Home for the holidays!

So great to be back!

Scrambling

Healthcare Conference this week! It's kind of tough to come off of a week-long trip to California to a rush of putting together a 600+ conference... but you know, NBD!

Looking forward to Friday! :)
And to going home for winter break!
And to Christmas!
And beyond that!

Glow

I am so happy and feel so lucky. Happily engaged :)

Viiibrant gets engaged

In a few key words:

October 21 2012
Vermont roadtrip
Gangnam Style
Wagner's Cove in Central Park
Awkward confusion
Pure joy
Hugs all around
Strolling down 5th Ave
Starbucks Pumpkin Latte and a close encounter
Oceana
Family Surprise
Gourmet meal
Tears, laughter, happiness

True love :)

I am so blessed.

Exploring

It's only October but as I revisit my student budget, I'm forced to start thinking about what my travel expenses will be for the rest of the school year. I have a lot of little East Coast trips coming up which I'm super excited about and will help cross of cities/places I wanted to visit while living out on the East Coast.

Wishlist Location	Planned?
Vermont	October 2012
Philly	October 2012
Boston	November 2012
Los Angeles :)	November 2012
Iceland	January 2013??
DC	?
Maine	?
Niagara Falls	?
Japan	Hopefully March 2013

There's still a lot to figure out and plan, but I'm very excited about the rest of 2012. The holidays are upon us already and I am happy that we are entering my favorite time of year.

In NYC, the weather has certainly dipped down a bit so now the air feels cool and crisp. On the bright side, it means I can pull my cute fall jackets out from under my bed! It does throw a wrench into the half marathon training because of how nippy it is. I will eventually have to cave and invest in warmer running gear!

Cheers,
V

Big Living

I heard great news from my summer employer today! And while I still have a little bit more thinking to do, I'm so happy and grateful to have an offer in hand.

All this thinking about the future and realization that I'm in my last year of schooling ever (probably) made me reflect on all the things I want to experience/accomplish during my last year of school, like visit more East Coast cities (Boston, DC, Maine, etc.), visit more museums, eat at more restaurants and, overall, just soak up as much of this experience as I can. I'm realizing my time here is really whizzing by and I need to do my best to make the most of it.

Big decisions will be made in the next month or so, so cheers to good news, big dreams and happy thoughts!

<3v

Back to School

As I start my third week of classes, I'm kind of amazed at how quickly everything is flying by already. In a couple weeks, we'll be done with A-term and half the semester will have flown by already!

Having hoped to be "done" with recruiting at this point, I was kind of bummed when my summer employer has pushed out the decision date. This means that I need to start recruiting without the results of my summer known, especially if I want to recruit off campus again. While disappointed that the timing didn't work out, I'm also a little excited at the prospect of recruiting again. Yes, while it is mildly stressful, it is also very inspiring hearing about all the things that you could do with your future! With my first batch of outreach out, it means... it's game time!

Aside from the slide into recruiting, I've also been hard at work planning the school's healthcare conference. Last year around this time, I began planning the school's first ever healthcare West Coast trek. This year, I'm taking of a bit more of a challenge (a 500 person conference vs. a 5 student company visit trip), but there are a lot more people helping this time which is nice. The conference is in about a month and a half so I'm excited to see all the pieces come together before then.

H came to visit this weekend and it was a lot of fun to hang out with him like always. I feel like every time we hang out we get closer and my passion and drive to return to the "Left Coast" gets even stronger.

Gotta make it happen!

Till next time,
V

End of Summer

Honest, this summer just flew by. Since my last post, I have...
- Ran a half marathon (and now contemplating signing up for another)
- Visited Napa/Sonoma a handful of times
- Hung out with family
- Celebrated 6 years with H!
- Finished my internship
- Celebrated the end of my internship with a Vegas trip!

As we near the end of August, it amazes me how quickly, yet how much happened this summer. I really enjoyed being back in SF and it reminds me of how badly I want to live here after school. My internship experience went well and the company is supposed to make hiring decisions within the next 2-3 weeks. I'll likely have to start the recruiting process at school regardless but will play it by ear!

I'm starting to pack up my things now in preparation for the move back East (I feel kind of like a migrating bird.. except I'm traveling TOWARDS the cold!). As I move things into my suitcase, it kind of reminds me of how just last August I was doing the exact same thing. I was nervous, excited, and sad... and now I'm feeling kind of the same as I go into my second year. Though the feelings are similar, the reasons behind them are a little different. I'm nervous about how the full-time job situation will unfold (versus just nervous about NYC and b-school). Excited about 2nd year and rejoining all my friends in NYC (versus the unknown). Sad about... well I guess sad has the same reason -- all my family and friends here in the Bay!

 Even with all these mixed emotions, the one that comes out strongest is my excitement. Second year has come quick, but I'm sure it's going to be a memorable one.

Cheers to a fantastic summer,
V

Wayyy Overdue!

Wow, it's amazing how quickly summer has flown by so far! It's hard to believe that it's already July and that late next month I'll be on my way back to NYC.

So far, my internship has been an amazing experience. It's truly fantastic to be back at Genentech, a company that has long held a special place in my heart. When I worked at Genentech the first time, I was a newly minted grad with a science degree and only a dream of where I wanted to develop professionally. Now, 5 years later, I'm in exactly the role that I wanted way back when and it is even more cool than I thought it would be. H commented on something kind of funny this morning that made me smile - normally I have the hardest time waking up for work, but these past 5 weeks, I wake up on my own excited to start the day and am happy to be outside waiting for the shuttle at 6-something in the morning. For old Vi, that would NOT fly so that's saying something!

Everyday I go to work, and I get even more fascinated with the biotech industry and all the moving pieces that have to work in synchrony in order to bring a drug to market. I honestly feel like Genentech lives and breathes it's mission statement and it's commitment to its patients and its people is not just theory, but something that people really do talk about every day at work. It is very motivating and the more I intern, the more in love I fall with the company, its people and its mission.

I am at the start of week 5 for my internship, which is totally insane because I really feel like I just started. The first few weeks were spent scoping out my projects, talking to a whole bunch of people (both project stakeholders and not), and getting to know my fellow interns. After meeting with and talking to all the other interns, I feel really lucky to be considered their peer. There are former bankers, consultants and even a former pro-athlete! The next couple weeks will be filled with travel and a whole bunch of data collection. Once I get back from my travels, the pedal will really hit the metal and it will be serious "go" time on my project. I'm excited and a little nervous at the same time, so wish me luck!

Aside from that, it's been great to be back home in the Bay Area. I really love being able to spend all this time with H and I feel like things couldn't be better. I do want to try to see my family more while I'm home, so that's something I want to prioritize more. Other than that, I'm still (slowly) training for my half marathon in late July. It's been a little tricky since I started working, but H and I have been squeezing in gym time when we can.

I'll try to make more of an effort to keep this updated! Until then --

Cheers,
Vi

Summer Break

I'm finally back in the Bay Area! After finals, I spent a week in NYC just hanging out with friends and slowly packing up my room in preparation for my move back to SF for the summer. Now one plane ride, 4 suitcases, and 3 weeks later, I finally feel settled at "home" in SF.

The last few weeks have been a lot of fun hanging out with H, experimenting with cooking (the house I'm living at this summer has a super legit kitchen), and RUNNING! I'm really enjoying my time off but equally excited about starting my internship next week.

Till next time,
V

Too Legit to Quit

Today, I made a pretty darn impressive looking excel sheet for options valuation/pricing. Nine months ago, I had only the faintest idea what an option is. Today, I am options GENIUS!!! (Okay, not quite... but very close).

Yay, professional development!!

The next two weeks for me are filled with final presentations, final papers and final exams. See you on the other side!

Cheers,
Vi

Lucky

I realize that my last few posts have been so sappy, but I'm probably not going to break the trend any time soon :) I am loving my time in business school and feel very fortunate to have this opportunity to live in NY, work on my career, reflect on my aspirations, and meet all these wonderful people.

This weekend, I found myself walking down 5th Avenue in lovely 65 degree weather. I was surrounded by a billion tourists (a feeling I have learned to despise), but for some reason, in that moment, my surroundings made me feel so lucky. Right now, I'm living in a city that people travel thousands of miles to see. NYC is literally my backyard, its famous skyline the backdrop to my b-school adventures. How awesome is that!

The cool thing is when I go "home" this summer, I'll get to spend the entire summer in SF. There is something about SF that puts me at ease. It's not just that I'm familiar with it -- it's something outside of myself; it's the people, the places, the mentality, the energy. I really hope that my summer goes well, because after school it is definitely my goal to move back to SF.

People often say "the grass is greener on the other side" but from my perspective, neither side is greener. Both are the greenest green possible.

I am very lucky!

Love,
Vi

Running

This week I signed up for the San Francisco Half Marathon! The race is in late July so I have just over three months to get back into shape. I ran my first half marathon last February and while I kept at a very modest pace, I was very proud of myself for achieving such a cool personal goal. This time, I hope to do better in time and to finish strong! I think it would be pretty cool to do at least 1 half marathon a year :) Next year, I really want to run the Nike Women's Half!

Next week is the last week of classes for my first year in business school. It's unbelievable that this year is already over. I am excited to return to SF and see my family and friends, and especially to start my internship! At the same time, it's kind of bittersweet to say goodbye to my first year already. Next year is going to go by in a flash and I want to make sure I enjoy all that business school has to offer.

Cheers,
Vi

Happy Easter!

Today, on this Easter morning, NYC has never been so lovely! It is still a tad bit on the chilly side, but it's wonderful to see the city embrace springtime. I guess the upside to having a really cold winter is that you can really see the city's transition into spring. The city goes from brown to a lovely shade of pink, as cherry blossoms color the sky.

My closet has also been going through a major transition. I've known for a long time that there are some deadweight pieces in my closet. They are things that I fell in love with in the store, bought, but then never actually wear. There are several reasons why an article of clothing can meet this fate -- usually I didn't try them on in the store, they don't fit correctly, etc. I also have a hoarding problem (it's hard for me to say good bye to things) which compounds the problem. Some of these pieces of clothing have been with me for a few years, moving from city to city without ever getting any wear. This past week, I have been determined to purge my closet of these ghosts, partially to clean my room and prepare for my upcoming move to SF but also to... make room for some new clothes!

When I think about life after business school, a few things come straight to mind -- I want to officially be starting my "forever" career path, I want to be a more serious, confident business women, and I want to be... well dressed! I know it's kind of shallow, but it's something that I've frequently thought about. Graduating from business school, to me, represents my debut back into the professional world. Not as an awkward, timid undergrad, but as a truly sophisticated, intelligent and empowered business woman. And part of that image is projected in how a woman presents herself!

Ever the bargain shopper, I am always on the hunt for a good deal. Sometimes (often times) this means compromises on what I really want for what I think is a good value. I definitely get this from my mom. While I think it's good to be money savvy, I realize more and more as I get older that it's better to have fewer (and possibly more expensive) things that you really love in your closet, then a whole mess of stuff you bought on clearance. Plus, it will probably make moving easier :)

Kind of a silly post for Easter Sunday, but I'm sure I'll think of something deeper to write about soon!

Love,
V

Random Flashback

One year ago today was my last day of work at GLG.

How time flies!!!

New Habits

In yoga last week, someone said something that really resonated with me:

"How you do anything is how you do everything."

I think that's a beautiful thought. It means that individual actions make habits, and habits define your character. How you approach every little thing you do is how you approach everything. So often, people isolate their actions and claim that certain circumstances influenced their behavior one way or another. In reality though, how you live is defined by how you act in all these small moments. It is the average of your actions, the practice in which you live that defines your character. No moment is different than any other - no excuses as to how you live your life. Every moment is an opportunity to prove to yourself that you are who you think you are.

As I practiced yoga that class, thinking, breathing, letting those works soak in, I pushed myself so hard (even though I was so wobbly from the cross-fit session right before!). So many times during the day, I make small concessions from what I would ideally do/react/say/feel. I quickly forgive myself and move on. The implication of this is that maybe who I think I am and who I actually am are diverging. If you keep making compromises and surrendering small things, in aggregate, you'll find that you are far off base!

This semester, I've been off to a good start -- I've been very blessed with a lot of things and I've created new habits that I'm hoping to stick with for a while.

1. Waking up early. Up until a  couples weeks ago, I would always sleep right up until the last minute, then rush rush rush to work or to school. I would literally give myself 10 minutes to brush my teeth, change and throw on some eyeliner. No breakfast, no fuss - just go go go! Often times I would think, "when I get older, I'm going to wake up earlier and take my time, eat breakfast, get dressed properly." I was never sure what "when I get older" meant, but I assumed that I would eventually mature to that point and start doing such. Silly me, because intentions are nothing without effort and habit's cannot be formed without a first time.  Luckily, jetlag from Spring Break helped me achieve my "first time" and since then I've been making a conscience effort to wake up early every day, give myself an 1-2 hours to get ready, eat breakfast, take time in choosing my clothes and applying my make up. It's given me a sense of calm and peace in the morning. Very grown up of me, huh??
2. Eating healthy. When I was in college, I had amazing metabolism. I don't think I every really understood how amazing it was until I started losing it. I used to eat junk food, and it would magically disappear from my body instantly, all evidence hidden. Now, even just a few years later, when I eat something, it shows. I see it on my hips and I feel it in my energy level. Since doing my first juice cleanse in November, I've been trying to increase my intake of liquids (I never used to drink enough water), and to eat a more balanced diet. Sometimes it's hard, with all the free food school provides, but I think the trick is just to shop smart. Once you get the good stuff at home,  it's easier to eat healthy. You eat what you buy, so start there.
3. Saying "Yes" more. I think in my purest state, I am a home-body. I like to stay home and just hang out. Business school offers so many opportunities to go out that it's easy to get overwhelmed and oftentimes, it's easier to just say no or make excuses instead of making the effort. Now that first year is coming to an end, I'm realizing how quickly b-school is going to fly by and have subscribed to the idea of just saying "yes" whenever I'm unsure about something. I always have fun when I get there, but I just gotta get there first! So now, instead of just going out just once a week, I've up'ed it to 2-3. I've definitely been feeling it in my wallet, but hey... when you're down $10's of thousands, a few hundred more doesn't feel that bad right??? :)

That's it for now! Today, I'm going to see Hunger Games (YAY!!) and then go to Spring Gala.

Onwards and upwards!

Cheers,
Vi

Back to Reality!

So, I'm back from Spring Break! Transitioning from the intense highs and lows of internship recruiting to the excitement of exploring London/Rome and now to the monotony of academia has been a little bit of a roller coaster.

For Spring Break, my b-school bestie and I went to London, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast (Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, and Capri). It was such a great time to stop thinking about school (too much), celebrate our internships (we both got our first choices!) and to just enjoy the freedom that business school allows you to travel, make friends and learn about who you are and what you want to do with your life.

Reflections on London:
I ended up loving London a lot more than I thought I would. Originally our "pit stop" in London was just to save on airfare (it was cheaper to fly to London then to Rome then to Rome directly). I'm so glad it worked out the way it did because London was such a welcome breath of fresh air. The beauty of the historic buildings, quaint alleys, and charming shops and people added so much color to our trip. In London, we saw all of the touristy stuff like Parliament, Big Ben, the National Gallery, Borough Market, the bridges, Tate Modern, Harrod's, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey but also had some time to explore small shopping districts and try out British fare (like fish and chips and meat pies!).

Reflections on Rome:
Rome was okay. The city was very interesting in that it was littered with historical treasures amidst new looking buildings. I feel like if you just wandered around the city, you'd hit landmines of important landmarks every half mile. I think would have appreciated Rome more if it weren't so touristy and/or if I was more of a history buff. Since I'm not, I was able to enjoy the beautiful sites but didn't soak in as much of the culture as I had thought I would originally.

Reflections on Amalfi Coast:
The Amalfi Coast is definitely the highlight of our trip - Sorrento and Capri especially! These two cities felt like they've been put into a time capsule that has protected them from all that is ugly and bad in the world. The people were charming and nice and the scenery was unreal. I'm not sure if I'll make it back to Italy in the next few years, but if I do, you can bet your bottom dollar that Sorrento and Capri will be on the itinerary.


Now that we're back for the final term of our first year (still can't believe it...), I've been hit with the harsh reality that b-school is almost half done for me. CRAZY! It's been so easy to fall into the student lifestyle again, but I'm also really excited about interning this summer for a lot of reasons.

1) MONEY!! My bank account has a strong negative correlation between funds and the time I've been in school. Luckily, I've found some part time work to help dampen the downfall a little bit, but I'm really excited about the financial boost that this internship will provide (for more traveling!!).
2) It's my dream job. Literally. When I left Genentech 5 years ago, I swore that I'd be back and now, it's a reality (for at least a summer)! The company has changed a little bit since I left, but I am the same -- I feel very blessed to have this opportunity, the same one I set my eyes on 5 years ago.
3) It's in the BAY!! After living in NYC for the past 9 months, I've definitely come to love the city, but there is nothing like home. SF has become home for me and I am so excited to be able to spend this summer in the company of friends, family and, of course, H.

Love,
V

SF, get ready!

I'mma be back this summer! I've signed and delivered my internship offer letter and will be returning to the Bay Area this summer. I'm really excited about this new opportunity and the chance to spend some time with my loved ones.

More details later... for now, it's time to study for my Capital Markets Midterm!!

Love,
Vi

The "School" Part of B-School

Now that recruiting is over, it's technically time for me to focus on classes again. Technically.

However, after the last two months of interview prepping, interviews (I did 22...), and constant obsession over the recruiting process, return to "normal" school life has become quite the challenge!! It's a weird mixture of restlessness and extreme lack of motivation. In the end, laziness has won out last week, though I'm slowly starting to creep back into study mode (and just in time too... the term ends in a couple weeks)! It's hard to believe that this term is already over. B-school is really just flying by and it's exciting and sad at the same time.

After the term ends in early March, it's time for Spring Break! Now that I'm out on the East Coast, I'm going to try to take advantage of my new proximity to Europe. I'm really excited to be visiting London and Rome for Spring Break :) I don't have the biggest budget, but all the alumni I've spoken too have told me that their biggest regret of their B-school experience is not traveling more.

At the end of this week, I'm flying out to LA for a company's "sell-day" and shortly after, will be making final decisions about where I will be interning this summer.

Have a wonderful week!

<3v

Good Things

Today I got an offer from the company I have been lusting after for the last four years. Recruiting in general is wrapping up for me -- I did my last phone interview yesterday and will be doing my last in-person interview on Friday.

Things are starting to come together! More details once the dust settles.

Cheers,
V

Super Quick Update

No more internship woes :)

The last week has been filled with good news. I still have a few more 2nd round interviews left, so fingers crossed!! I can say, however, that I will not be jobless this summer!

Also, I just heard back from the Fellowship I applied for as well, so I will also have spring time employment with Columbia University's technology transfer office!

Good news all around. 

Love,
Vi

Internship Search Woes

While the internship search process started for all of us months ago, the last 20 days that I've been back in NYC feel like they've lasted forever and have aged me a few years for sure. By the end of this week, I will have done 20 interviews, some lasting just 30 minutes and others up to 5 hours. I'll pretty much be done with all my first round interviews, from which I've already gotten some rejections and a handful of 2nd round interview invites.

The interviewing process for MBA internships typically is done in 2 phases -- a round 1 that is more introductory and typically with someone who is a recent MBA grad or HR and a round 2 that is a lot more in-depth, where you meet with several people, including senior managers and executives. The interviews themselves are very different from what I'm used to - by the time you get into their office, you better darn well know the company backwards and forwards. No questions are off limits!! I've been asked several times to comment on the company's growth strategy, make suggestions for new areas of growth for the company, identify whether or not a company overpaid/underpaid for a recent acquisition. The hardest question I've gotten so far was about why a company's lead product was clinically superior to its competitor. It's CRAZY how much they test you, but in the end, they are screening for future company leaders so the question make sense... but when you are sitting on the receiving end, it's kind of nerve-wracking!

I hope all this searching will be fruitful and that I will be done soon. I'm still excited about my internship future, but the interviewing process has been very tiring!!

Best,
V

26!!

Today is my 26th birthday! I don't have any major plans except my last 1st round interview this week (phew!) and dinner tonight with a friend. As I enter the later half of my 20's, I feel like it's all been a blur, but a wonderful blur full of new experiences and milestones!

A brief timeline of my 20s:
20: Started dating H :)
21: Got my first real job, graduated from undergrad
22: Moved to a business job, got my first new car
23: Got my first promotion
24: Completely financially independent from my parents
25: Got into business school, started grad school
26: ??

I miss not being able to spend this day with H, but hopefully after b-school, it won't be a problem ever again :)

Cheers,
V

Off with a Bang!

WOW - can't believe it's already mid-January already! The past few weeks have be a flurry of internship-related activity. The first week of January I hosted CBS's first annual West Coast Healthcare Trek and we visited several of the top healthcare companies in the Bay Area. Visits included Gilead, Medtronic, Intuitive Surgical, Novartis... just to name a few!

I flew back to NYC about a week ago to prepare myself to interview craziness. Last week, I had two interviews and this week, I'll have a whole bunch more. It was kind of unnerving to sit on that side of the table again (after a few years of being the interviewer!), but I guess it's kind of like riding a bike -- after a few, you're back in the hang of it!

Being back in SF for the last few weeks definitely makes me miss home a lot more. As I spend more and more time out here, I grow increasingly fond of NYC but I'm also learning more about myself and realizing all the things I took for granted living out in the West Coast.

.... like mild winters! As winter-weather takes over the city, I can't help but wish I was back in California! Yesterday it reached 18 degrees. It's so cold now that you'd be absolutely CRAZY to leave the apartment without gloves, a thick scarf, a comfy beanie or earmuffs and Ugg boots. Most of the time when I'm walking around I zip my jacket all the way up and then sink my face into the collar so that only my eyes are showing. My friends joke that this is just the start, but I honestly can't imagine it getting any colder outside! I was not built for this kind of weather!!

Anyway, just wanted to provide a quick update on me. I'll try to post again after this week is over to sum up all my interviewing craziness.

Hope everyone's 2012 is off to a good start :)

Cheers,
Vi