UMM International Activities Bring Rezka to Study to Canada

Rezka who is currently studying at Toronto University. (Photo: Istimewah)

Established in 1964, the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) has had thousands of alumni spread worldwide. One of them is Rezka Mardhiyana, an alumnus of Psychology at UMM who is currently studying at the University of Toronto, Canada. This time, she shared the story of how he struggled until he was finally able to set foot in a country with the symbol of the maple leaf.

Rezka, her nickname, said that her journey to getting a scholarship was relatively smooth. Graduated in February 2019, she was able to be accepted as an awardee for the Education Fund Management Institute (LPDP) scholarship in September of the same year. Rezka admitted that he only received one rejection at that time, namely from the Australia Awards Scholarship, as far as she can remember. "Incidentally, the distance between graduation and the AAS deadline is quite short. So I wasn't prepared. In my opinion, preparation is an important key in achieving scholarships," she said.

The woman from Banjarmasin said that the European region was her main target at that time. It can't be separated from her love for Harry Potter. But it turned out that fate took him to another place. "Finally, I changed the direction of the destination screen and wanted to dock in Australia, to be precise, at Melbourne University. The reason is that it is not too far away so that if something happens in the country, it can arrive faster," she said.

Unfortunately, she couldn't fulfill one of the requirements, namely the IELTS score. Several times she tried to get the required value but could not reach it. Finally, she racked her brains and found the course she was aiming for was available at the University of Toronto. Uniquely, she did not know where the location of the country. Rezka only glimpsed that Canada was in North America.

Rezka admitted that her activities at UMM had an essential role in her journey to get a scholarship. She is starting from the available international activities to other activities that encourage him to continue to excel. In addition, UMM also provides opportunities for him to develop himself through institutions intended for students.

She also had time to share her favorite places there. One of them is the Toronto Botanical Garden. She thought the park made him more comfortable. It is also able to refresh the mind, which is sometimes full of lecture assignment deadlines. "I also really like visiting the library on campus. Its quiet and strategic location makes me more enthusiastic about studying," said the youngest of two siblings.

Even though she was not accepted in Melbourne, Rezka felt grateful because she could feel the atmosphere of studying in another country, namely Canada. If she was in Australia, she might not be able to go to the relevant country because there are restrictions for those who will enter the kangaroo country until 2022. Finally, she again said that the blessing and prayers of her parents were the biggest keys to why her study trip was relatively smooth. "Therefore, always include the role of parents in every effort we make so that the path we take becomes easier," she said at the end. (apg/wil)