Business school, a year later

August 29, 2010 – Jet lagged, I dragged myself to Managerial Economics class on a Monday morning. As I settled myself in one safe corner of KSB 233, I started noticing the cliques my classmates had already formed with each other. A few formal hellos, some friendly smiles, and many curious glances. As the class proceeded, the numbers flew right over my head; most of my concentration was on the faces around the room. I suddenly realized I had completely forgotten what competition felt like. Rather, I realized, the only person I was competing against was myself. At this point, I gave up my attempt to listen to anything; my head went on spinning around faster and faster.

Fast forward one year…

August 29, 2011 – I’m not jet lagged today. I don’t have classes either. Yet, for some reason, there are a thousand things spinning in my head yet again. I wondered why today has been a strange day – until it struck me as I started typing this blog that today marks the first anniversary of my first steps at Kogod. The past year has been a whirlwind – a race against time, a self-imposed deadline to succeed and still be the best person I can be.

I don’t know if I’ve succeeded, but I know progress has been made. I know that I have moved one step (if not several steps) closer to realizing my career goals. To realize, to accept, and to develop my strengths has been the hardest thing to do in the past year, mainly because I come from a culture where even slight praise and a strong level of confidence in women are often termed as being “un-lady-like.” Perhaps being able to completely dodge that traditional thought is something that has helped me – or perhaps not. I don’t know yet.

As an accountant, I am still in the process of making additions and deductions of all that I have experienced in my travels to figure out what exactly makes me who I am. But the experience at Kogod has definitely added a deeper dimension to my personality through the people I have met. A year later, my peers are my strengths and my competition is still only me.