Andreea Nastase
Business Management – BA (Hons)
Coming to study in the UK has transformed Andreea, in more ways than one. She’s developed key skills to use in her future career, her academic abilities and confidence in herself thanks to the opportunities she’s had at BCU.
"I always knew I wanted to study at university. My dad has his own business, and I always dreamed of having mine, so I could take initiative and be a leader like him. I wanted to study for a degree that would open doors for me in future, I knew that studying business management I would have the chance to explore a variety of topics, like marketing, finance, and human resources.
Moving to the UK from Romania to study was not part of my plan. But after some research, I knew this would encourage me to step out of my comfort zone. My parents supported my decision to move to a new country, they knew it would help me grow and bring about more opportunity. They were right, moving here was one of the best decisions I ever made.
I felt that BCU was the perfect choice after reading about the placements, volunteer activities, and job experience (both on and off campus) available here. I was sure that having work experience throughout my time as a student would help me stand out to employers when looking for graduate positions.
BCU’s Careers+ team have helped me learn how to put together a good CV and ace an interview! Thanks to them, I’ve been able to work as a Connect Mentor, International Student Buddy, Retail Shop Assistant and Social Media Content Creator. Also, I completed a placement year when I worked as an Employability Administrator for the faculty’s Careers team and volunteered for one of the UK's most well-known mentoring organisations. The work experience I gained at university helped me develop and sharpen my abilities for the real world.
The academic side of my course wasn’t always as easy, but the Centre for Academic Success has played a significant part in improving my work. I had no idea what Harvard referencing meant or how to use academic writing in my papers because I was new to this educational system. Throughout my first year, I attended several seminars and tutorials to improve my skills and reach the same level as a home student.
Also, the teaching staff are always willing to assist, the attention and support I receive from them is astounding. Our lecturers host extra Q&A sessions where they address our questions and help us better understand assignments.
When it comes to my personal development, my communication, teamwork, organisation skills, problem-solving, capacity to work under pressure and take initiative all increased following my placement year. I also discovered and enhanced my social media, filming, and editing abilities. I have so much more self-esteem, my time at BCU has changed me significantly.
I also owe a lot of my development to the friends I’ve made here. I have friends from all around the world: Nigeria, Yemen, Pakistan, India, the UK, and Portugal, and I was able to learn something from each of them. Having multiple points of view around me, I can see things from different perspectives, better understand the situation, and make more informed decisions; I’m more resilient and open minded now.
To me, 'I AM BCU’ means belonging to the BCU community. If you think you can't make a difference as an individual, BCU is here to remind you that you can. Each of us brings something unique to the community in which we are all part of.”