I wake up early Tuesday morning and begrudgingly walk my boyfriend to the Mass Ave “T” Station to say goodbye. I won’t see him again until Thanksgiving break so it’s a tough farewell. What’s more, getting back into work mode after such a relaxing weekend is going to be difficult. Luckily, with a three-day weekend, comes a four-day week!
Wednesday is our creative presentation in Marketing. Last week we had been given three random words (ours were: big, home and tool) and instructed to invent a new product that was somehow associated with these words. The results were hilarious.
Our team was perhaps the most conservative, with a techno kitchen cart.
But, while my group opted for a more realistic product (and, albeit, a boring one) some of the teams were impressively creative. One group invented “The Cornballer”, a giant glass ball similar to a hamster ball (their words, not mine) that people roll around in to play extreme sports in the arena of cornfields. All this from the words rural, ball and glass. Another was a T-shirt you played as a musical instrument called "Jam Wear". I was glad to see how much fun our classmates had with this assignment and our professor was laughing the entire time.
After class I head to the Starbucks in the Curry Center to meet a 2nd year regarding his co-op. He is currently completing his residency at Open Runway, which is of particular interest to me because the Marketing Club will be serving as a focus group for the company in a couple of weeks.
I ask him a few questions about his experience working for the start-up and he generally seems pleased with his experience.
That night I conduct perhaps my most glorious study performance to date: 6 hours of accounting! The quiz is tomorrow and I’m a bit nervous so I sit down and systematically go over the study guide, re-do our online tutorial from the pre-work assignment and prepare my one page of notes. Plus, I am only minimally distracted by the snacks in my apartment.
Thursday brings our first accounting test! Eeeek! But, I will admit, I feel satisfied with my performance as I leave class that day. Now, whether this sense of well-being is founded or not, is yet to be seen.
After Career Management on Friday I approach my career advisor to ask about some networking efforts I had been working on. I had researched and called a couple of companies through Hoover’s and was not having any luck with hearing back from them. I ask my advisor if she has any connections that I might be able to use to infiltrate that first barrier. She directs me to the director of the Career Center who says she’ll see what she can do. I hope this works!
After class my learning team and I head over Hayden Hall for a meeting with our accounting professor. She goes over our progress on the Annual Report Project and lets us know where we stand. We come out feeling pretty good about our efforts and new direction.
Afterwards, I head to the gym and treat myself to a manicure (I know, so indulgent!)
Tonight is a networking event put on by the MBA Connections Club. It’s held at Symphony 8, a nice bar near campus. Both 1st years and 2nd years are invited to attend. There’s a huge turnout and I spend nearly 4 hours rekindling previous connections with the class of 2011 and hanging out with friends.
Saturday morning I have a 12:30 pm meeting with another 2nd year in the graduate business lounge of Dodge Hall. He is my third and final interviewee for the Career Management assignment. He tells me all about his residency at Hasbro. His work in market research sounds fascinating and fun. I will definitely be applying to any Hasbro internships that present themselves.
Afterward, I head to the Marino Center (but not for a workout) where a few 2nd years and 1st years are finishing up their residency interviews. After they wrap up I grab lunch with one of them I had met back in February and we chat for a while. Somewhere in that time frame a group of nervous looking undergrads approach us, asking if they can serenade us with an a capella version of a Backstreet Boys song as part of their fraternity initiation. We gladly comply. I must say, I was pretty impressed. In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that one of them may have practiced these songs before.
Next, I meet a classmate for some discount shopping at Marshalls and Filenes Basement where I try on several poofy down jackets that make me feel like a marshmallow. There will be no slimming silhouettes this winter!
On the way home we grab burgers at b.good on Newbury Street.
I finish the night with some homework (emphasis on some). It appears as though last week’s lazy weekend has ruined my homework diligence!
Sunday, it’s serious. I only leave the house to print some Econ reading at the library. Graduate students receive a free yearly print quota of 1,200 pages and I, stupidly, have not taken advantage of this until now. I used to read my econ chapters online (we have an e-text) and would take notes manually. While useful from a retention perspective, this method would lead to 2+ hour reading sessions PER CHAPTER. By printing the chapters I can now highlight and take notes directly on the page. It saves a ton of time and I get to read in bed! I’m slowly becoming more efficient, even if it’s due to the ridiculously high price of ink. * The views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Northeastern University, its faculty, staff or affiliates and are solely the opinion of Katrina Graves.
No comments:
Post a Comment