Undergraduate degree - COMPLETED

Just last Friday, I sat my last exam at the University of Dundee. Having some mixed feelings about how the exam went but overall, I’ll get what I came for – a first class degree. At times, these 4 years felt like a lifetime but if I look back now, I quickly realise how fast it all passed. Altogether, I enjoyed University and believe that I have received both the knowledge and the guidance I hoped for. The University has definitely shaped me to a certain extent but it also allowed me to explore who I really am. Not too sure if I found that out just yet. But never mind; let’s look into my journey through the last 4 years here in Dundee.

During my 4th year in high school, I knew that my range of skills was fairly broad. Broad to the point that I felt like there was nothing I am truly great in and that there was nothing I truly wanted to follow. However, being passionate about business and knowing that the area is as broad as it gets, there were no second thoughts of what I wanted to study. I was lucky enough to graduate from a bilingual high school, one of the few in Croatia, and also have the chance to speak to some students that successfully studied abroad. Altogether, I felt like I needed a challenge and Croatia somehow couldn’t offer one at the time. I also wanted to learn about life and not just study the facts from numerous books. I knew that it takes a lot more than getting a degree to succeed in life. I wanted to understand the world if that’s even possible. Thus, I decided to apply for 5 different business degrees in Scotland. But…why Scotland?

Well, the first condition was to study in an English-speaking country. I understood English perfectly but due to lack of speaking opportunities, I just wasn’t able to speak easily. I decided to change that once and for all. Therefore, the choice came down to America and UK. At first, America seemed a bit too far away and the application process was far more complicated than for the UK. At the time I was tied into my finals and some international exams which didn’t leave me with much time for other things. So I fully focused on the UK and the application process through UCAS. It was late 2012 when I realised that Croatia will be entering EU on 1.7.2013 which, at the time, became a crucial factor. I was eligible to receive a subsidy from the Scottish government which would allow me to study for free. Having that business mind, it was easy for me to add all the benefits up and subtract all the disadvantages, and realise that Scotland is the place to spend my next 4 years. Thank you SAAS and thank you Scotland!

Now you know why business and why Scotland. But how did it all unwind? Four years at the University of Dundee provided me with exactly what I asked for. I was able to collaborate with great individuals both in class and outside class. Also, I was able to learn from great professionals who both thought us their subjects and encouraged us to discover our own passions. Likewise, I gained tools in various different areas and can say that I have the framework which can serve as a great starting point for the future. Moreover, the ability to test my skills in practice was also beneficial and, most of all, a chance to express myself and get rewarded for the work I did was ever present. If I studied in Croatia I would now be studying for a Master’s degree in Economics and not applying for jobs. The reason for that is that Master's degree in Croatia is seen as something tightly connected to the undergraduate degree while universities abroad have a different approach. Many lecturers told me to test myself in the market rather than go straight into further education which I might not even need. This is where I avoided making the mistake of jumping straight into next level education and not experiencing proper work and everything that comes with it. Now, a couple of days before I travel to London for the assessment centre interview with Dixons Carphone I feel comfortable as I know I have the skills to lead me in the work environment as well as feel that making a decision to start working instead of doing a Master’s degree will allow me to look at things from a new angle.

In summary, the University has been an amazing experience and would recommend it to anyone who knows what it can offer. I gained important people skills, learned about business overall and retained the sense of freedom I had before I started my studies. Finally, there is (still) that sense of security a University degree offers and having obtained one now, I feel determined to take on new challenges with less fear and less uncertainty. As many financiers say, it’s all about the risk management. My life portfolio is now richer for one new thing and I’m now on my way to expand that.

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