Hi, I’m Sofia!
I am currently studying Accounting and Finance and will begin my second year in September.
Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a 5-week Summer School program at Toulouse Business School, one of the most reputable business schools in France. During my stay, I studied on their campuses in Toulouse and Barcelona, taking three different courses – Neuromarketing, Luxury Goods and Consumer Behaviour, and Social Media Marketing. I chose these courses to expand my knowledge in marketing, an essential aspect of business, and to understand the importance of psychology in this field.
The program was structured to allow time for studying and exams while also having fun and exploring different cities.
The first week was all about introductions to the courses and getting to know the staff. We had an induction day where we explored the campus and ate at the Japanese Garden in Toulouse, a beautiful garden featuring Japanese aesthetics. Later that week, we had a tour of Toulouse led by an amazing person named François. We walked for hours and drank French wine while he passionately explained every aspect of the city and its buildings. After that tour, we attended a karaoke bar and sang until midnight.
Later that week, we visited a company called Etiquable, which produces organic chocolate. We had the opportunity to try different types of chocolate with varying cocoa percentages (100%, 98%, 85%, 80%, 70%, etc.).Additionally, we had a quiz session where we tried different chocolates and had to guess their flavour and cocoa percentage. The visit aimed to learn more about how they manage their business and the role of organic products in the industry.
I spent the first two weeks of the program in Toulouse where I studied Neuromarketing. The first day I arrived was unforgettable, as I was anxious about meeting new people and getting a taxi from the airport to the hotel (since I don’t speak French). However, it wasn’t so bad after all since I discovered that most people there understand and speak English. I met new people immediately after arriving for my check-in at the hotel, and later that same day, we organised a group dinner where we all got to know each other. I was pleased with the diversity of nationalities, with people from America, Croatia, Mexico, Canada, Egypt, Germany, and South Korea.
The following week, we visited a city called Carcassonne, famous for its beautiful castles and history. We visited the main castle, and the views from it were breath-taking. The next day, we visited Airbus! The place was incredible, and we were allowed to enter different planes to explore how their technology and designs have evolved. However, what stood out to me was the displayed uniforms designed for different types of pilots and astronauts. It was truly an amazing experience, and I learned more about the company and its business strategy.
My time in Toulouse ended with a celebration ceremony on the rooftop of the campus (with a pool!). We were given certificates and T-shirts with the school logo, which we all signed for each other (just like we do at the end of Year 11 in school). Another exciting part was that we ate lots of French macarons and pain au chocolat that day!
The next day, we departed from the hotel at 8 am and left by coach to Barcelona. We arrived around 4 pm at our hotel and were excited to explore the city. We organised a group dinner where we met new people (since some did not attend the program in Toulouse). Once again, it was amazing to meet all these people from so many different places. The following day, we were given a tour of the school campus, and the group was divided into teams to compete for tickets to Parc Guell.
The next day, we had an introduction to our courses, but this time it was different from the Toulouse campus as we had two classes – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. My morning class was Luxury Goods and Consumer Behaviour, while my afternoon class was Social Media Marketing.
In the same week, we visited a city called Sitges and went to the beach. We had breakfast there, then explored the city and swam in the ocean. Both the city and the beach were beautiful, and we all had an amazing time together.
During the weekend, we did touristic activities, like visiting the famous Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell. We were fortunate enough to watch the final of Euro 2024 in the city centre of Barcelona. After Spain scored the final goal, the vibe in the city was unmatched! Everyone was so happy, celebrating and chanting in Spanish – truly an unforgettable experience!
During my second week in Barcelona, we visited SAP and explored their office. We were given a presentation by one of the Sales team employees and learned more about the company and future opportunities available there. The office was really big (13 floors!), modern, and had a beach view!
The following day, we visited another big company, Freixenet, which specialises in Cava and Champagne production. We were given a tour of their business and were told the story behind their brand and products. We explored their centuries-old cellars, including the deepest one, 16 meters underground. At the end of the visit, we were guided to the terrace of the Cava bar where we tried two glasses of their cava.
The final week was more academically focused since we had to deliver presentations and sit exams. We were all anxious about the presentations since they contributed a high percentage to our grades, but in the end, we all did well. Additionally, we still participated in extracurricular activities organized by the school, such as a Catamaran boat trip.
We had exams on the final day followed by a celebration ceremony where we collected our certificates and ate different types of paella. We all got emotional since we spent the past few weeks together and it felt like we knew each other for years. I am happy that attending this summer school resulted in creating new friendships that I believe will last a lifetime.
Overall, my experience was incredible, and even the studying part was exciting. The program gave me an opportunity to expand my perspectives, learn new things, explore different cultures, network, and meet new people, which I believe will have a lasting impact on me. Additionally, it is a great addition to my CV, and I am sure this experience will help me succeed in my career!