive in Canada?

Life in Canada is not easy and the only way they can navigate through is by making meaningful connections. They need to befriend other international students because they will understand you. Seek support from former WUSC students on campus and involve themselves in social events or clubs that interest them to increase their social network. It is also important to keep in touch with friends and family back home.