"Getting to know your classmates"

A big part of the MBA experience is "getting to know your classmates." At the panel on Tuesday, one second year student said the two quarters require good time management and often this means choosing between "getting to know your classmates" and preparing for class the next day.

Right after I posted my latest blog entry, I drove out to La Residence for one of these "getting to know your classmates" events. As I approached on Rosemary Street, James Taylor's "In my mind I'm goin' to Carolina" began playing on the radio. At the bar tonight, I didn't stay too long. It was hard to carry out any type of meaningful conversation with the loud music in the background tons of other people around. I don't do too well in these bar scenes, never did. I did noticed that other students, especially the younger ones, blend right in.

There is one student, however, that I feel is having the worst time. I don't know him too well, other than the very brief and casual "hello encounters" we have had at McColl. But I get the impression he doesn't get along too well with other students. It may be that he is a bit older (I think he's older than I am) and possibly a bit socailly awkward. He spent most of tonight hovering around different circles of people as though he was constantly waiting for a conversation to get into. I wish there is something I can do about it, maybe introduce him to more people, or improve his social skills.

I was talking to some people tonight and one of them said that during the regular school year, MBA students normally hang out at a couple of designated places, and La Residence is not one of them. She said La Residence tends to get swamped during the normal school year with UNC undergrads and graduate students that went to UVA. I guess I will know where to hang out if I ever need to get away from my fellow Kenan-Flaglerites.