A typical week during my Spring term on the Full-Time MBA started with a 9AM – 5PM class, the hours dependent on what electives you choose. This would often be followed by a study group meeting in the evenings – or sometimes during lunch or coffee breaks – to discuss upcoming assignments and deadlines. 

I had free Wednesdays, which I used to get involved in extracurricular activities around campus, attend networking or employer events or spend time working on the cases and competitions I participated in. 

Most often, in the Spring term I had weekend electives. I also made use of careers coaching sessions during this semester, one-to-one time with the Careers team that helped me sharpen my job search strategy and think more clearly about the sectors I was targeting. It was a packed, but productive schedule. 

What was your favourite week on the Full-Time MBA? 

A key highlight of my MBA journey was the Global Experience Week in Chile. As I’m aiming for consulting roles post-MBA, the Wicked Problems, Systems Dynamics and Entrepreneurial Innovation module gave me an opportunity to understand and explore the complex problems facing local communities. The exciting part was travelling across the world to such an exquisite location, blending local culture, cuisine and geography, and a chance to enrich my learning and network with Weekend MBA students. That one week exceeded my expectations in every sense, and it had far more to offer than I had anticipated. 

In my opinion, the Full-Time MBA is incomplete without extracurriculars. While the classroom gives you the knowledge and core skills, the extracurricular activities let you test them out. Through them, you meet new people, widen your network, explore new ideas and discover your limits in a space where the stakes are low and the learning is high. 

Working with remarkable women as the Head of External Liaison for Women Mean Business Committee, planning and hosting panels, events and workshops, has helped both my personal growth and my professional network in ways I did not expect.  

I was assigned to the project Thames Reach, which served to equip homeless individuals across London with hostels to stay in. It was one of the most meaningful things I have taken part in, and I am very proud of my work on the project. 

Of course, these extracurricular activities can be demanding to manage alongside the Full-Time MBA curriculum. Amidst all the classes, assignments, group meetings and employer and networking events, you must carve out time during the week or at weekends to fulfil your duties. It’s not easy, but it is flexible, and the commitment is matched equally by the reward. 

The key takeaways I hoped to gain were the network, cultural exposure and the expertise of my peers. My expectations were entirely fulfilled, beyond my wildest expectations. 

How do you manage work-life balance and workload on the Imperial Full-Time MBA? 

At times, deadlines descend on you in the same week, and in these instances, I could not concentrate on much else. When this happened, I would keep the teams I was working with in my extracurricular activities informed on my progress and when I'd realistically be able to pick up a task. Being transparent about availability helped spread out my commitments, giving me the time and space to devote myself to my studies. 

As a more general rule, communicating your workload with your friends, employers and lecturers is important. Being upfront with yourself can be harder and requires the self-knowledge that is key to business success. It’s important to be able to sit down with yourself, understand your priorities and limitations, and create a schedule based on that.  

I work best with structure, so I anchor everything to a weekly planning routine. Each week I write out every commitment on my whiteboard – classes, assignments, committee meetings, consulting project check-ins and ambassador events, and then I assign rough time slots to keep me on track.

The hardest trade-offs were between being social and being professional. There are so many opportunities available to you at Imperial – whether it be a networking event, employer presentation or festival celebration – you cannot do everything and trying to do so means doing none of them well. My social life was quieter than I imagined, but that was okay, it was my choice. And I came here for a reason. 

When I had to choose, I defaulted to a ranking system: urgency, reward and non-negotiables. Urgency included assignments, reward meant asking ‘what does this give me that I can’t get another time?’ and non-negotiables were something I protected no matter what, such as classes. 

Being upfront with my limits early on saved stress and protected my health. What kept me going was simple: good food, staying hydrated and taking it one day at a time. 

The Full-Time MBA is designed so that what you learn in the classroom shows up almost immediately in your professional life. Alongside that, I have developed my emotional intelligence, time management under pressure, have built a meaningful network through the Women Mean Business Club and gained hands-on consulting experience through 180 Degrees Consulting Club.  

All of these experiences have directly strengthened my post-MBA profile and my confidence in the career goals I have been working towards. At the start of the Full-Time MBA, I was navigating a big change and lack of confidence in my skillset. But working and interacting with such a vast range of people across my programme and extracurricular opportunities has helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses and position myself clearly amongst my peers.  

My direction remains the same. But the way I approach problems, build arguments and present myself has been completely reshaped. The moment that crystallised it for me was standing in front of a panel at a case competition mid-year, confident, prepared and genuinely enjoying it, when six months earlier I would have found that situation terrifying.