I didn’t question my decision to start my MBA with an infant – I just did it. I am almost one year into the program and can confirm that it is possible to “do Booth with a kid.” I don’t think it is significantly harder than being a working mother – if anything, the flexibility that Booth provides enables me to go to school, recruit, and socialize while coming home in time to put my son to bed.
Our friend Scott Rupnow was in the middle of a touching Booth Stories talk (a Moth-style series), when he asked his girlfriend Rawan Allozi to join him in front of dozens of close friends, family who we had snuck into the back of the room, and a few random students who had no idea what was going on.
When my girlfriend Melanie decided to enroll at Booth and move here to Chicago I was thrilled, mainly because we had been long distance for several years and I was excited for us to live in the same city. But honestly, I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect in terms of how busy she would be, how much homework and class she would have, how much partying there would be, and if the Turkey Drop was actually a thing (yikes!).
I had some ideas about what business school would be like for her, ranging from crazy party-school (out partying all night and drinking Monday through Saturday) to stressed out student (at the library all night, studying 100% of the time not in class). I guessed that it would be something in between, and it turns out I was right!
My partner (TBE Blogger Eli Feret) and I both started grad school at the same time, halfway across the country from each other. While I pursue my Masters of Social Work at Boston College and he pursues his MBA at Chicago Booth, our time spent apart is usually packed with classes, projects, and get-togethers with classmates turned friends.
When I tell people I’m in this long-distance relationship, the most common response is: “Oh, that must be so hard.” There are certainly times when being in a long-distance relationship while pursuing different grad degrees has been challenging, but it has also been empowering and exciting.
It’s pretty crazy how fast time in Chicago has passed. I remember first moving here with Justin and feeling nervous, not knowing what to expect. It was also my first time leaving Texas. I honestly expected Justin wouldn’t really have much time to spend with me (which proved not to be true); that he’d be busy with recruiting and Booth events, leaving me at home.
So, I made sure to not be a homebody— I told myself I needed to be very proactive when I moved here and joined the Booth Partners Club almost immediately. I joined in on some of the Booth festivities whenever open to partners of students. A few TNDCs have been attended… (much to my regret the morning after). I went to as many events as I could to make friends. I wanted to make sure I had a good network of my own while living in Chicago.
