Advice to an MBA2
Recently, a second-year MBA student at Ross reached out, seeking advice on how to make her second and last year in business school count. After some reflection, this is what I wrote.
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Hey [MBA2]!
I love how intentional you already are with your MBA experience. And that’s actually my first piece of advice. Be intentional.
As you already know, our sense of time is distorted in business school. One day can feel like a week, a week like a month. So, it’s easy to think that we have a lot of time to explore, learn, and connect. To be more intentional, practice the power of the “Positive No.”
In my last two semesters, I took a class at the Law School with Professor Patrick Barry. One of the assignments was to intentionally skip class (i.e., say “no” to his class) so that we can say “yes” to a different commitment. He didn’t care about the reason - you could say you missed class to sleep, catch up on homework, travel, etc. The objective of this assignment was to practice making tough choices between competing obligations. Similarly, business school is all about making tough choices between competing obligations. When you say yes to something - a class, a club, an event - you are saying no to something else. Keep this in mind as you make your commitments.
My second piece of advice is to lean into your strengths. Lean into the things that make you, you. Why? You will be happier; you will grow exponentially; you will be memorable.
In the first semester of the first year, everyone is fronting - misrepresenting themselves in this new environment of high achievers. It’s not until people struggle with recruiting, fall apart, and get back up again that they show you who they are.
In my second year, I leaned into my strengths by taking classes that were relevant to my interests - like entrepreneurship, real estate, and taxes (yes! taxes. Taxes affect personal finance). Similarly, I participated in activities that helped me deepen my passions, such as Innovation in Action, Dare to Dream, and the MBA Council. Also, if there was an opportunity to dance, I took it. I joined dance crews for Diwali, Afrobeats, and Latin Vibes. If a prominent speaker was on campus, I (often) took the time to attend their event. I attended the MLK Day Symposium and TEDxUoM. Leaning into my strengths and personal passions made my second year better than the first, and it allowed me to build stronger connections.
My third piece of advice is to use this time to overcome any fears. Business school is a sandbox - it’s a good place to make mistakes. Are you afraid of public speaking? Try Story Lab. Are you afraid of numbers? Take another finance or accounting class. Afraid of spreadsheets? There are plenty of workshops by Training The Street. Think entrepreneurship is cool but afraid to try it? UoM has SO many entrepreneurship opportunities and resources.
Lastly, always remember to take care of your physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. Yes, your time in business school is limited, but know there is a cost to ignoring your health. As a grad student, you are juggling many balls in the air. Some are rubber balls, and some are glass balls. Classes and even recruiting are rubber balls - if dropped, they will bounce back. Health is a glass ball.
Thank you for forcing me to reflect on my business school experience. Best wishes in your second year. Feel free to reach out again!