A new academic year is underway in Lethbridge as post-secondary institutions welcomed thousands of students back to campus on Tuesday. Lethbridge Polytechnic and the University of Lethbridge (U of L) kicked off the semester with New Student Orientation events and activities. “Going to new student orientation is new and it’s great to see this place,” said Eyobell Gebremeskel, a first-year accounting student at U of L. “It’s great to tour it and know what I’m looking for.” Classes at both schools are set to begin Wednesday. “The energy level goes up and the excitement is way up at the university in September,” said U of L president and vice-chancellor Digvir Jayas. Early enrolment figures show that more than 8,000 students are registered to study at the university this semester, keeping overall numbers on par with last year. “Immigration rules have decreased our international students, especially new international students, but with the efforts from our recruitment staff the domestic enrolment has increased slightly,” Jayas said. “(There has also been an) increase in participation of Indigenous students, particularly from the Blackfoot community.” Despite the shift, many first-year students on campus Tuesday said choosing Lethbridge for their post-secondary education was an easy decision. “Vancouver is a very large area, over here it’s way more chill,” said Manharsh Singh, a first-year accounting student at U of L. “You can think about your life, you can plan everything and it’s for sure cheaper. Vancouver is expensive. And there’s a stronger sense of community over here, and that attracted me.” For others like Gebremeskel, staying in Lethbridge meant being closer to home. “I did have the option to go to Calgary, but I decided to stay local cause I have siblings here and I don’t want to leave them,” he said. “I love the place; I love Lethbridge and I’m here to study.”
