Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, I arrived in Montreal one late summer day with two suitcases. I was an international student from Hong Kong, and although I applied to a number of universities in the US and Canada, my parents preferred that I pursue higher education in Canada. McGill didn’t require Grade 13, like U of T and UBC at the time. So the decision was a no-brainer. The first day was nerve-racking yet exciting because going to McGill was what I wanted, but I hardly knew anyone!
In my first and second years, I stayed at the Royal Vic residence right on campus, which made my parents happy because it was an all-female residence. Although, as I told them years later, whenever the fire alarm went off, a lot of male students came out of the rooms as well!
Montreal is such a diverse and awesome city to live in, with a distinct European feel, and I couldn’t get enough smoked meat and bagels!”
I knew I wanted to go into law very early in my life, even before pursuing my undergraduate degree. So my focus was on enjoying my time in university while still keeping my GPA up. I took any course I was interested in (my favourite was Greek mythology); there were one or two courses that I disliked, and I learned those areas weren’t for me. Having gone through a Liberal Arts program, I know that in your early 20s, you need to do a lot of soul searching but I also believe in trying different things while enjoying your experience. Arts allows you to explore different areas and find out what is, and more importantly what isn’t, for you.
Montreal is such a diverse and awesome city to live in, with a distinct European feel, and I couldn’t get enough smoked meat and bagels! Even though as a student I had a limited budget to work with, I spent much time exploring the underground city, especially in the winter time. I walked all over campus and used the metro to get everywhere. And of course, I spent a lot of time exploring and acclimatizing to the city, the unique culture and the frigid winter.
My time at McGill taught me many life lessons, the most important of which is resiliency – as much as I enjoyed Montreal and McGill, I was very far from family and friends back home, who were all a 15-hour flight away. This meant figuring things out on my own. I sure made some mistakes along the way. I remember being homesick, especially around Thanksgiving, the Christmas break and reading week, when everyone disappeared from residence, and I was alone. At times it was tough, but I grew up and became independent quickly. These experiences taught me that even if you are faced with setbacks, you can always course correct and move forward.
We can all be at times conservative in our actions and plans, but what you gain and learn when you step outside your comfort zone and take risks make it a worthwhile and enjoyable journey. I know my dad was nervous about my decision to study abroad and see the world, but he mentioned to me after I graduated: “I didn’t want you to spend the rest of your life wondering what if. So I decided to let you go.”
I trust my father is looking down from heaven, proud of my accomplishments, that I have started a life and a family in Canada. Looking back, my university days were such a special time of my life, but now that roles are reversed and as a mother, I can’t help but wonder how I would feel if and when my daughter tells me she would like to pursue her studies away from home! It will be hard to cut the umbilical cord but my inner voice will prevail. After all, I wouldn’t want her to spend the rest of her life wondering. We shall wait and see but I would be so happy if she chooses my alma mater.