Four. Hour. Case.

This post is going to be nothing like the last post, mostly because my opinion of the business school is temporarily not so high.  Hopefully my opinion will be very different about 7 hours from now.

Tonight is the dreaded GBA 490 four-hour written case.  Virtually every graduating senior in the business school will be in Alston 10 or 30 from 6-10 PM tonight writing until our hands are about to fall off.  (Perhaps I should do some hand stretches during the next few hours so I don't pull a muscle in my fingers.)

GBA 490 is the capstone class in Culverhouse College of Commerce & Business Administration.  To graduate with a business degree, you have to take (and pass) it.  And it is one of those classes you hear horror stories about from the moment you start taking business classes.  I feel like I was never sympathetic enough toward previous classes of poor, suffering seniors.

It has certainly been a challenging course.  It seems like there is always something due; there's no slacking off in this class.  The worst part for me was the Business Strategy Game, mostly because I was terrible at it.

But the cases have been a challenge as well, especially the written ones.  In case you don't know what a case is, it is basically where you are given pages and pages of information about a company.  You're told about the company's history, industry, competitors, strategy, etc.  And then you have to analyze the company and industry with the various "tools" we've been taught in the course.  (I am going to get back to memorizing those for tonight as soon as I'm finished with this blog post!)

Although this process is long and not easy by any means, it helps that there is not necessarily any one right answer.  If there's one thing most of us have learned in college, it's how to argue a point.  As long as you can make an intelligent argument in your analysis, you probably won't do too poorly grade-wise.

I am most scared about trying to focus for four consecutive hours.  Senioritis hit a long time ago, and I don't know the last time I really made myself work continuously for four hours.  The GRE I took in December was probably the closest I've come in a while.

And it doesn't help that it's Earth Day, Good Friday (I'll be rocking my cross earrings tonight for good karma.), and my Uncle T's birthday.  I just want to be home relaxing with my family right now; is that too much to ask, business school?!?

Alas, there is no escape from this impending doom.  I just have to be brave and face it with my classmates from the past four years.  I know I'll feel so much better when it's over.

Now I'm off to rest my hands for the next few hours!  TTYL, y'all.

P.S.  Don't tell me that business majors have it easy ever again.