ISW is over now, but you can still hear a dance beat on the Bata Podium.
Last Thursday, September 11, it hosted Vendor Day—another unique event that represented local businesses.
And as a first-year international student, I was excited to find out what the city of Peterborough has to offer.
People get overwhelmed at these events, and so did I. Besides, there were free gifts everywhere: discounts, bags, chocolates, even Kraft Dinner (a reason for me to try it, eventually).
And so I followed the crowd. The line to sign lottery ballots at the Pharmasave booth (congratulations to Robin Hiley, by the way) was striking.
Not only did they give out free bags with daily essentials (who wouldn’t need a lip balm?), but you could get medical advice from a company representative concerning the medicine you may need.
The drug store provides on-campus delivery, which is convenient in case of emergency, and has been widely used by students in recent past.
Another popular spot was the TD Bank table. There you had an opportunity (a mere one, though) to win 50 dollars.
At least they gave out booby prizes—pens with highlighters on the other end, which they seemed to be really proud of.
Students make up a major segment of their customers and over the past two weeks they welcomed a great number of first-years, guiding them through financial issues.
Fairs like this one are a perfect opportunity to promote products and services on-campus. But what I did not expect to see there was an election campaign.
However, being not a Canadian citizen, I wasn’t greeted at Cammie Jaquays’ booth.
Obviously, they had way too many voters to get engaged, so my advice is to think carefully about your choice.
Regarding entertainment, Peterborough vendors offer quite a lot as well. Themed parties, live music, good food and drinks are almost essential for every student. Feel free to attend any of the downtown venues and have a good time with discounts for students all over the place.
Otherwise, you get plenty of healthy options to choose from. With its pure nature, and green campaigns to protect it, in Peterborough you don’t need to worry about organic lifestyle.
For those who seek space to relax and relieve from the begining-of-the-year stress, Moksha Yoga Studio is offering a totally free practice week September 12-18. And now, additionally, I have to worry about fitting yoga classes in my schedule.
It is not difficult, clearly, to find anything you need downtown, but meeting in person is way better because communication is what forms our society. And I’ve come to like Peterborough’s community, where everything is connected, where local initiatives are supported by students, and vice versa.
That is what I saw on Vendor Day and what I hope everyone enjoyed.