THI HUYEN THUONG

Business Management - BA (Hons)

Thi always knew she needed a change, after completing her first semester at a university in Vietnam she moved to study in the United Kingdom in hopes of a new experience and she was pleasantly surprised with the experience.

"Life back home in Vietnam was a very comfortable routine. I started my bachelor's degree in a very well-known school in Vietnam. However, once I completed my first semester there I realised that I needed a change. I wanted to explore the world and have a new experience. So I began doing research into different universities all around the world and the United Kingdom caught my attention.

While applying I had a list of requirements for the university I would attend, my main requirement was a university that was welcoming to international students and offered the course Business Management. After months of research, Birmingham City University looked like the best option for me after seeing how well-integrated the international community were through social media and looking at the website.

When I applied in January 2022, there were still some restrictions due to the pandemic so the wait time for my visa was a very long process. This period was challenging for me because I felt extremely uncertain at some points. Thankfully I got everything sorted with the help of BCU's international team members and I felt very supported throughout the entire process confirming I made the right choice.

Once I arrived in the UK I began to settle in quite nicely. The staff went above and beyond to ensure I was welcomed and supported from my first day. On the day of my induction, I met so many diverse types of people which set the tone that everyone here was accepted and valued. There were also so many societies for me to get stuck into which I loved. This included the Knitting Club, Kpop Dance Society and many more. Later on in my BCU journey, I decided to set up a society for BCU's Vietnamese students, which has been a great success. We have had the chance to host so many great events, such as celebrating the Lunar New Year and many others. I do wish I started this a lot sooner as this has been a lot of fun for me and a great way for me to make friends while building community.

I have enjoyed my course so far. I like the varied nature of business management and how it covers the different areas of business topics from finance, marketing, human resource management, entrepreneurship and more. My favourite part of the course has been learning more about both project management and marketing. These two topics combine my passions very well and I love how I get to be creative and analytical. One of the great benefits of studying business management at BCU is that we always get to go deeper into the real business world which gives us a glimpse into what our future could potentially look like. I have enjoyed the holistic learning approach it has been the perfect balance of engaging and enriching content I've appreciated how hands-on the course has been.

One of my biggest challenges whilst at university was managing my part-time job alongside my university work. I often would wake up early most days to manage both. There were often moments when I felt very overwhelmed and thankfully with the help of my tutor I learned valuable ways to deal with the stress and effectively manage my time. During our sessions, I felt free to express how I felt and always left feeling encouraged. It wasn't easy but eventually, I began to see that I could overcome my challenges and be successful despite it.

My advice to people who are looking to study a similar course to me is to never hesitate to ask for help, no matter how bad or good you may think you are doing. Always ask your tutors, they are always there to help and will give you valuable advice that could improve your grades and journey.

I AM BCU means to me embracing your unique strengths and talents and using them to make positive changes. It represents a shared commitment to learning, personal development and making a difference in your corner of the world."