SEMESTER SERIES: KIRK SMITH – ENJOYING THE FALL WEATHER
“Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.” –Elizabeth Lawrence
You know what’s awesome about the fall? Leaves changing, return of pumpkin everything, lower humidity, clear skies, and the realization that you are more than halfway finished the first semester of your business school career. Time flies when you’re having fun…or learning. At Goizueta, we divide the first semester into three blocks. Some classes are only one block, most are two, and one lasts all three. This combination allows you to complete all “core” classes in the fall. After coming from an undergraduate school with just a standard semester schedule, the compression of classes definitely took adjusting to at first. The great part about the compression is that if you are struggling in a class, it may only last one block, or maybe two. The sad part is that you if you really enjoy a class, it ends just as quickly!
But getting back to the weather, the great part about Atlanta is that the falls are longer, the winters shorter, and springs start earlier. If you can make it out of the library or lock up an internship early, you can take advantage of the wonderful weather. Sometimes, you just need to be outside on an afternoon regardless of how busy you are just because it is relaxing.
Productive Sunday Afternoon Overlooking the Courtyard
What the weather also means is that there are tons of things to do. Remember a band from the 90’s and early 00’s called Outkast? If not, check them out here. They’ve been making the rounds at numerous music festivals around the country and ended the tour at their hometown of Atlanta. The concert was amazing! Oh, that same weekend, Garth Brooks was in town. You will always be able to find classmates up for exploring Atlanta or attending major events.
At Victory in Decatur- Amazing sandwiches!
When I attended Welcome Weekend this past spring, one of the key takeaways from my experience was how social everybody was throughout all of the activities. Even though there were hundreds of people who had almost never met each other before (a few cities hosted happy hours before hand), everybody pushed out of their comfort zone to meet future classmates…or roommates, for that matter. When Goizueta students take over a restaurant or bar, it is because we want to be around each other. Though sometimes the sheer amount of activities contributes to the dreaded FOMO, I’ve never heard anyone complain that there isn’t enough going on at school.
So how does a season relate to the social aspect of school? The weather creates additional opportunities for us to participate in social events, which builds stronger bonds amongst individuals that ultimately strengthen the network of the school. Before you graduate, you will experience the strength of that network when recruiting for internships or learning about new functional areas from industry experts. The first fall at Goizueta will be chaotic between the Core, recruiting, and moving to a new city/country, but just know that it will also serve as the foundation to your career after business school too!