A blink = 1 month

"You're coming to class wrinkled; you read it, you tried it, but didn't fully get it. I'm here to iron you out." (--paraphrased quote by awesome accounting prof!)

Ok, ok I know...it's been a month. Still trying to do my best with this, but it's getting harder... Classes are in full swing (actually, almost done with Fall 1!), and club/extracurriculars are also done ramping up. Just when I didn't think I had more time in my day, there are more and more hours needed…I figure it out (so far it's less sleep!) ....for example...

Day in the Life of ME - a few Sundays ago: 
1am-10am sleep (the most I'll ever get at once! week = 4-5 hours?)
11-12 Fuqua Speaks club meeting (practice public speaking)
12-2 Team meeting - case for accounting class due
2-3:30 Accounting review; quiz this friday on building statement of cashflows from balance sheet info
3:30-4 met with co- IT/Communications High Tech Club chair to figure out newsletter & website stuff
4-5:30 Stats review ...went over last quiz, and next quiz is in a week but that's right after this crazy weekend that's coming up (campout; no studying or sleep for basketball tickets)
5:30-6 tried to meet with people to brainstorm more on Fuqua Vision skit and get ball rolling for filming & editing within one week
6-9pm econ review for midterm
9pm-2am catch up/prep for week (including company presentations, etc)...and eat at some point...

Ok, some highlight below:  exams, COLE, Wednesdays, extra curriculars, CAMP OUT!, trying to get outside of campus…

Exams!
Two weeks in and was already enough to test us on. Actually, in Stats & Econ we had a lot of online mini quizzes that we have to do individually every week or for every class (they usually make that clear, since otherwise things are in teams or are ok to do together)…. I will confess, Stats bruised my ego. That was honestly the first time in my life that ever ran out of time on a test. I'm used to having enough buffer to at least check what I'm not sure of, if not check other stuff for errors. Needless to say, low score, but not the lowest! That said, given I'm not doing consulting, I need to learn to breathe a bit. Things are only going to get busier, so I need to refine my understanding of how I learn and how I get things done on my own. In terms of Accounting, that quiz was much better - I learned fast that the review sessions work for me - the TA went through old quizzes. That plus lecture, and a bit of the case, is what got me through. Not the book at all for either class (but each to their own)… next week is already finals. 3 hours each. and I'm taking them early because of P4E (more on that later!)

COLE
They really do take leadership seriously here. We had to go through an uncomfortable non-anonymous feedback tool/process and then discuss it as a team with our COLE fellow.  It's always tough to see if your fears are realized or not! I personally know I'm a bit controlling in the whole organizing bit - it's a cycle of if they don't set times to meet for stuff that's due, then I do, and then they don't cuz I do, and then I do some more! We're trying to work on that…
We also had to turn in our PDP  - personal development plan - to our COLE fellow.  It has you list your personal goals and specific actions & accountability & deadlines for them. Will see how this goes. Ever since English class in Jr High when they made us do these things, I've never been good with goals… but I know they can work; reminds me a bit of my previous company =)

Wednesdays….
It's misleading to think we have Wednesdays off. True, we don't have class. BUT between symposiums and career expos (company presentations, office hours, and evening networking) and HSM seminar and team meetings and other fun things, it is NOT my sleep-in/relax day!

Extracurriculars (are you ready??)
In general I'm trying to balance. Honestly. I was very proud of myself of knowing what I'm NOT going to do. I had a heart-to-heart with my 2nd year buddy  just to gut check my possible load…he thinks I'm a bit crazy, but will see. Part of is is this stuff on top of "extra" school - that is, HSM (join the program late) and P4E (Program for Entrepreneurs - hasn't ramped up yet till Fall2)…
anyway, here goes:
Admissions: Hard to believe that's in full swing! All the over-achievers are here now for "open" interviews - that is, interviewing before applications are due, before it's invite-only. I'm nothing official, just a volunteer "ambassador" which so far includes tour guide/lunch host, class host, and lounge host. The latter is the most awesome. In other schools I went to, you wait around, maybe with other candidates, freaking out. Here, current students just hang out with you. We joke we're here for the "stupid" questions and assure prospectives that we have no say whatsoever in their admission, that we're just there to calm them down and give them space for things they can't or don't want to ask in the interview. Not to say tours and class hosting isn't fun. Class host means I show up before stats and grab an prospectives that signed up to experience the first hour; thus there's not as much time to talk. Tourguide is a bit more pressure since I need to remember facts and walk backwards, but hey, I get a free lunch! In general, it reminds me of the high I used to get helping out at the Res Halls during Cal Day/Open House at Berkeley… not sure if this can be a true calling though =)
High Tech Club - applied for a cabinet position and got IT/Communications co-chair.  In general, it makes total sense for me to be a part of the club…Already High Tech club had a FireSide chat with an alumnus from Microsoft and for High Tech 101 they had another alumnus come over from IBM (local office). We also had a symposium - got to have dinner beforehand with people from Google etc (keynote & panelists); I miss that chill tech culture…
FuquaVision - I've been wanting to do this since I knew of its existence. It's kind of like SNL but for amateurs. I got "show producer" which basically means I'll be doing the same as anyone else who contributes, but I HAVE to do 1 skit per term (can't pitch & back out), I get a title, may have some random duties, and get some perks (e.g. an actual seat for the shows =) I've spent over 6 hours editing and shooting; the show is this week and I hope people laugh! It does make me feel better that some SY's have said I've done much better than what they normally expect from FY's =)

Campout! - experienced the ritual.  36 hours (well, more, technically 7pm Friday- 7am Sunday, but got there earlier to set up, and left later due to cleaning)… it was cold, didn't sleep much, did speed dating, and made every single random check in (middle of the night, or 4 times in a row!) but sadly didn't win tix… will be splitting up with our group. We started with 49; ended up 35 of us made it (can only miss one check in) and 13 of us got tickets... some groups got well over 50% (something like ~750 tix are available, and at the end ~1200 people were left, though they lost ~800 at the first checkin/registration due to no shows, no reg money, etc!!)


Random fun: Section for FY/SY mixer (SY's made food & we rotated apartments), someone's bday PJ party (yep, comfy theme; a few boys wore one-sies),  FuquaVision Spring4  reshow (all the goodness from last term), Around The World party (a different one than orientation! themed apartments)

until next time...(after Fall1 finals :o)