A creepy emo kid in an Oscar-winning movie once said, "There's so much beauty in the world, I feel like I can't take it, and my heart is just going to cave in." I, on the other hand, just want to sit under a tree, and that is precisely what I have become accustomed to doing. Everybody should plant a tree. Cuz I love me some sittin' under 'em.And that is my attitude after another action-packed week. Much transpired. I found out I'm going to Australia and met my trip group (all great folks, it seems). I had a very nice dinner with some of Susan's friends, lazing on a porch enjoying grilled chicken and quinoa and wine. I "auditioned" to give tours to prospective students (they didn't call it an audition, but they did say our responses to their questions would determine whether we get selected). Yale SOM had a club fair, and I joined four: Public Speaking, Marketing, Media & Entertainment, and the cumbersomely monikered Q+ Gay/Straight Alliance. Oh, and there was work.
What I learned: I should consider, in the future, doing assignments in order of importance, not chronology.
Although we all had several assignments this week, the one that got the most buzz was the first of three economics problem sets. (Wonder if the dean being our professor had any influence ...) All week, I moved forward diligently with assignments, in order, treating each equally, even if it was just a reading for a "soft" class like Careers. As each day passed, more and more people were discussi
ng the hellish, confusing econ homework. But there never seemed to be time for me to start. Lo and behold it became Thursday evening, and I still hadn't started.I began with problem #2, since I hadn't heard anyone complaining about it. No sweat. Then I made a pot of coffee and braced myself for the dreaded problem #1. Some sweat ... but a healthy kind of sweat.
But here's my feeling about econ problem sets in an MBA program: Why do we have them? That's not rhetorical. We have them because students learn subjects by being challenged and doing work. Hence, challenging work is assigned. It's not as if they're trying to humiliate us, upset us or kick us out. There aren't even grades here, for Pete's sake. (Pete is kinda the class dolt.) So with that in mind, I just gotta ask, "Why flip your lid about a homework assignment that counts for 10% of a "grade" that isn't even a grade?" And I just gotta suggest, "Think about the questions, try your best to come up with something, type it up and move on. Your high-paying job will still be waiting for your regardless of whether you mastered the economic impacts of boycotts after your first five econ lectures."
Anyway, it's Labor Day weekend, and I've got a few fun plans in the works but am mostly going to try to study. With all the assignments piling up, one thing that gets left behind is studying. You're always working on problems, but never really getting a chance to look back at notes, memorize terms, revisit some readings. So that's my plan this weekend ... starting tomorrow, at least.
In the hectic pace of life, it's important to take the time to do the simple relaxing things every now and then, like sitting under that fabulous tree (by the way, those are some amazing shoes). I'm so glad you are going to Australia, that is going to be SO MUCH FUN! Hope you have a super Labor Day weekend :)
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