Thoughts and Reflections from One Month at BSchool

Impressions of a brand new world

1. Everyone is still human, no matter what they’ve accomplished. There are people with incredible resumes that would make you think they are intimidating people. You’d never know their accomplishments by just interacting with them.
2. Don’t underestimate connections. You never know who you are 2 degrees away from, especially in an environment of successful, outgoing people.
3. The Bay is all about building. Being a founder with a powerful pitch is table stakes at Bay Area networking events (at least the ones I’m going to). I’ve learned I’m more of a corporate guy, and that’s ok.
4. There’s power in a clear story and point of view. Hours of thought and iteration on my story have led me to one that (as of my initial 10 or so conversations) has allowed me to gain credibility in brief discussions with business leaders. I describe how my career has shaped my point of view, and where I want to go now (i.e., what problems I want to solve). When you find someone working on those problems, they’ll want to hire you.
5. Routine is gone. I’ve never had a more varied calendar. Every day is different. Time moves slowly.
6. We’re in this together. While I know some people more than others, I feel a general love when I look around the class and see a group that has come together to change their lives at the same time.
7. Don’t be negative. I’ve always thought using self-deprecating humor and talking negatively about past periods in my life was a way to be humble. I’ve found this doesn’t work in this environment; it closes off conversation. High achievers find ways to say everything positively and confidently talk about their failures. I was annoyed by this at first because I perceived it was people ignoring their failures and putting on a “facade of perfection”. With some practice though, I now understand that there’s an art to speaking thoughtfully about failures without bringing a negative tone to a conversation.
8. Remember to enjoy it. I’m very focused on getting an internship and justifying the investment of school. I need to be more intentional about pausing that impulse and enjoying the fun times before they’re gone.