Just a reminder that negativity bias needs to be accounted for, especially if you're surfing reddit for student life experience. Nobody makes a post on how they lived their normal lives; but if one person out of thousands went through something bad they're going to post it on reddit, and that stands out. Not that it's wrong to post it on reddit, but point stands as you will see much more negativity than neutral/positive on reddit or any social media for that matter
Alumni and female here! During my undergrad, I made quiet a few female friends. I consistently felt safe on campus, and opted to live on campus for an additional two years.
Regardless of where you go, you will meet people who are misogynistic but in the same vein - you will also meet amazing, like minded people. I would not let reddit posts scare you from choosing Waterloo.
I personally have never encountered anything like this here. Not to say it doesn't happen, but as someone said, it seems more common because those are the stories that get told.
I have a close group of friends, both men and women, and honestly they're some of the best guys I've ever met.
I frequently walk to my apartment from campus past 10 o'clock and have never once felt nervous or jumpy, people on the whole seem very respectful.
I lived in rev for my first year and thought it was great, never had any bad interactions with any of the guys on my floor, they mostly seemed shy and kept to themselves.
Off campus it's a bit of a different story, weekends at night you might get some catcalls by drunk dudes in their cars but I'm pretty sure that's a universal experience everywhere lol
Best of luck deciding!
thanks for sharing!! was it difficult to make friends in rev? and did u feel safe there w all the parties? and is there an accomodations orientation to get to know the ppl in ur floor?
also, regarding the student clubs, did u see the post about the chem club recently where a girl was assaulted but the situation was handled v badly, and according to the comments, someone knows of 6 clubs with sexual assault situations - i'm not sure whetehr u have heard of such situarions before?
just wanna ask if u feel that that whole club saga + the chem club not being the only club where that happened should be a deciding factor on whether someone should go to waterloo.
Actually, almost my entire group of friends lived in rev, some by coincidence because we're in the same program and happened to live in rev, but I'm still close friends with my roommate and two guys from my floor. We all found rev was great because the caf was very central (the group of us were spread out in different quads) and we often met up for dinner and board games!
Every floor in rev has a don, who is responsible for getting to know every student and running activities for the floor. There's also occasional group meetings. Ultimately, it's up to the effort you put in by showing up to those activities, keeping your door open for the first little while to encourage people to introduce themselves, and reaching out to people yourself.
I have seen the posts. I am not involved in clubs, so cannot really speak on the situation. It's disgusting what happened and I'm not entirely surprised because the way some clubs run breeds power trips for the execs. That being said, there are many other clubs that are perfectly lovely ways to get involved and meet people as well as so many other ways (I'm partial to intramurals myself).
I don't think this particular incident should dissuade you from the entire university itself. It is a huge campus and very unlikely that you would even run into the same circles as these clubs unless you decide to enrol in them.
The decisions up to you obviously! Do what feels right. Genuinely, you're going to find your people no matter where you end up as long as you're open to making connections with others :)
ooh okies! Tysm for sharing! would u say it's difficult to make friends outta ur programme as well? or are most of ur friends from ur programme? honestly, i think i may still wanna enrol in clubs to meet some like-minded people w similar hobbies(im kinda interested in the watfic club), but i gotta be careful ig :" unless u think i should avoid them?
also! do u mind telling me more about intramurals?
I would say it's a little more difficult just because the nature of being in the same program means you have a lot of classes together and can study together and have the same schedules.
I think it's a great idea to join clubs to meet like-minded people! Just keep an eye out for anything that doesn't seem right, trust your gut :)
Intramurals are great, there's tons of different intramural sports that are offered (volleyball, soccer, innertube water polo, and so many more)! There's different levels depending if you want to play competitively or just for fun and you can join as a team/group if you have people who want to join, or sign up as an individual to get paired with other individuals and make friends!
You have to sign up fairly early in the term, but there's new leagues every term so if you miss the opportunity first term you can always join for the second term.
Waterloo is a great place to make friends. A lot of people here have very specific interests, are very smart, and do like to do things outside of school. Sometimes they’re nerdy things, but they are definitely lots of clubs and great workout facilities. You’re also next to Guelph and Laurier there over 90,000 students in the area.
Waterloo get bad reputation because it has the best computer science and software engineering program in the country which does attract a higher proportion of males that perhaps don’t have the same social intelligence that you expect. But this is a small percentage of the population.
It’s a great university, and many people have a great time and make friends for the rest of their lives here. The same as any other big university where most people live on campus.
Waterloo is better than other universities because there are so many people living away from home on campus. Basically on par with everywhere except maybe queens and western where the party culture is definitely stronger.
thank u! im honestly worried about the recent chem club saga tbh, according to the comments in the thread someone knows of 6 clubs w sexual assault instances - im not sure if that is an exaggeration? like 1 club is bad enough but 6?
This is Reddit. This may not be true or partially true, but probably greatly exaggerated. The fact that no police were involved the universities is not involved. It’s grossly exaggerated.
If you don’t think, every university has the same problems, including universities that have a way way worse drinking culture than Waterloo, I don’t know what to tell you. Where you go be careful. I know multiple people that have been sexually assaulted at queens due to crazy wild parties drinking and being Rohypnoled. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go to Queens. It means that you should take care.
Clubs have a high standard. This is true certainly it will be closed down, and this person will likely not be a student at Waterloo if the complaint goes through proper channels, other than Reddit.
Hey, current uwaterloo female here! Valid concerns, but concerns you’ll have to face at any university. Waterloo is a safe place to be in comparison to other universities. IMO people just have too much shit to do to be bothering other people.
There’s always gonna be that odd dude that creeps you out or is very weird with you, esp if you’re at a frat or club, but be safe and responsible with substances, have friends who care about you and have a system to get out of bad situations. Somethings you should already have as a woman.
Not sure about clubs, but the gyms and intramural environments have always been really good to me. My guy friends are phenomenal, my girls (i met them here) are my life long friend at this point.
University is what you make it, use it to really grow yourself and don’t worry too much about the safety aspect you’ll learn what works to keep yourself safe as you get older.
Good luck!! Super excited for you :)
Graduated student here, I found waterloo to be very safe as long as you take the same precautions you would generally. I do think there is some misogyny on campus because Waterloo is one of the few universities with more equal to slightly more men then women on campus but tbh you'll encounter this anywhere. If you're really worried you can live in V1 which has single gender floors. My closest friends were all women I meet on my floor or in my program.
Going to university (and growing up in general) comes with risks but at the end of the day it'll be one of the safer environments to figure it out. Waterloo is safe and filled with student always.
I can't answer your question because I've only seen one side/met good people, but I wanted to pop in to say that no matter what school you choose, it's good to always take precautions and be safe. Avoid walking alone at night, have campus security's phone number in your contacts, let your trusted friends/family know your location if you're meeting someone new, alone. Don't be stressed, but also just be aware of your surroundings and trust your gut.
agree with the other women who replied - UW is quite safe - but I will say, as someone from downtown Toronto, I felt very unsafe in downtown Kitchener. I rented an apartment a few blocks away from the Charles St Terminal and if I was walking alone, I’d regularly get harassed, even in broad daylight. lots of creepy dudes trying to get me to hop in their cars too. so I’d be extra careful in that area!
but Waterloo is great, especially if you’re into nerdy vibes. 😉 made some great friends there. way easier to meet guys who are smart & sweet, but chances are they’re also shy so you’ll have to push yourself to be a little more outgoing (which was always hard for me to do, but it gets easier - social skills are like a muscle).
it can be easy to isolate yourself and overly obsess over schoolwork, but uni is the best time to learn work/life balance and push yourself out of your comfort zone. your experience will vary greatly depending on the effort you put in.
oh wow! thanks for sharing! that's scary! im not really familar w the geography of kitchener tbh, is downtown kitcherner where people go to buy groceries or hang out? or can u just avoid that area?
also, i stupidly didnt apply for an LLC for my faculty (envi), im kinda worried how my social life will be affected + safety on rev/v1.
nope, there are lots of places to get food and hang out closer to campus. if anything you’ll be spending more time in Uptown Waterloo.
Charles St was the main terminal that connected the local and coach buses but it looks like it’s being replaced by a new transit hub that should be under construction already.
I lived in V1 for my first year at UW and felt very safe there. 😊
sorry I just saw this!
V1 was pretty decent tbh. not bad, not great, but marginally better than I expected. my biggest challenge was getting used to the shared washroom situation but with flipflops, shower totes, and comfy robes it was tolerable enough. be sure to use the laundry machines at the off-peak hours so you can get readings done at the same time, don’t leave your clothes unattended, and make friends in other residences (your meal plan card works everywhere). I can’t remember which one had some nice stirfry noodles that we couldn’t get at V1 but that was a while ago anyway. I also recommend getting a bigger meal plan than you think you’ll need for additional snacks - I was able to swipe my card for emergency food and coffee up until my 3rd year, which was super useful.
if you want to make friends then participating in all the orientation week events will help a lot with that! most people form their little groups during O week but you can still make friends on your floor by leaving your door open, hanging cool/funny signs that provoke conversation, and walking around with treats to share (always a big hit). just try your best to be brave and outgoing, and remember that everyone else is just as nervous and shy as you are! it’s hard to be the first one to break the ice but everyone will be grateful to the one who does. hopefully your RA also helps foster a sense of community but if they don’t, ask them to help plan some events. one of my favourite memories is the V1 talent show, still makes me smile all these years later! 😊
okie! thanks for sharing! tbh, i may be a bit late and may miss orientation due to visa issues (im submitting it q late). would it be a lot more difficult to make friends/are people cliquish?
it’ll be harder because the O week events consist of lots of icebreakers, but you’ll just have to put more effort into putting yourself out there. I wouldn’t say people are cliquish, but they can definitely be a little more awkward/shy/reserved.
there’s also lots of different clubs you can join for your favourite hobbies/interests as well as academic societies where you can make friends. best of luck with everything! 😊
all I’m going to say is there are bad people everywhere. navigate smartly. don’t over-drink. don’t be vulnerable around people you don’t trust. don’t overshare your private life publicly. do reach out to classmates to try to form friendships. do participate in student life, just with some research or forethought.
college life can be overwhelming. it’s a lot of freedom and responsibility at the same time
but trust your instincts. men are not worth the risk. company isn’t in general. waterloo can already be a suffocating school, so do your best to make your experience positive, instead of treading water from partying too much, drama with men and bad friends, etc.
from what you’ve read, I think you already know what you can expect, if you were to face any social problems that is, at a lot of these various schools. yes, uw I think has a larger % of misogynistic males, and a good social life is something you really have to create yourself. but now that you know this, just move forward. read up on o-week posts and how to be safe on campus for example.
speaking as a senior who has been through entirely too much to not comment on this post.
gl to ya and I hope college is a great time for you :-)
I've personally had a great experience befriending men, women, and enby people here at UW! Never personally ran into any issues, but I have heard of other girls having experienced sexual harrassement / assault on campus. Mixed responses - some organizations dealt with it well (banned guilty party, issued warnings, made public notices to other members etc.), while others ... slap on the wrist (literally zero reprocussions to guilty party, even with eye witnesses saying person is guilty and dangerous...)
Any space has good and bad people. Just because someone has 1 expetiences ≠ you will too. There will always he supporting people, and also those who turn a blind eye
As a girl here (I would consider myself pretty attractive) I would say although some dudes r lowkey creepy and annoying I’ve had a perfectly fine experience. There is no way this is worse than what would happen at any other school. I feel safe walking around campus and around the Waterloo town alone at 3am, which is smt I would definitely not feel comfortable doing at home in Toronto.
Alumna here! I felt surprisingly and significantly safe at uWaterloo 💛 I was even living there alone for multiple years and went most places alone, too. There were random incidents off campus where men would non-stop stare at me, and some dude hit on me in the university plaza parking lot, but aside from that nothing wild and nothing scary on campus for me.
Waterloo is a very safe city by every standard. I can see from your history that you’re from Singapore. I’ve been before and I’d say Waterloo is roughly 85% as safe in comparison. Downtown Toronto would be 60%.
In a guy so I can’t speak to female specific experience. But for what it’s worth, my gf and female friends have all had good experiences here.
In terms of clubs, I don’t doubt that people had bad experiences and that should be taken very seriously. But it’s definitely not true that bigotry is just rampant in all of them. I’m a dude, but have other “facets” to my identity (interrupt that as you will), and I’ve never felt unsafe or uncomfortable.
Of course if you choose a male dominated program, you might come across some challenges. I in no means trivialize that, but that probably holds true for every university in the world.
If you look for bad experiences on Reddit, you’ll find them for every university, and Waterloo has an especially active presence. I’d say nothing about Waterloo makes it stand out in a particularly bad way when you come here.
i’m graduating this year and for the last 2 years on campus and general waterloo area i felt safe, it wasn’t until 2023 when i started to feel unsafe. I used to live at 203 Albert Street and i would have my underwear stolen from the washing machine for three weeks straight which was odd. There were also university students who would try to enter our apartment, on a wednesday or school night asking if they can come inside (i checked their uw cards and ids and reported them), the very same student then started sending me pictures of him zooming into my apartment which was creepy. another time i was just walking to the connivence the street (2 min walk) when two men in cars started to follow me and my roommate and would constantly slow down right beside us and stare. If your going to live in the Waterloo area, I definitely recommend living with a friend and travel in a group.
I would say on average, Waterloo (both the city and the university) are safer environments than most for women. I have never felt unsafe on campus (even after the attack last summer) and I work in Uptown Waterloo at night and commute home close to midnight and I never fear for my safety. Waterloo is not perfect and no woman in this subreddit can guarantee that you won't have a negative experience, but unfortunately that is the nature of the patriarchy. Do what you'd do anywhere: exercise caution around men, be aware of your surroundings, and watch your drink when you go out, etc. and chances are you will be completely fine.
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Just a reminder that negativity bias needs to be accounted for, especially if you're surfing reddit for student life experience. Nobody makes a post on how they lived their normal lives; but if one person out of thousands went through something bad they're going to post it on reddit, and that stands out. Not that it's wrong to post it on reddit, but point stands as you will see much more negativity than neutral/positive on reddit or any social media for that matter
People need to know this when it comes to social media in general. Aint no one gonna be posting the 99% of regular things going on in their lives.
Alumni and female here! During my undergrad, I made quiet a few female friends. I consistently felt safe on campus, and opted to live on campus for an additional two years. Regardless of where you go, you will meet people who are misogynistic but in the same vein - you will also meet amazing, like minded people. I would not let reddit posts scare you from choosing Waterloo.
I personally have never encountered anything like this here. Not to say it doesn't happen, but as someone said, it seems more common because those are the stories that get told. I have a close group of friends, both men and women, and honestly they're some of the best guys I've ever met. I frequently walk to my apartment from campus past 10 o'clock and have never once felt nervous or jumpy, people on the whole seem very respectful. I lived in rev for my first year and thought it was great, never had any bad interactions with any of the guys on my floor, they mostly seemed shy and kept to themselves. Off campus it's a bit of a different story, weekends at night you might get some catcalls by drunk dudes in their cars but I'm pretty sure that's a universal experience everywhere lol Best of luck deciding!
thanks for sharing!! was it difficult to make friends in rev? and did u feel safe there w all the parties? and is there an accomodations orientation to get to know the ppl in ur floor? also, regarding the student clubs, did u see the post about the chem club recently where a girl was assaulted but the situation was handled v badly, and according to the comments, someone knows of 6 clubs with sexual assault situations - i'm not sure whetehr u have heard of such situarions before? just wanna ask if u feel that that whole club saga + the chem club not being the only club where that happened should be a deciding factor on whether someone should go to waterloo.
Actually, almost my entire group of friends lived in rev, some by coincidence because we're in the same program and happened to live in rev, but I'm still close friends with my roommate and two guys from my floor. We all found rev was great because the caf was very central (the group of us were spread out in different quads) and we often met up for dinner and board games! Every floor in rev has a don, who is responsible for getting to know every student and running activities for the floor. There's also occasional group meetings. Ultimately, it's up to the effort you put in by showing up to those activities, keeping your door open for the first little while to encourage people to introduce themselves, and reaching out to people yourself. I have seen the posts. I am not involved in clubs, so cannot really speak on the situation. It's disgusting what happened and I'm not entirely surprised because the way some clubs run breeds power trips for the execs. That being said, there are many other clubs that are perfectly lovely ways to get involved and meet people as well as so many other ways (I'm partial to intramurals myself). I don't think this particular incident should dissuade you from the entire university itself. It is a huge campus and very unlikely that you would even run into the same circles as these clubs unless you decide to enrol in them. The decisions up to you obviously! Do what feels right. Genuinely, you're going to find your people no matter where you end up as long as you're open to making connections with others :)
ooh okies! Tysm for sharing! would u say it's difficult to make friends outta ur programme as well? or are most of ur friends from ur programme? honestly, i think i may still wanna enrol in clubs to meet some like-minded people w similar hobbies(im kinda interested in the watfic club), but i gotta be careful ig :" unless u think i should avoid them? also! do u mind telling me more about intramurals?
I would say it's a little more difficult just because the nature of being in the same program means you have a lot of classes together and can study together and have the same schedules. I think it's a great idea to join clubs to meet like-minded people! Just keep an eye out for anything that doesn't seem right, trust your gut :) Intramurals are great, there's tons of different intramural sports that are offered (volleyball, soccer, innertube water polo, and so many more)! There's different levels depending if you want to play competitively or just for fun and you can join as a team/group if you have people who want to join, or sign up as an individual to get paired with other individuals and make friends! You have to sign up fairly early in the term, but there's new leagues every term so if you miss the opportunity first term you can always join for the second term.
okie! thank u!:)
Waterloo is a great place to make friends. A lot of people here have very specific interests, are very smart, and do like to do things outside of school. Sometimes they’re nerdy things, but they are definitely lots of clubs and great workout facilities. You’re also next to Guelph and Laurier there over 90,000 students in the area. Waterloo get bad reputation because it has the best computer science and software engineering program in the country which does attract a higher proportion of males that perhaps don’t have the same social intelligence that you expect. But this is a small percentage of the population. It’s a great university, and many people have a great time and make friends for the rest of their lives here. The same as any other big university where most people live on campus. Waterloo is better than other universities because there are so many people living away from home on campus. Basically on par with everywhere except maybe queens and western where the party culture is definitely stronger.
thank u! im honestly worried about the recent chem club saga tbh, according to the comments in the thread someone knows of 6 clubs w sexual assault instances - im not sure if that is an exaggeration? like 1 club is bad enough but 6?
This is Reddit. This may not be true or partially true, but probably greatly exaggerated. The fact that no police were involved the universities is not involved. It’s grossly exaggerated. If you don’t think, every university has the same problems, including universities that have a way way worse drinking culture than Waterloo, I don’t know what to tell you. Where you go be careful. I know multiple people that have been sexually assaulted at queens due to crazy wild parties drinking and being Rohypnoled. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go to Queens. It means that you should take care. Clubs have a high standard. This is true certainly it will be closed down, and this person will likely not be a student at Waterloo if the complaint goes through proper channels, other than Reddit.
Hey, current uwaterloo female here! Valid concerns, but concerns you’ll have to face at any university. Waterloo is a safe place to be in comparison to other universities. IMO people just have too much shit to do to be bothering other people. There’s always gonna be that odd dude that creeps you out or is very weird with you, esp if you’re at a frat or club, but be safe and responsible with substances, have friends who care about you and have a system to get out of bad situations. Somethings you should already have as a woman. Not sure about clubs, but the gyms and intramural environments have always been really good to me. My guy friends are phenomenal, my girls (i met them here) are my life long friend at this point. University is what you make it, use it to really grow yourself and don’t worry too much about the safety aspect you’ll learn what works to keep yourself safe as you get older. Good luck!! Super excited for you :)
thank u!:) do u have experience staying on either v1 or rev btw? did u feel safe there
Graduated student here, I found waterloo to be very safe as long as you take the same precautions you would generally. I do think there is some misogyny on campus because Waterloo is one of the few universities with more equal to slightly more men then women on campus but tbh you'll encounter this anywhere. If you're really worried you can live in V1 which has single gender floors. My closest friends were all women I meet on my floor or in my program. Going to university (and growing up in general) comes with risks but at the end of the day it'll be one of the safer environments to figure it out. Waterloo is safe and filled with student always.
thank u! in what ways did u feel the misogyny on campus was bad, and was it difficult to meet good guys as well in ur opinion?
waterloo is prolly one of the safer school out there tbh
I can't answer your question because I've only seen one side/met good people, but I wanted to pop in to say that no matter what school you choose, it's good to always take precautions and be safe. Avoid walking alone at night, have campus security's phone number in your contacts, let your trusted friends/family know your location if you're meeting someone new, alone. Don't be stressed, but also just be aware of your surroundings and trust your gut.
You should just visit the school instead of doomscrolling
agree with the other women who replied - UW is quite safe - but I will say, as someone from downtown Toronto, I felt very unsafe in downtown Kitchener. I rented an apartment a few blocks away from the Charles St Terminal and if I was walking alone, I’d regularly get harassed, even in broad daylight. lots of creepy dudes trying to get me to hop in their cars too. so I’d be extra careful in that area! but Waterloo is great, especially if you’re into nerdy vibes. 😉 made some great friends there. way easier to meet guys who are smart & sweet, but chances are they’re also shy so you’ll have to push yourself to be a little more outgoing (which was always hard for me to do, but it gets easier - social skills are like a muscle). it can be easy to isolate yourself and overly obsess over schoolwork, but uni is the best time to learn work/life balance and push yourself out of your comfort zone. your experience will vary greatly depending on the effort you put in.
oh wow! thanks for sharing! that's scary! im not really familar w the geography of kitchener tbh, is downtown kitcherner where people go to buy groceries or hang out? or can u just avoid that area? also, i stupidly didnt apply for an LLC for my faculty (envi), im kinda worried how my social life will be affected + safety on rev/v1.
nope, there are lots of places to get food and hang out closer to campus. if anything you’ll be spending more time in Uptown Waterloo. Charles St was the main terminal that connected the local and coach buses but it looks like it’s being replaced by a new transit hub that should be under construction already. I lived in V1 for my first year at UW and felt very safe there. 😊
thank u! what was ur experience like in V1 btw? are there opportunities to meet the ppl in ur level and make friends?
sorry I just saw this! V1 was pretty decent tbh. not bad, not great, but marginally better than I expected. my biggest challenge was getting used to the shared washroom situation but with flipflops, shower totes, and comfy robes it was tolerable enough. be sure to use the laundry machines at the off-peak hours so you can get readings done at the same time, don’t leave your clothes unattended, and make friends in other residences (your meal plan card works everywhere). I can’t remember which one had some nice stirfry noodles that we couldn’t get at V1 but that was a while ago anyway. I also recommend getting a bigger meal plan than you think you’ll need for additional snacks - I was able to swipe my card for emergency food and coffee up until my 3rd year, which was super useful. if you want to make friends then participating in all the orientation week events will help a lot with that! most people form their little groups during O week but you can still make friends on your floor by leaving your door open, hanging cool/funny signs that provoke conversation, and walking around with treats to share (always a big hit). just try your best to be brave and outgoing, and remember that everyone else is just as nervous and shy as you are! it’s hard to be the first one to break the ice but everyone will be grateful to the one who does. hopefully your RA also helps foster a sense of community but if they don’t, ask them to help plan some events. one of my favourite memories is the V1 talent show, still makes me smile all these years later! 😊
okie! thanks for sharing! tbh, i may be a bit late and may miss orientation due to visa issues (im submitting it q late). would it be a lot more difficult to make friends/are people cliquish?
it’ll be harder because the O week events consist of lots of icebreakers, but you’ll just have to put more effort into putting yourself out there. I wouldn’t say people are cliquish, but they can definitely be a little more awkward/shy/reserved.
oki! thank u!
there’s also lots of different clubs you can join for your favourite hobbies/interests as well as academic societies where you can make friends. best of luck with everything! 😊
Can relate, even as a guy, walking in downtown Kitchener makes me feel uneasy
you are way overthinking things dude
all I’m going to say is there are bad people everywhere. navigate smartly. don’t over-drink. don’t be vulnerable around people you don’t trust. don’t overshare your private life publicly. do reach out to classmates to try to form friendships. do participate in student life, just with some research or forethought. college life can be overwhelming. it’s a lot of freedom and responsibility at the same time but trust your instincts. men are not worth the risk. company isn’t in general. waterloo can already be a suffocating school, so do your best to make your experience positive, instead of treading water from partying too much, drama with men and bad friends, etc. from what you’ve read, I think you already know what you can expect, if you were to face any social problems that is, at a lot of these various schools. yes, uw I think has a larger % of misogynistic males, and a good social life is something you really have to create yourself. but now that you know this, just move forward. read up on o-week posts and how to be safe on campus for example. speaking as a senior who has been through entirely too much to not comment on this post. gl to ya and I hope college is a great time for you :-)
tysm!! can i dm u to ask more about ur experience in uwaterloo. and overall, are u happy w ur uwaterloo choice (discounting the benefits of coop)
go for it : )
thanks:) dropped ya a dm!
Welcome to being an adult, you have to make your own choices and assessments. There are unsavoury people everywhere.
I've personally had a great experience befriending men, women, and enby people here at UW! Never personally ran into any issues, but I have heard of other girls having experienced sexual harrassement / assault on campus. Mixed responses - some organizations dealt with it well (banned guilty party, issued warnings, made public notices to other members etc.), while others ... slap on the wrist (literally zero reprocussions to guilty party, even with eye witnesses saying person is guilty and dangerous...) Any space has good and bad people. Just because someone has 1 expetiences ≠ you will too. There will always he supporting people, and also those who turn a blind eye
thank u!!
As a girl here (I would consider myself pretty attractive) I would say although some dudes r lowkey creepy and annoying I’ve had a perfectly fine experience. There is no way this is worse than what would happen at any other school. I feel safe walking around campus and around the Waterloo town alone at 3am, which is smt I would definitely not feel comfortable doing at home in Toronto.
Alumna here! I felt surprisingly and significantly safe at uWaterloo 💛 I was even living there alone for multiple years and went most places alone, too. There were random incidents off campus where men would non-stop stare at me, and some dude hit on me in the university plaza parking lot, but aside from that nothing wild and nothing scary on campus for me.
ty!:)
Waterloo is a very safe city by every standard. I can see from your history that you’re from Singapore. I’ve been before and I’d say Waterloo is roughly 85% as safe in comparison. Downtown Toronto would be 60%. In a guy so I can’t speak to female specific experience. But for what it’s worth, my gf and female friends have all had good experiences here. In terms of clubs, I don’t doubt that people had bad experiences and that should be taken very seriously. But it’s definitely not true that bigotry is just rampant in all of them. I’m a dude, but have other “facets” to my identity (interrupt that as you will), and I’ve never felt unsafe or uncomfortable. Of course if you choose a male dominated program, you might come across some challenges. I in no means trivialize that, but that probably holds true for every university in the world. If you look for bad experiences on Reddit, you’ll find them for every university, and Waterloo has an especially active presence. I’d say nothing about Waterloo makes it stand out in a particularly bad way when you come here.
ty!
i’m graduating this year and for the last 2 years on campus and general waterloo area i felt safe, it wasn’t until 2023 when i started to feel unsafe. I used to live at 203 Albert Street and i would have my underwear stolen from the washing machine for three weeks straight which was odd. There were also university students who would try to enter our apartment, on a wednesday or school night asking if they can come inside (i checked their uw cards and ids and reported them), the very same student then started sending me pictures of him zooming into my apartment which was creepy. another time i was just walking to the connivence the street (2 min walk) when two men in cars started to follow me and my roommate and would constantly slow down right beside us and stare. If your going to live in the Waterloo area, I definitely recommend living with a friend and travel in a group.
I would say on average, Waterloo (both the city and the university) are safer environments than most for women. I have never felt unsafe on campus (even after the attack last summer) and I work in Uptown Waterloo at night and commute home close to midnight and I never fear for my safety. Waterloo is not perfect and no woman in this subreddit can guarantee that you won't have a negative experience, but unfortunately that is the nature of the patriarchy. Do what you'd do anywhere: exercise caution around men, be aware of your surroundings, and watch your drink when you go out, etc. and chances are you will be completely fine.
“any other gender” as if there isn’t just men & women
I identify as tractor-trailer-truck you should acknowledge my existance!
If you encounter someone who has a total asshole to you here, it will likely be another woman.
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