Student Story: Wilson Laksmono

Hey, my name is Wilson and here is my student story.

As an international student coming from the neighbouring nation Indonesia, venturing into a new place is always a challenge – especially when you’re all alone. Unlike most of my peers at the time, I was the only one who made Perth my study destination. The big reason as to why I chose Perth was that I always yearned to try something new.

Studying for my Master of Professional Engineering at The University of Western Australia has been a wonderful yet challenging way for me. The practical and project-oriented style of teaching suits me as I can apply the things I’ve learnt immediately. Despite the difficulties, I got a lot of support from all the university facilitators and new friends I’ve met along the way. Living in student accommodation has done me good as I was able to meet other students and hear their stories as well. My favourite place for studying and catching up with friends would be the library as I can focus more and do group projects together. All the support services from StudyPerth and my university have helped me to keep up with my study and professional development. In the end, I managed to finish my first semester with the target I set before and even landed my first internship!

With its friendly people, rich cultures, beautiful beaches, jaw-dropping nature landscape and more, it feels like WA never runs out of places to visit and wonders to uncover. As soon as my first summer break began, I started to travel around Perth. I met new friends at the Rottnest Island trip arranged by StudyPerth, and we traversed the island together. I also got the chance to see art from a famous artist, Thomas Dambo, in the form of giant wooden sculptures hidden across WA. It was a fantastic trip to do before starting my internship at the City of Swan.

I’ve known StudyPerth and all its exciting events prior to coming to Australia, but I realised that I wanted to tell other students how amazing it is to study here after I had finished my first semester. Becoming one of StudyPerth's International Student Ambassadors is an honour for me as I can share my stories and help new students, just as I’ve been helped by others so far.

It seems like Perth is indeed the perfect fit for me – with its metropolitan vibe and natural wonders, its bustling city yet relaxed lifestyle, and all the massive opportunities for international students like me. Lastly, my biggest bucket list after graduating would be to become an engineer who supports the community by planning and building sustainable infrastructures.

By Wilson Laksmono