Oh, to be an admitted student again!
Those were the salad days – the magnificent, magical months between receiving Brit Dewey’s letter and actually arriving at HBS. Full of expectation, full of promise, we achieved a new level of enlightenment in our life and in our work. We found that we could satisfy our needs for productive activity much more efficiently. While we were once eager to work 80+ hour weeks, we were now able to satiate our professional urges in a mere 40, arriving to the office at 8:59 am and leaving promptly at 5:01.
Of course, with the new direction and clarity of purpose that being admitted to HBS bestowed upon us, those hours at work did become much more productive. We had modules to complete and financial aid applications to submit. We had a laptop to purchase and software to install. We had to inform our friends and family of the news, to search for housing in Boston, and most importantly, to confirm our summer travel plans.
Social commitments also increased in both frequency and scope as we realized our days were numbered. “Lunch? Of course I can do lunch this week. Any day is fine – I am never too busy for my friends. No, I don’t mind driving 30 minutes to meet you…
“Drinks on Friday? Yes, that sounds great. I am sure that I can leave a little early too….3 pm works for me! See you then!”
Over the course of these months, we were occasionally forced to confront the shift in our employee-employer dynamic. New projects, which we fought to lead just months ago (hoping our bosses would write about our ‘initiative’ and ‘intellectual curiosity’ in their letters of recommendation), were gingerly turned down. “You want me to do what? Is that a necessary condition of my employment? Oh yeah – well, we’ll see who’s working for who in five years!”
Ahhh, the memories.
Admitted students, should you see a glint of green in our eyes when we meet you this weekend, or should you hear a note of disdain in our voices when we hear that you will be spending August in Thailand, be not afraid.
We are not arrogant or rude, we are merely jealous.
We know that while we are trying to find full-time jobs or internships, you are trying to find out who else you know in the class from the pre-matriculation website. We long to be back in your shoes, enjoying the excitement of journey ahead and exuberance of those weekly HBS happy hours.
Despite our envy, we are glad you are here. We hope you enjoy the weekend ahead, and that you will chose to join us next fall. Just don’t be surprised if we wait until October to really get to know you – by then, your golden, Southeast Asian tan will have faded, you’ll be asking us how to get a summer internship, and we won’t be jealous anymore.
Welcome, Class of 2006!
AnneRistau, Editor In Chief
