Annalisa Schembri

Annalisa Schembri

Apart from the knowledge I gained from my course, the human experience at university was invaluable. I could build on my skills but it was also a time where I could experiment and do all that excited me. While I never missed a single lecture, I participated in student life first as an SDM (Studenti Demokristjani Maltin) member and then with ASA (Arts Students Association), and finally with the student council (KSU).

University also taught me how to think critically and develop my own mind. However, my biggest achievement was public speaking. I was and still am a shy person but through the various activities I found myself participating in, I managed to overcome this hurdle.

The contacts I made helped build the network that I still make use of today. When I started at JCI seven years ago, this experience from university was incredible even compared to others with important positions. Being JCI Malta president last year and now being elected on the European Development Council have been the highlights of my life. University instilled in me a sense of active participation and responsibility towards being better, and I now want to give back some of what I know and have learnt.

My ties with university have always remained strong. Within a few months of graduating I started working at DegreePlus. While I learned a lot in this position it also served as an eye-opener and I realised that a nine-to-five job was not for me. It pushed me to follow my heart strongly and become a freelancer and while taking this plunge was not easy, it was the right thing for me. I now love the freedom this gives me.

I believe it is important to take the time to see what you really want to do. In Malta, we don’t have the culture and structure of taking a year off from higher education studies and maybe it is now needed more than ever. See the world as it really is, imagine it better, and work towards that goal. And another point, take full advantage of your time at university. Don’t just go to lectures and go home. There is more to student life. I’m doing what I’m doing today not only because of my course but because I was always hungry for more.