Thoughts from Tokyo

Before I begin the holiday break edition of this blog, I just want to acknowledge that Q2 finals are now over. And, while I could indulge in a little finals flashback (read: whine-fest), I've decided my type-time is better spent happily chattering away about my vacation from Darden. Because really, there is no way for me to adequately describe what it's like to endure five five-hour final exams in a row, except to say that it was quite a week. And that I survived.

So, moving on ...

With finals an almost distant memory, I arrived in Tokyo Sunday evening for a two-week family vacation. Thus far, it's been awesome. Armed with a guidebook and a subway map, I've spent the past couple days getting to know Tokyo the way I love getting to know any new country or city: aimless wandering. Today, for example, I braved chilly, rainy weather and headed to Ueno and the Tokyo National Museum. While I enjoyed the collection of Buddha statues, swords and paintings, half the adventure was figuring out the Tokyo subway system. I'll just add here that I am a big fan of easy-to-navigate public transportation.

In addition to wandering, I've also taken a lot of photos ... of plastic food. Yup, that's right: plastic food. In Japan, it's really popular for restaurants to advertise their offerings by displaying plastic versions of menu items. They're amazingly detailed and, if you ignore the sheen, pretty realistic. My boyfriend keeps telling me to photograph temples and skyscrapers, but for some reason I keep coming back to the plastic food. It's kitschy! And I love it.

Leaving the bubble

There are just three exams standing between me and a much-needed, 5-week vacation and I have to admit, it's getting a little hard to concentrate on my Operations notes. Instead of focusing on inventory carrying costs, reorder points and process capabilities, my mind keeps wandering to my post-test plans. And how could it not? The coming break will be the first time since graduating from college that I've been able to enjoy the holidays without rushing back to work a day or two after Christmas. Plus, I've got quite a packed schedule. On Saturday I will be leaving Charlottesville behind and traveling to Tokyo for two weeks. Then, it's back to Virginia for my best friend's wedding and immediately thereafter, I head to New England for New Year's.
Yet while I'm excited to (finally!) get away, it's going to be kind of odd to step outside the Darden bubble. Since arriving in Charlottesville in late July, I've made two forays into Richmond, but other than that, I've been limited to the 10-mile radius around Darden. It's gotten to the point where I've almost forgotten what a normal conversation sounds like (scratch the references to revenue recognition, right?).
And that's not good. Because before I came to Darden, I had a pretty full life: I read books, I baked, I had long chats with friends and family, I played sports, and occasionally, I spent entire days curled up on my couch watching mindless TV.
So here are my great aims for this vacation: reconnect with the person I was before I came to business school. Take advantage of a case-less, Outlook-free existence. Have a normal conversation.
Oh, but wait ... I guess I need to get Operations, Finance and Marketing out of the way first.

Relationship adjustments

For me, the most exciting moment of the past week was not the end of Q2, my four hours at the Darden prom or the day I realized I'd soon be en route to Tokyo. While those were all good moments to be sure, they pale in comparison to the moment when my boyfriend, a Darden second year, learned he'd been offered a place in a competitive leadership development program. I don't think I've ever been happier for, or prouder of, someone. And yes, I cried.
But don't worry, this is not where I start waxing lyrical about the wonderful attributes of my significant other (although I could). Instead, this is where I write about something I've thought a lot about in recent weeks: how will his job affect where I go and what I do?
See, I've never been much of a follower. Until now, all of my relocation decisions have been based on what's best for me.
Not this time though. This time, I want what's best for us.
Job-wise, that has some interesting implications. Initially, it means finding a summer internship that will best position me to find a permanent job wherever Jordan is. And come next year, it'll mean my job search will be limited not just by industry and function, but also by geography.
While a few years ago, this would have been unthinkable, I've realized that to ensure a relationship will work, I have to make ... adjustments (I won't call them concessions).

Second quarter down!

And with a cover letter-crazy flourish, it's done ... Q2 that is. I know I've said this before, but it is mind boggling how fast my time at Darden is flying by (of course, I didn't think that 2 posts ago when I was deep in the midst of Black November, but hey, it's December and my perspective has changed). What a quarter it's been, too. What with Finance and Economics and multi-day simulations, I think I've made it to just one TNDC (Thursday Night Drinking Club) event.
So what have I been doing with myself? Well sadly, I've spent a socially-unacceptable amount of time studying. As previously mentioned, the course-load this quarter was pretty quant-heavy. And trying to make sense of IS/LM shifts, free cash flows and marketable securities accounting took a looooong time. Still does, actually.
Then, of course, there's the job hunt -- that harsh romp-with-reality forced on all of us peddling resumes in a down economy. In the past couple weeks, I've spent countless hours scanning the Career Development Center's website, searching for off-Grounds job postings and writing cover letters. It's a seriously time-consuming process. And ideally, it's a process that spurs moments of real self-introspection: what kind of job do I want? How does that compare with the kinds of jobs I could realistically get? What would this or that job mean for my personal life? How would this job vs. that job position me for full-time employment? And on it goes ...
With so many things crowding my to-do list, it's easy to see why my social life has taken a hit. Tonight however, offers me a chance to redeem myself. Even though exams begin Monday and I desperately need to study, tonight I will put on a dress, blow dry my hair and strap on some 3-inch heels. For what better way to celebrate the end of Q2 and the impending holidays, than a charity auction and ball. That's right folks, it's Darden prom!