It's hard to believe that I'm making my final journal entry. I'll start off by thanking BusinessWeek Online for the opportunity to share my thoughts in this series of journal entries. Most of my journals started with a note of surprise at how fast time passes during school. Well, in consistent fashion, my time at Tuck has come and gone. My life revolved around Tuck for more than two years and my experiences – from research and application through graduation – formed memories and relationships that I will enjoy for the rest of my life.

At Tuck, I found genuine friendships the likes of which I never thought I'd find in business school. They are friendships forged not only through common experiences, but also through common aspirations. Such is, I think, the "magic" that a two-year stay in Hanover, New Hampshire, provides. I know without a doubt that Tuck was the right place for me to attend business school. The truth is, I had an inkling about that even before attending. The people at Tuck – students, faculty, and staff – are what make Tuck special. The Tuckie culture is real, it's unique, and I miss it already. As I suppose is the case for most business schools, the end comes quickly. One moment you're having regular get-togethers and the next moment all priorities have shifted to moving, travel, and jobs. After "Investiture," when the newly graduated students headed off in numerous directions, when the friendly emails stopped flying, and when the usual get-togethers stopped happening, I realized again how special it was to have attended Tuck.

In past entries, I've written about the academics, the activities, the time pressure, and the focus every student has on finding that ideal job post-MBA. But I've also written about the people that I've gotten to know and enjoy. From my first term study group through the craziness of Tuck's "disorientation," I've had the chance to work and play with an extraordinary group of talented, intelligent, and most importantly well-rounded individuals. More than any academic pursuit (and those were numerous and mostly valuable), those relationships are the most valuable thing I will take away from Tuck.

There are a few things I won't miss quite as much. I give these with tongue in cheek: I won't miss the trek from the Ledyard parking lot upstairs to Tuck at 7 a.m. on a February morning when the outside temperature has fallen a bit below zero. But I will miss being able to light a fire in the stove at home after a day of skiing or just being outside. I won't, and don't, miss working many hours on a model to nail the teaching point of a single class session. But I will miss the personality and humor of the people I worked with during those times.

If anyone was primed to be surprised by the New Hampshire weather it was me -- and I wasn't. I already know that I will miss the first snow of the late fall, and that I will miss the enjoyment I had with friends in many study groups. Like most any student, I won't miss NOT earning a paycheck. If "Tuck Student" were a paying position, I'd probably still be one today.

So, after several years spent in the B-school process, I get to view my choices and experiences with the clarity that only hindsight provides. Tuck was the right place for me. From its exemplary focus on general management to its rural setting to its singular student culture, Tuck fulfilled each of the expectations I carried into school. Along the way, I had the opportunity to forge a number of genuine friendships, to have the company of a group of people dedicated to enjoying all of life in a well-rounded manner.

I also got to do some things I never expected, like visiting Peru and participating in an Outward Bound expedition. These experiences with my classmates helped me to appreciate the type of person that Tuck attracts. Finally, I got to experience one of the great blessings of life – the birth of my son – alongside other friends who provided support and perspective. In fact, all of what I describe took place within a community that is knit together and unwound in the fleeting space of two years' time. It's hard to believe it's over. As I write this, I'm preparing to return to McKinsey, where I spent my summer "vacation" last year, to work full time. I have every expectation that my next career step will be at least as challenging and fulfilling as business school.

Returning to work won't be difficult; Tuck's curriculum enforces a general work discipline that will come in handy for my return to the workforce. Leaving Tuck, as I've said already, is difficult. Returning to work is the end goal of selecting and attending a business school. I'm just glad I took the time in my school selection process to focus on the means.

I believe that I could have enjoyed and fit in well at several business schools, but I knew that Tuck was for me when I first set foot on the campus in October 2001. I heartily recommend Tuck to anyone, but I especially encourage those people who have a similar feeling about the place to attend. Scrutinize rankings, curricula, and the various metrics; and then take the time to consider the intangibles. Doing so made all the difference for me. Given the acute responsiveness of Tuck's faculty on such things (for better and worse in some instances), Tuck's curriculum will likely have changed somewhat from what I experienced (it did change slightly even for the class following mine) by the time anyone reading this gets to school. I certainly expect that Tuck's culture will not have changed much. This consistency matters.

Tuck combines small town practicality and community with metropolitan savvy. I found that it offered more than I expected – and I expected a lot. My only regret is that I didn't ski as much as I should have. Writing this entry, I'm surprised at how strongly I feel about Tuck. I started out my journal writing two years ago bent on producing an objective view of Tuck, and I generally stayed that course. After the experience, though, I'm ready to lead the cheers. I genuinely and completely miss the place and the school; and that may be the best testimonial I can offer.