Finding Balance in the MBLE Program
It is hard to imagine that six weeks has passed since our first semester began. But like the saying goes, "time flies when you're having fun", which actually started before our first class.
Upon completion of orientation, our class went to Summit Vision, an outdoor team-building experience. Because none of us knew each other before the program, this was a challenge as we struggled to complete objectives as essentially a group of strangers. However, when we finished a couple of hours later, Summit Vision's impact was obvious; we surely developed some lasting friendships, ready to tackle the upcoming semester.
This carried over to our next gathering, which involved the second-year students of the MBLE program. We all went to COSI, where we had a catered, private room and a COSI team member who showed us exciting experiments. Because many of our class members are from outside of Columbus, this was their first experience of Downtown. We made sure to do some exploring and not let our short time together go to waste.
Our most recent get-together was for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Because a majority of our classmates are Chinese international students, we wanted to celebrate this important holiday as a reminder of home. We had some delicious mooncake, saw the moon, and played fun icebreaker games.
Of course, it isn't all fun and games. The parties must be balanced with our rigorous coursework. So far, this semester has been busier than any of my time in undergrad. And from what the second-year MBLE students have said, it won't be slowing down anytime soon (a popular saying among the second-years is "MBLEs never sleep"). On top of this, we have career fairs to worry about and some of us even have part-time jobs. However, I believe I can speak for the rest of my classmates: we wouldn't trade it for anything. There's a reason Fisher's MBLE program is one of the most highly ranked in the country (https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/logistics-rankings); we know that once we finish the program we will be among the most qualified graduates in the country. And it has already shown at career fairs. Many of us have gotten interviews, despite being in the program for just a few short weeks.
As we continue our program we must strive to find balance. While having too much fun is obviously detrimental, we cannot spend all of our time studying, either. And yes, there will be some late nights in Gerlach Hall, but there will also be some late nights in Ohio Stadium. My classmates and I look forward to the fun times, and the stressful times, as the semester continues.