Puppy Therapy at Rotman!

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Stevie, the Therapy Dog, showing how her obedience tricks before we started playing with her soggy chew toy!

Now that school's out, I find myself with a little more time on my hands; going from full-time studying to full-time searching still takes up a significant amount of time, but with a little more free time than before.  It's been really nice to spend time with understanding family members I barely saw during my program, catch up with friends for reasons other than group projects & deliverables, get back to cooking for joy & health rather than speed & convenience, get back to working out without worrying it cutting into my study time, read a book not because it related to a course, see a movie without worrying about a paper that's due in a couple of hours, and just take leisurely walks through the neighborhood with my camera and take in everything.  Don't get me wrong, I love Rotman, and it's been an incredible roller-coaster ride that I've enjoyed completely... but sometimes, it's nice to enjoy a less manic pace too! :)

It was on one of these neighborhood strolls that I came across an adorable little puppy that took me straight back to Rotman.  During a particularly stressful period at Rotman, with exam season just around the corner, the Graduate Business Council and the Rotman Health & Wellness Association brought in Stevie, a St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog.  An adorable little 4-year-old female miniature poodle, Stevie loves to cuddle, meeting new people, and playing tug-of-war with her very soggy chew toy!  Although the Puppy Therapy didn't last very long, the after-effects lasted quite a while... I had a relaxed smile on my face for the rest of the day, and I was constantly lighting up with glee around puppies & dogs for a good few days after Rotman's Puppy Therapy session. :D

Calling all Internationals!

The Rotman MBA is exciting for me on so many levels... I get to pursue my MBA at my top-choice school (it's Canada's number one!), I get to meet family & friends (some I haven't seen in ages & some I haven't met at all!), and I get to come to Toronto (it's so fresh, energetic & bustling with energy!).  I'm bustling with energy & excitement for my Rotman MBA, and I'm ready for all that lies ahead, but it never hurts to be better prepared, and considering that it's my first time in Canada, I figured the Rotman International Student Orientation Week (ISOW) was a good idea to get acquainted with my new home.  But the ISOW was better than good, it was great! The ISOW was a great experience for all of us, as international students, to be exposed to the University of Toronto, the Rotman School of Management, academic styles, teamwork tasks, Canada's economic history, Canadian corporate culture, career opportunities, and even visit blue chip firms in Toronto.  Aside from the wealth of information available at the ISOW, it was also a great opportunity to begin to discover Toronto (the ISOW Amazing Race was quite fun), meet the other international students (there are so many other people in the same boat as you!), meet some upper-years (particularly from the Global Business Association and the Graduate Business Council), and of course, the amazing team from the International Program Services Office!

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Our team during one of the pit-stops on the ISOW Amazing Race!

I was born & raised in Dubai, and given that it's quite an energetic multicultural city, I thought I was ready for energetic multicultural Toronto.  I'm still ready, but after the ISOW, I just feel better prepared - for the program, the work involved, the corporate environment, and maybe even the winter.  It was a great opportunity to learn, and have some good fun along the way, and not-to-be-missed by any international students!