Pushing Limits

I am officially an MBA student! I successfully completed my first weekend of the program without any permanent damage. I’m really excited about the program but nervous about the workload ahead. The classes seem like they’ll be challenging but rewarding as well.

Going into the program, I knew that managing the workload and balancing the rest of my priorities would be tough. In addition to the studies, I also had to face some mental fears this past weekend. I’m pretty introverted, so making an effort to get to know the other 38 people in my cohort was a great exercise in stepping out of my comfort zone.

We were also asked to push our mental limits through a team building day, which sounded really cheesy but ended up being scary and exhilarating. The first challenge we encountered was to climb a telephone pole then walk across a high wire.

(Photos taken by classmates.)

I didn’t think I was afraid of heights, but when you’re high enough and feeling unstable enough, the fear takes over. I actually went first on the high rope, and I was so nervous but felt really energized to have my fellow classmates cheering me on. Everyone was really supportive, and it felt great to be a part of the team. I felt like I was on The Amazing Race!

Our other scary challenge of the day involved climbing up a rope ladder then zip lining off the platform. My arms were so tired by the top of the rope ladder. I thought I had built up some arm muscle, but I was really physically challenged and barely made it to the platform. Allowing myself to jump off the platform and free fall for a little while before the zip line caught was also quite a mental achievement. I did not want to allow myself to fall.

I was surprised by how much I was tested mentally this past weekend, but I hope to reflect on those moments and be able to find strength within myself. I can learn all the materials. I can maintain balance. I can rely on my classmates for support.

In the end, I felt like I met some fun, intelligent people and made myself proud by overcoming both my shyness and pushing physical boundaries.

What is the scariest thing you’ve ever done?