We are in the auditoriums as if the MBA has always been our routine and will be forever. It is hard to believe that in five months we will say good bye not only to the program, this small city and the lake, but more importantly to the people. Our classmates have been a family over the last six months. But we still have career weeks, the Discovery Expedition, ICP projects and electives to experience. It will sure be another adventure, but as we begin welcoming summer, I want to look back on the first half of the program. What a journey we have had so far!
Module 1 brought us closer through a hectic schedule none of us would have believed we would survive. Rumour says our teams were made to ignite conflict. We learned so much about team dynamics, conflict, leadership, team building. Our lifeline stories were told many times, and each time opened doors to new friendships.
After a short and memorable easter break in Grindelwald with snow, skiing and wine, Module 2 started. Here the focus was more on workshops. The HPL (High Performance Leadership) week made us grieve together. We then had our patience tested during a crisis management simulation with reporters breaking into our rooms. And price wars happened between groups during marketing simulations.
Meanwhile we were a class with a common obstacle to overcome, COVID restrictions. It was not always easy to interact behind plexiglass and masks. I can still feel the pain in my nose from the weekly PCR tests. Yet this didn’t prevent us from coming together around dinner tables for good food and conversation. Then we had table tennis. Who can believe we wait in line for a round of table tennis instead of lining in front of night clubs! Many friendships emerged there – the competitiveness level was so high that we had casualties and ankles sprained. There were also many clusters that formed around common interests: badmington Sundays, football Sundays, gym addicts, swimmers, bubble tea lovers, wine tasters, hikers, crypto geeks, pro-debaters, watch lovers, French lunches, indoor climbers, and many more.
Now the holiday seems like a refreshing oasis. We’ll be energized for the main enemy: the job search. We’ll have time to reflect on our many learnings, away from our comfortable bubble, and miss each other until we all meet again in August. Until then Campbell and I will be sharing the summer vibes of #centumfortes
Stay tuned…
