First impressions

The first few weeks of university can be a period of adjustment for students, who are acclimatizing to new ways of learning and living. But for first-year student Linxi Zhang, the leap into student life hardly compares to the leap she made across the globe from her home country of China.

“For me it was mostly exciting,” she says of stepping onto campus. “I was scared two years ago when I first came to Canada.”

Linxi lived with host families in Amherst, NS and Truro, NS for two years, finishing high school in her adopted country before making the trek to Halifax for university. She chose Dalhousie based on her impressions of the campus and her desire to study Psychology.

“My mom came to visit last Christmas and we went to Dalhousie,” says Linxi. “I really loved the campus.

“I also wanted to take Psychology and I knew that Dalhousie was a really good choice for Psychology and Science programs.”

Exploring interests and making friends

Although she’s always had an aptitude for science, Linxi has a wide array of interests in and out of the classroom, from drawing to languages to hitting the gym. She believes a diversity of perspectives are needed in the field she wishes to study.

“I think psychology is not just a science, it’s a combination of art and science. That’s why for my courses I chose a combination of both. I didn’t want to just do science.”

Linxi’s highlights so far include her small German class, professors she describes as “really funny” and the friends she’s made in her Shirreff Hall residence.

Making friends was made easier by interacting on social media with fellow first-year students over the summer. Using the #DalBound hashtag, Linxi began building her Dal community online even before setting foot on campus.

“It’s exciting to come here and meet the people you met online, and even know who some of your classmates are,” says Linxi. “A lot of people posted their class schedules, so you can see the people who have the same interests.”

Meanwhile, Linxi has expanded her own list of interests. She’s joined the DALConnects leadership program and volunteers weekly at a local food bank. When she has a free moment, she can also be found working out at the gym.

“I like to get exercise,” she says, before adding with a laugh: “I want to get abs.”