""First class"" university life

I came back to York after a short Christmas break on the 2nd of January 2014. While my classmates from Open Gate were still enjoying their vacation, I was already at university studying for my exam from Probability 1, which I took on the 6th of January.

The new term started on the 6th and therefore I had a chance to see the campus in a different light. Market square in the middle of the campus, which is usually full of students during term time, was now deserted. The best seats in the library were free and our house was actually quiet after midnight. The calm campus mood, hard working postgraduate students and the stress from the upcoming exam put me in a perfect study mood. After all, the exam went surprisingly well and I received "first class", which is the highest possible mark.

I was elected as the International Officer in the Economics Society. We organised many events this term, including careers events and socials. As an example, I could name networking sessions, film nights or module choice event, where first years could hear more about modules which they will choose for the next two years. As a representative of international students, I decided to organize a special event where economic students from all over the world could meet. The theme will be "board games" and we are going to play them throughout the evening.

I became a member of the university volleyball team at the beginning of this term and I have to say that the trainings that take place twice a week are really intense. I was very excited to join the team and my joy was even doubled when I found out that our coach is from the Czech Republic. However there is also a down side to it: whenever she shouts in Czech about the horrible service technique, I cannot pretend it is not for me. Although university volleyball is much more intense than the relaxed college netball, which I also play, I am very happy that I can represent my university as part of a international team. I also try to find some time to play floorball as we are forming a solid team.

 

In January, I applied for the Worldwide scheme for a year exchange in Canada for the next school year. After going through two rounds of the selection process, I was finally chosen to spend the next year at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, which made me very happy. University of York and UBC are partner universities and therefore I will be able to study in Kelowna in 2014/2015 and return for my final year to York to finish my Bachelors' degree.

I set myself several goals which I wanted to accomplish in my free time at the university at the beginning of this academic year. Those goals were as follows: to start learning a new language; to continue with recreational sports and to use the potential that the university offers. I believe that by learning French and Spanish, playing floorball, netball and volleyball and by receiving a place at UBC, I accomplished my free time goals. Now I only have to fulfil the academic goal, which is to finish my first year at the university with a "first class". In January, I made the first small step towards it by excelling in probability, but still, there are six more giant ones ahead of me.

 

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