Written by Rodrigo Huerta Aguirre
When the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic alarmed the world, many international students fell victims of the health, academic, and financial consequences of such alarming times. Nonetheless, Devlin Grewal, then a third-year Fijian student in UTSC, knew how to maneuver the handlebars of his life on a ride full of obstacles.
As a student coming from abroad, financial strains and the “feeling of belonging in a community” were early challenges that he could momentarily cope with, aided by some UTSC student resources such as the Mental Health navigator and well-rounded academic support. “There are plenty of useful resources by UTSC that, unfortunately, many students don’t know about” – he mentions – “however, I felt abandoned by the university when the pandemic started.”
After passing the obstacles of getting used to a life in a “fast-paced” country like Canada, problems arose again with the health measures taken by different countries. For instance, “when Fiji declared martial law in Fiji, the chance of returning to the island was discarded,” Devlin expressed. On the other hand (but not so differently), Canada’s curfew and other tight measures rapidly complicated the situations of many international students, as they could not return home and underwent complicated housing situations regarding paying rent or finding a place to stay. Luckily for Devlin, he had secured a spot in a UTSC residence working as an RA; nonetheless, “university did not support [him] when [he] applied to the relief bursary.”
Despite that the immediate feelings of frustration and confusion jeopardized his mental health, Devlin recalls them as “short-term” obstacles, like he does when he rides his bike, an everyday passion. Devlin has recently convocated and rides to a future with open arms, for he knows when to move forward or pull the brakes.