Meet this week’s Human of MBSSA, Manhar Kataria, who is currently pursuing a Master of International Business from the University of Melbourne.
Why did you choose UniMelb for your masters?
I am a business student with four years of business experience, and I have always wanted to start my own business in a country other than my home country, so I wanted to learn more about business and management and how to run it on an international scale, which is why I chose Melbourne because it has a lot of business opportunities and I chose the University of Melbourne because it has one of the best business schools not only in Australia, but also in the world, with a diverse culture and professional faculty. I hope to achieve my future goals and become a successful entrepreneur.
What activities have you been involved in at the university?
I’ve always attended a variety of workshops hosted by MBSSA, and they’ve all been extremely beneficial in terms of gaining new skills and knowledge in a variety of fields, as well as making new connections. I started off serving as a mentor for MBSSA’s Peer Mentoring program where I was involved in a lot of fun challenges along with fellow students. Furthermore, I also got a chance to participate in the MBSSA Case Competition, where I gained real life consulting experience on how to deal with the current Covid situation in the business world. Recently, I was invited to be a guest host on the show “Troubles and Nibbles” on radio fodder to share my experience about International student life and tips and tricks.
Which events hosted by the University would you say were the most helpful?
I would say Orientation week’s events provided me with total insights on what to expect in my student life. Not only did they provide me with a complete handbook, but here’s where I met some of my very close friends till date. I would also like to mention about MBSSA’s case competition again where apart from the real life consulting experience, I also developed soft skills like time management, conflict handling and team building.
Did you face any challenges during your course? If yes, how did you deal with them?
When you start a new life in a different country, challenges are a big part of it. Especially when I came, Covid had just hit, so I was new to this online study world. The first semester was difficult because I was getting used to studying online and taking exams from the confinement of my home. I also felt bad because I couldn’t experience the University of Melbourne’s campus life. I am a people’s person so It was extremely difficult for me to make connections when you can’t step out of your home. Juggling between recorded and live lectures while managing assignments – It was a big challenge as I was learning to transfer my entire life to a laptop screen.
What is something that new students should look out for? Any advice?
One thing I would like to share that participate in all the useful workshops as well as develop the soft skills from the beginning of first semester and don’t wait to settle in. Also life here is fast and every day you will be busy with a lot of stuff, always try to take time for your mental and physical health. Furthermore, try to be active on LinkedIn especially in the current Covid situation when you can’t step out to make connections.
Thank you so much to Manhar for your time and wise words. Connect with Manhar on LinkedIn here.
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