Hello!

I’ve been thinking a lot about you this weekend, as I went about Old Guy chores, the VC job, and prepping for my fall course.

I’ve had office hours with some of you and look forward to more. The general consensus I heard is that Section vibes continue to be strong. That all bodes well for the Section.

We will meet this coming week for a “Section Chair Check-In.” We will talk a bit about continuing to build a positive Section culture.

I also will give a My Take. I normally save that for the end of the year, but the comments from the second-year students during our fireside chat made me think that an earlier session might be helpful.

The talk will be highly personal and so I apologize now for any uneven delivery. I won’t be circulating the slides. The session is geared towards this: What are practical and scientifically-proven ways to manage stress at HBS?

The first-year stress will continue to build and likely peak at mid-terms. This is all normal. You will get through it just as 90,000 HBS alumni have before you. If we did it, so will you.

Note that the workload does not decline after mid-terms. But you will be more comfortable with the Case Method. It is intentionally designed to make you a better leader: you are learning to make consequential decisions with limited information while under pressure.

You will realize by then that it is impossible to know all the answers in a case. You will continue to build humility and realize that the answers will come from case prep, listening carefully during the discussions, and seeing the magic of improvisational co-creation of content in real-time. Your best comments will come from a sudden realization, in the moment.

In other words, you will undergo a massive mind shift.

Embrace the mind shift. Lean into discomfort. Realize that your brains are being re-wired. All this creates fatigue, particularly during this part of the first year, when everything is new.

Know that your faculty genuinely care for you and cheer you on. Support each other. Forgive each other; each of you has a Second Story. Subject-matter experts may want to offer case reviews or AMAs. Sign up for the free tutors. Be humble enough to go to each other for help.

See you soon.

Fondly,

Jo