I set up a food stall with three of my peers at Global Odyssey 5.0, an event hosted by Business Management and Economics students, as part of my CAS Service Experience. Budgeting, locating raw supplies, creating goods, setting prices, and selling on the day of the event were all part of the experience. To ensure fair pricing while turning a profit, we carefully set profit margins. I learnt a lot about business strategies, marketing tactics, and teamwork during this process, which made this event a novel and rewarding educational experience for me.

LO3 – Initiate and plan a CAS experience
For Global Odyssey, working on the food stall required careful planning and coordination from the very beginning. Along with my three teammates, we started by brainstorming a menu that was affordable, easy to prepare, and appealing to a wide range of people. Once we finalized the items, we divided responsibilities—some of us handled ingredient sourcing, others worked on pricing, packaging, and budgeting. We also created a list of required equipment and ensured everything was ready before the event day, from cooking materials to hygiene essentials like gloves and tissues. We even ran a small trial at home to test portion sizes and preparation time. This experience helped me understand how important it is to anticipate problems and stay organized when planning something on a larger scale. It was a practical example of how initiating and planning are just as critical as execution.

LO5 – Demonstrate skills and benefits of working collaboratively

During Global Odyssey, teamwork was essential to keeping our food stall running efficiently. At one point, the demand for our vadapav unexpectedly spiked, and the person in charge of making them was having a hard time keeping up. Without much discussion, two of us stepped in to support—one helping with prep and the other with packaging—while the fourth teammate handled the crowd and managed the other items. It was a spontaneous moment that showed how naturally we fell into a rhythm, adjusting roles and helping each other without needing to be told. Rather than sticking strictly to individual responsibilities, we worked as a unit, which made the entire experience smoother and more enjoyable.

LO6 – Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance.

Our participation in Global Odyssey also tied into the broader issue of Zero Hunger. While our food stall was primarily a business activity, it reminded us of how access to food—something we often take for granted—is a daily struggle for many. Preparing and serving food in a school environment made us reflect on the importance of food security and nutrition, especially for underprivileged communities. We made a conscious effort to minimize waste by planning portions carefully and reusing packaging where possible. The experience highlighted how even small decisions, like mindful preparation and avoiding excess, can relate to larger global issues. It made me more aware of how food, while a business commodity in some contexts, is also a basic human right that not everyone enjoys equally.