THE UPSIDE OF MY SIDE
Darden turned right-side-up really caters to its students. It does a fabulous job through team collaboration, rigorous job recruiting, critical thinking via the case method, and through overall collective participation. As a result of it all, Darden is entrenched with very long hours and often late nights. While the Darden experience is truly rewarding for the students, I wasn't sure whether I'd fit into this tight-knit community.
Unlike many of my counterparts, I did not strategize the rigorous route towards determining which business school to attend. I did not carefully target specific schools while equally balancing my list of “safety,” “medium,” and “reach” programs. I did not scour the Internet and GMATclub.com daily in order to reconcile my plans to potentially fund my future education. I just watched and remained supportive as this process unfolded for my significant other.
I didn’t expect to be living in Charlottesville, VA, a year ago today. I didn’t expect to be furthering my career in a new job. I didn’t expect to leave my best friends and family in New York and New Jersey, but I also wouldn’t change any of it for a thing.
Unlike many of my counterparts, I did not strategize the rigorous route towards determining which business school to attend. I did not carefully target specific schools while equally balancing my list of “safety,” “medium,” and “reach” programs. I did not scour the Internet and GMATclub.com daily in order to reconcile my plans to potentially fund my future education. I just watched and remained supportive as this process unfolded for my significant other.
I didn’t expect to be living in Charlottesville, VA, a year ago today. I didn’t expect to be furthering my career in a new job. I didn’t expect to leave my best friends and family in New York and New Jersey, but I also wouldn’t change any of it for a thing.
I called this, Darden Flipside because here I am, now at Darden. I, however, am on a different side of the experience. I am a local Darden Partner, which means I moved to Charlottesville with my Darden student. I am also a Darden employee as I now work as Program Manager for the i.Lab Incubator.
Things came together for me when I attended Darden Days in April. While the goal was to woo accepted students through tailored events of interest, Darden brilliantly schemed to equally include Darden partners in the process. As I arrived, I was directed towards the Darden Partners Association or DPA. I was warmly greeted immediately by a sea of particularly pleasant second year partners. Easily, they persuaded me to spend my Darden Days away from my student and into their arms. It was a love story really. With each additional conversation and every new encounter, I fell in love with everything about Darden. The town shifted from "small" to "quaint" and the place I where I thought I wouldn't fit in, suddenly became the place I had to be.
The DPA planned such a well-thought out schedule of events that NJ soon became an easier place to retreat. My favorite Darden Days memory probably was my visit to the downtown farmers market. I was in awe of one destination filled with so many of my favorite things. Today, I subsequently spend most of my Saturday mornings hunting the vendor who makes THE BEST granola I've ever tasted in my life! It's my new addiction and he's now come to expect my eager visits and brief chats.
Things came together for me when I attended Darden Days in April. While the goal was to woo accepted students through tailored events of interest, Darden brilliantly schemed to equally include Darden partners in the process. As I arrived, I was directed towards the Darden Partners Association or DPA. I was warmly greeted immediately by a sea of particularly pleasant second year partners. Easily, they persuaded me to spend my Darden Days away from my student and into their arms. It was a love story really. With each additional conversation and every new encounter, I fell in love with everything about Darden. The town shifted from "small" to "quaint" and the place I where I thought I wouldn't fit in, suddenly became the place I had to be.
The DPA planned such a well-thought out schedule of events that NJ soon became an easier place to retreat. My favorite Darden Days memory probably was my visit to the downtown farmers market. I was in awe of one destination filled with so many of my favorite things. Today, I subsequently spend most of my Saturday mornings hunting the vendor who makes THE BEST granola I've ever tasted in my life! It's my new addiction and he's now come to expect my eager visits and brief chats.
I don't know exactly how it happened but I soon acknowledged the upside of Darden. I began a rigorous process, with the help of the DPA, to find a pathway toward Charlottesville.
I now know, the Darden community has multiple facets to find your way in. I can't wait to share my experiences with you. I hope you enjoy my blog and I'll catch you on the flip side!
~Shivon Christina
I now know, the Darden community has multiple facets to find your way in. I can't wait to share my experiences with you. I hope you enjoy my blog and I'll catch you on the flip side!
~Shivon Christina