Skip to main content

Career aspirations and campus life: my undergraduate experience at Bath

Business student Federica talks about how she used her time at Bath to meet people, immerse herself in the city and decide where her career path would take her.

Federica at graduation in Bath
"I aspire to work in a role that gives people something to dream about."

Trying out two workplaces

I had two placements on my course. My first was in a startup and I struggled at first. I was young and I felt a little lonely, but it was a useful experience at the end of the day because it helped me figure out what career I wanted. I still grew personally and professionally because I took all the opportunities I could have in that environment.

I realised I don't like small environments, but at the same time, I learned that there's always a solution to everything because in a startup that's what you do.

For my second placement, I had the experience to make a more informed choice and I only applied to roles I was eager to contribute to. Motivation is a big factor when I choose what I'm going to devote my time to.

I did marketing, which I was passionate about. I had a wonderful manager that I'm still in touch with, and everything just went really well.

Finding support at Bath

The University has been the most supportive. I come from Italy, and Italian universities can take a week to reply to your emails. When I got here I was expecting a different standard, but Bath was even above my expectations.

My placement team was awesome. They helped a lot and they gave me extra support when I was struggling with some deadlines.

A person at the University that I would like to thank very much is my student experience officer. She was there at every step and made sure all my questions were answered. She was essential to the experience.

Being part of an artistic city

In my free time, I like to read. I like to write. I like to watch movies and review them. I'm a bit of an artsy type of person really.

Bath is great for artistic people. Everywhere you go, there is a beautiful writing spot. You feel like you could literally write a novel here and I bump into writers everywhere in Bath’s cafés. It's a very immersive environment.

My campus experience

Campus is a facilitator of encounters. On the Parade you bump into everyone. A lot of the time there are stands, and students doing their own research projects and things. You could get free cookies one day and then there's a composition of flowers the next. Every day is a new experience. You never know what's going to come out of it.

I've always felt very safe on campus. The general environment is always positive. People are buzzing, moving between classes and they're kind. If you ask someone for information, they're polite and it's really easy to make friends.
I made so many friends at random moments.

My advice to prospective students from Italy

Italian people are culturally very, very different to the English. Our ties with families are different, they're more intense. We tend to have more intense childhood friendships, so it can feel heartbreaking, after some time being here, not being able to see your friends and family as much. You've got to take that into account before you make this decision.

It's worth it to study in the UK for your own personal journey, but it's good to have a plan to fly back occasionally.

My future ambition

I came to the UK because I already knew what I wanted to do, which was to work in the entertainment business, doing something related to movies, TV or storytelling.

My professional ambition is to have a role in storytelling where I have a lot of human contact. I’m a big people person. I love talking to people and I like telling stories in any way, whether it's an advertisement, social media, or planning the success of a movie.

I aspire to work in a role that gives people something to dream about. Personally, I would like to keep that narrative going for myself and keep bringing magic into my daily life.

Bath is great for artistic people. Everywhere you go, there is a beautiful writing spot. You feel like you could write a novel here.
Federica BSc in Business (2024)

Study at Bath