Week 10 Hilary...Exams and Texas!

And that's it! Exams over. As was the same in Michaelmas Term, six exams in four days is physically and mentally draining. They are now over and except for an Operations Management assignment (due tomorrow) and a Financial Management assignment (due Friday) the term is over. Its amazing to think that 2/3 of the MBA is done. Where has the time gone?

Whilst the exams seemed harder than those in Michaelmas, I feel reasonably confident that all went OK.

As usual we were dressed in sub fusc and adorned with a carnation, whose colour fitted with how far we were along with the exams.

Mikhel, Niall, Me, Barry and John on Tuesday

Mark, on the realisation that he wrote the answer to one question on the QUESTION SHEET, and not the ANSWER SHEET. Its good that he can laugh about it.

Swapandeep and Wayne in deep conversation in the Hertford College Library prior to the Finance exam on Wednesday

In the title of this post I also include the word 'Texas'. It would seem that following last week's presentation, my EP (Entrepreneurial Project) team has been selected to represent Oxford at the Moot Corp MBA business plan competition in Texas during May. As I explained last post, we knew that the presentation was well received, but didn't expect to win. It is a great honour and if I were to say that the 5 of us are excited about the trip, it would be a tremendous understatement.

The winning EP team

Li Yuanchao

On Friday, here at the business school, I was lucky enough to attend a lecture by Li Yuanchao, Chairman of Jiangsu Province and expected future President of China. The title of his presentation, 'New Concepts in Socialist China', seemed a little strange, however the results in Jiangsu combined with the passion with which he presented seem to suggest that he really is the future of China. To be able to sit in a room and listen to people like Mr Li is one of the things I love about doing my MBA in Oxford.

Li Yuanchao and a packed Said Business School Lecture Theatre

Golf

On Thursday (and following my last exam), and for the first time in many months I managed to play a round of golf... erm as expected, the time off from the game was very visible and I was horrible. Hopefully I will get the change to practice next term.

The after golf dinner at Browns. Matt, Andrew, Chris, Me, Dan, Brandon and Kaysa

After Exam Party

The usual crazy after exams party. Less said the better about that one... No photos, to protect the innocent!

Japanese Dinner

On Sunday, Namiko and I attended a dinner hosted by Tomo Suzuki (a lecturer at SBS) and his family at Shanghai 30's restaurant. The object of the evening (apart from having dinner with friends) was to strengthen the 'Said Business School Japanese network' and I felt privileged to join. It has been a while since I spent an evening speaking nothing but Japanese, but it seemed OK and Namiko and I had a great time.

Namiko and Hiro at the partySo that's it. Another term bites the dust. Last year's class warned us about Hillary, and they were right. On the up side, they also stated that Trinity (summer term), is the best so I suppose that if they were correct about this one, I can trust them on the next one.