Warwick Advantage

Old glories from my undergraduate days, originally published here on Warwick Advantage website, the most brilliant platform offering holistic career and personal development information, resources and opportunities for students that I have ever seen, after comparing across different universities in this country.

Michelle Ou – Philosophy, Politics and Economics

When I first arrived I couldn’t mix with the home students because of the culture difference and I knew nothing about the topics they were talking about. At college, the academic experience was very different from China. It took me a while to get used to a class size of 10 instead of 50 and to participate in discussions fluently.

I was eager to practise my English and learn more about British culture, so during my first week I found a volunteering job at a charity shop where I worked for the next two years, achieving the 200 Hours Millennium Volunteers Award. At A2, I volunteered to be a Charity Representative and coordinated a team of four to fundraise for two worthy causes. Our efforts resulted in over 10,000 Pounds raised, exceeding our annual target of 2,000 Pounds. I was then appointed the Marketing Officer for our Young Enterprise and initiated ideas of making handmade jewellery by recycling materials as well as photo frames with artistic prints, both of which were popular in the local trade fair. I also mentored a little Chinese girl, helping her to build up confidence and support her academically.

This year I worked as one of six Freshers Supervisors at the Students’ Union to manage a team of 150 student helpers to ensure the smooth running of the Freshers’ Fortnight events. It was hard work and I’m so glad I threw myself into such a challenging environment, representing an international perspective, working with home students and staff of the Students’ Union on a daily basis, which significantly boosted my confidence.

I have done various part-time jobs and my passion for volunteering continues, working as a volunteer interpreter for the local refugee centre. I organized a China Day cultural event for the local community, presenting them the latest image of China. I’ve also travelled in Europe – the 2 levels of French I completed within 1 year helped enormously when I visited Paris recently.

Now five years on, I’m actively applying for jobs in China and HR managers have shown great interest in my CV as the wide range of experiences I have had made me stand out from the crowd. Studying in the UK is not just about academic work, moreover, it’s a unique opening to a world of opportunities of networking, getting involved and self-development. I’ve never regretted my decision to come here.

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