A panoramic photo from the north side of campus overlooking the mountains.
The view from the North side of Campus.

Have you ever wanted to know what daily life looks like for a TRU student?

Choosing a university can be stressful – deciding what courses to take or what your plans are for the future, while not really even knowing what your daily life will look like while at school. What will you do outside of classes? Will you have easy access to your instructors? Are there places on campus to study or relax during the day? What is there to do outside of the school day? The answers to these questions and more are right here! I will be your guide on this exclusive look into the life of a Thompson Rivers University Student – and you’ll get some tips which will help you find your path to TRU!

Rise and Shine

So you’ve arrived on campus for your first class at TRU – how about a bite to eat or some coffee? TRU has a wide variety of options for food and drink services, all featured here. Visiting Starbucks or Common Grounds for a coffee before morning classes can be the perfect thing to start your day off right. In a rush? The Hey Chef! mobile ordering service offered on campus allows students to order ahead and skip the line at many of our food and drink vendors – a great option if you’re running to class!

Photo of a coffee from Common Grounds in front of an open laptop.
My morning coffee from Common Grounds. Can you guess the website in the background? I’ll give you a hint: it’s a great place for future students to find important information!

Where’s my class?!

So now you’re ready to start class!

TRU offers over 140 on-campus programs! There is something for everyone at TRU, including some unique programs that you won’t find anywhere else in Canada. With multiple buildings on campus, over the course of your studies you are likely to visit a great variety of classrooms and lecture halls. Old Main, the first-built building on campus, is a multi-faculty building, and most students will have a class here at some time. Other buildings are more program-specific, like the Arts & Education Building and the Ken Lepin Science Building. Most programs at TRU offer small class sizes, which gives students full access to their instructor – great for building relationships in the classroom and in your field!

For when you have some time to kill…

So you’ve got a break between classes – let’s visit the Bookstore or find an activity to take part in! Need some supplies for your classes? The TRU Bookstore carries everything you need to be prepared! Course materials and textbooks are organized by subject so they’re easy to locate, and you’ll find an excellent selection of additional supplies, gifts, and TRU swag! By the way, the sweaters and hoodies are super comfortable!

A photo of the front of the TRU bookstore with a display of hoodies at the front.
The Bookstore, featuring one of those cozy hoodies I mentioned.

Still have some time left between classes? Why not check out some of the free fitness classes or intramural sports in the TRU gymnasium?

A woman holding barbells supports herself in a plank position in the TRU gym.
A free fitness class at the TRU Gym.


If you’re not in the mood for some exercise, let’s explore some of the best places to visit if you’re wanting to study or relax. The Brown Family House of Learning and Campus Activity Centre have study rooms that can be reserved for free. Lots of other seating areas can be found throughout the other buildings on campus.

A photo of the bookable study rooms in the Student Union building.
Two of the study rooms available in the Student Union section of the Campus Activity Centre. These two are called the Yellow Room and the Green Room… for obvious reasons.

Great weather? The Campus Commons is a beautiful spot to stretch out in the grass and enjoy some sunshine. If you’re feeling like you need to
decompress or need someone to talk to, the Wellness Center is a wonderful place to visit between classes – they even have a mural wall that students can colour on if they need to focus on something relaxing. There is no shortage of things to do between classes!

A photo of the campus commons in the winter.
Campus Commons in the sunshine. The rolling hills represent the mountains surrounding campus, and make a great place to stretch out in the sun once the snow melts.

So you’re done class for the day – now what?

Let’s check out a Wolfpack game or go enjoy some exercise at the TCC! The Tournament Capital Centre is right next to campus and offers TRU students free access to the swimming pool and the running track! They also offer discounted rates for TRU students to access the weight rooms. Enjoy a refreshing swim or a great workout! Not in the mood to work out? Show some support to our student athletes and check out a Wolfpack game! With free admission to Wolfpack games just by showing your campus card, students can enjoy as many games as they’d like! The game schedule is easy to find on the TRU Wolfpack website.

If you’d like to have dinner with some of your new classmates, The Den is a great place on campus to check out! This pub-style restaurant seats all ages, and the food is amazing!

Whether you’re ending your day with a workout, an exciting Wolfpack game, or some good food and drink, you can find it all at TRU!

A woman in a TRU sweater eats in a pub next to someone in a black puffer jacket. There is a plate of nachos and salsa in front of them.
Grab some sharable nachos at The Den in the Campus Activity Centre!

Sounds amazing! How can I find out more?

Contact our Future Students Office to book a campus tour and find out how you can become a TRU Student For a Day!

A group of 7 people listen while a tour guide gestures to a building during a campus tour.
Future students on a campus tour during Student for a Day.

TRU’s Student for a Day program allows interested future students to come to campus to attend a lecture, have lunch with a Future Students Ambassador, and get a personalized campus tour! This program is available during high school students spring break. If you miss out on a spot for Student for a Day or just can’t wait, don’t worry! Personalized campus tours are offered regularly with a Future Students Ambassador or a member of our Future Students team!


TRU Future Student Ambassador, Erin – Bachelor of Natural Resource Science, “A Day in the Life of a TRU Student

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