By Filipe Rodrigues Pereira, MFA2025
High Hopes Before Arriving
I had high hopes before coming to London Business School. When I was finishing my degree back in Brussels, I often found myself daydreaming about how amazing my life would be once I arrived in London. I imagined spending my days on an incredible campus, surrounded by incredibly smart and kind people, and being taught by brilliant professors. The rumours of London being a lively and multi-cultural city further added to my high expectations.
First days at LBS
To be honest, I was completely right. My high expectations were met, and I fell in love on my very first day here. I arrived just in time for the “Orientation Day”, our first official day as LBS students. To be fair, I got there a little late and could only join my peers for the “after-event drinks,” which, as you can imagine, wasn’t a bad way to start at all. I didn’t know anyone before coming, but that wasn’t a problem. I was surrounded by more than 700 students from all over the world, all eager to make friends and build connections that would last forever.
Finding My Rhythm
Classes and on-campus events started soon after. New friendships were made, and we all had an incredible time. By the end of the week, the kind staff at The Volunteer, our beloved LBS pub, welcomed us back once again (If they ever IPO, I’m buying some shares). We spent some great evenings there, meeting new people, getting to know each other better, and having the kind of conversations that turn classmates into friends. As you can see in this picture of me and my roommates, LBS life started in the best way possible.
When Life Gets Busy
On a more serious note, life started to get complicated, as it usually does. The search for an internship began, and suddenly it was applications after applications, coffee chats, networking events, interviews, interview preparations, classes, and exams. I mean, you can’t dream about a fast-paced city like London and not expect this to happen once in a while. I guess it’s normal, and as young professionals like us, this is just the beginning. We’d better get used to it.
The People Made it Easier
Thankfully, we have great professors and staff who are always willing to help. I don’t even know where to begin. The classes were genuinely engaging, and the professors bring so much experience from their professional lives that they always have interesting stories or fun facts to share. And for those who know me, you’ll know I’m a big fan of fun facts.
Beyond that, I honestly didn’t know I was capable of absorbing so much knowledge in such a short amount of time. The things I’m learning are unbelievable, and as someone passionate about finance, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. That doesn’t happen often in life, the feeling that while you’re always striving for more, you’re now exactly where you want to be.
Surviving the Storm
Stormy and busy times always come to an end, and the first term exams naturally did as well. It was a chaotic period, but with the support of professors and peers, it all worked out well. And to properly close the year, as soon as our last exam was over, we had the official LBS Winter Party at The Marylebone. We even had the pleasure of being joined by some amazing professors, like Professor Kostis Christodoulou, whom you can see in this picture.
It was the perfect way to wrap up the term, celebrating with friends, professors, and the LBS community, and exchange warm wishes for safe travels and a Merry Christmas.
Last Reflections
So, that was it. That was my first trimester as an LBS student. To be honest, I still can’t believe I’m writing an end-of-term reflections blog. Time has flown by, and it feels like just yesterday I arrived (very late) for my first day of classes. I can’t believe how quickly time has passed.
I’m incredibly grateful for the past term, and for all the incredible people I have met. To all prospective students reading this, I hope you enjoyed reading my story and feel free to reach out anytime via email or LinkedIn, I’m always happy to help.