Course and competencies RICS tapped into were tailor-made for me, says Alexandra Charlotte Philip

As a typical 90’s kid, I enjoy a lot of relatable content across the internet. I love my iPod, enjoy listening to music and reading a good book. I’ve come to the north and started appreciating contemporary South Indian cinema (the irony in that is hilarious!). I enjoy making chocolates. I am fascinated with interior designing and landscape planning. I’m a thalassophile with roots in Goa and love travelling. The most inspiring travelling quote that stuck with me is, ‘Travel till you find yourself.’ I love a good story and occasionally write poetry or doodle.

I vividly remember this! I was looking forward to college life, to keep playing Hockey, to travel, to grow and get out of my comfort zone. I was ambitious and driven. In spite of my interest in the arts, I decided to pursue Science out of curiosity for the avenues it would open up. I chose my course of study because of an interest in solving crimes and watching a lot of crime docuseries.

There was just one college I had my eyes set on for me, it was probably the biggest motivation to study and score in my Board exams. It was St. Xavier’s College. It had the course I wanted to pursue, the additional tap into a fantastic college-student culture, historic campus, and most importantly, it was the college of my dreams.

Taking the Science stream was my choice and it sprouted from my interests, but more importantly, I knew exactly what I wanted.

After completing BE in Civil Engineering, I decided that the best way forward was to gain work experience so that I could understand which field I would want to pursue further. I spent over a year as an apprentice to a senior counsel and arbitrator, a little while with a project management consultancy and some time in valuations with a team of chartered surveyors. They all taught me one thing, I must pursue higher studies. They helped me in enhancing my technical knowledge and managerial application of it. Initially, I was researching RICS when I saw a job description for an international posting that stated ‘RICS certified professionals are preferred.’ I wanted to apply my civil engineering knowledge in the field of Real Estate. I was contemplating a post-graduate degree in Real Estate while simultaneously applying for RICS certification.

Once I heard of RICS School of Built Enviornment, I felt that the course and the competencies it tapped into were tailor-made for me. The course structure, industry interaction and exposure made it a viable choice and a good choice for me.

As a part of the admission process, the applicants had to undergo an aptitude test followed by an interview round. The interview round had us all nervous. I had cleared the aptitude and had little work experience to back me up, but with so many applicants the atmosphere was tense. The interview went well. I believe the one answer that made an impression on the Interviewer and on me was, “Does value education need to be a subject in schools?” I told them, that Value Education must be part of the curriculum because it is important in moulding a child’s personality. Children learn best from observations and examples. While many of us are lucky to come from households that imbibe ethics and values in us from the start, there will be children who have seen a difficult childhood. They will need the education to break the cycle and be the change, that is why value education is important to teach us what is right and wrong.

Our campus is a part of the Amity campus and is huge and versatile. There is something for everyone. The library was my sanctuary when I was still a stranger to many, books were my friends. The green spaces, walkways and H-block were ideal for lazy strolls in the evening. College kept me busy in various activities such as organising debate competitions or hosting leadership lectures, my day was almost always packed. I was also attending all the class and managing assignments. I dedicated my weekends to reading and exploring the city. Delhi is a beautiful place meant to be shared with friends. In college, I decided to be actively involved with the student body and the college debating society.

I loved Real Estate Market Dynamics taught by professor Aparna Soni, and Laws and Regulations for the Real Estate Sector, Corporate Law and Taxation taught by professor Reema Bali. We tapped into various aspects of demand-supply analysis, urban planning and its merits and demerits, legal and regulatory nuances pertaining to the industry and the key points of focus during the pre-construction and post-construction phase of a project.

I spent a lot of my time at SBE immersed in extra-curricular. I was part of the debating society and represented the School at quite a few inter-collegiate competitions, mostly in the Delhi University circuit and Amity University circuit. As part of the student body Student Learning Innovation Networking Group (SLING), I helped organise and manage various leadership lectures and events. I anchored many of our college events, ranging from formal ones such as panel discussions and inauguration of our entrepreneurship incubator, to informal ones like the Farewell Party for our seniors. Few of the most memorable interactions were, hosting and anchoring for the leadership lecture by Paul Cobb and William Carr-Miles of Mace Limited, and John Hughes, Former President of RICS. Anchoring for the World Green Building Week finale in 2019 was the most fun I had as a host.

Honestly, I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and the encouragement I’ve received. The teaching and non-teaching staff and my peers have been kind and supportive. I have been able to accomplish much more than I anticipated in the time that I have been here. If I could do something more, I would probably focus on writing a blog and learning French. These are two things I haven’t been able to incorporate into my time here.

About the author

Alexandra Charlotte Philip is a civil engineer from Mumbai with a keen interest in Heritage structures and history. She cares deeply for the environment and spread awareness about it wherever possible. As a Mumbaiite, she understands the detrimental effects of development; and as she recently relocated to Delhi, she has understood the need for planning and incorporating sustainability into our spatial development practices.

 

 

Note: The views expressed in this article are solely author’s own and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha