The scariest thing about an MBA is that, at some point, it ends.
Many of us chose a one-year program intentionally, looking to maximize our return without taking so long off that we forget how to work. I have no regrets about this decision. But as we hurtle toward the last two months of our year here in Lausanne, it feels like we’re standing at the last few pages of a choose-your-own-adventure book. The pages are running out, and you have to make your final choices count. The same questions are on everyone’s minds: “How do I maximize my time left?” “How do I know it was all worth it?” and, most importantly, “How on earth do I get a job?”
I’ve come up with some heavily biased answers:
1. Embrace the travel
Switzerland will always be a home away from home for us. It’s not just the center of our MBA world; it’s the center of Europe. Take last weekend – we drove up to Oktoberfest in Munich, dropped by Neuschwanstein (the original inspiration for the Disney castle), and detoured through Liechtenstein on the way home. For those keeping score, the drive back through four countries took less time than a trip from Sydney to Melbourne.
2. Make the moments the main event
If that wasn’t enough, we have some of our most intense learning still ahead. Just last week, we took an excursion down to the UN and Red Cross in Geneva to look at how businesses and countries really move. Then, many of us are on a global exchange this week (you’ll catch me at the University of Oxford!), and soon we’re diving into our International Consulting Projects (ICP). These aren’t just opportunities to see new places; they’re like a final exam to prove not just what we’ve learned, but who we’ve become.
3. Choose your path, and your people
And that brings us to the final, scariest question of all. The job. This year has always been about self-discovery, and the beauty of this moment is seeing everyone’s unique adventure unfold. Some have pivoted to new industries; others have doubled down. And some, like my wife Cassie and me, have chosen a new geography altogether. We’ve made it our goal to head to Norway, and what’s incredible is that your goal isn’t yours to pursue alone. Everyone here is constantly on the lookout for each other, finding ways to lift us all.
So yes, staring at that final, empty chapter is intimidating. But that fear is also the entire point. It’s the freedom to take everything you’ve learned – the tools, the network, the perspective – and aim it at something you truly want. Bring on the final two months.
