• Status: Student
  • Current country: Norway

I knew I wanted to live in Barcelona, so that part was settled quite a while before I started looking for universities. When I did start looking, though, there was something about TBS’s approach that instantly appealed to me. The somehow relaxed and community-focused culture, the emphasis on first-hand experience, and the encouragement of student initiatives were the factors that had me convinced that TBS was the right place for me. At that point, I had already started dreaming about starting my own sustainability-based business, so the Bachelor in Management became a natural program to choose.

With this program, I was hoping to build my own toolbox of business-related skills that could help me prepare for starting my own business in the best possible way. And, fortunately, my expectations were met and my toolbox is definitely getting heavier!

Although I, unfortunately, spent one out of three years back home in Norway due to COVID-19, I still want to say that my experience at TBS has been great so far! The community at TBS is so united – we’re almost just like a huge group of friends studying together. I feel lucky that I’ve had the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by some truly great teachers and professors, and I’ve altered my understanding of the business world, value creation, and society on so many new and interesting levels.

I am unfortunately not in Barcelona right now, but I was lucky enough to enjoy 9 months in Barcelona before the pandemic started. Barcelona is awesome. It is such a social city – you’ll meet new and inspiring people anywhere you go, and there’s an endless sea of art, music, parties, restaurants, cafés, and much, much more to explore.

To me, being close to nature is essential for my own wellbeing, but fortunately, Barcelona has a wide variety of natural experiences located both inside and right outside the city – such as the ocean, large green areas, and mountains. Barcelona is a city anyone can fall in love with, no matter what lifestyle they have. 

As mentioned earlier, I had a dream of starting my own sustainability-based business. This dream is still relevant for me now, and I’m constantly on the lookout for new ideas on how I’m going to pursue it! To me, there are few things I find more important than protecting nature and our world’s ecosystems, and I personally do not see myself in a future where the preservation of natural resources is not a central part of my life.

I am currently working as a marketing intern at Arctic Coworking Lodge in the Lofoten Islands in Norway! TBS is really amazing when it comes to encouraging students to “get out there” and embark on any professional journeys, and I believe this encouragement is what has helped me develop my skills the furthest. Putting the knowledge I’ve acquired through my education into practice is quite scary, but it’s also so exciting! Pushing myself to take on new challenges lets me learn so much more about myself and my career – literally for every day that passes by. 

Optimally, I see myself running such a business and simultaneously being able to work remotely from all over the world. That last part is something I’ve opened my eyes to this past year (the year of the home office), as I believe the freedom of being able to combine work and adventures is effectively accomplished by this lifestyle. Essentially, I hope to see myself successfully taking advantage of the fruitful experience I gained from my education at TBS – using it to create a life filled with exploration, green practices, and adventures worldwide. 

I think TBS adapted smoothly to the home office situation, and I did not feel like I was lacking any aspects of the education by having all the courses online. To me, remote work was truly something I enjoyed, and it also opened my eyes to coworking the digital nomad lifestyle. My new engagement in remote work was actually what finally lead me to apply to my current internship position at the Arctic Coworking Lodge in Lofoten! 

Maren Emilie Forsberg

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