By Maria Klyavkova, MFA2025
One way LBS celebrates its multicultural community is through the formation of study groups, which are a crucial part of the educational journey for any LBS student. At the start of the academic year — and again after the winter break — you are assigned to a group of 6-7 people. These groups are carefully composed of individuals from different nationalities, each bringing diverse personal experiences. The idea is that everyone can contribute unique value, allowing group members to complement and learn from one another.
When I began my year at LBS, I knew very few people in London and felt a bit overwhelmed by everything going on, from job applications and classes to starting again from zero in a new city. LBS ensures that students are not left alone in this situation, prioritizing bonding experiences among study group members from day one. I vividly remember that one day in late August when we went on an away day just outside of London. During this event, we participated in various challenges with our group, and let me tell you, we had so much fun while getting to know one another.
When the first semester officially started, we gradually began working on different projects for every class. Thanks to the team-building activities during the away day, we already had a sense of our collaboration styles, which helped us unite as a team. We divided tasks for various projects but always made an effort to work together as much as possible, ensuring that everyone stayed on the same page.
Different people have different working preferences, but me and my first group genuinely enjoyed meeting in person to collaborate. We supported one another when someone felt lost, fell behind in studying, or needed help with personal matters unrelated to coursework. For example, I remember working on the Data Analytics project, where we met every day for a week to tackle the challenge together. We brainstormed how to approach the task, wrote the code in R, and helped each other learn the programme. Some members were more experienced in R than others, but they guided the rest of us with patience.
Over time, I feel like we developed a sense of belonging to something bigger than just a study group. We bonded outside of university, shared life experiences, and supported each other through various challenges. We even went for drinks and clubbing together. These shared moments transformed us into more than just classmates — we became friends, almost like a small family. I will always cherish the fact that we got to experience LBS together.
Now that the second semester has begun, I’ve met my second group — a new group of unique individuals I’m excited to get to know. We are still in the early stages of working together, just beginning to navigate our collaboration styles. It’s fascinating to see how we will adapt to one another and approach the second part of our LBS journey. This is the beauty of being part of a diverse group — every experience is enriching in its own way.