How to make a decision in five seconds flat?
To tell you the truth, I really could not decide what I wanted to study and what path to take in the future. When it came to studying abroad my response was “I’d like to, it would be great, but I can’t afford it”.
I went to two meetings about studying in the UK. The first one was fine, but it was run by a woman who simply presented us with a lot of dry facts about the British education system. When the subject of costs came up, she just told us about the fees , and did not mention anything about the financial help which is available. My parents are not in a position to pay almost ten thousand pounds just like that…She really put me off the idea.
However, I made the decision to give it another shot. The second meeting was brilliant. Two former pupils came to the school: the boy was already studying in England, the girl had been accepted and was about to start. They talked to us about opportunities, gave us detailed information on how we could finance the course and , most tellingly, told us about all the subjects we could take in the UK, which do not exist in Poland.
As a result, I began to seriously consider studying abroad, and that very day I sat down and began looking through what was being offered by British universities. And as soon as I read the words Sports Management , at Coventry University – I knew that was IT, my dream course , and immediately I made the decision that I would apply.
I moved to the UK on 10 August. I support myself financially, because it’s perfectly possible to hold down a job and study . I know people who love living here and couldn’t wait to get back to the UK after the holidays. And others who are only staying because of their course – and I fall into the second category.
In spite of a great group of friends, a very helpful personal tutor who sits on the Olympics Committee, trips to Amsterdam, Guest Lecturers’ Week and a presentation by a former student who is now working with none other than Neymar and, in particular , being able to write about what I love in my coursework and exams -volleyball – I don’t feel as if I’m in the right place on this planet. This could be because the UK is not a volleyball country -I am not sure.
Of course, the course is multicultural – and my fellow students come from Asia, Australia, France, Spain, Cyprus, Slovakia, Russia etc. The lecturers place a great deal of emphasis on self-development and expanding your experience. We were all assessed on this basis (and it makes up 50 per cent of our final assessment,)and our Facebook group is regularly updated with voluntary work opportunities or placements we could take up.
The majority of the studies focus on football and every single one of the 100 people on the course is crazy about sport and has their own favourite discipline. That is why I think that the best way to summarise Sport Management is to say: we are all learning the same things but everyone has their own, quite different knowledge.
Do I regret having made the decision to leave Poland? No.
I clearly know what I want to do in life and I am fully aware of the fact that I am studying at the UK’s leading department of Sport and Event Management. My ultimate aim is to work in volleyball, and studying here is a step along the way, and an essential stage in my development.
Do I recommend studying in England? Of course I do.
Everybody is different. Everyone will get used to the new environment at their own pace. The fact that I haven’t fallen under the spell of this country does not mean that you won’t find yourself here. I am an example of a high school student who studied extended biology, took the contemporary studies Matura ,and who is now part of the Business School and has economics exams in a week’s time!
And secondly, everyone of us has the same chances, so why not take advantage of them?
