Coming to Lethbridge as a Post-Secondary Student

Strolling by the river, hiking in themountains, and taking in the culture at Nikka Yuko—there are so many things Ilove about Lethbridge, but only two years ago I was in a very different place.

Post-secondary is a new chapter in life, It'sexciting and a bit scary. Continue reading for how Lethbridge became my secondhome!

As a child, I always dreamt of movingsomewhere away from home for post-secondary schooling, like on the TV shows andmovies I’d seen. But as a kid, I was very shy, and I did mostly grow out of itby my pre-teen years. I love my family and the city I call home, but by the endof high school, I knew I needed to take a step to grow as a young adult. Ineeded to experience true independence and challenge myself to step out of mycomfort zone. So, I applied to Lethbridge Collegeto be enrolled in the Digital Communications and Media program.

Before doing research on the type ofprogram I was interested in I hadn’t even heard of Lethbridge before. Despitemy lack of knowledge of the city, I was so excited once I had received myacceptance letter. I was so excited about the move up until about a monthbefore. That’s when it hit me, I’d be seven hours away from everything I knew,seven hours away from everything that was familiar. I started to question mydecision and if it was the right choice. But after some time, my excitementreturned, and it was time to head to Lethbridge.

Introduction to Lethbridge

My parents helped me move into mydorm and then off they went, and it was just me for the next two years. I wasso nervous for my first day of classes because I didn’t know anyone in myclasses, and I had no idea what to expect. Little did I know I would meet someincredible people and make friends that will be in my life for many more yearsto come. Not only did living on my own in a totally new city challenge me, butmy schoolwork also pulled me right out of my comfort zone which I wasn’t expecting,and I loved it. Once I had made some steady friends, I was able to exploreLethbridge more and get more comfortable with the city.

There are so many things you can do inLethbridge and its surrounding area. Because most of the school year is duringthe winter months, I looked for fun indoor activities to do with friends or bymyself. I wanted to familiarize myself with some of Lethbridge’s history sinceI didn’t really know much, so I took myself down to the Galt Museum andspent some time looking and reading the exhibits. Walking around the giantPilsner bottle and cowboy boot made me feel like a kid on a field trip. I didlearn some interesting facts about Lethbridge and made me excited to exploremore of the city and the community.

Winter Activities

So, being a student at Lethbridge College,I got discounts on hockey tickets for Lethbridge Hurricanes games. In my firstyear before COVID took over, this was one of my favourite ways to get out intothe Lethbridge community. I love sports and the ENMAX Centre is justa short walk from the college residence. But even if you aren’t a sports fanthese games were a great way to get out of the house, mingle with other friendgroups, cheer for a team, and catch up with friends. I’ve made some greatmemories by going to these games.

Another activity I picked up to stay activeduring school was lane swimming at the Lethbridge YMCA. I prefer doing an activity over theworkout room, but the Cor Van Raay YMCA at Cavendish Farms Centre has greatfacilities for whatever you prefer, from the swimming pool to workout rooms andthe flow rider surf machine. I love swimming, so lane swimming was a nice wayto get me out of my dorm room and get some exercise especially during thewinter months when it’s too cold to be outside.

Despitethe winter weather, there are still fun outdoor activities to do. The Winter LightFestival at Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden is such a great experience around the holidays. You get to take in theJapanese culture, take photos of the gorgeous light displays that are comprisedof over 120,000 lights, have hot chocolate, and enjoy friends’ company. It wasquite chilly when I went but I enjoyed getting all bundled up.

TheNikka Yuko Japanese Gardens are beautiful all year round and ringing the giantbell was definitely my favourite part.

Spring/Summer Activities

Myfavourite time of year is spring and summer. The warm weather makes me want toget outside and in Lethbridge, there are lots to do in the sun. I love to beoutside as much as possible. Luckily there are many trails and parks in the city to walk and explore. Ireally enjoy going down by the river. Pavan Park has so many paths and trails you can findquiet spots to enjoy nature, skip rocks and get some fresh air.

Ialso really enjoy going by and in the coulees. Coulees are the v-shaped valleysfound along the river throughout Lethbridge. I found the coulees so interestingwhen I first moved here because I have never seen them before. But they add tothe cities scenery and make for a good walking view.

Ialso like to walk down by the riverbottom, there are lots of pathsand sometimes you can come across beautiful wildlife.

Withthe warmer weather, I’ve picked up some new outdoor hobbies. I have recentlystarted to learn how to golf and with allthe courses to choose from in and around Lethbridge there is one for everyskill level and it’s been fun learning something new.

Oneof my absolute favourite things about Lethbridge is how close to the mountainsit is. Being from Saskatchewan I don’t see mountains very often and when I was17, I got to go to Banff for the very first time and I fell in love with theviews. Having the mountains only a short driveaway, makes for fun day trips toplaces like Waterton and the Crowsnest Pass. Or even for a little getaway toBanff. These places are perfect for picnics, beginner hikes and beautifulwaterfalls. I have found it a great way to get away from my screens and clearmy mind from schoolwork or anything else that has been weighing on my mind. Iam always looking for new hikes to take that have good views but that isn’t toohard as I am no expert hiker.

Wrap-Up

Movingto Lethbridge gave me the opportunity to discover independence, meet lots ofpeople and experience new and exciting things. I am going to be leavingLethbridge and back to my hometown for the last half of summer and I am trulysaddened to leave this amazing city for the time being. Being in Lethbridge forpost-secondary school was the best decision I have ever made, and I am sograteful for everything I learned while here and I know there’s still so much Ihaven’t experienced here yet. Lethbridge is an amazing city and it has becomemy second home.

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