Well, we are starting to close in on the end of the semester... it's just starting to come into view. I won't start writing a summary of how my first semester as a grad student at Kelley went just yet - there is still a lot to be done. However, there are some things I have learned so far.
First of all - getting back into school is HARD. Maybe it wouldn't be quite the same if I was going back to get another undergrad, I'm not sure. Or maybe if I was going to school for something closer to what my undergrad major was. Or maybe if it hadn't been 4 years since I graduated. But it has. And jumping back into having classes twice a week, having a never-ending pile of homework to do, and having to give up free time now for pursuing the long-term goal of getting my MBA has not been an easy road for me, and I'm guessing that I'm likely not alone in this.
Every student starting this program likely has a slew of other commitments outside of their time spent on the MBA program. It can vary... I know there are at least two guys in my cohort who have babies on the way. Some already have children, spouses, and I know all of us have full-time jobs that we are committed to. I may not have a family or kids, but I do have a significant other, a pretty active social life (although not as active as before I started this program!), and I also volunteer for a non-profit twice a month. Along with all of that, I also lost a very close family member this year and am still dealing with that.
So I will say - it has not been an easy road so far. It's been difficult getting back into studying and doing homework, especially when it comes to subjects like accounting. I've been frustrated at times, but I've learned from it. I don't think I'm alone - I'm sure my fellow students are experiencing some of the same feelings I am. One of my professors even addressed our possible frustrations like this in one of our classes, giving us some encouragement.
Here's one of the biggest things I've learned out of all of this. Getting my MBA is me going for something bigger, something harder. So it's going to be a bit difficult. It's outside of my box a bit, so the fact that it's not easy just means it's my chance to grow some more. Nothing really worth getting in life is all that easy. You just choose to push forward instead of backing down and living with the status quo. So with that in mind... I've just registered for next semester's classes. On we go...
