If you are a returning student perhaps you may have noticed how the library seems packed this year, even outside the pre-exam cram period. Or maybe you’re one of those people moaning about a lack of parking space. Well, here might be a partial explanation for you. The enrolment at Brandon University this year is 3,553 students, up from last years total of 3,291. This eight percent increase in our numbers builds on last years seven percent growth. This is the fifth straight year that student numbers at BU have been growing. Since 2012, when enrolment dropped six percent, there has been a steady increase of 22 percent. Of that growth 75 percent has come in the past two years.

Contributing to these strong numbers are significant increases in the international student (31 percent) and indigenous student (20 percent) populations. The growth is accompanied by an increase in the credit hours we have signed up for as well (68,145). That is 4,451 more than last year. If you adhere to the 3 hours of study per credit hour a week rule, then, when you half the number to account for semesters, we’re roughly spending 102,218 hours (11.7 years) each week studying. That would explain the diminishing chances of finding a good study spot in the library.

As for parking space… I personally carpool so, it’s not my problem.