One of the unique things about Fuqua is that students don’t have classes on Wednesdays. I thought my first Wednesday off would be a time to work out, cook for the week and … be a day off. I was totally wrong.

After my first fall term ended I looked back and could honestly say, Wednesday turned out to be one of the busiest days of the week. Needless to say, my Outlook calendar was highly utilized—filled with team meetings, club activities, interview prep, Program for Entrepreneurs (P4E) projects, and recruiting activities.

Here is a glimpse into my first Wednesday off:

1:00 A.M. – Head home from a Mexican Independence Day celebration

My Mexican classmates organized an event to celebrate their country’s independence. The event was full of flags, sombreros, Spanish music, and an authentic Mexican mariachi band. It was a great exemplification of the diversity of people and backgrounds that you experience as a student at Fuqua.

6:30 A.M. – Wake up and get ready for the Duke MBA Marketing Conference

I always start my day with a warm cup of coffee! After coffee, my roommate and I make sure we have everything we need for school in order to avoid trips back home once we get to campus. Duke encourages all students to be environmental stewards, therefore my roommate and I decided to carpool to Fuqua. Plus, finding parking can sometimes be challenging. If you ask me, the current parking situation is the main thing that I would improve about Duke—which tells you that the most important aspects of the student experience are in good shape. Hopefully, by the time our class of 2018 enrolls the new parking deck will be finished.

7:30 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. – Attend the Duke MBA Marketing Conference

The Marketing Club’s flagship event brings together marketing leaders from various companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Frito Lay, Clorox, and Nissan. The conference started with a keynote from J&J executives followed by 3 breakout sessions and lunch. We learned about building beloved brands and current marketing trends through case studies. All the clubs on campus have similar conferences. I highly recommend these as you will learn about industry trends and will have an opportunity to network, which can be a great benefit once recruiting begins.

1:00 P.M. – Team meeting to finish writing a memo for our Management Communication course

During our core classes at Fuqua, we work on our cases and projects with our Consequential Leadership (C-Lead) teams. Aside from coursework, C-Lead teams also cover leadership, diversity, teamwork, and personal development plans. On this particular Wednesday, my team had to review our recorded presentation delivered during Management Communication and provide feedback.

2:30 P.M. – Complete Economics online quiz and prepare for classes

Our Fall Term 1 classes are quantitatively heavy, so having check points is extremely important!

3:45 P.M. – Interview for a Tech Club cabinet position

As a first-year student, you are able to take on leadership positions on the club cabinets. Fuqua is student-led, and it’s amazing how quickly you are empowered to impact the school! This year I will be on the Marketing Club and Tech Club cabinets.

4:30 P.M. – Diversity Conference prep

I planned to attend the National Black MBA Association Annual Conference and attended all the prep sessions available for this early recruiting opportunity. Throughout the fall, Fuqua clubs host interview prep sessions that teach you how to be successful in your behavioral and case interviews. The clubs offer boot camp sessions that focus on these early recruiting opportunities as well, which is great!

6:00 P.M. – P4E Startup Matchmaker Event

P4E allows students to explore entrepreneurial opportunities and potentially launch an innovation. It’s a great learning experience for those interested in entrepreneurship. I pitched my startup idea to a room full of strangers and enrolled in the New Ventures 1 course during Fall Term 2.

8:00 P.M. – Head home and finish working on case prep for the next day

Class contribution is an integral aspect of your Duke MBA experience, therefore being prepared is extremely important. I usually spend around 5 hours prepping for the following day’s class.

Overall, Wednesdays are productive and help break up your week in 2 mini weeks. Just remember being organized is of utmost importance!