Michaelmas Term Video Compilation

Seeing as it is winter break, I thought that I would go through some of the hundreds of photos taken this term and put them into some sort of compilation. Here it is.

Week 10 Michaelmas...Exams

The exams are finished and I can't believe that Michaelmas term is over...

The predictions were right, it was an incredibly intense week with long 'last minute' revision sessions in Hertford College and subsequently very little sleep. I think that everyone on the course agrees, 6 exams in 4 days is quite a feat.

Of course it is required that all students taking exams must wear sub fusc and it is tradition that one should also wear a carnation. The carnations are meant to symbolise the blood from a scholar's heart as he bleeds all that he knows onto the exam paper. As such the colour should change through-out the exam period as follows:

White: On the first day of exams

Pink: From the the second to the penultimate day

Red: On the final day.

Unfortunately, we will not get the results back until February as they have to be double marked. The idea being that if the two markers disagree, they have to explain to each other why they believe the student should get a certain mark, enter into arbitrage and then settle on the final mark. Obviously this takes time.

So watch this space for the results...

Mark and John displaying their weapons of choice on the first day

Me on day two

Faryal, Ela and Tass in the ladies version of Sub fusc

Swapandeep getting in some last minute revision for the final exam (Finance)

Maho, Mark, Swapandeep and Simon after the last exam

Following the last exam the Hertfordians followed tradition and had a pint in the turf before preparing for the afternoon's de-stressing in the form of a pub golf competition arranged by Andrew Jury.

Kaysa, Dan, Renee and I at the '3rd hole'

So about 1/3 of the course is now over, its amazing how quick it goes. It is now the winter break and the students scatter to the four corners of the globe. As for Namiko and I, we will have Christmas here before flying off to Japan for new year 'shougatsu'.

Alternative Approach to Motivation Revision

During this term we have taken a subject called 'Developing effective managers' which concentrates on motivation theories, culture, leadership, change management and personality. This video is an alternative take on office motivation provided by Terry Tate. I wonder whether it would work...

Week 9 Michaelmas...Revision

As expected week 9 has been mostly focused towards revision (and very little else). Actually, the week has really allowed some of the core concepts to be properly 'internalised'; that is to say that I now feel that I understand and can use them. It has really hit home how much we have learnt in such a short space of time and whatever the outcome of the exams, I feel that this week has been remarkably valuable.

There was a small get-together of MBAs on Wednesday to try to dissipate some exam stress which was very subdued and I also managed to attend Namiko's Christmas party at the Ivy Hotel in Wroughton on Saturday and so include a photo of us there.

Right, tomorrow brings exams....must sleep well.

Week 8 Michaelmas

So that's it, all 8 weeks of lectures over. 8 weeks of intense learning, 13 assignments and 1 mock exam. It was an interesting week with everyone pushing hard to hand in the 2 large group assignments as well as their own individual one. I must admit, it was a tremendous relief on Friday morning when the last one went in.
We now have a week of revision followed by a week of exams so I fear that for Week 9 Michaelmas I may not have very much to write about.

Hertford Boat Club 'Christchurch Dinner'
This was a dinner for all of the Hertford boat crews to let their hair down after a season of training. All of my crew were there and we managed to spend a very civilized evening together. The food was quite good and we moved to the college bar afterwards. It seems that many of them will row next term; I hope that at least part of this term's crew end up in the same boat next term.

The crew
Presentation by Tomo Suzuki
Tomo is one of our accounting lectures and is very keen on 'Sustainable accounting'. He believes that by changing the way that companies report will in-turn affect the way they run their businesses. As such he is pushing for accounting standards to include reporting requirements for social and environmental items. He is looking for a way of funding some research which models the effects of adding these requirements to the balance sheet/income statement and presented some of his funding pitch to us on Wednesday.

Dinner at 'Teddy Hall'
On Wednesday I was invited to a dinner at St Edmund Hall (affectionately known as 'Teddy Hall'). This was the first time that I had been there; it is quite a beautiful little place. The evening was made all the more special as we were allowed to eat on the top table, which is normally reserved for fellows of the college (lectures etc). One of the privileges to eating on the top table is that after the meal you can retire to the old library to have port and cheese... Another amazing experience.

End of Term Party
As expected, this was a big one. With all assignments handed in and a couple of weeks until exams we felt that we have the opportunity to congratulate ourselves on surviving the 8 weeks. We started with a Hawaii theme party at the business school and then progressed onwards from there.

Psuedo Christmas party with my family
On Sunday my sister, brother-in-law, mother, father and grandmother gathered at our place for a psuedo Christmas party where Namiko and I cooked Japanese. It has been necessary to have this party as most of us either travel or work over the Christmas period. It was great to see everyone and relax.

In addition to activities this week, a meeting with the MBA director lead to the approval of our plans for the entrepreneurial project (EP) due during next term. We have to write a full business plan for our chosen project and can now kick off the research during the holiday.

That was it for this week. A bit of a crazy one with maybe one too many parties for the work that had to be chomped through. I am glad that I now have a week to revise. I don't really fancy resitting any of these subjects..