Excitement. Fear. Pride.

Thinking back to when I first set foot in Solbjerg Plads, these three words are what come to mind. Excitement about getting a fresh start and beginning something new. Fear of not achieving my goals and for having a completely blank slate and no business experience. Pride of having taken that first step and going somewhere I had not been before.

Little did I know that this first step would end up having a tremendous impact on my future dreams, desires and decisions. I chose to study a BSc in Business Administration and Sociology due to a pre-existing interest in the field of sociology. I was lucky to be able to study something that I was deeply passionate about and during these three years, I learned about the vast field of sociology and especially the interplay between organisations, society and the individual. The academic skills are a large part of my CBS experience, but equally so are all the different first steps I have taken during the past three years.

As many others, it was my dream to study abroad through the fantastic exchange programme at CBS, but I decided to put that dream to rest for the time being after the first year, some terrible exam results and some soul-searching. Instead, I took a different first step and decided to do an internship abroad during my 5^th semester. I worked hard and gained practical marketing skills while getting a taste of being abroad. This experience only boosted my desire to leave Denmark and explore the world. At the same time, it gave me the need to begin my professional work life as soon as possible. I therefore made a crucial decision and took yet another first step: Applying to universities outside of Denmark.

Today, I am studying an intense one-year MSc in International Business in Scotland and have therefore accomplished what I wanted: I get to live abroad and can start exploring the world and all it has to offer, and as a bonus, I will finish one year earlier than anticipated.

When I took that first step at Solbjerg Plads three years ago, I would never have thought that I would have achieved what I have today. I took the first step towards my life-long dream, and CBS has helped by encouraging me during this trip. CBS therefore became the most important first step and gave me the courage and knowledge to keep taking new steps and follow my own direction.