Throughout the three years of being an undergraduate student at Alliance MBS, I was rewarded with thrilling moments every step of the way. I was almost tempted to write a book - but common sense and numerous deadlines stopped me for the time being! I've decided to share one of such brilliant experiences with all of you.
Looking back to the first year of my degree, the most memorable part was my second semester exam preparation. Probably some of you still shiver at the sound of 'Past Papers', yet I might convince you otherwise. Let me tell you the story. Imagine yourself waking up to the sound of hummingbirds and warmly shining beams of sunlight. It is 8 am and you feel quite refreshed after yesterday's night stroll with your roommate (you usually meet at dawn in the nearby park and then get a couple of milkshakes from Wendy's as a real treat). Getting ready seems exciting as you are still intrigued about where you are going to study today (you take turns choosing random coffee shops around Manchester, making every day unique). All you really need is your laptop, vitamins, and a water bottle which is a must to keep your brain working. In an hour you meet your friend on Oxford Road near the Takk cafe (a must for all of you coffee and cake lovers out there).
The cafe looks like building blocks stacked on one another, yet the inside completely blows your mind. You are about to spend the whole day working through past papers in the cosiest yet incredibly lively place. The day flies smoothly as you search for a solution together with a friend, cracking jokes in between the short chats, having another cup of beetroot latte (tastes amazing), and trying out the best paninis from the downstairs street market. When the clock strikes 7 pm you and your friend can be fully satisfied with a productive day.
You might pop into ASDA for camembert and raspberry jam to treat yourselves while chilling out and watching a comedy later on. A night walk finishes up a brilliant day. Making these slight changes to my routine was a true revelation - and more so, I aced all the exams, getting first in every course. How amazing is this! The moral of the story is - do try to step out, by doing the same things a bit differently.
Yet the core lesson is to be able to find the excitement even in the moments that do not seem lit at all. The current lockdown situation fits perfectly with this - I believe we all got a taste of it in one way or the other. However, my days look even brighter if I might say so. Throughout the past couple of months, I have experimented with an enormous amount of cuisines with my flatmate, and finally, I can pick and choose what to cook for dinner practically without looking (making my mom relieved at last).
Movie nights, online chats with friends, therapeutic drawing, yoga, and visiting virtual exhibitions around Grand Canyon - I tried it all, yet the best thing is still time with myself. Rushing past life is the worst crime we tend to commit. Valuing personal time - getting to know what you like, value, what and who motivates you, these are just a few topics you can ponder upon. Another exciting idea is to come up with a personal bucket list and actually explore it, bit by bit. And most importantly, still being in Manchester, I feel so blessed. Every single time I walk down Oxford Road after grocery shopping - my mind bursts with memories. This path became so common and mundane even that I never got to truly appreciate the moment in time when so many brilliant people entered my life and changed it in the best way possible.
For all of you, future undergraduates, I simply wish you to take time, every day, and actually enjoy the process, making every step exciting. It will all be worth it, believe me - I know now.
