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INUVIK - Who knew that the hardest part of getting your post-secondary education might be getting settled in to a new lifestyle?

Inuvik residents of all ages who were thinking about pursuing a college diploma or a university degree turned out for an information session on Monday night at Aurora College.

Nona German said using a calendar such as this can help post-secondary students keep track of upcoming assignments and tests. German was giving a presentation on transition to college life for potential students. - Brodie Thomas/NNSL photo

Representatives from three post-secondary institutions in Alberta talked to would-be students about life on campus.

Also on hand was Nona German. She describes herself as a grassroots social worker who helps Northern students navigate the educational system in Edmonton.

German told would-be students that finding affordable housing and learning how to budget and manage time can often be more challenging than university classes themselves.

"My role is to help people be successful with their programs," said German.

She does everything from meeting Northern students at the airport to inviting them over for dinner when they're feeling homesick. German said she purchased two large fish at the IRC to bring back for some of her students.

German is just one small part of a large network of university employees who are there to help students get settled in. She told a few humorous stories about students from small towns who had run into problems in the big city.

One man from the eastern Arctic missed his first day of classes because German had told him the bus costs $1.75, and he only had a toonie in his pocket.

She didn't tell the story to make fun but to let students know it is OK to be nervous and that everyone feels anxious and makes mistakes at first.

"You're leaving your support network behind," she said.

She added that mistakes are not failures unless students fail to learn from them.

Cindy Voudrach came out to hear about housing availability in Grande Prairie and Edmonton. She is thinking about going back to school to study business or management.

"I don't know what I want to do but I know I want to further my education," she said.

For Voudrach, housing is her biggest concern because she has three kids who would be moving south with her. She had heard that most campuses offer family housing, but only for two kids.

A representative from Grande Prairie regional college told her not to worry about limits. She said most colleges are flexible when it comes to housing.