I need a new calendar. I need 24 more hours in my day. I need sleep. I need to figure out my priorities and career choices. I need to complete my assignments. I need to figure out where I am and what in the world I am doing!!!
A bewildering number of opportunities present themselves almost as soon as we set foot into the first term. Clubs and club activites are not even the tip of the iceberg... there are section elections, club leadership positions, course options, CMC presentations and activities... The list keeps going till the colors in your calendar make your head ache. I have not had so many back to back events on the busiest day in my pretty demanding career. I know I am holding on for dear life to the rollercoaster... and yet the question dogs me -- have I done everything I can to maximize my experience without biting off more than I can chew?
I think the reality is that Bschool is all about navigating these choices and their consequences -- and learning from that. And though occasionally I feel like everything is just going too fast and I am running as fast as I can to stay in the same place...and that I need to put in a calendar entry that goes "Take a deep breath", somewhere in all the noise and the chaos, I am learning a lot of things. How to make good mistakes -- may be an important aspect of that !
What I dread though, is the "networking". With all due respect, it's an important , almost vital aspect of the business world, and I dont deny that. But at the 15th " Hi, I'm ....., Nice to meet you", I am totally tuned out and I am sure the guy listening to the 4oo'th "Nice to meet you" has tuned out as well. Somehow , though I like people and talking to them, these networking events drain me totally. Bschool is all about meeting people -- but for strategy -- howz this? What can be done to make the events more than just empty "How do u do?"s and every person we meet is a "what's in it for me?" evaluation ?
On the positive side -- I met a person today, a second year who is taking a year off to do volunteer work in Venezuela... a whole year! He would be joining back with us the next year. I think that sort of confidence is unbelievable -- to try something totally out of the way, socially impacting and yet ... I guess I am not that confident.
With the Statistics assignment glaring at me now, I had better either get it done or hit the sack. Sleep is a rare and precious commodity in the first couple of terms I hear. I can well believe it now.
For those who mailed me about Duke --all the best with your applications. I will check with Admissions Ambassadors and see if informal interactions can be incorporated into the site. Thanks again for your comments!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Saturday, August 2, 2008
School Begins!!
06:35 am
And it's here -- the day I have been dreading and looking forward to. I want to write a long gushing piece about how I feel right now, but I have 15 minutes to get ready, so all I am going to say is --
GOOOOOOOOO FUQUAAAAAAA!!!!
02:00 am
I do realise that it can be misleading to have times from two consecutive days on a post, but since nights, days, weeks and months are apparently going to become one massive blur in my mind, I have come to the rather dubious conclusion that time and chronological integrity are grossly overrated.
Orientation has begun!! I am totally awed and yet feel so special to be part of this school: the O-team and their dedication to making this really a great time for us -- and then meeting my classmates, my section mates, my team mates and just anybody ...! It's just been a day and already a part of me is wondering "How the hell did I get here with all these smart people?" When Dean Sheppard was saying that "this is an amazing class", I had this weird feeling he was talking about everyone but me. Then I talked to my roommate and realised -- it's not just me! Then I felt that it's OK to be awed and rather stunned at where I have landed up. I am here now, and maybe I am not yet as "awesome" at I think the others are, but I am here because they think I CAN be. Certainly, no-one can go through this program and remain "ordinary" or "mediocre".
So in the section populated by a pianist, three drummers, a guy who had six fingers, an explosives specialist, a guy who trekked more than 2k miles and a lot more ( these are just the things that stuck to mind!!), I might not be the one that people remember-- but at the end of two years, maybe I can become someone whom they won't find easy to forget!
And it's here -- the day I have been dreading and looking forward to. I want to write a long gushing piece about how I feel right now, but I have 15 minutes to get ready, so all I am going to say is --
GOOOOOOOOO FUQUAAAAAAA!!!!
02:00 am
I do realise that it can be misleading to have times from two consecutive days on a post, but since nights, days, weeks and months are apparently going to become one massive blur in my mind, I have come to the rather dubious conclusion that time and chronological integrity are grossly overrated.
Orientation has begun!! I am totally awed and yet feel so special to be part of this school: the O-team and their dedication to making this really a great time for us -- and then meeting my classmates, my section mates, my team mates and just anybody ...! It's just been a day and already a part of me is wondering "How the hell did I get here with all these smart people?" When Dean Sheppard was saying that "this is an amazing class", I had this weird feeling he was talking about everyone but me. Then I talked to my roommate and realised -- it's not just me! Then I felt that it's OK to be awed and rather stunned at where I have landed up. I am here now, and maybe I am not yet as "awesome" at I think the others are, but I am here because they think I CAN be. Certainly, no-one can go through this program and remain "ordinary" or "mediocre".
So in the section populated by a pianist, three drummers, a guy who had six fingers, an explosives specialist, a guy who trekked more than 2k miles and a lot more ( these are just the things that stuck to mind!!), I might not be the one that people remember-- but at the end of two years, maybe I can become someone whom they won't find easy to forget!
Monday, July 21, 2008
From "Applicant" to "Admit" to "Student"
I had started this blog with the intention of updating it through the admissions process, but sad to say, the intentions remained...just "intentions". It was a gruelling and complex maze of applications and interviews and waitlists and then the final big "moment" -- the ADMIT! I think the journey taught me more about myself than I could have thought possible ( for a person who thinks she knows herself rather better than average!). And I will forever remember the moment when I got my admit and realised.... I am going to Duke !!!
And so the status changes-- from applicant to admit, to a couple of days away from "Student" at the Fuqua School of Business in Durham, North Carolina. For the last couple of weeks, I have been just getting my place together with my roommate, agonizing over the finances (the missing paycheck syndrome!), getting to know the people in my class and doing the pre-term readings and assignments ( more accurately, trying to do the pre-terms-- since I am nowhere near done with any of it!!). Orientation begins on Friday-- and I have not yet figured out whether I am more panicked or excited. Definitely a heady mixture of both!
I hope I do blog more regularly this time! Everyone has been smiling that knowing smile and telling us that first year is going to pretty much wear us out... On the other hand ;-) -- what better stress buster that dumping it all on the unsuspecting random reader who chances upon this blog? If you are reading this and still playing with the idea of doing an MBA -- well, I suggest you proceed with caution! I am in no way responsible for what this does to your psyche. The opinion of a sleep deprived, stressed out first year at 2 AM in the morning may not be the best input for any prospective MBA!
Fuqua... here comes the class of 2010!
And so the status changes-- from applicant to admit, to a couple of days away from "Student" at the Fuqua School of Business in Durham, North Carolina. For the last couple of weeks, I have been just getting my place together with my roommate, agonizing over the finances (the missing paycheck syndrome!), getting to know the people in my class and doing the pre-term readings and assignments ( more accurately, trying to do the pre-terms-- since I am nowhere near done with any of it!!). Orientation begins on Friday-- and I have not yet figured out whether I am more panicked or excited. Definitely a heady mixture of both!
I hope I do blog more regularly this time! Everyone has been smiling that knowing smile and telling us that first year is going to pretty much wear us out... On the other hand ;-) -- what better stress buster that dumping it all on the unsuspecting random reader who chances upon this blog? If you are reading this and still playing with the idea of doing an MBA -- well, I suggest you proceed with caution! I am in no way responsible for what this does to your psyche. The opinion of a sleep deprived, stressed out first year at 2 AM in the morning may not be the best input for any prospective MBA!
Fuqua... here comes the class of 2010!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
