MBA Completion Party!

Posted: March 23, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: About Me, Family, Food, Friends | Tags: | 1 Comment


On Saturday, March 2 I completed my final exam for my last MBA course (Economics). It was extremely memorable, because it was a timed, online exam and the power got shut off with 30 minutes left to go. I ended up going into total survival mode and rushed out the door to use the free restaurant wifi down the street. I barely changed out of my pajamas and didn’t even stop to brush my teeth properly. It was really gross, but I knew every second counted. I got the exam done with about 2 minutes to spare, so I guess that’s all that really matters!

Technically my graduation will be in May. The courses in the MBA program are 8 weeks long, where normal undergrad classes are 16 weeks. So MBA students can complete two sessions in a single semester. My classmates are in their second Spring 2013 class right now and they will finish in early May. Therefore, I have to wait.

I did not want to wait to celebrate though! I’ve been taking classes for my MBA (or undergrad pre-requisites) since summer 2009. So I rented space from a lovely local restaurant and threw myself a dinner party and invited a bunch of friends. It was fabulous and I am so happy I got to hang out with some awesome people and eat delicious food. I often lament the difficulty of making adult friends, but I realized that basically everyone in the room (aside from 3 family members, and one friend from middle school years) was a friend I’d made post undergrad.

New Job Report

Posted: March 10, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized, work | Tags: | Leave a comment

I started my new job one month weeks ago. A lot of things have totally changed.

I wake up at 4 am to ride a commuter bus to DC. I’m now required to take a lunch break. I’m no longer a graphic designer, although a lot of those skills are coming in handy fairly often. I go through a metal detector (and my bags go through an x-ray) every time I enter the building. I get to bank time worked over 8 hours and my boss actively encourages me to do this so I can take time off without actually using my official leave time.

My co-workers are mainly introverted and keep to themselves. There are approximately 15 people in my office, but our bureau takes up most of a 5 story building.

The building has a cafeteria and a modest-sized gym that is super cheap. You can order office supplies on the Intranet and go downstairs during certain hours to pick up your stuff. I have a cubicle after 10 years of open office working. There is a ton of training I can take online and in my building – mostly free.

In many ways, I’ve adjusted better than I expected. The biggest issue right now is learning my job, and getting used to the way the long commute messes up my weekday schedule. I’m hoping to start working out a few times a week, which should help with energy and overall healthiness. And I’m thrilled to report that I turned in my final MBA assignment last weekend, so I don’t have homework and class to juggle on top of work!