Our Northern Lights is an initiative that illuminates our people, their stories, and celebrates their achievements. We hope that their journey will inspire others to pursue their dreams and make a difference in the world.
When Chelsea Flowers decided to attend college close to her family after graduating high school, she had no idea she would end up half a world away!
A scientist at heart, Chelsea applied at UNBC, Northwestern Polytechnic (formerly GPRC), and Northern Lights College (NLC). Having the nearby support of family was the deciding factor and Chelsea enrolled in the Associate of Arts Health Studies program at NLC in 2022.
“It was being close to my family, staying in my community, but also getting that kind of diverse experience that made me want to stay with NLC instead of going to Grande Prairie or something.”
It may have been that appreciation of diverse experiences that led Chelsea to explore study abroad opportunities at NLC.
“Coming here after having a full year’s school and kind of being able to mature a little bit and then jumping into somewhere where there’s nobody who relates to my culture, I think it was a quite an advantage to be able to have that in my tool belt instead of just jumping right into like moving across the country or something.”
Since beginning her studies in the fall of 2022, she has travelled to LaSalle University in Manila, Philippines, Kansai Gaidai University in Hirakata, Japan, and she is currently studying at Tezukayama Gakuin University, also in Japan. There she does most of her classes in Japanese – the only class taught in English is the Japanese language class.
When asked if she knew any Japanese before heading to Japan, she was explained the different dialects she was learning.
“In school you study Tokyo dialect Japanese and Osaka is different. Also, there is formal Japanese and informal Japanese Osaka dialect. People tend to use informal Japanese and a different dialect.”
Despite the language challenges, Chelsea is taking the opportunity in stride. She attributes her resilience to starting her education closer to home.
“Coming here after having a full year’s school and kind of being able to mature a little bit and then jumping into somewhere where there’s nobody who relates to my culture, I think it was a quite an advantage to be able to have that in my tool belt instead of just jumping right into like moving across the country or something.”
Chelsea is a firm believer in starting your education locally for several reasons: you can get the start of a university education without the stress of large student loans; you get the emotional and educational support from the instructors and staff that you may not get at a bigger institution; and in the end you are likely to find more educational success.
“I know that statistically they say that students who start at a smaller university tend to complete their bachelor’s at a higher degree than most people who started a big university. This is due to the fact that they have a little bit of a closer advantage with their teachers and sometimes family as well.”
To learn more about Chelsea, read on:
What three words describe your NLC experience?
Multicultural. Social. Welcoming.
What is your first NLC memory?
My first very personal memory at NLC was on my first day of classes, meeting all my program mates during our biology class. We would spend a good portion of our first year bonding and having many classes together therefore it was very memorable.
What do you do when you’re not studying?
When I’m not studying, you can find me spending time with my friends or participating in martial arts like Aikido, Karate, and Jiu Jitsu.
What would you tell another student if they were thinking of coming to NLC?
I would tell them about the numerous benefits that NLC provides for their students. From the perspective of a domestic student, I think NLC gives us, in many ways, a comfortable entry into post secondary education.
With low tuition, and for many students the option to stay at home or close to their parents or family, it might make post secondary less stressful from that standpoint. Above that, NLC provides many growth opportunities for their students. In my case I was able to get involved in some international programs that have really changed my life and allowed me to make friends across the world while also learning firsthand about different cultures.
What’s next for you? Where do you see yourself in one year? How about five years?
I’m actually not sure! In the last year my life has changed so drastically. In one year from now I want to be on my way in completing my diploma at NLC and then in 5 years I could see myself graduated from some bachelor’s program either in nursing sciences or international relations and then pursuing some type of career overseas or at an international focused company.