What were the highlights of PICS?

Wollongong-based students said:

​"Getting to learn about future career options in the field of psychology"

"The highlight for me was meeting students from a different cultural background and becoming really good friends with them regardless of all the differences we have. Also, getting to tour IMH and really understanding the possibilities to help people in certain jobs related to my degree. And gaining essential skills really helped me to evaluate what direction I want to take my degree."

"I thoroughly enjoyed being able to mix with students from another country and share our experiences studying psychology and the challenges we face in seeking post-grad psychology qualifications. I have many new friends that I hope will visit Wollongong and study alongside me in the future. The advice and assistance from the program chaperones was also invaluable, having gone on this exchange I feel as though I have renewed purpose and a stronger focus on what I hope to accomplish."

​"The highlights of my experience were meeting the Singapore based UOW students, including getting to know them and learning about how they went about doing their studies. I found this very rewarding because it is was so interesting to talk to someone who is doing the same degree as you but from a completely different perspective. Additionally, I established strong bonds with each of the individuals that I participated on the trip with. It was very motivating to hear about everyone’s goals and aspirations as well as how they came to be UOW students. Furthermore, the workshops we participated in the mental health institute that we visited gave me great insight into clinical psychology and I believe I gained valuable first-hand experiences as well as practical knowledge."

​​"Getting to meet and become friends with the Singaporean students, who were welcoming and helped to show us as much of Singapore as possible"

Singapore-based students said:

"​Making new friends and sharing information about Singapore with them"

"Learning together in the workshops and interacting with the exchange students off-campus during our visits and tour. Going through the workshops together exposes us, the local students, to the Australian student’s ways of thinking and learning styles. Off-campus interactions allows us to understand their lifestyles and widen our global concepts"
​
"Being able to meet students from our Australian campus and bonding with them by showing them around Singapore and teaching them about our culture. Also, being able to attend a psychology seminar and visit the NUS clinic"

"​Definitely meeting new friends. Everyone was lovely and it increases my motivation to work towards my honours at Wollongong. Also, it doesn't seem to scary now, if I had to go to Wollongong."

"Being able to meet people from Australia that share the same interest in Psychology. We are able to discuss about various cultural differences. Bringing them to places of interest in Singapore and spending time together. This enable us to forge friendship and to understand Australia better, this also help us in preparing for our Honors if we decided to go over for the program"

Any tips for others interested in PICS?

Singapore-based students said:

"It’s a full week of activities, and you’ll want to hang out with your new friends as much as possible, but pace yourself and get adequate rest"
​
"Be open-minded about who they will meet, try to plan ahead and make a list of places of interest. There are days where it will rain, and it clashes with the activities, therefore it will be wise to make alternative plans for wet weather"

"​Just relax and enjoy yourself because 1 week will end really quickly. If you need, it helps to prepare a list of things that you might want to share before the week of the program, but don’t follow this list strictly, just go with the flow."

​"Don’t be shy and make friends"

"Initially, it was the balance of schoolwork and entertainment. Having to host is a tiring thing. I TRIED to sleep as early as I possibly can. It was all worth it anyway"

Wollongong-based students said:

"It was my first trip overseas but most people in the group had traveled a lot so they were really helpful with advice on changing money and what to do at the airport "

"Due to nearly everything on this trip being payed for, there was little concern for budgeting. Only expense was lunch, dinner and activities that were all fairly cheap anyway. You’re expenditure is totally up to you, whether you eat cheap and don’t do many activities or eat well and do lots of activities. I would definitely recommend just eating/trying/doing as much as possible, regardless of the cost."

"Go and see these: Observation Deck (Marina Bay Sands), Merlion Park, Gardens by the Bay, Boat Quay, Haji Lane. I also enjoyed Little India, great shopping and food. Always turn off your data roaming. Free Wi-fi is abound!"

"Don’t feel you have to go with what everyone else is doing in free time all the time just because it is a group trip. If there are specific things you really want to do, just do them! In saying that, our group did most stuff together which was awesome and I really enjoyed having so many different types of people to talk to and connect with who I normally may never speak to! Leading on from that, another hint would be to really try and make an effort to talk to everyone from Wollongong and Singapore, it’ll just be so much more rewarding if you are able to be comfortable with everyone regardless of where they’re from. The SIM students have so much local knowledge so really make an effort to become friends with them and not just stick to the Wollongong students!"

​"Food and public transport are so cheap, but some of the real tourist activities are quite expensive, so if you want to do those then make sure you prepare in advance how much you are going to spend on seeing all of them."​ ​