One Road Ends While Another Begins

It's been fun reading about the internships that some 2012s have been involved with this summer. As for us 2011s, we have to start real life again - but not without putting up a bit of a fight before that day comes. We said goodbye to SOM at the end of May after two months of nightly celebrations. With jobs lined up, we embarked on what will likely be our final summer vacations. Some toured the US, and others explored southeast Asia. Some went home, and others found a new home. Some had babies, and others prepared for their little ones to arrive. I had the privilege of traveling with four of my classmates to Tanzania for three weeks in what became an epic vacation. We summited Kilimanjaro, photographed large animals in the Serengeti, and enjoyed the history and beaches of Zanzibar. Now all of that is over and real life begins momentarily. I've moved to the west coast and will start my new job one week from today. I can't say enough about the last two years. I learned more about business, leadership, and myself than I ever expected. I made life-long friends. I met (and debated) industry titans. I had a lot of fun. An SOM education isn't just a business education or a management education, it teaches you to become a responsible and effective leader to all the stakeholders around you - from employees, shareholders, and board members to customers, competitors, and society. And that, as John Metz noted in his graduation remarks, was well worth the price of admissions. It's been a great run, I've enjoyed sharing part of it with the readers of this blog, and I wish you all the best. -JK