Last week on Tuesday, September 5th, the students of Macleans got the privilege to meet two of the college’s alumni: Annika Lee (Snell) and Tony Su (Kupe). They shared their experiences of studying overseas, during a lunchtime guest speaker session in the auditorium.
First to present was Tony Su, who talked about what it was like to study at University College London (UCL) all the way in the United Kingdom. The presentation kicked off with a brief course overview of his economics degree program, including an outline of the modules offered over the three-year course, as well as what to expect in terms of assignments (a lot heavier in maths than many anticipated!).
Tony then moved onto the extracurricular side of university, discussing his internship experience at esteemed institutions such as the World Bank Group, as well as the undergraduate opportunities at UCL like research. Lastly, Tony touched on what life in London is like, showing the students several beautiful photos of the financial centre while going over what the social scene was like.
Annika Lee presented shortly after, talking about studying experience at the University of Sydney in Australia. Much like Tony’s presentation, Annika also discussed her degree program, a unique blend of marketing and law. This course overview also included insights into the exclusive opportunities offered at her university for students, such as a semester exchange to King’s College London, or a six-week placement program in the United States.
The presentation then moved towards student life in Sydney, bringing out all the unique experiences typically unknown to aspiring college students. For example, the university’s Residential College experience, the amazing facilities offered by the departments, as well as the networking opportunities available through the university’s clubs and societies.
At the end of the presentations, a short Q&A was held, with many students flooding the stage with burning questions. The presentations were highly insightful, providing students with valuable personal experiences of studying overseas. Students left the talk with a better idea of what it is like to study overseas and a greater motivation to chase their dreams.
“I feel very inspired to continue working towards my dream university. It [the presentations] made me realise that my dream was one step closer and way easier than I expected.”
-Jessica Dai, Year 11 Student
13th September, 2023
Written by Aaron Huang, edited by Emma Li and Clarissa Oblefias
Photography by Emma Li
