STUDENT PERSONAS
Fictional representations of real student data
NOODIN
She/her
5th year student studying social sciences
Identifies as Indigenous, Anishinaabe
Recently moved with her daughter to the GTA
Separated from her ex-partner and has primary custody on their 6-year-old daughter
“Now I am worried if I am a good enough parent. I think she can tell that her mom just isn’t herself these days.”
It was a big decision for me to move away from my small town and closer to Toronto with my daughter so I could pursue my education at U of T. But I really wanted to take this leap because I’ve always wanted to go to university and live in a big city, but I never went for it. After my ex-partner and I decided to officially split, I thought it was finally time to make the move. I needed a new start.
I thought going into the city would allow my daughter and I to meet new people by immersing ourselves in the diverse array of arts and culture offered by city life. And with the University of Toronto having many events for Indigenous students, I was really looking forward to meeting folks from other Indigenous communities. But I did feel that it was difficult to get to meet others. Outside of class, I couldn’t participate in additional activities or go to events because they happened in the evenings. I also couldn’t stay late on campus most days because I had my daughter during the week, and it was hard to find a babysitter. My ex-partner was only comfortable with leaving her with a small number of people, which I wanted to respect, so I couldn’t bring her to events with me either. That was during the week, but when he had her for the weekends, I felt alone in this big city, and it was really hard.
It’s been like this for a while now, and I feel a bit isolated here. I miss my friends back on the reserve and our bond as a community. Back there, I felt like I could always find a way to attend local gatherings and talk to people, even with my daughter. But even when I could not bring her with me, there was always a family member around, ready to watch her at a moment’s notice. I also noticed the impact moving to the GTA has had on my baby. I felt like I’d isolated her, too, taking her too far from her roots. Now I am worried if I am a good enough parent. I think she can tell that her mom just isn’t herself these days. And I know she misses her dad and grandma.
Even though it has been super difficult, I am really hopeful that I’ll find some events to attend where I can connect with my roots and meet others. I hope that I won’t have to change my schedule around too much, but I am willing to try my best to make an effort and build my own “reserve” here. And I would love to bring my daughter along, so she can experience the joy that a community bond can give.
