13.03.2023, Greselius-Gymnasium Bramsche
Back at School
Being about to finish my studies in Leisure and Tourism Management, I still remember all too well the crazy mixture of insecurity, curiosity, anxiety, and anticipation that I felt when I graduated from high school back in 2019.
What shall I do next? What am I passionate about? What are my options and where are my limits?
Questions like these kept buzzing through my head, as I realized that none of the job fairs, orientation workshops, or career advisors I consulted could take that decision about how my professional future should look like for me.
Thus, I was more than happy to accept my university’s offer to become a student ambassador whose job it is to visit high schools and to honestly and authentically share their experience with their studies at Stralsund University of Applied Sciences.
I prepared a presentation, introducing myself with insights into both, my personal background and my time in the university and city of Stralsund, and giving an overview over the LTM study program.
In doing so, I realized how manifold and dynamic the LTM studies actually are, given that many modules had changed, elective courses for specialization had been added, and alternative teaching formats had been developed, in order to stay at the pulse of time.
However, it was my clear wish to not bore students with facts and figures, but to take the opportunity to provide a different – hopefully more valuable – kind of study consultancy and advice:
I wanted to give my audience the opportunity to talk about everything that is related to taking up once studies (probably in a different city, abroad, in a language that is not your mother tongue). Thus, I devoted most of my time to an open exchange and discussion where everyone had the chance to raise questions about studying itself, student life, and life as a student.
What’s studying really like? Is it all that American college life you know from movies?
- How is studying at a university actually different than at school?
- How much liberties and leisure time do I really have as a student?
- How do group dynamics and team spirit at university differ from those at school?
- How is living with foreign people in a shared flat like?
- How do I manage my household, finances, and daily routine all on my own?
- How easy will it be to start off in a new town?
All in all, that project was a great experience for me. It made me reflect deeply about how far I actually have become on my professional journey, become aware of the crossroads, extra miles, and decisions I took that led me down that particular path, and crystalize and frame the reasons, circumstances, and motives which made me follow my way. And, last but not least, appreciate that there is another huge, non-academic learning process starting quite naturally when leaving your parent’s home, your friends, and hence comfort zone behind.