Friends Make Everything Better: #myTRU Experience

My name is Adriana Herrera and I am an Arts student from El Salvador. 

I want to share with you #myTRU experience from the very first day I got here, and how making new friends helped me in ways I never imagined possible. 

It has always been a dream of mine to study in a Canadian university, so when I searched what TRU offers, I found so many amazing resources and activities, such as the great Psychology program, the Co-op opportunity, the Wellness Centre, the many different student clubs, the LEAP trips, and much more. That is when I knew this is my place.

I remember landing here on Kamloops, my very first time in Canada. I had a roller coaster of emotions going through my mind because I was so happy to finally be here and I was so excited to meet new people, to meet my new instructors, for classes to begin, to get started on a new life, really. But I was also afraid. Half of me was extremely happy because a dream of mine finally came true, but half of me did not want to leave my family and friends behind. 

However, all those fears faded away when I attended orientation and met some people I never knew would become my family. When you hear the phrase “orientation is highly important to attend”, do not only think about the academic stuff you will hear but also think about the new family awaiting you. During orientation, I met people from so many different parts of the world like Mexico, Colombia, Honduras, Ecuador, Guatemala, and even people from El Salvador that I never met until I got here.

Orientation week holds a special place in my heart because it is where I met all the amazing friends I have now. If it wasn’t for my friends, I wouldn’t be as happy as I am right now. They have helped through the most difficult times, and they are there for me when I am at my best too. My friends have greatly impacted my University life by improving my overall well-being, they simply make everything better. 

The love and support my friends keep showing me each and every day is what keeps me going. I couldn’t be happier and thankful that I found these amazing people, who are now part of my family. They are the reason I truly feel that TRU is the place I was meant to come to. Since the day I met them, I have felt nothing but happiness and love. 

This is only my second semester here at TRU, and even though I have been so little time here, I have never felt more welcomed than ever. 

Future student, I just want you to know that whatever is bothering your mind right now about your university life to come, it will all be forgotten the day you step outside your comfort zone and take the chance to meet amazing people. I promise you, you are not going to regret it.