As a joint degree student in the Lauder program (Chinese track!!) I had the privilege of starting school back in May, and spending the summer in China with 16 other Chinese trackers!! It was a blast, like study abroad all over again, this time with better language ability and more freedom and flexibility to explore. In addition to improving my Chinese, meeting international business leaders during corporate visits, and catching up with old friends, the summer's accomplishments included finally learning to like/love karaoke, visiting the original Din Tai Fung in Taipei, and acquiring my first pair of lens-less glasses.
Visiting the original Din Tai Fung (a Taiwanese restaurant most famous for its xiaolongbao - a special type of dumpling) was a top priority in Taipei!
Lens-less glasses!
One might think starting in May would have left me highly prepared to start Wharton this past Sunday. Not quite the case at all, but throughout the flurry of activity that has been this past week, every time I approach frazzled or overwhelmed, I stop to think about how awesome of a place I'm in, and that stressing at this point is like stressing about which toppings to put on my ice cream. Kid in a candy shop effect x 100.
(Speaking of ice cream - our professor brought us the real thing when we were studying the Ice Fili Russian Ice Cream case in Global Strategic Management last May!)
On another note, I'm really excited about my Cohort - F! Everyone seems nice, smart and down to earth, and really excited to be here. We're in the process of figuring out our team name and motto (as well as t-shirt design, soccer socks design, etc.) for the kickball tournament next weekend - the competition is already fierce between cohorts as to who's going to come up with the best team name, slogan and gear.
Finally, one thing that keeps surprising and impressing me about my class is how diverse it is - nearly 40% international and the vast majority speak 2+ languages, among a variety of other types of diversity. I am honored and super excited to be part of this group!