Bemoustached Baking

Since the ladies of our class couldn't grow moustaches (or chose not to), we decided to slave over our hot stoves all weekend to make baked goods.

I am thrilled by the generosity of our class - both in terms of time spent baking, as well as purchasing the delicacies.

All in all, we raised over $325 for prostate cancer research! Not too shabby.

The Beginning of the End... of Q2

And so begins the last week of classes.

Due to the expansion of the Rotman campus, our classes are being shuffled around this week. Not the best timing to be tromping all over campus when stress is already high, but it seems that it can't be helped. Progress always wins, and in our case, progress means dynamite. From what I understand, there will be some blasting in the parking garages underneath our classroom as the next phase of construction begins.

I don't think any of us is impressed with the construction going on during the school year, but we are all trying to grin and bear it. Taking the brunt of the complaints is our ever patient Program Services Office. All I can say is at least the future years will enjoy the fruits of the labour in the form of a fantastic new facility. Our Rotman reunion will be fantastic.

Understandable

Last year when I was researching MBA schools, I visited a lot of these blogs to get a sense of student life. An 'insiders view' of the school. As an avid fan of people watching, I hoped that I would be able to follow along as they went through the MBA. Were they happy? Did they still have a sense of humour or did the MBA turn them into overly serious, number crunching zombies - a dried up husk of the person they once were? Well after the first few weeks, blog posting became irregular if at all. It wasn't unusual to see an entire blog go something like this:

September 9, 2008 - YAY, we're back from camp. Classes start tomorrow. Can't wait to tell you all about it.

***Nothing***

May, 2009 - YAY, year's done. It was great.

I now understand completely! The program is SO BUSY! Yesterday I spent 10 hours just working on Accounting. Today, it'll be similar but with Finance.

If not for my obsession with keeping a record of my studies combined with an overly active imagination and a dash of procrastination mixed in, this blog would probably have ended back on labour day.

Exams are in 2 weeks (AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!) I may still end up a dried up husk of human being, filled to the brim with numbers. For my old friends who knew me once upon a time - the random marketing facts that you once shook your head at will soon will replaced with numbers.

You have been warned...

The name 'derivatives' is self-explanatory.

We are quickly coming to the end of Q2 - one week left. I'm sitting in the Toronto Public Library, Beaches location, studying for tomorrow's finance quiz and attempting to complete this week's homework.

The reading is about Derivatives and Hedging Risk - two more things that I know absolutely nothing about, but will understand by the end of tonight. The first line of the reading is 'the name derivatives is self-explanatoy.'

Uh oh, the authors clearly haven't met me before if they think this is self-explanatory.

Spelling Bee

I am an atrocious speller so won't be entering but can't wait to see the 'sport' of spelling in action.

On my soapbox...

For the first time today I was embarrassed to be part of my class. As is custom, we were asked to provide midterm feedback on our Strategy course and instructor. From what I saw of the results, our class was overly critical.

I sincerely hope that it was stress or frustratin from the exam that caused such negativity. Of all my classes, Strategy has had an immediate effect on how I view the business world. Anita challenges us to THINK. I came to Rotman anticipating interesting conversations and lively debates - all of which is delivered in spades in Strategy.

I understand that not all classes appeal to everyone, but this one really is a winner and I think the lack of positive feedback undermines the overall greatness of learning that is happening in this class.

OK, getting off my soapbox now. :)

Become an Inventor

I've been participating in a program that is offered by the Business Design Club. 15 students were chosen via lottery to learn the tools used by DesignWorks. The program is beyond fantastic. Literally helping me to explore different ways of thinking. We have only had 2 meetings thus far, but every time that I leave, my brain is bursting with ideas.

Rotman is building a name for itself in the area of Business Design. While design hasn't really been woven into the first year curriculum thus far, I hear that it comes into play during the Integrated Thinking Practicum in Q4. If you have an interest in design thinking, there are resources available and your effort will be well rewarded.

Class Participation

While I would normally describe myself as a chatterbox, I received notice from Dmitry that I haven't participated enough in Statistics. The reason is that my confidence interval does not establish statistical significance that my answer will be correct. For instance, today I tried to answer a question in class and got a response of 'that would be a naive model...'

I like statistics because of it's ability to discover insights, but it is tricky.

I sometimes wish that the participation level across classes could be taken into account. The other day I literally spoke for a good 10 minutes in marketing. I'm soon to be at risk of annoying my classmates. Now I need to step it up in Statistics. Sorry friends, you'll be hearing a lot more of my voice in the near future.

The breaking point

I think my brain has started to pull blood out of the area designated for basic tasks in order to fuel the thinking portion. My poor neurons don't understand what is going on.

Last night I got on the subway heading in the wrong direction. And didn't notice FOR 3 STOPS! Keep in mind that I've lived in the same house for over 5 years! Then I didn't recognize my brother, whom I see almost daily. Today I didn't see someone when I opened the door. It was a glass door.

Your brain:

Your brain on MBA:

To Do

I make a "to do" list every morning. It's now 1:30 AM and I haven't fully eliminated anything. *Sigh*

The day:
7AM wake up
8AM walk to bus, buy coffee. Read 'Medicines Company' case for MCV (getting ahead?)
9:05AM late for stats, have to sit in back row to avoid disturbing the class. It's raining today so all I smell is damp wool. Yuck!
10:something AM break. I try to buy a muffin but the Second Cup is all out of the ones I like. Cram a bit more for Strategy Quiz.
Quiz takes 45 minutes (multiple choice, T/F & short answer). Straighforward yet tricky? Hmmm. Mini-lecture on the final case competition. Class gets out a bit early.
12-1:15. Buy a sub. Talk about the other MCV case about frozen food
1:15-3:45 Accounting project.
4:00 Subway home. Read newspaper (because I do that now)
5:00 Pat dog. Eat toast. Walk back to bus.
5:45 Read Frozen Food case on the subway
6:15 Arrive at DesignWorks for the Business Design visa program. (Weird name, but GREAT program. REALLY gets my mind going)
9PM Design Visa session done. Get on Subway, finish reading the Medicines Company case.
10PM-1:30AM Finance homework. WHY IS THIS SO HARD???
1:30-1:45 Write this blog. Kick self for wasting 15 precious minutes of sleep by blogging...

Now does it look like I wasted a lot of time? I know, I know. But Meg, you ate lunch AND patted your dog! Some might argue that the subway trips were the problem. Au contraire - public transit is the best for getting reading done. Eyes on page mean no accidental eye contact with strangers.

*Double sigh*

Setting the record straight

A few colleagues have asked me whether the Rotman Program Services Office has censored my blog in any way. Did they ask me to blog about particular topics and/or ask that I only write positive things?

I'd like to set the record straight: The views in this blog are 100% my own.

In fact, the PSO told me specifically that there were no guidelines. All they asked is that I be honest.

:)

Why the King is like an MBA class

Much like in advertising, not every class will appeal to every person. In my old career I used to hear comments from people about how they just 'didn't get' a particular commercial.

As an example my mom shakes her head at 'the King' that is used by Burger King. When people don't understand an ad, my explanation was always, 'you don't understand because it wasn't created for you.' My mom doesn't get the king because she isn't a teenage boy. The character wasn't created for my mom.

I think the same thing applies to the first year MBA program. For example, I don't eagerly tear into the reading and homework from finance like others in my class. You won't hear me make an accounting joke. Ever. The reason? Much the same as why my mom doesn't get the King - I'm not the main target. I don't have aspirations to become a future CFO, Financial Analyst or Banker.

Does this mean that I don't care about the subjects or think that they are not valuable? Of course not. Just because you might be creeped out by the King doesn't mean you won't enjoy a Whopper.

Strategy Tutorial

This morning's tutorial was helpful in preparing for the Strategy quiz.

There are two aspects to learning:
1. General knowledge. This is the material discussed in class. It will be helpful in our future business lives.
2. Testable material. This is literally all about doing well on tests. Not always the most practical knowledge (i.e. I really don't care how large the coffee industry is in North America). Knowing random facts.

The Tutorial focuses more on #2. It is more literal than lecture.

They are generally quite helpful, but not mandatory. Plus, they are much more relaxed. :)

A Messy Morning

Wednesday. Mid-Week. Lecture Free. Ahhhh!

Normally a delightful day. We get to sleep in. No homework or assignments are due. A great day right?

My day started with my dog eating an entire loaf of bread (no breakfast). Then my legs nearly crumpled under the weight of my text book laden bag while on the stairs in the subway. The grand culmination was when I dropped my giant coffee filled mug on the sidewalk as I rushed to catch the light. The top came off and showered the other students (and myself) with delicious, caffeinated gold.

On the upside, I discovered that the campus express offers coffee (fairly decent coffee at that) for only 80 cents!!! Yum.

Now I'm in my Strategy tutorial where we are debating practice quiz answers. The classroom was different than what was listed in R World so I was late. Now I'm sitting cross-legged on the floor, craning my neck in order to view the screen.

Wednesday has failed me.

We all get a time to shine

I finally got a moment to shine in class today - good ol' Marketing. Today was the one lecture on advertising. As usual, the class spent most of the time talking about commercials. My absolute pet peeve is that when people talk about advertising, they always concentrate on the message and never on the vehicle. We literally talked about media for about 5 minutes. Does this make sense? For a change, I'm going to use some numbers:

Creative budget: $1 million
Media budget: $10 million

Hmmmm - so why are we always talking about creative?

Another comparison:

Great commercial (creative)
No one sees it (media)

Is this not just as bad as bad creative that everyone sees? Media planning deserves more respect!!

I suspect that I gave a bit TOO MUCH perspective in class today... What can I say, it isn't often in the MBA that I get to be an 'expert'. I have to say though, I'm only getting a 4.5 (out of 5) for participation. I'm a bit disappointed - at least 1 person is getting a 5 and for once, I'd like to be at the front of the class!

In other news, I almost fell asleep in accounting today. I feel really bad for our prof - our lecture is near the end of the day, and no matter how dynamic he tries to be, the material is really dry.

A colleague really loves accounting and today I asked her why. Her response was 'because it's so easy.' I almost threw up in my mouth. I absolutely don't think it's easy. I think what she was trying to say is it's all memorization and little interpretation. Learn the rules, learn the course.

Let's be friends

One of my fellow bloggers, Katie, recently observed that people are splitting off and forming closer friendships with those that have similar career goals. In the spirit of the MBA, I'd like to offer another persepective.

It might seem like the 'consultants' or 'finance' folk are all hanging out with one another. How can it not? There are so darn many of them. What you don't see is all the 'entrepreneurs' hanging out with one another or the 'family business' folk (all 2 of us) joined at the hip. If anything, I'd say that people are chilling more with people from their section due to overall familiarity.

One take away from either of our views is that there are lots of people from lots of different backgrounds. It's easy to strike up a conversation with anyone and you will definitely makes friendships that will last a lifetime.

PS - be sure to check out the other Rotman blogs if you are looking for a diverse perspective on every day life in biz school.

Laptopless

I feel naked being laptopless.

An Experiment

Today I left my laptop at home. We're not allowed to use them in Strategy class anyway and it seems a waste to carry it all the way here. I bet you're wondering how I can update my blog with no computer. It's easy. I'm psychic. I am projecting these thoughts onto the screen. OK. Just kidding. There are a couple of computers available, mostly for printing, but since there isn't a line up, I thought I'd take the moment to share.

Just another Manic Monday...

Wish it was Sunday, 'cause that's my Funday

Thank you Bangles for interpreting how I'd feel today.

Moustache Mania

We are now mid-way through 'Movember' and the guys are doing an admirable job raising awareness for men's cancers. Nary an upper lip is bare.

Today is a finance networking event so I expect many of my classmates are dressed to the nines as they attempt to make a good impression ahead of formal recruiting season. Yesterday I noticed that many of the men had visited the barber in an attempt to look the part of the well-groomed banker. I sincerely hope that the Movember participants don't bow to pressure.

If a well groomed moustache doesn't set you apart from your clean shaven counterparts, your dedication to the cause certainly will.

Biz school isn't fun, but that doesn't mean there can't be fun in biz school...

I have had more fun the past couple of days doing sitting in the fleck atrium, studying in 121 and working through problems than I ever would have thought possible. I'm not going to lie to you, the work itself, SUCKS. It's hard, it's tedious, it makes you think *shudder* (haha, kidding), but the people are AWESOME. Thank you for keeping me sane...

MIA Update

Didn't win. Oh well - always a long shot. Everyone thinks that their campaigns were innovative particularly if they were a 'first', difficult to execute & successful for the client.

Typically I love seeing the winners but this year was a disappointment. The Best of Show winning campaign seems eerily similar to a campaign that won in '06 or '07. Let's compare:

2007 - Sears Wishbook
Corner Gas show integration
In-Store display
Contest

2009 - Cheez Whiz
Corner Gas show integration
In-Store display
Contest

Hmmm - is a tv product placement & contest really innovative anymore?

Can't wait to review the other winning campaigns but details haven't been posted yet.

Media Innovation Awards

Tonight the winners will be revealed at the Media Innovation Awards. Bittersweet because two campaigns I was involved with planning were entered for the Dairy Farmers of Canada, Cheese brand.

I hope that my "ex" company brings home these awards even though I will get no recognition for them. Typically in media and advertising, when you leave the company, your name slips off the entry form. I'm still proud to have been involved in the campaign for more than a year, this was my 'baby'. Plus, it's grown and is even better than the version I worked on. The evolution and staying power of the campaign is what makes it really special to me. Anyone can do a stunt.

Go Cheese!

This is a screenshot of one of the elements: the Dinner Club Integration. Often it's difficult for an advertiser to get integrated into editorial. We had many meetings with the editors to allowed us to include a Canadian Cheese recipe within editorial on Fridays.

Womack's 5 Forces: Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge

These students came ill prepared to class so Prof. Kent Womack made them line up in the atrium while he pelted them with projectiles...
Yesterday was the annual dodgeball tourney in the atrium. In the final, the faculty were soundly thrashed by the younger, more nimble students. While they looked like they were being good sports about it, I swear I heard the profs assigning grades "F, F... F-minus" to the students on the opposing team as they shook their hands...

Perspective

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)

These days most of my reflections are focused on a case study that I've read or a comment made in class. It's easy to get 100% wrapped up in school and work. Today I took a brief moment to think of days not so long past when it would have been unlikely that I'd have considered business school. I also thought of the people who even today live in situations of war and unrest. Sure puts school work into perspective.



~Lest we forget

Regression

I think stats jokes are funny. MBA, what have you done to me???

Quiz # 2 tomorrow.

Making the Grade

I found out my grades for the 3 outstanding classes today and overall, I'm pleased. I'm quite an average student, but then again, most of us are.

What I've learned from my Q1 exam experience:

Take the easy As. Use your strengths - and A is an A. It doesn't matter whether it's in Econ, MPO or Stats. I made the mistake of spending more time studying for the hard classes rather than editing my FIT paper. I know that an extra hour spent on FIT would have resulted in an 'A' paper, but I chose to hand it in "as is" and got a B+. This time around, I'm going to take the As where I can and not worry about the others (as long as I end up average).

Accept average. Average isn't terrible. When I look at the people around me, I'm beyond impressed. To be average in a group of stars isn't a bad place to be.

All As are equal. Some people say disparaging comments about the so called 'soft courses.' But if you aren't good at managing people or at marketing a product, how successful a business leader will you ultimately be?

I honestly don't believe that the entire purpose of the MBA is to learn Finance. Yes, that's important too, but nothing that you couldn't learn from a book.

Class vesus Career

I've heard a few people start to talk about interviews for summer internships. Scheduling has already started to be an issue. Can you really tell a potential employer that you are unavailable for an interview because you have class? It's the eternal 'rock vs hard place' --> are we at Rotman to learn (go to class) OR are we here to get a job (go to interview). Regardless, what was already a struggle to manage, time has become even more precious!

Freshmen +/- 15

Remember how in undergrad you were warned about gaining the dreaded Freshmen 15, a term referring to the inevitable weight gain that many students experience when they move away from home for the first time? I was concerned about whether this phenomenon would be repeated in graduate school.

1. Stress? Check. (chips)
2. Late nights reading? Check (chocolate)
3. Group study sessions? Check (beer)
4. Confusing lectures? Check (pizza)
5. Stress? CHECK CHECK CHECK (ice cream & tears)

MBA school keeps tailors in business. While my suit is getting tighter around the middle, others are having the opposite problem. I've always thought that as one person loses weight, another will inevitably find it. I'll admit to being a bit jealous of the increasing sea of svelte figures wandering the halls, but I know it's hard to console one's self with textbooks. For now, I'll stick to the chocolate.

A class after my heart

In marketing (AKA: Managing Customer Value, AKA: MCV) we were advised that a trip to the mall to visit a Zara store would be helpful for tomorrow's case discussion. *Sigh*, I GUESS, I could do that Dilip... if it's for the good of the class!

Rotmanites do a good thing

There is a club called 'Outreach' that organizes charitable activities for the Rotman community. This week there is a silent auction with such items as
A mini-wine tasting with Roger Martin
A round of golf with Jim Fisher
Dinner with Rick Powers
I wonder how much money will be raised for United Way? Personally, I liked my old company's efforts - Beer Cart Friday. I bet that in the Rotman community, Rotmanites would be more than happy to spring for a beverage for such a good cause!

Q2 finals less than 1 month away

I took the weekend to re-energize mentally. Last week was rough. Finance reached what is said to be the pinnacle of frustration. Accounting is moving forward at rocket speed (and I feel like I’ve been left at the launch pad). Strategy is a lot of fun, but I’m still not sure what framework I should follow when attacking these cases and Statistics seems to be on chapter 9 already – how on earth did that happen?

After having a mini-breakdown on Friday, culminating with bad news about my dog’s health (a cancer diagnosis), I really needed to spend the weekend away from 105 St. George Street. Friday I went to a concert in Barrie, April Wine & Collective Soul. Saturday morning I spent the day fretting over Daisy after her veterinary visit and the afternoon fretting over the emptiness I was feeling in the wallet region thanks to the $400 bucks spent on Daisy that morning. Sunday I basked in the sun thanks to an unseasonably warm fall. It’s on weekends like this that I’m glad that I live a bit further away from campus in an area of Toronto known as the Beaches. It really is like getting away from it all.

Don’t think I was 100% lazy, I did work on my accounting project and skimmed readings for this morning, but I certainly didn’t put in the hours that I have over the past few weeks. Now it’s time to buckle down again because Q2 finals (and my next mini-mental breakdown) will be here before I know it!

Tears for Fears

The highs and lows of the MBA.

This morning we had a FANTASTIC discussion in our marketing class. I was right in it, my mind was whirling with ideas and considerations. It was a fast pace discussion but in the end, my recommendation from the homework was right on pace with the prof and the rest of the class.

... and then Finance started.

As usual, the class started with 'by now everyone in the class should be finding this easy.' Crap - this is NOT easy for me. At break I thought I'd better ask for help, additional reading material, ANYTHING that might make sense. And the answer, there isn't something. 'Hang in there, it gets better from here.' Well frankly, it can't get any worse. I literally can't put any more time into this course without further jeopardizing my other courses.

I broke.

At break I snuck away and cried in the bathroom. Super embarassing, but I don't take well to feeling stupid. While I do trust my prof when he says it'll get better, I can't help but be reminded about Grade 12 when Mr. Graham (my OAC math teacher) told me that based on what he'd seen so far, I didn't have any home of passing the course.

Mr Graham made me mad, and I did end up passing the class. This situation is SO much worse than that because Kent is really nice and encouraging and I still really don't 'get it'. His niceness literally reduced me to tears.

Clearly it's time for fries, chips and chocolate - with textbook mixed in.

Apparently next week will be easier to understand and not understanding at this point is not unusual. I will TRUST in the process, but can't promise there won't be any more tears along the way.

Too much math

My attempt at Finance homework goes a little something like this.

Sit down, open laptop. Download reading material. Wonder why I purchased the expensive 'required' textbook.

Look at first paragraph. The paragraph begins with something like this 'to determine the approximate change in price for a small change in yield, the first derivative...'

*YIKES* derivatives mean calculus!!

Look again 'blah blah blah blah, rearranging equation we obtain, blah blah blah, blah, blah.'

Hmmmmm. Lick fingers to thumb through the next 4 pages of similar calculus speak.

Looks at first homework question wondering whether calculus is required - not sure. Better skip to question #2... Hurray, question #2 suggests using Excel. Am an excel genius! Finish question 2.

Go back to the reading - blah blah blah - look at spreadsheet. Look back at reading. Look at clock. Put some numbers in spreadsheet.

Open Bond Builder to look for hints. Still math.

Panic a little bit. Eye starts to twitch.

Make a cup of coffee.

Look at notes - more numbers, no English.

Look at homework questions.

Clock.
Spreadsheet.
Clock.
Spreadsheet.
Clock.

Update Blog.

Look at clock. Yay, more than 3 hours has past! Submit homework. Curse Finance for being too much for my Arts focused brain.

Profoundly Confused

The more time I spend learning in he MBA the less confident I am in what I know. Prof. Anita McGahan would describe this feeling as being 'profoundly confused.'

I'm trying to get a head start on my Accounting project (Due early December) and I've discovered that I have no idea where to start. I feel bad for our Q2 accounting prof because I am about to become his shadow - I am determined to learn this subject as much as it might pain me!

Finance is no roaring hell either. Plus, for some reason I can't download the homework question sheet from RWorld. How annoying!

Case Studies

I am so glad that Rotman is not 100% case based. We do use cases in class, but for the most part, there is a mixture of learning via cases and learning via lecture. Considering how long it has been takin me to get through these cases (think 3 hours to digest 25 pages), I'm look forward to classes that are largely lecture based.

That being said, the case studies are really interesting. Last night I was working on Biopure, a pharma company that specializes in blood substitutes. We were tasked with writing a POV on whether they should concentrate on the animal market (veterninary) or human market. When working on a case, I literally have to restrain from googling the company - I worry that if I know where they are now, I might get caught using the hindsight bias rather than the tools tha I've been learning in class.

I can't wait to chat more about Biopure with my classmates - I'm curious to hear their take on the situation.

Show me the cash flows

Today we learned that Jerry McGuire had it wrong.

Learning business is a lot more difficult than I had anticipated. I had expected to have trouble learning all of the math and ratios, but I failed to consider the different language. I literally use a dictionary to read my Accounting text book - and English is my first language!

I actually hate when people use business jargon - it makes the person speaking sound overly superior and I question whether they actually know what they are talking about. That being said, I'd like to be able to understand the words so that I can tell for sure.

For now I'll stick with my dictionary.

Accounting - nothing that chocolate can't cure...

We picked up our Statistics and Accounting mid-terms today and I have to say, I'm both horrified and embarassed by my overall performance. I've never been great at test taking and after more than 4 years out of school, I'm REALLY out of practice. Time to buckle down and be more efficient with this whole studying thing.

I'm going to go back to updating my timesheet so that I can track how much time I'm dedicating to each class. Hopefully this will help me balance out my studies. It's getting out of control!