Welcome to a day in the life of Cambridge MFin student, Sharu Iyer (MFin 2024). Here we follow along as Sharu navigates bustling campus life and the rich traditions of Cambridge.
From early-morning lectures and study sessions in the library, to attending formal dinners and networking with industry leaders, Sharu gives us an insight into a typical day as an MFin student.
05:00: Sprint, sauna and scone
I begin the day with a mildly existential 05:00 run, pounding the pavements of Cambridge. It’s me, the River Cam, and the occasional confused swan that didn’t sign up for company at this ungodly hour. Dawn breaks like a motivational poster, and if I’m feeling adventurous, I wander further down the Chisholm trail or to the Grantchester Tea House. Nothing says ‘dedicated athlete’ like planning your run around a strawberry scone. I wrap up with a strength session at my College gym, and pop into the sauna to find my zen before a long day of mental gymnastics.
09:00: From Cam to campus
As the clock strikes 09:00, I arrive at the University, excited for a day packed with learning. I navigate the hallowed halls in a frenzy of labs, cases, and enough problem sets to paper a small house. I study 10 modules including Professor Simon Taylor’s Equity Valuation class, where I carefully unpack companies’ worth, my own worth and that of an extra hour of sleep (priceless, apparently). In Dr Alejandro Reynoso’s Machine Learning class, I explore multi-modal, multi agentic models, emergence, AGI, and other topics that make my brain weep quietly.
17:00: Books, brew and biology
Classes conclude at 17:00, but powered by adrenaline and ambition, I soldier on. I spend countless hours at the library, cultivating a personal relationship with my trusty desk and a coffee machine that I’m now emotionally attached to. I work through textbook and case readings, homework problems, group reports, presentations and applications to interesting campus ventures like the medical innovation team, where I am exploring the commercialisation of artificial anatomical surgical models with a local startup and a multidisciplinary team of academics.
19:00: A little taste of Hogwarts
I attend candlelit formal dinners with enough Harry Potter vibes to summon my inner Hermione, complete with gowns and Latin graces that make me wonder if anyone has accidentally summoned an ancient spirit. I feel like a medieval scholar with a LinkedIn profile.
I attend talks and formal dinners with luminaries like Morgan Stanley MD Luigi Rizzo, Standard Chartered CFO Diego Giorgi, Nobel Laureate Michael Spence and former Fed Vice Chair Sir Roger Ferguson. At these events, I nod sagely and attempt to look sophisticated, all the while bubbling with questions, vaguely wondering if I am holding my fork right.
21:00: Celebrations and cosy endings
For special events like Halloween, Dongzhi and Christmas, I don my snazziest outfits and proceed to celebrate with fun activities, music and friends. Otherwise, I make my way home, tuck in with an interesting book and drift off, happily dreaming of my next strawberry scone.
Bonus: Basking seals and bamboo ramen
Occasionally, I escape the city to explore nearby gems like the Botanical Garden, Fen Ditton, Horsey, West Somerton and Stonely for fun sights like the inside of a windmill or hundreds of seals basking on a beach.
I take the time to discover hidden ramen spots and quaint local coffee shops, because finance might fuel the mind, but noodles fuel the soul.
About the blog author
Sharu combines a multidisciplinary academic foundation with high-impact experience in finance and strategy. She studied Business Management at UC Berkeley and Lancaster University, complementing her degree with explorations in astrophysics, data science and economic history, and winning the Dean’s Award for excellence.
She honed her financial expertise at JPMorgan and Deloitte London, advising financial institutions on M&A and Private Equity transactions. Now pursuing a Master of Finance at Cambridge, she aims to build a career in FIG M&A, where she can apply her analytical rigor to navigate complex investment landscapes, hone her financial expertise and drive value accretive strategy.
Beyond finance, Sharu is an avid reader, volunteer, and endurance athlete, currently training for the 2025 London Marathon.
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