Everything you need to know about living at the Daphne Cockwell Complex (DCC)

Whenever I get asked about the best way to get integrated into TMU as an incoming student, I always credit my time living in residence. Living on campus allowed me to meet new people and have many unique experiences as an international student.

In my first year of university, I lived in a four-bedroom apartment at the Daphne Cockwell Complex (DCC). I had my own room and shared the kitchen and living space with three other students. DCC in particular stood out to me as it was a newer, modern building that is formatted similarly to an apartment rather than a typical dorm. I love natural light so the huge windows in the common area really stood out to me when I watched the virtual tour.

Living with strangers seemed a bit nerve-racking at first, but I had a great experience with my roommates and loved having people to talk to and go out on weekends with. I made it a tradition with one of my roommates to go to the St. Lawrence Market, a farmer’s market near the DCC, every other Sunday. Aside from befriending roommates,  I met other people on my floor and in the building at our weekly floor meetings and events! Every two floors in the DCC have a shared common room and residence advisor (an upper year student that is there to guide and oversee residents). They plan fun events for us and host our weekly floor meetings. I have so many memories of my friends and I connecting our computers to the TV and having karaoke nights (not loud enough to bother anyone, of course) or sitting and chatting for hours in the common room.

On my first day in residence, I met many other students from the Caribbean as they all were coincidently on my floor and the floor below! I felt comforted knowing there were people with similar experiences to me who I could bond with. There are also orientation events that are exclusive to international students living in residence. Additionally, there is a roommate matching service that can allow you to make friends with people from your country before you even move in. I met some really dear friends through the roommate matching site by sharing common interests and experiences.

There are two options for mandatory meal plans: the 5-day and the 7-day. I chose the 5-day meal plan as I love trying new foods and had the weekends to go out to eat with friends.

Although the DCC does not have its own dining hall, like Pitman Hall or the International Living Centre (ILC), I didn’t mind this as I found it gave me some motivation to get up early and get ready for the day! I was able to use my meal plan at the nearby residence buildings, and after doing the walk multiple times a day, I got used to it. The Pitman Dining Hall was another place where my friends and I would chat and laugh together for hours. These are great places to form a community without having to go too far, especially when it gets cold. The menus at the dining hall are very diverse and the chefs usually cook meals from different cultures. During Black History Month, there was a week where Caribbean food was being served. As a Trinidadian, it felt nice to have a taste of home with doubles on the menu.

My biggest tip for anyone applying for residence is to make the most of your experience and try to use all of the services while you can! Being on campus makes it much easier to attend classes and events going on around the school without the effort of commuting. Also, don't hesitate to talk to anyone. Some of my closest friendships from residence formed through a quick chat in the elevator!

Now in my third year, DCC will always hold a special place in my heart being my first home away from home and holding all of the memories of being a first-year student.