Why am I so torn about it? Hong Kong is fun but it is not a rigorous learning experience. If I return to Duke, it is less fun but I will take a few good classes and learn quite a bit next term. I will be busy with my classes - Healthcare Policy (taught by a leader in the field), Valuation (opportunity to round out my insecurity towards finance), and Pricing (a window to my future career). I will also finish my internship on green building. The valuation class will help me figure out how to do the internship project. I will try to immerse in my work, but I will be distracted by social pressure and getting ready for the move to SF. Here's a memory from Durham: the sorority house.
If I stay in Hong Kong, I will try to budget a trip every weekend, finish my studies here, where I am not building finance skills, but I'm learning about doing business in Asia and meeting businesses in Asia, which feels almost as relevant as building my finance skills. Potential trips include Yunnan province, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Vietnam or Laos. Additionally, I will continue to meet people in Hong Kong, network with Fuqua alum and friends of friends. I've made a good group of friends who I enjoy. Also, I will return to fuqua with enough time to bond with folks before we all depart. The cons are that I am slightly afraid of just 'hanging out' in Hong Kong and not taking advantage of the quality education for which I have paid. I feel guilty for not taking the more challenging classes that will supposedly build my skill set. Although it's true that I often forget what I have learned in class. Trips through Asia will be more memorable than valuation. Here's Hong Kong - not quite Durham.
In short, I will be happier in Asia but not sure that is why I am in business school. People say that I'll be so busy when I start work, it's worth enjoying myself now. That could be true. These periods usually energize me to work harder when they end.
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