Top 3 things I wish I knew when I entered the Evening MBA Program
So, my first ever blog post and in true MBA student fashion I find myself Googling “how to begin your first blog post” to see what the experts suggest. Why start from scratch when there are models and use cases that already exist? Surprisingly the results were not as helpful or inspiring as I would have liked, but I do hope that these posts by me can prove to be helpful, or even inspiring, to you! Since we are near the start of the semester, I want to layout a list of the top three things (Professor John Kim always says a good consultant should think and present in buckets of three) I wish I knew when I entered the evening program back in 2018. Whether you’re in the beginning stages of applying to one of the Goizueta programs or are halfway through, I hope that this list helps you reflect on your own journey as well.
- What you know is breakfast. Work ethic is lunch and dinner.
When I began the program, I, truthfully, felt a bit inadequate compared to my classmates due to my career background. I thought that everyone must have known much more about businesses and the corporate world than I did. I’ve come to realize that professional success, or in this case academic success, is not necessarily about natural intellect or ability. Success is more about how hard you are willing to work, how curious you allow yourself to be, and how deep are you willing to dig until you find answers that resonate with you. Over my time at Goizueta Business School, I’ve put in many long nights, early mornings, and weekends in the books; I wouldn’t trade these hours for anything. These moments are what lead to progress and, eventually, success. - Generally, there is more than one way to reach a solution.
Everyone has a unique story and perspective; we all see the world through our own lens. Know what your perspective is and try to see the world from others as well. I tend to think in images, so I always picture this as a brain doing a handstand. Try it out occasionally and you’ll be amazed at what you can discover when problem solving! - It’s a marathon not a sprint, but your only competition in the race is yourself.
Entering “B-school,” (don’t worry, even I roll my eyes when I catch myself using this lingo) I, like most people, thought that I had just entered this world of hyper competitiveness and capitalism. Now, almost three years later, I’ve come to realize that this is hardly the case. My time in the Evening MBA program has been some of the most collaborative and supportive years of my life academically and even professionally. If you are just beginning a program at Goizueta, take your time to settle in, build genuine friendships, and say yes to every opportunity that excites you (like writing your first blog post series)!