Course: International Business
Level: Alumni 2011
Hometown: Opatija, Croatia
Other information: I came to Kingston straight from school. In my first year I got involved in a few sports societies: tennis and volleyball. In the second year I joined the Investment Society, and started to work as a part-time Business Information Systems Mentor and Library Assistant at Kingston Hill campus. More recently, I got involved in the Student Ambassador Scheme, which every day gives me an opportunity to learn, develop new skills and share the knowledge with others.
I chose Kingston because... as an international student I had to choose the university that best suited me based on its website. It was important for me to be able to find the relevant information quickly and easily. In fact, Kingston University's bubbly and modern website was easily accessible and informative. It provides virtual tours such as ‘the halls of residents view' and maps of the campuses, which allowed me to get an idea of the university, even before actually visiting it. I especially liked the location, as it's situated in Kingston, known as a safe, picturesque suburb town on the Thames, located near Richmond Park and just 25 minutes away by train from the busy central London.
I have got to where I am now.... as I have always been interested in traveling, meeting people from different backgrounds, discovering new places and learning about different cultures. This tremendous will to learn more about the life outside Croatia became so strong that I decided to obtain my higher education somewhere in Europe. I soon realized the numerous advantages of living in London, one of the major financial and cultural centres of the world. This was a big step for me as I moved away from my parents and home country to start a new life in London. However, I accepted the challenge and I was highly motivated to succeed. In these outstanding three years, I have had the chance to meet some amazing people with such remarkable life stories. Also I have learned a lot about different cultures and the importance of understanding these differences for my own personal conduct, as well as for my career aspirations.
My plans for the future are... I have a strong desire to continue challenging myself in a multicultural academic and professional environment, therefore, I have applied for a Masters in Management program in the prestigious ESCP Europe, Business School located in central London. This program consists of a mixture of lectures carried out in 3 different countries and internships in major multinational companies. I believe it offers plentiful opportunities and experiences that I need to further my personal and career development.
My favourite famous quote by Marliyn Monroe:
"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together".
I love travelling and discovering new places as well as learning about different cultures and developing an understanding of these differences. I find it pretty interesting how people and societies act sometimes, and I love getting the psychology behind it.
Also I like spending free time with my family and friends debating on different subjects and current affairs. I like watching intriguing movies with profound messages or reading books addressing taboo topics. I love playing various team sports and spending time outdoors. I particularly love having a view of the sea, enjoying sea activities and the summer breeze. I also love good food, so I enjoy cooking new tasty dishes!
International students sometimes find it hard to adjust to the English education system and culture. Meeting other people, who are in the same situation as you, can really make a difference! I feel I wouldn't be able to cope without the amazing people I met in these three years at the university. We formed an international family and we look after each other.
"I think that for any international or even home student who is moving to Kingston it is important to settle down approximately 2 weeks before the actual lectures start. I attended various international induction and enrolment events which helped me to literally start my life in England, e.g. advice on opening a bank account, joining a telephone company, understanding the transportation systems, finding out about the grocery shops, etc."
"Kingston University was my first choice, thus after submitting required documents through UCAS, I received a conditional offer. This basically meant that I had to disclose my grades from A-levels with the scores specified by Kingston University in order to be offered a place. I was extremely happy with this offer. The next step was then merely to obtain good grades at high school, and provide evidence of these results. Finally, I was offered a place at Kingston University.This link helped me at the time to understand different offers by universities on UCAS: http://www.ucas.com/students/offers/"
"It is important to write about your personal and career aspirations as well as about your determination and motivation to succeed."
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