The MBA Student Voice

Starting my New Life!

Hello everyone! Sorry for the long absence. I arrived at Los Angeles a few days ago and have been so busy with the move in and meeting everyone. It has been so very exciting! 

That's me on my first day at Anderson (The best business school ever!). The picture was taken by the lovely Nhung Phung who happens to be my roommate. Here is a picture of her on our first dinner together at L.A., at Gushi, which is right down the street in front of Weyburn. The teriyaki chicken there is delicious, if you are around the area you should definitely try it. Be warned food portions are huge, expect to only eat about half unless you are starving.

We rented a car and went to Santa Barbara to visit my aunt and go to the Camarillo Outlets where I went a little shopping crazy. Ok very crazy, it is very hard to resist sales! One of the nice things about Los Angeles is that whatever you forgot to bring you can easily buy here. A part on me was hoping the airport would lose one of my bags so I could have an excuse to buy more things. Shame they all arrived safely!

On the way back from Santa Barbara we stopped at the side of the road a bit to look at the beach. Isn't it beautiful? That's one of the many perks of living here, beautiful beaches and great weather!

I had the not very smart idea of requesting Weyburn Terrace (university apartments) to give us the apartment unfurnished. We did all the furniture and appliance shopping in one crazy day. Then it took me a day and a half and a few cuts and blisters to build it all. Not to mention our apartment is up hill and on the third floor at the end of the hallway so you can imagine how hard it was to carry everything there. I am very thankful that elevators exist!  Take my advice and get the furnished apartment to save yourself the stress unless you are already bringing things with you. I even had to fix the car's trunk because we shoved so much furniture and things in there that some parts came loose. 

A tip for everyone moving to their MBAs soon (or next year), If you don't have a car and are planning to rent one to shop, take the time to research where the stores are and who has the best prices. Car rentals and gas here can get very expensive so you don't want to lose time and money. Here is what my shopping plan looked like, courtesy of my boyfriend and his awesome shopping planning skills:

After I settled in my apartment I stared going out to meet everyone I could from our class and let me tell you guys that Anderson's class of 2014 is the best!!! They are so friendly, helpful, interesting, and fun to be with. I urge all of you thinking of applying to Anderson to reach out to any of them (me included) to talk. You will be convinced to apply in no time!

These are some of my new friends and classmates Anisha, Anosh, Ayushman, Daniel, and Alessandra. Daniel should change his name to something starting with an "A" to match the group hahaha. 

I'm off to sundowners soon, Anderson's weekly get together, so I will see you guys in my next post. Go Bruins!!

 

-Alejandra Rodriguez '14
Follow UCLA Anderson at @UCLAMBA

What happens in Yosemite stays in Yosemite

When the pre-orientation trips were announced several months ago my eyes skimmed down the list of destinations to where the difficulty level read 4 (out of 4) and the duration read 5 days (the longest trip available). In short, hiking the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite was a badass trip for people who were out there for a fully comprehensive experience; where being thrown out in the wild with a bunch of MBA classmates would provide the ultimate bonding experience and where doing a Texas twosome – a spiritual journey whereby two individuals lock their eyes and hold each other up by the arms as they perform their bowel movements in a 6 inch dug hole in the forest – is part of everyday life.

Yosemite Valley

Our guides demonstrating the Texas twosome

Led by our two fearless guides, Hannah “the mountain lion” Aldern and Jonny “the salmon” Jew, our group was able to survive in the wilderness due to their unique and exceptional skills and personalities. Amongst the brave we counted ironmen, marathon runners, college football players, lacrosse players, experienced campers (both mountain and desert), Israeli naval soldiers and other talented individuals who were looking for a challenge.

Back row left to right: Me, Dave, Jonny, Tanya, Brady, Hannah, Tom, Zach; Front row left to right: Narissa, Nhung, Lauren, Shawn, Dean, Bill (2nd year expert), Lindsay 

Looking back on this trip I can safely say that it will be amongst one of the top MBA experiences I will have. Who knew you could hike 27 miles with 40lb bags on your back while laughing the whole way? How is it that having a rattle snake slither within 10ft of your campsite can have an uplifting effect on the entire group? How can people who were strangers only 24 hours before give you more banter than some of your closest friends? Why are shockingly revealing details about the past always revealed around a campfire and more importantly why are you freely volunteering this information?!? When did poop become a major topic of conversation? All of these questions make perfect sense to me today (although maybe they shouldn’t).

Not sure what's going on here, I think it was maternity stretches (go figure) and Brady was wondering where he ended up

Rattle snake coming to visit our camp

Jumping off bridges 30ft high into freezing pools of water overlooking Hetch Hetchy, performing striptease moves to lead stretches in the morning (some of us were better than others), swimming across lakes, and drinking hot chocolate by the fire (a personal favorite) were just some of the activities we partook in.

Chilling by the pool

Getting ready to cross the lake

Hopefully the pictures will speak for themselves as to how fantastic this trip was but what is for sure is that I was unable to accurately convey the impact that this kind of shared experience can have on your MBA life and I highly recommend it to any student who wants to go on a potentially game-changing trip (although you need to be hardcore for Hetch Hetchy).

Hetch Hetchy Reservoir

Last hike

I’d also like to thank my group for an amazing time in the wild and look forward to pitching my tent next to yours in the near future!

     Trying to end with an artsy picture - by the swimming pool with reservoi in the background

-Chris Varin, 14'

Follow UCLA on Twitter @UCLAMBA

Class of 14' insider summer scoop - PART 5 - "I gotta feelin’..."

“...that this year’s gonna be a good year” - Ok so let’s be honest, many of us are looking forward to more than just going to class during b-school.  We all come in with high expectations academically and we are here to plan for our futures, but there is so much to experience socially with our classmates as well. So here’s what we’re looking forward to...

(Above: The UCLA Bruin Theatre at Westwood Village)

Kyle Forrest: In no particular order... learning to surf, hiking, camping, my first (of many?) triathlons... and on the non-outdoors side of things, Anderson Afternoons (beer and snacks every Thursday afternoon, sign me up!), all the Anderson related parties I’ve heard about (Casino Night, Anderson Prom, etc.), road trips to Vegas!!, and of course, exploring the LA nightlife. Also, crossing Coachella off my list.

Chris Varin: Playing soccer again. I tried to keep it going while in London and in South America but it will be nice to be on a full sized pitch again! I’m generally looking forward to being in an academic environment again where there are so many types of different interactions in different settings. Club-wise there are just so many activities to choose from that the decision might be harder than I anticipated. Vegas is definitely on the cards as is a PCH trip. An alumni also mentioned to me nights spent going out in Hollywood which sounded like a lot of fun (his stories weren’t entirely PG rated).

Ann Ching: The alumni I’ve spoken to all encourage getting involved in the Anderson social scene, especially Anderson Afternoons! I also want to participate in Challenge for Charity (C4C). As for LA, I can’t wait to hike in Griffith Park, visit the Getty Museum & Huntington Library, and perhaps sneak into a movie premiere at Westwood Village.

Ashley Mallinson: There are far too many things for one post. It is the people who make Anderson awesome, so I’m most excited to meet my classmates. I’m excited for Anderson Afternoons on Thursdays, Sundowners and Lit Club, a uniquely Anderson student-run event basically have a great comedy hour hosted by the “librarians” hilarious students who roast their classmates and host sketches the event. Learning to surf is high on my list. I definitely want to participate in Challenge for Charity! A few of us from New York have talked about starting a “Brunch Club” since LA seems to be quite lacking in that NYC sport, so stay tuned on that!

Kate Edwards: I’m waiting in serious anticipation for Lit Club, because I can’t wait to see how I get roasted! I’m also really looking forward to getting involved in lots of clubs and activities, and just diving into the Anderson community. Outside of school, I’m eager to doing many of the outdoorsy activities I’ve been missing out on in New York - hiking, biking, swimming, beach volleyball, and yes, like everyone else I do think I’ll have to learn to surf. I’m not, however, anticipating I’ll be very good!

Ayushman Jain: My calendar has literally spelled Monday, Tuesday, …WTF (hoping you get the pun) since the last 12 months or so. While on the one hand I know its not gonna be any better once classes start, I’m also kinda overwhelmed with the number of social activities that are already lining up on my calendar. Getting to know all my classmates eating, drinking, and orientation-ing is gonna take the major chunk of the social time. However, I’m so excited by the fact that I’m gonna be in Hollywood so catching a movie premier and some live performances is surely on the must-do list. I’ve always wanted to live close to the sea, so now that I’ve got a chance to, I’d make the most of it by swimming and learning to surf. Although I’m sure the year ahead is gonna be chock-full of social activities such as Anderson Afternoons, my locked-in plans for September feature trips to Disneyland, Seaworld and Universal Studios as well as the plethora of activities part of the True Bruin Welcome, an annual UCLA tradition. I’m so lucky to be part of the outgoing and fun-loving Bruin family!!

Alejandra Rodriguez: I am very much looking forward to hanging out with my new classmates and friends!  It’s all about who you are with, not where! I also want to join UCLA’s tennis club, I haven’t been able to play tennis since college and I miss it a lot. Los Angeles has awesome weather for any sport that does not require snow or ice. Additionally, I am dying to go to Disneyland again, after all it’s the second happiest place on earth (UCLA is the first one of course). Last, but not least, I am very excited about all the shopping I “need” to do. Moving to a new country is the perfect excuse for a little shopping spree…or two!

-Anderson 14' bloggers

Follow UCLA on Twitter @UCLAMBA

It's Time to Talk Career!

 (Photo of ~80 2014ers at a Parker Career Center Q&A two weeks before the start of orientation.)

Business school... the place to career switch, career advance, or launch your own business. In the four weeks that I've been in LA, I've met classmates who are coming to Anderson from a variety of geographies (domestic and global), industries, experiences, and with an equally diverse amount of ideas on what they want to do while they're in school and beyond. 

To prepare incoming students for the balancing act between school work, clubs, and recruiting, the Parker Career Management Center began offering weekly Q&A sessions during the four weeks leading up to the start of orientation.  

I attended a Q&A session yesterday, during which Emily Taylor, an Associate Director at the Parker CMC, and Marissa Levi, a second-year student, provided an overview of what to expect during the year and especially the first quarter.

(Emily Taylor, Associate Director of MBA Career Education and Communications, opens up the Q&A). 

 

 (Marissa Levi, class of 2013 and summer intern at Nestle, shares her first year experience during the Q&A.)

The session opened up with what I thought was a pretty powerful graphic, shown here below. 

181 firms! That number was significant to me because, as shown in the picture, it proved the truly diverse industries and sectors that people are passionate about pursuing a career in. Some people might think "Wait a second, if the class profile says ~360 people are in a class, where do the other 180 people work?"

What the 181 doesn't indicate is how many interns might work at the same company (in either the same or different divisions.) For example, I heard last night that Deloitte Consulting hired 10-12 summer interns last summer, Amazon had 8+, and so on. Plus the people who choose to spend the summer working on their start-up idea aren't included in that number. 

According to the Parker CMC website, "99% of UCLA Anderson students are hired for a 10-12 week internship between their first and second year." For more info on internships, click here, and for more info on full-time hiring statistics, click here. 

 (Members of the Parker Career Center and their focus areas for advising students.)

During the Q&A, we were introduced to a timeline for career-related activities and all the resources at our disposal. 

One of the resources is a one-on-one advising session. All incoming students are matched with a career advisor based on their Career Leader self-assessment results. I had my session with Jessica Christopher, and we spent 20 minutes talking about my background and what functions / industries I'm interested in exploring for an internship. I think we were matched up due to my top scoring career match. 

(I worked in Human Capital Consulting previously, so is it a huge surprise that HR Management was the number one career match? Maybe not, but where did Management in Science and Engineering come from? My brothers took all the math and science genes in my family.)

In addition to the Parker Career resources, second-year students comprise Anderson Career Teams (ACT), that are aligned to functions and industries. 

 

Each ACT serves as an additional medium to obtain information on a particular industry / function, and the second-year students provide advice on resume writing, interviewing, networking, and much more. 

Lastly, what career information you aren't receiving from Parker CMC or your ACT is probably being provided be one of the professional clubs. 

Coming from a consulting background and being sponsored by Deloitte, I'll be involved with the Management Consulting Association (MCA) to keep up with industry trends, but I also plan on joining the High Tech Business Association, Healthcare Business Association, and Sports Business Association as industries that I have a passion for and am interested in for internship purposes. 

At the end of our Q&A session, four second-year board members of the MCA showed up to provide an overview of consulting and case interviews. While case interviews are commonly associated with consulting and financial services, they are being used in an increasingly wider range of industries and functions.  The session featured a lot of questions from classmates about various aspects of the consulting industry and lifestyle, along with a mock case and the MCA's recommendations on how to prepare for case interviewing by January, when internship interviewing kicks off. 

(Preston McCaskill, President of the MCA, kicks off with an overview of consulting.)

All in all, the Q&A session and MCA Case Overview were a great reminder that, on top of all the school work, you need to approach your career like a full-time job. There were gentle hints and nudges about how to prepare before orientation starts so that you can you hit the ground running from day one. 

That's all for now! I'll leave you with this pictures of smiling 2014ers, excited to get started with orientation in less than a week and a half!

Until next time, 

~Kyle Forrest, follow on Twitter and follow UCLAMBA 

A Story About Networking

During the final evening of MLT's Career Transition and Leadership Seminar (CTLS) event, I found myself with a hundred-plus other Fellows in the Citigroup building at 388 Greenwich St. in New York. Deloitte Consulting was hosting this particular reception. I had spent the past six years in advertising, and even on client visits I had never been in a place so... corporate. Nor did I have much detailed knowledge about consulting (and I had yet to begin my House of Lies marathon). As instructed, I came prepared with some light background info on Deloitte, but my uneasyness was a sure sign that I should have read up even further. More on that below.

The view from 388 Greenwich St.

Twenty minutes and a few appetizers later, I was sitting at a roundtable with a few of my closer Los Angeles-based MLT Fellows. As we talked amongst ourselves, a tall, elegant lady walked to up to the table and introduced herself as a consultant from Deloitte. We quickly racked our brains to think of smart questions to ask, but she instead requested that we introduce ourselves. Soon, she was giving us the inside scoop on management consulting, from the hours and lifestyle to the variety of projects in which she had taken part throughout her career. Merging a U.S. company with a Japanese counterpart. Improving customer service via digital technology for an airline. At one point I asked the most embarrassingly basic of a question about consulting, which she answered fully and respectfully. Very cool.

 

The conversation was still going strong thirty minutes later when a guy approached the table and tapped her on the shoulder. It was time for her speech. She excused herself from the table with a smile, and stood three feet away, facing a podium. Another gentleman took the podium and summarized some very impressive career accolades before introducing our new friend as Principal and Managing Director of Deloitte Consulting NY, Terri Cooper.

Now, there are a few practical networking lessons that you may have picked up in this little anecdote, including:

• Be prepared. Particularly for pre-planned networking events, you should be ready to engage in at least a basic professional conversation with anyone in the room.
• Be proactive. Despite this story, having Principals approach you is actually quite rare.
• Be yourself. It's a cliche for a reason. Initial conversations will be more interesting and sustained relationships will be more authentic and rewarding.

My true purpose in sharing this story, however, is to remind us all that networking is about people. Throughout business school we'll learn countless rules and tips and tidbits about how to approach corporate representatives, how to ask for business cards, how to gracefully exit those awkward little career fair circles, how to be memorable, how to follow up, how to prioritize and cull contacts based on personal goals. Et cetera.

Ultimately, it's still all about interacting with another human being. I have no interest in consulting. I may never see Terri Cooper again. But I learned more about an entire industry in that thirty minutes than I had in my entire life. Simply by enjoying a good conversation with an open mind.

Always be networking.

- Gregory Paige
  (Follow me on Twitter: @gregorypaige)

Why camping with strangers is a great way to start business school!

Hi Dear Readers!

 

Pre-O Trip #8

Whether you are an true outdoor enthusiast or prefer the wilds of an unknown salon, you would love Anderson's pre-orientation outdoor trips. In short, these trips are 3-5 days of really getting to know 12 of your future classmates- their passions, expertise, interests and personal lives- in the best, natural environment sans crowded events, boozy happy hours or classroom formalities.The experience and the results are both unforgettable.

 

I arrived from NYC and before even spending one night in my apartment, I was off into the wilds of California with 12 strangers. Sound unsettling? It was quite the reverse. 

The trip I went on was a 4 day excursion to hike the High Sierras and Kayak Mono Lake. Rather than describe all the amazing things we did together, I'll let my pictures evidence what a great time we had from swimming in crystal clear hidden lakes to hiking by streams on tree-lined trails in the National Forest to stopping at remote bakeries with scents to make your head spin and making s'mores around the campfire to simply chatting on the 5-hour car ride to and from the National Park.

 

Kayak Mono Lake

I loved getting to know 12 of my future classmates- as each of us brought something different to the table on the trip from outright upbeat boyscoutliness, to well-timed one-liners that put us all in stitches, to knowledge about national secrets, remote countries, feats of physical endurance (100 mile marathon, anyone?), cooking skills, local LA finds, beer-brewing and a bull-rearing ranchero lifestyle!

 

I couldn't have asked for a better way to kick of my LA experience than a weekend spent discovering the beautiful wilds of California with 12 incredible people who I know I can count on as friends over the next two years of business school and beyond.

XO from Anderson,
Ashley

Ashley Mallinson, @AshleyMal

 

Class of 14' insider summer scoop - PART 4 - "Rush hour frenzy"

We’re almost all here now and everything kicks off very shortly but there is SO much to do once we get in. Here are the main things we had to settle upon arriving and what we did to make everything go smoother.

(Source)

Kyle Forrest: Outside of the typical items that go along with moving (setting up internet, utilities, etc.) most items on my to-do list involved paving the way for proving I should receive in-state tuition in year two. DMV visit for a California license and vehicle registration... changing the mailing address on all my current bills, credit cards, etc... and other items that the Financial Aid Office recommended I do to prove my intent to be a California resident and not just somebody chasing in-state tuition.

Ashley Mallinson: I’m not actually in LA yet, so my to-do list is still rather long. Top of list are changing mailing addresses, new drivers licences, establishing residence and of course, there is a huge push to be prepared academically, be recruitment-ready and ready to prioritize all the great events and club activities that we will soon be signing up for!

Kate Edwards: I just nailed down my apartment with two incredible girls from Anderson, and at the top of my to do list is to get settled! All three of us are moving with very few possessions from the East Coast, so we’re essentially starting from scratch. The decorating possibilities are endless. In addition to furnishing our empty abode, I’ll be working on finding a new car - do I lease, do I buy, and importantly - what awesome ride do I get?? There are lots of decisions to be made. And of course there is so much to do academically before school begins - I’ve been furiously working on my math skills and I even broke out my old accounting book from college. It’s been a while, so I have lots to do!

Alejandra Rodriguez: Thankfully I got an apartment at Weyburn Terrace so I do not have to run around looking for apartments when I arrive at Los Angeles in a few days. Sadly I had the silly idea of requesting the apartment unfurnished so now me and my awesome roommate, Nhung, will have to rent a car and visit Big Lots, Ikea, Walmart, Target, etc. until we find all the furniture and appliances we need. I am also ordering a Laptop to pick up at Best Buy and I am planning to go to the premiere mobile booth at UCLA where we can get discounts on mobile phone services. Finally, I need to pick up some of my belongings I sent to a Relative in Santa Barbara a few weeks ago and pick up my Bruin Card! I am attempting to do all this in three days, wish me luck everyone!

Chris Varin: If you’re international it really helps to get a place before arriving, I can’t imagine what it might have been otherwise. Also make sure that you have plenty of cash or credit available for putting down deposits for EVERYTHING. Gas, electricity, water, phone, apartment... if you don’t have a social security number your initial bill can be quite high. There is so much to get set up it’s hard to figure it all out. I still don’t have a bed to sleep on and I’ve been here 3 days, my back hurts. People are meeting up all the time and you need to be on the ball not to miss anything which you inevitably will anyway. Get a phone early as well as it’ll be useful to get in touch with people early on. Finally, getting a driver’s license is going to be a pain because to get to the DMV I need a car! I’ll probably figure that one out as I go but I want my two wheels ASAP!

Ayushman Jain: I landed here last week and what REALLY helped was the fact that I’d already rented .an apartment and my awesome flatmates Chris Varin and Daniel Kraus had already purchased mattresses. After a 30 hour excruciatingly long journey, I could sleep at my own place on a comfy mattress instead of couch-surfing and making daily trips for apartment hunting! The important things I got done were - opening an account in CHASE bank, getting my BruinCard (UCLA id card), getting a new number and phone and buying some groceries to survive on. The Dashew Center at UCLA has tied up with common service providers - banks, wireless network providers, apartment package providers, etc and all that is pretty helpful for international students, especially those who’re coming here without much preparation. I’m also slowly meeting up fellow batchmates who live close by though my jet lag did not permit me to attend Sundowners (a weekly UCLA Anderson happy hours get-together). Exploring the beautiful UCLA campus is next on my list!

 -Anderson 14' bloggers

Follow UCLA on Twitter @UCLAMBA

Embracing Diversity - MLT & the Consortium

The statistics are staggering. When Don Thompson assumed his new title as CEO of McDonald's a couple months ago, he became only the sixth active African-American CEO at a Fortune 500 company, according to CNN. A 2011 report from Catalyst exposed that women held only 16.1% of corporate board seats, while women of color held only 3%. And this 2010 report from the Alliance for Board Diversity notes that together, African-Americans, Asian Pacific Islanders and Hispanics represented 33.7% of the total U.S. population, and that until U.S. companies "begin to reflect their shareholders, markets, and employees, they will fail to reach maximum potential as leaders in the global economy."

On the heels of Ashley's great post about the Forte MBA Women's Conference, I'd like to introduce two programs that champion diversity and inclusion in MBA programs: Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) and the Consortium.

MLT is a career development organization for underrepresented minorities, providing skills training, one-on-one coaching and unbelievable access to admissions officers and corporate recruiters alike. Aspiring b-schoolers will first go through the MBA Prep program, during which you'll spend time (lots of it) figuring out and learning to articulate your story. Short-term goals, long-term goals, why MBA, why UCLA Anderson? Upon submitting applications, fellows transition into the Professional Development program, which trains you to put your best self forward for summer internship and full-time recruiting. Fair warning: MLT was at times a lot of work! But it pushed me to a level of introspection and self-awareness that I wouldn't have reached otherwise. Nineteen months, sixteen assignments, four seminars and countless coach calls later, I can attack class and recruiting with confidence and the support of a phenomenal network that's only getting stronger.

Likewise, the Consortium promotes diversity and inclusion in American business in conjunction with member schools and sponsor companies. Prospective students can apply to their choice of seventeen member schools via a common application, though which the Consortium also awards merit-based fellowships. This past June, all c/o 2014 Consortium students convened in Minneapolis for Orientation Program, known affectionately as OP, for five really intense days of skills development, interviewing, networking and, of course, partying. Personally, my favorite part of OP was getting to know my Anderson classmates. Sounds mushy, but it's real. See, we even recently reunited in Manhattan Beach for some fun in the sun.

Soon we will bury our heads in textbooks and cases. But not today.

One of Anderson's fall application events is called Embracing Diversity. I'm proud to see the school live up to those words by embracing partnerships with organizations like MLT, the Consortium and Forte Foundation.

- Gregory Paige
  (Follow me on Twitter: @gregorypaige)

Lively beginnings

I landed in DC last Friday after having said goodbye to everyone in London and made my way to my friend Kelly's before getting dressed up for my visit to the West Wing (not the TV show). I felt awesome. It was a privilege for me to be able to visit the White House in a way that very few Americans and even fewer foreigners are able to do. I arrived quite early so Kelly showed me around her own office (internal affairs) and the general West Wing area. Then when the time of the appointment came she gave me a full guided tour with a few other friends of hers. I saw the White House cafetaria, the Rose Garden, Oval Office, the entrance to the situation room, the press room, the lobby and all the other really cool corridors covered with pictures of Obama on the road. Seriously awesome experience which I highly recommend if you get the chance to do it one day.

 White House press room - I felt uber special

We then followed up with a fantastic dinner at Rogue 24. The 24 course meal with wine pairing was possibly one of the most elaborate in my life. Before booking this restaurant Kelly had asked me if I was still on a backpacker budget to which I replied "I'm on an MBA budget but I'm not sure what that means yet" - she assumed that meant I could spend freely, I hope that won't be my MBA budget or I will forever be in debt.

Hungry? This was a little ridiculous over the top even for a Frenchman
 

The rest of my time in DC was spent walking around, catching up with friends and going to see a Nationals game. While I do like American sports in general, watching baseball for 3 hours was kind of boring. There were no big inflexion points and the highlights were drinking beer and relaxing in the summer sun.

At the Nationals game but I guess I'm supposed to be a Dodgers fan now? (I don't really enjoy baseball that much)

On Monday I finally arrived in LA and things have picked up very fast since then. I went out that very night to a bar/restaurant which had a large selection of beer which was a welcome sight. Having grown up in Belgium I'm used to lagers and ales but I guess I'm going to have to get used to hoppy IPAs while in California as that seems to be the standard. I don't know if I can convert to be honest. 

The next few days were spent meeting plenty of people and getting settled with the thousands of things that need to be done. Tonight I'm going to be going to my first sundowners which I'm very looking forward to and tomorrow will be my big pre-O trip to Hetch Hetchy which I'll write about when I get back. This has been a fantastic week and I'm looking forward to starting orientation and classes, I was assigned to the A-team yesterday which makes me feel really cool. I know Kyle said there was no trash talking between the groups yet but I'm pretty sure he was envious of group A and their early morning schedule.

-Chris Varin, 14'

Follow UCLA on Twitter @UCLAMBA

 

The Waiting is Over... Sections Have Been Assigned!

I originally thought that I'd write this week about the pre-orientation trip I went on last weekend, where I kayak'd and snorkeled around Catalina Island with fellow first years, a second year, and two guides. However... the powers that be at the CVS around the corner from my apartment have decided it takes anywhere from one to two weeks to process my disposable camera film. 

Fortunately, August 22, 2012, will forever be known as "The Day Sections Were Assigned and Everyone Found Out Their Class Schedule!!!!!"

 

First, we received our last Orientation e-mail from Student Affairs (you get 12 e-mails over the course of 12 weeks with information covering various tasks to do before school starts.) Today's e-mail included the handy schedule above. 

Since I requested Marketing in the first quarter, I had an idea of what my Mon/Wed schedule would look like... but two hours later, what happened to pop into my inbox? An e-mail providing the news that "You have been assigned to Section C!"

(Here are a variety of cool looking C's from a Google Images search for the letter C.)

 

With this handy piece of information in hand, I immediately posted on the class Facebook group page, and then sat back and watched over the next few hours while news poured in from everyone on what section they are in. And yes, everyone thinks their section is the best (no trash talking of other sections has started yet though.)

 (Wasn't sure on the protocol of posting people's Facebook comments, so I tried my hand at Paint to redact names.)

I was also extremely happy to see my schedule, as a 945 am start means that I can use the morning to workout before class. Going to be very useful once marathon/triathlon training kicks into gear. 

For those of you who haven't browsed the Anderson curriculum yet, I highly recommend it. There is a useful interactive picture on the page for you to see what your schedule might look like depending on what track you want to pursue. 

Now that everyone knows their section, it also allows people to add a "first time I'm meeting a classmate" question to their bag of tricks (name, where are you from, where have you worked, what do you want to do at Anderson). 

We've been having an event at least once a week since the first week of August, and the crowds have been growing (~50 people came out last Monday night). In fact, something's going on right now! I'll post more about what is going on these next couple of weeks prior to Orientation soon, and blog about my pre-o trip once the pictures arrive!

Until then, from Section C, I'm "SecC and I know it!" (I have to attribute that to classmate Srikanth, perfect slogan for our section) 

~Kyle Forrest, follow on Twitter and follow UCLAMBA