The electives bidding site opens today at 1pm. How exciting!
Much like everything in the MBA, selecting and getting into an elective course is quite competitive. I put a lot of thought into the classes that I want to take, then ranked them in order of importance. Finally, I alloted the number of bid points that I think these classes will require based on their importance to me.
Keep your fingers crossed! I want to get into several extremely popular classes and with a limited number of points, you never know how things are going to pan out!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Satisfaction!
Every once in a while I check out other business school blogs, just to see if what we're doing is similar to what other business students are learning.
On one hand, we're all equal - we're all experts on CAPM, calculating WACC, conducting a SWOT analysis and drawing a supply/demand curve these days. On the other hand, our experience is definitely different, thanks to Integrated Thinking and Business Design - the two things that drew me to Rotman to begin with.
Today, I was trolling the Yale student blog and came across this post: NYT on Integrated Curricula. It was an older post, but seeing as Rotman is known for Integrated Thinking, I clicked to see what it was all about. Low and behold, the post referenced a New York Times article largely devoted to our beloved dean, Roger Martin.
There are few things more satisfying than being a student at a school that is truly on the forefront of business education. Particularly a school that is referenced in an article by another stellar school!
Sometimes, when I'm in the thick of classes, projects, exams, etc, I forget to enjoy what I'm learning. As I'm now enrolled in a single independent study project (NOT A CLASS, as our supervising professor made clear in today's "meeting"), I am going to remember to enjoy the process as much as the outcome.
On one hand, we're all equal - we're all experts on CAPM, calculating WACC, conducting a SWOT analysis and drawing a supply/demand curve these days. On the other hand, our experience is definitely different, thanks to Integrated Thinking and Business Design - the two things that drew me to Rotman to begin with.
Today, I was trolling the Yale student blog and came across this post: NYT on Integrated Curricula. It was an older post, but seeing as Rotman is known for Integrated Thinking, I clicked to see what it was all about. Low and behold, the post referenced a New York Times article largely devoted to our beloved dean, Roger Martin.
There are few things more satisfying than being a student at a school that is truly on the forefront of business education. Particularly a school that is referenced in an article by another stellar school!
Sometimes, when I'm in the thick of classes, projects, exams, etc, I forget to enjoy what I'm learning. As I'm now enrolled in a single independent study project (NOT A CLASS, as our supervising professor made clear in today's "meeting"), I am going to remember to enjoy the process as much as the outcome.
Rotman International
I have just been skimming through some of the presentations that we saw in India. The companies were extremely candid about their business strategies & challenges operating in India, but all were optimistic about the future.
A sample of the companies that we visited and what they shared:
Ogilvy & Mather: insights into Indian consumers.
EMRI: A not-for-profit emergency ambulance system. Great work bringing quality emergency care to the country.
J Sagar Associates: a look at the complexities of Indian law
McKinsey: India's Economic Forecast
MakeMyTrip.com: An entrepreneurial venture
Seriously, this is just a sample, but I'm pleased to have been part of the tour. There are some pictures posted on the Rotman International Facebook Page if you are interested :)
A sample of the companies that we visited and what they shared:
Ogilvy & Mather: insights into Indian consumers.
EMRI: A not-for-profit emergency ambulance system. Great work bringing quality emergency care to the country.
J Sagar Associates: a look at the complexities of Indian law
McKinsey: India's Economic Forecast
MakeMyTrip.com: An entrepreneurial venture
Seriously, this is just a sample, but I'm pleased to have been part of the tour. There are some pictures posted on the Rotman International Facebook Page if you are interested :)
When your skin prickles
When your skin prickles under the shower, you know you got a bit too much sun! After spending the long weekend at the cottage, sitting on the beach with not enough sunscreen, I am in a wee bit of pain from what can only be described as a wicked sunburn. I shouldn't complain though, it is my own fault for forgetting that while the date says 'May', the sun was shining like July!
The best part about the cottage (other than the sun, sand, and water), is uninterrupted reading time. While I should be unwinding after what I now describe as a torturous 8 months of reading, writing and arithmetic, I found myself curled up on a beach chair reading 'Marketing in the age of Google'. I am a mere third of the way through the book, so I don't have much to say on the topic, other than - who would have thought search could be so interesting? Book review to come.
Coincidentally, tonight I'm starting to work on a research project with Becky Reuber, Professor of Strategic Management, that will involve digital strategy, media planning and search optimization. I'm really excited to get started. Unfortunately, as there is an actual client involved, I won't be able to share much detail (or any detail for that matter).
The best part about the cottage (other than the sun, sand, and water), is uninterrupted reading time. While I should be unwinding after what I now describe as a torturous 8 months of reading, writing and arithmetic, I found myself curled up on a beach chair reading 'Marketing in the age of Google'. I am a mere third of the way through the book, so I don't have much to say on the topic, other than - who would have thought search could be so interesting? Book review to come.
Coincidentally, tonight I'm starting to work on a research project with Becky Reuber, Professor of Strategic Management, that will involve digital strategy, media planning and search optimization. I'm really excited to get started. Unfortunately, as there is an actual client involved, I won't be able to share much detail (or any detail for that matter).
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Home Again, Home Again, Jiggedy Jog
So I didn't blog as much as I had intended in India.
1. Because we were SO BUSY every day! Seriously, hardly any leisure time (not that I'm complaining because the company visits were FANTASTIC!)
2. Because Internet was actually rather expensive in India.
Please accept my apologies for not keeping you entertained with all of my antics over the past 2 weeks - I will try to catch you up on everything that I learned and experienced in India.
But....
Not today...
Today, I have another story to tell you, and it goes a little bit like this:
I met up with a classmate from the India study tour this afternoon for drinks in the sun (I am currently a woman of leisure after all - AKA, still on the hunt for the elusive summer job). We were reminising about the tour - the good, the bad, the ugly, and out of the blue he says something like this,
Friend: "Megan, I have to ask you something."
Me to myself, "OK this is weird"
Friend: "I hope you don't mind, it might be a little bit... personal"
Me to myself, "scrap that. This is DEFINITELY WEIRD"
Friend: "I was talking to my coworker about the trip and...."
Me to myself, "where is this going??"
Friend: "My friend wanted to now everything about the trip and wondered if anyone had blogged throughout the trip, and I discovered your blog - hope you don't mind me asking, but why do you blog?"
Me to myself: "Seriously? Is this the burning, personal question? What a relief!"
So why do I blog? Well, I'm actually not sure, but it definitely is fun to look back at what I wrote, so I hope that you enjoy!
1. Because we were SO BUSY every day! Seriously, hardly any leisure time (not that I'm complaining because the company visits were FANTASTIC!)
2. Because Internet was actually rather expensive in India.
Please accept my apologies for not keeping you entertained with all of my antics over the past 2 weeks - I will try to catch you up on everything that I learned and experienced in India.
But....
Not today...
Today, I have another story to tell you, and it goes a little bit like this:
I met up with a classmate from the India study tour this afternoon for drinks in the sun (I am currently a woman of leisure after all - AKA, still on the hunt for the elusive summer job). We were reminising about the tour - the good, the bad, the ugly, and out of the blue he says something like this,
Friend: "Megan, I have to ask you something."
Me to myself, "OK this is weird"
Friend: "I hope you don't mind, it might be a little bit... personal"
Me to myself, "scrap that. This is DEFINITELY WEIRD"
Friend: "I was talking to my coworker about the trip and...."
Me to myself, "where is this going??"
Friend: "My friend wanted to now everything about the trip and wondered if anyone had blogged throughout the trip, and I discovered your blog - hope you don't mind me asking, but why do you blog?"
Me to myself: "Seriously? Is this the burning, personal question? What a relief!"
So why do I blog? Well, I'm actually not sure, but it definitely is fun to look back at what I wrote, so I hope that you enjoy!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Bombay
I am sitting in my hotel room in Mumbai India after my alarm clock failed to go off. I feel terribly guilty for standing up my friend this morning at 5:30 AM! We were going to go check out a fishing village to see the boats come in - hopefully I can get a rain-check!
I've been in India for the past week and a bit. What a neat country! Delhi was mainly under construction while we were there, but there was a certain energy and optimism everywhere we went - even though we were all under security threats at the time. Let me tell you, there is nothing like waking up to CNN calling where you are 'Terror Central' and reading in the newspaper that an attack is 'imminent'! And yet, life on the streets of Delhi continued as normal!
We spent 2 days in Hyderabad. Not nearly enough time to get the flavour of the city!
Yesterday was our first free day. We went to the Elephanta Caves on one of the 7 islands of Bombay. What a surreal place! It is an island temple that was carved hundreds of years ago out of a solid piece of volcanic rock. Huge statues of the god Shiva were carved into the walls of the temple showing pieces of the legend of his life. Like everything in India, it was an absolute wonder to see. It was EXTREMELY hot for my poor Canadian skin (40+ Celcius plus humidity!), but so very worth it! We then went for a walk along the harbour before calling it a night. Mumbai is positively beautiful!
The trip has been a whirlwind of company visits intermixed with transfer between locations. The companies themselves have been AMAZING! More on that later.
On a final note - Indian food is the best. I've been trying so many new and interesting dishes with names I cannot pronounce. The way the flavours intermix on my tongue is mind blowing! Nearly every meal has been amazing.
We have to buy Internet access in the hotel by the 1/2 hour and I see my time is nearly up. Usually a sign that my blog post is getting a little bit long.
I've been in India for the past week and a bit. What a neat country! Delhi was mainly under construction while we were there, but there was a certain energy and optimism everywhere we went - even though we were all under security threats at the time. Let me tell you, there is nothing like waking up to CNN calling where you are 'Terror Central' and reading in the newspaper that an attack is 'imminent'! And yet, life on the streets of Delhi continued as normal!
We spent 2 days in Hyderabad. Not nearly enough time to get the flavour of the city!
Yesterday was our first free day. We went to the Elephanta Caves on one of the 7 islands of Bombay. What a surreal place! It is an island temple that was carved hundreds of years ago out of a solid piece of volcanic rock. Huge statues of the god Shiva were carved into the walls of the temple showing pieces of the legend of his life. Like everything in India, it was an absolute wonder to see. It was EXTREMELY hot for my poor Canadian skin (40+ Celcius plus humidity!), but so very worth it! We then went for a walk along the harbour before calling it a night. Mumbai is positively beautiful!
The trip has been a whirlwind of company visits intermixed with transfer between locations. The companies themselves have been AMAZING! More on that later.
On a final note - Indian food is the best. I've been trying so many new and interesting dishes with names I cannot pronounce. The way the flavours intermix on my tongue is mind blowing! Nearly every meal has been amazing.
We have to buy Internet access in the hotel by the 1/2 hour and I see my time is nearly up. Usually a sign that my blog post is getting a little bit long.
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