Mild Panic Attack

Posted on by under Careers, Other, Tips for Prospective or Accepted Students

The other day, I woke up panicking! I was going through my first “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE” dilemma.

There are three things I have always been sure about: I have a passion for people, I have pretty strong presentation skills, and I LOVE traveling (also, dancing is the cure for all illnesses). I decided I wanted a career in Industrial Relations so I needed a Masters program that would get me there. I talked to one of my professors about it and he suggested that I strongly consider the MM program because it is a program that prepares students for all parts of business ranging from organizational behavior to marketing strategies, and that I might end up really liking another part of business instead. Clearly, I decided to take his advice but I still came in believing that a career in Industrial Relations was absolutely what I wanted.

Period 1 began and with it came a variety of classes ranging from drawing graphs (not pie charts) in Statistics to Marketing; I found out that I really liked Marketing and realized I was pretty good at this brand review stuff but my mind was still set on IR and leaning towards Recruitment. Period 2 came around and I took the non-financial route which had Employment Relationship and Organizational Behaviour courses, but also a basic Finance class. For some reason I found myself, not only understanding, but also enjoying that Finance class; who ever thought Put and Call options would be so interesting? During the freezing Calgary Christmas break I spent time with a lot of family and friends who were asking me about what I wanted to do after I was done with the MM program… THIS WAS WHEN MY PANIC REALLY BEGAN. I didn’t know what I wanted to do anymore; my answer changed a little bit every time someone asked.

“How is it possible that some people in the program are narrowing down their options and I suddenly want to broaden mine?”

“I want to do Recruitment…and HR…and Branding…and a little bit of Investments…and…everything…”

“What if I take a job and then see something I might like better? OH MY GOSH! What if I don’t even get a job???”

I eventually booked an appointment with Jeff Balin and talked to him about it, he managed to calm me down (go Jeff!); apparently, this whole freaking out phenomenon is normal.

So we are now nearing the end of period 3 and Managerial Accounting is not looking too scary (ask me about this again in a week when I’m studying for finals). I’ve come to the conclusion that my Prof. was right…this is exactly why I chose the MM over anything else; it gives me the opportunity to find out what exactly the Business world has to offer me. I’m going to fully embrace the confusion because it means I am actually learning something new.

I can’t guarantee that I won’t be panicking again within the next 2 months…or 2 weeks…or 2 days…or 2 minutes but I have officially decided that I am going to look for a job where I can keep learning and contributing all I’ve learned. You never know, in ten years I might become the best Statistician in the world :D.

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It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day

Posted on by under Other, Tips for Prospective or Accepted Students

As an international student, moving to Vancouver was a new beginning, a beginning full of excitement and hope and an underlying sense of nervousness and uncertainty.

I can clearly recall the first time I met most of the MM students. They were sitting around a table enjoying a late barbecue at the MBA House when I joined them. To be honest, I felt like I was back at home sitting with a group of my friends whom I had known for the better part of my life. As I got to know them better, all the nervousness and uncertainty vanished in a matter of minutes. I had never met so many people, who had just gotten to know each other and could relate to one another, allowing them to form bonds that continue to strengthen as the MM program continues.

However, probably the best part of the MM program is the diverse nature of the academic backgrounds that its students come from. The person sitting next to you is almost guaranteed to have a different academic background than yours. What is common, however, is that no one has any experience in business education. The MM provides each of us an opportunity at a new beginning. To some it is an opportunity to completely switch career paths, and to others a chance to catapult themselves in industries related to their undergrad.

But no matter what your background is, what your goals are, or where you come from, you can be sure that the MM faculty and its students will make you feel at home and will help you each step of the way.

 

Mursal Shamsi

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The MM offers me…

Posted on by under Other, Tips for Prospective or Accepted Students

I realized this program was a great fit for me when I began my application process. Typical graduate programs all require admissions essays, as well as interviews, but I realized quickly just how much the program truly values who you are, not just on paper. In today’s demanding and competitive environment some of the most valuable and unique things about ourselves can get lost in a sea of accomplishments and GPAs. Those integral parts of yourself can get overlooked, but this program recognizes, values, and relishes in those things which make us all just a little different, and stresses how different definitions of success are what make the world so interesting. 

Simply put, the MM program is about you. You hear the cliche “you get out what you put in” more times than you would like to throughout your career as a student, but there is nothing more true of this program. The Master of Management program, its staff and its resources are all here to see you succeed and become the best version of yourself you can be. All you have to do is commit to it and recognize how valuable this experience can be for you. 

 

Julia Shepherd

ca.linkedin.com/in/juliashepherd/

 

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Weekend Skiing!

Posted on by under Life at UBC/Vancouver, Other

So, you’ve probably heard about how beautiful the city of Vancouver is. Let me tell you, it is!

Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. There is so much natural beauty here, from being right next to the Pacific Ocean to having the coastal mountains right outside your door. It’s no wonder everyone wants to live here.

If you love doing outdoor activities, you’re going to love Vancouver. You can go hiking on one of the hundreds of trails in and around the city, go bicycling around the Stanley Park Seawall, do ocean kayaking in English Bay, and go skiing at one of the local mountains. And the really crazy thing is,  you can do all of this in one day! Of course, we do get pretty busy here with the MM program, so we usually try to keep it down to one activity at a time!

Today a few of us decided to go skiing at one of our favourite local ski mountains, Cypress Mountain. Located only 40 minutes away from UBC, it’s one of three local mountains (the others being Grouse and Seymour) that offer great runs and amazing views of the city. Lately though, we’ve had a warm spell of weather, so snow has been a bit hard to come by. Nonetheless, the mountains had enough snow to offer us some amazing runs and a great ski day with friends. 

A gorgeous view of the city from the top of Cypress Mountain

     

Our resident pro-skier Cidnee (left) along with our resident New Yorker Christina! 

Now we’re off to hit the books again! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post down below. I’d love to hear them!

Cheers!

Kenneth

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