I know I’ve touted my predilection for cold and snowy weather on this blog before, but I’ve finally realized my breaking point. Today it was a comfortable -2 degrees Fahrenheit walking to school. The weather channel tells me that when you factor in wind chill we were seeing the mercury drop to -29 degrees Fahrenheit. Yikes. Call me a wimp, but that walk to school was not the most fun I’ve had.
Monday I have both of my mock interviews. After class I head to my 1:00 pm live interview. It goes well and I get some very helpful pointers from the HR representative interviewing me. Plus, I’m videotaped so that I can review my nonverbal cues later on (I’m not sure yet if this is a positive or negative).
I also learn that Espresso Royal, a local coffee shop chain, has agreed to meet with my Operations team for our project. We have to meet with a company over several weeks and go over all the details of their operations procedures. Our appointment with the owner is set for this Wednesday at 1:15 pm.
I head home afterward for my phone mock interview at 4:00pm. While waiting I dutifully write a thank you note to my in-person interviewer.
The phone interview went well but was much more relaxed than the live version. My interviewer was very kind, gave me his e-mail address and offered to help me with my interviewing skills should I need it in the future.
Tuesday I wake up early and meet my group to work on our Strategy case. This case centers around Apple Inc. and the sustainability of their competitive advantage. We break up the work and agree to meet on Wednesday at 6:00pm to fine tune the report before it’s due on Thursday.
After supply chain I head to work.
By the time I’m done running errands (read waiting in line at the post office for stamps for 30 minutes) and I cook up some dinner, I don’t start homework until about 6:00 pm. Unfortunately, it is at this point that I realize the gravity of the amount of work we have. I read two chapters of finance and complete their respective problems, read a chapter of Operations, answer several problems and proceed to our case analysis. By the time that's done it’s 11:00 pm and I haven’t even started my portion of the Strategy assignment I promised my group by tomorrow.
Since I’m fighting off an impending cold I call it a night but wake up very early on Wednesday to hit the library.
After Operations and Finance on Wednesday I head to work. Unfortunately, we’ve had to cancel our meeting with Espresso Royal because our teacher was looking for us to use a larger company. While I’m disappointed that I won’t get to chat with a provider of my much-beloved caffeine, it’s probably for the best as I still have that Strategy analysis to write before my 6:00pm meeting with my team. Let's not even get started on my Statistics reading.
At 6:00 pm I make my way to Huntington Avenue for a working dinner with my Strategy team at the newly-opened Panera Bread. We spend the next several hours reviewing our case write-up over soup and salads. We part ways at about 9:00 pm and I agree to do some last minute cuts (we are restricted to a three page length) and make the reference list. Little did I know that, combined with my Statistics reading and homework, my night would not come to end until past 4:00 am. Ugh. I toss and turn for the next two hours because heavy snowfall has begun and canceled classes tomorrow morning looks probable. Since we receive e-mail or text alerts from the school by 6:00am, I am restless to see if I need to cram some more Statistics in time for class, or if I can hit the snooze button and enjoy a second snow day this year.
I awake at 6:00 am Thursday morning to an inclement weather e-mail from the school saying that classes have been delayed until 10:00am. Alas, instead of sleeping in, I rally and head the library to work on Statistics. The weather is so bad that our Strategy professor arrives to class 30 minutes late, but luckily, doesn’t keep us longer to compensate.
After class I meet with my career adviser to discuss the results of my mock interviews and then head to Panera (yes, again) to grab a salad before going home for my scheduled phone meeting with a Hasbro representative who has graciously offered to give me some pointers for my upcoming interview.
Friday I suit up for Career Management as we have a panel of recruiting specialists coming to speak to the class. Some represented companies include Raytheon, TJX Companies and GE Aviation.
Unfortunately, our previously canceled Statistics class was rescheduled for after Career Management. My section heads upstairs for our two-hour session while the lucky Section 34 begins their weekend.
Afterward, a friend and I enjoy a leisurely afternoon of lunch at Paramount in Beacon Hill and mani/pedis. That night I crash early after successfully putting in several hours of work for next week’s classes.
Saturday is an errand and homework day. I am very productive and manage to complete my homework for both Monday and Tuesday AND begin on my Wednesday’s assignments. I do believe that deserves a pat on the back.
That evening, just as I am about to fall asleep after a marathon of 30 Rock episodes, I get a call to arms from a friend wanting to show her former undergraduate classmate a night out in Boston. I meet them at the Symphony area dive bar, TC’s Lounge, for some drinks.
The next morning I wake up early for my Zipcar appointment. I’ve rented a Toyota Matrix for 4 hours so I can visit Walmart, Target and Toys R Us to do some reconnaissance work for my Hasbro interview. While I’m still nervous driving in Boston, the roads are thankfully cleared and I don’t get lost. I come away feeling very good about my new found knowledge of toy placement in aisles and Hasbro's product offerings.
The rest of my day is spent procrastinating on homework before calling it an early night.
* The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Northeastern University, it's staff or affiliates.
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