Aanya Manjakunnel
Aanya is a second-year Economics student at the University of Warwick, and a resources intern at Discover Economics.
Why did you choose to study economics?
Having moved from Japan to India at a young age, the stark differences in the infrastructure and state of the countries was surprising. As I grew up, I began to understand what a huge role economics played in the development and growth of a country. I became increasingly fascinated with development economics and especially the development of education within India. This drew me to studying economics and exploring all the fields within it.
How would you describe economics?
Economics is such a vast subject it would be hard to describe it. I would say it is engaging and thought-provoking. It is a subject that permeates into every aspect of your life. Economics can use models or theories to make predictions and analyse data. It can be used to understand behaviour of consumers and producers. Honestly, it can be described as so many things and that is what is amazing about it.
If you had a time machine and could meet your 16-year-old self, what advice would you give them?
If I could go back in time, I would probably tell my younger self to explore more sides of herself – figure out what she likes and take initiative to learn more about it. For the most part, I think that my 16 year-old self did everything she could do at the time and was a fundamental part of who I am today. I would probably tell her to take a breather once in a while and enjoy the little things in life.
What is your favourite part of economics?
This may not be true for everyone but for me my favourite part of Economics is the math. I love working with numbers and using them to figure out relations between variables. Mathematics is the most straightforward subject for me. There is a solution you can work towards and so many methods to keep your brain turning. I love how mathematics stimulates economics and can be used to reach conclusions.
Is there anything you would do differently if you had the chance?
If I could do anything differently it would be to take every opportunity that presented itself. Often times you feel scared to take on new subjects and tasks but once you put yourself in the position to learn, the opportunities are endless. Every opportunity is an experience and even though I sometimes struggle to keep up with certain tasks, there is something to gain from the situation.