Lifestyle in Toronto as a student at York University

“Canada is the land of dreams and hard work”, this is what I have heard and read since my days in college in India and I have always wanted to come to Canada, become self-dependent and cherish the opportunities Canada has to offer. In the third year of my engineering, I started to look for colleges and universities that offered courses in digital marketing, the reason why I chose marketing was that I am always fascinated by the creativity and power of persuasion that revolves around marketing and how it had become a necessity of every business. So, as I was reading about different courses, the Certificate in Digital and Content Marketing at York University caught my attention. It offered the exact combination of skills and knowledge I wanted to gain, I instantly decided to opt for this certification.

Group photo taken during the first formal presentation at York University School of Continuing Studies.

It is difficult to go to a new place and start pursuing something new. As an international student, finding the right path and institute is challenging. There are 100s of institutes and universities in Canada but one university that stands out the most is York University. Now you must be thinking is York a Good University? It is one of the top 5 universities in all of Canada which is really impressive. It is also one of the biggest hubs for international students.

When I first decided to move to Toronto, I had no plans of pursuing a career in marketing. I was a bundle of nerves and excitement. Equipped with a graduate degree in mass communications from Mumbai, India, and a post-graduate diploma in journalism from Humber College, Toronto, I understood the world of communication. It was when I visited my family and friends back home, that I realized that I should pursue marketing to arm myself further in the corporate world of content writing.

Have you ever had the feeling that there was a never-ending pattern in your life? That's exactly, where I was last year, stuck in a continuous cycle of work and home without learning anything new in my professional life. It was obvious that I needed a bold change—something really drastic—to shake me out of this downward spiral. I therefore made the bold decision to return to school. But not just any school would do, I wanted to attend one where I would gain practical knowledge in addition to theoretical knowledge. Thus, prepared to explore a world of endless opportunities and new beginnings, I selected York University's School of Continuing Studies.

Oh boy, where do I even begin? My experience as an international student in York has been a wild ride!

Join me as I embark on a transformative journey from the vibrant hallways of Seneca College to the scholarly ambiance of York University through the lens of a continuing studies student in Canada.

I am Nashrah and before coming to Canada, I worked in Dubai as a Marketing professional. But one day, I decided that to further enhance my skills I should do my post graduate program in digital marketing. Then one of my friends suggested York University's School of Continuing Studies(SCS) and after my research, I applied for the post graduate certificate program in Digital and Content Marketing. Picking the best university and navigating its particular admissions process was the first difficulty of the journey. Though it was a good practice that forced me outside of my comfort zone, recording myself for admittance first made me nervous as I am an introvert. The anticipation of starting a new chapter in my life filled me with excitement when I received the admission letter.

By Rahul Sharma