My God, Amazing That We Got This Far

So only two exams of five to go. This weekend was truly horrible. I slept 10 hours of pure depression, woke up with stomach ache and fever pushing myself to finish my paper in Economic Forecasting and prepare my exam in Financial Accounting (which by the way is one of my favorite subjects).

Although this has been a tough semester I am very grateful for this experience and I am amazed by the nice exchange students I met. Some courses have truly been a pleasure and I know more or less the change I want to lead after being here.

I cannot wait for Saturday to come when I will sit on a plane on my way to Los Angeles to spend one month with the love of my life. Although we spend most of the time apart M is the most supportive and unselfish man I have ever met. I know one day soon we will buy our favorite apartment in Zürich with a big bathtub and an amazing bed that for the first time is standing on legs. But until that day we will support each other dreams and honestly that is the only way to get this far.

Quotes

Here are some quotes I am currenlty using in my negotations paper - read and reflect:


"We should not judge people by their peak of excellence; but by the distance they have traveled from the point where they started"

Henry Ward Beecher


“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest”

Confucius


“We cannot negotiate with those who say, "What's mine is mine and what's yours is negotiable"”

John Fitzgerald Kennedy



“The long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead”

John Maynard Keynes´



“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom”

Thomas Jefferson

Surviving Life

That how my life feels like now. While I am up over my ears in readings, group works and other projects I am trying to take one of the biggest decisions of my life. It’s not easy to cope with all the stress at once… But in three weeks this semester is over; and then I will look back and say I did it.

But right now I just have to do it…

Veja

In my class ”Business Strategies for Sustainability” I came across a company called Veja, a pioneer in producing sustainable sneakers and accessories. The company was founded by two business students from Paris. Reading through the case I felt a stitch of envy – those people really do something they believe in, and one day I hope I will be in their position. Fantastic and inspiring company and I hope every man out there who needs new sneakers will take a look at their web-shop – Veja Store.

Truly inspiring words from their homepage:

Veja is just a drop in the ocean

5 years on - The world understands that social issues and environmental crisis are now matters of urgency.

Day after day, prophets of all kind are pulling the emergency cord, the entire economy is turning green and sustainable-developementising speeches are spreading around.

Actions remain scarce but words abound.

Beyond movies about the environment, beyond multinational companies building green windows to hide disasters, beyond the Copenhagen speeches filled with words and political promise….

Action.

And despite this green-fronted economy, let's try to offer a different vision which combines fair trade and ecology and links together economy, social initiatives and the environment.

A vision that proposes cultural change.

Transparency.

The Moment You All Been Waiting For

The address to my beautiful, brown, over-priced apartment on York University Campus:

Helena Hansson
You should have written this down by now

Toronto, Ontario

Canada

Canadian cell phone: You should have written this down by now (please check if you need additional international prefix before sending a text or giving a call, I believe it is 001)

Please note that my mail box is tiny winy and that I am vacating the apartment on the 17^th of December.

Hangover

I was meaning to tell you about the very unexciting hockey game G and I watched yesterday when the Maple Leaves lost with 0-7 against Boston. But the evening got more interesting than so. It all started off with the fact that they actually served wine at the hockey game (I think G and I was the only ones drinking wine). Afterwards we went to an even organized by the Graduate Business Council here at Schulich at the Roosevelt Room in the entertainment district. An evening that started off with the phrase “just one drink” ended being “too many shoots” and now I am laying in my bed grateful for that the winter time is here (We gain one hour) and the fact that I still have 3 hours to recover before my group meeting.

Ah, the pain of turning 25 – diminishing returns on alcohol recovery

Anyway, a fantastic night all in all. Enjoy your Sunday!

Btw, yesterday there was a man coming up to me asking if I was married. I had noticed his eyes on me during the evening and I was quick to have a “replacement” for my "husband". I wonder why I just did not say no, haha! Further I was offered a drink by a guy named Omar – but I insisted on calling him Orvar. I never got the drink in the end – I wonder why…

Second exam done…

And finally I am in almost holiday mood. Tonight we are going down to Kalendar for dinner and then for some drinks. I could really use a glass of wine and a decent meal…

Tomorrow I am going to the US with only hand luggage – try to beat that (Air Canada recently changed the rules and you now have to pay for each bag you check in). Luckily I have a small scale brought by my parents so I can easily monitor the weight of my luggage :-) And honestly - what could you need more in LA than a bikini? (maybe the body for the bikini as well...)

First exam done…

First exam is handed in and I can just about to enjoy my one hour break with caramel latte and bagel until I have start preparing for the next. And how did it go? Absolutely no clue, strategy is a deceptive topic where you can never be totally right or wrong. Let see what the professor thinks.

But for now, the exam has left my hand, and I am dropping the strategy book and embrace my carbon finance book.

Btw, yesterday we had a second fire alarm. Apparently someone who was cooking too optimistic. This time I actually saved my engagement ring. The goose was however still in the closet…

Saturday Evening Entertainment

Spent part of my evening reading this fantastic article on National Geographic's about biofuels. The world is truly an interesting place.

Good night!

2011 Full time MBA ranking

According to the Economist 2011 Full time MBA ranking Schulich School of Business is ranked 9th in the world... Sorry IESE.

Rank	Business School	Country
1	Dartmouth College - Tuck School of Business	United States
2	Chicago, University of - Booth School of Business	United States
3	IMD - International Institute for Management Development	Switzerland
4	Virginia, University of - Darden Graduate School of Business Administration	United States
5	Harvard Business School	United States
6	California at Berkely, University of - Haas School of Business	United States
7	Columbia Business School	United States
8	Stanford Graduate School of Business	United States
9	York University - Schulich School of Business	Canada
10	IESE Business School - University of Navarra	Spain

In Less Than One Week,

I am in LA with my beloved M and this enormous hard work is left behind (while new work is waiting around the corner). I so look forward to go there and spend my day as a solar panel by the pool while M is at university. We have made plans to visit one of the biggest outlets in LA but due to the general space constraint when living in a suitcase there will not be too much shopping (but there will be some). Biggest problem right now is that I need new glasses, my old ones lost one glass and when putting it back in it is not properly fixed anymore. We will see how that goes…

Anyway today is a haircut day and brought some materials so I can spend some hours studying at Starbucks having my favorite latte and scone – there has to be some quality of life left.

Enjoy your weekend!

Friday Morning

And I cannot wait to dive down in the books ;-)

Yesterday turned out to be quite a turbulent day, today I am planning on taking things a bit more relaxed. However with two upcoming exams and one assignment, Friday does not seem to offer too much entertainment.

Which is ok, since I am going to treat myself with a haircut tomorrow. Last time was in Calgary in June and I am now desperate for a haircut. Might even hit the movies afterwards.

Let’s hope I get a lot of work done today.

First thing on the schedule is econometrics and linear regression :-)

Montreal

We had a perfect weekend in Montreal with amazing weather and interesting food. We went to a great meat place where we had smoked meat and of course we tried the famous poutine (which we all agreed would have been better if we ate it drunk – wait until you see the pictures). The Montreal city is older than Toronto, hence there are more beautiful buildings and areas. There is also the prestigious University McGill which is located downtown, and we Schulich students are very jealous of their central location. We went back to Toronto on Monday, which was the Canadian thanksgiving so obviously we were trapped in traffic jams. On top of that the window on the bus was broken and the bus driver fixed it permanently with some scotch tape. You got to love public transportation…

It is still approximately 20 degrees here, truly Indian summer, however with two upcoming exams and three assignments there is limited time to enjoy the weather.

While I was studying...

A man died on the construction scene outside my university

News article here

It is a thin line between life and death

Things We Do In School

"We are living in exceptional times. Scientists tell us that we have 10 years to change the way we live, avert the depletion of natural resources and the catastrophic evolution of the Earth's climate" (Sustainability and Carbon Finance)

The Home Movie

Food, School and Rock N' Roll...

Finally went grocery shopping today, so my standard meal pasta with tomato sauce developed to pasta with tomato sauce with salami and cheese. On the green side I boiled some sugar peas. I am extraordinarily talented in the kitchen…

Since pasta is my standard food the gym is going to be my second  bestfriend from now on. And if I want to show myself public in LA I better go sooner than later. So tomorrow I have my first aerobic session (which by the way is provided free by the University J).

I am also considering a no-candy policy but I do not know if I am mentally capable of that? Am I not suffering enough?

Going to enjoy my Thursday evening reading “Crossing the valley of death – Solutions to the next generation clean energy project financing gap”

Sometimes university is actually interesting.

Weekend

It is most possible that this blog will be a lot of me wining about my studies and current not so fancy apartment.  I do apologize for that but anyhow, that is my current situation.

On Thursday my toilet flooded resulting in that I reached my breaking point and ran down to the housing service and released me whole vocabulary of nasty words. Anyhow my threatening techniques seems pretty useful as 5 min later a handyman came to take a look at my toilet and the next day they were here to change my carpet (which made a tremendous change as I do not have to tip-toe around anymore…)

The stress has let the fever get to me so I am currently eating aspirins as candy, trying to coordinate all my 5 courses and the heavy work load. But to enjoy life I decided to go downtown today to one of my favorite cafes in Yorkville to relax and do some reading (no reading was done actually). And the sun is actually shining today and I rewarded my selves by buying Adele’s new CD 21 (Yes, mom, you can lend it when I am back).

And if everything goes as plan I will book my 7 days vacation to LA tonight. There is some light in the tunnel.

The hard life of a student II

When I chose to go to Schulich School of Business here in Toronto – I mainly did it because I wanted to try out a MBA program before I graduate (there is nooooo way I am studying after finishing my masters). Well, now I tried it and the conclusion which I already know is – it is tough. Readings, readings, readings and assignments, assignments, assignments…. Therefore my absence here.

So after being here I wonder why I always have to do it so hard for me? Other people go to Australia to relax; I chose to go to the school with the highest workload… In a sense I made the same choice going to St. Gallen – A school I even fantasize about now after experience this. After all the location of University of St. Gallen was very romantic, not to compare with the suburb of Toronto I am stuck in now.

What I learned so far is:

1.       I look forward to vacation in October to LA

2.       I look forward to the end of the semester in December

3.       Once it’s done I will be stronger – and hopefully smarter

Welcome to the hard life of a student

A short update to all of you (especially to the ones, whose emails I have not answered)…

 I am doing great, living in the smallest apartment I will hopefully ever live in, 1 hour from Toronto downtown but on campus. The apartment is decorated with a nice light brown carpet (thus no hardwood floor and only God knows when it was last vacuum cleaned) and matched with equally stylish brown cupboards in the spacious 2 sq. m big kitchen. There is not possibility to move around the furniture as the carpet is so discolored beneath…There is also no need to go to India to live on an Ashram since the bed’s softness here matches the floor and the size is decent for approximately half a person ( I am currently sharing it with M – an accomplishment which should be in the Guinness Record Book). The apartment is probably from 1960:s and on and of the ventilation does not work and my bathroom turns into a passive smokers paradise. The area surrounding the building it characterized as one of the most dangerous areas in the whole Toronto area and females are encouraged not to walk alone during night time...

In all, the location and the apartment is great :-)

The good news is, the school is better!