By Siqi Jia, MIFFT 2026
It’s only been a month since I started the Masters in Finance, but already, it feels like the early stages of a journey packed with change and discovery. Moving from full-time professional employment back into student life has been a big adjustment full of excitements and challenges. Along the way, I’ve picked up a few lessons that are already shaping how I see the programme, myself, and what lies ahead.
Lesson 1: Step out of your comfort zone
Before joining London Business School, I was working as an Assistant Manager in the Valuation and Modelling team at Deloitte. To become a student again, it meant forfeiting the stability that full-time work offers, stepping away from my comfort zone to learn new concepts, and build connections with classmates from diverse backgrounds worldwide.
What gave me confidence was the support I received even before starting. I reached out with endless questions about the application, student life, and post programme opportunities to the Recruitment and Admissions Team (mif@london.edu), Student Ambassadors, and Alumni. Every response I received was warm and helpful. That was my first taste of the LBS community: wherever you turn, there’s someone ready to support you, and that sense of belonging gave me the courage to take the leap.
Lesson 2: Growth happens with others
That feeling only grew stronger once the programme began. Before Orientation Week, I was paired with my buddy, Yaiwei, a MiF student a year ahead of me. We met for coffee and food, and she generously shared her experiences including favourite classes, the friends she’d made, and the growth she’d gone through. Hearing her stories made everything feel more real. I started to feel genuinely excited about what was ahead.
Orientation Week itself was a whirlwind of faculty talks, meeting classmates, exploring campus resources, and an Away Day filled with team challenges. My highlight was the high-ropes course. I’m terrified of heights and never thought I could climb and balance that high up. But with my teammates cheering me on, I found the courage to push through. It reminded me that with the support of others, things that once felt impossible can suddenly become possible.
Lesson 3: Embrace different perspectives
That same spirit carries into the classroom. Being a student again is amazing, but also intense. On the MiF programme, you’re surrounded by people with professional experience across every corner of finance: fixed-income strategists from Asia, investment bankers from South America, equity sales specialists from Europe, private market analysts from the Middle East, you name it.
Classes are fast paced, with assignments coming quickly. Some are individual, others are group projects. What I enjoy most is how practical the learning is. For example, one of our projects is to design an investment arbitrage strategy. None of us had direct work experience in the exact area, but that’s the beauty of it: people from completely different backgrounds sit together, think creatively, and find solutions by bringing their own perspectives to the table. That mix of ideas is what makes the learning so valuable.
Lesson 4: You can’t do everything and that’s okay
Outside the classroom, life at LBS is just as full. Every day there’s something happening, career development workshops, club events, or casual drinks with classmates. At first, I felt I had to do it all. But one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that you can’t be everywhere and do everything, and that’s okay! Choosing what matters most to you is part of the journey, and it helps you stay focused on your own goals.
Keep learning, keep growing
If I could give one piece of advice to incoming MiF students, it would be this: be yourself, and don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. Say yes to new challenges but also give yourself space to grow. Your MiF journey isn’t only about finance and careers, it is also about discovering who you are, what you want, and how far you can go when you never stop learning!