Wint War War Aung first became interested in studying at UTS when she was in Grade 8, after a presentation at her high school in Mandalay. She also had a cousin studying on campus. “She told me how good it is,” she says. “And it is in the city centre, so you can enjoy city life. I liked that idea.”
After completing her secondary studies in Myanmar, Wint enrolled in UTS Foundation Studies – the first step towards her goal of studying Bachelor of Business at UTS. She says, “Since I was really young, I watched many movies about business. Also, my father is a businessman. I want to give back to my community as a businesswoman.”
Although she began her UTS College studies from her home, she had already made many friends before moving to Sydney for her second semester. “It was so good to see them all when I came to Sydney, and to meet so many new people there,” she says. She now lives with some of those friends in student accommodation. “I have a lot of friends here who also come from Myanmar.”
Making the transition
The transition to a new country and city was challenging in some ways. She says, “I moved to Sydney during Week 3 of the semester – so it was in the middle of my study – and at that time I also had to find a place to live. It was hard, so even though I love playing games and going out, I had to sacrifice both of those things for a little while. I just had to focus on my studies,” she says. “But the good thing is you can get help from the UTS HELPS centre or email your teacher if you need anything.”
A new way of learning
The approach to learning at UTS College helped Wint find her way as a student. “It really suited me,” she says. “There were no exams in my course. I am not much of an ‘exam person’ so I found it really enjoyable. The projects, workshops, and assignments were fun. It did not feel like I had to study too much.” Wint found she could keep herself on track without too much trouble. “You just have to stay focused and check which assignments are due. As long as you have a plan – a good routine – you’ll get through,” she says. “The teachers provide tips on how to manage our time, and sometimes you can submit a draft before your project deadline and the teachers will help you.”
Starting uni with confidence
Wint says the skills and learning experiences from UTS Foundation Studies have helped her to enter UTS with confidence. “So many of the subjects helped me. I remember a course called Professional Environment. It really helped us focus on our career goals. I feel it helped me set my goals and helped me understand more about business and what I want to do,” she says. “And in English class, we learnt a skill called setting a SMART goal. It’s basically about setting a goal within a limited time and committing to it. It works for me. Say I want to try to finish reading a book, or make sure I have my own time apart from studying, even to hang out with friends or whatever I want to do.”
Outstanding Graduate Prize
Her hard work paid off, and Wint completed her UTS Foundation Studies as the winner of the Outstanding Graduate Prize – a $5000 award to the student who achieves the highest Grade-Point Average (GPA) in their UTS College program. She says, “I feel so happy, and I made my parents proud too. Since I was young, they really wanted me to get good grades, so they are really happy. Winning this prize makes me feel motivated to achieve more in the future.”
Now at UTS studying Bachelor of Business, she’s enjoying campus life and is making the most of the lively neighbourhood around UTS. She says, “I like to hang out with my friends, and we love to try new food. Right now, I love Hot Pot. It’s Chinese, and it’s really spicy,” she says. Her favourite building is the Business School. “Some people say it’s ugly, but I think it’s cool and unique,” she says. “It’s also really close to where I live.”
Future business goal
Wint is majoring in Finance and hopes to one day have her own business. She says, “I want to have a gaming company. Not just because I’m interested in gaming. I’ve seen, in the gaming community, a very toxic environment for female players. They’re harassed, and some players just don’t believe female players can be any good. I want to create a safe platform for all women so they can just enjoy playing without those bad experiences.”