Darden...the gift that keeps on giving!

I've finished exams, over-indulged in holiday treats, and tackled my exploding laundry basket. December must be here! Now that I have a moment to think, I wanted to list a few of my favorite (little) things about Darden that sometimes get overlooked. Here they are, in no particular order...

1. The constant supply of free coffee: It might have triggered a lifelong caffeine addition, but it's also the reason why I was able to stay awake in all of my classes....I think. Thank you, First Coffee!
2. Oddball section traditions: Ever heard of the "birthday shirt"? Or banging on desks/walls/any other available surface for the sake of it? Or a highly coveted stuffed bird that can spark section warfare? Or non sequitur comments in the middle of class? (That last one isn't actually a tradition, but it happens so much that it should be...). Each of our sections has its own set of norms, customs, and quirks, which define our first four months at school and ensure that there is never a dull moment in class.
3. Prom: You heard right! Hooray for reverting back to high school in your late twenties. I recommend that everyone try it at some point. It's just as fun as it was ten years ago, but it's much less awkward.
4. Learning Team dynamics: It's "Modern Family" + discounted cash flows + overstressed business school students (read: pure entertainment). And, if we're lucky, our confusion will be punctured by fleeting moments of brilliance.
5. Professors who deserve standing ovations: Literally (we gave our Accounting professor one on our last day of class). They take you on the wildest and craziest intellectual ride of your life, all while never giving you the answer. If you're cold called, it's totally frightening. Otherwise, it's totally awesome.
6. Darden Cup: Even if you don't have an athletic bone in your body, you can enjoy flag football, free food, and fiery section competition.
7. Unproductive library sessions that devolve into conversations about life: Who needs cases when you can spend hours getting to hear all of the neat things your classmates did in their former lives? My point exactly.
8. Events that involve international food: I still don't know how to operate a George Foreman grill, let alone whip up a culinary creation that puts Rachel Ray to shame. But apparently I'm in the minority. Some of my classmates can make the most delicious delights, and I get to reap the benefits of their champion cooking skills. Yum!
9. The feeling of being done with exams: This deserves no explanation. My sigh of relief speaks for itself.
10. Spring Break 2k11: In keeping with the "reliving high school" theme, Spring Break is a huge perk of returning to student life. But it's out with the old (Panama City), and in with the new (Barcelona, here I come!). This year, many of us are traveling abroad to take week-long classes on subjects like business design, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. Sign me up!

Sold yet? Hope so. If not, I'll be sure to think of some more goodies over break... Until then, happy holidays!

Instructions for Black November: Keep Head Above Water

I'm currently sitting at home (my real home, not my creme-colored barren apt in Charlottesville that still lacks a TV), devouring a delicious breakfast of post-Thanksgiving apple pie and reading the New York Times. It's quite the life of luxury for a beleaguered business school student. But, despite the comforts of home (stocked fridge included), I can't help but miss Darden...just a little bit.

To anyone who has a loved one at business school, this sounds ridiculous. For the past 30 days, we have been suffering through Black November, the appropriately titled bleakest month of the year.We probably haven't returned your calls, responded to your email, or thanked you for the lucky bamboo that you sent us in the mail (Sarah - I love it!). The reason is, we've been wading through mounds of cases, jockeying to get on invite lists for company events, and grilling each other for interview prep.

But here's the really bad news: it's almost over. And then it's Winter Break. And then it's January. And then it's interviews. And then it's February...you see where I'm going.

So, my advice to anyone going through Black November is this - just keep going. But don't forget to look up every once and a while. It's a crazy-awful month, but it's also one of the last before you and your classmates launch into 2nd semester (or 4th term, or whatever they call it now). So, when you're not sprinting to class or frantically trying to cram to before the inevitable cold call, try to enjoy it. Just a little bit.

100 cases, 100 case party. Done and done!

Oh, to be 100-cases old! It's a fabulous feeling for a First Year.

Last week, we reached the 100-case milestone. What does that mean? Well, quite literally, it means that we've covered 100 cases in a short two-and-a-half months. More significantly, however, it means that we've evolved from the "crawl" to the "walk" stage of our MBA existence. Granted, we still bump into the occasional sharp object and stumble around in a confused stupor, but that's to be expected (right?). Point is, we're growing up.

At least a little bit. On Sunday, we celebrated this rite of passage as any group of highly-intelligent young professionals would - with an 80s-themed dance party.  Pictures to come (if I can get permission), but let's just say that there were enough shoulder pads, fanny packs, leg warmers, neon track suits, and headbands to outfit a Madonna video and a Saved by the Bell episode at the same time. I can't think of anything else that would scream "success!" quite as loudly. And it was a blast.

Term 3 kicks off on Monday, but I don't plan on confronting that reality until sometime this weekend. In the meantime, I intend to savor our newfound maturity (or whatever you choose to call it).

100 cases down. Only 500 more to go...

Best Week Ever, Darden edition.

Hello, friends! It's been a while, and I'll take the blame. Last week was such a whirlwind that I barely had time to sleep, eat, and breathe, let alone blog (I know, I know...I need to get my priorities straight!). But it was a good kind of busy - the kind worth writing about!

So, here were some highlights:

1. First Year vs. Second Year Pie Eating Contest. Picture cowboy hats, pumpkin filling, and pie crust flying in all different directions. It was truly a sight to behold. It was followed by...

2. First Year vs. Second Year Apple Bobbing Contest: And this wasn't your mom's apple bobbing. This involved costumes, elbows, dunking, and a whole bunch of other things that my mind has chosen to forget (probably for the better). Let's just say it was highly entertaining.

3. Visit to the Target Distribution Center: As part of our Operations class this Term, the entire class took trips to various factories and distribution centers in the area. What's that you say? Field trips are lame? Not so in business school! Not only did we get to forgo the color-coded visors and monochromatic boxed lunches, but we actually got to see a bunch of really neat stuff. And, I learned that Americans buy more fake Christmas trees than I could have ever imagined...

4. 6K Race: Although getting up at 6:00am on a Saturday morning is never something I recommend, I had an absolute blast running a 6K with seven other ladies from Darden. Not only did we get to run on a great course, but we got to celebrate our finish with homemade pumpkin muffins! Who wouldn't want to run a 6K for those?!

5. DARDEN CUP SOCCER CHAMPIONS!!! Nail-biting games + lots of injuries + bicycle kicks + penalty kicks = ? No, not the World Cup! I'm talking about Section C's performance this Saturday!!! We took home our first (but not our last!) trophy this weekend by crushing the competition in a hard-fought championship game. Amazing!

Ok, I think that's enough enthusiasm to get me through the next few hours. Back to the real world, and off to Learning Team!

T.G.I.T!

Friday was so 2009. Thursday now ranks #1 for most highly coveted day of the week. Not only do we finish classes, but we also get to put our brains on "pause" for a glorious 12 hours (this, of course, implies that they have been working all other hours of the week, which isn't always the case...but we'll chalk that up to statistical variation).

But we put those 12 hours to good use. Between now (roughly 3:30pm) and midnight, I will attend the following:
- Two company briefings
- A Trivia Night (go SECTION C!)
- A birthday bash
- A social event with the Second Years who were in my section
- A Latin American Students Association party that will probably last well beyond when the clock strikes 12:00...

Shouldn't we be sleeping? Or prepping for next week's cases? Or reviewing our resume for the 18th time that week?! No, no, and no! (Well, reviewing that resume again wouldn't hurt). Thursday is our sacred, we-want-to-pretend-like-we-live-normal-lives, regress-back-to-college day. That's precisely why it's so treasured.

So, to those who say that business school is all work and no play, I encourage you to venture out with us on a Thursday. Let's just hope you can keep up!

Term 2 resolutions (and survival tactics), Part I.

Since it's already Thursday (note to self: a week without classes seems to last half as long), I'm starting to gear up for Term 2, which begins on Monday. As part of my preparation, I'm engaging in two essential activities: 1) venturing to Target for some retail therapy and 2) drafting a list of Term 2 resolutions to ensure that I actually make it through the next month in one piece.

And with that introduction, here is the first batch:

1. I WILL sleep more than 4 hours a night, no matter what.
2. On the days when I break resolution #1 (oops), I WILL NOT drink more than 3 cups of coffee before 9:30am. Or 9:31am.
3. I WILL go grocery shopping at least once a week (reminder: 7-Eleven is NOT a grocery store).
4. I WILL do laundry at least once a week.
5. I WILL go to the gym regularly.
6. If I actually stick to resolution #5, I WILL REALLY stick to resolution #4. No, really.
7. I WILL call my friends back home (if they haven't already disowned me) rather than communicate with them solely through my Facebook status.
8. I WILL update my Facebook status.
9. I WILL buy a TV (this has been on my to-do list since August 16th).
10. If I do not buy a TV, I WILL cancel my cable (this has also been on my to-do list since August 16th).
11. I WILL make time to enjoy Charlottesville.
12. I WILL NOT define "enjoy Charlottesville" as making a trip to CVS or Harris Teeter.
13. I WILL figure out how to accomplish these resolutions without breaking resolution #1.

That's a good start, but there's definitely more to come. I wonder where I can go to clear my mind and think about this... What's that you say? A place filled with fabulous accessories, endless rows of home decor, and Fall must-haves? But of course, it's time for my Target run!

Resolutions: to be continued! Retail therapy calls.

Me, circa 2007.

I just returned from a great networking dinner (thanks, ladies of NAWMBA!) and was inspired to dig up old resumes/cover letters/writing samples in the hope of finally getting my career search organized. Instead, I discovered this essay, which I wrote in 2007.

At the time, I was working in television (fun fact!) and wasn't satisfied with my career. I was disillusioned, disappointed, and unsure about what to do next. To make a (very) long story short, I eventually got out of that rut by joining the Obama campaign, which started an entirely new chapter of my life. But that's for another post.

I'm sharing this random relic of my past because it remains surprisingly relevant. While I'm infinitely more happy at business school than I was in 2007, I still don't have it all figured out. What will I be when I grow up? Where can I make the biggest impact? Will the career I choose be the right one? I wrestled with these same questions tonight.

So, will I ever figure it out? I'm not sure. But maybe that's the point. Maybe it's the not knowing that keeps me going...

In my current career, I feel like a professional bystander. Lamenting the occurrence of another avoidable tragedy, I search for answers and seek other compassionate citizens. Ultimately, however, I am a peripheral figure. While others work in soup kitchens, I spew facts and figures on poverty. While others lobby for adequate insurance coverage, I look for generic video of people in hospitals. And while others sponsor drives for school supplies, I search for President’s most recent quote on education. This role is not just frustrating, it is also unfulfilling. 

I pursued television news because I wanted to effect change. Providing people with the resources to make informed decisions seemed like a noble calling. For many, it remains so. For someone desperate to join the front lines of public service, however, simply bearing witness to social problems doesn’t suffice.