Ready To Go

24 hours from now, I'll be in Philadelphia, thousands of miles from home. It's a bit surreal to be honest. To think that in day I will be environment radically different from the Bay Area, meeting new people, seeing new sights, and living in a completely different setting. Wow.

Our first week will be filled with college tours to UPENN, Columbia, and Princeton. I have already seen UPENN and participated in the ILC program at Columbia, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm stil extremely excited to see these schools once again! I loved both school and am looking forward to getting to know more about these schools which will help decide which schools I want to apply to. Princeton is also exciting because I get to visit a world renown institution that I know I wouldn't have even thought about visiting had it not been for the ILC.

Reading the book Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy has made me yearn for more knowledge about the hotel industry. Author Isadore Sharp explains his business philosophy which centers around the customer, and what the customer wants. He forgoes the common notion of providing customers with products that a just slightly inferior as opposed to more expensive and higher quality items just to save money. Sharp believes that if his hotel or service gives his customers the highest quality products and as well as provide the best service, he is gaining customers that are worth thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars. While it may seem absurd to spend much more on a silk curtain that looks no different than a much cheaper polyester curtain, no one can really say Sharp is crazy because he was been wildly successful in the hotel industry.

While it may be hard to say goodbye to the people and things I love at home, I know for one month I'll get a taste of what studying at an Ivy League university is like. I'll get to meet new people and learn about different cultures from around the world as well immerse myself in the Hotel Operations and Management course. I can't wait to learn as much as I can! I intend to soak up as much as possible during this one week adventure!

Let's Go!