Disclaimer-OK, I admit it – this article is a rerun from the January 15 Harbus-no original content whatsoever. I think Carl Kester called it self-plagiarism in his address to the EC the other day. I blame this evidence of laziness on my new favorite scapegoat-the my HBS portal. You see, had I figured out in advance how to actually extract useful information from this nifty little tool, I may have realized that add/drop, resume submission, the Dean’s address, welcome back social, three cases, and my Harbus deadline all occurred within the same 24 hour span. So, if you have read this article already, please log all complaints to the HBS Webmaster…
I know the truth. You didn’t choose HBS because of the world-class business education or the hope for that corner office on Wall Street. You came because on your campus visit last year you thought Shad was cool. The high ceilings, juice bar, and separated shower stalls sealed your decision. I also know that as an undergraduate you turned down recruiters for the Duke basketball team and the Notre Dame football team because you feared an injury that might prevent you playing on an HBS intramural team. You have sacrificed your whole lif-the early morning weightlifting, the two-a-day runs, the gallons of sweat. Well you are here, superstar, and HBS will not disappoint.
First are the facilities. In addition to the aforementioned attributes, Shad Hall provides squash, racquetball, and basketball courts; a running track; numerous Nautilus and cardio machines; organized fitness classes; and too many other things to list. You also have privy to Blodgett’s Olympic-size pool, Bright’s ice rink, and Weld’s shells. Indoor and outdoor tennis courts are at your disposal as is a large field behind Kresege ideal for flickerball and ultimate Frisbee.
Not for the faint of heart, intramurals provide healthy competition between sections both new and old. Complete with refs, rules, and playoff brackets, intramurals provide a great opportunity to enjoy the company of fellow students and also laugh at them as your section makes the playoffs and their’s does not. Soccer, football, and volleyball are all co-ed. Basketball fields separate teams for men and women.
If you are interested in intra-collegiate competition, numerous club sports compete against other teams in the area and provide great focus into respective sports. You can play hockey with the Men and Women Blades team, scrum with the Rugby Club, tee off with the Golf Club, beat the Law School with the Soccer Club, or scull with the Boat Club.
In addition to everything available on the HBS campus, Boston is a great city for sports and fitness. The area features weekly road races and bike tours, river trails for long-distance runs, nearby skiing and hiking, and some of the best golf courses in New England. Every single major professional sport is represented (albeit not very well lately) in Boston-the Celtics in the NBA, the Red Sox in MLB, the Bruins in NHL, the Patriots in the NFL, and the Revolution in MLS.
So there it is-what you have been looking forward to since you got that acceptance letter in the mail. Now the only thing you need to do is take advantage of it. There is one important thing you must keep in mind that has been proven in numerous studies and extensive research. No matter how busy you get while at HBS, it is absolutely necessary that between all of this physical activity you find some time, even if it is only 15 or 20 minutes a day, to read your cases.
