Abstract (for the super busy folks): Got A's for my first two classes of business school. Am taking a decision analysis class, and my first ITM (information technology management) class. (Current plan is to get an MBA w/an ITM specialization.)
Prayer Requests (for the praying kind): Wisdom for school and work. Direction, and the courage to walk that path.
Okay, here's the update:
I made it through the first quarter of graduate school. To my relief, I earned an 'A' in both of my classes (one class's grade was based on the group project and a final; I had no idea how I would do). I was just getting used to not going to school when the next quarter started. All I knew for sure was that there would be group work.
For my Information Technology Management (ITM) class, there is a minimum 10 page paper (excluding title page, references, table of contents) that is part of a group project. I hate page minimums. In high school, I always had to bs to make the requirement. Seriously, it you can't be concise, then do you really have something to say, are you just blowing smoke?
Our group has five members. Hopefully, it will be a better experience than in one of my other classes last quarter. That was ultimately stressful for me. What happens when you put a person who is organized and likes to stay on top of things with people who are more 'go with the flow'? And when the organized person tries to play nice instead of being her normal take charge self? Deviation from parts of one's essential character is a stressful proposition.
So this quarter, I started off with my take charge self. I still want everyone to have a voice – that's very important to me. But I do not want to run around at the last minute if I can help it. We'll see…at the very least, I need to work on listening.
The often longwinded professor brings props with him to class. Like vacuum tubes and floppy (not 3.5", but true floppy) disks. (Though he did bring the 3.5" as well.) Last week he showed us a coaxial cable, among other things. I love the props. The class, so far, is otherwise laborious.
My other class is a decision modeling & analysis course. It's basically a math class masquerading as a management course. So far, it hasn't been so bad. Midterms are coming up the 2nd week in Feb, though, so we'll see how much I really learned. {Again, if you're the praying kind, please pray for me. I mean, it's math.}
In that class, the 'group project' is actually a team of two and two case studies. We pick our own teams, so of course I was one of the kids who was picked last – most everyone else had friends in the class and had coupled up fairly quickly. Ah well.
Otherwise, things are plugging along. The rain or cold we've had for the past month and a half makes my daily ritual of escaping to my car at lunchtime extremely difficult. Reading in the lunchroom, sitting on plastic chairs that are uncomfortable despite my ample cushioning is not ideal. I need to get away from the building, not just my desk. And turning on the heater in my car every day is probably not the best solution. Besides, who wants to go outside when it's raining? But turning on the heater may be the only viable option. If I have to stay in the office at lunchtime, I will go stir crazier.
Until next time,
