10 Intents

I’m a 20-year-old North Carolina native on the pursuit of education and adventure. Instead of packing my bags to spend another semester at Cornell, I’m preparing to embark on my journey to study at Manchester Business School within the University of Manchester in England. I’ll be nearly 4,000 miles away from home. To my family and friends: I’ll miss you all dearly, think of you all fondly, and love you all infinitely. With each post, I’ll share my experiences and first note the 10 things I’m looking forward to during my semester abroad.

1: Minimizing Murphy’s Law

Everyone’s heard it: “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” With an optimistic attitude, I’ve prepared for my trip well in advance and hopefully my attention to detail will pay off while traveling. Fingers crossed for my two connect flights! I’ve had my fair share of sprints to catch my next flight due to a previous delay and I don’t want this to be another case. If all goes well, I’ll arrive in Manchester two hours prior to Orientation. Considering the airport is only 20 minutes from campus, my first goal is to be on time!

2: Class & Professional Network

Keep it classy! What more can I say? I’ve selected six courses pertaining to my academic interests: Social Media & Social Network, Marketing, Social Diversity & Employment Inequality, Communicating with Confidence, Human Resource Management, and Leadership in Action.

In addition to learning from faculty and staff during lectures and seminars, I’m looking forward to building a relationship with my mentor. I’m happy to have her guidance as I begin the semester. Since she’ll be studying at Cornell after this semester, as she gives me guidance on how to flourish in Manchester, I’ll share my advice on how to prosper in Ithaca.

With the support from fellow Exchange students and the AMBS International Society, I plan to establish a network with a diverse body of aspiring professionals. I hope to maintain contact and have these connections even after I return to the US. After all, LinkedIn is professional Facebook, right?

3: Leadership in Action

While in Manchester, I want to learn as much as I can inside and outside of the classroom. The Leadership in Action program is a course that entails lectures and engagement projects, targeting one of my passions: volunteering. Having the opportunity to implement course objectives to tackle real-life obstacles is an aspect that I value. Like many, I believe in leaving a place better than the way you found it. I’ll learn about the city while making a positive impact on it at the same time!

Through this program, I intend to gain transferable skills that I can utilize when interacting with fellow employees and collaborating with organization members upon my return to the US. Ideally, I will strengthen my analytical and teamwork capabilities.

4: Friendship

Long ago, I was once a shy caterpillar. But in time, I grew into a beautiful social butterfly! In a few days, I’ll spread my wings in England! I’m thrilled to meet the other students, faculty, and staff. I believe that “people make places” and hope to have pleasant company to join me in adventures throughout Manchester. Hopefully the locals can show me all the ins and outs (and serve as part-time tour guides…as I often find myself directionally challenged).

If Goal #1 prevails and I arrive promptly at Orientation, I’ll have a great start to meeting potential new friends. I believe you can find multiple traits in common with anyone if you chat with them long enough. Mother always said I had the gift for gab, and well, she’s always correct! Considering that my dorm is close to the Student Union, I hope to thrive in the campus community.

5: #TeaWithKea

Shameless plug! As a tea enthusiast, I created the Instagram hashtag #TeaWithKea and plan to post my tea party adventures. (Keep in mind, I only sip tea; I don’t spill it!) What better to do than drink a cup of English Breakfast during a morning in England? Along with many other items for my trip, I’ll pack my porcelain teapot (with bundles for protection of course). Who knows…my hashtag and affinity for tea could be a conversation starter to help me accomplish Goal #4. A great way to break the ice can often be a hot cup of tea!

6: Food

From the end of January to the beginning of June, I’ll try to prove to my mother (yet again) that I can keep myself alive for more than a week without her cooking. I will cook for myself! I’ll Skype my family to ensure that they shouldn’t worry and I’ll post Snapchat stories to remind my friends I’ll be “cookin’ with the sauce, Chef [Kea] with the pot” (credits to Drake).

With no food restrictions and a hunger for anything within my budget, I plan to improve upon my cooking skills. In addition to this, I want to indulge in Manchester’s cuisines and enjoy food from their best restaurants!

7: Culture

British accents. Need I say more?

One of my goals is to learn and write using their English conventions and to also pick up on their slang. During the course of the semester, I intend to develop an understanding of Manchester’s heritage and highlights in their history via tours, museums, and art galleries.

While on campus, I hope to see students showcase their own cultures; I am looking forward to being on a campus that acknowledges and appreciates freedom of expression by honoring and respecting the right for students from diverse backgrounds to be seen and heard.

8: Football & Festivals

Although I’m not an avid football (soccer) fan, I do enjoy socializing at riveting sporting events. Considering that I’ll be in Manchester, why not become a Manchester United fan? (If this happens, I hope that my Chelsea friends back home won’t disown me!) In addition to watching games in my leisure time, my goal is to take advantage of the fun festivals and live music performances, submerging myself in the thrills of Manchester entertainment.

9: Fashion

Without a doubt, at the beginning of my semester, I will purchase a pair of highly-functional rain boots (referred to as “wellies”). I plan to dress appropriately for the weather and will attempt to be trendy too. I don’t want to look like a tourist the entire time and hope to be stylish while at the same time be ready to take on the rainy weather and cool temperatures that are sure to come. Fashion + function is the goal!

10: Euro Tripping

Easter Break lasts three and half weeks and during this time, I want to explore Europe. I’ll tour countries with good friends and a great camera to share my adventures with you!

Follow me as I grow academically, culturally, and socially in Manchester and beyond!

Cheers,

Keandra