Students on travelling to the US: ‘I’m bringing a backup phone with no social media on it’

Planning a trip to the United States? How do you prepare? Are you worried about border control? Students are divided on how safe they feel about travelling to America, the responses to last week’s Let’s Talk reveal.

About half of those who responded via Instagram are not worried about a trip to the US. “I think we’re panicking unnecessarily”, said one student. Another responded sarcastically: “What do you mean? As a Canadian, it’s super easy to get in.”

The other half are more cautious. Some students have even reconsidered their travel plans. “I don’t want to contribute to the American economy”, one student explained.

Role of the university

Some others believe it’s not the university’s responsibility to support them if they want to travel to the US. “But it’s helpful if the university provides information on which destinations are safe ”, a student said.

Practical preparation

One student, who will soon be heading to Trump’s country, is taking thorough preparations. “I’m bringing a backup phone with no social media on it.” Another one said they will be ‘just acting normal, as always’, and they feel there’s little reason for concern, as long as you speak the language and don’t intend to stay indefinitely.