I had heard about the Executive MBA intensive week, which happens once every semester and was optimistic that I would be able to take time off work as required. At the start of the semester, I took the school calendar along with my work plan for the year and worked on aligning the activities in such a way that I would be able to take the time off from work and make myself available to focus on school during the intensive week. Mission accomplished, I smiled as everything seemed well planned, fitted perfectly in the right order, and I would not have any reason to worry through the year.
Better said than done, my joy was short lived as I began to realise that the reality of executing the plan was not going to be as simple as planned. I was required at work during the first intensive week and my core delivery depended on my being available to not only create the structure of the programme I was to deliver but work with the different key stakeholders in the preparation, to ensure it was delivered successfully. I felt so disappointed at the prospect of missing the intensive week of class and had began to consider the possibility of deferring school. However the one question I had always struggled with was, when would be the perfect time to undergo my MBA whilst working? The answer definitely was never would there be a perfect time for me, so find a way I will. I decided that since the class would be online and I could work from home, I would find a way to combine both work and classes each day.
As the days drew closer to the Intensive week of classes that would hold from 9am to 4pm daily for 5 days (Monday to Friday), I tried not to think of the impossible task I was about to embark on. But as we know, time always passes and the first day of the Intensive week finally arrived. The week lived up to its name as it was really intense school work with cases to read for the next class and group work to be done whilst I still had to deliver on my job. This was in addition to keeping the home front intact And one could call it, juggling several balls in the air.
As I write this blog, its Friday night, a few minutes after 9pm. The week is finally done and you could say that I succeeded to deliver on my job, school work and at the home front, but did I truly succeed? Time will tell.
We still have the blog to submit which I am about to complete and we still have a class to attend tomorrow. The good part of it all is that I am not alone. I have over 50+ course mates who feel what I feel, and I’m grateful for these amazing people who lift each other up, so together we can succeed. Shout out to all EMBA28, you all rock!
Prospering in Lagos