This academic year has probably been the most exciting and hectic at the same time. I started the year as a scholarship holder participating in multiple networking events, getting to know my course mates, applying for jobs and settling into Manchester.
As an AMBS student, the initial few months were very different in terms of day-to-day activities as there was always so much going on. It was particularly hard in making sure I coped well with the academic requirements of a postgraduate student while simultaneously working on my CV and job applications. The careers service team has been of immense help right from the beginning of the year as they provided both guidance in terms of CV development and cover letters along with weekly catch-up sessions to track the progress. I had a fixed schedule for the initial term at university which consisted of attending lectures, spending 3-4 hours a day on job applications while spending other time studying and preparing for upcoming lectures. At the end of the first term the whole schedule changed due to exams, so I put my applications on hold and focused only on my academic work. I had completely different plans for the second term but none of them materialised due to the ongoing pandemic. However, I do believe I am extremely fortunate having got my assessment centre for Lloyds of London a week before the lockdown was imposed in the UK. I also got the job, making it my biggest achievement so far and to a great extent, I have been relaxed compared to other job hunters at the moment.
Having secured my dream job, the lockdown period has been relaxed and more of a self-development period for me. I try to balance my time between staying fit, studying for exams and enjoying this time, as I believe it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, where the whole world has slowed down together. I meet with my course mates regularly since we live in the same accommodation and we have been preparing together for the exam. To be honest, we are still in shock that this year has nearly ended and in a few months, we won’t see each other, and people will go on their different journeys in life. Studying from home for me is very different, especially as I spent most of my first term at Alan Gilbert Learning Commons, and I have never been habituated with studying at home. However, considering the circumstances I had to adapt, and it has been easy to a certain extent since I have been able to study in a group with 2 of my classmates.
Technology has been of great help to students this semester. As the course rep, I have been able to attend meetings with the faculty and get in touch with students for their feedback and concerns regarding exams. While it does feel a lot different to physically attending lectures at Alliance MBS, at least having the opportunity to continue learning during the ongoing crisis, is a good achievement. Furthermore, the faculty has also been very helpful and have remained engaged with students this semester with regular zoom meetings and emails to make sure there are no obstacles in student learning. Recently, I had a zoom call with 8 other students in the same dissertation team and we made plans for the post-exam period and how we are going to carry out the dissertation process. Our professor has helped set out an organised plan for us to act on.
Studying at AMBS was a dream and despite not having to study the full semester physically at the university it has still been a great privilege. Like every other student, I found it a little difficult at the start, but once you adjust there is so much to do in the city and you can never be bored. The MSc Finance course has a variety of modules both in terms of applied and theoretical. The faculty has been great, the students and classmates have all been extremely helpful, but I would say it is the careers team and their guidance along with the reputation of the university that has enabled me to tick off nearly all my goals from the beginning of this year.
