University life can be overwhelming, but what happens when students need help beyond the classroom?
While touring Thompson Rivers University campus, two locations stuck out; the Sexualized Violence and Prevention Response, and the medical clinic.
We decided to interview staff from these sites to get a better understanding of the necessity of these places and how they can help students in need.
Sexualized Violence and Prevention Response Manger Amber Huva explained how the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response centre offers a safe and confidential space for students seeking support, education, and guidance, while Lee-Gaye Hicketts, the Medical Office Assistant described how the medical clinic provides accessible care for a range of health concerns.
Medical Centre Front at OLD MAIN – taken by Manon and Emersyn, March 2026
Each centre offers specialized care for students of all ages and backgrounds, providing both confidentiality and accessibility, two factors that can make all the difference when students are deciding whether to reach out for help.
Watch our video interview to dip deeper into how these services support students and why knowing about them matters.
Moving away from home to go to a new school and town is a very exciting chapter in young adults lives, but it can also be very intimidating and overwhelming. After the chaotic journey of arriving, moving in, and trying to get settled in an unfamiliar place, some find they start to feel lonely.
Getting out of your comfort zone in a foreign place can be frightening, and making friends with strangers even more so.
Positive human connection is essential in feeling comfortable and safe in a strange place, but it can be difficult to figure out what to say and who to talk to when trying to form these connections.
Kamloops City View at Sunset, September 2025, Emersyn Wenzel
I spoke with Kendra Leslie, a TRU Psych student from Grand Forks, who came to Kamloops to experience new people and a much bigger city than what she is used to. During our discussion, she shared her thoughts about how her own connections made her feel more at home in a town so far from her own.
Through this conversation with Kendra, she gives thoughtful advice about how to make friends as well as how important it is to create relationships with others in order to feel at home.
What Kendra humbly explains gives insight into the lives of average TRU students trying to feel at-home in the place so many of us already call our own.
If you would like to hear these thoughts through Kendra’s own words, click the audio below:
Photo: Emersyn Wenzel The centre of the Kamloops Riverside Park skating rink, showcasing food trucks and fire pits, February 12.
The City of Kamloops unveiled the brand new hangout spot, a skating rink within Riverside Park that is a blast for people of all ages.
On January 7th, 2026, the city opened a free community skating rink in downtown Kamloops, right in the centre of the beautiful Riverside Park. Surrounded by nature and warm glowing string lights, the rink features fire pits, food trucks, bumping music, and a 400-foot long skating loop.
A free alternative to other drop-in skating rinks and activities in town, the rink is a great option for students who want to get outside, enjoy nature, and get active in an entertaining way. Amarah Mahal, a student of Thompson Rivers University herself, says, “It doesn’t matter if you suck at skating like me, or if you’re like a pro like all of the little kids that gap me all of the time, it’s such a good experience.”
Photo: Emersyn Wenzel The Kamloops Riverside Park skating rink at night, with skaters gliding beneath warm string lights that curve along the pathway, February 12.
Open Sunday to Thursday 10:00 am to 9:00 pm, and Friday and Saturday from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, and after a long day of studying or working, the rink is a perfect way to unwind and have a good time solo or with friends. The rink is situated inside of Riverside Park, just 10 minutes from Thompson Rivers University, and “the fact that you get to be at the park, be in nature, and still do something that’s super fun but not super out of the way is awesome”, Mahal states.
The rink has brought the Kamloops community together, with hundreds of people, young and older, attending every weekend. “You see all kinds of ages there,” says Mahal when asked about how the rink brings the people of Kamloops together. “All different ethnicities, just everybody looking to have a good time, get their skates on, try something new, or do something that they’ve been doing for years. It’s awesome to see.”
Photo: Emersyn Wenzel Skaters glide past the Thompson River next to a decorative winter light display at the Kamloops Riverside Park skating rink, February 12.
Whether you are from Kamloops and want to try the city’s newest attraction, or a student new to the area who wants a place to go with friends and connect with the community, the Riverside Park Skating Rink is sure to bring out laughs, a few falls, and fun memories for years to come. Still, visitors should be mindful of timing. As Mahal explains, “There can be sometimes a lot of people, it’s just a hit or miss depending on the time you go.”
