Anyone? Anyone?

Oh my! Where has time gone? I’m approaching my first 100 days at Harvard.  Yikes!

Last week I went to a seminar over at the business school.  It was then that I finally realized why I was struggling so much with my classes at the Kennedy School. The classes at the business school were being taught in my native tongue! It has been quite the culture shock to move exclusively from the private, for-profit sector into the world of public policy, not-for-profit, government and non-governmental organizations. It soothed my soul to hear EBDITA, VC and M&A.  As much as I have run from it, I was surprised by how much I have missed it.

Unfortunately for me, I am taking a course that is very much like a Burmese python.  With every breath I take, it constricts and squeezes more life out of me.  I do not like the course.  I have never liked the course. I should have dropped it the first time I felt despair. Now I have too much time invested into it to just drop it.  Today was especially painful. I kid you not, the instructor posed a question to the class said “Anyone...anyone?” and he was met with almost of full minute of silence. UGH.  Really? This is what’s at Harvard? And it’s required for graduation!?

But on a brighter note, I got my grade back on one of my papers.  I guess that I “embraced the B” to the point that I was able to squeeze out an A-!  At least I’m not in danger of failing that course…yet.  The only bad thing is that I need a secret decoder ring to decipher the instructor’s handwriting. 

I wonder if my mom is still paying $1 for A's? This is worth $0.75, right?

50 Shades of Gray

50 shades of gray?  

I bet you looked a looked at the title and thought that I’d reference the badly written and salacious work of fiction that has captivated women worldwide. Well, you’re WRONG!

I’m talking about gray hair!

In early July, I had one lonely gray hair. This solitary hair had been my constant companion throughout high school, undergrad and my first couple of jobs. If I combed my hair, I looked for it.  Yeah, I knew I was getting older, but at least I wasn’t turning into the frumpy old gray-haired fat cat lady.

Then I started The Kennedy School.  They supplied me with real cream for my coffee, beer, wine, potato chips and less-than-flavorful food service pizza to the point that my pants became tight. Fast forward 69 days from orientation and there has been an explosion of gray hair growth around my hairline.  Let’s not even start on the dark circles around my eyes from staying up late writing papers.

I worked hard for my youthful appearance and it’s already on the decline…after only 69 days!!!!! WTF?

I am determined to not let this Harvard experience physically age me, so this means that I’m going to have to go on the offensive.  No more late nights writing papers (right after I finish the one that I have due tomorrow!)  If I notice any more ’50 shades of gray’ I’m going to call up my girlfriend Miss Clairol and put her to work, but most importantly no more food service pizza.

I’m serious.  If you see me with a slice of food service pizza, feel free to slap it out of my hand.  It’s not as if it tastes good anyway. 

Friends don’t let friends eat HKS pizza.

Two Appointments

I’m supposed to be doing Econ and Quant homework, so I guess this post falls into the category of procrastination!

The summer boot camp is starting to wind down. Tomorrow is the last day of instruction and finals are next week. I don’t know how Harvard did it, but I think they altered the space-time continuum. How can one month seem like forever, yet go by so quickly?  I’m going to have to find out how they did it…and patent it. That way I can become rich and repay my student loans.

Today, I had two important appointments. The first one was with a faculty member to analyze my course selection for the upcoming year. I liken the course catalog to a buffet where you can only choose 4 items on each trip, but some of the items on the buffet are generically labeled. For example, the label may say “glazed orange vegetable”.  I look at it and I think it might be carrots (which I detest) but the color’s a little off, so I consider it might sweet potatoes.  I load up my plate thinking I’m going to chow down on some glazed sweet potato and it’s actually butternut squash! It’s not that I don’t like butternut squash; it just wasn’t what I was expecting….and I can’t return it to the buffet! I’m stuck with it. The course catalog lists “The Art of Communication” But upon closer inspection, it is progressively difficult political speech writing and delivery, with a *filmed* mock TV interview concerning a crisis situation. In the interview we are expected deflect ad-hoc questions like Wonder Women deflects bullets with her magic bracelets i.e., with poise and professionalism expectant of a graduate of Harvard University.  Uh..OK??!

The second appointment was with Health Services.  The Lame Foot is still quite upset with me. I can’t get the swelling under control, it hurts to go up and down stairs and throbs like a toothache at night. I don’t have my car here with me, so I’m expected to walk most places. I’ve been here a month with 9 more walking intensive months to go, so I don’t see the situation getting better. Until I get in to see the orthopedist next week, I’m supposed to R.I.C.E it. Rest, Ice, Compression (in those ugly white compression stockings) and elevate.  It really puts a damper on the things, but I need take care of sooner than later.  I think there is a cortisone shot and some more physical therapy in my immediate future.

Just for the record, I haven’t been taken many pictures of my time here. I plan to get better about taking pictures and posting them…but until then, here’s a pic that was taken of me at the JFK Forum on the second day of class. We had 15 seconds to share something about ourselves that wasn’t a part of our resumes.

"My name is Michelle Hood, from Chicago USA, and I am a chocaholic."