First let me start by saying there is a huge difference between undergrad and grad. In undergrad you probably have like a test every week. Homework. 500 assignments through out the semester. A project/paper that’s due at the end of the semester on top of a final… So far as a grad student I’ve had no exams, I have one group assignment that is due the end of the semester and one final… That’s it, for pretty much every class. Some classes its not a group assignment its individual. So I have two chances to earn “marks” they call it… When I first found this out I was freaking out internally because in my mind, if I do bad on one of those two things I’m screwed for the rest of the semester. But as I’m getting along and working with some of my groups I actually feel okay. I don’t feel like I’m going to fail any of my assignments. 😁
My program is very diverse. Keegan, myself and maybe two other people are the only Americans, there is about 5 or 6 Irish students, the other 20 something students are either Indian or Chinese. Its really great to be around so many cultures. When we have class discussions and group work you get so many different perspectives and opinions on every topic. It makes for a very interesting 3 hours. (yes all of my classes are 3 hours long 🙃) One thing I noticed is the Irish students work very well together. One of my groups consist of Myself, a man from Indian and 3 Irish girls. When I say these girls are the bomb, like they’re so on top of everything, they know exactly what they’re doing, they’re the ones usually leading our group meetings. Meanwhile, the man from Indian and myself are sitting there twiddling our thumbs looking lost. I think its because those girls are already used to the way our teachers grade and what they’re looking for us to produce with the assignments etc…. I don’t know but it’s interesting because I’m usually the type of person who takes charge in group assignments but I have absolutely no issues with these girls doing it because all this is so new to me.
Here in Ireland I’m studying international Management which is COMPLETELY out of my comfort zone. I have zero business background whatsoever. I come from a Nutrition/Medical background. My ultimate goal is to go to medical school or PA school. So the things I’m learning in class are like a foreign language. I learned it the other day but i still couldn’t tell you what GDP is or who stakeholders are… I’ll know by time the final comes.. hopefully. But some stuff i am actually starting to pick up on and I’m excited about because I really have picked up a strong interest on this stuff. The other day I went to a job fair on campus and there were big companies there like Deloitte, IBM, PwC, etc. And just learning about some of the job opportunities that I will now have with this Masters really was eye opening. Its actually making me question what I want to do with my life. I had a plan, a plan I’ve had for a very long time that I was/ am still very happy with.. but I’m also not against placing that plan on hold for a little bit and seeing where a new plan could take me.
