Team 7 – thank you, thank you

A good team makes working on projects and assignments easier.

A great team helps you keep calm when you have seven interviews in one week, two homework assignments due and a midterm within days.

Luckily, I fall into the second category! I wanted to take a quick second and thank my incredible team members: Pat, Davin, Arjun and Tracy for everything this past month.

Not only did February bring snow and cold (also some 60 degree days – thanks Ohio), but lots of interviews, projects and and team assignments.

You thought finding time for coffee with a friend was hard – try finding time on 5 calendars to meet for 2 hours. A nearly impossible task.

But, you make it work. You talk to your team and projects are suddenly divided up through emails and Google docs. You have meetings through Skype, speakerphone and more. Everyone supports one another… and with open and honest communication (and coffee if you’re me), everything is somehow perfected and turned-in before the due date.

THAT, my friends, is some FCOB teamwork magic. And I know magic, I worked for the mouse himself.

Business school is more than learning the material, it’s adapting to crazy situations and knowing how to be a leader — and a team player. You learn how to ask, and accept, help from team-members.

So thank you to the incredible and supportive individuals of Team 7, we almost made it through another crazy term!

Beating the cold

“It’s currently 7 degrees, but with the windchill it feel about 5 degrees below zero.” OK, not exactly what I wanted to hear waking up and getting ready for class. Coming off a long weekend filled with leisurely studying made the news even more painful.

But, no matter the temperature outside, we are already in our 3rd week of the term and classes are in full swing. Cases are due within days, project deadlines are approaching, two midterms on Monday and my operations homework is due on Thursday.

Don’t forget the internship search is in full swing and interviews are popping up every week. Fisher keeps students on their toes and constantly growing and improving… However, it’s not all work and studying!

After about 18 weeks of being in class together, I know and love my core group. We have a system in place for projects and it seems to be working on very well. All the first years have figured out ways to study and prepare for class – even good ol’ finance. Our social chairs host great events that allow the class to mingle and relax at the end of the week.

If looking to get off campus for a bit, I am happy to report the Columbus Blue Jackets have (finally) returned – and starting the season off strong. You can always take a Short North Walking tour and experience the incredible food of the North Market. I love the Arena District, and they always have something exciting going out to beat the cold and snow.

Bottom line? No time for winter blues here at Fisher.  

Take a risk

On Tuesday, I was part of a lunch session with Anne Dunlap, an AVP in Enterprise Applications at Nationwide. Put on by Fisher Graduate Women in Business, Anne talked about personal development and self-awareness in the work-place…but she also talked about taking risks and knowing the type of environment that is perfect for YOU.

She spoke about her incredibly career and about having a dialogue with your manager. She also touched upon never being afraid to ask the hard questions and for honest feedback.

She shared her own stories and outlined how communication can open doors and pathways to relationships.

It can be incredibly scary to ask for honest feedback after an interview, or when you are passed over for a job or promotion. Anne talked about going and asking face-to-face, and not letting yourself get defensive – but really listening to what others had to say.

Also, find a mentor and learn from others around you. Anne told us what she learned from her own mentors and the effort she puts into developing other talent. I loved that she stressed taking risks, and not being afraid to make an impact (and maybe some waves along the way).

It was an incredible, and empowering, lunch. Thank you to FGWIB for bringing such strong female role models into Fisher!

Business School Tips

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 program successful.

 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.