tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35049858229927051982024-03-13T06:41:49.925-04:00Tinydancer's MBA Blogtinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-10047524419796248642011-03-12T12:50:00.003-05:002011-03-12T13:11:18.124-05:00I'm Still Alive!Hello dear readers. Are you still out there? I recently decided to check up on my blog and I've found that I have not posted since the end of first year! So disappointing. So much has obviously happened since then that I can't attempt to summarize it all. So how about just an update on where I am now?<br /><br />I am still living in Philly. My post-MBA job will have me bouncing around a bit location-wise, but my first stop is right here in the city of brotherly love. Hubby and I moved out of the Wharton dorm we were living in (not really a dorm, just a popular Wharton building) and headed to another part of the city where Wharton students only occasionally trek for a restaurant or bar. Works for us - it's hard to remain in the city where we spent two fabulous years now that the majority of my Wharton friends have fanned themselves out all over the world. It would be much harder if I still had to see the students everywhere, dressed in whatever crazy costumes they've devised for the 80's Party, Walnut Walk, or Wharton 54. And know that I'm no longer one of them. Now I have to work on Fridays and weeknight drinking just makes me feel old when I try to get up in the morning. <br /><br />We've upgraded to a two bedroom apartment. Such a luxury! I have to admit that getting that paycheck every two weeks still hasn't gotten old. During school it felt like we were hemorrhaging money. Which I guess we were. Now that I am paying back my loans I am constantly reminded of how much money we went through during those two years. I wouldn't trade it for the world, but it is nice to have a bit more normal cash flow situation these days. <br /><br />We got a dog! We adopted him from a rescue and he is adorable and fun. He is such a joy to have in our lives. I don't want to get on a soapbox, but if you are ever thinking of getting a pet, <span style="font-style: italic;">please</span> consider adoption. You'd be surprised how many wonderful dogs and cats of all ages are out there, many already trained, many still puppies if that's what you want, even purebreds. Every time you adopt, you save the life of your new best friend AND another pet who you make room for in the shelter. Ok I'm done preaching.<br /><br />I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up. Yes I do have a job and it's what I wanted and I'm learning a lot. But I was also exposed to so many other things in school, I am constantly scheming what I might do next, or 10 years from now. If you are a fellow MBA grad you know what I mean. Those of you in the middle of your b-school journey or just starting your research, you should know- the journey doesn't end when you sign that full time job offer. It's really just the beginning. But now you have those fancy letters to add to your business card- M.B.A. Has a nice ring to it!tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-76140624101075368122009-03-27T14:39:00.004-04:002009-03-27T16:14:24.209-04:00Quarter Four InsanityI just got done one of my craziest weeks ever at Wharton. So many things converged at once that I literally couldn't find an extra half hour for a meeting. Quarter four classes are definitely a big work load. There is a ton of reading every week, and professors seem to be a little more intent on doing little things to make sure we read everything before class. And this quarter we have sabre, which is a marketing simulation. Sabre has been really fun. It feels similar, at least theoretically, to what brand management will be like. You have your product portfolio, market segments, market research, and forecasts. And you have to make decisions wisely to try to increase your company's profits in the face of changing tastes, competitors' actions, uncertainty, and a limited budget. Reminiscent of first quarter Marketing cases, my team spent about 14 hours on sabre this week. Supposedly it will get easier in subsequent weeks since we won't have to get ramped up again .. I hope that's the case! At least, as opposed to case write-ups, working on sabre is actually fun :)<br /><br /><img src="file:///Users/Jen/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />Oh yeah, and last night was Wharton 54. Totally insane.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BMioU6O5VAM/Sc0zdojKhlI/AAAAAAAAFRk/VDNY7iBH8LY/s1600-h/IMG_4289.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BMioU6O5VAM/Sc0zdojKhlI/AAAAAAAAFRk/VDNY7iBH8LY/s320/IMG_4289.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317963319188555346" border="0" /></a>tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-19789755202384008472009-03-05T11:01:00.002-05:002009-03-05T11:09:31.687-05:00This and ThatMan I haven't posted in a while! So, update on recruiting. I ended up with 2 offers, and declined several 2nd round invitations. So DIP was very good to me. In hindsight, I would not have applied to so many places. But I was scared - it's hard to know how successful you will be before you really go do all the interviewing. Most of my friends now have gotten offers. There are some still looking. I'm trying to help them where I can. I think everyone will have something in the end. <br /><br />In other news, I've started listening to podcasts on my walk to and from school. My favorite is This American Life. Last week's episode (which I didn't listen to until yesterday) was particularly good. It gave a very easy-to-understand explanation for the financial crisis. For me, the discussion of why or why not to have the government take over the banks was really interesting. Check it out <a href="http://www.thisamericanlife.org/">here</a>, the title is Bad Bank. Warning - the explanations are pretty basic, so I don't recommend it if you think you already have a pretty good handle on it.<br /><br />Finally, I'm heading to Japan on Saturday for spring break! So excited.tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-21904300613213588012009-02-18T10:27:00.006-05:002009-05-21T23:59:56.754-04:00B-School Checklist<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Over the course of the year, I've come to rely on some essential items that help me get through business school with my sanity intact. If you are headed for b-school this fall, you may want to pick up these highly recommended items:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Smart Phone</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I love my <a href="http://www.apple.com/iphone/">iPhone</a>. Not only because it is cool, but because it really helps me navigate my crazy business school schedule. I can check my email, manage my calendar, and even sign up for interview slots while I'm on the go (or, er, in class ...). </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">A few times, I was meeting a person I had never met, and I could easily look them up on Facebook to see what they looked like. </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">If you are blackberry person, I recommend going for one that can get the real internet. It is truly life changing to have internet at your finger tips! </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wireless Headphones<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">If you are planning to live with a spouse or roommate, these will make your life a lot easier. We waited to long to get these, but once we did they were key! Now my husband can watch the game, while I still get a quiet apartment to work in.<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001FTVEK?ie=UTF8&tag=tismbbl-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0001FTVEK">Sennheiser RS120 926 MHz Wireless RF Headphones with Charging Cradle</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tismbbl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0001FTVEK" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Zip Fizz<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);">Lack of sleep is par for the course in bschool. I found a great alternative to coffee called Zip Fizz. It's a powder combo of caffeine and vitamins that you mix with water. This stuff has a small but devoted following at Wharton. You can buy it cheaply at Amazon or Costco.<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VHTKG2?ie=UTF8&tag=tismbbl-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000VHTKG2">Zipfizz-Healthy Energy Drink Mix, 30 Tubes Variety Pack</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tismbbl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000VHTKG2" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Pandora<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I have this on my iPhone, and it has been a lifesaver at times when I've been trying to finish a paper or study for an exam in a distracting spot. All I need is a good station to drown out the noise and I can focus.<br /><a href="http://www.pandora.com">www.Pandora.com</a></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><br /></span><br /><br /></span></span></span></span>tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-86183769729804960102009-02-07T17:45:00.003-05:002009-02-07T18:17:09.684-05:00Take a DIP in the Self-Doubt PoolWe've just completed the dedicated interview period (DIP), which is a two-week period when all core courses are cancelled to give first-years the chance to "dedicate" themselves to interviewing for internships. Most companies therefore come to campus for first rounds during these two weeks. To say that we have been dedicated to interviewing is a gross understatement. I swear my life has transformed into one long interview. I answer all questions in the STAR format, my wardrobe has consisted of nothing but 2 interview suits and 3 dress shirts, and I have memorized the artwork on the walls of every waiting area the McNeil interview dungeon.<br /><br />For months we've been building to this point. We've been feeling good about ourselves for so long. We are here at Wharton, one of the most elite schools in the world, and we are proud. We are leaders, strategic thinkers, highly desired by recruiters from every industry and function. Despite the economic disaster that is palpable all around us, we were confident that our hard work, preparation, and passion would get us fabulous summer internships, which would lead to full-time offers. <br /><br />Two weeks later, what a difference. We've all experienced rejection - whether it was a "you have not been invited to interview" or a "we will unfortunately not be able to move forward with you in the second round process, but we hope you will keep in touch with us" or a "while your qualifications and experience are certainly impressive, we regret that we are not able to offer you a position." Even though we knew it would happen, its still pretty tough to know that the company you've been building a relationship with over the last 4 months is just not that into you. It's a harsh switch - for months the companies have been inviting us to get to know them better, feeding us, inviting us to their offices, and generally wining and dining us. Then suddenly in that little interview room it is now us trying to prove ourselves to them. And they are interviewing 17 people for 2 spots. One single 45 minute conversation decides your fate. <br /><br />There is definitely some good news to go around, but there has been a lot more disappointment. A whole lot of people are not going to be working in their first choice industry over the summer, let alone their first choice company. It's been quite a reality check. I am exhausted, but I am one of the lucky ones. I got an offer, one I really wanted! But so many of my friends didn't.tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-84224173981686462062009-01-11T12:22:00.001-05:002009-01-11T12:24:35.639-05:00Guest Post: Bad Dancer gives it the old college tryIn my 1st, and only, <a href="http://tinydancermba.blogspot.com/2008/08/guest-post-threes-crowd.html">post</a>, I talked about how much fun pre-term was and how I was getting fat from drinking so much beer. Well, needless to say, 1st semester wasn’t quite the same party as pre-term, at least for her. <br /><br />Now don’t get me wrong, the social scene at Wharton has been fantastic - between half-dressed pub crawls, happy hours, Thursday night parties and the Wharton Prom (at least I called it that), I had a great time. The major difference was how freakin’ hard Tiny worked, day-in and day-out. Not only was the rigor of schoolwork quite overwhelming, but between extracurriculars (Tiny has joined an MBA record 38 clubs), applications for internships, a variety of other random activities…man she worked her a$% off. <br /><br />For example, Tiny and I are die-hard Phillies fans and we’ve been waiting for a season like this past one for almost 30 years. During our World Series run in October, it took everything in her power to take a 3 hour break from studying to watch each game. Tiny was even studying at a local bar before game 3, with dozens of other hammered Phillies fans around screaming and yelling and carrying-on! (note: she did take a few extra hours off to drink champagne on Broad Street when we won).<br /><br />So, let’s get to me. Even though Tiny was working herself into a frenzy, I had a great 4 months. I played football with her Cohort and felt really welcomed by her classmates, we went to some great parties, had couples dinners with a lot of really interesting old, married people like ourselves, and I even started hanging out with a few of Tiny’s friends, even while she was home studying. <br /><br />My experience was so good, I decided to apply. Last Wednesday, I hit submit and sent in my application for Fall 2009 admittance. Of all the great things I witnessed about Wharton these past few months, I’m not totally sure what made me decide to apply. Of all the excellent aspects of Wharton I’ve seen, #1 has to be the quality of people that Tiny is in school with. The amazing variety of personalities and diverse backgrounds, the good nature and intense bonding between classmates and how ridiculously brilliant most of them are, were all inspiring reasons to try and be a part of that culture (disclaimer: I am geographically challenged since Tiny will be in Philly for at least 1.5 more years and our long term plans are to stay in Philly, I couldn’t exactly explore the similarities of other great programs).<br /><br />Now unfortunately, my GMAT score is nowhere near what Tiny’s was and falls slightly outside the Wharton middle-80th percent. Maybe I have a 5, 10, 15% chance of getting in? But I’m not worried – If I get in, amazing. If not, I’ll still get to share another year and change at Wharton with wifey and personally get a ton out of it.<br /><br />By the way, the other reason I want to get in is so I can go on the <a href="http://media.www.whartonjournal.com/media/storage/paper201/news/2004/01/26/Insider/Trek-To.Antarctica.Leadership.And.Cold.Feet-587556.shtml">Antarctica trek</a>. I don’t give a crap about Finance, I want to hike across our southern pole and bring home a penguin as a pet. I’m sure it’d do well in the bathtub of our Center City apartmenttinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-72529907628604842092008-12-31T12:12:00.006-05:002009-01-01T11:41:26.772-05:00What a YearWow. So much has happened in the last year that I can't believe how far I've come. Last year at this time, I had just found out I'd been admitted to Wharton. I was trying to figure out what to do with myself for the next 6 months. Today, I'm savoring a much-needed break and trying not to worry about whether I will score an internship offer and how hard the next semester will be academically. Night and day. Let's do a little year in review, shall we?<br /><br />Wharton: Since I didn't post much about Wharton at all this semester, it's difficult to sum up. But I'll try to summarize the highlights:<br />I drank a lot. Maybe even more than I did as a Penn State senior. And I dressed in silly outfits more than a person probably should.<br />I passed MGEC and Accounting! Still waiting on a lot of grades, but I think I managed not to fail anything (fingers crossed).<br />I dropped 13 resumes and so far have 1 interview (that I won in bidding).<br />I became hyper-involved. So much so that I probably overdid it, but I wouldn't change a thing.<br />I challenged myself to step out of my comfort zone.<br />I blew off way more than I'd typically be comfortable with. Being that busy meant a lot of things just didn't fit in. Like sleep. And laundry.<br />I discovered <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VHTKG2?ie=UTF8&tag=tismbbl-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000VHTKG2">Zipfizz</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tismbbl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000VHTKG2" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />.<br />I realized that even a somewhat scaled back social life is still pretty expensive.<br />I finally started to get the hang of this networking thing.<br />I learned a lot about business, which is what I am here for in the first place!<br /><br />Sports: This year has been, by far, my best sports year ever. My co-ed softball team won the championship for the 3rd time last summer (although I missed the championship because I was taking the math test!). My cohort won the flag football championship. I won in fantasy football. Penn State finally beat Michigan and won the Big Ten Championship and is playing in the Rose Bowl tomorrow. The Eagles, despite a somewhat wretched season, managed to pull off an unlikely historic win against Dallas to sneak into the playoffs (and send the Cowgirls home). And of course, the Philadelphia Phillies ended a 25-year drought for Philadelphia to become the world champions of baseball. Ah, I loved 2008!<br /><br />P.S. Hi Arthur!tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-53362405710941240182008-12-14T18:44:00.003-05:002008-12-14T19:00:08.044-05:00FinalsI just don't have the motivation I used to have for taking finals. I feel similar to <a href="http://tombaornot.blogspot.com/2008/12/fall-quarter-finals.html">maybemba</a>, who said exams feel juvenile at this age. I definitely feel too old to be doing this. I am trying not to stress too much. I reached a high level of stress last week when I finally reached the end of my resume drops, only to realize that it was 7pm and I had an Accounting final at noon the next day (and had not studied at all yet). From that point I realized that stressing is not going to help me. Truthfully, grades mean little to me now with grade non-disclosure. I came here to learn and proving I've done so on an exam is just not important to me. So I'm just trying to do enough to pass. Or at least, I'm trying to get myself to treat studying that way, but I invariably stay up too late or start to get upset at points when I realize how much work I have to do ...<br />The nice thing is all my hard finals (accounting, linear programming) were last week. The remaining ones are open book or take home, so I just need to make sure I understand the concepts and get organized enough to be able to find stuff in my notes during the exam. My biggest obstacle is just getting myself to sit down and do it! I want to watch football and drink hot chocolate!tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-45788042471127057502008-12-07T18:08:00.004-05:002008-12-07T18:11:01.544-05:00ApplicationsWharton has a cool system that allows us to apply to jobs online. Unfortunately, there are only a few days when applications are due, which means that they tend to clump together. Plus, many of the applications require filling out another application on the companies website. And we all know how un-fun those are. Ugh, I am not happy right now!tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-23310815736139503002008-12-03T11:24:00.005-05:002008-12-03T11:32:11.154-05:00New Book ReviewThe nice people at MBA Admissions Strategy sent me a copy of their book a long time ago, but I haven't had any time to post a review. In my opinion, this book is really great. I wish that I had it when I was applying. It has some really great insight into the strategies that you should use when creating your applications. It goes into everything from identifying your themes to approaching the most common types of essay questions. Other books are great for tactical advice (what to do when, how to go about it, etc), but this book mirrors my own personal philosophy about how you need to think about each step in order to create the best application for yourself. Highly recommended. In fact, I gave this book to a special someone that is applying this year. Check it out (link below to amazon where you can see the 5 star rating!)<br /><br /><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=tismbbl-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0335218903&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-88051215955353968182008-12-03T10:49:00.004-05:002008-12-03T11:01:39.862-05:00Long Time ....... no Blog! Dear readers, I am so sorry to have abandoned you, as I am sure you missed hearing about my exploits here at Wharton. Well, I can only say that I have only been this crazy busy once in my life (during one particular consulting project), but this time it is a lot more fun. I've had an amazing semester. I learned a lot, met amazing people, made wonderful friends, and experienced a few inspirational victories. At the same time, I've experienced a lot of stress, wasted countless dollars on un-read bulk packs and text books, wondered why the hell I am doing this to myself, and thanked the Wharton gods for grade-nondisclosure. It has truly been a roller coaster ride, but I regret none of it. <br /><br />I can't really express how busy I've been. A coworker warned me that a friend of his virtually disappeared for 2 years when he went here, but I figured it couldn't be that bad. I had majored in engineering, that was hard. This might be a lot of work, but it wouldn't be hard, right? Wrong! It IS a ton of work and it IS hard. The only reason I have time to write right now is because I should be working on a cover letter (ah, procrastination). But somehow, I have found a little time for "networking" with my classmates and, hopefully, my career activities will get me a summer internship. Of course, that assumes that the sky is not falling and employers will actually be hiring. Not a given these days. I've learned to ignore the bail-outs and the bank failures and the doom doom doom coming from the news. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed that I'm not flushing $150K down the drain ...<br /><br />No, no, of course it is worth it even if I don't get a job. I think.tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-14738863736119557982008-10-15T13:33:00.004-04:002008-10-15T14:12:41.880-04:00BLOG ACTION DAY: Poverty In AmericaIt's easy for those of us in the position to attend one of the best business schools in the world to forget sometimes how lucky we are. We all worry about our return on investment of our tuition money, whether we can afford that new interview suit, or how much to budget for party tickets and pitchers of beer. Economic downturns may have us questioning whether to take that ski trip over winter break or if we should really be spending money on those baseball playoff tickets (Go Phillies! Sorry, had to sneak that in).<br /><br />But the reality is that we are lucky to have these "problems" to worry about. Millions of Americans worry every day about how they will put food on the table, or whether rising gas prices means they have to get a new job because they can't afford to commute to their current one anymore. Politicians may talk about how much they care about "Joe Sixpack" or the suffering middle class families. But they rarely mention the true desperation of our country's poor. Some say that as a country we are only as good as our weakest link. We, as Americans, need to step up and remember our neediest neighbors. The simple things often help the most: volunteer at a soup kitchen or a food bank, donate to charity, anything. At this election time, we need to remember that we are ALL Americans, and we all have a responsibility to help take care of each other.<br /><br />Thanks for reading! <br /><script src="http://blogactionday.org/js/c1a5e205848b29dadc0a6b93546cd902c6446759"></script>tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-31481944404867733232008-10-12T15:41:00.002-04:002008-10-12T16:18:05.928-04:00"Riding Out" Recession is a MythIt's an age-old concept. The economy goes sour, so thousands of professional go back to business school to "hide" and "ride it out" for two years. If this is what you are thinking of doing, you are in for a rude awakening. The idea that current b-school students had great timing and are unaffected by this downturn is false. Although we are obviously not fearing lay-offs for ourselves, everything that is happening right now in the economy does not paint a pretty picture for us. <br /><br />Second years are interviewing right now for their full-time positions. As you can imagine, a lot of companies are canceling their recruiting or severely downsizing the number of positions they will offer (not to mention all the companies that suddenly don't exist anymore!). The fact that investment banking is typically a huge source of employment for Wharton grads is a serious concern for everyone. Even if you are not planning to go into banking, we all expect the competition for things like consulting and investment management to increase due to the migration of those folks to other opportunities. And when competition rises there, the trickle-down effect will almost definitely impact other career choices like marketing and general management. In other words, it's a total shake-up, and no one knows what to expect. <br /><br />For first years, we start meeting recruiters this month. The typical schedule means that we'll be interviewing for summer internship positions in Jan/Feb. Does anyone actually think things will be better by then? Highly doubtful. What about by this time next year? Maybe (we can hope!) but it's looking less and less likely by the day. That makes the idea of getting an internship that will lead to a full-time offer more and more important. But when companies are reducing internship opportunities to try to cut costs, we're looking at a much harder job search that's going to require a lot more work.<br /><br />Don't misunderstand - I am still optimistic. I'd rather be here at Wharton than many other schools. If companies reduce their number of offers, they will probably do so at other schools first. Many companies still see MBA recruiting as an investment, and therefore will make cuts elsewhere. Others may not have interviewed at Wharton before due to lack of interest by students, but they will come this year in anticipation of the shift I described above. Unless the bottom completely falls out of this economy, most of us still expect to have net gains from our time here. <br /><br />So what am I saying? I guess the current situation just makes the whole ROI of the MBA that much more important. If you were unsure that you needed an MBA before this whole mess unfolded, you should be looking even more carefully at the decision. If you are convinced, as I am, that an MBA from a top school will help you achieve your goals, even if the job prospects are diminished from previous years, then you should continue with your applications. Just be careful not to view this as a 2 year vacation.tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-30353044675685650912008-09-10T11:29:00.002-04:002008-09-10T12:02:04.145-04:00Essay AdviceMany of you are working on your essays now for R1, or maybe you are thinking about them for R2 and beyond. While I am by no means an expert, I do feel that I am a good writer and I was happy with my essays. I don't think I was a "slam dunk" candidate (despite a high GMAT, it really is just 1 data point, albeit an important one), so I believe my essays were probably the differentiating factor for me. I also paid a lot of attention during the application process to what <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">adcom's</span> were saying about what they look for. So here is what I learned. I hope this helps some people.<br /><br />1. Show IMPACT. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Adcoms</span> don't want people who are going to pass all their classes and that's it. They want people who are not only going to be engaged, but are going to have an impact on their classmates and into their careers. So don't give a laundry list of your job responsibilities. That's for the resume, and you don't need to repeat it in your essays. Show how you had an impact on your company, your project, your group outside of work, yourself. Impress them with your actions and your accomplishments, not your title. They've seen a lot of titles.<br />2. Focus on how you will contribute. Yes, schools want to know why you love them. You definitely need to show your fit with the program and why you are applying there. I believe this only gets you halfway there. Smarter applicants then link this to why the school should want them. Discuss the unique perspectives you'll bring to your classes. Discuss ways that you'll leave the school better than it was before you came. This is a great way to differentiate yourself from similar applicants that don't quite "get it". If you aren't sure how to do this, try putting yourself in the position of the reader, perhaps a student reader. Why is that student, who has his/her own impressive background, going to want you as a classmate? <br />3. Don't just describe your goals. Describe WHY they are your goals. Explain how everything you've done so far has led you to this point. Don't leave <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">adcom</span> wondering, connect the dots for them.<br />4. Tell good stories. Don't be afraid to open up. Remember that application readers are people, and all people like reading stories. If your essays are just fluffed up resumes, your reader will be bored. If you are an exceptional applicant with alumni parents that donated a building, this won't matter. But if you are not (and most of us are not), you need to differentiate yourself as much as you can. Try to write something that is enjoyable to read. But don't force it with gimmicks, like random quotes or dictionary definitions. Just try to be your authentic self, and the rest will come. You are interesting, show it.<br />5. Prioritize and make cuts. If you are a strong applicant, you have loads of leadership examples, extra-curricular activities, accomplishments, etc. You can't fit them all in, so don't try. You need to keep the best stuff that tells the best story in. Let the rest fall away or leave it to a brief mention somewhere in a data sheet. It's so easy to want to make sure the reader knows that in addition to starting a charity and running a professional club, that you also volunteered for the special <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">olympics</span> every year while you were in college. Of course these are all good things, but what value is the special <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">olympics</span> example bringing when you've already showed that you are volunteer-minded and a self-starter? Try to keep the law of diminishing returns in mind. Leaving some stuff out leaves you more space to reflect deeper on the most valuable points.tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-53401617578588384072008-08-31T12:46:00.001-04:002008-08-31T12:49:27.131-04:00Guest Post: Three's a Crowd?Just call me BadDancer - Tiny Dancer's 'partner'<br /><br />Nine months ago, when Wifey got into Wharton, I had a bunch of comments thrown my way by friends and family that gave me pause: <br /><br />From my brother - "Ohhhh, now you'll have a Sugar Momma"<br />My friends - "You going to be a stay at home Dad?"<br />My grandmother - "What about grandkids? I'm not going to be around forever"<br />My parents - "How are you going to pay for this???"<br /><br />While TinyD's post-Wharton salary would certainly surpass mine, I was totally cool not being the breadwinner. I also liked the thought of stay at home Husband, raising TinyDancer, Jr., with days full of watching SportsCenter, teaching TinyDancer, Jr. the minutia of a curve ball and learning to cook. (Just replace Sports Center with Oprah and I figured that's what stay at home Mom's do). <br /><br />But as the start of pre-term at Wharton drew near and I learned more about our next 2 years of B-School, I got a little nervous. Move from our 2,000 sq ft house into an 850 sq ft apartment in Center City, full days of classes, hours and hours of group work and studying, tons of extracurricular clubs, interviewing for internships and full-time jobs, guest speakers, learning team retreat, winter break global treks, etc. etc, etc. <br /><br />Holy crap. When again was I supposed to see my wife? Would she ever be home for dinner? How many frozen burritos could I possibly take? Would I be included in any of this stuff or would I want to be involved? How in the hell would we be able to afford $150G's in just two years??? It was a little scary.<br /><br />I was beginning to think that three's a crowd. Wifey and I had a great life together and Wharton was going to be the third wheel. Yeah, long term benefits aside...the next two years might really suck and we'd be in major debt to boot. Then after graduation, Wifey would get some crazy cool job and we'd be up and moving again to a far away place and I'd just be along for the ride. Maybe I'd be the third wheel since she'd be spending most of her time with Wharton.<br /><br />Now don't get me wrong, TinyD and I talked about this quite a bit. She told me it wasn't going to be that bad, she'd try and come home and make dinner, I could be involved in some of the fun stuff and she wanted to stay near Philly after graduation. I also was told about the Wharton Partner's Club and I could make friends with some of the other 'partners' (that word gives me chills, probably the subject of a future guest post if TinyD lets me write again). But going into pre-term, I wasn't convinced.<br /><br />Well, I can say, Wharton passed the 1st test. I know pre-term is much less of a time commitment than the 1st Semester, but I had an absolute blast. TinyD worked really hard, but we went out and partied with her classmates ALOT, met some great people, did some really fun activities and loved living in the city. Honestly, I haven't drank this much or stayed up this late since College...and overall, it was great. It actually got to the point where I needed Friday or Saturday night to recover from parties from Tuesday through Thursday.<br /><br />I'm sure my opinion would be different if I was a partner moving to Philly from far away or internationally, but not all that much. <br /><br />To all potential future Wharton husbands - don't spend too much time feeling bad for yourselves that your wives are smarter, going to be more successful, etc. Enjoy the next two years for all that they are...and try and meet a really smart Wharton grad to hook you up with a sweet job and maybe Philadelphia Eagles club box seats.<br /><br />Sidenote - I do need to start going to the gym. I'm going to get a major beer gut unless I start working off the extra liquid carbs.tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-84694580748428618002008-08-30T15:30:00.005-04:002008-08-30T15:41:04.188-04:00Hello, My Name IsOne of the best things about Wharton so far is the large number of name tags for different events I've accumulated. I haven't yet found a use for them, but I'm sure I'll come up with one soon. Ideas are welcome. Here's the list:<br /><br />Explore Wharton: Diversity in Action (This is my favorite one because I wasn't sure if it was going to be the only time I had my name on something that said Wharton. Aw.)<br />Wharton Winter Welcome<br />Wharton Welcome Weekend<br />Wharton Health Care Conference<br />Wharton Pre-Term<br />Wharton Learning Team Retreat<br />And my fav ...<br />My shiny new professional Wharton name tag that make me look like I work in a hotel.<br /><br />EDIT: Yes I know that I just identified two as my favorite. I can have two favorites if I want! It's my blog!tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-24675113142565207252008-08-16T12:24:00.003-04:002008-08-16T12:28:21.980-04:00Calling All Bloggers!I just heard about a great idea called Blog Action Day. On October 15, thousands of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">bloggers</span> around the world (including me) will speak out about poverty. Options are wide open, all you have to do is blog that day and make the topic poverty. I hope a lot of B-school <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">bloggers</span> will participate. I'd really like to read all of your thoughts. <br /><br />Click on the graphic on the right to sign up!tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-19310989343526186022008-08-15T23:14:00.005-04:002008-08-16T12:29:28.475-04:00My Body is Rejecting WhartonToo much bar food + too much beer + too many shots + not enough sleep + stress * (falling behind on homework in every class + "did I pass the math test?" + complete confusion over Stat waiver class ) = unhappy body<br /><br />Let unhappy body = x<br />Let feeling of excitement and fulfillment in choice of MBA = f(x)<br />As x increases, y increases. But as value of x gets large, y is subject to diminishing returns. Recommendation: student should take night off, watch Olympics, and get extra sleep!<br /><br />Yes, I passed the math test.tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-81966096121163397522008-08-05T00:00:00.004-04:002008-08-05T00:07:59.934-04:00Busy BusyWow. I can't believe how quickly everything got so busy. I mean, I was expecting it, but I still feel a little surprised. I guess I knew that I'd be going out almost every night, but I glossed over in my mind that we'd have real life classes during Pre-Term. Sure, there are no grades. But you still need to know the material because you can get tested on it in the Fall. Or, if you're trying to waive, the stakes are high because you need to pass that waiver exam. <div>Today I bought my first text books since undergrad. Actually, when I was in undergrad, I benefited from a sweet deal that got me free books each Fall. I was in the band, and a group of us performed in front of the downtown store on Friday nights before football games. In exchange - free books! I wish I could work out something similar here, but something tells me there will be no occasion to play my clarinet outside of the bookstore. At least, none that would inspire the owner to give me free textbooks ;)</div><div>Anyway, I'm already behind in my Math Camp homework (thankfully it does not get collected). I tried to read from my Managerial Economics book today, but I couldn't get through the chapter. My mind kept wandering. I used to be able to tear through this stuff once upon a time. I don't know why I'm struggling so much to turn myself back into a student. Sigh. I'm sure I'll get there eventually. </div>tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-80008952696232167952008-08-02T02:09:00.003-04:002008-08-02T02:28:43.761-04:00What are Wharton People Like?I feel like now that I've been here for a week+, I should comment on some of the things I've read about Wharton in the past. I guess every school has a reputation for what it's like, based on truth or perhaps not. I think a lot of what is said about a school can be true to some extent, but there's always more to it when you look closer. For instance, Wharton is known for being a Finance school. For sure, it is excellent in that area. But I feel like people decide not to apply there because they are not interested in Finance, and I think that's a shame. Wharton is so good at so many things, it's just that Finance tends to overshadow the rest and people don't hear about it. But I think "the rest" is actually still worthy of the Top 3 designation. I have zero interest in Finance, other than the necessity of learning what I need to know to be a good businessperson, yet I feel that there is no better school for me than Wharton. <div>Another thing that perplexes me is the tendency for people to say that Wharton people are a certain way. We are supposedly all "quant jocks" ... that is news to me judging by how many of us seem to be thoroughly confused by logarithms in our basic math class, but I digress. Also many of us are supposed to be super-competitive ... I'm also scratching my head on that one since the vast majority of students favor grade nondisclosure because they don't want to be competing with their classmates for grades. Oh, and many of us are a-holes. Seriously, I must be at the wrong Wharton. Yeah, anywhere you go, there will be some crappy people. But I am just not feeling an a-hole vibe here AT ALL. Everyone I've met is incredibly nice, rather humble, and eager to learn about their classmates. I have never felt that anyone was "sizing me up," as I read on a BW post. More often people are too busy commenting that they don't know how they got in with all the incredible students here. </div><div>I'm not trying to be a cheerleader for Wharton in this post. I just feel that I need to counter some of the stuff out there that might discourage some people from applying. If you have heard any of the above things about Wharton and you were turned off, I encourage you to take another look. Come visit us. See what our culture and students are really like. Do the same for other schools. I think there is much more to all of them than what you might expect.</div>tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-27824264898727507442008-07-31T08:48:00.001-04:002008-07-31T08:50:04.511-04:00Pre-Term is in Full SwingI know I've been light on posting lately. I haven't had much to talk about. Now I have a million things to talk about, but no time to do it! My days have been totally packed. Thank goodness for my new iPhone (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">wuhoo</span>!) and always having my calendar on me!<br /><br />I'll try to post again soon.tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-60153862471224971812008-07-28T00:23:00.003-04:002008-07-28T00:38:12.027-04:00Wharton and MathI spent a lot of time this summer trying to brush up on calculus. Wharton has a math test during Pre-Term, which mainly includes calculus concepts applied to business problems. You have to pass in order to matriculate (but you get 2 tries). So I read a business calculus book because I last looked at calculus about 10 years ago, and I never had word problems. Then I did the assessment test on the web, which helps you decide which math review class to take to prepare for the test. My score was pretty horrible, so I was kinda worried. But then I asked around and found out that most people hadn't even looked at the assessment test. So I felt better, but also a little like a nerd. I need to chill a little, lest I become one of those poor souls who cares too much about grades!*<br /><br />*At Wharton, and I suspect other schools that have grade non-disclosure (Wharton doesn't have GND as a policy anymore, but the student association votes to have it as a student policy), you will often see 2nd years advising 1st years not to worry too much about grades. As long as you pass, your grades really don't matter because they won't be a factor in recruiting. Of course, you want to learn, but there is no need to go for a super-high GPA for any reason other than an ego boost. GND fosters a sense of community and cooperation among students, because it theoretically stops people from scratching and clawing their way to #1 in the class. It also, theoretically, gives you permission to pry yourself away from academics enough to socialize and participate in clubs. But there are always some students who care very much about grades (many would argue too much) and end up studying way more than everyone else. These people miss out on stuff. I don't want to be one of those people. But as your standard-issue-overachiever-Wharton-admit, I have a feeling it will be hard to really convince myself "that grades don't matter."tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-91053383024221163242008-07-18T23:58:00.002-04:002008-07-19T00:05:20.881-04:00So It BeginsI can't believe it. Pre-Term arrives in a little over a week. People are already in town and planning get-togethers. It's a little strange to think about starting school in July. Friends and family keep asking me "When do you start?" and literally every time I tell them, the response is "So soon?" What can I say, Wharton is a little thorough about preparing us to start the program. I'm kinda glad. I'm paying a lot of freakin money for this degree. I want it to be a rigorous program! I'm not sure that I'll have the same sentiment as I sit down to the math test in August (readers attending other schools just thought "Math test?!?!" Yes. Math test.) But I'm not worried about the Math Test (well not TOO worried). There is a class that's meant to prepare me for it. I'm more worried about adjusting to the academics in general. I simply have not studied for anything other than the GMAT in 7 years. I think I forgot how.tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-51147114326237389302008-07-08T10:24:00.006-04:002008-07-08T11:44:25.756-04:00Three book RecommendationsDuring my time off, I've been trying to get some reading done. Somehow, I never succeed as much as I want to, but I have managed to finish a few books that I wanted to share with you.<div><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591841003?ie=UTF8&tag=tismbbl-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1591841003">All Marketers Are Liars: The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tismbbl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1591841003" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /></div><div>Since I'm interested in marketing, I've been reading a few books on the subject. This one really struck me as a good source for MBA applicants. First of all, very early in the book, the author Seth Godin admits that he lied with the title of the book. All marketers are not liars, he says, but the good ones tell authentic stories that we want to believe. From the amazon description of the book: "Every marketer tells a story. And if they do it right, we believe them. We believe that wine tastes better in a $20 glass than a $1 glass. We believe that an $80,000 Porsche Cayenne is vastly superior to a $36,000 VW Touareg, which is virtually the same car. We believe that $225 Pumas will make our feet feel better-and look cooler-than $20 no-names . . . and believing it makes it true." "Marketers succeed when they tell us a story that fits our worldview, a story that we intuitively embrace and then share with our friends. Think of the Dyson vacuum cleaner or the iPod." How can this help you with your applications? Imagine the readers on the admissions committee. They read hundreds or thousands of applications each year. How are you going to make in impression? I don't believe that it's through a couple of high scores and some A-list employers. No doubt these things might help your application, but I believe the most memorable applicants tell a good story. And not just good stories in each essay, but their whole application is a story that, put together, gives adcom a clear pictures of what that person is all about. How can you do this with your application? Well first, I recommend reading the book for inspiration. Imagine yourself as a "product" that you are "marketing" to adcom. Put together your elevator pitch - a few sentences that sum up the picture you want adcom to have in their head about you after reading your application. Keep it near you whenever you are working on a portion of the application, to make sure everything you write is consistent with that pitch. For instance - does your elevator pitch say that you are going to be a contributor to your class? You should probably show in your application how you are already a contributor in your job, your volunteer work, your extra curricular activities, etc. In other words, show that you are already living the story. Note: It's worth mentioning that I'm not advocating that you actually <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">lie</span> on your application. Not only is it unethical (obviously), but I think that adcom are very good at picking up on this. It is a rare person that can lie about themselves in writing and actually sound authentic. Be honest about yourself and who you are, and it will resonate. </div><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307406199?ie=UTF8&tag=tismbbl-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0307406199">You're So Money: Live Rich, Even When You're Not</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tismbbl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0307406199" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br /><div>I met the author of this book, Farnoosh Torabi, at the <a href="http://tinydancermba.blogspot.com/2008/03/powerful-women-paving-way.html">women's conference I attended</a> at Penn State. Turns out my husband was in a group with her in his undergrad business classes. He was very excited to buy her book when it came out, but I ended up reading it first. I think I was in the perfect state of mind to read it, since I'm suddenly a lot "poorer" than I was a few months ago when I had a job and no huge loans! A lot of it is aimed more at those in their early twenties, but I definitely learned a lot and got some great ideas for how I can still have a fabulous life during this two years of less cash. And she gives you tips and tricks without seeming preachy like other personal finance books. She won't tell you to give up your latte, but she will challenge you to determine how important it is for you to have that latte AND the designer jeans of the season. There are chapters on buying a car, buying a cell phone, and buying real estate. There is also a chapter by Jim Cramer on stock speculation. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.expertcollective.com/">Secrets from Top MBA Admits</a></div><div>The author of this new eBook, Josh Hohman, a recent Stanford GSB grad, sent me an advance copy to review for possible interest to my audience. I read the whole thing last night, and I definitely think it could be a good resource for some applicants. The book is basically a report containing survey responses from recent admits from Stanford, Harvard, and Columbia. There are questions like "Describe the challenges you had in your application" and "What advice would you offer an applicant applying to your school." I think this book is a good supplement for the big application guidebooks you may be reading. It's not going to give you extensive advice and instructions, but it will provide you with some good profiles of successful applicants to give you a feel for what it takes to get in. There are profiles of students with low GMAT scores (below 650!), no work experience, non-traditional backgrounds, and some students who claim they had no "wow factor" but still got in. There is also a lot of advice and information specific to Stanford, which could be very valuable to those targeting this school. (There is nothing about Wharton though - Josh should definitely expand to Wharton and other schools in his next edition!) If you follow the link to the website, <a href="http://www.ExpertCollective.com">www.ExpertCollective.com</a>, and provide your email address, Josh will send you a free preview copy that lets you see the questions that are included in the survey with a some examples of responses. If you like it, the full version is available for purchase. </div><div>Disclaimer: The author did offer me compensation for linking to his book. However, I would definitely not recommend this to my readers if I did not think it would be a good resource. I recommend downloading the free preview and checking it out for yourself. </div>tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3504985822992705198.post-75769334128388796022008-07-03T10:54:00.006-04:002008-07-03T11:46:09.318-04:00Ode to Philadelphia: Living HereI can't believe it's been more than a month since we moved in. I guess the move and post-move activity was so intense that it's only really be a few weeks since we've been "settled." We're still unpacking, but that's another story.<div><br /></div><div>Anyway, I thought I'd resurrect my Ode to Philadelphia series now that I am a real live resident at last. Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first, so we can end on a good note!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Ugly:</span> As easy as it is to get complacent once you are used to your environment, every once in awhile you get a reminder that no matter where you are, you have to be smart about safety. There was an attempted rape about 3 blocks from my apartment the other night. A woman was returning home from a party alone, late at night, and a man followed her. Normally, this is a really safe area, so of course people are very upset and police are warning us to be smart and careful. I think the important takeaways are: 1) Never get lazy about safety. Women shouldn't walk home alone late at night in ANY city (or any town or rural college campus for that matter). No matter how safe it seems to be, there can be crazy people anywhere. Cabs are plentiful - it's worth the $5! 2) In a weird way, this actually makes me feel better about the neighborhood. Let me explain: this wouldn't be getting so much attention if it were not so rare of an occurrence in this area. All evidence points to an isolated incident, so I'm going to take precautions and not worry about it.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Bad:</span> </div><div>Some of the typical city stuff - sirens, honking horns, etc. Although I'm pretty much used to those by now.</div><div>Philly is an old city, and much like New York or any city in Europe, it can be kinda smelly. Not everywhere, mind you. But every once in awhile you are reminded that you just walked near a sewer grate. Especially in the summer. I won't elaborate. </div><div>Also an old city thing - the roads are narrow. Trying to get around by car (and even by bike) is difficult and frustrating. Rush hour is to be avoided at all costs!</div><div>The sidewalks are kind of a mess. I mean, they are solid and certainly adequate. But they tend to slant in different directions in different spots, which is a nightmare for someone trying to walk in heels. My husband has not noticed this, by the way. </div><div>The ~4% wage tax! This doesn't affect students, obviously. But for those of us with working spouses, this is a really tough expense to swallow. This tax applies to anyone living in Philadelphia, even if you work outside of the city, like my husband.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Ok, Now the Good: </span></div><div>Fabulous Restaurants! There are so many within walking distance (and so many more within a short cab distance) that I want to try. From Five Guys Burgers and Fries to Le Bec Fin, pretty much any taste and budget can be satisfied here. I've mentioned it before, but it's worth telling you again that BYOBs are a fantastic way to save money on a night out.</div><div>Bars! There are so many great ones. I'm looking forward to the Wharton social life.</div><div>Shopping! Well I can't really afford to do it now, but there are plenty of interesting places to spend your money along Walnut and Chestnuts streets. I can't wait until I have my internship salary ;)</div><div>Center City Sips. This is a summer thing in Center City. Restaurants and bars all around CC have really cheap drink and appetizers for happy hour on Wednesday night. It's a great way to try out an expensive place, like Brasserie Perrier, without spending a lot of money. Student friendly!</div><div>Walking to Everything I Need: The bank, the library, the post office, the grocery store. Everything is within walking distance, and many things are even just within a block's walk. I love it!</div><div>The Atmosphere. I'll just give you an example. Last night, when Hubby arrived home, we started hearing curious sounds outside. We opened the windows to listen, and determined that there must be a concert somewhere. We decided to take a walk and check it out. We got downstairs and started strolling. There were people everywhere, walking along with shopping bags, sitting outside at bars and restaurants, walking their dogs, etc. We walked over to Rita's Water Ice to get a little dessert, and noticed that across the street there was a small group of teenagers playing jazz music in between two casual restaurants where people were sitting outside. We decided this wasn't what we heard from our window. We headed toward Broad Street. We noticed a band playing in the lobby of the Kimmel Center. We kept going and finally found our source. It was a pre-4th of July event. At least 3 bands were playing on different blocks along Broad Street, and various food and arts and crafts tent lined the sidewalk. We took it all in, then headed back to Rittenhouse Square. The park was loaded with a diverse range of people and dogs enjoying the lovely night. A bit reluctantly, we returned home to attend to our mundane evening chores. </div><div><br /></div><div>So yeah, I'm really loving our new digs. It's tough to have a small apartment, and I'm kinda missing my garden a little. But it's so much fun to be here in the middle of all the excitement of the city. I really recommend that anyone who is thinking they might not like living here for two years just give it one visit. I believe you'll be pleasantly surprised!</div>tinydancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372312757559923014noreply@blogger.com7