I’m entering week 2 of SY and already I have noticed a ton of differences between this year and last.  And no, I can’t say that I have any more time than I did last year, but then again I am taking a  heavy load.  I think last week I just completely mismanaged my time.  Between 6 classes and a bunch of meetings, I hardly had time to prepare my cases and ended up staying up way too late all week.  Nobody to blame but myself, of course.  Anyway, moving on to some actual differences.

1. I actually like all of my classes so far.  I guess that’s what happens when you get to pick them out yourself.

2. Group projects.  Group projects.  Group projects.  In four of my six classes the major part of the final grade will depend on a large group project.  For Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital we will write a business plan.  For Developing New Products and Services we will actually come up with a new idea and come up with a prototype.  It will definitely be a time committment but I am excited.  Especially about the Developing New Products class.

3. Guest speakers.  I have already had 3 guest speakers between two of my classes.  Entrepreneurship and VC class had John Taylor, the VP of Research, from the National Venture Capital Association come and speak to us during the first session.  John May the founder and managing partner of New Vantage Group was at the second class during which we actually did a case about the New Vantage Group.  And in the Developing New Products and Services class we saw Mark Wilson the founder and president of Curvware, Inc.  I’m not sure if his product will revolutionize the way we eat, but I definitely think it has great potential for people with certain health problems and disabilities.

4. The biggest difference is probably that I already know what to expect.  I know some of the professors, I know how to do cases, I know how cold calling works.  And now with classes that I actually like, I know what I want to get out of them.

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