Update & Payments Via Mobile Number

Hello Everyone!

So it is back to reality this week after the Easter holidays. I had a meeting with my dissertation tutor this morning with the first full draft of my research and all went really well. I am not where near finished yet but i can see light at the end of the tunnel now. I have around a week to finish my dissertation with a weeks allowance for binding and prining…it has come round so fast!

Since being a business student i have regularly been watching and reading the news and i found an interesting article which i wanted to talk to you about. According to the BBC News consumers will now be able to use mobile phone numbers to make bank payments from 29th April 2014.

The changes mean that account holders will be able to pay friends, family or traders without having to ask for their bank details. In stead, they will only need to ask for their mobile number, according to the payments council. However, both parties involved within the transaction, will have to register to use the service, known as Paym-pronounced "Pay Em".

I don't know about you but it almost seems too good to be true and almost like an open opportunity for frauds to strike. However, the payments council, which supervises bank transactions in the UK, has rejected fears about fraud.

According to Neil Aitken, from the payments council,"the only thing that people would be able to do if they got you mobile number is pay you - it will be integrated in to your existing banking app so it;s password protected".

Those wishing to make payments via mobile phone numbers will still need to use their banking apps, which require customers to long on to their accounts. Account holders will need to visit their own banks website for more details. Similar systems have already been introduced by Barclays and RBS NatWest.

Hmm, sounds quite interesting right?! What are your thoughts on this new payments method?

Speak soon!

The Plan After Easter Break

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all have a great Easter break…even though i am incredibly jealous as mine is none existent! I am currently in the University library writing up the remanding chapters for my dissertation and it suddenly struck me…what is the plan after Easter break? I know the main plan for my final 3rd semester is to complete my dissertation, hand in my dissertation, complete a handful of exams and then graduate! When written down it sounds so incredibly easy…the thought of everything is actually quite scary! But then what?!

In my previous post i briefly mentioned how i wouldn't be having much of an Easter break and so far this has been 100% true. I have lugged my way into University everyday with bags full of books (very good exercise) fully determined to get a full 9am - 6.30pm hour shift done packed full of dissertation work and revision. I find working at the University is so much better and i have less distractions. There is a library full of books within walking distance and some staff on hand to ask for advice.

It's the final week of Easter break and it has literally flown by so fast. I have literally had to make a full schedule for myself to make sure i stay on track. I promised myself i wouldn't be one of those student how finishes the work hours before the submission deadline…for a dissertation that sounds crazy! I mean if you get the work done appropriately good on you but it would seriously stress me out…eeek!

Looking at my calender i only have 3 weeks remaining to complete my dissertations….2 of which are for writing and editing and 1 week is to get my dissertation bound looking all pretty and professional. Then after that i have three exams scattered throughout May which we are still waiting on the timetable for (we were told it would be released last week…tut tut) and then GRADUATION in just over 12 weeks.

I can't believe the last three years have just flown by.

Speak soon!

Easter Break = No Break

Hello Everyone!

Yay! It is finally Easter break, which means lots of relaxing, enjoying the sunshine and doing pretty much anything other that University work right?! NOPE! Easter break for me = No Easter break. 

I am currently writing this post up from the Learning Hub at the Bedford campus. It is officially Easter break but unfortunately I will not be having an Easter break due to the growing amount of work i need to finish. I need to completing the remaining chapters of my dissertation, this is worth 70% of my final dissertation grade and they consist of the Methodology, Findings, Analysis, working on my Literature Review, Appendices and a reflective report and so on.

I think the thought of writing a dissertation is still quite daunting to me. Essentially it is 9000-10,000 word report but the word Dissertation is just so scary. I really cannot believe i am three years into my degree and i will be graduating in a few months time. The 1st draft and final deadlines are approaching and i am in a slight panic mode and want to make sure i get everything finishing within good time. I am hopefully working towards a 2:1 or 1st degree which means a lot of hard work is needed.

I have been University all day everyday for the past few weeks. I am determined to not get everything on top of me and fall behind…that would not be good. I think if i work constantly hard the next few weeks hopefully it will all be worth it and then i can enjoy the Summer and being a graduate!

I will fill you in on more dissertation antics soon!

Project Management Event - Practice Week

Hello Everyone,

I can't believe it's the 1st April today?! Where has the time gone?! The thought of having to submit the first full draft of my dissertation at the end of the month is absolutely frightening. For todays post I thought i would update you on my goings on recently…one of which was conducting a real life event for my Project Management Unit.

Last week myself and my Project Management team had to conduct our Business Management Battle with the first year business student during their third and final practice week of the year. We had been planning this event for the past four plus months and it was great to see it all come together and be such a success. Our event consisted of three major events which spread out across the week…A scavenger hunt, quiz and Dragons Den experience. Even though we planned three events, during the actual event we had to use our initiative and create a fourth event to spread over the time table which the lecturers issued to us…so as a team we decided on a SWOT analysis which would aid the first years in creating their pitch for the Dragons Den experience at the end of the week. Amongst all of this myself and my Project Management team were keeping a scoring systems which the students were aware of but had no idea on the criteria. It was an element which we thought really motivated the students to get involved and that element of competitiveness amongst the students really shone.

Overall the event went really well and the students were more involved out of all of their previous practice which was great to hear. Our event required a little more work and consideration as it was across a longer period of time but also because the University was our client (no pressure). We have had great feedback from the lecturers and they are considering using the event plan for future students which is quite exciting. The next stage is to complete a 1500 - 2500 word reflective report on the event and answer a few questions about how it went, how it could have been improved, how well the team worked together and so on.

The Project Management reflective report will be my last assignment of the year minus the remaining chapters of my dissertation. Once all of the written work is complete all i have left to do is three exams during May, wait for results and graduate in July! Ahhh!

Thanks for reading - Speak soon!