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yankydoodle
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Ideas for Sanity 01 Dec 2010, 13:40
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Let's discuss what people do to maintain sanity during the MBA application process.

I for one, like to,

a. Go tailgates, NFL..well party hard
b. Snuggle & watch movies
c. Run

...not in that order.

Please share your whims and wonts for ushering sanity while navigating the crests and troughs of an MBA admissions process.

Cheers!
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MBAIsrael
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Ideas for Sanity 01 Dec 2010, 13:59
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Gym.
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hbsalias
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Ideas for Sanity Updated on: 01 Dec 2010, 16:13
Originally posted by hbsalias on 01 Dec 2010, 14:14.
Last edited by hbsalias on 01 Dec 2010, 16:13, edited 1 time in total.
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Actually, I don’t think I’m maintaining sanity.

I perpetually refresh both gmat club and business week. Sometimes I go to the online applications to see if something has changed when I know it will look exactly the same as the last time I saw it – 5 minutes ago. In fact, every day when I get into work, the first thing I do is load firefox and check the forums to see if any of you fine folks from across the pond added content while I was restlessly tossing and turning in bed during my usual nightmare about everyone (a crowd of adcoms engulfed in fog) laughing at me as I walked out of the interview, and I wasn’t wearing pants. What?

I can’t focus/I’m not motivated at work. When I’m not writing the nth revision of the 5*nth essay (whats the probability that... damnit the GMAT is over man, move on!!), I try to hit the gym and fight the MBA application induced weight gain. What would that be? The prospective-15?

Occasionally I’ll think, what if I get into this school… NO shut up and wait for decision day. That way, by tricking myself into thinking that I very well might not get into a school, I will feel better if I’m rejected. Right?

That’s it, I’m going home to work on some essays. Nothing like telling the same story for the 6th time in an ever so slightly different way because the adcoms are EVIL and sit in a dark room with a small lamp and think of devious plans to drive tens of thousands of people crazy every year!
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wmcrockett
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Ideas for Sanity 01 Dec 2010, 14:36
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I second everything the above poster said. In light of my impending heart attack from the stress of this process, I signed up for a 10-mile run in April that I can hopefully focus some of my self-destructive energies into.
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globalcitizen
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Ideas for Sanity 01 Dec 2010, 14:38
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- Listen to music
- Draw
- Watch movies
- Play with the dog

And anything else that doesn't require much brain stimulation...
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yankydoodle
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Ideas for Sanity 01 Dec 2010, 14:39
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hbsalias , I like the way you put it. You have a knack for story telling and I am sure your essays are coming along just fine. Cheers mate!

~Nothing lasts forever, not even insanity~
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CyberC1
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Ideas for Sanity 01 Dec 2010, 14:43
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hbsalias
Actually, I don’t think I’m maintaining sanity.

I perpetually refresh both gmat club and business week. Sometimes I go to the online applications to see if something has changed when I know it will look exactly the same as the last time I saw it – 5 minutes ago. In fact, every day when I get into work, the first thing I do is load firefox and check the forums to see if any of you fine folks from across the pond added content while I was restlessly tossing and turned in bed during my usual nightmare about everyone (a crowd of adcoms engulfed in fog) laughing at me as I walked out of the interview, and I wasn’t wearing pants. What?

I can’t focus/I’m not motivated at work. When I’m not writing the nth revision of the 5*nth essay (whats the probability that... damnit the GMAT is over man, move on!!), I try to hit the gym and fight the MBA application induced weight gain. What would that be? The prospective-15?

Occasionally I’ll think, what if I get into this school… NO shut up and wait for decision day. That way, by tricking myself into thinking that I very well might not get into a school, I will feel better if I’m rejected. Right?

That’s it, I’m going home to work on some essays. Nothing like telling the same story for the 6th time in an ever so slightly different way because the adcoms are EVIL and sit in a dark room with a small lamp and think of devious plans to drive tens of thousands of people crazy every year!
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Give this person Kudos!! It's exactly what I've been up to.. joy. Somewhere between the 5th and 6th Phase of application.
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adalfu
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Ideas for Sanity Updated on: 01 Dec 2010, 16:14
Originally posted by adalfu on 01 Dec 2010, 15:59.
Last edited by adalfu on 01 Dec 2010, 16:14, edited 1 time in total.
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-participate on a bunch of forums
-watch hulu+ and netflix on my roku
-play games like DOTA, sc2 (rarely play now), wii games
-read finance-related white papers
-read books on kindle
-play tennis! (how can i forget this one)
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adalfu
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Ideas for Sanity 01 Dec 2010, 16:05
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hbsalias

Occasionally I’ll think, what if I get into this school… NO shut up and wait for decision day. That way, by tricking myself into thinking that I very well might not get into a school, I will feel better if I’m rejected. Right?
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That's EXACTLY how I feel! Aim high but expect low, so I won't be hurt in the end. Reminds me of a philosophy I live by: "hope for the best, but prepare for the worst."
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istan
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Ideas for Sanity Updated on: 02 Dec 2010, 07:43
Originally posted by istan on 01 Dec 2010, 16:06.
Last edited by istan on 02 Dec 2010, 07:43, edited 1 time in total.
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:shock:
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kyro
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Schools: Stanford '22 Yale '22 Instead Sept 20 Intake Tuck '22 LBS '22 IMD '21
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Ideas for Sanity 01 Dec 2010, 17:18
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Eat:)
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2011App
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Ideas for Sanity 02 Dec 2010, 06:46
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kyro
Eat:)
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Pray Love?
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thisguy310
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Ideas for Sanity 02 Dec 2010, 12:54
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GLT!
Gym, Laundry, Tan!
jk.

- Gym
- Law & Order: SVU
- Waking up early, writing my butt off for that day (morning and evening), then resting the next day.
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yankydoodle
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Ideas for Sanity 02 Dec 2010, 13:48
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A maxim that helps me predict sane or insane outcomes in my life -

If all you ever do is all you've ever done, then all you'll ever get is all you ever got.
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missyork
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Ideas for Sanity 05 Dec 2010, 19:15
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Beach, icecream and stop checking GC forums...
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bpengage
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Ideas for Sanity 05 Dec 2010, 21:11
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now that i'm playing the waiting game, i try to do anything that will get me away from my computer and the nonstop checking of email/forums
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BigRedEnvEng
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Ideas for Sanity 05 Dec 2010, 21:43
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Dance! I go salsa dancing or go to a hip hop class at my gym and that erases my mind of any and all stress, it's fabulous.

Running helps too, although I don't make enough time for that.

Trying not to let the stress get me. Working on my essays at coffee shops helps because then at least I'm sipping a Peppermint Mocha Latte while I'm trying to fit my life into 500 words. I have found that having others proofread my essays has been a huge help as well; they've given me some good advice and good encouragement.
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shalva
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Ideas for Sanity 09 Dec 2010, 05:43
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Reading Terry Pratchett's Discworld series a lot :)

Honestly, that is the only thing that keeps me sane while I'm preparing 4 apps for January deadlines
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vincev84
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Ideas for Sanity 09 Dec 2010, 11:15
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If you think this waiting game is hard, just wait until you're accepted. I accepted my offer almost 3 months ago, but still have 8 to go before matriculation. Staying motivated at work is becoming extremely challenging.
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2011App
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Ideas for Sanity 09 Dec 2010, 11:46
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vincev84
If you think this waiting game is hard, just wait until you're accepted. I accepted my offer almost 3 months ago, but still have 8 to go before matriculation. Staying motivated at work is becoming extremely challenging.
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I'm sure you'll understand if nobody pities you.
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