Business As Usual

Last night I attended the annual Monash Marketing Students Society ball at the Brighton International. This is my favourite event of the year – going to a ball! Over the years, I’ve been to a few balls, and most large student societies have one once a year, so there are plenty to choose from.

What does one do at balls, you ask? Just like a formal, there’s dressing up, a three-course meal, a fun night out with friends and lots of photos (so many selfies!). There’s even an after party if you want to keep on enjoying the night.

Definitely put this one on your to-do list! The uni experience wouldn’t be as enjoyable without a ball.

In my time at Monash, I've had the opportunity to involve myself in lots of extra-curricular activities on campus and off.

The most enjoyable one was travelling to Europe for three weeks as part of an Accounting/Finance unit during last summer. Unfortunately it was winter in Europe so we had to bring all our big coats, but it was the greatest experience of my life - the different cultures, food and attractions were amazing! We travelled to Italy (Rome, Prato), Switzerland (Lucerne, Basel and Mt Titlis), France (Paris), the Netherlands (Amsterdam) and the UK (London). In these cities, we visited a number of financial and accounting organisations, such as the World Bank, OECD and the Food and Agriculture Organisation. We learnt about their roles for finance students and about international finance.

I would really recommend travelling and studying abroad if you ever get the chance. You can visit some beautiful places while studying, and Monash Abroad even has scholarships for those who study overseas.

Another fantastic opportunity to learn and improve yourself as a leader is with the Business School PAL Program which includes the Ambassador and Leaders Programs. These Programs offer seminars and activities to build on your team and leadership skills, and it's a great way to meet like-minded friends!

Lastly, something I'm sure a lot of people are already thinking of in terms of starting their career and getting a good job: the industry based learning (IBL) program. The IBL Program allows students to work as an intern with a company to gain valuable experience in their selected field. It also counts towards one or two units of your degree. I am currently doing the IBL program with Monash Oakleigh Legal Service in the Small Business Advisory Practice division. My supervisor and team are looking at the logistics involved in opening up this new practice, as well as improving and finishing the business plan. It's very interesting and allows me to see what working at a real company is like.

There are also heaps of student clubs that you can join as a general or committee member. They’re a great way to meet friends and have fun, as there are many social and academic activities each year.

My final piece of advice - seize all and any opportunities that come your way as you will really value the things you've experienced later on. Have no regrets!

Week 9 is here already, which means there’s just one week of classes and assignments before the mid-semester break. I'm sure most students have some exciting plans after 9 weeks of studying! This week, I have a group presentation and some IBL (industry based learning) work to finish - there is usually always some work due just before the break. Then it's off to the Monash Marketing Society Ball on Thursday evening for a night of dressing up and fine dining. Of course I'm looking forward to dressing up the most!

Now that the warm weather has begun and the end of the year is close (I can’t believe it’s September already! It was only January just yesterday..), I’ve started thinking about my plans for summer. Being in my fourth year at uni, this is probably one of my last big breaks before starting full-time work, so I want to make the most of it. Who’s up for some of those crazy milkshakes?! Maybe I’ll start a bucket list of things I want to do before the summer ends…

Hello! My name is Joy and I'm currently in my fourth year studying a Bachelor of Biomedical Science and Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Finance. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do after uni so this degree was perfect for me, as it keeps my options open in the fields I'm interested in.

In my time at uni, I've been involved in student clubs as well as Monash Business School opportunities, such as AIESEC Monash, and the Ambassador Program and Leaders Program. Out of uni, I work part-time, keep active and I just love to sing and socialise!