Whether you’re from rural Newfoundland or the other side of the world, every student at Memorial University has a story to tell. In this new video series, we sat down with undergraduate students to find out who they are, how they got here, and where their aspirations might take them. 

Make yourself at home

Meet Maahin Khan, a bachelor of commerce (co-operative) student who moved from India to St. John’s to study at Memorial University.

When asked about her first impression of the capital city, Maahin explained it was a huge culture shock. “The weather here, it’s so unpredictable”, she says. “I moved to St. John’s during the summer when the sun is bright and you can explore and take advantage of the hiking trails.”

“Once I landed here, I found myself surrounded by very welcoming people. The people here, the community, and the rich heritage is quite spectacular. You would never actually feel like you’re away from home. To me, St. John’s feels like a second family.”

Maahin began volunteering at Memorial to make friends and give back to the community. She’s now the vice-president for events planning for the International Student Resource Centre at Memorial’s St. John’s campus. She encourages students to “come by, and we can help you with peer support, getting involved with your community, volunteering and making lots of new friends!”

Find your path

Meet Will Bidgood, a bachelor of music student from St. John’s, Newfoundland.  

Studying performance of the piano at Memorial’s school of music, he describes as “very new, exciting.” Will encourages future students to accept that it’s an opportunity to grow your fellow students and professors are happy to help you along the way. Memorial’s School of Music fosters musical excellence in a collaborative setting with the students and faculty.

Entering university is an exciting journey and Will knew he would forge his own path along the way. When asked about facing challenges, he explains, “one thing that's been helping me throughout my degree is understanding that we have a great community. Your classmates are always ready to help and willing to give you advice when you need it. Feel free to reach out!”

Adjusting to university life

Meet Isabella Ryan, bachelor of kinesiology student from Burin, Newfoundland.   

Isabella, like many first year students, was leaving home for the first time and adjusting to university. Isabella says the transition from high school to university was a big one “The expectations and the workload were a lot different, especially being from a smaller town… it was a big leap from a small community to a large university.” Isabella, a driven student and a member of the Seahawks soccer team says, “I quickly figured out how to manage my classes, train and travel for soccer and handle other commitments.”

Isabella adds, “what I love about the kinesiology program is that I get to study sports and the human body related to sports, which I really enjoy and am passionate about.”