Hailing originally from Shanghai, I lived, studied and worked in China, Singapore, Australia, Cambodia and Germany before joining the Insead MBA program last September. I started the program at Insead’s Fontainebleau campus in France, but am now in Singapore and am considering switching campuses again soon.
It’s my fifth month in the program and I’m enjoying it immensely. A typical Friday for me goes like this:
I start with an Indian breakfast at the campus bar as this was the first day of “Desi Week”, one of the “national weeks” . National weeks are a distinctive feature at Insead, propelled by the diverse student population on campus.
Global village
It is extremely fulfilling to be in a community where there is no single dominant nationality and where each person offers his or her unique experience to the class. Group work and discussions are fueled by lively exchanges with my incredibly diverse range of teammates. They include a British general manager, a Slovenian investment director, a Hungarian management consultant and a Greek engineer.
After breakfast, I am almost late for my favorite class: Corporate Finance Policy. I bet if you talk to any Insead graduate and ask them to name a memorable professor; they will mention this faculty member.
Done with that class, I attend Managerial Accounting. The professor who teaches this course has a knack for making accounting sound like the most interesting subject on earth, successfully capturing our attention for the full 90 minutes of class.
It’s lunch time. I hit the Insead cafeteria with my group for food – and a two-hour group discussion for a Leading Organization class assignment. Food and discussion over, I run to meet my Healthcare Management Initiative professor to discuss an event at which we will host a managing director of one of the largest private equity firms in the pharmaceutical industry.
Planning a career
I’m finally home by 8pm; time to start on my reading and check the career services schedule. I’m contemplating switching from a career in the hospitality industry to management consulting and I know I’ll need some career counseling sessions to make the switch.
The next day, I attend one of the many seminars Career Services has organized. They have much to offer, from CV help to career counseling and interview preparation.
A few hours, later I’m heading to one of my classmate’s parties. “Insead-ers” are definitely social people! With so much to do, time-management skills are really crucial. Insead encourages you to make the most of your time as a student – and that’s certainly what I am doing!