The last two weeks of the program were dedicated to the most anticipated class, finance. Finance has the reputation of being by far the most difficult content, and with only two weeks to learn and be assessed, there’s little room for error. It was a bit of an abrupt change going from complete freedom and time after class, cute aesthetic studying in a cafe, and lots of group dinners to independent studying for hours, lack of sleep, and quick Centra dinners. Collectively, we all were hesitant and anxious about finance hearing the stories of students failing, up studying until the wee hours of the morning. Spoiler, it was so much better than we expected. I had the pleasure of being taught by the wonderful Professor Skimmyhorn, who, I won’t lie, was super intimidating at first having a background in both West Point and Harvard. I fully expected to be behind and not understand any of the content. For context, in our orientation it was explained that the grading scale was altered so that an A was 80-100, B 70-80, etc. and that most students fail the first quiz, which is never a good sign. It turns out that our class all passed the first quiz, and really well! Out of the 8 total days we had class, 6 had some type of assessment, and we had a quiz on the very first class. If anything, this class was a bonding experience with us all trying to figure out how to do a case study the night before the course started and trying to print on campus for the first time when every building was closed. What was believed to be the hardest part of the program quickly became a stressful yet exhilarating experience. I won’t say it was completely easy, I did in fact study all day until 1 and wake up at 7 to study again most days. We had class from 9:30-3:00 with an hour break for lunch. But as a group, we did more than survive. We flourished! In between the blocks of studying I began to ease myself back into running, having taken months off of dance and any physical activity besides walking. Discovering a new running path each time made me appreciate the larger size of campus in comparison to William & Mary. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Colonial Williamsburg runs!! Fortunately or unfortunately, however you’d like to see it, I had my birthday on the second week of finance. It was the perfect storm of quizzes, my family in town, sleep exhaustion, and cadbury chocolate. Having only known my classmates for a couple weeks, we’ve already become such great friends that they organized a birthday picnic right after class. It really was the best day despite having to study on the bus home after family dinner at a pub. All in all, halfway done, halfway to go, I honestly wish the program was longer. Studying abroad is proving to be just the thing I needed and at the perfect time.

This summer I have the pleasure to be traveling to Dublin, Ireland where, along with 14 other W&M students, I’ll be studying all about global business. Having nearly completed my junior year, I didn’t think studying abroad was in the cards for me, but this perfect opportunity arose exactly when I needed it! I distinctly remember perusing summer opportunities here at W&M and finding the Mason Business Minor Program wishing it was held abroad. Turns out it was, and in Ireland no less! During this program, a small group of students learn from star faculty including Professor Skimmyhorn, Professor Teller, and Dr. Edmiston on various business topics leading to the completion of a minor in Global Business (all within 4 months!). I am so beyond excited to not only travel and live in Dublin for two months, but also be immersed in a new learning environment. 

To begin building the foundation of our program, the students and faculty gathered for program orientation this past Saturday. We listened to presentations on the courses we’ll be taking: marketing, management, finance, innovation & design thinking, and global business immersion. 

Having spent most of my academic experiences studying biology, this introduction to business classes was nothing like I expected. During the intro to Management in a Global Environment we were told to ask the person next to us, “when was the last time you cried in front of someone.” To tell you I was stunned and confused at this moment would be an understatement, but it made so much sense as the lecture went on. This question led to a deeper discussion of polarization as a global reality and how finding connections and becoming better communicators can help elevate leadership and management skills. Having this phenomenal lecture just in program orientation really sets the bar high for this summer! 

In addition to learning inside the classroom, we’ll be taking weekend trips to various locations within Ireland and Northern Ireland! In addition to these excursions, I hope to continue dancing abroad as an Irish dancer myself! This program will truly be an immersive experience that is sure to have a profound impact on my academic, personal, and professional career. You could feel the growing anticipation and excitement of everyone during orientation which certainly made me buzzing to begin! 

Join me on this journey to chasing dreams and a Global Business Minor by following along during the Dublin Diaries!