I have to say, business school is hard.

After 3 months of intense learning and work, everyone was desperately looking for a break. So the moment we finished exams for Fall Term 1, people raced to the airport! It was interesting to see Facebook filled with my friends’ statuses about either being at the airport or on the way to the airport.

The past few months were so fulfilling that everyone seemed content as they left Durham for fall break and to celebrate Thanksgiving. I heard multiple comments about how quickly the time went by, and that it feels like some recent events actually happened a very long time ago. For example, I still remember our Economics Professor Tracy Lewis saying that 45 minutes of class in business school equals a whole week for undergrad students. In just 2 hours, he actually covered all of the content from my previous economics class that had taken a whole academic year to go through. The same goes for other Fuqua courses.

The program’s diversity was also perfectly illustrated during fall break — our differences aren’t just apparent in class. I could basically draw a map of the United States just based on the locations that my 112 classmates traveled to during the break. Classmates went snowboarding up north, visited the beach down south, some visited Universal Studios, and some tasted Boston’s best lobster. Fall break wasn’t about getting away from Durham, though, it was also about going to visit family and friends, to catch up, have fun, and even get engaged! Congratulations are in order for our dear fellow blogger Samantha Cibelli, on the great news of her engagement, and we all wish her a happy and fulfilling life! My fall break seemed a little geeky, studying for the CFA exam, but I still did a lot of catching-up with friends, finally got my visa and travel plans sorted out for winter break, and discovered quite a few brunch and coffee places.

Fall break was an opportunity for us to recharge, take a break, and fill up on energy to get us through even more awesomeness that Fuqua has yet to offer. Looking at all the great photos from my friends and listening to all the great stories that we couldn’t wait to share with each other, I felt such a family-like connection. It’s amazing how the MMS program has bonded us over the past few months, and we are increasingly making it a family filled with laughter, warmth, and care. And when you get that powerful support, somehow you know that no matter how hard or tough business school gets, you’ll always have your friends there for you. I guess that’s the power of Team Fuqua.