Kaneisha's Weblog

Hey, everyone!

So my HBS interview is tomorrow morning. Right now, I'm sitting in the Kennedy School library on campus, reading Business magazines so I don't seem completely out of touch with the Business world for my interview tomorrow. I still don't know exactly what to expect but I'm not wracked with nervousness so that's good.

Visiting here--and by here I really mean the two days I've been here at KSG since my B-school visit is tomorrow--has been extremely eye-opening and informative for me. Talking with students--especially Black female students--about their experiences here has really put things in perspective for me.

I've realized that the vast majority of what I want to do--if not all--can be accomplished through getting a MPP from the Kennedy School. I had no idea how many opportunities to engage in notions of business and enterprise were available here. I thought that to get the "real stuff" you had to get an MBA. That said, I still hope to get accepted into the MBA program so that I can at least have my choice of pursuing the degree, but right now, I'm feeling very excited about the idea of doing less degree-wise and getting more out of it.

"Doing less and getting more out of it" needs to be my motto for the next few years of my life, because I have become increasingly aware of how my "doing everything" has really left me feeling exhausted and spread too thin. I find myself asking where I can possibly cut out commitments and time-consuming activities--and there just doesn't seem to be any room. I barely have any time to hang out with my girls or my boyfriend--and that's just not how I want to live.

I also have started to embrace the idea of "taking my time to get there" more as well. Many of the women I've spoken with here took years to work before going to school and it seems to have made them all the more ready to take advantage of the opportunities that graduate school has to offer. The idea of taking time to work for two years seems increasingly appealing to me. But it could also be my self-confidence wavering--me thinking that I won't get as much out of the program if I go straight in.

I find myself asking "What's the rush? Why do I need to go to graduate school right away (well, after Ghana)? What could hurt in taking some time to work wherever you want in the world, enjoy life, and get some worldly adult life experiences? Will I be missing out on a special time to do those kinds of things by going straight to school?

It seems that the best plan is to not let these questions suffocate me or drive me into a panic about my future--but to be liberating in a way. If I don't get in to my graduate schools, of course I'll be disappointed. But I'll also be free in a way--free to get a job, make a difference there, and live school-free for a bit.

With decisions coming out by March 30, I don't have long to wait to have more concrete answers about possibilities for my future. I'm psyched about going to graduate school. The question now is when in my life do I want to do it.