SEMESTER SERIES: KIRK SMITH – The End of First Year… and The Next Chapter
“The days are long, but the years are short.” – Gretchen Rubin (and Dean Brian)
Did that just happen? Did I SERIOUSLY just finish my first year of graduate school?!?! Where did the time go? Who are these new kids walking around campus? Wasn’t I just at onboarding? When do I start my internship?
These are all questions that run through almost every first year’s head when they finish their last final or group presentation. Some celebrate this with great relish immediately…and continue celebrating until their internship starts in June. Each person will answer these questions differently. Here is how I would answer mine:
- Did that just happen? It’s over, but think about what you’ve accomplished this past year. You learned how to run a regression, structure a problem, organize a large event with lots of people closely monitoring the results, develop STAR stories that aren’t incoherent, and deliver a presentation that even normally stoic clients loved.
My favorite Welcome Weekend Co-Chairs taking a selfie
- Did I SERIOUSLY just finish my first year of graduate school?!?! Again, yes. See above answer while searching for the closest happy hour with people who are no longer in class…preferably by the pool.
- Where did the time go? Ah, one of the best questions of all. It started with getting to know colleagues in the One Year program because I moved down to Atlanta in mid-July. Then, the chaos of onboarding and drinking from the b-school firehose before a small respite at Camp Twin Lakes. Next, the CORE struck and recruiting kicked off in earnest shortly thereafter. Before you knew it, Block 2 ended and there was a quick marketing trek to NYC. After celebrating the end to the semester and time with family at home, recruiting hit full force. Just after accepting an offer, you went to Asia for 25 days! With the end of the semester in sight, you helped plan and execute a fantastic Welcome Weekend then concluded with Presentation Day for GMSC. You do know where the time went, it just didn’t feel like you accomplished all that in less than nine months.
Trying to fit in while in Hong Kong…unsuccessfully
- Who are these new kids walking around campus? The One Years are here. It’s hard to believe, but while you’re at your internship, they are going through an intense Core this summer and will be a part of your class when you return this fall.
- Wasn’t I just at onboarding? Well, it wasn’t called onboarding last year, but yes, that started at the end of July. Now, you just have to deal with you internship…
- When do I start my internship? May 18th. While most of your classmates are traveling around the world, you have to drive up to Minneapolis, MN to start with 3M in the Integrated Marketing Development Program. It is a lot of miles, but worth it for the opportunity to apply the skills you learned during your first year of business school!
Team Merial celebrating an end to a successful GMSC experience