NOW, being on the other side of things, I DEFINITELY understand what she was referring too. I couldn't really understand what she meant. I thought to myself "Oh... so you have classes for a couple hours a day. Then you maybe meet with your core team. And then you go home and do some work, and repeat the next day." Then as I learned more about Johnson, I found out that we only have classes three times a week (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday), so then I really thought that it wouldn't be as hectic. BOY WAS I WRONG!
I am more busy now than I ever was during the application process. How can one be so busy you ask? Well think about it this way... I have three classes, three times a week. So in the morning I have Economics at 8:40, Marketing at 10:10 and then Accounting at 11:55. In each class we do a chapter a day. So unlike in High School or College where you may have taken a couple days, or even a couple weeks to do a chapter, I have to read at least 2 chapters and a case for each class each day. Now sure, you learn how long each one takes, and how you learn the best. Some of my classmates don't necessarily read the chapters, because listening to a lecture is how they learn best. I admit, I get that way for some classes as well.
Oh and our quizzes are in the morning before class. So tomorrow I have an Accounting quiz at 7:50am. By tomorrow, I mean in 5 hours and 30 minutes! Then we have an Econ quiz on Thursday at the same time... then we have an Economics paper due Friday.
But work aside... then throw in Core team meetings. These aren't just 2 hour meetings once a week. Last week we had an S.C. Johnson Case Competition, so my team and I met for about a total of 20 hours. I have a Core team meeting tomorrow to go over an Accounting paper that is due next week. We'll probably have to meet at some other point in time this weekend too.
Oh yeah, let's not forget about recruiting. This is a HUGE time consumer. Between briefings, coffee chats, breakfast chats and the like. I've been to a couple briefings thus far and they definitely take up at least 2.5 hours of the day. Sometimes there will be more than 1 briefing in a day, so imagine how that pans out! There is some preparation that needs to be done before the briefings as well as afterwards when you have to send thank-you notes. Also there are usually receptions that follow the briefings. Just another thing to put on the list of things to do. Because of the nature of my target industry (High-Tech) I haven't been to nearly as many briefings as some of my Finance/Banking classmates. Many of them just keep their suits in Sage because they attend so many briefings.
We also can't forget about club meetings and events. This hasn't really picked up JUST YET, but it's about too very very soon. The 1st half of the core is almost over for us here at Johnson. Two more weeks and we'll be starting a whole new set of classes. I've tried to keep my schedule pretty open regarding clubs because I was warned not to get involved in too many things initially. I would also like to hold some positions in the clubs that I'm already a part of so I'm being cognizant of that. The professional clubs such as Marketing Association, Consulting Club... etc... usually have a standing meeting on Sundays. So yes, even Sundays are busy days. We usually spend most of our time in Sage anyway, so what's one more day right?
As I wrap this up for now, I realize that there is a lot more that I've left out, but an important one is socializing! Cannot forget about that element. But that will be for another blog post. I need to force myself to go to sleep right now because my Accounting quiz is creeping up on me. It is now in 5 hours and 20 minutes! I do feel prepared because I had a 5 hour study group earlier today! We'll see how THIS goes!
UNTIL NEXT TIME!
P.S. - I've been taken up on my offer to review people's essays (regardless of the school) and my offer still stands. Just email me at richardbattlebaxter@gmail.com. If you do send me your essays please make them Word files, so I can add my comments. Just a note - I don't fix grammar, but I will do my best to give a different perspective and pull out the story that you're trying to tell.
Richard Battle-Baxter
Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management
Cornell University
