Today, Business School is catching up on all the things I've neglected to write about
This whole business school thing is intense, exciting, busy, invigorating, exhausting, stressful, confusing, challenging, overwhelming, thrilling, and life-changing—all at the same time. And it’s been so all-of-those-things that I haven’t actually taken the time to reflect on what made it so, and what I’ve been doing. So I’m going to attempt, as best I can, to recap b school life as I embark on my final semester of my first year.
Act I: Fall A, or “how I learned to learn again”
Fall A was a whirlwind of classes, group work, and finding that happy-medium between doing school work and enjoying yourself just a little more than a little bit. Getting back into the grove of classes and homework was challenging, but I found time for fun doing things like joining the band and spending time with friends at football games on Saturdays and at Skeeps on Thursdays. Much focus was put on school work and group projects, and then on club involvement such as AVP corporate relations role I held for Tech club.
Act II: Fall B, or “oh, I’m supposed to look for a job whole I’m here?”
Fall B classes were better for me, sort of, because I knew a bit more how to balance doing the work with getting the grades. I also thoroughly enjoyed most of my classes, or at least even enjoyed aspects of classes that i didn’t 100% love.
But more emphasis was put on things outside of class, such as band shows, directing a follies video, he inaugural “Wine and Whine” parties I had with girlfriends so we could bond and complain over good food and good/ok wine depending on who brought the alcohol. Fall B was also a time I got to know more MBA2s through recruiting conversations, as I tried to figure out what I wanted to do with my summer.
Intermission: Winter Break
Winter break was spent partly in NJ seeing family, dogs, and friends, and then 10 days in sunny California with friends from school. It was a great opportunity to relax, rejuvenate, and bond with people I either didn’t get to see often or wanted to spend more time with. I also spent a few days in Denver visiting my brother!
Act III: Winter A, or “why do they even bother scheduling classes?”
The MBA2’s warned us that winter A was going to be a rough semester—classes + recruiting + lots of big social events + winter cold = stress! Classes were definitely a challenge, both in terms of the material as well as waking up to go to class when it is -15 degrees outside but feels like -25. No joke. It’s very hard to be motivated to get out of bed at those temps!
Recruiting was also stressful, but for me there was a lot less recruiting than for most people. I luckily only had to do 3 interviews before somehow landing an internship with amazon! I’m still in shock and not really sure how that happened, but it happened and early enough in the semester that I was largely able to enjoy myself and focus on fun and school.
And there was a LOT of fun this semester: I performed in Follies; we had a band gig during our ski trip to Boyne Highlands, Michigan; I choreographed a group of exceptionally talented men in a spice girls dance for MBgAy, a charity drag show; I went to two hockey games and a women’s gymnastics meet; tried out MANY restaurants around Ann Arbor that I’d been meaning to try; played another round of Whirly ball with my section; and, as always, too many nights at Skeeps. But it was, overall, a really great semester: I really felt like everything kind of came together during winter a, despite how hectic it all was.
2nd Intermission: spring break!
A trip to Nashville with my friend Pooja where our other friends Laura and JD were also visiting and we played tourist!
Which brings us to Act IV: Winter B, or “where in the world are those MBA1’s this time?”
MAP semester is upon us and I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I’m excited for something different. It’s a fantastic opportunity to work on actual problems a co pant is having and put ourselves back into “work mode”. Most of us get to travel, some domestically and others internationally, but we all get an out-of-classroom experience that is unlike any other experience at any business school. But this experience comes just when we have bonded with our sections, have formed friendships with people we are used to seeing almost every day, and have developed routines in Ann Arbor just as the days get longer, warmer, and sunnier. So it’s completely bittersweet that we get this amazing opportunity at this point in time.
I am determined to make the most of everything in this MAP experience—spending time in a new city; meeting new people; trying my hand at a project I’m really not certain I have any business being involved in; and enjoying the time I have in Ann Arbor when I’m there. I’m going to have to remind myself, daily if not more often, that this is an awesome adventure that I am on, and in order to make the most of it I have to fully experience it and live it. I’m going to try and reflect on the experience here, but if I forget to update you all I hope it’s because I’m out enjoying myself and living, and not because I’m too lazy to type 😎
OH, other things that happened: chosen to be director of Follies 2016 and president of the band; won the leadership crisis challenge; and just generally had an amazing time with friends that I know I will keep for a lifetime. How lucky am I?!
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