Right before exam session I had my first Placement Interview. I will never forget the date and time: 14th January, 08:35. I was in Swindon, which is almost two hours away from Birmingham.
I had to leave home at four o'clock in the night, go to the library to print some interview information and then I caught my train at five. It was such a long journey. I had one change in the middle of nowhere kind of town and in half past seven I was in Swindon.
As you can imagine, knowing my travelling experience, I got lost. Evidently there were two exits in the train station, I took the North Exit, while I should have taken the South one. I ended up walking like a madman for an hour and a half until I found the long craved interview place.
The interview was a part of a whole assessment day which started sharp at nine. First, there was a welcome presentation and a word from the current interns. Since there had already been one in Aston, there was no news for me there. The second task was a group project. We were supposed to prepare a presentation about a company suffering from operations problems. After delivering the presentation there was a tour around the building and lunch. Then the serious part started.
The third very important task was after lunch. I was told in my acceptance letter that I would need to prepare a presentation on the company with strategies of dealing with their top five customers. I had already done quite a bit of research the previous day and was quite prepared. I have to say, though, the four applicant that were in my room were very not prepared. We we delivering our presentation in front of a five-person jury. Straight after the presentation came the interview.
The interview seemed very relaxed and friendly; notice the word "seemed" I am using. In the end of the day you never know what is going on in the interviewer's head. So, there were four main topics they asked me on:
- Have I in any time of my life had to influence some one (or group) and how did I do it?
- When have I faced a task that I was not prepared for and how did I face the challenge?
- When have I ever processed data and how did I do it?
- Questions on my CV.
Everything seemed to be over in a glimpse of an eye and I was back in the presentation room where the assessment day took off in the morning.
Before it I was back on the train on my way to Birmingham. I am still waiting for the answer, so hold your thumbs up!
To be continued...
Monday, 26 January 2009
Friday, 23 January 2009
Everyone is talking about...
This is the new weekly topic I am adding to the blog. There are so many events in Aston that I have not told you of through the past nine months; this is a way of me not skipping any juicy events.
The AU Ball - the Aston athletic union ball is going to hit the university on Saturday. My flatmate Kara, and probably every female athlete in Aston, has been preparing her dress for months now. The AU ball is going to be an event no one wants to miss out on. /Invitations for the Aston athletes only!/
The AU Ball - the Aston athletic union ball is going to hit the university on Saturday. My flatmate Kara, and probably every female athlete in Aston, has been preparing her dress for months now. The AU ball is going to be an event no one wants to miss out on. /Invitations for the Aston athletes only!/
Thursday, 22 January 2009
''2 mln new jobs by 2017''
Here is an article I read today that concerns most of us:
Students and graduates worried about their future careers will be buoyed by the news two million jobs will be created over the next 10 years.
A report by UK Commission for Employment and Skill claims there will be 1.8 million new jobs in business, education and other services such as computing by 2017.
Education roles will account for 500,000 jobs and 1.3 million will be in business and other services while another 200,000 will be in other industries.
These will add to the 11.5 million jobs already available, taking the total number of paid positions to 13.5 million.
Skills Secretary John Denham said: "We must not lose sight of the future needs of our economy and do all we can to help people get the secure career jobs they want and need in the industries where growth will be the strongest in the coming years."
Milkround News, 19 January 2009
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
02:26 This is the last, 24th post of my sequence. I hope you had fun tracing the day with me, and learned to always try to plan ahead! I will share the productivity level of my sleepless nights (meaning the results) when they come out in a few months. --last exam from exam session to come in 11 hours and 34 minutes --
*rest and a week of losing time to come in 13 hours and 40 minutes*
(God I love Countdowns!)
*rest and a week of losing time to come in 13 hours and 40 minutes*
(God I love Countdowns!)
01:26 Not worried about exam any more. In the end of the day I am trying to do my best and this is most important. Am I showing my best? Probably not. Have I done all I could to reach best knowledge? Probably not. Yet, in the end of the day I am certain that I have worried and tried and did all I could do for the time I have had. Would I trade any of the time I had in Bulgaria with my friends and family and Ania's farewell week for a higher mark? No. --12hrs, 34min--
00:26 Started revising. I had forgotten how much one needs to read to be able to pass history - my Emerging Economies Exam tomorrow. I was dumbfounded when I found out how many people have failed this module in the past three years. Now I understand - you cannot truly prepare; there is no single set of things you can revise; lecture notes are just not enough; and even if you read all the articles we have had to read through the term (I pride on reading almost half) and you memorize the lectures, as long as you cannot analyse your readings you cannot pass. This is a problem, after so many sleepless nights my analytical skills are probably weaker than ever; so, I have decided to go to bed at 02:30, right after my last post and wake up at 7 to continue. Surely almost 5 hours sleep will do me good. [+ (you have to be so concentrated to understand these articles and when you're tired it's impossible) + (the exam starts at two so I have half a day tomorrow just for revision)] -- 13 hours, 34 minutes till exam --
Monday, 19 January 2009
22:26 Well, I will be honest with you, I have not done much :D till now! will start though, will start! - this is a proof of my library theory (although I am not in the library it is applicable), remember one of my previous posts about the library and how everyone there are on facebook and youtube! Well, you don't have to be in the library to waste your time when revising! -- exam in 15 hours and 34 minutes!--
21:26 Just had a fag and a tea, will make myself one more and the revision night may start - this one will continue till 2 in the afternoon tomorrow but unfortunately my experiment will end before that... you will hear the results later and see if this policy is a good one or a bad and if there is a point f my exam tips! --16 hours and 34 minutes until next exam--
13:26 Have you ever heard of the different stages you pass when you find out you are going to die from cancer, for example. I remember there's regret and acceptance in the end, of course after you have passed bargaining and sorrow. Well, right now I am on the bargaining stage - please let a fire burn the exam papers, nothing else just the econometrics exam papers, just postpone it a couple of days! On the other hand I am also realising this is not really going to happen so I am just regretting not studying when I should have! --exam in half an hour--
05:26 I am still revising, finished all open questions, will be starting multiple choice. In the one hour that has passed I managed to have a tea and two cigarettes, one right after my last post and one just before this one. Had to brush teeth (When you drink coffee and black tea in a combination with cigarettes in the middle of the night you can actually feel the nicotine on your teeth! Yes, I know it is quite disgusting!) Decided to stop smoking after exams. Made plans for econometrics revision - later tonight. -- 4 hours till exam --
04:26 The revision continues, since it is night productivity is low, for the past hour the inconsiderate student has done only 2 questions and a half, productivity on the exam has to be almost twice as good, 4 questions for one hour! Since productivity at night is slow (and getting slower) one needs to, spend much longer and most probably see the dawn! --exam to start in 5 hours--
03:26 I am sitting in my room, "revising", this has been quite a common situation in the past week - last minute revision. It happened on Wednesday and Thursday an through the weekend! so for the record - MICROECONOMICS AND ECONOMETRICS REVISION (last minute of course) -- exam to start in 6 hours --
The Experiment!
Remember those tips I gave you last week?
Well, it seems that even I cannot follow them! So, we come to "The Experiment!"; this is my way of giving you a tip through experience. Before I wrote last week's post I was "revising". I was revising so hard! ...in the clubs in Bulgaria (Do you know how hard it is to concentrate while there is loud music?), in the clubs in Birmingham (Seriously, it is hard!), in the pubs in Dublin (Guinness does not help!), and then again in Birmingham! To come to the point, I have had an amazing winter holiday, there was just one thing missing - revision!
The countdown will start, and experiment in which I will record an hour (when possible) of my day, and believe me it is going to be a long "day". Here we go!
Well, it seems that even I cannot follow them! So, we come to "The Experiment!"; this is my way of giving you a tip through experience. Before I wrote last week's post I was "revising". I was revising so hard! ...in the clubs in Bulgaria (Do you know how hard it is to concentrate while there is loud music?), in the clubs in Birmingham (Seriously, it is hard!), in the pubs in Dublin (Guinness does not help!), and then again in Birmingham! To come to the point, I have had an amazing winter holiday, there was just one thing missing - revision!
The countdown will start, and experiment in which I will record an hour (when possible) of my day, and believe me it is going to be a long "day". Here we go!
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Tips to overcome exam stress
Sitting exams is never easy, but there is no escaping them at university. Here are a few positive tips to help you battle any stress and ease yourself through the exam periods. Remember, you'll be the one sitting the exam so you've got to take responsibility for your studying!
Find a revision style that works for you
No one revises in exactly the same way. A mixture of reading, talking, writing and testing could all be necessary so try to find out what works best for you so you can make the most of revision time.
Take time to relax
Although you might feel guilty not revising for every hour up until the start of an exam, too much studying can have a detrimental effect. Taking time out to relax for an hour or so will not only keep you calm, but will train you to remember key details when you return to the books.
Sleep!
The quiet of night time may seem like an ideal time to absorb information, however try not to stay up until the early hours as you might not be able to retain information you think is ingrained into your memory the next day. It's better to get some rest and feel refreshed the next day than wasting energy and being tired from a lack of sleep.
Stay well fed
Stripping your diet down to tea, coffee and snacks may see you through the day, but they are not a good option for a healthy brain. Eating properly will keep your energy levels up and stop your mind wandering.
Ask for help
If you're struggling with a topic be sure to talk to someone. Even chatting to a fellow student not on your course can help make things clearer in your mind as you will be recounting the knowledge you have already revised. Talking about any stress you might be feeling is also the best way to overcome it.
Friday, 9 January 2009
Boarding (check-in continued...)
Discarding the last empty bottles from my desk I cannot help but wonder what does the future hold from now on. I mean it is the end of an era! Wait, I need to go back and give you some feedback first.
I told you earlier that you will be flying a lot once you start uni in England, and that you have all those opportunities to travel around Europe. Well, there is one more thing that university life brings along - departures. You will be saying buy to so many friends you meet on the way. Today I said goodbye to my best friend. Graduating Aston this year she already got the results from her desertation, got several job offers, and is now moving to Warsaw. Yes, yes, I know what you are thinking, 'this is an amazing opportunity'. Well, what I am thinking is - 'this is the end of an era!' So in this post I am not going to give you tips, I will be stating facts, universal truths, general experiences you will have once you start university.
In Aston I have met so many different people, students that are older than me, students that are younger, students from different cultures, religions and races, and every person I have met leaves a trace. Probably, if I take another bachelors after this one, a master's and a Phd I will be the wisest person. (at least on campus!) Yes, but unless you happen to marry someone you met in university, you will have to say goodbye at some point; and I don't mean goodbye forever, but still a goodbye. You will not be living in good old Dalton any more, you will not be drinking together after lectures, and you will definitely not be having an 'illegal' library chat on a silent floor.
So to get to the point, just as your plane will land in Birmingham, it is very likely that it will depart. Just as your friend's planes will leave at some point. But sill, I like to think that the whole 'Aston Experience' (AE) will be one big and unforgettable adventure, an era that will be cherished in your mind.
In the end can I first ask Ania to stop crying while she's reading this! All the rest get prepared because exam session is starting!
Monday, 5 January 2009
Check-in (all passengers)
Studying abroad will have one major consequence - have your luggage packed!
In the past year and a half I have flown more that I have my whole life. As you can imagine each flight has been an adventure so here are several flying tips (...or are they memories?)
Flying tip number one: Do not and I repeat DO NOT go out the night before! You will have trouble finding the most common of belongings, such as, PASSPORT, USB stick, watch, phone, wallet, etc. Have some nice rest, do not listen to your friends calling! Be responsible! ...and if you do go out, do not sleep! If your friends are telling you two hours of sleep are better than none DO NOT listen to them! You will not hear your phone! (I never do.)
[...this blog has become the Dos and Don'ts of Vladimir Galabov)
Flying tip number two: Always have at least some luggage packed the night before, don't leave packing for the last minute!
Flying tip number three: Always book your coach ticket (if there is such) earlier! Do not wait for the day of the flight, sometimes even the night before you will not manage to find a coach ticket!
Finally, flying tip number four: You will be doing this a lot, so whatever happens do not make a big deal out of it: no panic and no stress!
[...and don't forger living in Birmingham gives you one of the best opportunities - fly low-cost anywhere you want - I am going to Dublin for £8 return this week.]
Saturday, 3 January 2009
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year Everyone!
May 2009 be filled with a little more love, a little more luck, a little more smiles and at least a pocketful of sunshine!
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