The final chapter starts here

 I am on my final mission to get a high-quality education at the University of Exeter. I just have to survive this year and hopefully, get a First at the end. It is just a shame that it has to be on an island where the sea is meant to be there for watching rather than swimming. Having said that, the issue that worries me most is time. I do not have any. Were it physically possible, I would actually just stop the time and cross out at least a couple of those nineteen tasks on my to-do-list. Simultaneously, I would not have to worry that some new ones will appear right afterwards. On the other hand, I kind of enjoy being busy. It fills me with purpose and it motivates me to do more than I would otherwise. Plus, I know that it is worth it.

There are so many reasons why the last year of uni is genuinely exciting. Firstly, the quality of class discussions just went beyond simplistic thoughts and facts that are rather unfounded. Secondly, teachers expect nothing less than true professionalism, in-depth knowledge and interdisciplinary thinking. Thirdly, one has to shape more concrete future career plans and take the necessary steps to achieve them. Lastly, it is the last chance to accomplish something at university and take full advantage of being a student. In my case, I have decided to do more rather than less. I still do a lot of sport activities such as playing squash and representing university in a volleyball local league. Furthermore, I am involved in a Student Staff Liaison Committee where I represent students from my course, enforce students’ ideas and in general, do my best to change things for the better. I was also given two extra responsibilities, as I am also a member of Quality Assurance Group and a Library Champion. The first role is about making sure that everything that the university offers, from an academic point of view, is of the very best standards. Those standards are partly set by all the certificates that the university gained (e.g. EQUIS accreditation), but also by its presence in many groupings (e.g. Russell Group). The second role involves promoting the business section of the library to all students as well as taking care of students’ enquiries in relation to the selection of business resources. For that reason, I have a £5,000 budget at my disposal.  

As to my subjects for this semester, I am studying Strategic Management, German Intermediate 2, Contemporary Leadership Issues and Dissertation. I honestly have to say that I enjoy them all. This week, for instance, we had a group presentation where we proposed a potential strategic alliance between LinkedIn and BlackBerry. As to my German, since I spent the last year without using it on a regular basis, I hope to revive my active knowledge of the language and attain a working proficiency by the end of this academic year. In the Leadership module, we focus on well-being, toxic leadership, complexity and conversation in organisations. We undertake a lot of quality research as well as in-class discussions. In the case of my dissertation, my topic is based around new trends in marketing and their effects on consumers. I basically build on what I have learnt during my studies at the University of Adelaide (Australia) as I specialised in marketing there.      

I hope you enjoyed reading my short article. Another insight into my experiences of studying at the University of Exeter will be posted here during February/March. Take care, stay positive and be brave  to do things differently and in a way that will benefit the environment around you.