About Me
Hi, I’m Rashika. I collect experiences, observations and slightly too many ideas.
I’m a communication student, aspiring advertising creative, marketer-in-the-making, public speaker, former Head Girl, MUN enthusiast, debater and traveller.
Most of the things I have done in my life look completely unrelated on paper.
Somehow, they all taught me how to understand people.
Growing up in India and later studying across Oxford, Melbourne and Leeds has given me the chance to experience very different environments, cultures and ways of thinking.
I first experienced international study at the University of Oxford in December 2023, where I learned about the history of Oxford and experienced the atmosphere of one of the world’s most historic academic cities.
Later, moving to Melbourne for university and studying at Leeds added completely different perspectives.
Those experiences made me increasingly curious about how places, culture and people influence the way we communicate.
India raised. Melbourne based. Globally curious.
somewhere in Melbourne, mid-idea
Okay, but who am I?
My name is Rashika Jain and I am currently studying a Bachelor of Communication at Deakin University, majoring in Public Relations and Digital & Social Media, with a minor in Strategic Advertising.
But my interest in communication started much earlier than university.
I have always found myself in spaces where people, ideas and stories meet, whether that meant speaking on a stage, chairing a Model United Nations conference, debating an argument, helping an organisation communicate online or developing an advertising campaign in my room at 1 a.m.
Eventually, I realised there was a career where almost everything I loved could exist together.
Advertising.
Perspective
Four places. A lot of perspective.
Different cities have taught me different ways of seeing people.
Growing up in India and later studying across different parts of the world has shaped the way I understand people, communication and culture.
Before moving to Australia for university, I attended a summer school experience at the University of Oxford in December 2023.
Oxford was completely different from anything I had experienced before.
Being surrounded by centuries of history made me think about how places carry stories long before we arrive in them. I learned more about the history of Oxford, explored its academic environment and experienced what it felt like to study somewhere with such a strong cultural identity.
Later, I moved to Melbourne to study Communication at Deakin University, and my international journey continued when I attended the University of Leeds International Summer School in the United Kingdom.
Each place taught me something different.
India gave me my foundation.
Oxford made me fascinated by history, places and stories.
Melbourne gave me independence and helped me discover the direction I wanted my career to take.
Leeds gave me another opportunity to learn in a new culture and become even more adaptable.
- 01
India
Where communication, leadership and curiosity started.
Growing up in India gave me my foundation: public speaking, MUN rooms, debating and an early habit of paying attention to people.
- 02
Oxford
December 2023Where history made me look at places differently.
I attended a summer school experience at the University of Oxford, where I learned about Oxford’s history and experienced its distinctive academic and cultural environment.
- 03
Melbourne
Where communication became my degree and marketing became my direction.
Moving to Australia to study at Deakin University taught me independence and gave me the space to explore public relations, digital media and advertising.
- 04
Leeds
Where international study made my perspective even wider.
My experience at the University of Leeds International Summer School allowed me to study in another culture, meet people from different backgrounds and become more adaptable.
Context changes everything.
Studying in different places has made me more aware of something advertising constantly has to consider: context changes everything.
The same joke, image, trend or message can mean something completely different depending on the audience seeing it.
Living and studying across different environments has made me naturally interested in culture, audience behaviour and how ideas travel.
Off the CV
A few things you probably didn’t expect.
Creative Interests
What fills my brain when I’m not working?
Music
Probably my favourite way to understand a mood. I love how one song can instantly bring back a person, place or memory.
Debating
Treasurer, Deakin Debating ClubI love pulling ideas apart, looking at both sides and figuring out what makes an argument convincing.
Reading
I love disappearing into different stories and perspectives. It keeps me curious about people and the way they think.
Travel
I love discovering how different cities feel, from their culture and history to the tiny everyday things that make each place unique.
Sometimes my interests turn into campaign ideas.
See the mock campaign →Why advertising?
Everything I enjoyed came back to people.
speaking, debating, organising, travelling
I spent years speaking, debating, organising, travelling and trying different kinds of communication before realising that the thing connecting all of them was people.
I love understanding what makes someone stop, listen, care or respond.
Advertising felt like the place where all of those interests finally made sense.