Moving to Halifax!

Moving to Halifax!

Supreme

#1Jun 25th, 2009

Well, there is an extremely high chance of me going to Halifax to attend Saint Mary's University.

Firstly, I've been wondering recently if Saint Mary's is it a Catholic school or anything or the sort?

Secondly, is it a safe and nice place to be living for 4 years?

Is there anything I should know before moving to Halifax?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

darkbeaver

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 25th, 2009

Buy a gun. It's a lot less safe than when I lived there thirty years ago.

DurkaDurka

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 25th, 2009

You are living at Sunnyvale trailer park now, aren't you Beav?

Supreme

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 25th, 2009

University student with a gun - really? Haha, well is it really that unsafe? There are a lot of other universities and colleges over there. How unsafe could it be?

TenPenny

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 25th, 2009

SMU is sort of nomially a Catholic school, but it doesn't make much difference.

Do not swim in the harbour.
Become a football fan.

darkbeaver

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 25th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by DurkaDurka

You are living at Sunnyvale trailer park now, aren't you Beav?

Someday I will tell you the rest of the story DD.

Supreme

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 25th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by TenPenny

SMU is sort of nomially a Catholic school, but it doesn't make much difference.

Do not swim in the harbour.
Become a football fan.

What's this mean exacly? A virgin school or a so called catholic school but with no real catholics in it?

DichotoMe

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 25th, 2009

Halifax is not a bad small city, its very clean and a lot fun. Like St. John's Jr..

It's not really a "Catholic School," just the name. You may be confusing it with Mount St. Vincent University. I thought MSV was the Catholic School, thats where the convent is i believe. St. Mary's is in south end Hali. It is a safe neighborhood and very close to Point Pleasant Park (great for run through woods in the city) and the downtown core is less than a five minute walk.

Metro transit is good, might wanna get a bus pass rather than drive.

Stay away from Spryfield and don't go to Highfield Park (in Dartmouth) alone at night. Parts of the north end can be sketchy at night but I've never had any problems there being 6'5 and 220 pounds.

Other than that don't eat the street meat and stay away from "The Palace," a horrible meathead bar. Unless you like that kind of thing

bobnoorduyn

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 25th, 2009

SMU is a respectible school, I don't know the history of how it was named. I've never heard of it being Catholic, any more than St John's, Saint John, St. Catherines, etc are. It is close to Dalhousie as well, lots of university students in that area. SMU is also home to the Sobey's Business College, (or shcool of business or something). It is also home to the Huskies, ( there is one in every province

).

Some things you should know, it does get pretty wild with students downtown, the Dome is a popular spot and almost every bar has $1 shot nights, though the city is trying to put the brakes on that. If you're coming to study or party you can do each, but I don't suggest you try doing both. It is easy to fall into the party crowd and blow all your savings, and tuition.

There are certain areas to avoid at certain times, but my daughter has gone to Dal for a couple of years and never encountered any misfortune during her commute. If you are a night owl you don't have to go looking for trouble, it'll find you, but its like that in any city.

Things like bus passes should come included in your student fees, they do at Dal. Check that out, and once you get the bus system figured out it is quite easy to get around. There are also a lot of discounts that students can get from various merchants.

I don't know if you are planning to live on campus or sharing accomodation with roommates. Rent and living costs can vary quite a bit depending on which option you choose. If I think of anything else I'll post it.

bobnoorduyn

#10

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 25th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Supreme

University student with a gun - really?

Well, actually, two of our shooting club's executive are on staff at Dal, one just finished his law degree and the other, his boss, is a senior director of the of the place. Both are avid pistol shooters.

TenPenny

#11

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 25th, 2009

Saint Mary’s is proud of its heritage as the oldest English speaking Roman Catholic university in Canada. The university traces its earliest beginnings to 1802 when the Reverend Edmund Burke, later Bishop Burke, initiated instruction for young men at the Glebe House, located on the corner of Halifax’s Spring Garden Road and Barrington Street. 1802 is the first of many key dates in the university’s history that will be recognized throughout the celebrations. Some of the significant benchmarks in Saint Mary’s early history include 1841 when the Nova Scotia Legislature bestowed the degree granting charter to Saint Mary’s, 1940 when the Jesuit leadership began and 1970 when the university became a public institution.

darkbeaver

#12

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 25th, 2009

I attended St Marys briefly, a short scuffle with security (I think it was security) and my university day ended. I think it was a swimming pool I was in.

bobnoorduyn

#13

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 25th, 2009

TenPenny; Thanx for the history lesson, there is a lot of it here and we just either don't have the time to learn it or can't be bothered. Learning this stuff makes life here all that more interesting. My only experience with SMU was trying really hard to get my daughter accepted, which she was, only to have her go to Dal, and then have her go to Универсиет Санкт Петербург, (University of Saint Peterburg). Now, there's where you can find some history.

Supreme

#14

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 25th, 2009

Well one thing I'd be very worried about being a catholic school would be a bunch of on non-drinker virgins with biased educational system. I know this is harsh, but this would be one of my fears... ha ha. Well so far so good. I heard there was a few other universities near by which made me think it would be a reasonably safe place with some people around my age-group.

Thanks for the great information so far.

DichotoMe

#15

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 26th, 2009

Hehehe...this is the east coast son...you'd be hard pressed to find many, if any, schools here where nobody drinks. Especially at the catholic schools.

Supreme

#16

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 26th, 2009

What, Catholic schools got more drinking? :P

TenPenny

#17

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 26th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Supreme

Well one thing I'd be very worried about being a catholic school would be a bunch of on non-drinker virgins with biased educational system. I know this is harsh, but this would be one of my fears... ha ha. Well so far so good. I heard there was a few other universities near by which made me think it would be a reasonably safe place with some people around my age-group.

Thanks for the great information so far.

Good luck finding non-drinker virgins at SMU. Let us know if you do find any.

When I was a student, I happened upon a chance to be an enumerator for an election, which included the university campus. So I had to go door to door through the residences getting information on each resident, if they were Canadian or not, so if they were qualified they were put on the voters list.

Let me tell you, St Thomas University, which is also a 'Catholic' university, was an interesting place to go through the women's dorms. Some days, I wasn't sure I'd get out alive, not that I'd want to...

Supreme

#18

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 26th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by TenPenny

Good luck finding non-drinker virgins at SMU. Let us know if you do find any.

When I was a student, I happened upon a chance to be an enumerator for an election, which included the university campus. So I had to go door to door through the residences getting information on each resident, if they were Canadian or not, so if they were qualified they were put on the voters list.

Let me tell you, St Thomas University, which is also a 'Catholic' university, was an interesting place to go through the women's dorms. Some days, I wasn't sure I'd get out alive, not that I'd want to...

Well that's good to know...

Risus

#19

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 26th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Supreme

Well, there is an extremely high chance of me going to Halifax to attend Saint Mary's University.

Firstly, I've been wondering recently if Saint Mary's is it a Catholic school or anything or the sort?

Secondly, is it a safe and nice place to be living for 4 years?

Is there anything I should know before moving to Halifax?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

My condolences to you...

darkbeaver

#20

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 26th, 2009

It's the murder capital of eastern Canada.

TenPenny

#21

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 26th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by darkbeaver

It's the murder capital of eastern Canada.

True, but as long as your not involved with/in drug gangs, you're probably ok.

darkbeaver

#22

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 26th, 2009

yes I suspect that is true

Supreme

#23

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 27th, 2009

Yes, I won't be partaking in any gang activity that I know of... If I ever wonder about it, I'll think of that :P But it seems like a nice city and with multiple universities and colleges here and about looks like a reasonably good place for my 4 years of studies...

bobnoorduyn

#24

Re: Moving to Halifax!

Jun 27th, 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by darkbeaver

It's the murder capital of eastern Canada.

Oh come on now, it isn't that bad. Considering that it is bigger than Saskatoon and has fewer murders should say something. Heck, the gangs out here are supremely incompetent, they've tried to shoot Jimmy M. Sr. once, and Jimmy Jr at least three times, they even hit him on two occasions. These gangs just can't shoot straight and last I heard Jimmy Jr. was hit with a truck, don't know if its true or even gang related.

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