I spent my weekend thinking about the things I need to do, or begin thinking about, before school starts. Choosing a school is just one decision that needs to be made; many other decisions, both seemingly trivial and very important, will find their way into your head if you’re not careful. Here are just some of the things I’m evaluating…
Career Decisions
- When to quit?: This is pretty easy. I’d love to quit now, but that would a) leave my company in a bind and b) would hurt my finances. I’ve tentatively scheduled to finish work at the end of June, which gives me time to save some money, train a replacement, and allow for a solid month+ of downtime before leaving.
- Evaluate Employment Report: I went through Wake’s employment report for last year, looking at salary numbers and on-campus recruiters. I went to the websites of the firms if I wasn’t familiar with them and came away with some more ammo for my internship search. The more work I do on this now, the easier it will be in the long run.
School Decisions
- International Trip: Part of my scholarship allows me to choose my international trip, so I’ve begun to consider my options. In 2008 the choices were India, China, Japan or Central America; in 2007 another option was Central Europe. Right now I’m leaning towards China, though if the Central Europe trip opens up, I may reconsider. One take-away I have from this is to get my new passport!
- Housing: This should be taken care of during Red Carpet Weekend; I’ve got some options, so I’m not too worried. Once I know my living situation, I’ll be able to answer other housing questions (what furniture should I bring vs. buy, etc.)
- Clubs/Organizations: Like most MBA programs, clubs and organizations are a big part of the experience. I’m fairly certain I’ll join the Marketing Club and Strategy/Consulting Club. The MBA Marketing Summit sounds like something I’d definitely be interested in, but would I want to run it, or participate as a contestant?
Many more decisions and thoughts lay ahead. I like that the journey has started, though.
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