Between Classes and Café Shifts: The Reality of International Student Life
An international student shares her experience balancing work, study and immigration uncertainty
When Riya Patel arrived in Kamloops in fall 2023, the biggest challenge wasn’t academics – it was adjustment. Coming from India, she faced a 12-and-a-half-hour time difference, culture shock, and the sudden reality of living alone for the first time.
“I was completely lost,” she said. “You’re here, you don’t know anyone, you don’t have any friends, and none of your family members are here.”
Now in her third year studying communications and digital journalism at Thompson Rivers University, Patel’s days are tightly scheduled. She arranges her classes in the mornings so she can work long shifts at a campus café in the afternoons and evenings. After work, she returns home to cook, study or complete assignments before starting the cycle again the next day.
“During breaks, it was constantly just work, work, work,” she said. “After a point, you forget the line between reality and that routine.”
Academically, Patel says the transition was smoother than expected. Supportive professors and colleagues helped her adapt to a new education system and workplace culture. The emotional adjustment, however, has been more difficult.
Festivals and important family events back home often heighten the distance. “Everyone is there and you’re just here,” she said. “That’s when you feel the most alone.”
Immigration uncertainty adds another layer of stress. Patel is currently studying on a permit that may lead to a three-year post-graduation work permit, but long-term residency remains uncertain. Her parents were recently denied visitor visas despite a strong travel history, a decision she still does not fully understand.
“There’s this constant thought in the back of your mind – what if something happens and your family can’t come?” she said.
She has also witnessed peers struggle with changing immigration policies affecting work permits and family reunification. “People put everything on the line to come here,” she said. “With all this uncertainty, they feel like they’re nowhere – they can’t fully be here, and they can’t go back either.”
Despite these challenges, Patel says community has made a difference. She joined a Bollywood dance club on campus, performing at university events that celebrate cultural diversity. Campus initiatives like International Days help students connect across cultures and ease the feeling of isolation.
She describes Kamloops as more manageable and welcoming than larger metropolitan cities. “It was a good decision to come here instead of somewhere more crowded,” she said.
Ultimately, Patel believes international and domestic students share more similarities than differences.
“Everyone is going through something,” she said. “Just go a little easier on each other. Even the smallest kindness can make someone’s day.”