After practicing as a lawyer for three years, Shenali wanted to see how far her education could take her and made the move from Sri Lanka to study the Master of Legal Practice at UWA.
"Once I had a taste for practising, I wished to explore the scope of what my field of study had to offer me. I thought the best way to do this was to begin my journey as a postgraduate student!"
SHENALI, UWA MASTER OF LEGAL PRACTICE STUDENT
“I’m also very interested in academia, and I would also love to immerse myself in lecturing someday.”
With a passion for law and justice from a young age, Shenali wants to make an impact in the field and challenge herself in the process.
“Law is a way for me to explore and test my boundaries. I was a very quiet kid growing up so, I was determined to break the norm that you don’t have to be extroverted and boisterous to be a lawyer.”
Shenali had her eye on Western Australia for a while before applying, hearing a lot of good things from her relatives that live in Perth. After making the choice to continue her studies in Law with a postgraduate degree, UWA was a natural fit.
The move from a bachelor’s degree in Sir Lanka to a master’s degree in a country she hadn’t visited before can seem like a big life change all at once, but Shenali has embraced her new Australian uni life and is enjoying her first year at UWA.
"I have found the staff go out of the way to help their students at UWA and the facilities are extensive, which enables an easy transition into the University."
“I love the libraries at UWA. As a person who loves reading, the vast collections are a dream come true to me!”
Shenali has kept busy in her first year and has had the chance to get involved with a range of clubs on campus. She is a member of the Student Guild, The Postgraduate Students Association, The Blackstone Society, UWA International Students and the University Science-Fiction and Fantasy Association.
"I was worried about making friends at the start because I tend to get a little shy, but it turns out I didn’t have much to worry about, as everyone I have met is so open and friendly."
Shenali’s approach to uni life has been to take up as many opportunities as her schedule will allow. Her advice to any future students looking to study at UWA would be to do the same.
“Don’t ever shy away from opportunities. You may never know where they might lead you. Don’t ever assume that you’re not cut out for a role, because you just might surprise yourself. It is always better to say ‘at least I tried’ rather than regret not trying at all.”
