Anne, 2022 Summa Cum Laude in International Energy

Coming from Germany, Anne Geschke has graduated Summa Cum Laude in International Energy.

>What skills and/or strategy helped you to succeed at PSIA?  

What truly helped me succeed was having things other than school that I dedicated time to - this helped me set my boundaries and priorities. Over the course of two years, I was active in student representation & on an association board, took a drawing class, worked, and consciously took time to spend with friends. This did not only make me more efficient in studying but, importantly, it created balance. My other activities served as a constant reminder that there are "other things out there" and that dedicating time and effort to all parts of life, including but not exclusively pertaining to school, is important. 

Another thing I'd like to point out is that setting boundaries and priorities also means saying no. At times I had to make the difficult decision not to pursue something further or to take a step back to be able to maintain the balance between school work, other activities, and my overall mental health. The art of saying "no" was perhaps one of the most important skills I refined during my time at PSIA. 

What part of your PSIA experience do you think will be of greatest help in your career?

This will be a typical answer. The most helpful thing, I am fairly sure, will be people. During my time at PSIA I was able to connect to students, administrative staff and professors alike. School felt like a playful way of not only making these connections, but also of showing each other our strengths and how we may integrate in future teams professionally (or otherwise). Already during my time at PSIA I was able to get great advice for future career steps from (former) students and staff alike. Moving on, I am excited to be able to rely on this network but to also benefit current students with some insights into the post-PSIA life.

What advice would you give to current and future PSIA students?

Make good use of your time - draw clear boundaries and consider where your priorities lie. When you come to PSIA for a Master's degree, you essentially have only 1.5 years to learn and thrive from the opportunities a school like Sciences Po has to offer. This means that sometimes, your time may be better spent on a zoom call with President Zelensky than working on a take-home exam for 2 more hours. There are constant tradeoffs between school work and other things. So do take a moment every once in a while to check in with yourself - in a week or a month from now, would you have needed more time to spend on school work to be able to get a good grade on an exam? Or would you actually rather have taken this time to attend a guest lecture, or to go for a walk to decompress? It's important for you to be honest with yourself here because only you can know what you need and what matters to you. 

Some may be able to attend "everything" and to still excel in every course. Maybe you are one of these people. No matter how you function and who you are, I would really recommend for you to clearly define the most important things or achievements you want to get out of your time at PSIA because there will be an overflow of opportunities. Then pursue your goals under the constraints that you need to set for your own mental health and well-being. 

• About the Master in International Energy