It’s a few months ago now that I started my MBA at the Saïd Business School. The first term is over. It’s called Michaelmas Term here in Oxford. In a few days, the next term, Hilary, will start. It’s strange to look back at the previous term. I didn’t really know what to expect from the programme. Sure, I knew I wanted to do an MBA. I carefully looked at several different business schools and decided that Oxford was the best option for me. But how would it really be?

On the first day, we were welcomed by our Dean and our MBA Programme Director in the school’s largest lecture theatre, named after South Africa’s freedom-fighter and then President Nelson Mandela. Next, it was our turn. All students had to give a short one-minute-introduction of themselves. 220 new faces from 40 different countries, that was impressive. I couldn’t remember a single name afterwards.

It’s different now. When I stroll around the business school, these are all familiar faces now. The MBA Programme is very intense, especially since it’s only a one-year-programme. That means that we spend a lot of time at the business school, discussing in classes, working in teams, studying in the library, asking and helping each other. That helps to get to know each other.

The downside is, it’s really hard work. There were moments where I wished I hadn’t decided to do an MBA. I started last term with a very bad cold, never really caught up with all the readings we were supposed to do and hardly had time to explore Oxford, at least not as much as I would have liked. And that’s a pity since Oxford has so much to offer. The University consists of 39 Colleges. Most of them are truly historic and really worth visiting. In addition, there are several museums, the Bodleian Library, the Covered Market and lots of fantastic pubs, just to name a few of the sights. By the way, every MBA student is also a member of one of the Colleges, e.g. I am a member of Mansfield College. And the Colleges also organise many events that are worth attending. At least at my college, it’s definitely always fun to hang out there!

Well, with the intense course and all the other things going on, one doesn’t really realise how fast the term passes and suddenly, it’s time for exams. Last term, we had to take six exams in four days. That was crazy. But somehow we all managed to do it. The party afterwards was fantastic!

After having spent Christmas in Germany, I am back in Oxford now. In a few days, Hilary Term will start. We already have the reading lists and an overview of the assignments for each course. While we all had the same six courses in Michaelmas (Strategy 1, Finance 1, Decision Science, Developing Effective Managers, Financial Reporting and Managerial Economics) we were able to choose three electives in addition to two core courses (Operations Management and Marketing) for Hilary. I chose Developing Effective Organisations, Financial Management and Marketing, Culture & Society. Besides the courses, we have to work on our Entrepreneurial Project during Hilary, i.e. we have to develop a business idea, present that to an external panel and write a business plan for it.

Although I have learned so much about Oxford and about how the business school works I have the same feeling as in the days before the MBA Programme had started. I don’t really know what to expect from the new courses and lecturers and from the Entrepreneurial Project. But I am looking forward to finding it out. Let’s see…