I started the second half of BUS 5602 recently, and I just want to say that I am very grateful for three-day weekends. It’s strange to get used to two professors, and then change both topic and instructor after about a month! However, I’m excited to learn about Econ and especially Finance. Finance, because practicality is something I value greatly; it comes as no surprise that I really want to learn about investments, how firms fund projects, and how to follow cash flows and such.
I’m particularly interested in investments, because I have always wanted to start a Vanguard account and get into that myself, but I don’t think this class really will focus too much on personal investment accounts. There is something alluring about the concept of stocks. It’s strange to think that an entire market exists, trading these imaginary representations of a company’s ownership for one another, hoping that they will someday offer some type of return. Then you have the whole idea of making money off of money, which is equally strange. I have been told that there is a professor in the department who is an expert on maximum withdrawal amounts; I’d love to sit down with him for a while and hear his thoughts on financial independence/early retirement through investments.
So far the classes aren’t too bad. The teaching style of Finance is radically different than it felt in accounting. To be fair, these are like rival courses. Both are necessary for a complete view of operations and reporting, yet they each throw shade at each other from time to time about why their particular method is better than the other. Betsy really drilled in the old saying, “practice makes perfect,” whereas I think that Dr. Fletcher in Finance takes a more conceptual and preparation-based approach. I enjoy hearing about his real world experiences in finance as well as his particular views on legal vs. ethical.
Also…
I went to the Waco Farmer’s Market with Samantha, Hafsa, and Garrett this weekend 🙂 It was great. I think that with the right incentives, Waco could become a mini-Austin. We already have a lot of great unique restaurants and coffee shops like Twisted Root and Common Grounds, and downtown is finally starting to liven up some more.
There was a lot there. I had some fresh-made spicy chicken tamales (I’m a sucker for Tex Mex), saw some delicious honey, bought some tomatoes, and split a strawberry cheesecake waffle with Sammy. But before I did most of that, I decided to buy a delicious and heavy watermelon that I carried with me for the next hour or so. Next time I will buy the melon at the end of the trip. Honestly, the prices were pretty good at most of the stands compared to other small festivals and farmer’s markets that I have been to.