Many students often feel intimidated walking into Paccar Hall. Not only is it the newest building on campus, adorned with state of the art technology and glass everything, it’s filled with suited-up students who make you question whether you’re on campus or on Wall Street. But what really goes on in there? Is it all that it seems? Read ahead to get a glimpse into the day-to-day dealings of a business student. Hint: It’s pretty standard. We’re all just 20 something year olds figuring out what the hell we’re doing with our lives.
1. Orin’s Place
Lines can span the entire Wall of China. The people in China can probably hear the pasta making guy yell out pasta numbers too. “PASTA 378!!!!!!!” will ring in your ears for the rest of the day. **Sandwiches are underrated.
2. Foster Library
Like a huge frat party minus the alcohol plus textbooks. Then again, is it really water in all those waterbottles? Either way, it’s a pretty good place to study. The ceiling is just a huge skylight, so you’re bound to get good light no matter where you sit.
3. Case comps
If DECA was your jam, then these may be for you. A quarter in Foster, and you’ll figure out who the kings and queens of case comps are. Good luck dethroning them.
4. “The Big Four”
Who knew so many people would cry over accounting firms?
5. EMS Reservations
Reserving a team room during capstone week feels like winning the lottery. Also, it’s a norm to stay past your reserved time. You get up when you get kicked out.
6. Group projects
So many group projects, it may be worth it to invest in a clicker (especially if you’re in the case comp scene). Think it’s hard coordinating schedules with five people? Try it when you’re in four groups at once.
7. Name tents
Some of your professors will give you some card stock with the Foster logo at the bottom to make into a lil’ tent. This way they don’t mix up the Asian girls (happens anyway). The people who go to Mary Gates or wherever to get their names printed onto the card stock are stars. The rest of us mortals use markers.
8. Net(work)ing, net(work)ing, net(work)ing, net(work)ing, net(work)ing
“It’s all about who you know.” It really, truly is…this is not a world based on merit, folks. It’s a world of connections. You will never have more coffee dates per week in your life.
9. Crazy curves
My Marketing midterm class average was a 95. Your 80 is about to push you into the 2.0 range. Okay, not all classes are like this—but many lower core and elective courses are highly competitive. Meanwhile, the curves in the math and science departments allow everyone to graduate.
10. Internships
Buzzword of all time. You are bound to hear this word at least once a day. The pressure to find one by sophomore summer will cripple you!! Just kidding. Take small internships, even on-campus, for the experience and worry about the Big Four later.
11. Business casual or formal?
Khakis or nah? Color coordination? It’s a good idea to bring your blazer just in case.
12. Stopping to talk to 10 people on your way out
Familiar faces are a plus of being in Paccar all the time—Foster fam, right? But sometimes it seems like getting back to your bed after class is an impossible feat when you keep running into your classmates of quarters’ past.
13. Professional panels at every club meeting
At the beginning of the quarter, business club representatives will come to your classes to pitch their clubs. You’ll be impressed that they got the CEO of Costco to speak, but you’ll soon realize that every club gets professionals to speak. Amazon, Coca-Cola, Starbucks, the POTUS probably…they’re all on the line-up.
14. U.N. Conference Style Classrooms
U-shaped classrooms. Everywhere. All of them are the same!! Each filled with ergonomic spinny chairs that are apparently $500 a piece. And can we talk about how there are desk outlets for every seat?
Foster’s got it and Foster flaunts it.
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