Unsolicited advice on business school

I started at Harvard Business School, spent a fantastic year there, and then decided to take a sabbatical. Here's what I wish someone had told me before I started business school, and what I hope to remember if and when I'm back.

• Know exactly why you're going to B-school.
  “Exploring” sounds reasonable and open-minded until FOMO hits at full force, and it will hit hard. Every conversation will feel like someone else is running faster toward something. Having a clear reason you’re there is the only real anchor. But also, you should be open to changing your mind with the new information and experiences that come your way.
• Most classes won’t feel groundbreaking.
  The ones on accounting and finance are very important. Take them seriously.
• Your professors are a resource you’ll almost certainly regret not using.
  One real relationship with a professor who is a real mentor to you will do more for you than a hundred networking coffee chats.
• You’re at a university, not just a business school.
  Crash a lecture in anthropology or comparative literature. Take advantage of the campus and pick up something genuinely new like salsa or squash. You didn’t appreciate a campus at 19, but you will now, and the window is short.
• Make actual friends, not contacts.
  The conditions for real friendship are unusually good there — shared context, proximity, a two-year clock. It’s on you to go a layer deeper and find opportunities to non-judgementally try to get to know the people around you better.
• Think hard about ROI before you go.
  The high-paying jobs that pay back the debt and the opportunity cost are fewer than they were five years ago, and AI is making the world outside move faster than ever before.

If you're considering business school, in business school & confused, or just want to talk through whether it makes sense for where you are — feel free to reach out.