My 娆ф床鏉�鎶曟敞Reflections on a Year in Cambridge

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At 8:30 p.m. on 24th September 201娆ф床鏉�鍐宠禌1, I arrived at London Heathrow Airport with great excitement and a little anxiety. This 娆ф床鏉�鍐宠禌marked the beginning of my new life studying and working in the UK, which is now in its seventh year.

My hard work at University of Exeter landed me one of two exchange oppor娆ф床鏉�绔炵寽tunities at the University of Hong Kong, as well as, a year later, the most exhilarating moment so far in my life: an offer of MPhil in Real Estate Fi娆ф床鏉�鍐宠禌nance (REF) from the University of Cambridge.

Cambridge University is one of the most prestigious 娆ф床鏉�绔炵寽universities in the world, with an unsurpassed global reputation for outstanding academic 娆ф床鏉�鎶曟敞achievement. During the Induction Week, we were told the learning and survival strategies娆ф床鏉�鍐犱簹鍐� in Cambridge and the institution is different compared to other universities. The key dif娆ф床鏉�鎶曟敞ference is the requirement to be proactive and to remember that you are not merely passive娆ф床鏉�鍐宠禌ly listening to a lecturer in order to obtain a degree.

Most of our modules have solid theoretical foundatio娆ф床鏉�涔扮悆缃憂s and practical implications. For example, Real Estate Fund Investment, Macroeconomics and Housing, Project Modelling & Decision methods embodied th娆ф床鏉�涔扮悆缃慹oretical and practical elements. In addition, we had weekly academic and industrial semina娆ф床鏉�鍐犱簹鍐況s delivered by professors and professionals from all over the world, who bring innovativ娆ф床鏉�鍐犱簹鍐沞 academic studies and combine them with real-life cases. The most interesting module in m娆ф床鏉�鎶曟敞y opinion was Real Estate Development, which entails a team project on land development. I娆ф床鏉�棰勬祴 was part of a team of six students with different backgrounds, including an architect fro娆ф床鏉�鍐宠禌m Ghana, a former officer from the World Bank in Indonesia and former surveyor from JLL Hong Kong. We accomplished a pro娆ф床鏉�涔扮悆缃慾ect with distinction that included the planning, design and valuation of a development an娆ф床鏉�绔炵寽d presented our proposal to a group of senior managers from a real estate private equity fund. Furthermore, to allow us 娆ф床鏉�鍐宠禌to better apply our knowledge to real-life scenarios.The programme also included field tri娆ф床鏉�璧涗簨ps to London and Madrid to visit popular properties, top real estate companies, and Real E娆ф床鏉�鍐犱簹鍐泂tate Funds. I was also privileged to be the Student Representative for MPhil and PhD students in the Department of Land娆ф床鏉�绔炵寽 Economy within the Student Liaison Committee and Board of Land Economy of the University, which afforded me an opportun娆ф床鏉�绔炵寽ity to facilitate some changes within the department.

The University of Cambridge provides an outstanding careers 娆ф床鏉�璧涗簨service for students, including careers fairs, networking events, personal consultations a娆ф床鏉�鍐犱簹鍐沶d interview practice sessions. The Department of Land Economy in particular handed out CV books to hundreds of companies娆ф床鏉�涔扮悆缃� to assist students in promoting themselves effectively. I was contacted by the HR repres娆ф床鏉�璧涗簨entative of my current company, Euler Hermes, and fortunately I was able to secure a full-娆ф床鏉�涔扮悆缃憈ime position before finishing my studies. I have met many senior people in the industry a娆ф床鏉�璧涗簨nd obtained very useful advice.I believe that the University of Cambridge is a badge of hon娆ф床鏉�鎶曟敞our and it has one of the most powerful alumni networks in the world, which has the capacity to help me with my further娆ф床鏉�璧涗簨 studies or with careers advice for the rest of my life.

Cambridge is not only about academia and careers but it is a娆ф床鏉�绔炵寽lso a place for a great deal of fun. The University of Cambridge is one of the world's oldest universities, which was established in 1209. It is rich in history and has many tradit娆ф床鏉�鍐犱簹鍐沬ons, including the collegiate system. There are 31 colleges in Cambridge and I attended th娆ф床鏉�鍐犱簹鍐沞 most international - Wolfson College. A college is a place where students live and have娆ф床鏉�鍐宠禌 tutorials. Most of them have accommodation, a canteen, a library, a common room, gardens 娆ф床鏉�鎶曟敞and a chapel. One thing to bear in mind is that colleges are not departments, therefore, students in a college are from 娆ф床鏉�鍐犱簹鍐沵ixed academic backgrounds.

One of my favourite traditions is the formal dinner, which is a three-娆ф床鏉�鍐宠禌course dinner where students must wear gowns; senior members in the colleges sit on the h娆ф床鏉�璧涗簨igh tables. Mobile phones are prohibited during formal dinners and students are seated mai娆ф床鏉�鎶曟敞nly with people whom they do not know, with the intention to allow students to mingle with people from different courses娆ф床鏉�绔炵寽 and broaden their knowledge and networks to new areas. For example, I met PhD students in Theology, Biochemistry, and P娆ф床鏉�棰勬祴olitics and former officers in the Japanese Ministry of Finance.

Every June after final exams, a May Bal娆ф床鏉�鍐宠禌l is organized by each college for students to celebrate the end of the Lent term. I went to the ball held by St John&rs娆ф床鏉�棰勬祴quo;s College, which has been ranked as the 7th best party in the world. Guests in previous years have included celebrit娆ф床鏉�绔炵寽ies and royalty.

I also participated in various societies, including the Cambridge Union Society - the oldest continuously running debating society in the world, as well as in fencing, rowing, shooting, golf and win娆ф床鏉�姣斿垎e-tasting. Recently, I obtained my Wine and Spirit Level II Certificate with distinction. 娆ф床鏉�璧涗簨Traveling is my other great interest, as I like to explore different cultures. So far I hav娆ф床鏉�鍐宠禌e been to more than ten countries in Europe, including France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and Greece.

Having lived abroad and away from my family for more than six years, I have seen myself grow in various ways娆ф床鏉�棰勬祴. I have become more independent in that I can confidently cook, fix home-ware and even unblock drains. I have learnt how to deal with loneliness and 娆ф床鏉�姣斿垎homesickness, even though my parents are always at the other end of the phone to help me, and I have made lots of friends from all over the world. My 娆ф床鏉�姣斿垎international exposure has prepared me to collaborate with people from different cultures 娆ф床鏉�绔炵寽and backgrounds. Moreover, I have become calmer, more resilient and confident in my abilit娆ф床鏉�涔扮悆缃憏 to face any issues.

My year in Cambridge not only provided me with advanced knowledge relating to real esta娆ф床鏉�鎶曟敞te finance and the capacity to conduct research, but it also taught me how to think deeply娆ф床鏉�鍐宠禌, thoroughly and critically, how to make the most of the opportunities that I have been presented and how to strive to r娆ф床鏉�鍐犱簹鍐沞alize my ambitions.

I would like to share with you a message from University’s alumni package, which deeply resonates with me:

鈥淒ear World,

The people who arrive in this city change Cambridge. The 娆ф床鏉�棰勬祴ideas that leave this city change the world.

Yours,

Cambridge鈥�

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to all of the teachers in JXUFE who have

helped me.

By Tian GU (International Finance 104)