In the span of a little over a month I’ve:
Quit my job and moved to London? Check.
Rode on a mechanical bull for the first time? Check.
Watched the International Skate Competition live, where Patrick Chan made a new world record? Check.
Met a group of totally awesome classmates, and to have what is shaping to be the best year of my life? PRICELESS.
I submitted my Ivey application on last day of the 4th round, literally with hours to go before the final cut-off. Upon accepting my offer, I joined the Ivey 2014 Facebook page, which is a great tool for all incoming students to connect to each other as well as the current graduating class, to ask for anything from housing advice to meeting up for a game of basketball. I was honestly taken back at how friendly everyone was and willing to provide a helping hand. One of the first decisions I had to make was whether to sign up for PKP. Given the cost of the program, it was tempting to stay in Toronto to work another month (every bit helps when you’re a poor starving student) – how glad I am that I didn’t. Aside from a refresher in accounting, economics and statistics, PKP is a wonderful opportunity to get to know your classmates in a stress free environment.
The 2013 Orientation Committee has done a great job coordinating a number of events for the incoming class, ranging from games night, movie night, a flip cup tournament, and even bowling! On top of that, there’s been a ton of class organized events including supporting a classmate’s open mic performance, sushi dinner (40 of us took over a tiny sushi restaurant), a St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl, weekend parties, and the list goes on. There has honestly been something going on every night since the beginning of March, and more often than not, there’s always a good turnout. One problem I’ve struggled with is trying to remember everyone’s names given the sheer number of people and to have met them all in such a short timeframe. Let’s be honest, especially after a few drinks, it’s just gets that much harder! Thank goodness for the in-class name plates and of course Facebook!
Things have been moving non-stop and I’m enjoying every single moment of it. As we approach the final stretch of PKP, I feel bittersweet that it’s ending, but I look forward to the things to come in the upcoming year!
About Winnie:
Winnie has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto. Post-graduation, she worked for the Government of Ontario in a variety of roles including accounting and business planning. After the completion of her MBA, Winnie plans to pursue a career in management consulting. In her spare time, she enjoys blogging and is an avid yoga enthusiast.