By Lucy Kebirungi
Canada is known for its cold winters with recent temperatures dropping close to -30 C, yet that often does little to quell the spirits of locals. However, for students at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) who grew up in temperate or tropical climates, the transition into the icy season can feel daunting.
Though students may have a general idea of what to expect when they get to TMU, living the reality of frosted sidewalks and blistering winds while walking to class can be a challenge for some. Fortunately, winter in Toronto is more than early sunsets and cold temperatures—it’s an opportunity to explore a new experience.
Alisha Pereira, a first-year digital media master’s student, shared that her first experience with winter was far from what she had initially expected.
“I was intimidated because I’m from India and the part where I’m from, it doesn’t get cold,” she said. “So when I decided that I was moving here to study, everyone intimidated me quite a bit about how it’s going to get really tough.”
Moving away to the other side of the world combined with anticipating harsh weather left Pereira with conflicting emotions. While she was worried about withstanding low temperatures, she was excited to “live in snow for the first time” after only seeing it once before on vacation in Seoul, South Korea.
“A lot of people warned me about this but I was not expecting seasonal depression to hit until it did”
While living downtown in the snow for the past two months, Pereira was shocked to find that it had been an enjoyable experience thus far. “I think it hasn’t been as bad as what people said it would be. I’ve been fine, I’ve been managing okay.”
Pereira has been exploring new winter activities in the city, both in and outside of school. She has been watching people skate and building the courage to tackle the ice herself.
“I definitely want to experience being on a skating rink someday because [I’ve watched Hollywood] movies with Christmas and New York City [winter] vibes so that is something I want to do,” she said.
Pereira has also been relishing in the winter experiences that she can’t quite get back home.
“One more highlight of the holiday season in the winter for me was being able to go to the Christmas markets and try eggnog, mulled wine and all that you don’t enjoy in India because it’s hot.”
For Omar Mahmoud, a first-year politics and governance student from Egypt, winter was something he had to ease himself into. Aware of the struggles that came with winter after engaging with content on TikTok and YouTube, Mahmoud was still surprised once he arrived.
“I went to a place that’s literally -6 C. I’m like, ‘I can do that.’ But when you’re actually here, that is way different,” said Mahmoud.
While the idea of adapting to a new climate and customs was daunting for Mahmoud, he believed that to accept this change, he had to listen to music that reflected the weather—like Christmas and indie music—while engaging in winter activities, such as ice skating.
Though winter is still tough for Mahmoud, being able to approach it with a positive mindset makes it more enjoyable. Exploring the different ways to make winter in Toronto a fun experience is a worthwhile challenge for him.
A guiding principle that Mahmoud carries with him is that “six weeks of sadness would not define a lifetime of happiness,” which allows him to see the beauty of winter.
“Six weeks of sadness would not define a lifetime of happiness”
Isabel Faith Monteiro, a first-year accounting and finance student from Bangalore, India, experienced winter differently. Initially, Monteiro noticed that she was less keen on going outside as the weather got colder but was able to lift her spirits gradually.
While she enjoyed the slight chill autumn carried, she hadn’t expected the sudden drop in temperature that came in late November.
“As winter slowly hit, I realized I wasn’t getting out as much,” Monteiro said. “A lot of people warned me about this but I was not expecting seasonal depression to hit until it did.”
Johns Hopkins Medicine defines seasonal depression—or seasonal affective disorder (SAD)—as a chemical change caused by shorter days and less sunlight during colder seasons. According to Mayo Clinic, staying indoors and isolating during winter can exacerbate the effects of SAD.
Monteiro noticed feeling these effects when she would go straight from lectures to her bedroom at home. This took a toll until she began engaging in on-campus winter activities hosted by the Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union and various student societies. She attended TMU’s Frost Holiday Festival on Gould Street, which introduced a shift in her perspective.
“That was the first time I kind of soaked [my surroundings] in,” she said. “I was [thinking], ‘I’m here for the first time. This is my first winter,’ and that was the moment I properly took it and I was like, ‘OK, I made it here finally.’”
She threw herself into “enjoying the small things” of the season—drinking hot chocolate, revelling in snowfall and spending quality time with family and friends throughout winter break—and now looks forward to tackling the winter semester head-on.
“I don’t think I’m particularly scared of anything or in terms of winter, I’m not too frazzled about it anymore, but I’m more hopeful this semester because I’m getting used to it,” said Monteiro.
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