Ryan always felt fascinated and inspired by CEOs of multinational corporations and people who built businesses that grew to become global brands. He always had a passion for commerce and he believed that pursuing further studies in business management would give him a solid foundation in the world of commerce and a holistic overview of the effective operations of business functions, thus ultimately broadening his career horizons. These factors were what led Ryan to decide to pursue studies in the field of commerce.
Every student endures some challenges during their time at university. For Ryan, the most significant challenge was caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic had forced universities to transition from face-to-face to online lectures and assessments. Bridging the gap between the two mediums proved to be exceedingly challenging. In order to overcome these challenges, Ryan found that maintaining consistent communication with his classmates and lecturers allowed him – and his peers – to band together and brainstorm innovative solutions for the new obstacles they faced.
His ability to learn, unlearn and relearn information and adapt to the expectations required of him helped Ryan overcome challenging periods in his time as a student. His ability of critical thinking allowed him to see problems as potential opportunities to be exploited. Furthermore, Ryan drew inspiration during these challenging times from Proverbs 29:18 which states: "Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint". In addition, he emphasised that it is always important for him to maintain the vision of what he sees himself achieving and who he sees himself becoming, as this enables him to muster up the discipline to push on. He believes it is always important for people to remember their "why" when they are faced with challenging times.
When it came to maintaining a balance between academic demands, extracurricular activities and work opportunities, Ryan highlighted that it was tempting to ‘bite off more than you can chew’ at university, as students are presented with a plethora of activities, societies and opportunities for work that may stretch them thin and lead to burnout. In order to overcome this and maintain a balance, Ryan found it paramount to keep the ‘main thing the main thing’ and understand the importance of extracurricular activities in fostering his holistic growth. He allowed his priorities to transcend from abstract values to practical time allocations for activities to maintain a healthy balance.
When asked what advice he would extend to fellow students who are seeking to achieve academic success and make the most of their university experience, Ryan made reference to a quote by George S. Patton Jr. which states “He who sweats more in training bleeds less in battle”. From this quote Ryan emphasised that students should resist the alluring temptation of covering 6 months' worth of content 2 weeks before the exam and that consistency is key.
Ryan also believes that the role of a community is vital in a students’ success. Therefore, he advises that students find a place to belong. Whether it be a church, society or group of people who genuinely care for them and motivate them to achieve their goals. This is important as many people will inevitably fall and lose motivation along their journey and will need a community that can lift them up and spur them on. As Ryan says, “It's hard to do it on your own, two are better than one”.
Currently Ryan is at a flight school and pursuing his dream of becoming a pilot.