A little over 7 months ago, I started the Weekend Executive program and was training my mind to reenter the world of academia. Like many of you, it had been many years since I last took a formal academic class, for me, it had been 10+ years. But now, I’m starting to feel like a pro — like a professional student, and I can’t believe how far I’ve already come in the program.

Before I enrolled, I attended one of the program’s open house events. If you have not had the opportunity to attend an open house, I highly recommend it. (Check out the schedule of upcoming open houses.) I gained insight on the program and the level of dedication required, and I met several current students. At the event, I vividly recall listening to a panelist who was in the last term of his program and shared the message, “Before you know it, the next 18 months will fly by and the program will be complete.” At the time, I had difficulty believing it, but now I’m almost half way through the program, and I understand what he meant. You get so, so consumed with trying to manage each day, along with trying to juggle family, work, and school that you lose sense of time.

As I reflect back, I correctly anticipated the level of commitment required to complete the reading, team assignments, and quizzes. What I did not anticipate is how much fun I would have with it. Don’t get me wrong, the stress level to meet deadlines, both at school and work, can be overwhelming at times. However, the most enjoyable part of the program is when I go back to school for the on-campus residencies. The bonds and friendships I so quickly made with my classmates have been the most rewarding aspect of this program! Whether it’s discussing the content of a class or real world business issues, I learn just as much from my classmates as I have in the classroom. As I am midway through Term 3, I keep asking myself, “Where has the time gone?”