Now that is February, we are really getting into the internship interview season. I have been lucky enough to interview with several companies I am interested in. This is probably one of the most challenging aspects of the spring semester. Everyone knows the value of networking, but just because you know someone does not mean you will get an interview or get the job. I have been applying online, and I’ve been lucky to get some callbacks. These interviews did not just fall into my lap, I sent my resume everywhere. I really put effort into searching each week for the past 12 weeks. The smartest thing any graduate student can do is be proactive about your future plans. Take the time to really think about what you want to be doing in two years, five years and even 10 years. Make a plan.

Here are my rules:
1) Be proactive
2) Set goals. Mini ones, big ones. (i.e. apply to 5 internships this week, research companies, reach out to contacts)
3) Refine your resume. Have multiple versions of your resume and cover letters ready to send out
4) Reach within your network if you really like certain companies. Ask around. People are willing to help; you just need to ask
5) Prepare for your interview. Know the company, have questions ready.
6) Follow up after an interview with a thank you and make it personal, not generic.

Many of us are getting very excited for our trip to Europe. We are working with a shipping company and an energy company. Both represent two markets we have here in New Orleans which I think matches well with the skills many of us would like to expand. Some of us are traveling around afterwards. I am going to Lisbon and Barcelona. We leave in a month!

Without a doubt, the biggest event is Mardi Gras. In the next 12 days, this city will be invaded by thousands of visitors coming to celebrate and take part in the parades, balls, and festivities the city has to offer. It is a fun time. I have already had too much king cake. Happy Mardi Gras season to all!

Amy Garrick

Week#19 – Saying goodbye to the city from Nicolas Merlaud on Vimeo.

Nineteenth week.
People. Places. Memories.

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Week#18 – Everything’s bigger in Texas from Nicolas Merlaud on Vimeo.

Eighteenth week.
Dallas. Austin. San Antonio.

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Week#17 – Last dinner party at my place from Nicolas Merlaud on Vimeo.

Seventeenth week.
Pizza. Wine. Friends.

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Week#16 – A Saturday night in NOLA from Nicolas Merlaud on Vimeo.

Sixteenth week.
House Party. Palms. Safe Ride.

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Week#15 – Thanksgiving in San Diego and Las Vegas from Nicolas Merlaud on Vimeo.

Fifteenth week.
California. Nevada. Arizona.

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Week#14 – Po-Boy Festival from Nicolas Merlaud on Vimeo.

Fourteenth week.

Oak Street. Crawfish and Gumbo. Live Music.

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Week#13 – Showing Heloise around from Nicolas Merlaud on Vimeo.

Thirteenth week.

Houston. Drive. Country Club.

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Let me begin with some memories from the first semester.  If we go all the way back to orientation, we spent one day at Bayou Zaire going through team bonding exercises. This may sound like a day of fun in the swamp and not in the classroom, but when it was nearly ninety degrees, humid, and mosquitos were everywhere attacking you, it was not very pleasurable. But, now we look back and laugh at us trying to balance on a block of wood without falling or having to cross a plank as a team. It really did bring us together and we certainly lost the idea of personal space.  It broke those awkward barriers you put up when you start somewhere new and feel uncomfortable at first.

Another great memory was the Halloween party. Refer to my first blog entry for a summary about that night. Some of the best nights in New Orleans are when a large group of us just go out to celebrate completing a project or exam. We will all meet up on Magazine Street or head down to the CBD. One night, we all went down to the business district and played trivia. It was fun, but we got pretty competitive. Academic knowledge is just as important as useless knowledge. You might win a beer koozie if you are lucky.

As a member of the Tulane Entrepreneur’s Association, I am matched up with a local business named NolaVie. On November 11th, we helped them throw a pop-up art show featuring a local designer, DJ and band. It was held at Studio 3, a Mardi Gras float warehouse. We helped organize and promote the event which was a big success. We got to meet a lot of fun people and see some of the best New Orlean’s has to offer.

More recently, my life has been lots of work and preparation for exams, but I can really say I am far more knowledgeable about business than when I started. This past session we took macroeconomics, financial management, marketing, and quantitative modeling.  I enjoyed macro because so much of it applies to current issues in our own economy and the world; however, I gained the most from financial management. The usefulness of this class exceeds almost any class I have ever taken and Professor Reese makes it easy to understand. Not to say that he won’t give you a tough final, but you really can walk away with a sense of accomplishment and useful skills. Our marketing professor, Yiorgos Bakamitsos will also be our professor when we do our European Union class and go to Greece. The fun part about his class was watching some amazing commercials. Quantitative modeling is an extension of our statistics class and we learned how to combine concepts from our classes into data tables and shortest path scenarios. In summation, I enjoyed this session a lot.

My favorite aspect of Tulane has been the incredible support system it provides. When we struggle, we work as a team. For tough exams, we study together and we try and teach each other. We do our best to work off of each other’s strengths and to hold someone up when they are falling behind. Many schools get cutthroat and competitive, but at the end of the day, we are all here to learn and become more skilled so that when we leave, we really are able to handle the challenges we are presented with. The best way we can do this is to learn from everything and everyone around us.

Happy holidays everyone! See you in 2012!

Amy Garrick

Week#12 – Heloise’s visit from Nicolas Merlaud on Vimeo.

Twelfth week.

Kikouze. Paille sur la tête. Karl Lagerfeld.

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