I am not a morning person. It's not that I won't wake up early. Years of working have permanently reset my internal clock to awaken before 8 a.m. However, just because I'm awake that doesn't mean I am functional. 8:30 a.m. classes do not agree with me, and I tend to take advantage of any day that I can laze in bed til noon. Saturdays are supposed to be that day, but this past weekend it was not meant to be. Self selection and the nomination of my peers had me representing my cohort in the annual Leadership Challenge. Leadership Challenge is part of Booth's LEAD program. It is an all day case competition judged by distinguished Booth alums. More importantly, Leadership Challenge is an inter cohort competition with points, bragging rights, and cash prizes up for grabs. So of course I want my team to win. Wednesday, October 31, 2012
This Weekend is Brought to You by the #2
I am not a morning person. It's not that I won't wake up early. Years of working have permanently reset my internal clock to awaken before 8 a.m. However, just because I'm awake that doesn't mean I am functional. 8:30 a.m. classes do not agree with me, and I tend to take advantage of any day that I can laze in bed til noon. Saturdays are supposed to be that day, but this past weekend it was not meant to be. Self selection and the nomination of my peers had me representing my cohort in the annual Leadership Challenge. Leadership Challenge is part of Booth's LEAD program. It is an all day case competition judged by distinguished Booth alums. More importantly, Leadership Challenge is an inter cohort competition with points, bragging rights, and cash prizes up for grabs. So of course I want my team to win. Thursday, October 25, 2012
Just Keep Swimming
“I’m
drowning,” I replied to his inquiry about how things are going.
He looked at me, his expression neutral, then shrugged. "You ain't drowned."
Not quite the response I was expecting. For over a week I had been functioning on minimal sleep and time. My days were filled with 3 hour long classes, study group sessions, club presentations, training sessions, and forced networking. I was exhausted and overwhelmed and staring down an additional eight hours in a day that already had the first eight in the bag. I thought I would find a moment of solace from the sympathetic ear of a second year MBA. Not so much. But upon second thought maybe his words weren't really dismissive, but rather encouragement. Was he telling me that struggling against an undertow is still better than being on the bottom of the ocean? Right now I am not so sure.
He looked at me, his expression neutral, then shrugged. "You ain't drowned."
Not quite the response I was expecting. For over a week I had been functioning on minimal sleep and time. My days were filled with 3 hour long classes, study group sessions, club presentations, training sessions, and forced networking. I was exhausted and overwhelmed and staring down an additional eight hours in a day that already had the first eight in the bag. I thought I would find a moment of solace from the sympathetic ear of a second year MBA. Not so much. But upon second thought maybe his words weren't really dismissive, but rather encouragement. Was he telling me that struggling against an undertow is still better than being on the bottom of the ocean? Right now I am not so sure.
Monday, October 08, 2012
One Sixth
"Let's get a black woman's opinion on this issue. Are there any black women in the room?" The facilitator scanned the room for a target. Immediately, I averted my eyes and fixated on the lint on my sweater. Maybe no one would notice me in the far corner.
"Here's one!" the assistant announced, striding toward me with a microphone in her hand.
I should have known I wasn't going to blend in, because even in the middle of a diversity session with nearly 300 classmates I was still the only person in the room who looks like me.