What has your time at Wharton meant to you?

卒業アルバム用に1000 wordsのエッセーを書きましたが、実はassignmentは激短な1000 characters。お蔵入りするのももったいないので、ブログで公開します。英語でごめんなさい。でも英単語的には、そんなに難しくはないとおもうのでよろしければ是非。

Whenever I look back at days in Wharton, it should be the time when I honestly miss the best two years in my life or when something is not going right. Either way, Wharton was a transformational experience to think about enriching my life. I am writing this as a note to my future self to recall the lessons I learned in Wharton.

Stay Hungry

Life is short. At the end, you might regret things you haven’t done. So do your best all the time. Whenever you find something interesting to do, don’t hesitate, just go for it. Wharton has given you the skills and leadership to tackle those difficulties for success.

At Wharton, we were all pushed outside of our comfort zone.  Remember trying to figure out how to manage your fifty-page reading assignments, dinner with your friends, theme parties, and changing diapers with only 4 hours of  sleep? Wharton told me that nothing is impossible as long as you are passionate. Some people may pause because they are afraid of losing, but we can learn a lot more from failures than from success. Indeed I did. It took some time, but I was able to get better through the opportunity of not winning the leadership position for Japan Trek or Admissions Fellow. I think I became more strategic and cautious while less discouraged about making mistakes. Failure gives you an opportunity to be creative and makes you really strong.

So don’t be afraid about making setbacks, just do it. When you are totally knocked out and lose your confidence, go back to your bathroom and look into the mirror and recall Kembrel’s words, “Damn you are looking sogood!”. We are global leaders, hang in there.

You are not alone

People say Wharton community is competitive, and this is partially true because people are so bright academically and socially. However, I have found that in fact, Wharton is a safe place where people respect you and where you can trust people– because they are thoughtful and willing to embrace you and make up for you.

I remember how supportive and patient learning teammates were with my poor writings and extremely forthright expressions. I also have to thank the Japanese community, which helped me with my studies every weekend at 9am in the Riverloft. Last but not least, I have to thank the one and only Cohort H  They were absolutely destructive in class, but fascinating people to hang out with. Cohort potlucks, the mustache party, and cohort picture during the last Prof Useem class were all unforgettable.

So remember, don’t be too shy to ask for help. Lifelong friends are there to help you.

Enjoy life

Life at Wharton changed from work-work-work to study-family-fun. I learned how important it is to take some time to experience different things and refresh myself in order to be energetic, humane and productive.

Perhaps professional career is just one aspect of your life. The success in your job alone does not guarantee your life to be a victory. You will never know the value until you actually lose it. So take a deep breath and think about what really matters to you.

Various activities have given me precious lessons. For example, having a family taught me how to make people happy by thinking as “WE” instead of “I”. No personal, selfish interest, just simply do what is the best for all is now my fundamental goal. Raising kids taught me to be disciplined and generous to others. With my daughter, you can’t just eat all the french fries, otherwise she will jump on you,, beg for more, and cry like hell.

Probably the most life changing lesson in Wharton was mountain climbing to Kilimanjaro. Above all, I was overwhelmed by the greatness of the nature. Hiking through six climates, observing unique vegetation and standing on 19,341 ft above sea level taught me the breadth of life on earth. This led me to explore more about what I don’t know and started to spend more time with friends in our class to learn from one another.

So don’t forget how to enjoy life. No need to short cut or to live fast and recklessly. Enjoy the process and reach out to something new and different.

Wharton taught me to be ambitious  but all the while was holding me safely in its arms. The life is about journey with lots of side trips, which seems not as important at that point but definitely influential in the long future. All I can say to Wharton is THANK YOU, THANK YOU and THANK YOU.