🍁 POV: You’re an Exchange Student at Queen’s During Reading Week

Reading Week hits differently when you’re on exchange. It’s that one week between midterms and winter chill, when campus slows down, the leaves turn gold, and students scatter across Canada to rest, explore, or reconnect.

Here’s what our Reading Week at Queen’s University looks like through three very real exchange student perspectives.

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🇻🇳 Nhi (Vietnam): “We chased fall across Ontario.”

“Everyone said, ‘You have to see Canada in the fall,’ so we did. We rented a tiny car, packed five people, and spent six days chasing the colors.”

Nhi and her group started in Kingston, driving through Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa.

 They stopped for coffee in small towns, took photos under maple trees, and got lost more than once - but never cared.

“We sang the same three songs on repeat, and every sunset felt unreal. I didn’t expect that the best part wouldn’t be the cities, but the silence in between: the car rides, the jokes, the feeling of being young and free in a country that still feels too big to believe.”

💬 Nhi's takeaway:

“Reading Week taught me that adventure just has to be shared.”

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🇭🇰 Enoch (Hong Kong): “I stayed in Kingston, and found peace in the quiet.”

“Everyone left. Montreal, Toronto, New York - my group chat was full of travel photos. I thought I’d regret staying. But honestly? It was exactly what I needed.”

Enoch spent his Reading Week walking the Kingston waterfront, exploring cafés, and rediscovering calm after a hectic first half of the semester. He journaled, watched Netflix, and tried every flavor at Mio Gelato.

“It’s strange how silence feels louder abroad. I started realizing how much I’d changed in two months: more confident, more patient, more independent.

💬 Enoch's takeaway:

Sometimes the best part of exchange isn’t going everywhere, it’s slowing down long enough to appreciate where you already are.”

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🇸🇬 Zi Ning (Singapore): “My first Canadian Thanksgiving felt like a movie.”

“I didn’t know what to expect. My roommate invited me to her family’s Thanksgiving in a small town near Kingston. I said yes, not realizing how much it would mean.”

From the moment she stepped inside, Zi Ning was welcomed like family: the smell of roasted turkey, laughter in the kitchen, and stories that made her feel included.

When the last of the turkey had been carved and the gravy boat retired, the table hushed for the tradition of giving thanks.

At Zi Ning's turn, she scanned the faces around the table, a collection of new friends who had been strangers just months before.

She spoke, with gratitude: “I’m thankful that I came here alone, and now surrounded by people who feel like home.”

💬 Zi Ning's takeaway:

“Sometimes belonging starts with saying yes.”

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Final Reflection: The Many Ways to “Do” Reading Week

There’s no one right way to spend Reading Week. For some, it’s adventure; for others, it’s peace. For many, it’s the connection.

But no matter how you spend it, you will come back to campus feeling lighter, more grounded, and a little more yourself.

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