Aleksandar Rapajic
I chose ANU on account of its strong academic reputation and the great variety of courses that it offered in the fields that I was interested in studying, languages in particular.
Imagine yourself flipping through a Spanish-language comic with ease, reading Don Quixote in its original Spanish, Dante's Inferno in Italian, or even crafting a well-structured essay in a foreign language.
For Aleksandar Rapajic, that day came sooner than expected.
“By the end of SPAN3001 – Intermediate 1, I could do what I previously could only have done in an English class; read a text then write a full, structured, literary essay analysing it. The only difference was that I was doing it in Spanish.”
Aleks, now a final-year student at the Australian National University (ANU), is graduating having completed a flexible double degree in Arts and Languages and having worked as a College of Arts and Social Sciences Student Ambassador.
The diverse curriculum enabled Aleks to delve into a broad spectrum of topics, from Roman history to literary theory. “I chose ANU on account of its strong academic reputation and the great variety of courses that it offered in the fields that I was interested in studying, languages in particular.” He shares.
Adding, “One thing that pleasantly surprised me about my degree was the sheer variety of courses on offer. For history, this meant I could study everything from the Early Roman Empire and the history of Human Rights to History Theory and the Second World War in the Pacific. For languages, it meant doing everything from studying grammar and linguistics to reading literature in the target language.”
Outside of his studies, Aleks found balance in Canberra's unique mix of urban life and natural beauty.
“My favourite thing about Canberra is that though it is a city, it is not nearly as built up and congested as other capital cities. You are always within reasonable distance of the places you would like to be close to (i.e. university, hospitals, shopping districts, etc.), while also being in close contact with nature.”
As he reflects on his time at ANU, Aleks offers advice to future students: plan carefully.
“One piece of advice I would give to students is to really take the time to think about their program plan. ANU has a very large range of courses on offer with varying availabilities, so figuring out what to study and when can take time. Overseas study and internships, in particular, are best planned out in advance.”
Aleks’ journey through ANU stands as a reminder of the rewards that come with thoughtful planning, curiosity, and a willingness to embrace new challenges— in any language.
