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Seven Questions with... Umair Mehmood
11 November 2022
Meet Umair Mehmood, Welfare and Community Officer at Students' Union UCL! Here, Umair – who has recorded his Seven Questions as a video – chats to us about the thrill of running for the Leadership Race and his favourite spots around campus.
What are you studying, why are you interested in this subject and what do you plan to do in the future?
Information Management for Business! It is a combination of IT and business modules. Why did I choose it? Because I didn’t want to do anything simple.
I really wanted to give back to the community which made me what I am today, and started working at Students' Union UCL as Welfare & Community Officer to support UCL students.
What is the most interesting thing you’ve done, seen or got involved with while at UCL?
The most interesting thing that I’ve been involved in at UCL is the Leadership Race. March 2022 was a great period for me – I ran for the Sabbatical Officer race, and, I can tell you, it was an experience – an experience that you can’t get anywhere in the world. I think my most cherished memory at UCL is running for the Leadership Race.
Have you discovered any hidden gems during your time at UCL?
I have found a couple of hidden gems during my time at UCL – the Student Support and Wellbeing services provided by the university, and the Advice Service at Students’ Union UCL are two hidden gems that are not as recognised as they should be. They are doing great work to support students and if you need any kind of help just reach out to them.
Give us your top three things to do/see/go to in London:
The top three things that I would suggest you do are...
- Go to a park. London has a lot of nice parks, and you can visit them freely and have your lunch there. I often visit Gordon’s Square.
- Go and get involved in different activites, like mini golf arenas and escape rooms. They really give you a thrill and are enjoyable to take part in with friends.
- Explore UCL. UCL has a very big campus – you might not know we have a School of Pharmacy on one end, and the Canary Wharf School of Management and new UCL East Campus on the other. Go out and explore it! Arrange tours with your peers and have fun.
What’s one thing you’d like to see in a post-COVID world?
In a post-COVID world, the one thing that I like to see and experience is the hybrid environment and making the most of a hybrid way of working. So having online meetings wherever possible to save time, for example. I would say that in-person things are also important for your mental health, so do go out with your friends and colleagues and enjoy yourself, but at the same time arranging online meetings to save time is nice, so, yeah, for me embracing a hybrid way of working and making the most of that blend.
Who inspires you and why?
I would not name a major personality or famous person, but my dad, who really inspires me. He started working in 1992 with nothing to his name, and later made it to creating a multi-million-dollar business. He lost everything in 2012 and then built it up again. I would say that the person who most motivates me is my dad. I’m sure many other students have a lot of great gems in their own families.
What would it surprise people to know about you?
The most surprising thing about me is that I used to be very overweight. I came down from 130 kgs to 70 kgs – in total, I lost around 60 kgs. I did this for myself. If you are looking to do something similar, I would recommmend reaching out to your doctor first, and having a proper diet plan and instructions set out by them, so that you do it in a safe way. The important thing ultimately though is that however you are, just be proud of yourself.
Watch Umair's Seven Questions
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