Five questions with Eve Brown
It’s not easy balancing study, exams, work and your personal life. We get the low-down on how student representative Eve Brown manages it all.
Eve Brown with her work colleagues on a hike (pictured above)
1. What does a typical day at work look like for you?
I’m a morning person so I like to start work around 8am (with a coffee). I usually do a quick review of emails received overnight, typically from clients in the US or Japan, and then I focus on chargeable work before lunchtime.
I currently spend my lunch breaks swimming at my local gym - working from home definitely has some benefits!
After lunch, I typically attend internal or client meetings. Client meetings are one of my favourite parts of the job because you find out about a client’s business and what’s important to them. Since some of the clients I work with are in the food and drink sector, on occasion I get great samples too.
2. How do you balance studying, work and your personal life?
I try to maintain separation between the three.
It’s easy to become overstretched so I think it is important to make time to relax. Leading up to my final exams in September on the Nottingham course I used my iPhone calendar to block out “rest” time where I do nothing at some point over the weekends and an evening or two a week. I do not have work emails on my phone and I find this helps.
Outside of work and study, to keep my life balanced, I spend time with family and friends. I also enjoy Parkrun and hiking.
3. What were the highlights and challenges for you as a student?
I really enjoyed the courses and socialising after lectures with other trainees. The student discount is also great.
The biggest challenge as a student is probably the intense revision period before the exams. I find that asking colleagues and lecturers on the courses for clarification as soon as possible helps to save time and effort. It is also difficult to keep up with life admin as a student!
As CITMA’s student representative, I want to ensure trainees get the best education and training possible to help them to feel confident in their knowledge when they qualify – so meeting other students and hearing their stories is always a benefit.
4. What is it like working with CITMA on top of everything else?
I really enjoy it, particularly as I am able to act as the voice of the student members of CITMA. It helps me to keep up to date with changes in law and practice, has great events and training sessions.
It is a great way to get involved in an issue you care about. You get to work with some very impressive people in the profession and you learn new things all the time.
CITMA has a range of committees and working groups that are always on the lookout for help.
Click here to find more information about our committees and working groups.
If you have any questions about volunteering, email us.
5. What’s one piece of advice you have been given that helps you stay motivated?
Ask yourself: “if not you, then who? If not now, when?”