The blogger in Via Ballila

"You'll sleep when the MBA is over," director Gianmario Verona laughingly said, maybe only half joking, in welcoming the new intakes of SDA Bocconi's MBA program and student Andi Caruso has found out it to be too true. But her enthusiasm for her new adventure hasn't stopped Andi from adding to the many commitments of the program by keeping a diary of her experience for the Financial Times website.
After five years working experience in marketing in the entertainment and hospitality sector, the 28- year old Canadian decided last year it was time to change direction and sector and her choice to direct this change fell on an MBA program. "In choosing I was attracted to SDA's program because of the 1 year duration, compared to two in North America, and the opportunities for an internship and an exchange period during the program," explains Andi. "And my grandparents were born in Italy, so coming here to study seemed like a good opportunity to explore my cultural heritage."
In searching for information on SDA over the Internet Andi stumbled upon the blog MBA student Seda Saracer had kept for the FT while in Milan two years ago. She contacted Seda through Facebook who provided her with useful info on SDA and was also intrigued with her experience of the blog. Andi thus contacted the FT directly to put herself forward and was delighted to be chosen to become one of the 24 MBA students around the world keeping a blog on the website's business school section."Having studied journalism, I have always enjoyed writing, and blogging also expands my social media experience," says Andi who also has an active Twitter account and Linkedin profile. "It's fascinating how social media connects everyone. It opens up the world and opens doors, especially in the job-hunting process."
Through the blog, Andi's intention is to provide a real view of the MBA experience, and of SDA Bocconi in particular, and help those doing research on the programs. Writing up entries is not easy with the tough schedule of her program, from classes to group work and from beginning interviews for internships and participating in the AT Kearney case competition, and her active participation in some of the MBA clubs. Andi is involved in the marketing activities of the Sailing Club and the Ski Club, for which she recently helped organise the successful MBA Ski Cup in Bormio, and also participates in the Marketing Club, which is busy working on devising a new case competition for business schools for the autumn.
"The MBA has proven to be really intense, more so than I thought, and in these first few months I have already learnt so much," says Andi , "but I think it's the extra curricular activities that really round out the experience. For example, in organizing the MBA Ski Cup, we brought together nine different business schools for a weekend of networking and skiing. And while I was born in the snow, it was very neat to see some of my classmates experiencing their first snowfall. Its these types of experiences that will stay with me long after the MBA is over."