Mark and Jie's Journey to B-School

I think it is interesting how relationships develop here. Most students know a handful of others fairly well before attending, and may have met a larger group of other students. We're all thrown together, knowing that we have 2 years, that everyone is in the same situation, and that we should be forming a network because that's what you do in b-school. This leads to lots of interesting things. For example, students are generally uninterested in meeting and getting to know partners. Now, from a rational viewpoint this is a bad idea. Many times partners are as accomplished or more so as their student spouse. Additionally, becoming friends with the partner is a sure way to become friends with the student. However, there is a strong emphasis on network building and I think that blinds students to the benefits of meeting partners and instead they dismiss the partner and look for the next student.