B-school application will be 2 yrs old on June 19th!

2 years? Damn, it's crazy how time flies. To tell you the truth, I don't remember the specifics of getting started in this sub-forum. One day we were all talking about taking the GMAT, and then all of a sudden we all wanted to talk about applying. Sort of a natural migration I guess.

I do want to comment on how time has flown by - 2 years, I still can't believe it. From the time you decide to study for the GMAT, things really move at a breakneck pace. You spend a few months (or more) studying then taking, and if necessary re-taking the GMAT. Time flies when you're having fun. Then, months roll quickly by as you visit schools, attend information sessions and bury yourself in the application process. A few excruciating months of waiting and boom, it's time to start making preparations for relocating your butt to school. For me, this included selling my house, which definitely kept me really busy. The summer before you start flies by as you savor your last few months of freedom and visit family and friends to let them know that you'll be out-of-pocket for the next two years, and before you know it you're on campus meeting hundreds of new people. I know some schools have a recruiting blackout period, but for us, recruiters started showing up 2 weeks after classes started, so with classes, activities, learning team and recruiting, not to mention getting adjusted to a new city and lifestyle, the fall was even more of a blur. With job in hand (hopefully), the spring and rest of the school year goes by quickly as you become a veteran of the MBA process and finally have some time to enjoy yourself.

Now we're into the summer internship, and with new colleagues, yet another city and lots of new experiences, there's no doubt that the summer will fly by at a supersonic pace. Looking forward, returning with a job in hand and/or a successful fall recruiting season will mean the opportunity to enjoy a final year of school before diving into work in earnest. The second year should include the chance to take lots of interesting electives, travel abroad, awesome activities and the opportunity to build relationships with fellow students and new colleagues from the summer (and at Darden lots of golf). This past year, as the second years prepared to graduate, they told us that we had one more year in paradise before facing the real world; and I really think this is true. Compared to how quickly two years of hard work have flown by, let's hope that we have the chance to savor our last year in paradise.