The 2022-23 Peer Advisors end their roles with us this week. On their behalf, Conor has written a ‘goodbye’ post. We in Global Mobility thank them for their work and will miss them!
In the blink of an eye, the end of the academic year is upon us. Exams begin in the upcoming weeks and the summer sunshine has returned (or at least, it has in theory but not always in reality! The joys of UK weather). All of this means that our time as Peer Advisors with the Global Mobility Office is also drawing to a close. Before we finish, however, we thought it would be appropriate to offer an insight into what we have taken away from this year and the many things we have learned through our time working in the office.
The first thing to point out is that no job would be even half as fun without the work colleagues who brighten up a dark and wintry Monday morning. The Global Mobility Office is no different. Each and every member of staff has an interesting story to tell to make you smile, is on hand to make a coffee when it is most needed, or is just there to seek advice from when things aren’t going your way (in my case, most frequently with regards to the technology aspect of the job!).
Working in the Global Mobility Office has been a learning curve for each of us and has given us an insight into not only the work of this particular office but also the working world generally. We have all come to understand the significance of the work that is done here; work which affords King’s students an unrivalled opportunity to study in foreign destinations all over the globe and equally gives students from all over the globe that same opportunity to study here in London. Additionally, Peer Advisors were given the responsibility of completing tasks that affect the nature of a student’s study abroad period, such as assisting incoming students with their timetabling queries, producing a podcast to discuss concerns students may have, writing promotional Instagram posts about some of the fantastic universities King’s is partnered with, reviewing students’ study abroad applications and so much more. All of this, we sincerely hope, has benefitted a great many students, and this work will continue in the coming years when new Peer Advisors take up their roles.
Whilst working in the Global Mobility Office, each of us has acquired new skills which will benefit us in our academic studies and also in any future roles we may have, both professional and personal. I have become much more competent technologically. Having never used Canva before to create a poster, for instance, I initially felt out of my depth. However, having used it on a few occasions while working, I can now say that I am somewhat more proficient than I initially was (although, it would be a stretch to say I am a technology guru or anything!). Ultimately, the important point to note is that we have all broadened our skillset through our work.
An aspect of this role which I firmly believe each of us has enjoyed most has been the ability to interact with other students who are interested in studying abroad or have already done so. As students who have studied abroad ourselves, we Peer Advisors have experienced how magnificent it is to be educated in a foreign country, and thus it is unsurprising that we enjoy talking to other students who share a similar passion. The Global Mobility Office social events were therefore a highlight of our time in the office as we got to interact with a number of students who were looking forward to travelling abroad for their studies in the future and those who had returned from their travels.
The Peer Advisor role has enabled friendships to be created. Personally, I did not know any of my fellow Advisors (Emily, Raza and Emilie) prior to taking up my role. However, I have now made three new friends with whom I enjoy spending time and chatting. The friendship I share with each of these colleagues will undoubtedly persist into the future and we have even planned a spontaneous get-together at some point over the summer (although how something spontaneous can be ‘planned’ has baffled me!).
As we sign off from our role in the office and thank everyone for all they have done for us, it is important to recognise what we will take with us from our time here. We will most certainly take an enhanced appreciation for studying abroad and all the benefits that come with it. We will take new skills, knowledge and understanding, but, above all, we will take the friendships that have been formed and that we will continue to gain from in the years to come.