The MBA Student Voice

The Moving In Post

I'm finally here! And there's so much to figure out. I thought I would quickly run down a list of the basics that everyone has to deal with. I should note that for the international students that UCLA's iStart online orientation program is quite helpful with all these decisions, even if I didn't go with their suggestions for most things in the end.

Housing: This is the Big Decision, which I made much easier on myself by electing for (and getting, since it was a lottery) UCLA Graduate Housing. I have taken up a furnished studio apartment in The Paseo-Weyburn Terrace, which is a somewhat expensive option (although comparable properties in the same neighbourhood were listed at as much or higher on Craigslist). My chief goal was to avoid a commute as far as possible (more on this below). Staying in Weyburn also means a minimum of hassle in terms of buying furnishings, dealing with individual utilities bills, and so  on. Aside from proximity to campus, the location seems to have all the essential facilities within walking distance. Not to mention, it really is a handsome building. Here's a picture that I took this morning just before moving in.

 

Laptop: The laptop specifications given by Anderson are somewhat exacting and possibly overkill for many people, but I decided that if you're going to splurge on one thing, it may as well be the laptop that you will be utterly dependent on for the next 2 years. I got a Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro, with 3200x1800 QHD display, 256 GB SSD, 2 GHz Intel Core i7 processors(Haswell/4th gen; please, no matter which laptop or version of the intel processors you get, make sure it is the 4th generation, because the difference in battery life is really high), and 8 GB of RAM. This set up goes for $11199 on Best Buy, but you can get a 150$ student discout to ease the pain a little. The one thing this does not have that the specifications say is "mandatory" is an Ethernet port, so I made sure to buy a USB 3.0-Gigabit Ethernet connector along with it. 

A couple of caveats on the Yoga 2 Pro: there are 2 major issues that people had found with this laptop. One is that some of the older models (pre-March 2014), which are still being sold online on the Lenovo store and possibly other dealers, don't come with dual-band wireless. So they might not get you the best speeds on more modern networks. There were also a few complaints that the wireless cards were just plain low quality, with several dropped connections and so on. However, the models that you can buy in stores should by now have dual-band, so this should not be a problem. The second issue was the infamous "mustard" yellow on their displays. This incredibly high resolution display was built with a particular sub-pixel arrangement that meant it just couldn't show bright yellow colours properly; there was always a slight greenish tint. Lenovo has issued a BIOS update and patch for this which largely resolves the problem, but you will have to make sure to do that on your own.

Phone/service plan: I aready had an unlocked smart phone from home so, after getting some advice on which service provider has better coverage in the area, I opted for T-Mobile's 50$ unlimited talk+text, 1 GB of LTE data/month plan. There are an incredible variety of options here, and it really comes down to figuring out the best fit for you. If you have a SSN and are planning on getting a new phone with a contract, there are some extremely tempting savings to be made.

Bank Account: You should do your own research on this if you think you'll have special needs, but I think most banks will offer similar options on a basic no-frills (or "student") checking account. UCLA recommends Chase. I got one at Bank of America because I was staying with a friend, thats where he was banking and it was really close. It took about 30 minutes to get set up.

Transportation: I wanted to avoid buying a car as far as possible, and that was one of the major reasons that I opted for graduate housing. However, as soon as I got into the city, I was informed that my only real options were getting a car or just not having a social life. I have yet to verify this for myself but just from seeing how spread out everything is, it seems quite likely. My current plan is to compromise by getting a bike for the time being and seeing just how difficult things get once the course actually starts.

So these were my choices: it's possible that they weren't the most optimal ones I could have made, but I'm extremely glad to have got it sorted out, all the same. Let me know in the comments if you found any of this useful!

Living in Los Angeles

Three weeks into living in Los Angeles and I am already making new friends! I have been to the Sundowners events, Parker Q&A session on campus and a weekend beers on the beach social. I have met a ton of second year students, who have imparted great advice on life at Anderson. I was able to learn more about life during  the first quarter, which can get pretty hectic with classes, recruiting and clubs / associations. It’s always reassuring to learn tips and tricks on surviving the fall quarter. A few of the advice I have heard

- Don’t try to make it out to every social gathering, it can get pretty busy and no one will judge you for not showing up to every single event

- While the Parker Career Center has already told you to spend the summer researching different industries and hone in on one, it does pay off in the end. Stretching yourself thin by exploring a wide variety of industries and companies will just mean less time spent on the area that you actually want to be in

- While grades and classes are important, also as much important is networking with companies that you are interested in and making contacts that can help you land the internship / full time job. Proper time management in both these areas is the key to success

- If you are interested in non-traditional roles like startups, plan on doing an academic internship. Even if you don’t get paid, it might help with securing a paid internship during the summer

- Finally, get ready for the journey of a lifetime and enjoy every second. Everyone around you is on the same boat as you, don’t think you are the only one stressed about classes / job interviews. At the end of the day, the culture of shared success at Anderson and the lifelong contacts you will build here is what matters

On a different note, my fellow classmates Asher Kurland, Bryan Whitmer and I share a love for the outdoors and ended up hiking Inspiration Point in Pacific Palisades. People living in Brentwood / Westwood area, it is really close, about 15 minutes’ drive. The trail has many options which can go for hours but you can do the simple ascent to the top and back down in an hour or so. Here is a selfie of us at the top viewpoint with the city on our back.

Cambodia: A dark history with a bright future

I dedicated this summer, between quitting my job and starting business school, to expanding my global perspective. Five countries in two and a half months was Southeast Asia 101.  Luckily I’m just getting warmed up. I plan to continue my global education with the Anderson Center for Global Management, making global management one of my MBA specializations.

During this summer’s adventure, I took a special, personal interest in Cambodia. While it is rich in natural resources and now offers cheaper labor than China, the recent and horrific chapter of Khmer Rouge has created a distinct business environment, both economically and culturally.

On April 17, 1975, Pol Pot rode through the streets of Phnom Penh as the new dictator of Cambodia and leader of the Khmer Rouge, the Communist Party of Kampuchea. He was only in power for four years, but managed to kill one fourth of the country’s population, roughly 2 million people, in a societal experiment gone terribly wrong. I feel a unique connection to this genocide – my father's best friend in high school was one of only six Americans captured and killed by the Khmer Rouge during their reign. Chris Delance was a sailor in the wrong place at the wrong time off the coast of Cambodia in late 1978. He was taken to the infamous S-21 prison, tortured, and killed shortly before the Vietnamese liberation in 1979. 

When I arrived in Phnom Penh just over 39 years later, I had no idea what to expect from Cambodia. I found a vibrant country eager but struggling to offer a quality of life comparable to its Lao, Vietnamese, and Thai neighbors. To get a better sense of its economy and people, I had the priveledge to sit down with the U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia, William Todd. We discussed economic opportunities and if Cambodia is ready for outside investment. The conclusion? Now is the time. There is too much instability and uncertainty for public companies to make large investments in Cambodia, but now is the time for entrepreneurs and private companies. Other places in Southeast Asia, like Singapore or Hong Kong, have extremely overinflated prices. Investment capital will go much farther in Cambodia because of the accessibility to inexpensive land and natural resources. However, investors should be prepared for a "rough and tumble" way of conducting business. Many deals are made off the books and paid with cash. 

We also discussed mobile technology (an industy I am passionate about) and how it is changing Cambodia. Since the government heavily regulates all national media, people now turn to the Internet for a more unbiased news source. Facebook and other social media in the palm of one's hand is becoming a powerful tool for organizing on both sides of the political spectrum.

I left Cambodia feeling hopeful. It is up to the future generation of global business leaders to help Cambodia develop in a sustainable and prosperous way. After gaining a solid global foundation from Anderson, I look forward to being part of that solution.

      

Left Photo: My dad on the left and Chris Delance on the right at a Long Beach, CA lifeguard stand in 1962.

Right Photo: S-21 photo of Chris Delance taken in 1978. (Documentation Center of Cambodia)

Below Photo: Ambassador William Todd and I at the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia.

 

Networking

This week I wanted to share some thoughts and insight on networking. I believe to pursue a specific career path it is extremely important to know the right people and get the correct advice. I moved into LA last week and this Wednesday was the first Sundowners event I attended with my fellow classmates and current students. It was a great opportunity to talk with students currently in their summer internships and learn firsthand about their experiences working in different industries. Since I am hoping to pursue a career in entrepreneurship / tech startup, I was able to gain some valuable feedback from some students in that field. One student landed his internship at a startup by responding to an email from the Real Estate Student Association while another student met with the founders of the company that he works at, during a networking event at Anderson, and secured an interview that led to the internship. The Parker Career Management Center coupled with the student organizations will pretty much open up all opportunity to find the right gig for each student.

The pre-orientation deliverable to update my resume and get feedback has also helped me think about the conversations I would be having with potential employers when I present my skill sets. In addition, it has got me started thinking about my plan B. If my primary target industry doesn’t work out, which companies will I be looking at and how will I present myself to them? Thinking about my career choice earlier than later will save me from rushing through at the last minute and provide ample time to polish my resume and pitch, when I not overwhelmed with classes and assignments.

Learning to Pace Myself - Post by Nikhil Punnoose

Posted on behalf of Nikhil Punnoose, who was unable to post from his mobile. 

 

Walking through beautiful St. Mark's Square in Venice, taking one last look at the magnificent sculptures and buildings, reflecting on the end of my wonderful month-long trip through Europe, and simultaneously looking through my mail and staggering at the incredible number of things I am supposed to finish even before orientation, one thought keeps running through my head: what have I gotten myself into for the next two years?

Alright, I exaggerated. For one thing, nobody can do all that at the same time. For another, this place (I am really writing this while waiting in a hour long line for St Mark's Basilica) is so chock full of tourists that if you don't pay attention you're bound to stumble into somebody (or get your pocket picked). Most of all, I feel confident that UCLA would not have admitted me if they didn't think I could handle it (you can't kick me out now, right? Right?).

 

Update from Los Angeles

Things are starting to pick up speed here in Los Angeles. (No, I am not referring to the traffic conditions..) A bunch of students have been moving in and settling down over the past few weeks, so let me share with you some quick updates on some of the local action as things start to heat up!

Over the summer, the Parker Career Management Center does a great job getting incoming students toned, ripped, and into shape for the Fall. In addition to introspective self assessments that would make Warren Buffett second-guess his career choice, 360 degree feedback that would make Shaun White's head spin, information interviews with a thoroughness rivaling that of Bob Woodward, career industry and function research exercises, resume writing guidance with more action-bullets than Grand Theft Auto V, and technical skill building, there's room for some fun preparation too! The Summer Mixer Series hosted by the Anderson staff and Student Clubs is one example.

Dean Judy Olian speaking at the Summer Mixer event at Shutters on the Beach