Month: December 2017

Guest Post: From Varanasi to Lancaster

/ Sarah Steadman

MSc Management student, Anjani, shares with us her journey from Varanasi, India, to Lancaster, UK.

 

“We are pleased to inform that you have been selected for the Masters in Management programme at Lancaster University.” These words blurred in front of my eyes when I first read them. Excitement and joy took over. A small town Indian girl was now going to be a part of the top University, it was more than dream come true. I was sure that my struggles were finally over, but it is usually when we think that the struggles are over do they really begin. Amidst the excitement, I had missed a fundamental detail. The course commencement date. I had exactly 32 days when I noticed the tiny detail I had earlier missed and I was yet to apply for visa, arrange my funds and select accommodation for my self.

If I have learned anything from my life, that is to never give up. I wasn’t ready to give up, not just yet. Days passed by, and all I had accomplished was booking my accommodation. I was happy that I had accomplished one of the major tasks. But the pressure was building, with just 15 days in hand I had gotten the Visa appointment. If things went well, I’ll be carrying my visa in a week. However, the very same day my bank had deducted a large sum of money in order to fulfil one of the loan criteria. I was devastated when I found this out the next day. There was nothing I could do. I did not want to lose this precious opportunity, but what could I have done? I prayed to my stars, I hoped for the best. I am an atheist but I believe in Karma. I believe that if we work hard enough, if we don’t give up, we will get what we deserve. The 4th day, the visa came through and the preparations began.

This wasn’t the first time I was leaving my home, but this was the first time that I was leaving my country. More than anything, I was scared. The excitement that I had felt a few days ago, had now turned into fear and anxiety. Even my family was anxious, their little one was off to a country they knew nobody in. I come from a typical Punjabi family in India, my parents are over-possessive about me. But this entire time they were nothing but supportive. To be honest, I expected them to ask me to stay but they realised that I was finally emerging from my cocoon. They realised that it was time for me to fly and to make my own mistakes. Not a day has passed, when I don’t learn something new. I make mistakes, I fall down, but with every new day I get up again and strive to achieve my goals. Life rarely gives us second chances so I want to make the most, in this first attempt.

Guest Post: The Start of my MSc Management Journey

/ Sarah Steadman

Maariyah, MSc Management, reflects on her first term here at LUMS.

Receiving those life-changing words ‘…we are delighted to offer you a place on the MSc Management 2017 programme…’ was a truly unforgettable moment.

With my final law undergraduate summer exams and dissertation deadline fast approaching and the optimism that comes with a fresh start, it’s always daunting to experience a new beginning. But I had promised to bring my very best self to this programme and to say I’ve gained far more in return than I could have hoped is an understatement. The heart of this programme lies within the unique experience of growth and confidence to become the very best manager of you.

A pleasant surprise was learning that the course began in September, a month before most other courses. Welcome Week was a great start to the term because those initial nerves were gone in an instant during our Team Building Away Day in the Lake District! This gave us a better opportunity to get to know each other and we eased into what is usually a leap from undergraduate to postgraduate study. Starting earlier also meant the entire campus was ours to explore and long walks along the Woodland Trail gives us that well-needed refreshed mind-set during a full week of lectures.

The course structure of block teaching as a module per week is fascinating when you can aspire to be a marketing expert in one week and an entrepreneur in the next. Through the managerial perspective, all aspects of a business are explored during the year and what’s most rewarding is becoming an excellent well-rounded individual while staying true to your own core values. An exciting balance is created between the academics of becoming a future leader in the business world but also accessing the right tools and guidance to managing yourself to question what kind of leader you want to be. A year onwards it will definitely be inspiring to learn the diverse paths we’ve taken.

With diverse modules and a vibrant cohort to match, this time marks the end of our first Michaelmas term as Lancaster University’s MSc Management students. The Business Strategy Game was our final module this term and perseverance, teamwork and creativity were paramount while competing against each other to demonstrate our accumulated knowledge of all modules over the term. Although we work hard we also find time to celebrate those achievements and our end of term Christmas Meal at the Lancaster House Hotel was a night to remember with fabulous fashion, amazing food, humorous awards and a dance party to celebrate our successes and end on a high note as a farewell before Christmas!

From three years of law books to three months of managing my own strengths and weaknesses, it’s been a tough but rewarding process to see just how far I can challenge myself and overcome certain difficulties as a master’s student. Being a part of a world-ranked business school definitely has its unique challenges but the reward is far more than ever expected!