The ultimate guide to make your first year at CBS a successful one
Photo: Harlan Albers (NWF)
You haven't even studied at CBS for a week, but still the question keeps returning: How do I make my first year at CBS success? Don't worry. Second-year master's student David Fulop has got your back and gives you three pieces of advice for exactly this. One of them is to delete candy crush.
Guide | 05. Sep 2018
Join a “clique”
For some people making new friends does not come as easily as it does to others. Nonetheless, everyone has a lot to gain by joining a “clique” in your class.
Although the word “clique” has a horrible ring to it, and many may deny their existence within their program, they exist. Plus, you got to start somewhere, so why not start small.
Joining a clique is the best way to get the ball rolling when it comes to expanding your network or circle of friends within your class.
Start with one group of people you feel the most comfortable with, and through them, you’ll start meeting more and more classmates, get invited to more dinners or outings, and at the end of the day, maybe even find the love of your life – it’s happened before.
Not only does going to class become more enjoyable and less awkward when you have people to say hello to, you also won’t end up sitting around in class during the breaks scrolling down on Instagram or Facebook.
The Danish education system has a lot of emphasis on group work. If not for the sake of making new friends, you should at least join a clique to ensure that there will be a group to join for group assignments.
Another perk is that you can get in with a study group because let’s face it, there’s no way anyone can actually read through every single academic paper that is assigned.
Keep your nose to the grindstone
There are 30 minutes left of class and the teacher begins a discussion about that day’s topic. He asks a question, looks around the classroom, and ends up pointing at you. What do you do?
Whether it was in high school or university, we’ve all been there. Sitting in the back of the class, hoping that the teacher doesn’t choose you to answer his question because you didn’t read the material for class.
Imagine how nice it would be to confidently stand up and think, not this time! This time, I have the answer to the professor’s question and finally, it’s not 42.
Aside from avoiding awkward confrontations with the teacher, reading the necessary material and being active in class conversations also projects an air of being responsible and trustworthy, which you know, kind of ties in with the whole getting into a clique thing.
Because at the end of the day, who are your classmates going to want in their group, someone who is playing candy crush in the back of the classroom, or someone who is dropping truth bombs and scoring serious points with the professor.
Which brings me to the next point. At one point throughout your studies, you’re going to have an oral exam where you have to sit in the hot seat and the professor is going to expect some serious answers to some tough questions (that is if you want anything above a 7).
Not only does keeping up-to-date on your studies and being active going to help you build rapport with your professor, it will also make talking to him face-to-face a lot less nerve wrecking.
Laying down the foundation
Most of you are going to be in Denmark for at least two to three years and now is also the time to start laying down the foundation for your careers.
CBS has a lot of great tools to help you get started on that long and arduous journey and depending on which path you choose, CBS has got your back.
The most obvious and easiest way to jumpstart your career is by joining a student organization. CBS has over 80 student organizations, each specializing in different fields.
Some of the ones that are a cut above the rest for CV building are 180 Degrees Consulting, Marketing Lab, CPH Management Consulting Club, Finance Lab, and oikos Copenhagen.
That being said, all of the student organizations have the potential for CV building because they all give you invaluable experience, depending on what you’re doing within the organization.
Another – but more challenging – way to build your career through CBS is by sifting through Graduateland, the school’s official career portal. Here, you’ll find internships, student jobs and full-time jobs.
Before you go applying for these, you’re going to want to have some experience under your belt (which is what the student organizations are great for).
If you feel you’re ready to apply for a paying student job, don’t be shy and drop by CBS’ career center.
The last and perhaps the most adventurous of the choices is to start a business of your own. CBS’ Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship is the school’s very own incubator for student start-ups.
They offer many tools and a lot of help in going through the early stages of starting a company. Not only could your business end up being a good way of making some money throughout your years of study, there are opportunities to do an internship within your own company as well.
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