Spring at Darden!

I have to apologize for being delinquent in my blog updating for the last few weeks. It has been a busy, but exceedingly fun month! I have to do another list of my favorite things since I last updated (in chronological order) to catch you all up on life at Darden:

8) Dinner at Dean Bruner’s House! - As part of my special topics seminar, Dean Bruner invited our class of 15 people over to his home for class…and wow does the Dean makes a mean vegetarian chili!

7) Dinner at Luann Lynch’s House – Luann is absolutely one of my favorite Darden professors and had a few of my sectionmates and I over for dinner in early April. We had a fabulous meal, played board games with Luann’s 14-year old twin sons, and laughed so hard at dinner that we were falling off of our chairs! Only at Darden can you have such a close personal relationship with your professors!

6) BGiA – Building Goodness in April finally arrived this last weekend! After months of preparation from my classmates, hundreds of my classmates participated in Build Day. My neck still hurts from painting the ceilings of our house, but I could not have asked for a more meaningful way to make a tangible difference, or spend quality time with incredible classmates.

5) Holi! – Holi is the Indian festival of colors that celebrates the Harvest season. Last weekend, the Darden South Asian Society hosted Holi in the courtyard of the Ivy Gardens apartment complex – and it was out of control. If you have never been to/heard of Holi – it is a sight to be seen – people running around with powdered paint smearing it all over your hair, face, and clothes…enjoying the good weather and good company!

4) NAWMBA Strategy Session – I am so excited about the NAWMBA (Darden Chapter of the National Association Women MBAs) board for next year – these ladies rock my socks off and the energy and programming we are going to have next year will be awesome J Get ready, prospectives!
3) Darden Days – this weekend was Darden Days, the annual admitted student weekend at Darden. I was asked to speak on a panel and as I gave advice and recounted my last year, I realized how far my classmates and I have come in one year – it feels surreal to be a few weeks from ending my first year at Darden…

2) King Family Vineyards – every year as part of Darden Days, the entire Darden community is invited out to a close by vineyard for barbeque, wine, and socializing. I remember going last year as a part of Darden Days and having a good time– but once you are here as a student the experience is completely different – you know everyone, have inside jokes, and are completely engrossed in the community! The night just reinforced how grateful I am for my friends here J

1) Rainy Saturdays – yesterday it rained non-stop in Charlottesville and it was one of those days where you have to force yourself to stop and take a day off. I spent most of my day relaxing, listening to the rain, and reflecting…

And now, on this Sunny Sunday, I am energized and ready to start the new week. With three more weeks until we split ways for the summer, and with the weather getting warmer and warmer, I imagine the next couple of weeks will be a treat!