#MBA101My first term as a business grad student is finally overrrrr!! *happy dance* (and we only have a week of “term break” OK). I am happy to say that I passed my two subjects with grades that I worked hard for. (My grades exceeded my expectations. Thank you, Lord!!) Since I started preparing my requirements for grad school, I haven’t got a chance to write again (HUHU) but now, I finally have the time! I decided to make my HOW TO SURVIVE GRAD SCHOOL post. This is for the people who would like to have an idea on what it really is or the ones who are just starting (like moi). MAKE SURE YOU REALLY WANT ITBefore anything else, you have to make sure that you’re ready to be committed to it – body, mind, soul and heart. MBA is not for weak-hearted nor for the people who wants MBA just because. You have to want it so bad because the necessary effort and time you have to put into is no joke. Imagine a whole day of work then instead of going home to rest or be with your family, you still have to attend and participate in a (more than) 3-hour class, plus the case analysis, chapter discussion and other class requirements which obliges after work group meetings or online group meetings until the wee hours. You ask yourself, Do I want it? Can I do it? MBA is a “whole new world” (cue in music) for me, coming from a Media Production background; I have ZE-RO knowledge in business plus the fact that I am not exactly best friends with numbers. So stepping into an uncharted territory, I only have one expectation which is to LEARN. READ,READ and READI love reading novels and books but academic textbook is another thing. MBA or any Graduate studies would require level 100 reading skills (HEHE jk but yea). Of course, you DON’T want to go to class without any idea of the topics that will be discussed. Maybe it’s acceptable in college but in Graduate school, reading is not just a requirement but it’s what you have to do for yourself. You are doing yourself a favor by reading assigned chapters before meeting or advanced reading for case analysis. TIME MANAGEMENT At first, I was struggling to balance everything – social, work, school and adult-responsibilities but eventually, you’ll get the hang of it. It is very IMPORTANT to schedule! My classes were Mondays and Thursdays, in between that I have scheduled meetings with my group mates for the case analysis or chapter presentation and I always have my Friday for rest day or night-out and weekend for my family. At times, you’ll be exhausted and feel extremely beat but always always make time for the “me-time”. My kind of me-time is reading a good book and having a nice quiet delicious dinner. The past term, I have not read any novel or book (other than my Management Principles and Accounting Principles text book), not until I was done with finals and it irks me but that’s how it is, I need to prioritize my studies. Now that I’m on term break, I have been reading non-stop ☺ Take note of all the things you have to do, prioritize your tasks and responsibilities then plot a schedule! EXPERIENCE TO ANALYSIS In college, we study that theories/concepts then we get to apply it when we start working while in graduate school, we already have experience then we define and analyze it. It’s like labeling what you see and experience in the work place. When you define it, the more you understand why and how it happens. This time, you have a first-hand experience and information with the discussion. This is also the time where every experience counts and being observant in the work place will make it easier to understand the discussion. I have been educated in all-girls institutions, and being in a university with guy classmates is something I am not used to. I was tiptoeing at first but turns out its just easy peasy. What I like with our class environment is that we are free to speak out our experiences and ideas. Yes, the education is expensive but the views of my classmates from different industries and from different position/level is incomparable. The lessons I gained are not just the POV from my position, company and industry that I am in but I also learned to understand other organizations in different industries. ENJOY THE CRAZY RIDE!I was never the grade conscious type of student but in college, 1 is something that is familiar to me (1 is considered the highest grade in Assumption). Just a day before my birthday, I got a low score for my paper in Management Principles, I cried myself to sleep that night and I felt really unworthy and discouraged. I can’t remember the last time I got a low grade with any of my paper but then I realized that I was just being dramatic that time (haha) or the fact that college was a comfort zone for me – Media Production is my second-nature and has been my passion ever since I could remember. This time, business school is my blind spot that’s why I need to give three-times my best. Another weak spot for me is numbers and having Accounting class every Monday is such a good week starter (sigh). I was so scared (the cold hand, heart-racing kind) for our case analysis presentation but after I was able to surpass it, I thought it was over but then our professor told us that there was one more case analysis presentation and our finals will be a Financial Statements analysis presentation. Fast forward, after long restless nights, the presentation was done, over, roger. (woot woot) My first term has been wonderful and fun because of my classmates and group mates that I already consider as friends and the ones that blast group chats with crazy conversations. There will be ups and downs, happy and boring classes, interesting and cliche topics but enjoy every minute of it because it's always a learning experience. ☺ I have a lot of misadventures in business school but each happy and funny memory serves as a reminder that there is always room for learning and we will always keep on growing in all aspects in different situations. If you don’t put your heart in it, you won’t be able see its worth. It has been a wonderful term and the next term will be best one, yet. Into the rabbit hole! xoxo, M
2 Comments
Albert Gomez
8/30/2016 07:56:07 pm
Love it! I didn't know you write Mon!!! I can totally relate to your post. Haha. Hopefully we'll be classmates again!!! :)
Reply
Monica
8/30/2016 08:38:22 pm
Thank you, love! It's just a space to let out overflowing thoughts hehe
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
She wonders and wandersMonica writes about her life, what she eats, what she reads and where she goes. This space is where her thoughts, experiences, memories and feelings turn into words. She's glad that she can share with you. Archives
August 2021
|