By: Bill Brunner
(Editor’s Note: The Round 2 admissions deadline is coming up! In honor of the occasion, enjoy this bonus post from MBA IRISH ECHOES, and be sure to check back over the next few days for more content.)
It is funny looking back at my first year out of undergrad, because I had a comically unrealistic expectation about the impact I would make. It was a rude awakening to spend what felt like an eternity (six months) as a glorified proofer. I remember saying to myself multiple times, “Did I really go to school for four years to do this?” I also remember thinking I was going to put in one year in the professional world and then go to business school. My flaw here (among many) was that I thought business school was only going to teach me how to apply theories and to learn from previous case examples, similar to college. I hadn’t thought about invaluable learning tool that is the symbiotic sharing of past work experiences among classmates.
Looking back on the first 75 percent of my MBA, the most memorable part of the learning experience has been hearing fellow students discuss their previous work experiences and sharing how my experiences relate to the topics we discuss in class. As I think through the stories I share the most, they came from the later part of my work experience rather than the beginning.
So, if anyone who is reading this is recently out of undergrad and feeling the same way, I challenge you to ask yourself if more time may make you a better classmate and relate to the material in business school on a more personal level.
About Bill
Bill lived in Detroit prior to business school. He is concentrating in marketing and attended Miami University (Ohio) for his undergraduate studies. His favorite memory at Notre Dame is going to the late Fr. Ted’s office overlooking campus from the top of Hesburgh Library.