Samantha Wakeman

“I was scared when I began my French classes because I had never been immersed in a Francophone setting before, but after only two weeks my comprehension improved.”

Moving from a small town in the United States to Montreal was nerve-racking at first, but Samantha Wakeman quickly found a new home away from home, living in both English and French.

Did you learn any French before applying to French Studies?

I learned some grammar in middle and high school, but they were taught in English. I had never had a class taught in French before. My French has gotten a lot better since coming to Concordia. I was scared when I began my French classes because I had never been immersed in a Francophone setting before, but after only two weeks my comprehension improved.

What was it like starting the Specialization in Langue française?

Everyone takes an entrance exam to test your level of French, so you end up in a course that fits your level. I like Concordia’s small class sizes and how they have a good mix of lectures, activity and discussion-based courses. I took grammar classes at the beginning, but now I’ve moved up to French classes alongside other Francophone students, studying literature, linguistics and history.

How much French do you speak outside of Concordia?

I try to talk French in the streets or when I’m ordering at a restaurant. I generally speak English with my friends, but that’s something I’m trying to change. I want to study abroad in France next year, so I want to improve my speaking. I joined a French conversation group for a semester, and it was helpful.

How was moving to Montreal as an American student?

I come from a very small town, so the biggest change was moving to a bilingual city rather than Canada itself. I didn’t feel alone in Montreal because I found a lot of American students at Concordia. Living in residence made it easy to meet people, and I’m now living with someone I met there. Montreal is very international, so you never feel like an outsider. I felt very at home after a couple of months, which seems to be a common experience in Montreal.

What services do you recommend students utilize during their time at Concordia?

I've used the free health clinic tons of times. The International Students Office has a lot of good services and events for international students. I’ve done some career workshops through FutureBound which were helpful.

Career Advising and Professional Success (CAPS) is neat because they have advisors who can help you navigate your career. CAPS is very knowledgeable, and they even have one-on-one appointments where you can talk about where you want to go in your career.

I’m in the Humanities+ program, which helps Humanities students identify their skills and jobs available after graduation. You can do workshops with a career advisor, review your resumé or access their job and internship boards.

From career counselling to friend networking, learn more about Concordia’s services for new students!