Business As Usual

Today my fellow BusEco PAL 2014 Ambassadors and I had our ninth, and also last, meeting with our seven first-year mentees. And guess what we had – a boring meeting where our mentees were interviewed about how they were doing? Nah! Instead, we were all chatting and eating lots of brownies, cupcakes, Kit Kats, Cadbury blocks, homemade cookies, green tea, cookies and candy! Each of us brought something to eat, and together we enjoyed the small farewell party. Of course, we will still be seeing each other around uni and hanging out together as friends. However after our last meeting today, the Peer Mentor Program has ended and we are no longer officially responsible for their transition into uni life.

I am very proud and happy to see how well my mentees are doing at Monash and I hope that our advice has been helpful. We’ve all become close friends and now they can enjoy their uni life to the max!

My mentees reminded me of my first year at uni. Everything was new, interesting and exciting! However, I felt nervous at the same time as the new environment was strange and there was so much to learn. Nevertheless, I went through all challenges and I had so much fun. Some of the most supportive people were my awesome friends and my amazing mentors, who I met during the Orientation Week. We’ve all become really close and some have proved to feel like family now.

The main reason my five closest friends and I became so close was through the Peer Mentor Program together. We were taken care of by three really nice mentors and we had opportunities to catch up every week. Our mentors gave us lots of good advice and encouragements for our studies and our social lives at Monash, making the program very meaningful!

Today was a very different and exciting day for me because I attended an Assessment Centre for a Commerce Graduate Program that I had applied for. This was very different to my usual Monday seminar at uni. At first I was a little bit nervous about what to expect from today’s assessments, but I was also very excited at the opportunity to attend this Assessment Centre and the opportunities it will provide me with.

The first part of today included a group assessment and we had to discuss a case study that was provided. In a group of six, we had to come to a conclusion based on the information that we had and we had an hour to choose one of the options that we were given. Every twenty minutes breaking news was given to us and we had to take this into consideration and re-evaluate our decisions. I found this exercise to be very similar to the case studies that I looked at in my tutorials and I was glad that I had done comparable group work during my degree, and that I was able to apply the knowledge that I had gained from these past experiences.

The second part of the Assessment Centre was an individual interview that lasted an hour and was based on competencies and technical abilities. I found this part to also be very interesting and I was able to apply knowledge that I had gained throughout my four years at uni. Now it’s just a matter of waiting to see what feedback I will receive from my performance at the Assessment Centre.

Whatever the outcome will be, today was a very beneficial and informative experience for me and I was able to learn a lot about what companies look for and what the future might hold for me after I finish my degree at the end of this semester :)

As many of you are well aware, Monash University is a sea of opportunity when it comes to campus clubs and societies. The best way to get the most out of your university experience is to immerse yourself into the unknown, meet new people and develop new networks and relationships. From the expansive force, which is the Monash Marketing Society to the future stars of Monash Health Science Society, there is most certainly a club for everyone.

So what do these clubs do for you? Well as a club member myself, we are all about making your university experience unique, moving away from the general attendance that makes up lectures and tutes, to more fun filled activities which incorporate the social opportunities that would otherwise be absent. From mid week barbeques, afternoon/morning teas, numerous balls and networking nights, club reps and members are working overtime to ensure that there is always something to tickle your fancy. Week 9 in itself has seen some fantastic initiatives such as the MHSS Afternoon Tea, which was able to donate a substantial amount in support of Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea. Congratulations to Courtney Wishart and her support crew for this fantastic achievement.

But like everything, it is you – THE STUDENT – who makes it all the worthwhile. You have the power to transform something little into something great. So help us to help you and get behind your society!

A wise man told me that university is a sea of opportunity; an institution that provides you with all the knowledge and necessary skills to become what you want to be. All University demands is a little bit of hard work and determination. Now that’s all well and good, but it’s week nine and the daunting feeling of those 40% assignments, not to mention exams around the corner, are making me feel like “a little bit of hard work and determination,” is not quite going to cut the monstrous effort of what I like to call the ‘final countdown’.

So as a third year student, you may think that I have it all down pat. A simple formula or elixir that keeps me ahead of the game and in the space I like to call “stress free,” when it comes down to crunch time.

Well, as I sit here at Monsu café, I recall my first few years of uni and the non-stress free environment I lived in and how I ended up building towards a healthy habit to prepare for the end of semester. My advice to all my fellow students is to look at organising how you are going to expend your time these last few weeks. Check to see what hours you will devote to finishing major assignments and the consistent build up that will make up exam revision. Little by little, help turn that frown into a smile, as it is always the little things that add up to make the biggest difference. Also, remember to have fun. Enjoy the last few weeks of semester and have frequent breaks or, ‘me-time’ to reset yourself.

Today was Commerce Scholars Day at Monash Caulfield – you might have noticed that Building H was flooded by around 200 eager students from 20 different secondary schools.

The high-flying students were invited to come along and participate in master classes and course information sessions run by the Business and Economics Faculty, giving us a chance to show off our faculty’s amazing resources and impress them with plentiful free food.

The PALs (student ambassadors), Tom (my fellow intern) and I had the chance to avail the students of our tertiary wisdom in the course information sessions, skilfully handling some quirky lines of questioning – such as likening internships to slave labour! (Hahaha, I certainly wouldn’t go that far!)….

Working as an intern is every student’s dream right? I mean, in that great big pool of talented graduates we all want a way to differentiate ourselves, and something like an internship is just the ticket. I am lucky enough to be interning here with the Marketing and Recruitment Group at Monash Caulfield for semester one. Let me tell you that apart from the resume bolstering this has been a great opportunity – not only to learn how to data merge letters, but to learn a lot about myself and meet some great people.

Although this afternoon consisted of the stock-standard intern duties, like preparing and alphabetizing name tags, every day so far has been different. I have also been surprised by the level of responsibility I have been given whilst interning here. It has given me a real insight into life after uni.

Wednesday. Wednesday means Mid Week Meat for me. MWM is the weekly BBQ that MONSU runs for students on the lawn.

Since we've got an event this week, MWM was accompanied by a few performing acts and a mechanical bull ride too! The environment had a very relaxed yet exciting vibe about it. As usual, I was the main cook for the BBQ, but I was glad to see the number of students wanting to participate and help out, so I gave them a few tasks to feel special.

After I helped cook the first batch of sausages, I had to go straight to my Investment Banking mid semester test. I was very nervous coming in to the test because of my lack of preparation. However, to my delight and relief, the questions that were asked were the questions I focused on. I guess I think like a lecturer.

After the test, I had a go at the mechanical bull to relieve my stress. Stress was definitely relieved since endorphins were rushing after that session. Furthermore, to keep the feel-good attitude, I did a little bit of exercise on the outdoor equipment between Building K and Building N. I really believe exercise key for a healthy and alert mind.

Today was a good day.

Tuesday is my fullest day in the week with the most classes packed into it. I tried to distribute classes evenly throughout the week, however Allocate wasn’t kind to me this semester.

Anyway, I am also a PASS leader for Microeconomics, which is fun, and some of my students had their mid semester test today. There were mixed feelings on how ready each student was feeling, however I had confidence in my teachings and reassured them that they will do well – like a mother duck letting her little ducks go over the hill and far away… Only more endearing, of course.

I also had a council meeting today for MONSU. It was very thorough and informative. You can really see behind the scenes of the parties, activities and services and see that there is a lot of planning and effort put into enhancing the student experience at uni.

Finally, my second in-class test for Personal Financial Planning was today. I have another mid semester test tomorrow for Investment Banking. It's all about prioritising study time and allocating time fairly between the two. Tip: Start studying early or have ongoing familiarisation – it’s very helpful!

Peace.

Another day off from uni, filled with studying, socialising and committee meetings. I decided that today would be my “unofficial catch up on assignments day’’. So after having my daily oats for breakfast, I drove to uni full of energy and hopefulness that today would be the day that I “broke the back” of my assignments.

Unfortunately, finding a park today proved to be a challenge, but my persistence eventually paid off (15 minutes later…). I then walked purposefully towards to the library with one thing on my mind: assignments! Thankfully I found a seat relatively quickly and started researching the effectiveness of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in facilitation international trade. This research legal memorandum is worth 30% of my total mark and is due next week. On top of this, I was also working on a 7,000 word research proposal for business law and taxation.

After spending some time researching I decided to take a break and catch up with one of my girlfriends. We then decided to study together and before I knew it I was required to attend and chair the Monash Entrepreneurs committee meeting. Key topics of discussion included cash management, sponsorship opportunities and upcoming event proposals. We also discussed the successes of the entrepreneurs event last week where the founder of Moshi Electronics spoke to the entrepreneurial community about his greatest successes and realisations.

After my committee meeting I decided to go shopping and relax. I then went home to continue working on my assignments.

Week six is renowned for mid semester tests, assignments, oral presentations and in class tests. Believe me, I would know! Thankfully this week is unlike any other week six I’ve experienced at university thus far. It must be a lucky last semester for me, because I have no assignments due or tests!

But just because the pressure cooker assignment frenzy isn’t on me just yet, doesn’t mean my units are not compelling me to keep up with my weekly readings and tutorial questions. This is a common university trap to fall into – taking your foot off the gas when the pressure isn’t on can lead to a car crash. It took me my whole first semester to realise that consistently reviewing course material is the secret to success.

Today I had no classes and worked from 9am till 5pm at Investors Direct Financial Group. I’m a client services officer there, focusing on customer service and lead generation. But the day wasn’t over at 5pm, I rushed to Monash Caulfield to attend an executive marketing committee meeting. Key topics of discussion included upcoming marketing industry events for the year, utilising social media and committee restructuring. I then had a well-deserved coffee with my girls. However, my break was short-lived as I rushed home to consolidate my weekly case law readings for international trade law. Overall, a busy but productive day!

I woke up this morning feeling very tired and nervous because I had an in-class essay assessment later in the day. I thought I had heard the last of one-hour essays in Year 12, but Human Resource Management is all about reading and writing. I actually have an 8am lecture for HRM, but there was no way I would attend today - thankfully it’s a recorded lecture!

Before my class, I decided to sit in the quiet section of Caulfield library to have a quick read through my textbook, academic articles and cheat sheet. That section of the library is abnormally quiet, which was good.

Time went by really quickly and soon it was show time! Unfortunately my essay didn’t go according to the elaborate plan I had originally written up. But I did finish on time and the feeling of relief was amazing.

Now time to move along to the three other assessment tasks I have coming up. One of my assignments is worth 40% of my total mark, so I’m definitely going to start early for that!

Today I was in for a surprise because one of my classes was cancelled! That meant I could go home early, but in uni when you miss one class, you have to do A LOT of work to catch up.

I have a lecture at 11 in the morning for Organisational Change and the tutorial straight after. The lecture is so exhausting because the lecturer talks very fast and he mentions a lot of key concepts.

I feel like I’m typing every single second of the hour without a break. At the end of the lecture I realised I typed roughly 3 pages of notes, which is usually the norm for Management subjects – lots of theories and concepts.

After the lecture my friends and I went to the tutorial. I love this class! It’s a two-hour tutorial, so it’s a long time to sit in one spot, but I have my friends to keep me entertained and we always do interactive activities. Last week we were required to make an object using leaves, sticks and anything else we could find from the Caulfield lawn. My group made a cat with a coffee cup we found.

In today’s class, we simulated a Change Consulting Case Study, where I got to be the manager of the “Design Engineering” division of a firm with various problems. Other students pretended to be consultants who come in and devise solutions for the company.

Tuesdays are my longest and probably most tiring day of the week this semester! It’s an early morning start for my Monetary Economics lecture at 9am. The traffic is always quite busy so I have to leave extra early. I'd normally park at the Synchrotron, but since I'm here till 6, it looks like I'm going for the all-day parking!

This morning’s lecture was stimulating but challenging to get my head around. Plus, all I could think about was my 10-page case study due this afternoon!

My next class is Financial Law. I really enjoy this class and the concepts are great. Afterwards, I raced to one of the computer rooms at Menzies to work on my case study assignment for Marketing. I’m not going to lie, sometimes I leave things to the last minute like a typical uni student.

Even though I’m stressing about my case study, I still made sure to not miss out on lunch. I love the cafes and places to eat at uni, so I grab something and continue on my case analysis. It takes me ages but I finally get it done!

I have my Monetary Eco tute next, then my three hour Marketing seminar where my case is due. This is one of the most draining times of the day - definately a case of 3.30-itis!

6pm rolls around and I'm finally done for the day.

Perks of being at uni: this is my only full day at uni for the week! Go fourth year!

I stayed home most of the weekend catching up on study because of my birthday last week (I didn’t get much done then!).

I don't have uni on Mondays, so today I worked at my part-time job in a café. I work long hours, open-close, but it allows me to earn a bit of money whilst still studying.

I'll admit, it’s hard maintaining a part-time job whilst also going to uni, but I find it gives me a good work-life balance. Time management is also a red hot go for me!

I love part time work – it’s both rewarding and social. The only bad thing is having to get up at 6.30am on a Monday morning after the weekend!

6pm finally comes around and I'm done for the day. Can't wait for uni tomorrow!

Finally here! After a horrendous flight with multiple delays I am finally in Brussels, and wow it’s cold. I arrived just after midday and took a train to my hotel where I met up with the rest of my team (some people came early and did some travel, but I’ve decided to travel after the conference). We had a few training sessions and then we headed out to dinner at an amazing Belgium waffle restaurant where they had both sweet and savoury waffles, which were absolutely amazing.

After dinner, we went to ‘Night Zero’, which is a social event held at a club in Brussels. There were over a thousand people from all four corners from the world and everyone was keen to hit it up so it was a really enjoyable night.

The next day was quite relaxing. We had a training session run by Harvard at an amazing venue and then ate some double-deep-fried Belgium chips for lunch. That night was the official opening ceremony and included keynote speakers, dancers and musical performers.

Now I’m just getting ready for dinner and another social event called ‘Global Village’ where delegations from various countries set up stalls to show off their national food and culture. It should be really fun! Hope all is well in the land of Aus.

Monash University is sending a delegation of 20 students to compete in the 2014 Harvard World Model UN and I’m lucky enough to be one of them. Monash has been assigned to represent the Republic of South Africa and I will be taking part in the World Bank Committee.

The conference runs for five days, and there are a whole bunch of social events planned for every night which should be great. Also, I’ve decided to stay in Europe for an extra week and meet up with a

friend in Amsterdam which I’m really excited about. However I can’t say that I’m looking forward to this 24 hour long trip from Melbourne to Brussels (stopping over at Abu Dhabi) or the 8 degree days in Brussels.

I will try my hardest to keep you all updated on how it goes!

The FMAA Corporate Cocktails was a really enjoyable and worthwhile night! I learnt a lot from the various firm representatives about their roles in their respective companies and also bits of advice that they could share with us as students. Unfortunately, due to the sheer volume of work I had going on, I didn’t end up attending the Institute of Chartered Accountants' Employment Evening.

Having said that, the workload for me has significantly increased in the past week. There’s been a greater focus on team work and group presentations this semester, more so than previous semesters. There are obvious challenges, like finding a suitable time and day to meet with other group members. But I’ve found that starting these types of assessment tasks early on and planning ahead means you will be on top of things (and that you won’t have to rush everything the night before!). I believe that the key to doing well at university is trying to stay on top of things and to always ask questions. It’s always better to ask if you’re unsure than remain silent.

Today was a relatively quiet day, with just a lecture and tutorial on investment banking. The lecture focused on mergers and acquisitions, which was new to me! So far, I'm enjoying the different content I’m learning in my four units - from M&As to issues like corporations in yesterday’s classes. It’s a good mix and so the content is never dull.

Today I had an 8.30 am lecture that was a bit of a struggle to wake up for! Early starts on a Monday morning can be difficult, but nothing a hot chocolate or coffee can’t fix. 

When I arrived at uni on Friday morning, I joined 200 other first year law students anxious to make it to the law basement before 9 am, as we had been told buses would leave at 9 am on the dot. Instead we were informed by our leaders - older law students – that we wouldn’t be leaving until 12 pm. From this, I gathered that by the end of my law degree I will be much more comfortable lying. On our way to Licola, where we would be spending the next two nights, we stopped in Traralgon to load up on supplies for the weekend: alcohol and Maccas. At this point I decided Law camp wouldn’t be like any of my school camps! 

After arriving in Licola and having dinner, we got ready for the first camp activity: trivia. This version of trivia involved opportunities for teams to earn extra points through activities like massaging the judges, which my team declined. If anyone thought this was the weirdest activity they would participate in during  law camp, they were proven wrong the next day, when the Beer Olympics were held. One event involved participants riding each other like horses, and feeding themselves and their horses… 

On Saturday night, the theme was ‘super’. Being enthusiastic Commerce students, my friends and I rejected the superhero angle and instead dressed up as ‘superannuation’, or our interpretation of it - tradies off a superannuation advertisement. 

Law camp was one crazy, tiring and incredibly fun weekend, and I’m looking forward to future Monash events if they’re anything like that!