Here's to a new opportunities and new experiences! Happy New Year!

Parties and Pajamas

The last few days have been a welcome recharge period. I have spent a lot of it in my pj's. There has been shopping, Mexican food, dinners and a few parties thrown in. It's been great to be home, be lazy and catch up with my family. I really needed this!

Home Sweet Home

I got in last night and was greeted by my family in baggage claim wearing santa hats and garland necklaces. So awesome! Was great to see them after a long and tiring flight.

In true San Diego fashion we hit a taco shop on the way home and picked up some rolled tacos. Yum! Good to have some real Mexican food again. Finished off the evening with some Sprinkles cupcakes and crawled into bed.

Glad to be back!

Rolling up the sidewalks

When class is in session it is hard to remember that Bloomington is a small town. After taking our friends to the shuttle and Charlton too, it got really quiet. I dropped a box off at school and it was pretty eerie, where is everyone?! Why isn't anyone studying?! Oh wait. No more class, or core.

When I wasn't playing shuttle driver, I cleaned out my closet and dropped off my cast-offs to Goodwill and cleaned off my bookshelf. Oh and spilled root beer on my laptop. Good times!

On more night in here in B-Town, then I am Cali bound too. A little relaxing and sun should do me good.

you are wonderful, and you kept fighting to the end....

Want to ramp up and try it again? :)

Great job.
And its just beginning…

You are a great class – keep positive, keep upbeat, keep smiling.

Don’t have a lot of clever, witty sayings – but I do have a simple and sincere thank you for you – thank you.

So, what’s the last Friday (and maybe a Saturday here or there) tune?

C’mon, it can’t be anything but: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FF22cBZJsU (you have to feel a little like a champion)
(always around if you need me, I will be updating you soon on the process for grades)

((I really am proud of you))


Our Core Chair really does know how to pick a girl up off the floor

Final Final & Friday Recap

I had all of the intentions to write a huge wrap up post for yesterday, but in between activities I was too burnout and then after getting my exam results back I wasn't really in the mood.

Econ was another morning final, so we left our complex at 8:15 so we could get there on time and get a seat and get all set up. Felt okay going in, but it was a brutal 33 questions. I took all but 3 minutes of the 3 hours provided. ugh! Afterward most of us were loitering around like a bunch of zombies in the atrium. When everyone had finished up we headed down to Yogi's to unwind a little.

Then it was back to the apartment where Charlton took a nap and I vegged out in front of the TV and played around online. After partially recharging our batteries we headed back to campus for Kelley Iron Chef that was being held in the HPER. There were 4 teams of second years that had to work with the secret ingredient...potato! I was the only 1st year judge and got the first bite of all the various dishes, 3 from each team. There were some great items and everyone did a great job. It was a great way to celebrate....

But for every little up there is always a down to bring you back to reality. We had already got our operations grade earlier (ouch!) but we got an email that econ had already been graded. None of us could just let those exams just sit in our mailbox so before we headed to the end of the core party we thought we would swing by and pick up our tests. BAD IDEA! It put me in a crummy mood to see it and there was no way that I could go out after. Just need to hide out at the apartment. So while I was bummed I didn't get to hang out with everyone it was good to just have some time to myself and go to bed early.

But whatever happens happens. It's all over now

Why my Management Professor is the Coolest

Because he sends our assignments with comments like this on them:
















Love it!

And its over!

For better or for worse, all of the Core is behind me. It's a weird feeling but I know I am going to be a little bummed not to see my team's sleepy faces on Monday morning but I know I will be happy to sleep in. Some of the toughest weeks of my life are behind me, but who knows what will lie ahead!?

So close you can almost taste it!

3 more hours and then no more Core! What a ride but I am glad that its almost over...Yogi's here we come!

Is it Friday yet?

Finals week, and this is what I have been reduced to! A slob in sweats pouring over ppts and word files regarding monetary and fiscal policy until I am cross-eyed. I washed the dishes for the first time this week just a few minutes ago, eww!

I am ready to be done, and I think the rest of the class of 2011 is too. It cannot be noon tomorrow soon enough!

Closing in

on what has been the most intense 16 weeks of my life. And because I am days away from being doesn't mean I can slack, I think I scheduled more stuff today than I have had in awhile. First up, Finance final. Didn't leave crying, but I think the other finals have made me dead to getting worked up. Then picked up my Accounting final from the MBA office, not stellar but not the worst grade in the class, something I have really had to get used to this semester.

Then the fun began...MOCKS! I had arranged back-to-back mocks with 2 second years that have a lot of knowledge about one of my top companies so they could coach me and help me shape my answers better. They went better than expected, have I really gotten better over the last 16 weeks with that too? Wow! Just have a few minor ticks I have to work on and need to polish up a couple answers. Interview stream here I come!

Next up, my transition meeting for Kelley Women. I sat down with the former VP and talked about the role and some of the challenges and things I will need to handle. Then a major data dump onto my jump drive so I am all set for next semester. Going to have to fly on my own as soon as I get back from break as she won't be back to Kelley until after Spring Break, must be nice to study abroad in Switzerland!

And then because I was dead, we headed to Target and then walked around the mall before heading to Bucceto's to grab a pizza. Since then I have gotten some gifts together to some of my favorite second years who have helped me out a lot and NOTHING! A girl needs to recharge her batteries so I don't crash and burn before Friday. Studying is what Thursdays are for!

I have a feeling this won't work....

I just have a hunch "that a miracle happens" or "you give me a fantastic grade" are not acceptable answers to our Finance final today. Bummer!

We spent all day working back through the take home portion. Having a midnight study session with our neighbor (with peppermint fudge! There is now no hope for me fitting in my suit in January!)

I got up early this morning to put some last minute notes in my book and made sure I packed everything:
Calculator - check
Take Home - check
Book -check
Pencils and erasers - check, check

Let's do this!

I was never good at this game

A if you didn't see the massacre on the wii a few weeks back, it was back in all of its glory during tonight's final.

I thought I was prepared, went to the review on Sunday, and spent all last night and today studying. Felt I got thrown by rewording on questions though. Wasn't anything that REALLY threw me, I knew what all the questions were getting at...but getting there was another issue.

Felt I spent a lot of time hitting the sides and getting shocked, but we will have to wait and see.

We went to Uptown to lick our wounds before coming home and relaxing. Tomorrow is dedicated to studying for Finance then more finals fun on Weds.

I ♥ Green 2!

I am going to miss you guys! Although after 16 weeks I am sure they are all sick of me.

Crowded?!

Here is a shot from our Ops review yesterday. I had to sit on a table in the back with a friend. The review helped a lot and hopefully I will be able to put it to work this evening. Fingers crossed!

Another one bites the dust!

So accounting is done. It was a brutal exam, with full financials to analyze from Dow Chemical. Fun!

After feeling like we had been through a meat grinder, Charlton and I headed to the Irish Lion for dinner (delicious!) and then to BluBoy Chocolate (okay)

I have spent the rest of the evening going through applications for committee chair positions for Kelley Women. I am so impressed with the backgrounds of all classmates, we have some tough choices to make!

Planning to go bed early again tonight, we have an exec meeting early tomorrow to finalize our decisions. Then time to kick it into high gear for Operations!

1 down...

4 more to go! Yesterday was our marketing final and most of us spent the full three full hours darkening bubbles and writing until our fingers felt they were going to fall off. It was a relief to get one out of the way, but today's will be a lot more difficult ACCOUNTING!

It doesn't start for another 3 hours so I have a little more time to cram, but in all seriousness my brain can't process anymore writedowns and expense changes. Let the torture begin!

resume...DROP!

As if we didn't all have enough on our plates with our marketing final this afternoon and accounting tomorrow, resume drops for on campus interviewing began today. I probably was the only first year that popped out of bed when the calendar appointment went off on my phone and logged into GCS to get it taken care of. But now its done, and now I wait. Preference lists don't come out for a few more weeks so until then...fingers crossed!

Last day...

of the Core for me, and of teaching for Metzger. It made me all teary, it is a really special place we have here.

Goodbye Green!

This commercial is partly to blame for getting me in this mess

Are we there yet?

We are almost done, but it is hard to focus when you have 5 finals competing for your attention, prep for interviews and anything else that goes on in what I call a life. Today was our last accounting class, last operations class and a fun intro to the GCS resume and bidding process. After class I had a lunch date with my peer coach to go over some of my CARs then home to study for the rest of the day. 8 days to go...

Another Day Down

I am that much closer to being done with the Core. Not sure how I feel about that though, there is something very comforting to show up to the same seat everyday surrounded by the same people. I am excited for all of the new classes next semester but I am going to miss all my Core professors. Especially Management! We had one of the best sessions today (our case was on AirAsia) and to close Professor Semandi had one of the most moving speeches I have heard, I was getting a little teary by the end. The whole class was really moved and gave him a standing ovation on top of our typical Kelley clap.

After class I had a quick trek meeting to try to get everything straightened out with the rest of the trek leaders, then Charlton and I headed out for lunch and to the grocery store to stock up for finals week. At the Kroger I had a total geek out moment when I say the Joy of Cooking line in the freezer section, we had done a case on it with Jewel-Osco during CMA week so it was interesting to see what Kroger chose to stock and where they placed it. You know you are a CMA'er when you get super excited about that kind of stuff.

Back at the house it was time to study, eat dinner, send emails and have phone interviews. Oh and find out I will be VP of Internal Affairs for Kelley Women! We had some great candidates running and I am really honored that I was selected, so excited to help lead the organization next year.

Almost done, so hard to believe it!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Our first real snow! Although exciting, and kind of fun to wake up to a snow fallen Bloomington quickly the logistics associated with it start running through your head: Walk Addie in the snow? Are the streets going to be plowed? Will they be salted? What is the traffic going to be like? Addie didn't get her morning constitutional but did have a little fun running around in the grass with all the snow. We found out quickly that parking in the garage is "a good thing" but snowy/icy roads in Bloomington are not. We left at our normal time and got to school 5 minutes after class started, we definitely have room for improvement there.

After class got started on the Finance take home exam, watched a little Martha Stewart during lunch then practiced my presentation for VP elections a little. We headed over to our friends' place for dinner to celebrate a birthday (delicious!) and I then headed to Kelley for election presentations. I did the best I could and should find out the results tomorrow, there is definitely some stiff competition.

Only 3 more days of Core, can hardly believe it!

2 weeks and counting

Sunday is coming to a close. I didn't get half as much done as I wanted, but that is really something I have started to get used to. I read through my preliminary marketing notes and worked through the first accounting practice exam with Charlton (in a word brutal!). For a much needed study break we headed to College Mall and did a little shopping and got each other books for Christmas at Borders.
When we got back to the house it was time to get ready for our various evening activities. First up was the Business Marketing Academy's holiday party (Charlton's academy). I didn't get to stay long though as I head to head across Bloomington for an SAC dinner with some prospies, our biggest turnout yet! With a belly full of Nick's pizza it was time to head home to watch the Amazing Race finale.
Now it is a 11:30 and I really need to get to bed. Want to be on the top of my game tomorrow so I can get through class, study and hopefully knock the socks off the members of Kelley Women during my VP election speech. Wish me luck!

Weekend, What Weekend?

Friday has come and gone, it was pack full of CMA activities focusing on the dreaded case interview questions. It was a great session, but totally wore us all out as it went from 9am-4pm. That gave me just enough time to head home and catch up on my email before heading back to school for China night. The event put on by Asian MBA was fantastic and had excellent food and even better cultural performances put on by our classmates. After that it was off to Bluebird to celebrate our friend's birthday.


Staurday was a weird day. I felt like I got nothing done, and the day was broken up by trips to school so didn't allow for much of anything to get accomplished. I did, however, read all the cases for this week. Not huge but at least its something. We did have our first KIP Israel meeting as well, to get us all pumped for the trip! We got to have some tasty Israeli snacks as well, then it was time to hit the books again before heading off to the Kelley Women holiday party!

I got up at 8:30 today and have been slowly cleaning off my desk and sending the emails I had planned to send last night. Hope to get a little more done today than yesterday, although tonight are more holiday parties (BMA) and then the final SAC dinner of the semester. It will be a major test of my time management skills, that's for sure.

It keeps going and going and going...

Another day of class, an afternoon of informational interviews, an evening of slam sessions (with the director of GCS no less) and elections. Just another day at Kelley, sure doesn't feel like the core is winding down at all.

Tomorrow is a day jam packed with CMA activities. Breakfast with General Mills, case question prep with Scotts, and who knows what else. Let the Marketing begin!

Snow Day!

Today was our first snow here in Bloomington. We have had frost, but no snow. Still crazy as a Southern Californian to look out my window and see it falling. I took Addie out in it, and I don't think she is a fan. This could make for an interesting winter.

Another packed day at Kelley: class, peer coach meeting, work on my election presentation, networking emails, and organization. Didn't even get a chance to start reviewing for the finals. Better get on those quick though, the first one is in little over a week.

The semester is winding down, but it sure doesn't feel like it. It's like Week 7 deja vu!

When did it become December?

Wasn't it just August?! So hard for me to think that about 4 months have passed since we moved here and started class. One moment it will seem like it has flown by and another it seems like we have been here forever. Only a few more weeks and we will be done with the core (a day I never thought would come!)

Yesterday was a little hectic, but most days are now. After class I had a quick meeting with the future MBAA VP of Finance to discuss his vision going forward, then I jetted off to Starbucks to meet with the Girl Scouts Council rep for Monroe County to discuss volunteer opportunities here. Then we were back to the house where I finally could get lunch (at 3pm) and catch up on some emails and classwork. At 5ish we headed back to campus for Charlton's slam session and went to the 1st accounting review before the final. And finally at 8 we went out to Yogi's to celebrate our friends birthday with nachos and cupcakes.