The Best and Worst of Business School

So after a 4 month hiatus, I've decided it's time to kick the tires on the old blog. I can assure you that my lack of activity online is a result of an abundance of activity on campus. Classes, recruiting, exams, extra curricular crap...it all adds up to a full time schedule with unpaid overtime. Here are a few highlights and low-lights of my MBA experience so far:

Pros:

• Never a dull moment: It's like working a 70 hour a week job where all you do is talk about business with 300 of your closest, smartest friends. Please smack me the next time you hear me complain
  
• Try something new: I've been a finalist in the stock pitch competition, met industry executives, led a job trek, and sang the sesame street theme in front of the entire school to get back our beloved bird
  
• Educate me please: I've learned more about business in the last 4 months than I ever thought possible. Then again, Darden is basically the boot camp of MBA programs, so I don't have much of a choice
  
• College fun: Thursday night drinking club, 100-case party, the Darden prom...all excuses to act like you just turned 21 (or younger)
  
• Amazing classmates: I am just blown away by the caliber of my colleagues...smart, interesting, passionate, humble, insane are a few adjectives that come to mind



• Free food: Recruiters shower us with Chic-Fil-A and Mellow Mushroom during briefings

Cons:

• Living apart from the wife: I only get to see Ginalyn on the weekends, and even then I'm still busy with school work
  
• Time: I no longer have time to read books, exercise, play fantasy football, watch movies/TV, keep abreast on current events, shower?
  
• Networking: Bullshitting with companies is necessary evil, but a huge drain on your time. At least I'm not looking for internships in consulting, or this would be an even greater pain in the ass
  
• Money: It's much harder to live on a college budget after 4 years of the DC lifestyle
  
• Cover Letters: I can only handle just so much ass kissing mixed with self promotion


• UVA undergrads: As a hokie, it pains me to see so many kids in Nantucket red shorts and polo shirts

All in all, it's been a fun year so far and I'm only 25% done. Bring it on Q3...