Imagine moving from a class of 30 students to one of 300.
Many post-secondary students who leave home for the first time feel overwhelmed by these changes, but those who have not spent much time in the city can experience an even worse culture shock. Thanks to programs sponsored by 4-H, rural students can get help making the transition from country to city life.
Kyla Shea knows how hard that move can be. She is a member of the 4-H alumni in Saskatchewan and helps organize a weekend for prospective University of Saskat-chewan students from rural areas.
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Shea is a student herself, working on a master’s degree in agriculture. She has been a member of the 4-H alumni for four years and is familiar with the concerns of new students.
“We’ve all been there,” she said, referring to her fellow alumni members. “We know the questions that will come up.”
Since the early 1990s, about 50 Saskatchewan 4-H members per year have spent a February weekend in Saskatoon with the alumni. The grades 11 and 12 students are taken on tours of the university campus and receive information on riding city buses, choosing an apartment, finding roommates and budgeting.
Budget issues
Shea said money is one of the big concerns.
“They know how much tuition is, but there’s more to it than that. Most of the students want to know how much they can expect to spend.
“We talk about how where you live makes a difference in what you spend – taking the bus versus driving, cheap entertainment, things like that,” she said.
Many of the rural newcomers are studying agriculture, and the alumni are also able to help them find a job.
“Recruiting for summer jobs usually happens in October and November, and new students can be caught unprepared,” Shea said.
“We can help them find out what to do and what to expect.”
A similar program offered by Alberta 4-H has been cancelled. Universities now run their own general orientations.
Manitoba has programs for students preparing to go to the University of Winnipeg, University of Manitoba and Red River Community College in Winnipeg.
The program, called Rural Invasion, will be held in January this year.
Program manager Joan Clement said about 15 prospective students are matched with a 4-H ambassador. The program is not limited to students planning to attend a post-secondary school in Manitoba.
“There is a selection process, and priority is given to those who are moving away from home, whether they’re going to school here, or in Regina, or just getting ready to go out and work,” Clement said.
Like the Saskatchewan program, Manitoba students learn how to rent apartments, decipher bus routes, shop for nutritious food, and manage their money. Job skills are also emphasized, and the students are given mini-interviews to hone their techniques.
Shea said personal experience led her to believe rural students are at a slight disadvantage to those who spend their lives in the city.
“I think it’s a harder transition. When I got here I was in arts and science, and I went from a class of 20 to classes with 170 people.
“We help them get to know the campus and the city, and they can meet people so there are a few familiar faces in the fall.”
