6 reasons to love Western University, Canada
Criminology student Olivia Fien shares her favourite things from her semester abroad at Western University, Canada.
1. All the study options!
As a criminology student, I was overwhelmed with the number of courses I could choose from related to my field. At Western I have been able to take courses focusing on a specific issue, rather than an overall concept! Also, the assessments have been very rewarding and relatable to my career interests. For example, I took the ‘Women and Crime’ course, which required me to initiate an activist program for women at risk in the area, where I chose to create posters to be distributed around campus and the wider community.
2. Community spirit
Attending the Western Mustangs Football games are so much fun! The cheerleaders and fans supporting the ‘Stangs really enhances the experience. The community spirit and competitiveness are infectious. Buying and wearing Western merch to the game is a must!
3. The students at Western
Being an Aussie in Canada immediately gives you opportunities to meet new people and be told how cool your accent is. There is always events on at campus that allow you to mingle with Canadian students and other international students. Take advantage of this! Although beware, your accent may be confused with an English accent and you may have to explain that not all of Australia has spiders the size of puppies!
4. Travel opportunities
Western is located in London, Ontario (The East Coast of Canada). It is a two-hour bus ride away from Toronto, which is home to the Raptors, Maple Leafs and Blue Jays for more sporting events and many more events and attractions! Toronto also has two airports which made it really convenient to travel more and see as much as I could while I was over here. I went to Vancouver, Banff, Jasper, Quebec and Montreal in Canada and New York, the Hamptons and Chicago in the United States!
5. Snow days
When we first got here, the temperature was very similar to home making the transition to the cold that much easier. As someone who had never experienced snow before, I. LOVED. IT. Nothing beats rugging up in three layers with big winter boots on and sipping Tim Hortons Mocha with a donut!
6. Off-campus housing with free coffee
There are heaps of options of housing available off-campus that are really affordable and a lot cheaper than on-campus housing. The location of these are often just as close to campus as on-campus housing. My building that I lived in also had a rooftop lounge, study room, hot tub, gym, and free coffee every day!
Overall, if I could have spent more time here, I absolutely would have! It was an experience of a lifetime and I will always be #PurpleAndProud.