Here I am, writing my blog from my home country and thinking about the last mouths of my university experience that awaits me. It was challenging to move to a different country without knowing what to expect. However, University of Westminster made my life so much easier from the fist days of joining its community.

More Than Classes: New World Around You

During my first year of studying, I lived in a university’s accommodation. And it was the best decision to make. I met the community of people from different countries and cultures, with different background and story. Nevertheless, we got along really quickly. We explored London together and I even visited my friend’s home cities and countries! I joined a few of the university activities that helped me to get to know people from my department.

Contemporary universities are heterogeneous institutions, housing a wide variety of student and staff who differ in several ways: ethnicity and religious backgrounds, physical and intellectual development, and level of talent.

As a result, diversity becomes the centrepiece of campus life. One key tactic for its organizational development is inclusion. Using the competence of teachers, staff, and students from various, heterogeneous groups is essential to guiding for diversity. Moreover, it is important to make their individual potentials known to best implement them for the organization’s advantage (Greenberg J., 2003).

Get Ahead: The Power of University Activities

Many students claim that the purpose of their attendance at the university is education, not socialising or clubbing. As a result, they get more free time but they also lose out on an extensive portion of their college experience. However, there are a number of benefits to all university activities.

• Making new friends with professors and peers that you would have never met if it weren’t for your study.
• Development in your field of study. Getting more experience and knowledge from students could be a good way to learn something from a different point of view.
• University events: competitions, field trips, travels, and conferences with experts that you might not be able to attend if you study alone.
• New perceptions, the upgrade of communications skills, and cooperation.

Lessons Learned, Memories Made

Studying Marketing Communication at the university I got to explore even more than just marketing. During my second year I had a chance to choose a module to learn programming. I was worried that I won’t do well, however, my professor and my classmates helped me a lot. Furthermore, after I completed the module, the university offered a new programming course by its partner organisation. I have learnt how to code in MySQL. To be honest, It was extremely difficult and I did not to well in the final project. Nonetheless, this experience helped me to understand that this is not the industry I want to connect my life with.

But I will tell you what experience did help me to find what I want. This story happened during my third year. Our professor told us about the competition the DMA Award that takes place every year. I was sceptical about it. After all, this is my final year, and the amount of work is enormous. But I decided to try anyway. Long story short: the experience and feedback that I got from the competition helped me increase my grades, find the sector I want to work in, and meet enthusiastic and amazing people.

It is important that you pick your extracurricular activities carefully. Seek a route you genuinely enjoy because leaving a team suddenly can fail to satisfy the group. All at once, avoid multitasking as it will leave you with insufficient time for all activities, including studying. Make thoughtful, responsible decisions so that you get the most out of your time at university and experience more positive feelings than stress.

References:

Greenberg, J. (2003). Diversity, the university, and the world outside. Colum. L. Rev., 103, 1610.

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A few words to start…

As a global citizen, I am aware of our responsibility to protect the planet and its resources for future generations. I do not think it is solely an ethical obligation but also a growth factor for the economy, social progress, and innovation. Interestingly, a study by the Shakespeare Matineau Institute in 2022 revealed that 79% of individuals consider the level of sustainable development of a university before applying to it. I am therefore delighted to share my experience of sustainability at the University of Westminster, my ideas to further promote sustainability, and my professional future incorporating environmentally friendly institutions.

My Personal Experience

One of the sustainability goals I have actively contributed to during my time at university was the “Sustainable Travel” pledge, which aims to encourage all students as well as staff to reduce the university’s carbon footprint associated with travel. In fact, every time I went to university, I made sure to either walk or cycle. This has not only been a great way to reduce CO2-related emissions but also to stay active, which has been very beneficial for my physical and mental health.

What also caught my attention were the numerous vegan and vegetarian food options at the university. Thanks to the options available, I managed to stick to vegetarian alternatives during the week and allowed myself meat and fish during the weekends. Also, for the third year in a row, the four campuses of the university’s catering service won the “Green Kitchen Standard Award.” This award is accredited by the soil association and is rewarded for institutions that provide food that will reduce the environmental impact. They actively promote ” healthy, humane and sustainable food, farming and land use” (University of Westminster, 2022)

A further initiative taken by the university was introducing a Sustainability Month in October. During this month, a series of events and activities were held with the aim of promoting sustainability and environmentally friendly behaviours. Events ranged from “free bicycle checks” as a way of encouraging the use of non-motorised transportation, to insightful lectures on adopting sustainable behaviours. This initiative is part of the University’s wider mission of contributing towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals, once again revealing its commitment to promoting environmental sustainability on a large scale.

Finding Inspiration in a Relatable Quote…

This is one of my favourite quotes, which I believe resonates with lots of individuals.

To me, it highlights the importance of individual actions as a way of fostering sustainability and serves as a call to action which inspires to take responsibility. Every small step taken by an individual is a step that, in the end, has a significant positive impact on the environment.

What else could the University be doing?

The “Small Steps” Approach

Encouraging all members of the University to work towards a sustainable future is essential. The more is being done by each individual, the grater the outcome will be. I believe that through a “small steps approach”, the university will be more efficient in achieving its sustainability goals.

Some of my Ideas…

From Westminster towards a Sustainable internship

My time at Westminster has also inspired me to pursue an internship at a brand that is highly engaged in sustainable practises. The brand is called Panerai and is known for its wide range of luxury sports watches. As the first watches of the leading brand were produced for the Italian Navy, the strong connection with the sea has been growing ever since. This is why Panerai has established valuable partnerships to advance sustainable practises and conserve the ocean and its wildlife. You can press here to find out more about these heartening partnerships. I am more than glad to have found an opportunity where I can apply and develop my marketing communications know-how while being part of a brand that fosters sustainability through its internal and external operations. I believe that the University of Westminster is a source of inspiration for all students to incorporate companies in their career paths that actively support and engage in environmentally friendly practises.

A final note….

LET’S TAKE CARE OF OUR PRECIOUS PLANET !

It has been inspiring to see the University foster as many sustainability initiatives and actively promote and work towards sustainability goals. I feel very proud to be a member of a community which cares about working towards a greener future. I am sure we can all inspire our friends and family to join the mission of making the planet a greener and more sustainable place!

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