Letting the chips fall...

Last Thursday, Professor Roni Michaely, first-year core finance professor, warned everyone in his classes about the impending final exam. "Under no circumstances should you go to New York City this weekend. Missing 15 hours of studying for the finance final is not an option," he said.

If I wasn't already freaked out over what is considered the hardest test in the core and probably the entire Johnson School, now I was. Why, you may ask? No fool would travel to New York with just a few more precious days to study before the test, right? Well, I guess if you're me you would. And not only did I go to New York City, I left right after class on Thursday (missing Friday's classes) and didn't come back until Sunday afternoon.

Perhaps the move was a bit crazy, but it came down to two once-in-a-lifetime opportunities converging on one weekend, both in the Big Apple. The first was a surprise invitation to interview for a Strategic Planning internship at the New York Times. That opportunity alone would've sent me to the city in a heartbeat. For anyone who cares at all about journalism, media, or the American Way, the Times is the ultimate. I mean, I can't think of a position in any company that I'd prefer over Strategic Planning with the New York Times. After spending Friday morning at their new building across from Port Authority, touring the news room and interviewing with multiple incredible people, I was even more sold on the position.

If that wasn't enough, this was also the weekend of the 10th anniversary celebration of the Park Leadership Fellows Program. Over 50% of all current and former Park Fellows convened at the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center for quite possibly the single nicest event I've ever attended (after my wedding, of course). With clear skies, the length of Manhattan and beyond was visible from the 65th floor. Talks by Dean Joe Thomas and Cornell University President David Skorton, as well as the fellowship's namesake Roy Park Jr. and the head of the fellowship's alumni association, Laura Chulak, made everyone keenly aware of being a part of something truly special.

At the end of the festivities, the bus ride home on Sunday was a bit nerve-racking. Time was running short. The moment we got home, I was off for Sage Hall to attend three review sessions and get started on the two practice final exams. Ditto for Monday morning. Eleven straight hours later, I was starting to put some things together. Of course, Monday night was filled with dreams of discounted cash flows, options, futures, and arbitrage. But where my typical dreamworld is often filled imaginary -- but somehow unsolvable -- problems, I actually dreamt of correct answers and connections made. Not to say it was a good omen. The test was a bear, to say the least. But even if I could go back and change my decision to go to New York, I wouldn't do it. It was an incredible weekend. Now, I'm letting the chips fall where they may.