So I've been slacking on this blog over the past few weeks. Not for a lack of noteworthy inclusions, but rather that during my precious spare moments my body demands sleep, food, and the occasionally high-velocity impact with my surfboard (yeah, Jordy Smith I'm not). Sorry, faceless internet readers, but this ode to summation will have to suffice.
Lots of my fellow blogateers (think musketeers but more prone to sunburn and spontaneous games of Risk) have touched on some of the more outstanding elements of UCLA Anderson's Orientation Program. We took metaphors to the extreme with the Odyssey Ropes Course and left with a better appreciation for our own capabilities and the strength of our peers. We also spent a good portion of our adult lives orientation learning about the substantial career, academic, social resources available to us at Anderson. At times, my brain screamed "uncle" and tried to crawl out my ear, but I can say with confidence that the information overload was of tremendous benefit. While still slightly daunting, the prospect of achieving academic excellence, building a robust life-long network, and crafting a successful career path seems much more feasible thanks to the Orientation Program. I owe a "slap/bump" (when you get here, this will become clear) to Susan Corley, the 2Y Orientation Leaders, and the wonderful folks over at the Parker CMC.
However, my personal favorite takeaways were the efforts of the rhythmically-challenged to learn the nuances of the UCLA 8-Clap (next: shoulder dancing!) and the wallflowers who were forced to exit their comfort zone and improv about robots. Why robots? Why not? Lastly, the skits performed by each section showed that while many of us were Excel jockeys, pitchbook wizards, and masters of mgmt. consulting synergistic optimetrics in a past life, we do have the ability to bring the funny when it counts. Ultimately, orientation was an incredible opportunity to see that we are not just a collection of undergraduate degrees and job titles, but a dynamic set of individuals ready to take the reins at a moment's notice.
I'll admit that I had a healthy amount of skepticism towards this Orientation after the first day. I thought some of activities were more inline with summer camp rather than preparation for an MBA. This is serious stuff! We have business cards (eggshell with romalian type) and well-pressed suits! However, I quickly realized the benefit of building a cohesive team. By stripping down our pretenses and forcing us to think and react quickly, often in an unnatural setting, we built the foundations of trust and respect that will carry us through this experience. While this may sound like your cue to bust out the acoustic guitars, I'm being entirely sincere. Even after a few short weeks, strong bonds have been developed and the collective success of the Class of 2011 is everyone's priority.
Our Fall courses started last week and I'm waist-deep in acronyms, demand curves, and T-accounts. The clubs and recruiting are also starting to ramp-up quickly. While it may feel overwhelming, I remain calm knowing that I have a tremendous faculty and peer group ready to pick me up when I need a lift. Check back soon for some insight on the core curriculum, the career search, and where to find a burrito the size of a football.
