Things to note as a student in Canada

Congratulations to students who just landed in Canada & will be starting school in January.

Some things to note:

- Get yourself a very good winter jacket.
- Have your gloves with you at all times.
- If you don't drive, check bus schedules before going out. 

- Aside Toronto, buses run every 30 mins on weekdays & every 1hr on weekends.
- Before buying textbooks, check with Lecturers if they are okay with you borrowing from Library rather than owning.
- If you can't afford the school residence, make sure to live very close to school. 

- As a student, you are allowed to work 20 hours per week.
- It is cheaper to cook than to eat out.
- Sobeys is a high end grocery store for students. Don't go there.
- Connect with students from prior year for course tips.
- Ask questions a lot in class. 

- Mix with students from other backgrounds to learn and understand other's perspectives.
- Research how to be successful in your course of study.
- Research what certification is relevant to your field in Canada.
- Mix with other Nigerian students to reduce nostalgia. 

Read also : Scholarships & Jobs in Canada.

- Be mindful of your study permit expiry date and when to apply for an extension.
- It is never too early to begin reading about the process of PR.
- The International Office of your school is your first stop for questions and concerns relating to your course. 

- Be mindful of 'Them-Say-Them-Say'. Be sure to request for the source of an info to read it in black and white.
- Remember the daughter/son of whom you are.
- Don’t get carried away by infrastructure or because the system works.
- Distinction is not bad at all. 

- Get your G1/G2/G licenses as soon as possible.
- If you are particular about meeting Nigerians, there is most likely a church or mosque in your city where you can network in that regard.
- If you can, have only one credit card. You can use one to build a credit history. 

- Look for banks that have account perks for newcomers / students.
- Don't call Nigeria directly with your local Network if you aren't sure of the call rate.
- Look up your school website to see if there are awards/ scholarships available for international students after school. 

- If you need to extend your passport, the Nigerian High Commision is in Ottawa. You’d get a new passport in 3 hours max.
- Register with a local job agency to ease your part-time job search whole schooling.
- It is cheaper to fly outside Canada than within Canada. 

Read also : 7 Easy Ways To Migrate To Canada.

- Punctuality is key. Try to adjust as soon as you can.
- School is very important, but remember to live too. Explore your city and neighbouring cities.
- There’s most likely a chapter for professionals in your field. Try to be a member of such. 

- Get your resume reviewed to a Canadian format.
- Create a profile on Indeed.Ca. Never too early to see what the labour market looks like.
- Your SIN Number should never be given to someone other than CRA or your employer.