Dharjang Monywiir Deng

Profile Info:

Current city: Ottawa, Ontario

Year arrived in Canada: 2017

School: Simon Fraser University

Academic program: Chemistry

1. From your experience transitioning to Canadian life and culture, do you have any advice for new students?

My advice to new students is: don’t be afraid to ask about anything you don’t understand. This is a new environment with a different system. You ought to understand this system first in order to navigate it efficiently.

2. Do you have any advice on choosing academic programs and careers for later success after school?

Choose a program that you are passionate about so that you will be motivated to study and therefore succeed in it academically. It is even better if it has a job market.

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

Make an effort to connect and stay in touch with your friends and family back in Africa while you try to make new friends here in Canada.

4. From your experience, what does it take to succeed in Canada? (Measuring success in academic and professional terms).  

Right connections and good academic grades would put anyone in a good position to succeed.

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

Over expectation does hinder them

6. Seeing how credit scores are important in Canada, do you have any advice on managing money or building up a credit profile?

Become knowledgeable about finances because in the end, everything comes down to money.

7.  Do you have any ideas on how new students can manage expectations from friends and family back home? ­­

Be realistic with your family and Friends back home. Tell them what the real situation is in Canada and I am sure they will understand.

8. If you can reflect on your personal journey, were your aspirations met? What would you do differently if you were to start over again in Canada?

I wouldn’t do anything different.