Do you remember what you were doing at 8:27 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2004? I do. I was sitting in accounting class and having possibly the most significant epiphany of my B-school life (so far). Professor Hirst, I wish I could tell you that this life-changing moment was related in some way to your discussion of accounting for capital and operating leases, but it wasn't. In fact, it had absolutely nothing to do with accounting, other than that it occurred in your class (and for that, I will forever be grateful).

My epiphany was this: The marketing concentration I had been pursuing was not going to satisfy my entrepreneurial spirit. I needed to follow my instincts and focus my studies in real estate finance. BAM! It hit me like a ton of bricks.

DIFFERENT AVENUES.  Now, this may not seem like a big deal to you, but realize that during the previous two months all my waking hours were spent trying to get a ticket on the marketing train.

I attended the Graduate Marketing Network events on campus. I networked with brand-management recruiters from companies like Frito-Lay and PepsiCo (PEP ). I practiced the marketing-case interview skills that were sure to be tested during interviews for internships. Imagine my surprise when the real estate train pulled up next to me in class, and I boldly took a seat!

And that, my friends, is one of the greatest things about B-school: You have a two-year window of opportunity to explore a certain career or industry, even get your feet wet in it, and then decide on a whim that you want to turn 180 degrees and check out the scenery on the other side of the street. And this is more than OK. It's to be expected.

POSITURA! POSITURA! POSITURA!  I spent the second half the semester having breakfast and lunch meetings with fellow classmates who came from the real estate industry. I questioned them endlessly about their experiences and, like a sponge, absorbed all of their insights and perspectives. I also was fortunate enough to have lunch with Dr. George Gau, dean of the McCombs School of Business, and he kindly introduced me to several real estate professionals in Dallas.

No matter what profession I decide on, it is comforting to know that there are always classmates, alumni, professors, and even leaders at McCombs, who will offer me their knowledge and connections. At B-school you never have to go it alone.

I am thrilled to begin my second semester and take classes that are more focused on my new career of choice. The class I'm most looking forward to is Real Estate Investment & Development Decisions. I'm also very excited about my PLUS program global trip (see journal #1). I will spend the semester learning about business and government (and real estate!) in Latin America and will travel to Argentina and Chile for two weeks in March to meet business professionals and government leaders.

NOT A SPARE MINUTE.  If the second semester is anything like the first, it's going to be busy! The time spent attending corporate presentations and meeting recruiters last fall will now be spent interviewing for internships. Most of the investment-banking and consulting internships will be filled early in the spring semester, while real estate positions typically show themselves toward the end of the semester, even as late as May or June. Though I may have a bit more time to find that perfect internship, my days will continue to be packed, and time management will be crucial.

To give you an idea of how important time-management is, let me illustrate a typical day in the life of a B-school student (taken directly from my calendar on Wednesday, Sept. 8):

6:00 a.m. – 6:45 a.m. Workout (extremely optional!)
6:45 a.m. – 7:45 a.m. Shower, eat, and drive to school
8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Accounting Class
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Work on group project
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Update resume with peer adviser
11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Inhale lunch
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Finance Class
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Marketing Class
3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Follow-up emails to recruiters
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Work at the admissions office
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Work on statistics homework
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Frito-Lay Brand Mgmt. workshop
8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Drive home and eat dinner
9:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. Finish statistics & econ homework


PERSONAL -- AND PROFESSIONAL.  Now if this had been a Thursday night, school would have come to an abrupt halt at 9:00 p.m. when Think & Drink took over. This is a McCombs tradition that sees most students meet at a designated bar every Thursday night to blow off steam and catch up with friends.

When every day is as jam-packed as the one illustrated above, it's easy to spend most of your time attending to school work and job-search activities, not participating in the many extracurricular activities that B-school offers. I'm a huge proponent of getting involved outside the classroom, and have enriched my experience by doing so. I give two hours each week to serve on MAC (McCombs Admissions Committee). Through MAC, I am able to lunch with prospective students, answer their questions, share my experiences -- even provide McCombs with input as to the composition of next year's class.

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