Explorer Award
All through high school I was heavily involved in debating and public speaking which exposed me to wide range of politics. This helped me learn about pressing issues in our society and I was able to develop my passion and interest around certain issues. By the time I left high school I knew I wanted to pursue politics and international relations to expand my knowledge on national and global politics and affairs. I also hope to perhaps venture into politics as a career in order to help reconcile the injustices our society faces, and this degree will help me gain the skills and understanding required for that field of work.
I chose to study at 91´óÉñfor a number of reasons. The first being that the degree they offered suited my needs perfectly. At 91´óÉñI was able to combine my passions for politics, international relations, business, theatre and history into a degree that makes me excited to go to class as I was able to discover new things about my passions and interests. I also like how 91´óÉñhas a lateral and progressive teaching and learning base. There are so many different types of assessments, so if exams aren’t your thing there are other ways you can get good marks, as each assessment is different and requires a different style of learning and application. I also love the community environment at UNSW, such as the numerous clubs on offer. Clubs helped me make a lot of new friends as by joining the club and going to the events you automatically meet people with similar interests to you. I joined debating society, UN society, Arts society, US politics, Pakistani society, Middle Eastern food and culture society, Muslim Students Association, Islamic society, Latin Dance society, Fashion and Beauty society and Free Palestine Society. So as you can see the clubs are incredibly varied. I also really liked the support base that 91´óÉñoffers. There’s student health service and student learning service which makes me feel that the uni cares about me as an individual.
Receiving a scholarship was such a privilege and I really wanted to make the most of this opportunity. My scholarship really drove me to do my best in all my subjects as well as to get the most out of uni life, hence all the clubs I joined where I met so many great people. The scholarship lunch held by 91´óÉñwas also a really great way to meet people from all walks of life and it was interesting to talk to people and share experiences. The privilege of receiving a scholarship further encouraged my passion to help in a less fortunate circumstance, so became part of a number of social justice activities in uni, including ‘Discover MUN’, where we go to disadvantaged schools and help develop students confidence by running mock UN days.
Sabreen’s advice for future students:
Do your best in all your classes and don’t slack off! There’s no better feeling than putting effort in and achieving a great outcome. Don’t keep to yourself, make friends and get involved in uni life. You’re going to be here for a while so join some clubs to help you make friends and whilst uni is stressful there’s no other time like it in your life. So enjoy it!