Something's Different

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It has almost been one week since the electives term started and I have one glaring observation: Things are different.
How different are the electives classes from the core subjects we had during the first eight months? I can't put my finger into it directly, but I guess since we were used to just seeing the same people day-in and day-out, electives classes seem so disjointed. (We used to have two "block" sections and now with the electives, people have a free rein on which subejcts to take and craft his or her schedule). Before, it was only the professors you tried to get used to, now even your classmates and groupmates need getting used to.
Someone from the previous MBA batch told me that elective classes are treated differently from the core subjects-- before it was like a "Band of Brothers," "No One Gets Left Behind" kind of thing, but with electives, business classes are more... well, business-like. It makes great sense that it works that way because it gives MBA students to give enough time for our Management Research Reports (MRR).
Some of my observations so far and random points:
  • Most of my Indian classmates took Finance electives. There were a lot of them who took the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exams last June. I heard our batch has the highest number of people of people who sat through the CFA exams in recent memory, I have to verif that though.
  • I've met very few people from the new batch of MBA and MM students that arrived while I was in Bangalore doing my Action Consultancy (AC). Some of them via introductions from people I know and a couple who just came up to me and said they liked this MBA blog. See, blogging does wonders to your social life! :P
  • The MDM folks are their own "Victory Laps"-- most of them are finishing their own MRR's and are set to graduate in a couple of weeks. So, they are very busythese days.
  • Good News: the Asian Institute of Management Student Association (SA) Room is being renovated to make it cozier and accommodate more people. Bad News: The AIM SA Store is not open during lunch hours! Sheesh.
When I left Manila, fuel prices have not yet broken the PhP 40.00/liter barrier. When I got back, prices increased by more than 25%. I asked myself, "What the the heck happened here?" Now I find myself asking the same question for my school situation.

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Continuing saga: AIM to professors: You’re no laborers!

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