Nyiel Bullen Panchol
● Current City: Antigonish, Nova Scotia
● Year arrived in Canada: 2017
● School: St Francis Xavier University
● Academic program: BA, International Development and Sociology
1. What inspired you to pursue your studies in International Development of all the academic programs that were available to you?
My current Degree was not my first choice like many of us who come to Canada through Wusc. However, sometimes you just have to go with the flow and see where things lead
you to. My heart has and will always be in the Health care sector. I am currently working my way through my BS in Nursing.
2. Do you have any advice to new students joining post-secondary institutions on choosing academic programs and careers for success after school?
DO NOT choose career paths for the title. Many students end up struggling and in some worse cases, some drop out because the pressure becomes too much to handle. Pursue
what you are good at and enjoy doing. That way, your skillset and interests will be aligned and success will come to you effortlessly.
3. What challenges do you think hinder new students from succeeding in Canada?
Ignorance. Many of us think we can do it all on our own…. our egos and pride can be too big to let us seek help and advice from outside. Be humble enough to reach out and ask for help from people who have more experience than you. They know better. Take advantage of all the resources available on your campuses.
4. How can new students cope with loneliness and feeling out of place when they first arrive in Canada?
Keeping in touch with one another, one phone call can make a big difference. Secondly, make new friends on your campus and join at least some of clubs and
societies within your school e.g Intermural sports teams. These are the places where you can easily make friends.
5. Do you have a mentor? If so, how have they helped you in your academic or professional career?
Yes, My dad was my mentor. Ever since I was in kindergarten, my dad always emphasized the importance of education. He would remind us over and over that
people can take away anything you have but they will never take away any kind of knowledge you have, and that right there is your weapon.
6. From your experience so far, what does it take to succeed in Canada? (Measuring success in academic and professional terms).
Self-discipline. There is no competition here it’s you vs You. Set your priorities and work towards them. Don’t look at what other people are doing and how far ahead they have gone.
7. Is your racial profile helping or hindering your professional growth? That is, if race is a factor at all.
So far not really.
8. Do you have any ideas on how new students can manage expectations from friends and family back home?
Expectations can almost drive you nuts. Just press ‘ignore’ and do you.
9. Seeing how credit scores are important in Canada, do you have any tips on managing money or building a strong credit profile?
Pay your credit debt on time. Set up an automatic payment in your bank either monthly or bi-weekly so that you don’t forget to pay it back on time and incur unnecessary penalties.
10. What do you know now that you wished you had known before you enrolled in first year of university?
Not everyone will be right by your side through your academic journey and that’s okay. Put your energy and focus your attention on what matters to YOU.
11. 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?
To be honest, I appreciate everything single challenge. Looking back, I would not change anything. Every single challenge prepared me to be the person I am today and wouldn’t
trade that away for something else.
12. From your experience transitioning to Canadian life and culture, do you have any advice for new students?
Get out of your comfort zone and try out new things.
