Day In The Life Of A Business and Social Work Student

Wonder what is life of a Business and Social Work student? Hear from your seniors now! Today, we have Hui Ling sharing with us on her experiences in both fields!

Hello! I am Hui Ling from NUS Business School, specialising in Operations and Supply Chain and Business Economics, with a second major in Social Work. Being a double major student, it is my privilege to be able to learn from both faculties in NUS, and also taught me how the knowledge I learn from Business can reinforce knowledge from Social Work, which are commonly taught opposing faculties :D The pros of being in Business are that the experience taught me to be a better critical thinker. Through real-life projects like my Final Year Project, I was given the opportunity to work with real-life companies and this taught me to defy my horizons and prepare me better for the working society. The cons of being in Business is that occasionally there are group mates that do not do work, and sometimes it is hard not to feel hurt by it (as ideally, you would think that it concerns everyones’ grades). However, when faced with these situations, it also taught me to be more tolerant of everyone, and work better in a team :) The pros of being in Social Work is that it taught me many skills - including casework and group work skills. This helped prepare me better to serve. The cons of being in Social Work are the many readings to read. However, after a while, reading just becomes habitual.

A day in my life as a double major student is just rushing from seminars (Business) to Tutorials (Business and Social Work) and/or Lectures (Business and Social Work). If I am not in lessons, I am always at the Central Library doing work. However, I believe in still pursuing things that I am passionate about - Therefore, I still pursue many CCAs outside of my studies in NUS, and externally, I also do hip hop.

As for study tips, I believe that firstly, it is very important to be disciplined. Have a study planner to list out the assignments on hand and prioritise them. Do NOT wait until the last minute to complete assignments! Always make sure that you complete your assignments at least 1 day before the submission date. Secondly, just be adventurous and try new things - even if it means having to fail. Do not be afraid to take new modules that you might not be good at - because it takes grit to pull through it, and after the experience, you will feel so accomplished :’) There will be many uncomfortable situations in life, it’s just how you would like to face it - fight or flight. Thirdly, always stay humble and be willing to learn. In University, it is not just about getting to the top of the bell curve. University is a journey of self-discovery and learning. Do not be content with your current knowledge. Always go above and beyond. Strive to achieve the best that you can. Do not reject people’s ideas and criticisms. Instead, use them as your source of energy to keep you propelling. Lastly, and most importantly, practice appropriate self-care. University should not just be a time for you to study, instead, you should also spend time reflecting and doing things that make you feel passionate. Define yourself NOT by your grades but by your GROWTH. This growth can be small - for example, learning how to better tackle a situation, or simply just helping answer a question from your classmate - but I assure you it will go a long way :)

As for school tips, firstly, try to make as many friends as you can. However, do not just make friends for connections - people will see through your facade and genuineness eventually. Always stay true to your roots and do not be influenced by the culture/ and opinions of others. Before you do anything, always ask yourself: Is this what I really want? Or is this enforced on me? Secondly, there are actually many workspaces around NUS Business School :) However, you can always go to the Central Library to study as well (it is actually not that far)! But do note that Central Library will always be very packed during exam period, so prepare contingencies as well! :) Fighting juniors!