It’s uncanny to think these past few years have gone by so quickly. I feel like it was only yesterday when I was a new GBS student re-entering the world of student-ship, and yet today I feel like a very different person as a result of my time at GBS. As I enter the next phase of my life, I am left feeling the excitement of a very near graduation date, and the sadness of someone who will be leaving Atlanta and my friends here as I make my next move.
I got to thinking about this time at GBS, and this blog – my first time as a blogger – and I started to create a list of some of my favorite things about the past two years at GBS:
- The People – it seems cliche that we all claim this community as our number one asset, but I am leaving my MBA with the certainty that this is true. There is nothing more that I can say other than I hope to keep in touch with my GBS family long after I am gone.
- The Opportunities – I am not quite sure what I thought I would get out of my MBA years ago, but I am really grateful for the wonderful, challenging and thought-provoking opportunities: academic, social and professional, that I have had here. Opportunities to interact with international students and in international environments, opportunities to meet new people, opportunities to challenge myself in the classroom, opportunities to write for a blog, opportunities to grow as a leader, and opportunities to learn more about myself (just to name a few).
- The Academics - this should be a given, but I became sure of it when I realized I was performing at the level I hoped to be at during my internship last year. While life is about continuous learning, I feel the academic learning these past two years elevated me as a thinker and a future leader. It has been pretty cool to learn about just about every business – related topic, either in the classroom environment, or through a directed study, and to strengthen my passion for the career path I have chosen.
- Kegs – this is a given too, but coming from a public school environment, where I was one of thousands in my graduating class, kegs reinforced the community we so cherish at GBS. It allowed us to come together each week, share stories, catch up, and really get to know each other.
- My Teams - there are so many great teams I have worked with, and I feel privileged because each team was different, and each team pushed me (some harder than others) and made me push myself. Through many of these teams, I have also made lifelong friends and personal confidants, people I know I can always count on.
- The Faculty – some of whom really nurtured my personal learning, who gave me constructive criticism when I needed it, and who helped me realize my academic and professional goals at GBS.
So, for now, this is my bittersweet goodbye – goodbye life as a GBS student – hello life as a soon to be alumnus. To those joining me along for the ride, Congratulations! To the Class of 2010, may you all reach your goals and achieve happiness and health always.
Read the full article: As Graduation Nears…