Endless spring

While the spring officially starts towards the end of March, we in Exeter have been already feeling it for some time now. I saw little snow here this past winter, and if not for the chilly wind, I’d be walking in my T-shirt today. It looks almost like spring is eternal here. And this endless spring influences people’s actions and thinking, or mine anyway.

This place’s got a sort of atmosphere to it that makes you seek out new possibilities. Things that once appeared impossible seem very real now. Realizing this has made me think about what to do next – where to go, at least in the short-term (the next 5 years). In my year and a half in England, I have come to realize that student life is the quickest way to get to know different cultures. Students are open, enthusiastic, ambitious and very gregarious – so they are the perfect guides to their respective cultures. When applying for university studies, I crossed out countries outside Europe at once. Having thought about it now, I found that I’d welcome an extra-European view of life. Following a thorough study, I decided that Australia was the best candidate. It’s a country where there is summer when there is winter in my country. It’s on the opposite side of the globe. It’s an actual continent, and unlike European countries it tends to focus on the future and progress rather than history. It’s truly unique, so if I’m looking for a new way of looking at things, it’s the best choice.

But back to Exeter now. I can’t believe we’re seven weeks into the second semester now. It feels like I took my first semester exams only yesterday! I had barely received my results and I got new assignments for two large group projects. One is for Human Resource Management, and we’re supposed to thoroughly examine Virgin Group’s strategy and the charismatic Richard Branson’s role. The other is for Consumer Behavior, and we will be analyzing the Fair Trade movement. The approaches to the two assignments couldn’t be more different. The first project is in fact a group essay, requiring a lot of reading and the ability to meaningfully criticize the offered theories and come up with new ones. The other project is quite loose, requiring primarily creativity and critical thinking as well. For example, our group has structured our project to include a moderated discussion and reportage.

As always, my week is packed with academic and extra-curricular activities, so my time truly passes by at a sickening rate. Looking in my packed schedule, I find that that the final exams and the end of the year are coming faster than they seemed. But every ending brings a new beginning, too. And if everything goes well, the new beginning builds upon what you already have. It brings a fresh breeze for your sails and a change in direction, but it will not capsize your boat. Long live the endless spring!