Right off the bat, when I started researching universities to pursue a master’s degree I had zeroed in on Scotland as a general area to look at as a potential region. The list started with about seven universities within Scotland which was finally narrowed down to four options and the key denominator why University of Glasgow was my top choice was because of the scholarships provided. I am currently a recipient of the Adam Smith Business School India Scholarship and I can say for certain that the scholarship made an enormous difference in me saying yes to the university alongside the fact they had the perfect programme designed for my aspirations and ambitions. 

My time here in Glasgow even though it has been short since it is a one-year master’s programme, I can say I have definitely made the most of my time here, whether it was travelling and exploring or creating memories with friends I made in the short amount of time I have been here. Scotland was always an unexplored side of the UK for me and having had the opportunity to study here I made sure to explore as much as I could without sacrificing my studies and was able to do it all. Connectivity and infrastructure being so in comparison to my home country made travelling within Scotland a lot easier, and I have covered almost the entirety of the east, north-east and northern region of Scotland, where a good number of places were just day trips of hopping on the bus in the morning and making it back to Glasgow by nightfall. If I had to choose what makes Glasgow or even Scotland for that reason so lovely are on one side the people, who are just so nice and welcoming (albeit the Glaswegian accent takes a moment to sink in!).

As much as moving to a new country is daunting, the most important thing is to maintain an open mind and no matter how introverted you are, keeping an open mind makes it so much easier to adapt to life here. In my opinion, I would always say for people moving abroad to study in Glasgow, it would be a good idea to secure student accommodation, especially with a shared kitchen, or some sort of communal area, which gives you an opportunity to network with people. To be honest, this is how I initially met people in Glasgow and built my network of friends, it doesn’t matter if you are not part of the same course, sometimes they have friends who could be in your similar line of study and again helps widen your network. 

The Adam Smith Business School has a lot to offer when it comes to beyond studies, with the number of clubs and societies available in the University, there is something for everyone (my personal favourite is the F1 Society). The Adam Smith Business School also runs an award programme that gives students the chance to nurture development, community skills and planning your future; the award encompasses various activities you can partake in to build the three skills. I personally enjoyed the LinkedIn Learning subscription that came along with it which let me work towards a number of certifications and learn more beyond my classroom. 

The Business School also hosts a number of workshops, like the “Planning your dissertation” sessions which were particularly useful for me to get a head start on my dissertation and how to look at a research project, considering I was doing it for the first time. The various business/academic societies also provide an opportunity to attend educational workshops and seminars with industry experts and alumni to understand their experience and gain valuable industry knowledge. 

One of the biggest skills I have developed during my time at the University is my patience and research skills, especially when it came to reading articles, journal papers or studies to further understand my subjects and classes. A lot of my classes would also correlate scenarios we were taught in class to real-life case studies and how those cases shape the economy and financial markets today. Having that bridge from what is taught in class to reality and being able to connect the dots, helps me gauge the subject matter at a deeper level. 

At a high level, this entire experience of studying abroad has made me understand that stepping out of your shell can do you a lot of good, and if you keep a positive mindset and continue to encourage yourself during your studies, you will enjoy this and treasure the time spent, no matter how short.

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