Upskilling for the summer  

Posted by Dino in , ,

Funnily enough, I'm not going to spend the summer tending to sun flowers.©

At the end of June, I finish work. I will then have about 7-or-so weeks before arriving in Evanston and life at Kellogg kicks off with KWEST, the world wide service trips that Kellogg students embark on before pre-term starts. So I've started thinking about what I might be able to do during those 7-or-so weeks that I have off to recover from working life and prepare for student life.

Between getting my business plan and dummy prototype in order and crawling through the usual migration tasks, everything else seems to fall in the category of improving my skills. I wonder if I'll get round to any of it. Perhaps there are things I can add?

  • Learn touch typing, 'cause I type fast like a monkey at the moment. TypingWeb seems like a good (i.e. free) starting point.
  • Get into weight training regularly. Been on the to-do list for the last 4 years :-/
  • Learn everything there is to know about venture capital (gasp!)
  • Improve cooking skills, 'cause calories are a problem in the US
  • Learn speed reading, 'cause I'll be doing lots of reading, right? Been on the to-do list for the last 8 years :-/.
  • Improve web presence - LinkedIn, About Page on blog etc - sort it all out.
  • Learn golf?

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14 comments

bizwiz  

calories are definitely a problem here... even international foods are americanized over here... :-D

i actually did some research on the speed-reading 'thing' myself... sounds interesting

i'll quit my job also end of june... but i don't know what i'll do after that...

13 May 2009 at 01:51
bizwiz  

calories are definitely a problem here... even international foods are americanized over here... :-D

i actually did some research on the speed-reading 'thing' myself... sounds interesting

i'll quit my job also end of june... but i don't know what i'll do after that...

13 May 2009 at 01:51
Palo Alto for a While  

How do you intend to learn everything about VC? Not mocking you at all but genuinely curious about how you plan to research VC, what you intend to read, etc.

13 May 2009 at 20:03
Palo Alto for a While  

How do you intend to learn everything about VC? Not mocking you at all but genuinely curious about how you plan to research VC, what you intend to read, etc.

13 May 2009 at 20:03
Vinay  

I'd suggest doing a pre-MBA internship, perhaps at a portfolio firm of a VC, if VC is your LT career goal.

I did something similar and was surprised at the differentiation and comp. adv. it provided over classmates.

14 May 2009 at 06:13
Vinay  

I'd suggest doing a pre-MBA internship, perhaps at a portfolio firm of a VC, if VC is your LT career goal.

I did something similar and was surprised at the differentiation and comp. adv. it provided over classmates.

14 May 2009 at 06:13
AlexCTW  

There was supposed to be a question mark at the end of that last sentence...

14 May 2009 at 16:18
AlexCTW  

There was supposed to be a question mark at the end of that last sentence...

14 May 2009 at 16:18
AlexCTW  

I say go to China and spend 7 weeks doing an intensive language course. You can learn touch typing there (I recommend Mavis Beacon), work out (just don't run outside in the smog!) and eat healthy.

Just saying this because if some of the things you're planning on doing (e.g., golf) sound like things that a lot of other people can already do (and well), what really distinguishes you from them if you take up the same hobbies / have the same skills.

14 May 2009 at 16:18
AlexCTW  

I say go to China and spend 7 weeks doing an intensive language course. You can learn touch typing there (I recommend Mavis Beacon), work out (just don't run outside in the smog!) and eat healthy.

Just saying this because if some of the things you're planning on doing (e.g., golf) sound like things that a lot of other people can already do (and well), what really distinguishes you from them if you take up the same hobbies / have the same skills.

14 May 2009 at 16:18
Palo Alto for a While  

Hadn't heard of LearnVC.com; thanks. I like AVC and read that one. I have Feld in my Google Reader but don't read it much.

14 May 2009 at 22:16
Palo Alto for a While  

Hadn't heard of LearnVC.com; thanks. I like AVC and read that one. I have Feld in my Google Reader but don't read it much.

14 May 2009 at 22:16
D. G.  

Good suggestions! The China thing would be awesome to do and of great value. I find it difficult to fit into my current priorities / plans though. The VC internship is an interesting thought. Any advice on finding one?

18 May 2009 at 11:19
D. G.  

Good suggestions! The China thing would be awesome to do and of great value. I find it difficult to fit into my current priorities / plans though. The VC internship is an interesting thought. Any advice on finding one?

18 May 2009 at 11:19

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