The Last First Day of School

[Post by Lilly Needleman, MBA Class of 2010]

Today was the last day of my summer internship. Looking back, it really was a great experience. I learned a lot. I was in a new industry and a different role than any I had held before.

But I’ll be honest. I am ready to go back to school. Wednesday is my last first day of school. EVER. Without revealing exactly when I had my first first day of school, let’s just say, “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits was the number one song in the country and the tag on my clothes said Osh Kosh B’Gosh.

Just like back then, I’ll have peanut butter and jelly for lunch, and like then, I have a new lunch box. But, that is where the similarities end. This time around, my to-do list includes buying new running shoes, getting folders for last semester’s cases that I feel some need to keep, picking up my T pass, and grocery shopping. The night before, I’ll make sure my cell phone is charging, that I know where my name card thing is, and that my computer cord is in my bag. That first time I got ready for school, way back when, my preparation was limited to…well, waking up. That’s about all I was responsible for and mom and dad took care of the rest.

But just like the other first day, in the year not to be named, I am a little nervous. New professors, new classmates… And this time, there’s a little added pressure of having to figure out what I want to do with myself after all of this is done. I’m not going to lie, I have no idea. I know what I don’t want to do. And that’s a start, right? Right.