Cheers to new beginnings - Welcome back to ESB

You can feel it in the air, the new semester is about to begin. One day to go, but it smells like student spirit already. So out of your comfort zone ESBians, let’s turn the page to a fresh start!

The campus seems to have come back to its fussy state, with students coming and going, moving all around. Some came from miles away to start a new chapter of their lives. Some had an amazing summer and can’t wait to finally meet their friends and share travel stories. Some come from their internships where they have experienced a new way of learning. Others, like me, are in their internships, missing the university atmosphere and trying to imagine what’s going on on campus at the moment.

This might sound insane, but yeah, I do miss university, with its lecture rooms charged with a bundle of emotions. There is a mixture of enthusiasm and confusion in the air at this time of the year that I find quite inspiring. New beginnings come with a bit of excitement and a little anxiety of the unknown. I remember feeling exactly like that when I started university. I didn’t know what to expect, but the atmosphere made me feel like I was about to become part of something great. When I stepped into the lecture hall three semesters ago, my mind was full of hopes. I was looking for new perspectives and maybe looking forward to discovering my own self. But most of all, I was hoping that I had made the right choice. Like any 19-year old freshman, I had my expectations, I had my fears.

But walking into the lecture hall was a real inspiration. There were people from all around the world. It was an incredible feeling, like cultures were binding for a common purpose. Everyone had a story to tell, a culture to share. And this made me even more enthusiast. I couldn’t wait for the first course.

And it didn’t disappoint, but more than that, it was more than I had expected.

So, dear student, wherever you come from, whatever your background is, whatever semester you are about to start, make sure you will have a story to tell next semester. In other words, make this one great! And don't forget: every new beginning is a new opportunity. 

Good luck ;)

~ Karina

Perspectives by Shreeya Khanna

Millions of people, thousand thoughts, hundreds of experiences every day, yet a small world. :) This is just a small effort to pen down something I believe in.

Be it circumstantial or forced, we are here out in this world to perform roles which will come to an end one day. However good or bad our dealings or our attitude may be, at the end of the role many will gather in numbers at our funeral to say a final goodbye, even people who in all our lifetime never stood by us, never supported us or never were true to our face. By this I actually mean people often judge us the way they want to with respect to their own perspectives. Often many will never even take a small thought backward and allocate it to the WHY logic behind our reactions and behavior. Because the most comfortable thing to do is to form an OPINION and just sit back and pass judgments, which in real life don’t even really affect us. Or at least they shouldn’t. It’s just a reflection of their own thoughts which they show. J The best people are the ones who judge objectively and see the underlying intentions behind all actions we take, but such people are rare. :P Trust is another thing which comes in handy for people who just love to judge. However less or more someone knows about you, they prefer verbal disgrace in the name of trust, without even having a little idea behind the intentions we have.

MAKE A PROMISE TO YOURSELF EACH DAY... no matter how many judgments may cross your path, never stop taking a stand and standing up for something you believe in! Let go of what hinders you in carving a successful journey for your own self! And next time before judging or forming any opinions, make sure you see the other side of the story as well and step into the others shoes perspective. At the end we are the masters of our own happiness, each one fighting their own intense and unique battle in life. So just show up stronger and better out to the world and above all, never give up! Cause it’s rightly said by Charles Montagne, “you can hate, you can love, but you cannot deny”.

About Shreeya

Shreeya is an international business student in the third semester. She comes from India and has a very vibrant personality that truly inspires. Besides business, she likes to write and sing and has a great interest in psychology. The conversations I had with her regarding Indian traditions and life perspectives inspired me to share her post on the student blog.

Do you have a story to tell? What a question! For sure you do! So don't hesitate to share it with us and get the chance to have your story published on our blog.
Stay positive!

10 reasons why we love ESB

1.       You will always find ESB on the highest positions in the rankings

And be very proud about that. And you have the right to – your attitude and hard work make the university better and better. Click here to see the latest ranking.

2.       Spirit of the university, which you cannot deny

The magical spirit of ESB is not only something everybody talks about, but also that wonderful feeling you get with your first step on campus. It is maybe not the most important part of your studies, but nothing motivates you more than an ESB Bear or a cool and comfy ESB sweater for the winter.

3.       International environment and freedom of cultures

Sometimes it seems as if there is more diversity at ESB then in the one and only New York city. You can meet people from all over the world and make friends for your whole life. Who would say no to that?

4.       Course structure

What is unique about the ESB is the course structure, designed to fill your student life with variety and amazing career opportunities. After three semesters of gaining theoretical knowledge on various business topics, you are prepared for your next step: one full semester of practical experience at a company. You can apply for internships wherever in the world, in the business area of your choice.

You want more variety? Here you have it: the 6^th semester is your exchange semester. We have partner universities all over the world, giving you the chance to study in a totally different culture.

And if the idea of writing your Bachelor’s thesis in the library is not dynamic enough for you, at ESB you can choose to research for your thesis while working at a company.

Moreover, we have something called ‘the Fast-track option’. This allows you to choose a partner university and do your Master's in one or two semesters. After 8 or 9 semesters, you can end up with a Bachelor's and a Master's Degree, at least one internship, and an experience abroad. How cool is that?

5.       Dynamic courses and guest lectures

You will never get bored at ESB. All lectures here are concentrated on practical experience and examples. You will dig into real-life situations and subjects as much as possible. There is a balance between studying what you learn at lectures and self-research. Plus, you get to work in teams and get used to scheduling meetings and dividing tasks like in a real business environment.  Moreover, each semester we host guest lecturers from different companies sharing the experience they've gained with us. For instance, this semester Dr. Britton, former managing director at American Airlines, gave a powerful speech on 10 aspects that make great leadership. His words encouraged and inspired all of us.

6.       Workshops and Career Fairs

At ESB everything is working towards your future. All you need to get the most out of your experience is your willingness. ESB Business School hosts more than 60 companies on campus each semester during the International Business Fair and Firmen Forum. We have partnerships with leading companies like Google, Daimler, Bosch, Deloitte or IBM. As a student here, you have the chance to talk to their employees, find internship opportunities, attend their workshops or even get interviewed right on campus.  Enjoy every moment and use it to build your professional network.

7.       Opportunities to show your talents

At ESB you can find different extracurricular activities that can match your hobbies and… well, your CV as well :) Get involved in event planning, joining debate clubs, mentoring and helping new students integrate or blogging are just a few examples of what great things you can do here.

8.       Library

Once you get to the university library you will totally understand why it is on the list. Hundreds and hundreds of books, nice and soft couches, tables and – the last but not the least – the atmosphere for studying. Get yourself some water for hydration and be ready to learn some micro.

9.       Mensa

Maybe it’s only me, but food is extremely important for me. So I would name Mensa and its prices as one of the reasons why you will enjoy your studies here. Only 2,95 euros for students, I mean!

10.   Place to stay

ESB gives you the opportunity to get a place in one of the dorms on campus, which are not only very close to university, but also relatively cheap! Besides, the atmosphere in these dorms is what will cheer you up when you want to take a break from your full to do list and just chill a bit. There is always something going on, a floor mate cooking dinner or a social gathering in the common kitchen.

Where ESB Alumni Work - Top 10 Employers

Still in doubt about what opportunities you have as an International Business student at ESB?
Based on data from LinkedIn, here are the 10 most popular employers for ESB alumni:

1. Bosch

2. Daimler

 

3. IBM

4. Hewlett Packard Enterprise

 

 

  5. Erst & Young 

6. BMW Group

7. Siemens

 

8. ALDI SÜD

9. Porsche

 

10. Accenture

 

Alumni Q&A: Interview with Christoph Gukelberger - successful entrepreneur and former IB student

His name is Christoph Gukelberger, he studied at ESB Business School and now runs his own startup, BringLiesel, together with his friend Nico Jäschen. They built an online platform, through which they deliver body care products to retirement homes. They operate all over Germany, with a core team of eight people and another three people who help out with customer acquisition.

We had the honor of interviewing him last week to learn more about his company and experience as a young entrepreneur.

Q&A

What did you study at the ESB, and when did you graduate?

C.G: I studied International Business, and I did what is now called the Fast-track. I graduated in 2009 from California State University.

Looking back, what was the most valuable thing you learned at ESB?

C.G: Apart from the business knowledge, I learned how to be organized. The IB programme forces you to plan ahead. It also taught me how to work with different cultures and adapt to new people and new surroundings. This was very inspiring.

What did you do before becoming an entrepreneur?

C.G: I worked as a consultant in the pharmaceutical industry for two years, after which I joined a e-commerce startup in Berlin. I stayed there for seven months and then I went on to work for another e-commerce startup in Hamburg for one and a half years where I helped the company to expand their business internationally.

How did you come up with the idea for BringLiesel?

C.G: When I was working in Berlin I received a call from a retirement home in Leipzig who were wondering about an invoice issue. During the call, I figured out, there might be more than just an invoice issue. I decided to drive over there and spent the afternoon talking with the staff. It became clear to me that the people in the retirement home were having trouble getting everyday products such as shampoo and toothpaste. I realized, that the demographical change in Germany will significantly affect and even compound this situation in retirement homes. After I found out there was no concept on the market solving this, I started to work on a solution for it.

What does a normal day look like for you?

C.G: There really is no such thing. I’m responsible for marketing, PR and sales, so the tasks are quite varied. I meet with clients, make cold calls, work on PR and so on. I also still spend quite a lot of time on the road, usually 1-3 days a week.

What do you find most difficult about being an entrepreneur?

C.G: Being organized and staying focused. Entrepreneurship is all about execution, and you really have to get things done. You’re also pretty much on your own, so every morning you have to get up and be able to motivate yourself. Depending on the situation, this can be extremely challenging.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to become an entrepreneur?

C.G: Before starting your company, talk to as many people as possible and get feedback on your idea. You need to have a lot of self-confidence and believe in your idea. Other people can help you as they “grind” your idea which helps you to stay focused. Through this, you might also meet people joining your path in the future and contributing significantly to your success - don’t underestimate this. And... you mustn’t give up!

What advice would you give to the IB students?

C.G: Stay open-minded, there are so many opportunities out there! Don’t limit your career options in the beginning. Keep your eyes open and try to get as diverse experiences as possible. Learn to listen.

If you want to know more about BringLiesel and its services, we welcome you to visit their website: http://www.bringliesel.de

Stay updated for more of our Alumni Q&A series!

Why should I be part of a resort this semester? - Answers to frequent questions

Hello freshmen and welcome to the ESB !

I hope you all had a nice time on your first days on campus! It's the beginning of the semester and your head is probably full of information and questions. Course handouts, exam regulations, assignment deadlines, information about the study programme, dozens of new interesting people you would like to talk to, 100 names to memorise.  All of these things pop up into your mind, while you are a little bit dizzy from the party last night. And above all, these guys wearing nice T-shirts with the ESB logo come to you and tell you that it's a really good idea to get involved in the campus life and become part of a resort. As if you don't have enough things on your mind already! As if you have time left between three lectures, an intensive self-study of math and the next party!

Well, here's the funny thing: you actually do have the time and it is a great idea indeed. Let me tell you why.

•  Being involved in the campus life of the university and sharing the ESB spirit around makes you more motivated and enthusiast about the student life.
• You have the chance to develop your managerial and communication skills while working in a team and organising events. Besides, you can be as creative as you want and come up with ideas. You may also discover new passions or interests.
• You have fun! You get in touch with many students from different semesters and it seems like all of you have the same goal: improving the campus life while having a great time together.
• It doesn't take much of your time. Actually not at all. There are some meetings you should attend, but luckily we have this technology, so many things are actually discussed virtually. Many of my fellow students joined at least one activity. The summer semester was even shorter and we had a pretty full schedule. But being involved didn't affect our studies and no, we are not perfect in time management, neither math geniuses.

Overall, it is a great experience! Feeling that you do more for the university  makes you feel like you are part of a great community of people. Imagine your first days here at ESB without anybody to show you around the campus or share their experience with you. Boring, huh?

There is still time to apply. Check out the presentation updated on the facebook group for more information about each resort or activity. Then send us an e-mail with your motivation until Monday, September 26th at esb.ib.application@gmail.com and tell us why you think you are suitable for the position. No, it doesn't have to be a one-page personal statement. Just briefly ;)
When it comes to self-development, studying is never enough! Looking forward to your applications!

- Karina - 

Why I think ESB is the right place to study

When I started at ESB my expectations were pretty high.  I had made a research about the university and found out about this cool IB programme which combined theory with a practical experience. Then I went through the whole admission process, which made me realize that the university has very high learning standards. So I had my reasons to expect the best.
They say : "dont expect high because you will be dissapointed". Well.. not this time. This semester was an amazing experience for me, as an international student.
It's even nicer than I expected. It's like when you buy a pizza and it looks good but when you try it,  it tastes even better.

Here are some reasons why :
First, let's start with the academic part

The professors are great and the information you learn is relevant in the business world. Maybe because our profs have worked on big companies and they know what skills we will need in our future work. Working in small groups of maximum 70 makes the learning more efficient and active process. We basically get involved in the class, answer and ask questions.

The International Business Fair which takes place every semester on campus gives you the chance to meet representatives from big international companies  such as Porsche, Daimler, Bosch or Deloitte. You also have the chance to find information about student jobs or internships.

The library offers all the necessary tools you need for learning. Computers, self and group study rooms and oh, those confortable seats :D. When the weather is nice you can study outside in the sun.

There are tutorials that students teach so if you are having trouble with math or microeconomics, don't worry that no one will help you out. Moreover, you can become a tutor yourself if you perform well in one subject.

And the more fun part...

You receive a warm welcome from the IB Vision and StuCo students. They make sure you feel integrated and have fun.
Everyday is a cultural rollercoaster. Talking to your friend from the other corner of the world while eating at the cafeteria and learning about his/ her habits just makes your lunch more fun.
ESB has it own spirit. You can become part of the IB Vision and StuCo student organisations and get involved in making the student life here more interesting and fun.
You don't have time to get bored. Reutlingen may be a small city, but if you have your party people with you, you can have fun practically everywhere.

If you have just been accepted at our university, you will have a blast for sure!
Stay tuned for more tips about the student life at ESB!

- Karina -