UPEI residence students provided a sense of community and connection this winter

Each year at UPEI, approximately 150 residence students remain on campus during the break between first semester exams and early January when students return to classes for the second semester. This group of students is comprised of primarily international students who are unable to travel during the holidays to spend time with family or friends.

This year, the UPEI International Student Office, in cooperation with Student Affairs staff, Campus Life Advisors, Residence Life, and the UPEI Alumni Association, supported and organized some activities for these students during the break. They enjoyed getting together to do things such as build and decorate gingerbread houses, bake cookies, play board games, savour a traditional turkey dinner, watch holiday-themed movies, have festive paint nights, and write holiday cards to send home to their loved ones at Christmas.

Prisha Halder, a third-year UPEI biology student and senior residence life advisor (SRLA), is a lead organizer of activities for residence students. 

“Having stayed on campus over a couple winter breaks myself, I know how isolating it can feel,” said Halder who was born in India. “As part of the residence life advisor (RLA) team, I am committed to making sure that all the students staying on campus over this period feel a sense of community and warmth. Whether it be through organizing events or simply being there for our residents, the RLA team tries to make the space feel like home, even though students are far from friends and family.”

Assisting Halder with this important initiative are five other residence life advisors: Alex Manankasina, Calvin Keith, Drishti Dogra, Karlita Benitez, and Yurika Hayami. The team also welcomes residence students who are new to the UPEI campus and beginning their first term at UPEI in January.

“For all our winter intake students, we understand how hard it can be to join a community in the middle of the year,” said Halder. “We make it a priority to help them settle into their new environment, providing them with the support they need and a sense of belonging from day one.”

Recognizing it can be difficult to be so far away from loved ones, especially during the winter months, the RLA team wants students to know they are there to listen, to plan organized activities, enjoy casual time together, and to help in any way they can so that residence students have the best experience possible at UPEI.