Choosing Bath for undergraduate study
I chose BSc Management at Bath because I liked how broad the course is. I didn't know exactly where I wanted to go in the longer term so I liked that the course would give me options. I could specialise in finance or economics if I wanted to, or more psychology or culture-based studies. I liked that I could tailor future unit choices towards what I found interesting the year before. Now, in my final year, it means that I'm studying all the units I want to and I'm really enjoying them.
A collaborative learning experience
I learn very well from listening, so going to lectures and hearing what academics have to say is helpful and engaging. They’ll often add in information that you might not get from reading presentation slides. The lectures are all recorded too, so you can go back and watch rather than reading a transcript.
In my first year, there were seminars for most of the units. That was helpful because it can be quite intimidating going into a lecture theatre with 300 people when the biggest class I had been in before was only 20-something. It’s nice that it gears you towards your final year where the classes are smaller. By then you're not shy to speak up.
The fact you can get to know your lecturer - you can walk in and ask how they’re doing - makes you feel more comfortable on the course too. The lecturer isn't someone who's miles away who I can't ask for help from. If I need it, help is just one email away.
Group work is a big part of university, especially in the School of Management. Historically, I thought I worked better alone. But it has definitely been beneficial to work in a group, especially when you see how much you can get done together. Some first year units are tailored towards group work so people don’t get left behind. I was glad to have a group because I could bounce ideas off them and check what I was doing was right. But the course is well balanced with individual assignments too.
Enjoying the student lifestyle
I honestly think Bath is the best-looking city in the world. I live near the Royal Crescent, so every time I come home from campus, I walk past it which is very cool. I'm from London, so there's a big difference in terms of safety and security too. I’m comfortable walking around Bath. It’s very clean and safe. It really feels like a tight-knit city.
I’ve played volleyball my whole life, so when I came to Bath, that was the first thing I wanted to look at. I don't think there are many universities in the UK that are so high-performing academically and also have such good sports facilities. I’ve played volleyball at Bath since I started my course and I'm involved in the team's committee too. It's been good to do it in conjunction with my studies because it's a great distraction from academic life. There’s also the social side as I get to hang out with the friends I’ve made through the sport. Volleyball has definitely been the space where I made most of my friends at university.
My placement at Shell
The best decision I ever made was to go on placement because it’s geared me towards real life outside of university. I was in the Information Management Strategy team at Shell and I loved it. Personally and professionally, it was the best year of my life.
Taking a year away from lectures and starting to apply what you've been learning at university really, really helps. It takes your focus away from the book side of things and you get an opportunity to apply that knowledge.
At Shell, they’re super heavy on personal development. It wasn't just them seeing what they could get out of me for their business, but seeing what they could do to help me develop as an individual too.
After a year on placement, where I've had to communicate with so many different stakeholders, I’ve had to learn to be organised. I've carried that with me into my final year and now I have a way of tracking all my work and keeping everything under control. I’ve definitely seen growth in myself and growth in my coursemates as well.
After graduating, I know I'm not going to be intimidated going into a corporate environment. I think everybody can feel confident when they're good at something. Because I’ve had a year to develop those skills and that confidence, I'm comfortable finishing university and finding a graduate job.