By Barbaara Krylova
If there is one thing that illustrates how my first term at LBS went, it’s this: I was actually eager to return from my Christmas break and get on with the studies. This usually never happens; I am quite happy to relax at home with my family and shut off my brain for as long as possible. However, with LBS there was so much to get back to, that I was genuinely jumping with excitement when I was walking to my lectures.
The main reason behind this is the people that I got to know during the first term, they are without a doubt the biggest highlight of the programme for me. I was surprised by how, in such a short time, I connected with the most open, talented and driven people who, within a matter of days, felt like old friends. And it was not just within my GMiM programme, but spanning the whole MiM, MFA, MAM and even the MBAs. I would start writing names here but there are just too many incredible people around me, and I would go far over the word limit, but I am sure that they too feel like LBS is their second home.
The term definitely wasn’t easy; it felt intense, fast-paced and overwhelming at times, but it was also full of fun and memorable moments that brought me closer to the people around me. For example, during a GMiM touchpoint designed to bring us closer as a cohort, we were split into teams and tasked with building a functioning “pipeline” out of sticks, pipes and tape that had to pass strength tests. It was not something I ever imagined doing on a Friday morning, but fuelled by coffee and the GMiM team’s energy, we laughed our way through it and somehow made it work (and my team won!).
Outside the classroom, LBS has already exposed me to experiences I never expected to have this early in my career. On a random evening, I attended a talk on ‘Leadership with Purpose’ by Halla Tómasdóttir, President of Iceland (what?!). The conversation was incredibly insightful and touched on topics that felt very personal to me. Only at LBS could an evening after class involve listening to a head of state speak and then discussing it with friends over dinner.
Even the smaller moments have stood out. In our Chinese class we celebrated by eating mooncakes together, which were delicious and turned a regular lesson into a cultural experience. And as an ambassador, I’ve had the chance to meet prospective students applying to LBS. Hearing their stories, answering their questions and watching the future cohorts of the MiMs and GMiMs take shape has been genuinely inspiring. It reminded me how special this community is, and how quickly you go from being an applicant to helping welcome the next generation in.
And yes, some days, after six hours of lectures, two meetings and some socials in between, the question “so, now to the pub?” would send an error message to my brain. But that is the beauty of it. These four months flew by in a blink, and yet I feel like I lived through at least a year of emotions and experiences, which makes you bond much quicker with your cohort. I already know that I will be sobbing at graduation because being here, part of this community, is a dream come true.
A big reason why it has been such a positive experience rather than a draining one, despite the programme intensity, is the amount of support I’ve received from both the faculty and my peers. It shows up everywhere: classmates sharing notes without being asked, our Management Accounting professor sending interview materials even after the course ended, and the programme team running drop-ins just to check in. It’s Caroline Mayo at the Career Centre taking my call that began with, “I’m overwhelmed,” and calmly helping me turn uncertainty into a plan. That kind of readiness to listen and help is what makes the intensity feel manageable and genuinely rewarding.
“I think that’s my biggest takeaway from Term 1”
LBS challenges you, but it doesn’t leave you to figure it out alone. Between the people you meet, the opportunities that somehow become “normal,” and the support that shows up exactly when you need it, you start to realise you’re not just getting through the term, you’re growing through it.
If Term 1 is any indication, the rest of the year will be intense, unpredictable, and full of moments I’ll carry with me long after the programme ends, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.