Lived in Alberta and Nova Scotia. How does Kamloops compare?

[cuincourt2027]

Tbh I feel a bit stupid starting a thread like this, but here we are...

I just graduated from Dal and had a fantastic time living in Halifax! There’s always something to do (markets, live music, cool restaurants, lacrosse games, etc.), the people are SO friendly, and a GoodLife gym was a 5 minute walk from my apartment.

So far, I’ve been offered a seat at UofC and TRU (still waiting to hear back from UBC and Dal). I’ve grown up in Alberta my whole life. I’ve vacationed to BC before, but have never visited Kamloops.
 

Are there good gyms around TRU, and events around the city? Just wondering where I’d better handle the stress of Law School via those types of outlets.

For those of you who have attended TRU or UofC for Law (or know of people who have), how’s the faculty?

Any insight to living in Kamloops/attending TRU would be awesome!

[canuckfanatic]

I can give you insight on living in Kamloops/attending TRU, but first I have to ask - why not just take the seat at U of C? It's a great school, it's $5,000/year cheaper than TRU, and if you want to work in Alberta it gives you an advantage in job hunting.

[Chewy]

As someone who has travelled to pretty much every major and mid-sized Canadian city, Kamloops and Port Alberni are my least favourite. Feels like a city that's stuck in the 80s and not the good 80s. Kamloops is "wood-panel wall" '80s.The only positive to Kamloops in my mind is that you're close to Sun Peaks. You can find good gyms in almost any city. Forest fire season is another thing you have to contend with while living in the BC interior. Can't comment on TRU specifically. I would take Calgary over Kamloops without any hesitation. I hate Kamloops. 

[cuincourt2027]

On 12/27/2023 at 11:45 AM, canuckfanatic said:

I can give you insight on living in Kamloops/attending TRU, but first I have to ask - why not just take the seat at U of C? It's a great school, it's $5,000/year cheaper than TRU, and if you want to work in Alberta it gives you an advantage in job hunting.

Thank you for replying!! Tbh it might just be my ego getting in the way, but I was rejected from UofC last year, so I’m a bit salty toward them. I was also born and raised in Calgary/Alberta, so I wouldn’t mind moving away (getting another adventure under my belt before office/work life), and have heard that TRU is great at connecting students who want to work back in Calgary with jobs/articling positions. What’s your experience been like living in Kamloops and attending TRU? The major advantage I see toward picking UofC over TRU right now is the tuition difference.

On 12/27/2023 at 12:44 PM, Chewy said:

As someone who has travelled to pretty much every major and mid-sized Canadian city, Kamloops and Port Alberni are my least favourite. Feels like a city that's stuck in the 80s and not the good 80s. Kamloops is "wood-panel wall" '80s.The only positive to Kamloops in my mind is that you're close to Sun Peaks. You can find good gyms in almost any city. Forest fire season is another thing you have to contend with while living in the BC interior. Can't comment on TRU specifically. I would take Calgary over Kamloops without any hesitation. I hate Kamloops. 

Thank you for this reply!! Definitely some good points that I haven’t yet considered. Also, not particularly what I wanted to hear LOL

I guess I was definitely romanticizing living in “Beautiful British Columbia.”

[canuckfanatic]

50 minutes ago, cuincourt2027 said:

What’s your experience been like living in Kamloops and attending TRU?

My experience with Kamloops is pretty different than Chewy's, probably because I was there as a TRU student. I really enjoyed my 3 years living there.

Kamloops is a pretty quiet city. A few good restaurants (Tiger Ramen, Hello Toast, Klasske's Bistro)  and chill coffee shops (Motivo, Amplified, The Art We Are). A handful of bars that the law students frequented regularly (Duffy's, Cactus Jack's, Blue Grotto, Shark Club). Hardly anything was open past 8PM on weekdays other than fast food and Dominoes. It takes 15-20 minutes to drive across the city. 

If you're outdoorsy, Kamloops is covered in, and surrounded by, hiking trails. You're also a short drive from ski hills. If you're more into training or organized sports, the Tournament Capital Centre is an amazing fitness facility on TRU campus and TRU has a lot of intramural sports. 

Overall, Kamloops has all the amenities that one would want/need during law school. The nature of Kamloops sort of encourages the law students to hang out with each other.

Climate wise, Kamloops has blistering hot summers and mild to moderate winters. If you're only in Kamloops during the school year, you skip most of the summer heat and forest fire season. You'll often catch the tail end of the forest fire season in September, but that means you'll still be contending with brutal air quality for at least a few days. During the winter, temps average from 2C to -7C, with the occasional cold snap around -20C. One year it snowed in the first week of March, and at the end of March was +30C.

In the law program, 98% of the students are from elsewhere, so everybody gets to know each other pretty quickly. To foster that sense of community, there are a lot of student-organized activities/events to occupy your time (if you're so inclined). Some of my favourite events were the softball tournament, curling tournament, ping pong tournament, golf tournament, alumni hockey game, Halloween party, winter formal, and the annual trip to Sun Peaks. While I was at TRU I also organized a Super Smash Bros. tournament, started playing D&D, and ran a few movie trivia nights at Duffy's.

A significant part of what made Kamloops enjoyable was the memories made with new friends. I know friend groups who spread out after graduation but return to Kamloops on a regular basis to meet up. 

50 minutes ago, cuincourt2027 said:

TRU is great at connecting students who want to work back in Calgary with jobs/articling positions.

Because of the large proportion of Albertan students, a lot of student go on to land jobs in Calgary. You'll find Calgary firms at the TRU Law career fair. U of C and U of A law students have a significant advantage, but TRU contends. 

Edited January 3 by canuckfanatic

[Eternity]

TRU law student here. 

I can't speak for the whole program but in my year we have a sizeable number of students who aim to work in Calgary specifically. 

[cuincourt2027]

On 1/3/2024 at 12:26 PM, canuckfanatic said:

My experience with Kamloops is pretty different than Chewy's, probably because I was there as a TRU student. I really enjoyed my 3 years living there.

Kamloops is a pretty quiet city. A few good restaurants (Tiger Ramen, Hello Toast, Klasske's Bistro)  and chill coffee shops (Motivo, Amplified, The Art We Are). A handful of bars that the law students frequented regularly (Duffy's, Cactus Jack's, Blue Grotto, Shark Club). Hardly anything was open past 8PM on weekdays other than fast food and Dominoes. It takes 15-20 minutes to drive across the city. 

If you're outdoorsy, Kamloops is covered in, and surrounded by, hiking trails. You're also a short drive from ski hills. If you're more into training or organized sports, the Tournament Capital Centre is an amazing fitness facility on TRU campus and TRU has a lot of intramural sports. 

Overall, Kamloops has all the amenities that one would want/need during law school. The nature of Kamloops sort of encourages the law students to hang out with each other.

Climate wise, Kamloops has blistering hot summers and mild to moderate winters. If you're only in Kamloops during the school year, you skip most of the summer heat and forest fire season. You'll often catch the tail end of the forest fire season in September, but that means you'll still be contending with brutal air quality for at least a few days. During the winter, temps average from 2C to -7C, with the occasional cold snap around -20C. One year it snowed in the first week of March, and at the end of March was +30C.

In the law program, 98% of the students are from elsewhere, so everybody gets to know each other pretty quickly. To foster that sense of community, there are a lot of student-organized activities/events to occupy your time (if you're so inclined). Some of my favourite events were the softball tournament, curling tournament, ping pong tournament, golf tournament, alumni hockey game, Halloween party, winter formal, and the annual trip to Sun Peaks. While I was at TRU I also organized a Super Smash Bros. tournament, started playing D&D, and ran a few movie trivia nights at Duffy's.

A significant part of what made Kamloops enjoyable was the memories made with new friends. I know friend groups who spread out after graduation but return to Kamloops on a regular basis to meet up. 

Because of the large proportion of Albertan students, a lot of student go on to land jobs in Calgary. You'll find Calgary firms at the TRU Law career fair. U of C and U of A law students have a significant advantage, but TRU contends. 

 

On 1/18/2024 at 10:27 PM, Eternity said:

TRU law student here. 

I can't speak for the whole program but in my year we have a sizeable number of students who aim to work in Calgary specifically. 

Hey guys! I really appreciate your insights! I have until the 31st of this month to accept TRU’s offer. I’m wondering if you can shed some light into the housing in Kamloops? Are there some nice 1-bedroom apartments within walking distance of the Law School? I’m not planning on bringing my car with me. Any new developments? When I moved to Halifax, I was lucky to get into a building that was just built and super affordable!

[canuckfanatic]

9 hours ago, cuincourt2027 said:

 

Hey guys! I really appreciate your insights! I have until the 31st of this month to accept TRU’s offer. I’m wondering if you can shed some light into the housing in Kamloops? Are there some nice 1-bedroom apartments within walking distance of the Law School? I’m not planning on bringing my car with me. Any new developments? When I moved to Halifax, I was lucky to get into a building that was just built and super affordable!

There are a few options very close to the law school:

Landmark Centre, Landmark Heights, and Landmark Place are all part of a condo complex that's a ~7 minute walk to the law building. They're also walking distance from 3 grocery stores and the gym, and have restaurants/pharmacy/clinics on the main floor.

McGill Ridge is next door to Landmark and a couple years newer. Pricing is $1600 - $2050/month.

Then there's Rockcliffe, which is the newest of the three and literally shares a parking lot with the law building.

There are also apartment buildings in "downtown" Kamloops, which are only a 10 minute bus ride from campus and a short walk to Save On Foods.

A lot of students in my class lived in on-campus residence, which was fine for the people that roomed with other law students. It was much more difficult for those that ended up rooming with undergrad students. Basement suites are also an option, as TRU is a 10-15 minute walk from the suburbs where those suites can be found.

Edited January 25 by canuckfanatic

[perryplatypus]

i did my 1L at TRU and then transferred. I actually loved Kamloops. Lots of outdoor activities. Def up and coming city. 

[cuincourt2027]

On 1/24/2024 at 7:53 PM, canuckfanatic said:

There are a few options very close to the law school:

Landmark Centre, Landmark Heights, and Landmark Place are all part of a condo complex that's a ~7 minute walk to the law building. They're also walking distance from 3 grocery stores and the gym, and have restaurants/pharmacy/clinics on the main floor.

McGill Ridge is next door to Landmark and a couple years newer. Pricing is $1600 - $2050/month.

Then there's Rockcliffe, which is the newest of the three and literally shares a parking lot with the law building.

There are also apartment buildings in "downtown" Kamloops, which are only a 10 minute bus ride from campus and a short walk to Save On Foods.

A lot of students in my class lived in on-campus residence, which was fine for the people that roomed with other law students. It was much more difficult for those that ended up rooming with undergrad students. Basement suites are also an option, as TRU is a 10-15 minute walk from the suburbs where those suites can be found.

Thank you SO much for being so specific, and sharing all your expertise! I’ll be looking into these places. Would you say it’s pretty easy to get an accommodation in August, or should the apartment hunting start now?

I’m also wondering what kind of tech you’d recommend for Law School? My algorithm on TikTok (I know, it’s terrible lol) has been showing me a lot of “What’s in my Law School bag,” and people have been saying they can’t go to class without their iPad and these note-taking apps on it. If you could invest in either a new laptop, or new iPad, what would you recommend? Are there specific apps, or websites that really helped with content, notes, and exams?

Edited January 29 by cuincourt2027

[HarryCrane]

18 minutes ago, cuincourt2027 said:

Thank you SO much for being so specific, and sharing all your expertise! I’ll be looking into these places. Would you say it’s pretty easy to get an accommodation in August, or should the apartment hunting start now?

I’m also wondering what kind of tech you’d recommend for Law School? My algorithm on TikTok (I know, it’s terrible lol) has been showing me a lot of “What’s in my Law School bag,” and people have been saying they can’t go to class without their iPad and these note-taking apps on it. If you could invest in either a new laptop, or new iPad, what would you recommend? Are there specific apps, or websites that really helped with content, notes, and exams?

You’re going to want to start looking before August. There is a bit more housing now but it can still be tough to find. 
 

I would be looking at a laptop over an iPad, because exams are on computer and you are likely going to be switching between your notes and the exam software. 
 

As far as apps are concerned I think that’s something you figure out as you go. Don’t change who you are as a student before you get to law school just because you think there’s a certain way “law students” study or a way you are supposed to study. I’ve done pretty well just using Word and sometimes Excel for notes/exam prep. 

[canuckfanatic]

21 hours ago, cuincourt2027 said:

Would you say it’s pretty easy to get an accommodation in August, or should the apartment hunting start now?

Doesn't hurt to start now. However, you'll likely have the most options at the end of April when the graduating class moves out of Kamloops, freeing up units.

21 hours ago, cuincourt2027 said:

I’m also wondering what kind of tech you’d recommend for Law School?

While an iPad would be convenient for note taking, @HarryCrane is right in that your exams will require a proper laptop, so if you're picking between the two I would get a reliable laptop.

I would recommend getting two separate computer monitors and a dock for the laptop. The dock will connect your laptop to both screens plus a separate keyboard and mouse. Having two screens is extremely useful for research, writing papers and studying for finals. If you don't have the space/budget for all of that, then at least get a single monitor and use it in conjunction with your laptop screen.

I also recommend a textbook stand. It'll help your neck a lot.

[ZineZ]

28 minutes ago, canuckfanatic said:

I would recommend getting two separate computer monitors and a dock for the laptop. The dock will connect your laptop to both screens plus a separate keyboard and mouse. Having two screens is extremely useful for research, writing papers and studying for finals. If you don't have the space/budget for all of that, then at least get a single monitor and use it in conjunction with your laptop screen.

Agreed. Also a high-volume printer. Something like the Brother printers that use toner (you can get 2000+ page off-brand refills for 20-30 bucks) are worth it. 

Also - keep in mind that law schools sometimes make you use specific software during exams. Those likely won't be compatible with an iPad

[canuckfanatic]

30 minutes ago, ZineZ said:

Something like the Brother printers that use toner (you can get 2000+ page off-brand refills for 20-30 bucks) are worth it. 

Specifically laser printers, never buy inkjet.

[ZineZ]

12 minutes ago, canuckfanatic said:

Specifically laser printers, never buy inkjet.

100%. My laser has spit out 10K + pages and has never had an issue, and the ink is dirt cheap. I still use it - at this point it's over 10 years old (I got it in undergrad). 

[stampedelaw]

I still feel that UCalgary law would be a better choice than TRU when considering job hunting. I would not hesitate to accept their offer although I was rejected and waitlisted by U of C for two years in a row. 

[Eternity]

On 1/30/2024 at 8:06 AM, ZineZ said:

Agreed. Also a high-volume printer. Something like the Brother printers that use toner (you can get 2000+ page off-brand refills for 20-30 bucks) are worth it. 

Also - keep in mind that law schools sometimes make you use specific software during exams. Those likely won't be compatible with an iPad

For what it's worth I know of at least one person who wrote his midterm with good ole pen and paper. 

Printing at TRU is free but you need to bring your own paper 👍

Edited February 1 by Eternity

[canuckfanatic]

On 1/31/2024 at 8:06 PM, Eternity said:

For what it's worth I know of at least one person who wrote his midterm with good ole pen and paper. 

There's evidence that suggests a positive correlation between # of words you write and your grade. Meaning people who write more words are likely to get a higher mark on an exam.

Seeing as typing is faster than writing (at least for most people below the age of 45), hand writing exam answers is arguably a disadvantage in law school. For anyone capable of typing at 40 wpm or faster, I strongly encourage typing exam answers (and owning a computer that is reliable/won't freeze up on you).

[Psychometronic]

I know at least 4 people who hand-wrote their exams and performed very well. It's a mystery to me how they pulled it off, but they seem to be really good at writing succinctly under time pressure and have said that they think better when handwriting. 

I wouldn't suggest handwriting unless you're confident you can produce better exam responses. 

[Eternity]

To be fair, the person who I mentioned was also writing their notes with a pen and paper during the semester. It's not like they decided to wing it during the exam. 

[HarryCrane]

2 hours ago, Eternity said:

To be fair, the person who I mentioned was also writing their notes with a pen and paper during the semester. It's not like they decided to wing it during the exam. 

Notes is also a stretch. From memory they’d be writing a handful of words on the page each class. They’re a freak genius though and I cannot emphasize enough how much I do not recommend doing what they did unless you are similarly a freak genius. 

[cuincourt2027]

Hey everyone! It’s me again…

I paid my deposit back in January for TRU, but I was just sent an offer from UWindsor for their Dual JD program. Two of my sisters live and work in the US, so I ended up deciding to apply there after the fact. What should I do now?! Has anyone heard good things about their Dual program/living in Windsor? I’m so confused now.

[Dinsdale]

On 2/6/2024 at 12:32 AM, HarryCrane said:

Notes is also a stretch. From memory they’d be writing a handful of words on the page each class. They’re a freak genius though and I cannot emphasize enough how much I do not recommend doing what they did unless you are similarly a freak genius. 

Believe it or not we all did this in the last century.  100% of our notes and 100% of our exam books were handwritten, in every law school in Canada.  Legible handwriting was a real plus for the exams.

[canuckfanatic]

15 hours ago, cuincourt2027 said:

Hey everyone! It’s me again…

I paid my deposit back in January for TRU, but I was just sent an offer from UWindsor for their Dual JD program. Two of my sisters live and work in the US, so I ended up deciding to apply there after the fact. What should I do now?! Has anyone heard good things about their Dual program/living in Windsor? I’m so confused now.

Do you still plan on working in Calgary/Alberta? If so, TRU/U of C are still your best options.

There's a stigma against the Dual JD program at Windsor. While we don't have law school rankings in Canada, the US still does. Detroit Mercy is a very low-ranked school that accepts more than 50% of their applicants. Very few grads from this program end up working in the US because of how low Detroit Mercy is ranked. If you want to work in the US, you're probably better off getting a single Canadian JD then writing the bar exam in NY or Cali.

The Dual JD program is around $50,000/year in tuition. That's more than 3x the tuition of U of C and more than 2x that of TRU.

Edited March 21 by canuckfanatic

[legal2024]

2 hours ago, canuckfanatic said:

Do you still plan on working in Calgary/Alberta? If so, TRU/U of C are still your best options.

There's a stigma against the Dual JD program at Windsor. While we don't have law school rankings in Canada, the US still does. Detroit Mercy is a very low-ranked school that accepts more than 50% of their applicants. Very few grads from this program end up working in the US because of how low Detroit Mercy is ranked. If you want to work in the US, you're probably better off getting a single Canadian JD then writing the bar exam in NY or Cali.

The Dual JD program is around $50,000/year in tuition. That's more than 3x the tuition of U of C and more than 2x that of TRU.

Wait, so if you get a JD from any Canadian law school, then you can write a bar exam in Cali and practice in Cali without being in a US ABA law school, Hmm.. I thought you needed to study in an ABA-approved law school, to write the bar exam in the US, especially for writing the CALI bar exam and practicing there