Q2 is officially over.
I survived “Black November”.
I survived finals week.
I am ¼ of the way through my MBA program.
To say “it feels good” is an understatement. My first semester here at Darden is high on the list of “my most difficult seasons in life”. Mentally, emotionally, and physically, Darden presented challenges for which no one could have prepared me. I was stretched in ways I could have never imagined. But, per my admissions essays, that’s the experience I desired. Actually, I wrote “I wanted to be stretched professionally and personally…in a collaborative environment”. And that’s exactly what I found. Yes, it was challenging. Yes, it was rigorous. Yes, there were moments where I thought “what am I doing here?” For each of those moments, however, there was a moment where someone gave me a hug, someone gave me a word of encouragement, someone gave me support in a real and tangible way.
One of the greatest examples of this came during Q2 finals week. Both my friend and I won learning team rooms through the quarterly lottery system. Her room was one room away. Every morning during exam week, I entered my learning team room to an encouraging (and hilarious) message on the board from her. A small gesture but incredibly thoughtful. I believe in the power of words; her daily words of encouragement made me smile and helped me start my exams with—if nothing else—laughter!
“Leave no man (woman) behind” is truly embodied here. Section mates, learning teams, professors, and faculty all want to see you succeed. So, while Darden truly lives up to its reputation as a rigorous program, there are support systems in place to help you through.
So now I’m on the other side of first semester—enjoying my winter break. After a few days of mindless vegging (something I didn’t do even before I came to Darden so we’ll see how long this really lasts), I will use this time to regroup; to review my list of goals for my time at Darden; to re-prioritize (where necessary). First semester was all about academics. Now, it’s time to make progress on the non-academic experiences I wanted out of Darden.
For now, though, I’ll enjoy this breather w/a movie: “21” or “Get Smart”??
Sounds like a tough, but worthwhile ride. What area are you planning to focus in?
“Now, it’s time to make progress on the non-academic experiences I wanted out of Darden.”
I think that would make a great topic for a post. It would be really interesting t read.
TheCakeScraps: it’s absolutely a worthwhile ride. The knowledge you gain is invaluable and the sense of accomplishment is immeasurable. Re: area of focus…target industry is hospitality/entertainment; target function is general management/operations/strategy. Long-term goal is entrepreneurship.
Re: topic for a post, I’ll take your suggestion, thanks!
This is a great post on what darden is really about. I love your LT mates gesture. very sweet and encouraging. Have a great break, enjoy yourself and be back full of enthusiasm for the next 2 quarters.