Growing up, I have always been the quiet kid and never felt comfortable being in overcrowded spaces. When I started high school, I became more social as I spent most of my time with people of the same age at a boarding school in Rwanda. However, I never ceased to treasure my personal time. When we started looking into universities in twelfth grade, I already knew that I was looking for universities in Canada. Preferably, those that would allow me to graduate with a recognizable degree in business from a small university. Being an international student, I also considered the affordability of the university a great aspect. No one guided me to apply and come to Crandall. Choosing Crandall seemed to be by chance, but I have been surprisingly pleased by my time here already, as it has been the most eye-opening experience in my life so far.
Life in Moncton and at Crandall has been challenging in every aspect of my life. I got to Moncton on the 25th of December of 2019; yes, I arrived on Christmas! I was an 18-year-old fresh out of high school, who had decided to leave her home. My parents and siblings 11,000 km away but I was on a mission for an education and a business career. It hit me that I was in a completely different environment from what I was used to when I stepped outside into the cold Canadian air. I stood outside for a while, but my fingers felt frozen. I started meeting new people on my first day and although there was a welcoming embrace, I felt misplaced in my new unknown environment. In my head, I started reminding myself why I chose to come all the way to North America to avoid focusing on the regrets that were already hunting me down. On some days, I would spend the whole night crying because I missed home, my family, and my friends. However, I did not give up easily. I persevered and woke up every day to catch the city bus to school.
Although I was layering pressure onto myself with classes, a part-time job, and navigating living in a new country, the community I found at Crandall helped to alleviate many of my worries. Being at Crandall gave me confidence that I would finish university with a degree and opportunities to reach my dreams. My professors at Crandall are helpful, graceful, and help me stay on track with my studies. This is one of the top advantages of going to a small university: you can easily access all the help you need. I quickly realized that knowledge was not the only thing that I was going to need after leaving Crandall. I would also need guidance into my career. I got inspired several times to bring some of my ideas to reality. Especially from my Marketing classes where we learned how to effectively communicate different situations and experience the real business world. In my third year, I already feel confident in my decision to major in management and marketing. After Crandall, I aspire to become a successful businesswoman by applying what I’ve learned. My transition to university has been challenging, but I have learned a lot along the way. I am glad I made the decision to come to Crandall and I can’t wait to experience more things in the coming year!
