Grishma Kumari

MSc Human Resource Management (International Development).

On choosing my master's

Before joining the GDI, I was studying my undergraduate degree in Business Administration at Amity University, India.

I became interested in human resource while I was pursuing my bachelor's and I just wanted to learn and explore more about the field.

On the highlights and challenges of my course

I think my highlight of this course was when for one of my modules, I decided to conduct interviews of millennials with work experience. It was really interesting to know about their experiences and I learned a lot from them.

As for the most challenging part of my course, I would say it was writing essays, especially in the beginning, as the framework is completely different from my country. Learning everything so quickly was challenging, COVID made it even harder due to reduced interaction with faculty and fellow classmates. However, the professors were really great, they supported and guided us throughout our work.

On my student experience

Manchester is a beautiful city and I really like the way people here are so friendly and nice. I like how it's not too crowded or fast-paced. I have learned so much, made some great friend and built my network.

Additionally, living in student accommodation had several advantages to it. Firstly, I had the opportunity to meet some really nice people from different countries who have become my close friends and, secondly, I didn't have to worry about bills or any issue regarding repairs or anything, while I felt a sense of safety, especially as international student.

I was really lucky to have a Chevening Scholar as my roommate and through her, I have met people from all around the world. I would say I was positively surprised by the diversity of the University. The culture is so different from my country, it is a mixture. I have celebrated Eid, Diwali, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Holi and so many more beautiful festivals. I have tried Mexican, Malaysian, Korean, Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Bosnian, Spanish and many more types of food. I have learnt so much about other cultures and the whole experience has changed my perspective and made me more culturally aware and accepting.

On my extracurricular activities

During my time at Manchester, I worked with Aiesec, an international youth-run, non-governmental and not-for-profit organisation that provides young people with leadership development, cross-cultural internships, and global volunteer exchange experiences. I would definitely recommend people to join It because you learn several things, you meet a lot of people, you have fun and meanwhile you also have something really useful to add to your resume.

Do you have any tips or advice for current or prospective students?

I would tell them to not be limited by your country's friend circle. Try to meet people of different countries. The library is a great place to start. Try to always maintain a balance between working on your assignments and enjoying your life because both are equally important. You do not want to miss the experiences of university life but you also need to study and gain as much knowledge as possible.