Kanika Singla - Exchange Alumni Testimonial
Kanika Singla completed her exchange at the University of Montréal in Semester 1 of 2024. Kanika went on Exchange for her Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts.
While on Exchange, Kanika was able to improve her French language proficiency through cultural immersion in Canada, while also studying for credit towards her Law degree.
Kanika in front of a colourful background (2024).
What motivated you to participate in an Overseas Experience?
I have always wanted to travel, and I had heard such good stories from some friends who had already been on exchange. It started as curiosity as I went to the study overseas information sessions, then I realised studying overseas was not as difficult of a process as it might have seemed initially.
Which Study Period did you go overseas in?
I went in first semester of 2024 which was the winter trimester at the University of Montréal.
Why did you choose University of Montreal (Law)?
I study Law and Arts, in which I major in French. So, when I learnt that I could study law in a city where they speak primarily French, I thought it was the best way to keep up my French proficiency and even learn more conversational French whilst studying courses for my law degree.
Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral in Montréal, taken by Kanika Singla (2024).
What was the highlight of your Exchange experience?
The highlight of my experience was living in Canada and travelling around Canada myself. Living away from home and my family seemed like the most daunting aspect of exchange, and yes it was difficult at times, but it was all the more rewarding at the end of the day.
What was your biggest takeaway from your experience?
My biggest takeaway was the relationships that I made with the people I met on exchange. They were incredible people from all around the world, they were the people I lived with and some who I studied with. They became like family to me. They are relationships that I know will last me a lifetime.
What is something you wish you knew before going overseas?
I wish I knew how homesick I was going to feel when I got to Canada. Homesickness is an aspect of solo travel that is not talked about or understood often enough. For some people they start feeling homesick towards the end of their experience, for me it was the first few weeks.
Snowy, winter cabin in Montreal, taken by Kanika Singla (2024).
I really wanted to go back home but slowly I realised that the exchange was only for a very short period (for me it was 4 months, for others it can be up to a year), even if it was for a year, in comparison to a lifetime it was a very short period of time, so I needed to make the most of it. So, I did! I travelled around Canada, and I tried things that I would never have been able to do, like ice skating on an actual frozen lake. Now, in retrospect, those 4 months have been the most memorable months in my life to date.
Do you have one piece of advice you would tell other people who are going on Exchange?
In Australia, we don’t have that culture where students leave their homes to go study in a different city, whereas around the world and particularly in North America, that is very common. Therefore, you are never the only exchange student or international student. This makes it so much easier to find friends because everyone is in the same boat as you, they are in a new state, and a new city so they are also looking for friends to get them through the semester and this new unfamiliar experience. So, I would advise all other students looking to study overseas that you will realise that you are not the only student taking this leap of faith.
Kanika's Exchange Photo Gallery
Interested in learning more about how to apply for exchange? Visit our Semester Programs webpage.