At school studying today (and most days) in order to ensure I can have a clean calendar for tomorrow at 3 pm EST. The epic re-match of Canada vs USA in Olympic Hockey on home ice... and yet I have a final on Monday morning. Oh boy.
Today is a Rotman open house for prospective students, they come in and check out the school, meet a few upper year students, professors and administrators to get a feel for the program. The school puts on a little presentation about how many opportunities there are as a student and the many ways in which you can kick off your career.
I highly recommend attendance, but remember that it is much like info sessions and a direct contact (get the school to put you in touch with an ambassador, or ask friends if you know anyone at the school) and get the 'real deal.' I'd recommend this for ALL schools you are considering as prospective MBA students because the programs differ a fair bit, and there are pro's and con's to each.
Back to the books, Macroeconomics!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Avoiding the cold
Both the weather and the sniffles. Its one week until our last exam, and 8 days til our papers are due. Nine days until I am on a plane.
But of course, first I have to get through the next week. Healthy preferably. The snow has come back, our relatively moderate winter all of a sudden feels like it has been the longest winter ever (at which point I remind myself that this is EASTERN CANADA in February). With the snow comes the snow plows (at 3 am) and then "do I bust out my winter boots again" question.
BUT also with the snow comes the Winter Olympics. My posts have trended towards this topic recently, and I will go there again today, simply because today is the Women's Gold medal Hockey game (GO CANADA!) and tomorrow is the Mens semi-final - Canada vs Solvakia.
Of course, the mens Gold Medal game is on Sunday night, the night before ECON - which means that my econ exam will be a secondary goal to staring at the TV for 3 hours.
Another tangent - today was our last day of Marketing, handed in our reports and did group presentations. Wonderful feeling to be finished a class!
But being up until the wee hours of the morning, not such a wonderful feeling. I think the general feeling is to try and avoid the dreaded all-nighter in your Rotman Career.
I believed that the all-nighter would come for an intense case competition or a difficult finance or econ class. The last thing I expected was a marketing report to be the first one.
I guess that goes to show you - you don't always get what you expect.
But of course, first I have to get through the next week. Healthy preferably. The snow has come back, our relatively moderate winter all of a sudden feels like it has been the longest winter ever (at which point I remind myself that this is EASTERN CANADA in February). With the snow comes the snow plows (at 3 am) and then "do I bust out my winter boots again" question.
BUT also with the snow comes the Winter Olympics. My posts have trended towards this topic recently, and I will go there again today, simply because today is the Women's Gold medal Hockey game (GO CANADA!) and tomorrow is the Mens semi-final - Canada vs Solvakia.
Of course, the mens Gold Medal game is on Sunday night, the night before ECON - which means that my econ exam will be a secondary goal to staring at the TV for 3 hours.
Another tangent - today was our last day of Marketing, handed in our reports and did group presentations. Wonderful feeling to be finished a class!
But being up until the wee hours of the morning, not such a wonderful feeling. I think the general feeling is to try and avoid the dreaded all-nighter in your Rotman Career.
I believed that the all-nighter would come for an intense case competition or a difficult finance or econ class. The last thing I expected was a marketing report to be the first one.
I guess that goes to show you - you don't always get what you expect.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
12 days and counting
Its 12 days until the end of Q3, almost to the minute as our last paper is due at mid-night on Friday. Naturally that means I watched the Canada v USA hockey game tonight, with my computer open in the student lounge hoping my paper would write itself. Seeing as how the old learn through osmosis if I fall asleep on my school books never worked, I didn't harbour high hopes for this plan.
BUT I had expected better performance from Team Canada! We out shot the Americans by a factor of 2, and they still beat us by 2 goals in a nail biting game. One word Coach, goaltending. Broudour is a phenomenal player, but so far in the 2010 Olympics tournament he has not demonstrated his world class skills. Hoping we see him step it up and that the front line can convert a little more on those shots on net, turn them into scoring chances and better yet, goals.
To tie the viewing experience to the Rotman student experience, I had the pleasure of catching the game in the student lounge with a few other students interested in both the hockey and their GPA's. A number of students were still in the library, this wasn't an elimination game after all, and the more hardcore hockey fans were at the bar with the full-on excitement that entails.
It is one of the many pleasures I have discovered in my Rotman career, that there are a number of hockey fans and during the international tournaments, I am cheering for the same team! (Not going to be converted to a Leafs fan anytime soon, so its more rare than you may think.)
BUT I had expected better performance from Team Canada! We out shot the Americans by a factor of 2, and they still beat us by 2 goals in a nail biting game. One word Coach, goaltending. Broudour is a phenomenal player, but so far in the 2010 Olympics tournament he has not demonstrated his world class skills. Hoping we see him step it up and that the front line can convert a little more on those shots on net, turn them into scoring chances and better yet, goals.
To tie the viewing experience to the Rotman student experience, I had the pleasure of catching the game in the student lounge with a few other students interested in both the hockey and their GPA's. A number of students were still in the library, this wasn't an elimination game after all, and the more hardcore hockey fans were at the bar with the full-on excitement that entails.
It is one of the many pleasures I have discovered in my Rotman career, that there are a number of hockey fans and during the international tournaments, I am cheering for the same team! (Not going to be converted to a Leafs fan anytime soon, so its more rare than you may think.)
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Olympics 1, School work 0
It has come that long awaited time that the Olympics are in Canada, in my home town of Vancouver. When these incredible athletes are ripping down the hills that I learned to ski on, and I am somehow supposed to do school work? Its not going so well.
I have all these ambitions, about putting the TV on mute, so I just watch the events and avoid the commentary. But that isn't going so well. I end up with one eye on the TV and a leadership essay that is rapidly turning into a series of mish-mash sentences because I never finish a thought.
The whole first four weeks of Q3 has been a write off, with the assumption that I will buckle down in the time before finals and just take up residency in the library and power through the work. How on earth is that supposed to happen?
Occasionally, on this blog, I try to share some advice for future Rotman students, or students potentially navigating the decision of whether or not to be future Rotman students. In this blog, I am asking advice. Aside from the obvious (turn off the TV and miss the Olympics, or accept the badgering impact on my GPA) what is a girl to do?
Thoroughly enjoyed watching the freestyle moguls, biathlon and am looking forward to some more moguls today.
To top it all off, I am planning for and attending classes related to the Latin America Study Tour, and booking a spring break adventure to Mexico!
Will work on focus tomorrow. In the mean time, Happy Valentines Day, Happy Family Day and Happy Olympics!
I have all these ambitions, about putting the TV on mute, so I just watch the events and avoid the commentary. But that isn't going so well. I end up with one eye on the TV and a leadership essay that is rapidly turning into a series of mish-mash sentences because I never finish a thought.
The whole first four weeks of Q3 has been a write off, with the assumption that I will buckle down in the time before finals and just take up residency in the library and power through the work. How on earth is that supposed to happen?
Occasionally, on this blog, I try to share some advice for future Rotman students, or students potentially navigating the decision of whether or not to be future Rotman students. In this blog, I am asking advice. Aside from the obvious (turn off the TV and miss the Olympics, or accept the badgering impact on my GPA) what is a girl to do?
Thoroughly enjoyed watching the freestyle moguls, biathlon and am looking forward to some more moguls today.
To top it all off, I am planning for and attending classes related to the Latin America Study Tour, and booking a spring break adventure to Mexico!
Will work on focus tomorrow. In the mean time, Happy Valentines Day, Happy Family Day and Happy Olympics!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Q3 is your friend
I think I have said this a number of times. But I am telling you, that Q3 is your friend. If you come to Rotman, and work your butt off for the first two quarters, and the first bit of January in recruiting, the class aspect of Q3 is your friend.
One thing I love about Rotman, and my class in particular is that we are still going out in pretty big groups. The general theme is that while we have different groups forming, they all kind of blend at the edges, and everyone generally gets along. This is really impressive. Our second years told us that by January the consulting and finance groups form, and so on. While that is true, we spend more time with people going after similar jobs because you are attending the same events and studying together, and rooting for each other during recruiting.
Something to keep in mind, the student body - whether you like it or not - becomes your family. By spending as much time at school as we do, and as much time together as we inevitably do - it has to happen. So meet people, get to know your classmates (and potential classmates) and the previous years class as well.
My two cents for the day brought to you by tomorrow's intra MBA fund raiser in which we have run out of tickets because there is an overwhelming interest!
One thing I love about Rotman, and my class in particular is that we are still going out in pretty big groups. The general theme is that while we have different groups forming, they all kind of blend at the edges, and everyone generally gets along. This is really impressive. Our second years told us that by January the consulting and finance groups form, and so on. While that is true, we spend more time with people going after similar jobs because you are attending the same events and studying together, and rooting for each other during recruiting.
Something to keep in mind, the student body - whether you like it or not - becomes your family. By spending as much time at school as we do, and as much time together as we inevitably do - it has to happen. So meet people, get to know your classmates (and potential classmates) and the previous years class as well.
My two cents for the day brought to you by tomorrow's intra MBA fund raiser in which we have run out of tickets because there is an overwhelming interest!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Q3 - Back in the game....
Last week we had our first quiz of the quarter, we handed in our first case assignment, and now it is starting to pick up again. Its hard to believe that it is February, students are starting to plan for Spring break and its 30% of the way through the quarter. People are thinking about the summer, thinking about next year, curious about how the class selection process goes and how to get involved in next years student clubs. The funny thing is, we are all thinking about 4 and 8 months away, when we can't pay attention to today.
We have a great selection of classes, some more interesting than others, but so far, I have thought that Rotman sets the the bar high. My east favorite class, is pretty much better than most of the undergrad classes I ever took. But we still can't get motivated. Great professors, fun classes, and a much better foundation of friendship with your classmates. But that pretty much means that we are getting along, wanting to head out on Tipsy Tuesday (they make a stunning comeback in January after disappearing for the fall semester) and enjoying the odd night out on the weekend.
Here's to hoping that we get the energy going again and get back in the game! Its only four weeks til finals! (I swear the time goes so fast: its a coin toss between I have been here for only 5 months and I can't remember life before MBA school!)
We have a great selection of classes, some more interesting than others, but so far, I have thought that Rotman sets the the bar high. My east favorite class, is pretty much better than most of the undergrad classes I ever took. But we still can't get motivated. Great professors, fun classes, and a much better foundation of friendship with your classmates. But that pretty much means that we are getting along, wanting to head out on Tipsy Tuesday (they make a stunning comeback in January after disappearing for the fall semester) and enjoying the odd night out on the weekend.
Here's to hoping that we get the energy going again and get back in the game! Its only four weeks til finals! (I swear the time goes so fast: its a coin toss between I have been here for only 5 months and I can't remember life before MBA school!)
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