Wedding Info Session Crashers

One of my highlights during first semester was attending Cara’s info session during fall recruiting season. Obviously, I had no chance of getting hired, but I heard that these events catered some exquisite food, as well as complementary beverages. And so they did.

Tonight, I wrapped up “my winter recruiting season” (unless I become too enticed and register for another one), having talked to recruiters from the likes of Goldman Sachs and RIM. This is just another one of the wealth of resources Queen’s Commerce makes available to all its students, even first years. With the click of a button on MyCareer, you’ve set yourself up to meet the VP of a bulge bracket investment bank.

The way I see it, the informational aspect of these info sessions are kind of useless to those actually pursuing the internships. The upper years have already researched the job/industry/company extensively. In that respect, I believe that my fellow 1^st years and I – who learned a lot from these info sessions – while in the wrong place, were there for the right reasons, the entire time.

Class Participation

In an eloquent transition, we move to class participation. Unlike group work, this isn’t a grading component in all courses, but it’s still quite significant in many. Last semester, class participation counted for 12.5% in one course, and this semester, is worth 10% in another. These marks are awarded on the basis of our quality contributions to class discussion.

Now, there are several ways to claim as high an allocation of these marks as possible, but all hinge on a very important prerequisite: the professor has to know your name, which leads to: the professor has to be able to put a face to your name. To accomplish this, there are two general ways to go about it:
-say something completely ridiculous/stupid/inappropriate/obscure/etc (once is enough)
-provide a lot of consecutive right answers/insightful responses (this might take a while)

There is another way I’ve noticed, and I would really love to see if someone has previously done a study on this matter. There are some important facts first:
-commerce classes cap off at a size of 75 (technically 80)
-rooms are semi-circles, with multiple stages, such that the professor can see the face of every student in the room
-we are given name tags to place in front of us

So what I’ve figured out is that, if you pick a seat where your face is at the prof’s eye level, sit in that same seat every single class, smile a lot, occasionally raise your hand, and don’t screw up when you get picked, the professor just naturally learns your name. Once the professor knows your name, I think any contribution that doesn’t embarrass yourself is looked upon in good light, even if you just happen to regurgitate something in the reading.

But wait. What if you provided a lot of consecutive right answers/insightful responses, from the same seat that was at eye level, class after class? Profit =). So it’s kind of about being in that place, for all the right reasons, the entire time.

Rock Band

I believe my profile states that I quite enjoy Guitar Hero/Rock Band/SingStar. Well…my common room just got Rock Band =D. And some sketchy game called “Band Hero,” but it’s all good because it has some Taylor Swift songs. So uhm, goodbye average! The game is in the wrong place, but for all the right reasons, the entire time.

As I mentioned in my previous posts, I am the Events Coordinator for the Queen’s Entrepreneurs’ Competition 2010.  The competition final gala weekend starts this Thursday, and it’s crunch time for the Exec!  Delegate swag bags are being packed, publications are being finalized, signage to be picked up, itineraries to be sorted, nametags to be printed…and the list goes on.  The QEC Exec team has been camping out in the NSC (Net Impact Support Centre) and the ComSoc offices in the basement of Goodes Hall, doing last minute prep work.  This afternoon I did a HUGE supply pick up and we wandered the aisles of the grocery store with two shopping carts piled high with food, drinks, paper plates, cutlery, snacks, and decor items.  More shopping trips are scheduled in the next few days for QEC.  This competition weekend is the culmination of one year’s worth of planning, and I’m looking forward to welcoming the competitors who are coming from around the world to compete at the Queen’s School of Business.  The final gala weekend promises good food, exciting keynote speakers, and tons of networking opportunities…oh yeah, and the chance to win $25 000 in cash.  If you want more information about QEC and all of the other conferences and competitions, visit http://comsoc.queensu.ca/ and click on the External tab.

As a sidenote, I really encourage you to join the QSB online chat session taking place next Tuesday, January 26th from 7:00 to 9:00 PM.  There will be a whole QSB team working together to help answer your questions and give you instant responses on admissions, exchange, academics, student life, etc.

Until next time!

Kat

Hey!

So everyone here at QSB is diving head first into second term. After only a week there is already lots to do – I know I’m extremely busy already. In first year, we just finished with a few classes before break – Financial Accounting, Business Management and Communications, and Calculus – and are starting fresh with Managerial Accounting, Managerial Statistics, Organizational Behaviour and Marketing. I feel like I just started my first term and already it’s finished, but with lots of good memories.

This semester is already promising to be filled with so many more experiences and ways to be involved. Tons of conferences are coming up soon, with QMAC already having happened this past weekend and the executives for the conferences for next year have started and are continuing to hire. Conferences are a great way to get involved and learn a ton about different areas of the business world. Students looking to come to Queen’s next year should definitely get information early and apply for delegate – it will be a great experience. In addition to conferences there’s plenty of other activities and commerce clubs to get involved with (including HSL!).

To all prospective students, I am assuming by now all applications to university are in and now you guys are working on the PSE. Put lots of effort in here and show QSB how diverse you are! Unless you have applied for Chancellor scholarship, Commerce doesn’t accept anyone in early. So if you haven’t applied for this scholarship, sit back for awhile and chill – acceptances won’t be out for a few months. If you guys have any questions at all about applying or about commerce in general feel free to email me, I’d be happy to answer any and all of your questions. 8sjk2@queensu.ca

I’m off to do some Organizational Behaviour readings (such an interesting class!) but I will keep in touch!

Sarah

I just want to wish all of you a happy new year!   As you may have noticed, we have some new student bloggers on board for 2010, so I would like to extend a warm welcome to them.

I arrived in Kingston late yesterday afternoon to attend the final banquet and awards ceremony for the Inter-Collegiate Business Competition (I.C.B.C.).  I worked as a photographer at this event last year, and I was planning on volunteering again.  Unfortunately, I was unable to volunteer at I.C.B.C. this year due to my time commitments with the Queen’s Entrepreneurs’ Competition (QEC).  However, I did end up attending last night’s events as a guest of one of the Marketing Event Judges, and I even got to talk to some of the competitors who I met last year!  It was a well-executed night, and I was glad to be able to attend.

Classes start tomorrow, and I have 5 courses this semester: SOCY284 – Sociology of Communication and Information Technologies, COMM104 – Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility, GPHY101 – Human Geography, COMM181 – Human Resources Management, and COMM122 – Finance II.  Typical second year Commerce students will take COMM172 – Managerial Economics in place of my extra elective course, but I completed COMM172 in my first year.

I want to apologize to those of you who have sent me emails regarding the Queen’s Commerce program.  I am a bit behind on responding to emails, but I am working on getting through them as quickly as I can!  I am currently in the final two weeks of planning in my role as the Events Coordinator for QEC 2010, so things are a bit hectic.  Look for an update in the student blog about QEC and what it’s like to be on the QEC Executive once the final competition weekend is over (Jan 21st-23rd).  I am very excited to have the final round teams in Kingston in a few weeks where they will all be competing for $25 000 in cash prizes!

Until next time!