I am the expert on me.

MBA school is sort of like an intellectual version of the Real World only twenty times larger (forty if you count the second-years). Our tricked out house is referred to as Simon Hall...only its not exactly tricked out unless Einstein's Bagels is your idea of a good time. Gossip rages. Only instead of hearing the number of people so-and-so has hooked up with, you hear the number of companies that person has interviewed with. Its been nearly 5 months of living in close quarters with my classmates (or roommates if you're still on the Real World analogy) and i think we'd all agree that its time for a break. MBA school is like a bad science project or a sociologist's dream...

For 5 months i've had information, advice, direction, criticism, encouragement, and knowledge thrown at me from all directions. Everyone has an opinion; my classmates, my professors, my career advisors, my mentors, and my parents. Everyone thinks they have the ultimate way to... write a cover letter, complete the project, get in with this or that company, etc. And after all this time, i've forgotten one important thing. Probably the most important thing... I am the expert on me. 

I've been soaking up all of the information like a sponge, afraid i would miss some vital golden nugget of knowledge. And i've tried to heed all of the advice... well, that is until i received contradictory advice. Again. And again. And again. Because, as stated above, everyone has an opinion. An opinion that differs from the previous one i heard and the next one i'll hear.

Discernment is a term used to describe the activity of determining the value and quality of a certain subject or event. Typically, it is used to describe the activity of going past the mere perception of something, to making detailed judgments about that thing. (from Wikipedia)


Discernment: my new favorite vocabulary word and life motto for the time being. This semester has taught me to accept and be thankful for each and every piece of information i receive, but to take it with a grain of salt and to always be actively discerning. I must remind myself that no one knows me better than me, and i have to start listening to my own head and heart. God gave me this brain and this heart and i need to start using them! 


So thanks to all the sources of advice, knowledge, and wisdom i've received this semester. And thanks be to God for reminding me to use the gifts He gave me that make me... well, me.  

October in Review

Its November. Nov-freakin-ember. Time is flying!!!

Some highlights (and a few lowlights) from the month of October:

• Oktoberfest in Soulard - wish i could say this was an awesome event but in reality i don't have a clue. I had an incredibly awesome day at Oktoberfest but i honestly parked myself on a hill in the beautiful fall weather and didn't move ALL DAY. It was a blast but i can't really speak to the actual event of Oktoberfest. I blame the good beer and awesome company.

• The Cardinals won the world series. This might be considered a highlight (the fact that i live in the city that is the home of the world series champs...sounds cool right?) if not for the fact that this team took the playoff slot that the Braves should have held had they not imploded in September. Nevertheless, i appreciate sports fan everywhere (except Auburn and LSU of course) and Busch Stadium is a pretty cool place.

• I successfully picked and carved a pumpkin for the first time since i was little kid. I must say that real pumpkins... the ones that come from the patch... have much less smooth insides that the made-for-carving ones you find at grocery stores. For all you cheaters with perfectly carved pumpkins, mine is authentic!!!

• My friend/"sister"/third parent, Sandi, came to visit me from Iowa! I had a blast spending the weekend with her and showing her a little of my life here in St. Louis. We also through a fantastic birthday bash for my roommate, Carly, that weekend in Forest Park. Ultra picnic style - complete with hotdogs, touch football, frisbees, and several pups. 

• I went to Portland, OR. Yes as in the state of Oregon. Random you say? Nah. Ok maybe a little. I went for a career conference that focuses on social responsibility and sustainability... Portland clearly fits that description and served as a great host. Things to know about Portland: (1) it rains just as much as everyone says it will (2) its grungy and beautiful at the same time (3) they have the most ridiculous donuts in the world -> http://www.travelchannel.com/Video/tony-digs-doughnuts-in-portland-11740

So November, you've got big shoes to fill. October was pretty sweet. 

One down, not enough to go.

So its been a ridiculously long time since my last post. The bad news is... i hate that because i really enjoy writing on this and wish i did it more consistently. The good news is... i haven't written much because i've been so busy having the time of life in grad school!!! Ok, super cheesy but really its true. I cant say that i am a huge fan of the going to class part but even then, class isnt THAT bad. So, quick recap of the past month - just hitting the highlights:

-> My group... Ideas'R'Us... is the bomb dot com. (See family photo below). We recently had a professor comment on our econ write-up that he would have given us a 6/5 if he could because our write-up was the best he read. SUPER TEAM!!! So, my team is great because we are doing pretty well on our assignments but also because i really enjoy working with them. Our personalities mesh well together and i've enjoyed getting to know them as friends outside of school also. Go Team 14!!!!!

->Extracurriculars are ramping up. As if school and social activities aren't enough, there are tons of awesome opportunities to join clubs or organizations at the b-school and never ending events to attend. I've already joined the National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA), the Ambassadors (student recruiting), the social committee, Olin Cares (community service) and Net Impact (nonprofit/CSR/sustainability career path). I also am chairing a committee for NAWMBA and will likely pursue a leadership with Olin Cares as well. Sooooo much to do and so little time! I literally want to do it all.

->I just made my first trip 'home'. Home in this case means Alabama. Its very strange to be living in a third place now (with Louisiana and Alabama being #1&2) because when i decide to take a trip home... am i referring to LA or AL?? Its very weird. I absolutely love my home town and miss my family and friends their terribly but my time in Alabama is much closer to me... so i went to Bama to attend my cousin's wedding. Congrats Abby and Chris!!! Got to see tons of friends and the progress that Tuscaloosa is making post tornado. The best part though was visiting Holy Spirit and the stampede of 12-16 yr old girls that greeted me at the gym doors. I miss my girls so much!!!!

->Finished my first MBA class yesterday. CRAZY! I feel like i just moved here and i've already completed one of my core classes. Submitted my Strategy final at about 3pm yesterday... what a rush clicking the submit button, and knowing i didn't have to wake up this morning for strategy class! As great as it feels to finish a class, it is a huge reality check that this experience is flying by and i want it to slow down!!! I know these two years will be gone in a blink of an eye and that this experience will be one of the most memorable of my life. Ok... done with the sappy stuff for now. Gotta get to econ.

I am vowing to myself to blog again before Christmas. Ha.

Small Victories

So one of my favorite things to do since starting business school is to read the articles LinkedIn recommends to me based on my interests. In this case, non-profit organization management (i think that's what they call it). My latest fav was an article titled "Learning About Finance: Advice for Nonprofit Leaders." Below is an excerpt...

Build financial literacy. Learn as much as you can about finance and take college business courses, if possible, says Margaret Huggard, president of Catholic Social Services of Oakland County, in Michigan. Ms. Huggard, a social worker by training, recalls that early in her career she took several accounting and finance classes because she knew that any enterprise that didn’t understand its cost structure was destined to fail. She said leaders that can’t manage financial data and decisions put their programs, staffs, and integrity at risk.

For the first time, possibly in my life, i read an article dealing with business (my career path) that contained advice i was ALREADY FOLLOWING. As i read the suggestion about taking accounting and finance classes, i was thinking to myself "look at me go! i'm totally doing that right now!" This may seem trivial but the little boost of confidence regarding my chosen career path felt pretty good. I've questioned many times whether getting my MBA was the right thing for me. After all, you definitely don't need an MBA to run a non-profit, to start your business, or to help people. However, everyone takes different paths to reach their ultimate goal and mine just so happens to include getting my MBA. Which includes taking accounting in finance. Which The Chronicle of Philanthropy totally recommends.

Might i add that today i had my first 'real' test. It was actually only a quiz but its the first grade we've had since our complete class schedule started that wasn't a write-up or power point. Good ole pen, paper, and test questions. And it was in accounting. And i rocked it. I can say this with complete confidence because my professor posted the answers this afternoon... I worked every problem twice (duhhhh do you know me??) and therefore remember every one of my answers, give or take a decimal. I made a 100... saying that makes me feel like i'm in 3rd grade. Will my professor draw smiley faces in the zeroes? Probably not, but i am not above posting that quiz on my refrigerator when he hands them back. This is MBA school people... the big leagues. I'm proud of that thing!

Lastly, i need to add Patagonia to my list of companies (see previous blog). Just finished reading a case for my strategy class about them. Although i am big fan of what they do, i am not sure i could work for them. I've never climbed a mountain and i don't wear birkenstocks. Nor do i own any of their merchandise. However, i would totally be down for afternoon surf breaks and i'm totally down for saving the planet. I should probably learn to surf first.

Purple Power

What a whirlwind. I am almost three-quarters of the way through my b-school orientation and all i can say is... wow. WashU titles MBA orientation "GO Week," which is short for Gateway Olin, but is completely applicable to the schedule of the oriented-student. All we do is go.

Thoughts on school, orientation, st. louis, etc....

-the terms 'first-year' and 'second year' are part of my everyday vocab.

-some people REALLY like to hear themselves talk. And they usually think their not-so-brilliant idea is life altering.

-i will have a rockin' internship next summer

-there is a massive fountain in the middle of Forest Park...leading up to a beautiful gigantic building. how have i driven through this park multiple times, yet missed this massive landmark? that's how big the park is.

-i will spend 99.9% of my time on campus in Simon Hall (the b-school building). Unless i do something about it. Which i plan too since the WashU campus looks like Hogwarts. Literally.

-there is hope for the weather in StL. Yesterday was warm and breezy and much less humid. I'm sure it won't last but at least there are good days to come.

Gotta take a minute to document my first day of school... and yes Carly and I most definitely took first day of school pics. Solo. With our backpacks. At the front door.

So i was fortunate enough to meet several of my classmates during my first few weeks here and prior to school starting. This was HUGE because it made day 1 much less nerve-wracking since i had a few familiar faces to turn to. In the days leading up to orientation, our "group" (which we named team dino... like dee-no from the flinstones) decided to all wear the same color on the first day of school. and we somehow decided on purple (whose idea was that again??). So... the 6 of us rocked purple to day 1 of orientation. Yes we all sat next to each other. Yes we stood out. Yes people were confused. Yea... we're cool. Haaaa. Looking back, it was quite ridiculous, and who really knows what everyone else thought of us BUT i think its hilarious and its a lasting memory i'll have from b-school. Go team dino!!!

Greetings from the Lou

This is my first blog post from St. Louis... Hooray!!! Its hard to believe I'm actually here. This is my 7th day in "the lou" and so far my time here has been an absolute whirlwind. I brought no furniture with me from Alabama and therefore have spent a significant amount of time shopping for all the missing items in my apartment. After a week, my place is starting to look and feel like a home. However, my nightstand and desk are still in pieces on the floor and I'm really close to chunking them out the window. I guess you can't expect assembly to be easy or materials to be sturdy when you purchase Wal-mart furniture. When I'm not decorating or unpacking, I've been working on pre-MBA math assignments that must be completed BEFORE my program starts. Thankfully, I finished them yesterday which gives me a full week to do all the other 123,301 things Wash U recommends I do before class starts on August 1.

So, some observations of STL/WashU thus far:

-people either seem to hate it or love it... i'm hoping i'll be in the latter group.

-i live in a great location (Central West End) because i truly am centrally located... a short drive from school, downtown, and the major shopping areas, and a short walk to many popular restaurants and nightlife as well as Forest Park.

-the summer weather is virtually identical to the south; HOT and HUMID, even after the sun goes down. I'm hoping that their summers are not as long as the southern ones but i right now i feel right at home when i step outside. Sticky and sweaty.

-my school really does look like Hogwarts and several people even refer to it that way. So cool.

-the city is not really separated into nice areas and bad areas. You can be driving down a main road with lots of businesses, look to your left and see a gated street with sprawling mansions, or look to your right and see a rundown road with old buildings and sketchy people wandering around. Its very odd.

-I sort of feel like a freshman in college again with all the uncertainty of what lies ahead as well as the excitement of meeting lots of new people. I've hung out with several of my future classmates, all very different people with different backgrounds, and everyone is so open to one another and excited to hang out whenever, and do whatever. Last night our group consisted of me, from the south, my roommate Carly from Wisconsin, and students from Arizona, Seattle, Los Angeles, Miami, and a couple St. Louians.

-I can't wait for Mark to get here and for us to make this city ours. I think he's going to love it and we are going to have a blast experiencing the city and making it our own!

On a completely random note, I have to take a minute to express my excitement about being a bridesmaid in two very important weddings happening next spring. My best friend from childhood will be getting married in April. I still can't believe the day of her wedding is this close... seems like yesterday that we were putting on blue eye shadow listening to N'Sync while getting ready for the middle school dance. I am so excited for the big day and all the festivities with the wedding party (most of whom I know closely). Seriously, we've been talking about our weddings since we were 4. So excited!!! In contrast, a very dear friend whom i've known for a very short time is getting married in May. I am incredibly excited an honored to be a part of her wedding. We have known each other less than year and the fact that she considered our friendship valuable enough to include me in her wedding literally brought me to tears yesterday when i got the adorable invitation in the mail. I consider her a very close friend and someone I could turn to in an instance, so it was very comforting to know that she feels the same way. Here's to wonderful friends!

More updates from the lou soon...

Moving Day Eve

Moving day is finally here! Well almost. But i will not be waking up at 6am to blog on moving day so this is as close as it gets. I will be getting up at 7am to begin loading my car and await my sweet boy's arrival from Birmingham so we can load the rest of my life into his car. Then, Mark and I will begin the 8 hour journey to St. Louis!!!

People keep asking me if i'm excited and, although i'm not jumping up and down screaming yes in response, i am still very excited. Unfortunately, the whole moving process has kind of put a damper on my excitement about this new experience. But, once i get to my new apartment, purchase a bed to sleep on, and fill my closet THEN i will jump up and down in excitement :)

Although moving is stressful, dirty, and time consuming, it does have a few benefits. First, its a great opportunity to clean out all your crap and downsize. I am not sure how many trash bags i have filled that ended up at Plato's closet, a thrift store, or Temporary Emergency Services but i know i've gotten rid of lots of stuff i don't need as much as someone else out there. If you are looking to condense your possessions, I highly recommend going through your stuff multiple times. I kept forgetting what i had already sorted through or wanted to rearrange a box to fit everything, and quite often an item that made the cut during my first trip through did not make the cut the second go around. Clearly, not a necessary possession. But most of what we own isn't. If i went through everything 10 times, i'd probably be left with nothing but a few t-shirts and my toothbrush.

Secondly, moving is a great time to organize. I thoroughly enjoyed organizing my stuff into the appropriately labeled boxes. I know this is not enjoyable for the average person (only my fellow OCD crazies) but organization makes everyones life easier and moving is the perfect opportunity to do it.

Thirdly, moving creates a fresh new start. In my case, new home, new furniture, new people, new surroundings... all of which gives me the opportunity to do many new things i may have wanted to do for awhile but never got around to. Like hang a new picture on my bedroom wall, pick up a new hobby, create a new habit like cooking and eating breakfast at home while reading the news, etc. And the great thing about a new place is that its NEW! It feels clean and untouched, almost like a hotel but with a cozy homey feeling. It hasn't been scuffed up, laughed in, or scarred yet. Its just waiting for you to start making memories! (sorry for the cheese)

So i am very excited to move and start this journey, but also very ready for "moving" to be over. I am incredibly grateful that Mark is going with me because I will no doubt be an emotional basket case. And his muscles will come in handy too ;) He is so good at calming me down and bringing me back to the realistic current situation when i start spiraling out of control in regards to all the what ifs and negatives of the situation. I can already here myself tomorrow... "Well what if school is incredibly difficult and i'm struggling to pass... what if the neighborhood i live in turns out to be shady...i know i'm going to miss you and my family and friends all the time. And i might not like the city life..." Enter my wonderful, encouraging, sensible boyfriend. Thank you Mark for supporting me on this roller coaster ride!!!

Well that's all for now. The next time i blog will be from a wi-fi connection in ST. LOUIS!!! Unfortunately, i will be without internet for several days until Charter can get us hooked up. But my awesome roommate Carly has already told me about some great coffee shops close by our apartment. I'll report back sooooon.