Monday, September 29, 2008

Planning Exercise Analysis

Overall, the "Eggs-cellent" planning exercise was very interesting and engaging. It taught me some lessons about the planning process. My group was not very specific about each step in the planning process. I think we tried to accomplish as much as possible in a limited amount of time so we rushed through most of the steps. However, we were successful at reaching our goal due to each member's strong motivation and willingness to get the 5 extra points.
Talking about each planning phase, my team spent some time on step 1 where we tried to understand our task as precisely as possible so as not to have any surprises. In the beginning, we thought it may be a trick exercise so we did not want to be misled. In step 2, we examined the objects we were expected to work with and we decided not to use the scissors as we had no urgency to utilize it. Speaking of step 3, we were evaluating alternative strategies throughout the whole exercise. Even when we drew the sketch and had a strategy in mind, we revised it again because we thought of a better solution. In step 4, we did not allocate any roles to the members. Everyone contributed to the team as much and as fast as they could. In my opinion, step 5 was the most crucial for us. We kept revising the plan all the time in the hopes of finding the perfect egg construction. 
I think we skipped some of the steps because of the lack of allotted time. However, this did not prevent us from reaching the goal. Our team work was very efficient and to the point. We could not afford to waste any time on sharing the responsibilities or identifying the necessary tactics to implement the strategy. Perhaps if we had more time and the resources were not limited we could have been more effective. Nevertheless, I am satisfied with the work we have performed and the great result we have achieved- after all, our "Unbreakable" egg did not break! 

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Management Issue

The biggest management concern I am having right now is the course load. I am taking 6 classes for a total of 18 credits, and my schedule is quite busy. The reason I do this is because I want to finish college in 3 years. I have never taken 18 credits/semester before. The tough part is that most of my classes are related to my Finance major. Because of the way the academic program is set up, I have to take the required course before I can take Finance courses. Therefore, this year will be filled with Finance classes, which will be harder and more challenging than previous semesters were.
I usually go to school and have a job. However, this semester it becomes an issue as I do not want to mess up my GPA. On one hand, I need a job to have some pocket cash; on the other hand, school should be of the main concern to me.
After graduating, I plan on working for some time and then go for my Master's as soon as possible. I believe the younger you are, the easier it is for you to study. Once a family is formed, it is very hard to go back to school.
I guess this whole blog was about managing time efficiently. The people who succeed in life are those who can manage their time resourcefully, which I am yet to experience.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Crazy News

Some crazy news: In India, after hearing the news about the possibilty of the black hole produced by the Large Hadron Collider, a 16 year old girl commits suicide!
Those of you who are interested, follow the link:

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

My Works

As I stated in my previous blog, one of my hobbies is cross stitching. So here I'd like to show you some examples of my work. The images display a frog and a seductive woman with a fan.








Monday, September 1, 2008

About Myself

Currently I am a student at Baruch College; I am in my third year with a major of Finance & Investments and a minor of Mathematics. I am taking 6 classes this semester.
Speaking of something other than school, I love to travel to different countries. Just about a week ago I returned from Ukraine where I spent my summer. Ukraine is my home country and I try to go there every year. I have a lot of relatives and friends there with whom I love to spend time. I never get bored with them. I have been to many Ukrainian cities this year visiting my grandparents, my best friend and spending some time at the beach of the Azov Sea.
Some of my hobbies include chess playing, swimming, volleyball and cooking. I also like to cross stitch and my collection is rather large. During the school time I normally do not have free time to cross stitch but it is something I can do in summer.
As for my professional experience, I just finished my internship at a hedge fund firm this July and I am looking for something new. I am trying to try different things to see what I like best in financial industry.