" This strike tremendously impacted my student experience. Well, I was basically robbed of any experience. I am an international student from a small town in Russia and I came to Sheridan to study animation. I worked really hard at my day job and after work on my art and English to get here.

Not just my parents, but my entire family helped with the tuition for the first year. And well, for an international student it’s over 26k a year. I know what I got myself into, but you have to understand that with a median monthly wage of 650 CAD in Siberia, Sheridan is a colossal money investment. So while my loving family gave me an opportunity to be here, follow my dream and study I can’t even do that! I am losing approximately 800 CAD a week during this strike. I’ve been trying to get some freelance work to cover the weekly expenses and mostly self-study, working on the assignments in advance; for example, I went to the Royal Winter Fair to draw for the portfolio that we supposed to have in the program. And basically, the entire trip was included in my tuition. But here I am paying 43 dollars for tickets and transport to be there. What is this tuition for if I am self-studying? I feel helpless, unwelcomed and betrayed. I came here to get as much education as I can from the teachers and masters, I came here for the dream and it is crashing. After a month. In the first semester.

Moreover, what a wonderful winter break “surprise” to not see my family that cared for me so much to get me here.

With all the talks about canceling the semester….Would I have to retake a year? We are not given any information on the refunds or adjustments to the program like that. I don’t know Canadian laws, so is it possible to just extend classes into summer to add the missing weeks? I am completely sure that no one wants to lose a year of their life. I know I am.

This strike gave me nothing but stress and tears."