Tips & Takeaways
Hey everyone!
It's insane to think that in about one week we will be celebrating Thanksgiving and cheering for a Buckeye victory against Michigan. I cannot believe that the time is flying by so quickly! And with each passing day, the other 1st years and I are learning how to truly navigate through our MBA program successfully.
These may not be your most traditional takeaways, but there are sure to help you in the long run!
- Bring lunch and snacks - The vending machine is delicious....but dangerous. It can be too easy to grab a candy bar when you are staying late to review finance or accounting, but be warned! The sugar crash later will only make your eyes heavy during class. I try to pack a lunch during my long days to stop any vending machine temptations. Packing also stops the trips to eat out for lunch. Trust me, you and your wallet will thank me later.
- Rohr Cafe will become your best friend (and possibly Panera) - Just to build off the previous post, your two years in business school will be the years you consume the most coffee. It is the norm to run and grab a shot of caffeine before classes, in-between classes, after classes, while studying, and a few other times during the day. To help watch the spending, I recommend brewing your own cup at home and limiting the number of coffee runs a week. And if you are one of the stronger souls that don't drink coffee - enjoy watching the frantic dashes of your fellow students who need to the sweet taste of Starbucks.
- Wear layers to class - Seriously. A wonderful 74 degrees in your ops. class to a freezing 64 in accounting (I know, I know. I am warm-blooded and like the temperature slightly warmer than other people). But if you don't bring a sweater during the fall and spring months, you will be freezing in one class and sweating in another.
- Reserve a room - If you are meeting with a few others to study for a test or work through practice problems, make sure you reserve a room! Around midterm and finals week, they tend to fill up quickly. You need to have a total of three attendees, so form a study group and reserve a room to ensure a productive evening of hitting the books.
- Use a calendar and update it often - It could be a Google Calendar, iCal, an agenda or a combination of the three! However, there are so many activities, meetings, networking events and more that you'll go crazy if you don't write things down. I check my Google Calendar daily (which in in sync to my tablet and iPod), to make sure I don't miss anything. I combine that with my physical agenda to make sure I stay caught-up with my readings and assignments. Trust me, you don't want to be that group member that shows up late to a meeting.
Have a great week! Talk to you guys soon.