Since the start of my teenage years, I have developed a strong interest in Politics, current affairs and the way in which our economy operates. As I've become more mature, my interests have intensified. Despite only being 17 I've lived through a second Gulf War, mass terrorist attacks and a recently established economic recession. It is through such incidents that my pre-conceptions of the society we live in have been constantly challenged and created. Studying Modern Studies in 5th year further fuelled my passion for Politics, and developed my knowledge of current affairs both domestically and internationally. It has also complemented my strong interest in the business world and the economy as a whole, therefore influencing my decision to pursue a Politics or Business degree. My interest in Politics extends beyond academic subjects. I often spend time debating certain aspects of Politics with friends and family alike, and due to the diversity of opinion that Politics offers I find myself continually re-evaluating my own opinions. As a subject, Politics enthrals me like no other. It influences everything that occurs in our society from the news we read to the social class we derive from. Due to this I feel that Politics as a discipline is too powerful to overlook. My strong interest in Business stems from reading stories of respected entrepreneurs. My interest was further enhanced after attending a Business conference at Napier University. At the conference we had to create a Business idea within small groups and present it to fellow peers with the intention of competing against other schools. This gave me an insight into the skills required to succeed in Business and the competition and complexity of Modern Business. My current 6th year subjects will help me establish a good platform for my university course of choice. I chose to study Media as it coincides with both Politics and Business equally, and because it can influence all areas of society, in particular voting behaviour. Also studying Administration will develop my knowledge of Business and how IT is progressively used in organisations to aid decision making and how it can create new markets and opportunities. I've obtained a broad work experience through a variety of different roles which have helped me to understand Business from an internal perspective, and see the effectiveness of marketing and media exposure in terms of maximising profitability. As well as enhancing my interest in Business, my previous roles have provided me with excellent team working and communication skills and the experience of prioritising my time whilst working in a fast-paced and demanding environment. Within school I'm a member of the pupil council and Events committee. Each role demonstrates that I'm a trustworthy and responsible individual who can generate and implement many constructive ideas within a team based environment. As well as being on these committees I was also privileged to be assigned the role of Pastoral Prefect which requires me to give educational help and guidance to younger pupils. In this role I have to display a high level of maturity and patience and the ability to adapt to the individual circumstances of each pupil. Outside of academia my main interests lie in sport particularly Football, having played at Academy level for a premier league club for over 4 years. As well as Football I enjoy indulging in other sports such as Tennis and Golf. When not playing sports my interests are quite varied and cover a wide spectrum of activities from reading to music to socialising with friends. My balance of schoolwork, sporting activities, work and maintaining a social life indicates that I have the ability to manage my time effectively, and that I can cope with a busy lifestyle. My previous experiences, motivation and will to succeed further connotes that I have the ability to meet the demands of studying at degree level.
