Three Cities, One Degree, and a Lot of Growing Up

S P Jain Blog | October 26, 2026 | Dubai, Singapore, Student Life & Experiences, Sydney | No Comments

When I started my BBA, I thought the journey would be simple; study business, do a few internships, graduate and hopefully find a good job.

That was the plan.

But somewhere between Singapore, Dubai and Sydney, it became much more than that.

I ended up trying different internships, getting into research, taking up leadership roles, working with data and doing things that I honestly never imagined I would do when I first started.

More than anything, these years helped me understand myself better.

Three Cities Taught Me Three Different Things

I am naturally an introvert. I usually observe first, take my time and slowly become comfortable with people. So, moving to different countries and constantly adjusting to new environments was not always easy for me.

Singapore was where everything started. It was my first experience of studying in such an international environment and meeting people from so many different cultures. It taught me how to adjust without feeling like I had to completely change who I was.

Dubai was different. By then, I had started becoming more open to trying things outside academics. I took up internships, research projects and student activities even when I was not completely sure if I was ready.

Sydney has probably taught me the most about independence. Here, I have had to balance classes, work, assignments, responsibilities and career decisions. It made me realise that growing up is not one big moment. It is mostly small things you slowly learn to handle on your own.

Research Was Something I Never Planned

Research was honestly not something I thought would become such a big part of my BBA journey.

I worked on topics ranging from luxury brands entering the food and beverage industry to AI, workforce productivity and emerging technologies. Eventually, I also got the opportunity to co-author two research papers.

The biggest thing research taught me was not just how to write a paper.

It taught me to question things.

Sometimes you start research expecting one answer, but after reading different studies, the answer is completely different. I became more comfortable with saying, “I don’t know yet, let me find out.”

For me, that mindset has been one of the most useful things I have learnt.

My Internships Were All Over the Place — and That Helped

I have worked across HR, social media, marketing, business development, investment banking and finance.

For some time, I wondered if doing so many different things made my career path look confused.

Now I see it differently.

Every internship taught me something.

HR taught me about people and communication. Marketing made me think about customers and behaviour. Business development pushed me to speak more and understand what people need. Finance made me enjoy analysis and decision-making.

Slowly, I realised that I am most interested in the space where business, finance and data come together.

I still do not think I have every part of my career figured out, but I understand my interests much better now.

Leadership Does Not Always Have to Be Loud

I have also had opportunities to take up different student leadership, volunteering and mentoring roles.

For a long time, I thought leadership meant being the most confident or outspoken person in the room.

I don’t think that anymore.

For me, leadership is more about listening, being responsible and understanding people.

One experience that stayed with me was mentoring and speaking with government school students. I did not want to stand there pretending that I had everything figured out, because I am still a student myself.

I simply shared what I had learnt so far; about education, opportunities, confidence and trying things even when you are unsure.

That experience made me realise something I really believe now:

You do not always need someone who is twenty steps ahead of you.

Sometimes someone who is only a few steps ahead can still make the path feel possible.

And being quiet does not mean you cannot lead.

How Data Became Something I Actually Enjoy

My interest in data analytics also grew during my BBA.

I did not want to learn Excel, Power BI, Tableau or SQL only by watching tutorials. I wanted to use them.

So, I started creating projects using topics I found interesting: Netflix, Duolingo, AI and workforce trends, and even football.

The Duolingo project was one of my favourites because it made me realise that data is not just numbers on a screen.

Behind every number there is usually some kind of behaviour or story.

That is what I enjoy most about analytics; taking something messy and slowly turning it into something that makes sense.

I Still Don’t Have Everything Figured Out

As I get closer to finishing my BBA, I cannot say that I suddenly have my whole life planned.

I don’t.

But I know myself much better than I did when I started.

Singapore taught me to adjust. Dubai taught me to try. Sydney is teaching me independence. Research taught me to question. Internships helped me understand what I enjoy. Data made me curious. Leadership and mentoring taught me how important empathy is.

I still have a long way to go, and there are still many things I want to learn.

But maybe that is the biggest thing these three cities taught me.

Growth does not always have to look dramatic.

Sometimes it is simply becoming a little more confident, a little more independent and a little more willing to try things you once thought were not for you.

About the author
Jahnavi Vootla is our fourth-year Bachelor of Business Administration student currently residing at our Sydney campus.