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    January 1, 2026

    Raisa, Faculty of Science Student


    Meet Raisa: My Most Memorable Experience as a UCalgary Student


    Packing my whole life into a small suitcase and leaving my country was one of the hardest things I ever did, but my dream and my parents’ belief pushed me to fly across the world and start my journey at the University of Calgary as an international student and a computer science girl who wanted something more than just coding.





    When I arrived, I moved into Kananaskis Hall, my very first home in Canada, a simple dorm with two beds, two desks, and a shared washroom, but the real magic was in the building itself — the common rooms with table tennis, foosball, cozy study spaces, quiet academic lounge, and the feeling that even though we were all strangers, we were slowly building a life together. Our CA made our third floor feel warm and alive with constant events like pumpkin carving, Halloween and Christmas door decorating, friendship bracelet making, letters to our future selves, drawing nights, Valentine’s activities, and weekly floor events that helped us all bond deeply, and he made the whole place feel safe, fun, and unforgettable.

     


     

    When it came to clubs and culture, BSS (Bengali Students’ Society) felt like home away from home where I met people from my culture, but at the same time, I volunteered for the ISA (Indian Students Association) as a Bangladeshi Muslim international student, and that experience showed me how powerful diversity is — how we can belong in more than one place, more than one culture, and more than one story.

    My study life was heavily shaped by TFDL— my favorite study home— where I spent countless hours grinding assignments, preparing for finals, drinking coffee, and basically living the “university student life,” and it became a place where I could focus, breathe, reset, and grow.

    When it comes to computer science, people tend to assume that life gets quite monotonous; but I learned very quickly that this isn’t true — especially at UCalgary. As a computer science student, I had so much to explore and so much to learn. I built a rich social life, volunteered, joined clubs, made amazing friends, and grew as a person because UCalgary truly offers endless opportunities beyond academics.

    My friends became the heart of my experience — people from Canada, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Uganda, Bangladesh, India, Dubai, Nepal, and more, who helped me learn bus routes, grocery shopping, winter survival, late-night cooking, and how to live in a new country; we shared Lego-building nights at 2 a.m., emotional talks, study sessions, outings, laughs, and inside jokes that still continue today, and it felt powerful knowing that we learned each other’s entire life stories in weeks even though we grew up oceans apart.

    The Dining Centre (DC) became more than a place to eat — it became a daily gathering space where I experienced Bangladeshi food during international food day with my country’s flag hanging proudly, enjoyed cookie decorating, gingerbread houses, Friends-themed quizzes, karaoke nights, Chef Paul’s special ramen bowls, and random chats with seniors, professors, chefs, and strangers who later became friends; DC made me feel like campus was one big community where food brought people together.


     


    As I explored more of campus life, I slowly found myself drawn to cybersecurity through the CyberSec club, CTF competitions, industry talks, and events made me feel inspired about my future, especially when I took CPSC 329 with Professor Janet Leahy, whose love for frogs and fun energy made difficult coursework feel exciting. Outside academics, my first year was filled with small magical moments: seeing my first snow outside the science building and feeling like the main character, watching my first aurora glow over the Olympic Oval, enjoying DC’s Stampede food with music and celebration, attending Dino’s games with free student entry, getting loads of coupons in my Kananaskis welcome bag and exploring Calgary because of them, and even going on a Drumheller trip with residence people.


    I remember on my very last day in Kananaskis, we wrote our names on the Kananaskis wall, and in that moment, I realized that I had grown from a girl who arrived alone with one suitcase into someone who built friendships, community, confidence, memories, and a real second home. After first year, I moved to Olympus Hall during spring and summer, and now in my second year, I’m in Cascade Hall, where I feel more mature and confident, decorating a full wall of vision boards that show how far I’ve come.