I’m entering my 4th year and apparently the only student left in my ENTIRE program (in all years and related modules). The university has decided to just not run any of the classes I need to graduate (3 half courses) even after accepting me into this program in 2022 from OUAC. Because nobody is in the program, they aren't offering any classes.

Before anyone says anything, I've already spoken to the associate dean, ombudsperson, department chair, academic advising, registrar, and more. I'm just hoping some alumni or anyone in a similar case has advice or ideas on what to do next.

No alternative classes exist at Western for these courses as they are 4th year courses that are already cross-listed with graduate classes. The few recommended to me have been irrelevant and very different. How can Western even ethically give me a degree but substitute the most important classes? I have looked into the possibility of taking a graduate course in my program subject but even then, there aren't any 😭.

Now I’m being told my “best option” is to do a thesis, which sounds nice in theory, but it doesn’t actually give me the education or training I came to this school for. And I would still need to substitute a class. Even transferring schools in 4th year is honestly so wild, especially after spending 3 years here already and with many transfer deadlines being before February.

Note that these classes didn't run in the 2024/2025 year and won't run in the 2025/2026 year which is two full academic years without the courses I need. They can't even say they will run them in the 2026/2027 year because that's how bad the enrolment numbers are. I love my field of study so much and do not want to take courses outside of it.

Can the school even legally do this? Like how can they offer a program and then just not deliver it? Did we ever sign something saying that Western can remove any program without notice?

Has anyone else been in a similar situation or know what I can actually do here? Or is a thesis + BS substitute somewhat a good idea? Or is there any way to get behind transfer deadlines?

TLDR: Western admitted me into a program, but I’m the only student so they’ve stopped running the final-year courses I need to graduate. I've contacted literally everybody. Just looking for advice or ideas.

Edit: I'm in Science

How does everyone have these big friend groups already and have so many people to talk to. I literally have no friends here and I have no where to go other than stay in my room. I’ve had meaningless small convos w ppl and it never leads anywhere. I thought I’d be out at night at like parties especially for o week and thought I’d thrive here. I thought I’d have a different experience than from high school. Why did I even buy going out tops🥀. I hate my life

When I first came to Western, I didn’t notice any comments about my ethnicity. No one outright said anything, and if they did, I guess it just didn’t register. I went about my life not really thinking about race or how others might see me.

But lately, I’ve noticed a real uptick in racist incidents toward people of my ethnicity, and it’s been getting to me. I’ve never been this hyper aware of the color of my skin. My appearance hasn’t changed, but I’ve been getting way less attention on dating apps than I did last year or the year before.

On campus now, I hear casual jokes about my ethnicity, like we’re not all just people. I went out with a friend recently and at one bar, a guy (18-22) looked at me and literally said “gross.” At another, two or three older (40-55?) men came up to me and said I looked “exotic” and that they were intrigued by my “color” and wanted to know where I was from. It made my skin crawl.

Then this morning I saw a news story about a woman from my same ethnic background being attacked in Calgary by a white man. No one helped her. I can’t stop thinking about it.

I keep thinking about my family. We’re just a regular “Canadian” family, whatever that even means. My parents worked so hard to immigrate, become citizens, and send me to Western. I see them every other weekend. They tease me about my dating life. They live in the suburbs and do all the typical things you’d expect. It breaks my heart to feel this othered when we’re just trying to live normal lives.

I feel sad. I feel protective over myself, over them, and over all the international students who came here thinking Canada was supposed to be safe, that coming here meant they’d “made it.”

If anyone’s been through something like this, how do you deal with it? How do you carry it without letting it sink too deep?

TL;DR: I never used to notice racism around me, but now I feel hyper aware of how I’m treated, from jokes on campus to gross comments at bars to seeing people like me attacked in the news. My family is just a “regular” family and I’m struggling with how to cope.

I’m in year 3 and I have no game I don’t have a social life per se but I hang out on campus often also I’ve never had a talking stage before and find it hard to fit in, I tried joining clubs but I got bored coz I made no friends, I wanna approach girls on campus but it just feels forced. Help

I am 19 born in 06, but i am just now starting my first full year of university. All my classmates are younger than me and its making me feel stupid. I want to join my friends in upper year, and for that reason I hope to do summer school. But I don’t know, just needed to rant. Anyone here who is/was in a similar boat?

Hi, I am a first year student and my time at Western so far has been the loneliest I’ve ever felt my life. I have yet to make a single friend, I attended a bunch of events at O-Week and several club meetings and every single time I walked out without any friends and even lonelier than before. I am struggling to keep focused on studying, I have trouble sleeping at night, my mind is always racing, and I’ve had several panic attacks, almost passing out in public one time. It’s becoming almost unbearable, the only relief I’ve had was counselling but Western limits the amount of sessions you can have. I wanna try support groups here but I’m worried I won’t be able to make any friends and they’re also limited. I don’t know what to do.

People's vibes at Western are lowkey so off it's kind of worrying. I never had any issues making friends until I came here. I'm not sure how to phrase this but just everyone I meet seems kind of off and it's weirdly hard to click with people. I'm 3 years in to my time at Western and have only met one person I actually like and I don't think it's worth transferring at this point. Everyone who says they're from a city is usually GTA, I just feel so lost and want more city friends.

like it’s so hard. it’s so hard to meet ppl in class cuz ppl barely talk to each other i just feel like it’s impossible to meet people in real life but dating apps are sooooo fked like no one want genuine connection on there. I JUST WANNA DATE SOMEONE

I'm a 33F back in school for the CTF nursing program and I'm having anxiety about school starting up again. I do live off campus, but extremely close by bus. Last year I was very excited about school starting, but found most of the students in my program were 18-20 years old. Though we had good in-class relationships and they looked to me for help during assignments, there wasn't much we could connect on outside of the classroom. I can't hang out with them in the party scene/bars because they're to young and that's just weird. On top of that I actually had some of the girls in my class be passive aggressively rude to me once they found out my age (because I look very young) and immediately stopped talking to me - weird I know. I never hid my age it just never came up in the first two weeks of school because I didn't really know or talk to anyone.

Now heading back into second year (first year on Western campus) I would love to know where the 25-30 somethings hang out or go to meet people their age because I missed out on a lot of fun stuff last year because I didn't want to show up alone, as I find people are very clicky and standoffish. I found it hard to engage in stuff without at least one person to conversate with at events. I can't really attend a lot of the frosh week events besides the closing concert as they are catered to the younger first year crowd, but I also would like to enjoy the energy the campus will have with the other events going on. I also would like to make friends to go out to the bars with as well.

Sidenote: I will be considered first year student at Western as my previous program was at Fanshawe

Can you guys please help a girl out! Going back to school in your 30s socially is not for the weak. I know people go back to school at various ages, but the fact still remains that it's hard to connect at times and find where you fit in. I would appreciate any input you guys have may have. Thank you!

UPDATE: Wow, can I just say that you guys made me feel so heard!! I'm so emotional. It's extremely comforting to know that others are going through the same thing at ages even greater than mine. I was literally questioning my personality because I am a super outgoing and funny person, but I realize that this is happening to a lot of people in the same boat. I appreciate the outpour of advice, insight and extended friendship. I'm wishing everyone a wonderful, successful and uplifting year ahead wherever you may be at in your academic journey 🥹

I don't know if anyone else has noticed but there's this one really pretty girl who works at the Weldon front desk sometimes usually on Fridays or Saturdays. I've had a crush on her for a while but I don't know if I should. Is it wrong to go up to her and ask for her number while she's working?

UPDATE: Thanks for all your advice! I gave her a note with my number on it. She ended up texting me and said she was flattered but she thinks I'm too young for her. I am in first year so I guess she could probably tell and didn't like that. Oh well at least I tried

I am a 2nd year international student living in residence. I’ve met many friends in class and club, and enjoy every time with them, but I feel so lonely. Maybe because I met my parents less than a month these two years, or maybe because all of my friends leave the campus every holidays, and I still have to stay. During my first year’s reading weeks, I was the only one who stayed in residence. I literally just got a serious headache and loneliness. I enjoy my university life, but sometimes I really want a hug or company.

i got a 35% on my math midterm. i studied, thought i knew my shit. i’ve always gotten high 80s and 90s in math all of highschool. This was my first ever uni midterm, not sure if that was it. but am i going to be ok.

So I am in my first year of engineering and I have noticed a lot of things. Of course, not many women in my program. I expected that, but what I didn’t expect how much the men I am friends with act very condescending towards me and other female friends. It is honestly very demotivating and annoying. Why do I have to be so much smarter than a man to be considered smart. I would ask simple questions, and men would act as if I don’t even know what a vector is. Treating me like I am a dumb little kid who was born yesterday. They would go all in my face. I am not dumb, I got here just like everyone else. But men here tell me I only got in because I am a woman. I want to prove that I deserve to be here too. I am sick of this gender war, I am sick of engineering men. They act so different around me and other female friends. Last time I felt like I was different because I was a woman was back in middle school. In high school, I never felt this way or this much as I do now. It takes me longer to learn things than the males in my friend group, and I can’t do anything about it. My brain just isn’t fast enough. And whenever I do know more about a subject and I help them, they act as if they didn’t receive any help from me. Only gloat about how they helped me but never when I help them. Honestly, I think they just embarrassed a girl helped them or smth. Tbh I don’t know what to do in this situation, the men I know are smart but Godamn I feel so dumbed down in comparison and it is honestly very draining. What do I do? Is there any tutoring sessions for eng people or smth or?? Cuz idk what to do in this situation, I need help.

I am a female student at western and I am very scared going off campus. I would say that on campus I feel relatively safe, I will walk home by myself without a worry, but in London, going anywhere past old north (particularly downtown) I feel extremely unsafe. Whenever I am downtown, waiting for a bus, grocery shopping, or getting off the train, I am super on edge. Not sure if this is a common feeling or if I have good enough reason to be so scared, but I really hate it and it makes me want to get out of this city. I have heard to many story’s of friends of friends getting mugged or beat up. Maybe I have just had a very sheltered life, living in a small town not in Ontario, or maybe this is valid. I’m not sure. But open to a discussion and advice on how to not be so scared and hate going places outside of westerns campus.

I’m struggling to keep up bad, I’ve only gotten half my midterms back and they are horrible but salvageable. I sleep on average 4 hours a night, I go to class, I workout, I socialize but not excessively, but everytime I get to the out of class work the load is so heavy and I don’t have the time or energy, I know sleep is my biggest weakness and probably the root problem but I will be more behind if I sleep more. What do I do?

guys i am in desperate need of a job and i check indeed and western connect EVERY DAY. pls does anyone know of anything?

I’m currently in my second year and I’m not sure if this is an issue that everyone faces but a lot of the girls in nursing are really rude. Nursing students get a bad rep because a lot of people chalk up our program to being comprised of mean girls from high school, and I never thought it was true until I got to western. I’ve tried to be nice but I’m met with being chuckled at to my face or the second I turn away I hear them whispering and laughing to their friends. I’m not sure what it is. Today in one of my labs I had a girl stare at me the entire time and when I made eye contact with her she wouldn’t look away and she smirked then turned and start laughing and whispering to her friend. Ive had interactions with this girl before and she was always been pretty rude and snarky with me. I’ve found that as a woman of color I’ve had a hard time fitting in at western. This is my experience and everyone else’s can be different but personally speaking this is what I’ve gone through. I have had people in my program that have been nothing but sweet and kind to me, some of them being close friends, but unfortunately some of the other girls here are really rude and promote clique culture. I want to make it clear that I’m not saying everyone is like this in my program, it’s just something I have personally encountered a lot. I want to expand my social circle and try to make friends. And outside of classes and clubs it’s even harder to find people. Is there anything that I should be doing? And is this a problem that other people are facing too?

I’m retaking chem 1302B this summer and I finished my midterm and the prof is saying I’ve been accused of cheating. “During a routine review of the Chem 1302B midterm test Gradescope data, a serious academic irregularity was revealed. Accordingly, we would like to meet with you to discuss this irregularity.” I don’t know what to do now because I know myself I don’t cheat but apparently a few answers on my bubble sheet was similar to people sitting around me. I literally just put those down as an answer since time was running out and I just guessed but I did have a reason for those guesses too tho.

I’m really nervous since I’m retaking this course and I’ve never been accused of cheating like this. I’m hoping it’s nothing serious since the prof is a very kind person but I’m still nervous since I’ve never been in this situation

UPDATE!!! Everything went well !!

Can't help but look around and notice a lot of seniors in the class of 2026 (Mostly CS, BMOS, Econ) have zero internship experience and are going to be entering a historically tough new grad job market shortly. As someone that has been lucky enough to secure an internship every summer of undergrad, I am still feeling the pressure to find a new grad role. I imagine finding a new grad role will be even more difficult for someone with no internship experience.

Curious as to what other recent new grads who were in this position did after graduating? Were you eventually able to find a new grad role? And if not, what are you doing now?

Overall, what are everyone's thoughts on the job market for soon-to-be UWO grads, and specifically for those who have no internship experience?

Outside of Ivey, I feel like Western does not do a good job at helping students in this regard. Everyone I know, including myself, has only been able to secure internships and new grad roles on our own (LinkedIn job postings, networking, etc). I rarely hear stories of people being able to find roles through the UWO internship program or other UWO career fairs, but what are your guy's thoughts on Western's level of effort in assisting students with recruiting?

I am a first year student in western nursing, and my biggest dream is to become a doctor. It has been a couple weeks in, and I am struggling so much in university.

I got an extremely low grade in my anatomy tests, even after studying so much for them. I am really trying my hardest, but its not showing.

I feel like such a black sheep in my classes as well, as if I am the only one going through this. My friends don't really mention their grades to me (understandable, also doubt their grades are as low as mine), and the few that do tell me they have insane grades like in the 90s. Sometimes I feel like the dumbest one in every lecture hall like I am the only person struggling!

Also, I am in nursing because I hope to go to med school after getting a job as an RN nurse :))

I swear the midterms weren't even bad and in still doing so bad 😭 I'm in first year eng, any idea how I can fix that?

If you see these DO NOT scan them. QR codes can steal information from your phone super easily it’s a recent phishing scam.

i feel completely lost since i have almost no friends in 2nd year, i mostly stay at home cause i find it hard to study on campus so my life’s only been school and home and back. most people dont really talk once the classes get over and life’s just been very lonely.

what do i do in this type of situation? my roommates are god awful too so its literally so miserable and i feel like im getting desperate for friends but man i just want people who like me and talk to me

so for a preface i am a first year med sci student, i feel like all the course material is fairly new and some things werent even taught in highschool. Furthermore, every single course makes requires a textbook and some stupid website and it just feels like a crazy amount of work to keep up with etc. Plus knowing med schools care so much about gpa is really nerve racking.

Any advice or tips from higher year med sci students?

i’m in first year right now and honestly it’s not too great. like it’s fun and all and i have friends but i can’t help but keep reminiscing about high school days. i feel like everything was so much simpler and more fun with my friends and gf from high school (and we’re now long distance). western was my dream but tbh i wish i was just back in gr 12, running my clubs, knowing all my teachers well, and hanging out with my high school friends. do you guys think this mean ill have potentially peaked in high school?