Please note that as I type this I am in the middle of one of my most sleep deprived weeks in recent history (certainly in the last 6 months) and I am supposed to be preparing for an interview on Friday. Of course, instead, I am blogging.
I get a lot of ideas throughout the day for blogging, particularly when I am running recurring issues through my head; unfortunately, less than 25% of them end up being written up. This seems to happen especially when I shower, a time I have noticed my brain is most active because I am not multitasking or being distracted by the outside world, and instead do nothing but let the thoughts flow freeform through my head. Tonight, in the shower, I thought about all of the things I wanted to blog - the intense week I am experiencing through P&G's MBA Marketing Brand Camp, the incredible dynamic of putting 40 Type-A, brilliant, diverse MBA admits in a small space and giving them an open bar, my dilemma of career path and the infinite number of inescapable, tough choices that lay ahead, etc, etc...
I definitely feel a lot of these thoughts could be shared on my blog, and others could relate or find insight or give advice, but part of the reason I never post the majority of them here is because they are messy, complicated, and lengthy strands, all tangled together, not exactly compact sound bites that I can put up and have make sense. However, I do think I can do a better job than I have been, and to begin I need to several things: identify what the scope of this blog is, and then explain my background some more and thus give the necessary context to my thoughts.
This blog centers around 3 main issues, which are certainly interconnected, but do not always synchronize. The first is obviously business school, which for me and many others is a major life change which has already started to take place. It is happening, it is huge, and it will be my life for the next 2 years; example topics that this includes are class choices, technology involved, and activity levels. Obviously the reason for going business school is to progress in my career; career is the second main topic discussed and while there is great linkage and overlap with business school, it does occupy different real estate in your thoughts. This is the longer-term plan. Then the last issue, and what is the ULTIMATE plan, is lifestyle. Because long after you have graduated business school, long after you have retired, you will (hopefully, especially in this day & age of medical advances) still be alive. But you will also be alive in the meantime, and my blog, and others like mine, will ultimately present the intersection of these 3 lanes - b-school, career, and lifestyle.
Now what makes all of our blogs different, and is the biggest shaper of what gets published on here, is perception of self. To understand what I hypothesize, what I ask, what I promote, it is necessary to gain a little bit of understanding about ME - my passions, my dreams & aspirations, my preferences and my personality. Yes, I want to go to business school, have a great job, and be rich & powerful, but I also want to stop global warming, promote compassion across cultures, improve the lives of those around me, and more, things that have nothing to do with business school per se, but will nevertheless influence the choices I make while I am there. I call it perception of self, because what defines a person varies from person to person (the eternal question of the meaning of life) but others will call it passions, personal views, whatever works for you.
My point is, after determining the scope of what I am discussing, the next step is to know what kind of lens I am viewing said topics through (everybody's perception of truth is different, ne?); then there can be a greater understanding of what is said, which then leads to the thoughts and responses provoked from the sharing of ideas becoming deeper and more rewarding.
Hopefully that made sense. Unfortunately it's past midnight here, and I am already about 8 hours behind in sleep debt, so the actual topics I'd like to discuss will have to wait til next time, but as they say, the first step is always the hardest; I believe the best is still yet to come.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
How to explain Twitter to your parents
First post on the iPhone!
A couple weeks ago in my post about technology I mentioned that I signed up for Twitter, but was dubious of the benefits. However, like so many before me, in the short amount of time I have been using it, I have become addicted. I listened in yesterday on an amusing conversation between my parents as they tried to understand what Twitter is and why it is popular:
Mom: ... I saw it on Twitter.
Dad: What's Twitter?
Mom: It's like a blog, but limited to only 140 characters, I don't see the point...
Dad: What's a blog?
Mom: Like email, but on a website.
Dad: So why not just use email?
Mom: *gives up*
Dad: These young people, just need to do something different, they think it's cool
Anyway, this one is for you, Mom.
On the surface, the value of 140 character blurbs seems superficial at best, and pointless at worst. Yet particularly with the addition of links, helped by bit.ly or other link truncators, Twitter becomes a way to share ideas with a large group of people, quickly and easily. Simply put, it facilitates the fast transition of ideas. The character limit is a reflection of both our collective reduced attention span and the fast pace that information moves nowadays. Quick replies are possible through Twitter, but longer, more in-depth analyses are to be held on another platform, such as email or blogs, in order to keep the discussion moving in the Twitterverse. As a reader, rather than being constrained to the views of some distant journalist, I am allowed to see at a very quick glance the thoughts of my peers. In this respect, I feel there is significant overlap with a well-compiled RSS feed, but the simplicity and ease of Twitter means there are far more Tweeters than bloggers.
A couple weeks ago in my post about technology I mentioned that I signed up for Twitter, but was dubious of the benefits. However, like so many before me, in the short amount of time I have been using it, I have become addicted. I listened in yesterday on an amusing conversation between my parents as they tried to understand what Twitter is and why it is popular:
Mom: ... I saw it on Twitter.
Dad: What's Twitter?
Mom: It's like a blog, but limited to only 140 characters, I don't see the point...
Dad: What's a blog?
Mom: Like email, but on a website.
Dad: So why not just use email?
Mom: *gives up*
Dad: These young people, just need to do something different, they think it's cool
Anyway, this one is for you, Mom.
On the surface, the value of 140 character blurbs seems superficial at best, and pointless at worst. Yet particularly with the addition of links, helped by bit.ly or other link truncators, Twitter becomes a way to share ideas with a large group of people, quickly and easily. Simply put, it facilitates the fast transition of ideas. The character limit is a reflection of both our collective reduced attention span and the fast pace that information moves nowadays. Quick replies are possible through Twitter, but longer, more in-depth analyses are to be held on another platform, such as email or blogs, in order to keep the discussion moving in the Twitterverse. As a reader, rather than being constrained to the views of some distant journalist, I am allowed to see at a very quick glance the thoughts of my peers. In this respect, I feel there is significant overlap with a well-compiled RSS feed, but the simplicity and ease of Twitter means there are far more Tweeters than bloggers.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Behind enemy lines
I probably should have mentioned that the wedding I was going to was in Fontainebleau, a suburb outside of Paris, and incidentally, the groom just graduated from INSEAD.
Because both the bride & groom are my good friends, I'll admit the above had completely slipped my mind - unsurprisingly, I was instead worrying if I had enough time to buy a new dress, since I had been given a role in the ceremony. However, during the wedding I got to meet a good number of INSEAD graduates and students, and did get some brief impressions.
- The recruiting this year was brutal. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I heard a story about not just one but many companies who held interviews only not to take any students. More than one student was told by the big consulting companies that there were no positions available in the US. Period. More than one student in the January intake have forgone their internship (in the sense that looking for an internship is futile) to do something else, such as language study or travel.
- The one year (actually 10 month) program just whizzes by. I'm constantly reminded of the trifecta of Courses - Recruiting - Networking, the difficulty of juggling and balancing the three, and I can't imagine the intensity of getting it all done in less than a year. I'm glad I'm doing 2Y.
- At least for INSEAD, it seemed like the closest bonds are formed through outside activities & shared living. I visited Tavers, a beautiful old chateau that was converted into 8 or 9 student apartments, and located in a forest by the Seine. I'm told that they regularly host corporate-sponsored dinners (some of which have dropped off, unfortunately) and also crazy parties there, with 300 people coming for the Halloween party.
- I think INSEAD's language requirement (2 to get in, 3 to graduate) gives their students a huge competitive advantage. This is unsurprising considering their international brand name and prestige. One of my goals is to study Spanish during my time at Kellogg; speaking of which, I need to figure out how to enroll in the NW undergrad language class.
- The b-school world can be a surprisingly small place. At least 2 people I met have close friends who are in my class; I look forward to meeting them.
Because both the bride & groom are my good friends, I'll admit the above had completely slipped my mind - unsurprisingly, I was instead worrying if I had enough time to buy a new dress, since I had been given a role in the ceremony. However, during the wedding I got to meet a good number of INSEAD graduates and students, and did get some brief impressions.
- The recruiting this year was brutal. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I heard a story about not just one but many companies who held interviews only not to take any students. More than one student was told by the big consulting companies that there were no positions available in the US. Period. More than one student in the January intake have forgone their internship (in the sense that looking for an internship is futile) to do something else, such as language study or travel.
- The one year (actually 10 month) program just whizzes by. I'm constantly reminded of the trifecta of Courses - Recruiting - Networking, the difficulty of juggling and balancing the three, and I can't imagine the intensity of getting it all done in less than a year. I'm glad I'm doing 2Y.
- At least for INSEAD, it seemed like the closest bonds are formed through outside activities & shared living. I visited Tavers, a beautiful old chateau that was converted into 8 or 9 student apartments, and located in a forest by the Seine. I'm told that they regularly host corporate-sponsored dinners (some of which have dropped off, unfortunately) and also crazy parties there, with 300 people coming for the Halloween party.
- I think INSEAD's language requirement (2 to get in, 3 to graduate) gives their students a huge competitive advantage. This is unsurprising considering their international brand name and prestige. One of my goals is to study Spanish during my time at Kellogg; speaking of which, I need to figure out how to enroll in the NW undergrad language class.
- The b-school world can be a surprisingly small place. At least 2 people I met have close friends who are in my class; I look forward to meeting them.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Procrastination Multiplication
Rather than doing anything remotely useful (productivity wise), I instead decided to celebrate quitting my job by doing something I have wanted to do for the last 10 years. For the last 5 weeks I have been crossing the globe, the long way around, and next week I will finally fly back to the US.
Although I will admit waking up in a cold sweat choked by the worries of things I am putting off, for the most part, the beauty of what I have seen has overwhelmed my guilt. I won't wax too poetic; I will only say that international travel is enjoyable, eye-opening, and fulfilling, and I highly recommend it. It has definitely been worth it.
Of course, what ends up happening is I end up in situations similar to today. As I type this, I am in Paris, packing my bag (for about the 20th time), preparing for my friend's wedding tonight, and deciding on my first quarter course. Which is going to be Turbo Finance, not because I've thought this out thoroughly (because I haven't) but because I enjoy challenging myself and better the first quarter (when there's no recruiting) than the second (which has been described as an exercise in sleep deprivation and despair). On a side note, in China, 4's are considered unlucky number because the pronunciation sounds like "to die." So there you have it, if you're in 440 I'll see you there.
For those who haven't decided yet, I can contribute some wisdom from a lovely lady a year ahead of us, who had a strong finance background:
"Turbo... I definitely shied away from it, I'm glad I did. First quarter is pretty tough in itself, and Turbo is LOTS of work from what I hear. LOTS. BUT - the upside to it is that you'd rip the bandaid off and finish it quickly. I took both Fin 1 and Fin 2, and I enjoyed both classes. Turbo is literally the two classes combined into one, so you will still learn all the same material."
She did send me the syllabi for her Fin 1 & 2, I'll be more than happy to forward them on to you if you're interested. She also mentioned:
"--Second, CIM is going to be the craziest three weeks of your life. EVER. You won't have time to do anything during it... literally. So get yourself settled and moved in all before CIM starts. There will be no time to do anything but sleep and be at school during CIM. I totally thought I would finish unpacking during CIM... and I didn't get to doing it until Thanksgiving break! :) Also, everyone gets really really sick during CIM, so make sure to take your vitamins during it, every little bit helps!
--Third, I didn't really do this too well, and I would recommend it... Give your friends and family a head's up that you're going to be ridiculously busy. I know, sounds crazy, right? I had to spend the first few weeks of school trying to convince my friends that I didn't forget about them. Some got used to it, some didn't. It's just one of those things that really caught me by surprise. I figured, hey, I was in banking, I can handle balancing non-Kellogg friends with the b-school schedule! I was kind of wrong. :) Don't get me wrong though, you can still make the time, it's just tougher than I originally thought."
Although I will admit waking up in a cold sweat choked by the worries of things I am putting off, for the most part, the beauty of what I have seen has overwhelmed my guilt. I won't wax too poetic; I will only say that international travel is enjoyable, eye-opening, and fulfilling, and I highly recommend it. It has definitely been worth it.
Of course, what ends up happening is I end up in situations similar to today. As I type this, I am in Paris, packing my bag (for about the 20th time), preparing for my friend's wedding tonight, and deciding on my first quarter course. Which is going to be Turbo Finance, not because I've thought this out thoroughly (because I haven't) but because I enjoy challenging myself and better the first quarter (when there's no recruiting) than the second (which has been described as an exercise in sleep deprivation and despair). On a side note, in China, 4's are considered unlucky number because the pronunciation sounds like "to die." So there you have it, if you're in 440 I'll see you there.
For those who haven't decided yet, I can contribute some wisdom from a lovely lady a year ahead of us, who had a strong finance background:
"Turbo... I definitely shied away from it, I'm glad I did. First quarter is pretty tough in itself, and Turbo is LOTS of work from what I hear. LOTS. BUT - the upside to it is that you'd rip the bandaid off and finish it quickly. I took both Fin 1 and Fin 2, and I enjoyed both classes. Turbo is literally the two classes combined into one, so you will still learn all the same material."
She did send me the syllabi for her Fin 1 & 2, I'll be more than happy to forward them on to you if you're interested. She also mentioned:
"--Second, CIM is going to be the craziest three weeks of your life. EVER. You won't have time to do anything during it... literally. So get yourself settled and moved in all before CIM starts. There will be no time to do anything but sleep and be at school during CIM. I totally thought I would finish unpacking during CIM... and I didn't get to doing it until Thanksgiving break! :) Also, everyone gets really really sick during CIM, so make sure to take your vitamins during it, every little bit helps!
--Third, I didn't really do this too well, and I would recommend it... Give your friends and family a head's up that you're going to be ridiculously busy. I know, sounds crazy, right? I had to spend the first few weeks of school trying to convince my friends that I didn't forget about them. Some got used to it, some didn't. It's just one of those things that really caught me by surprise. I figured, hey, I was in banking, I can handle balancing non-Kellogg friends with the b-school schedule! I was kind of wrong. :) Don't get me wrong though, you can still make the time, it's just tougher than I originally thought."
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