My journey in business school

So as I have written a few times – I went back to school more specifically business school to study business management. The full school day is long – mostly from 8.30 AM to 8.30 PM, there are a few changes here and there. And it’s for two years. Not something one could imagine beforehand and it’s not as easy as in high school. I am older, get tired, and have more responsibilities than in high school. Although to be fair – it’s only 5 days per month. So I will survive. And graduate hopefully.

I chose close to home

Knew ahead that a lot of this business school curriculum overlaps my experience and one of the reasons I chose this specialty was to get a degree/certificate to back up and prove my expertise. I am mainly self-taught in my job and while I know – I am smart and know how to do things. Only my word isn’t always enough when applying to other places. And if I am ever getting somehow closer to my dream life and be able to ditch working in the office for 9-5 – I need to do something to improve my odds.

Since several subjects cover my work experience they are easier for me than for others in my class. This ultimately means that for the first 6 months there has been more boredom in school than I would have liked, but at the same time, it is good to hear and realize that I have done things right so far. Maby I haven’t used the exact terms as in books – but my actions have been the same.

Oh, I am smart?!

This also means I have gained a somewhat “smart” reputation while I often answer teachers’ questions, enter discussions, and taking a lead in group projects. and my classmates are asking for help and are listening to me. I am not the oldest, but rather somewhere in the middle. My secret is that I have always been a multitasker and therefore been involved with different parts of business management for a long time.

I have used MS Excel for big data tables analysis, rearrangements, etc for years at work creating price lists, updating credentials lists, creating seminars guest lists, updating client and product databases – so when some of my classmates really struggled with OR and IF functions – I was bored. While I was scrolling my phone I got a tap on the shoulder from a classmate, who struggled with assignments. So I explained it to her and showed her how to do that. Soon after that Messenger chat blew up – so not bored anymore.

Business school means business

The same goes for business law and basic economics courses – I have had to read, learn and operate with those for years. This means all the terms my fresh out of high school classmates just heard the first time. I constantly feel old around them. And I got another confidence boost. We have a lot of group projects in class and as homework – so we get to practice theoretical parts we have been thought right away. And another way where my confidence gets a boost. And without previous knowledge and expertise, it would be intense and hard to keep up. I am thankful that I have an edge, so on-off boredom is just a side-effect.

I have created, planned, developed, and launched websites and IT projects. Trained colleagues and clients to use them. Planned and carried out seminars with budgeting and catering plans, and created marketing plans and surveys. Some classmates ask why did I came here at all – since to them it seems like I know already everything. In some classes, I think that too. But I hope that we are just in the first year and these are basic pieces of knowledge – so hopefully, it will go more serious. Though I am a bit of afraid of that at the same time.

Time flies in school!

It just occurred to me during the last session that my first school year is almost over! Already!? I just started and I am already almost halfway through. I have learned so much about myself and I am getting over my fear of public speaking and speaking in front of people. Since we have a lot of project works – group projects, solo projects, research, and analyses – we also have to present them in class. I hated standing even in front of a few people. So our class of 40+ people is a huge public for me and the fact that I am confident now standing up in front of so many people is a great step forward. And I am excited to find out more about myself and my abilities.