CeeDee World

This week has been interesting, to say the least. Everyone that I have talked to has been asking a lot of existential questions, Why am I here? What if I only go back to my previous job? Why can't we get free cookies in the business school? On a positive note, I think the fact that we are comfortable sharing our insecurities with each other shows that we have bonded and that those important relationships are starting to form. But it has been making me wonder why we're all collectively questioning our choices, abilities, and arguably self-worth...at the same time. Looking at my own path that led me to Cambridge, I couldn't have predicted it. In undergrad, I was adamantly against getting an MBA. Every engineer gets an MBA, and I wanted to be different (lol). At the same time, 20-year-old Christine knew that being a female engineer meant I would need more qualifications to be taken as seriously as my male peers. So I did get a master's degree. It wasn't enough. My age...

Flashing lights, no not the song, in my eyes. Before I get into this, I am fine, but it's been a rough week.  I've had abnormal flashes in my eyes all week and to say the least I have been really stressed. It took 4 days to get in to see an optometrist, which was mind-blowing for this American. The NHS system is very very very different from what I'm used to. 29 years in the states and only one trip to the emergency room. 52 days in the UK and two trips to the A&E (accidents and emergency services) in Cambridge. Killin' it. Left: begging someone to let me see an optometrist (Trip 1) Right: waiting for my eyes to dilate (Trip 2) Truly, bless the souls in my class who listened to my freakouts, held my hands while I cried, checked in on me, and even drove me to the ER. I would not have survived this week without that. Incredibly grateful. As my optometrist back home said, my eyes are overachievers (duh), and just decided to do something at 30 that normally happens at 6...

As a forever space nerd, I have gotten involved with the Cambridge University Space Flight team, a group of undergrads trying to launch a rocket into space. For some reason they asked for me to provide feedback and maybe help them get some funding. (Anyone in the states want to fund some really smart aerospace engineering students??) A portion of this group got dinner this week and as we were talking about future plans the question was asked if I planned to stay in the UK or not after my MBA year. My standard answer to this question is that I foresee I will go back to the states as the market is so much stronger there, but I’m not closing any doors prematurely either. After sharing this, a 3rd year told me, “you’re in it now”. Referring to the Cambridge bubble.   I’ve been mulling that statement over this entire week. I’ve spent my life in a variety of bubbles; STE, A&M, HMNS, space, etc. I can’t help but wonder if bubbles are a good thing. Naturally, we are drawn to people who...

I finally feel like I have a solid groove going for school. Which probably means I'm either missing something or I'm about to get hit with a freight train of work. But tonight, I feel like I have a handle on this whole business school thang. The days are passing by so fast, there are more things to do in a day than there is time. I've never been more cognizant of time than now. We only have a year here in Cambridge, and we're ALREADY a month in. I'm exhausted but so happy.  [this is more for future Christine to look back on then anyone who is reading this so feel free to skip]  This whole experience finally sunk in this week, and I am just really proud of myself for being here and accomplishing this. Before getting in I had a list a mile long of reasons I wouldn't/shouldn't/couldn't do this. I'm happy to be proved wrong. [back to the goods] The week started off with a former coworker visiting for lunch - it was nice to catch up and show off my new ho...