By Vlad Oancea, GMiM2027
When I was deciding where to continue my studies after completing my undergrad in International Relations with Chinese at the LSE, one of the things that attracted me most to London Business School was its diverse community. I knew I would meet people from different backgrounds, industries and countries, but I didn’t realise just how quickly those connections would form.
A month into the GMiM and the biggest surprise has not been how international the community is but how quick it is to turn a new connection into a friend.
A New Conversation Every Day
One of the first things that stood out to me at LBS was how open everyone is to meet new people. Whether it’s before a lecture, at a networking event, during a club activity, or even during lecture breaks, I’ve found that everyone is genuinely curious and open about other’s experiences and eager to start a conversation. Coming in from a non-business background, I was definitely reassured to see how warm the environment is compared to how intimidating large business environments can sometimes appear.
As someone who stayed in London after my undergraduate degree, it has also been refreshing to experience the city through a completely different lens. Being in Baker Street has made me rediscover and fall in love with this area of London even more. Alongside the new people I meet every day, it’s almost like I’m experiencing my introduction to London for the first time!
Learning from My Study Team
Another major highlight has been my study team. There are six of us in total, representing six different nationalities. One of the reasons I chose LBS was the opportunity to learn from people with backgrounds and experiences completely different from my own, and that has become a reality much faster than I expected. We’ve already had two group assignments where our multicultural perspectives, different industries and educational backgrounds have already created value, opportunities to learn something new, and fond memories.
If I had to pick one standout memory alongside my study group, it would have to be Away Day. Even though we had a less than desirable welcome with the windy and rainy weather, having multiple collaborative and trust-building activities was a great opportunity to get to know my study group outside the classroom! One exercise, involving climbing and supporting the climbers by managing the rope system, brought everyone together and boosted our morale at the end of a long day.
Getting Involved Through Clubs
Outside the classroom, I’ve also enjoyed exploring the variety of clubs LBS has to offer. I joined the China Club and recently helped at the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration. One of the highlights was making mooncakes for the first time, which is something I had never done before! It was also great to see how different members of the LBS communities, not just graduate master students, like MBA and PhD students came to contribute and participate in the activities. Aside from China Club, I’ve also participated in speaker and employer events from the Consulting Club and the Marketing and Strategy Club. Attending these events was not only an amazing way to increase my own commercial knowledge, but to also meet fellow GMiM and LBS alumni and learn from their own journeys during and post-LBS!
What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting
If I could give one piece of advice to my pre-LBS self, it would be that making friends is much easier than you think. Before arriving, I assumed that building a completely new network completely different to the one I had made in my undergrad would take time. In reality, everyone is in the same situation looking to meet new people and help one another settle in. And after my first month and as the first batch of exams come closer, I’ve realised that the real challenge isn’t finding things to do but rather deciding which of the many exciting opportunities to say yes to.
If the first month is anything to go by, I’m excited to see what the rest of the year brings.