Category Archives: Sarah

Sarah Haas’ blog posts

Austin, Sarah, Student Life

Around Austin in 30 Days

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Like many UT students, I started making a mental bucket list of things to do in and around Austin the moment I set foot on campus as a freshman.From food trucks and swimming holes to the plethora of music opportunities, Austin is full of great things to do. Sadly, while balancing homework, exams and class, something always got in the way of whittling down my list. Now that I’m about to graduate and leave Austin for good, I decided it’s finally time to start exploring, and thus, the month of May became 30 days of experiencing Austin to its fullest.

First things first, I started out with the basics – delicious food. So far I’ve made it through Sno Beach, some food trucks, some tried and true classics like Hula Hut, Mozart’s, Madam Mam’s, and even made my way out to Lockhart for some killer barbecue. After all, you gotta eat, right?

After that I moved on to some less calorie-enriched south Texas activities – a Spurs game, swimming at Barton Springs, and climbing Mount Bonnell. Truth be told, I still have a long way to go on my list. Even if I did something Austin-y every week I don’t think I would ever run out of things to do. Now that classes and finals are out of the way, it’s time to make some progress on that list!

What Austin spots are on your bucket list?

 

Career, Events, Sarah, Student Life

I Met a Famous Author Thanks to UT!

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One of the most overlooked benefits of attending a large, prestigious school like the University of Texas is the abundance of interesting events available to students. So even though I’ve spent most of this semester hiding from the world and studying for my CPA exams, I couldn’t pass up the chance to see one of my favorite authors, Jodi Picoult, speak at the LBJ Library as part of the Middleton Lecture series. You might know her from some of her older books, such as My Sister’s Keeper and Nineteen Minutes, but she was here last week to discuss her new New York Times bestseller, The Storyteller; a hauntingly descriptive story of Holocaust survivors and the legacy they left behind.

In addition to convincing me that I needed to put aside my studying and immediately read her new novel (hey – who doesn’t need a break now and then anyway?), Picoult also shared some thoughts on more widely applicable topics such as the publishing industry, equality issues for women writers, and work-life balance.

Although I was, of course, intrigued by her discussion of the business side of self-publishing, the emergence of e-book sales, and the various issues related to piracy (you can see the entire discussion here), I think her most interesting topic of the night was the depth of research that goes into each book she writes. Beyond the research of historical or scientific facts, she discussed the care she takes to build relationships with people and diligently take in their opinions, thoughts, and stories.

It just goes to show that no matter how successful you become or how technically proficient you are at your job, the ability to connect with people and take the time to find the value of what they have to offer can still be your most valuable skill.

Academics, Career, Sarah

Lessons from McCombs

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In the name of full disclosure, I have an obsession with Facebook. Not with posting statuses and pictures and monitoring my news feed (although I waste plenty of time on that as well), but with the company itself; its business model, and, of course, its fascinating CEO. I get excited every time a new article about Facebook pops up in the paper or in Fortune (which at the student rate, is probably one of the best splurges I’ve made in college), and I spent weeks monitoring the the stock price after the IPO – y’know, just for kicks.

So naturally, I also have an obsession with the not-so-official movie, The Social Network. My favorite part of watching this movie is picking through the drama and finding the concepts and lessons that do or don’t match up with what I’ve learned at McCombs – which leads me to…

3 Lessons from The Social Network that McCombs Taught Me Better

1. The value of a good idea – Although the value of the site certainly came from the coding and developing, the Facebook we know and love today wouldn’t have been possible without the “ wouldn’t-it-be-cool-if” idea that started it all. Beyond business law discussions about the legal implications of intellectual property and the accounting concepts of intangibles and R&D, McCombs professors have always been quick to point out that not all valuable assets show up on the balance sheet. You often have to look past the financial statements to see a company’s potential.

2. Persistence pays off – Admittedly, in the movie, the development phase of the website didn’t get a lot of screen time, but that’s definitely not to say that it was trivial. What does show up in the movie is the never-ending coding and updates and the refusal to settle on “good enough” when improvements can still be made. From classes, to recruiting, to informal conversations with professors, these themes have been drilled into my brain from the moment I set foot in McCombs.

3. It’s not all about the money – Although some might disagree that this was really the point of the movie, the social, legal, and ethical consequences of money-driven actions were undeniably pervasive in The Social Network. One of the greatest things about McCombs, and the MPA program in particular, is the constant discussion of ethical implications in business decisions. We hear it again and again in business law, the accounting lyceum, and inevitably in almost every course. Money is what makes the business world run, but it’s not the only thing to consider.

Academics, CPA Exam, Sarah, Study Abroad

Top 5 Perks to Being on Campus Early

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Two years in a row, I’ve found myself on a deserted campus a few weeks before the semester starts. Last year, it was for pre-internship classes that started on January 2. This year, once I got nice and smug about the idea that as a 5th-year, I was off the hook for starting classes early, I found out that to catch the first class for the on-campus CPA exam review, I had to be here on January 2…again.

After my initial grumblings about cutting my stay at home a little short, I made it back to campus and realized that being here before school starts is actually not that bad, as long as you know where to look for the silver linings. Funny thing is, since school started back up I have noticed these perks are applicable to early mornings too.

Top 5 Perks to Being on Campus Early
5. Fewer Distractions – It’s always a bummer to be back in Austin when nobody else is here, but the flip side is that there are significantly fewer distractions. Hopefully that serves me well this year and lets me get a head start on this CPA exam prep!

4. Solidarity – Since lots of MPAs are here and pretty much nobody else is, it’s a great chance to get to know other people in the program when you all have more free time. Whether it’s working on a group project or grabbing something to eat, you can revel in the solidarity that comes from getting an early start to the semester.

3. Peace and Quiet – Okay, so admittedly, I typically enjoy walking around and seeing a million things going around on campus, but a calm, quiet walk through campus is pretty nice once in a while, especially when I’m not quite ready for the chaos that this semester is sure to bring.

2. Open study spots – Whether you like to study at the business school, the library, or at a coffee shop, everywhere is less crowded before the flood of students hits the campus. It makes those golden study spots (like an empty table at my favorite coffee shop) a breeze to find.

And probably the single greatest thing about being on campus early…

1. Parking – No matter what time I need to drive to campus, I can always find a pay-to-park spot or permit parking pretty close to where I need to be (a welcome relief, since the buses aren’t running yet). Just be careful that it doesn’t make you even more frustrated when you can’t find parking spots in a few weeks.

So if you find yourself forced into coming to campus early, make the most of it! Scope out some good study spots, take a quiet walk through campus, and use the chance to be productive!

Academics, CPA Exam, Sarah, Student Life

Preparing to Prepare for the CPA Exam

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From my very first semester in the MPA program, the importance of preparing for the CPA Exam has been drilled into my mind. As a 5th-year student in the integrated program, I plan to take the exam in the spring. What I never realized, though, was how much preparation is involved before I can even begin studying.

The first step I took this semester was to submit my Application of Intent to the TSBPA. I knew about all of the eligibility requirements to take the exam, but the list of documents I had to submit was longer than I expected:

  • The application itself
  • A $50 application fee
  • Transcripts from every college I’ve ever attended
  • Notarized copies of my driver’s license and social security card
  • Various other notarized forms

Now that my application is submitted (albeit with several deficiencies to clear before I can sit for the exam), I’m starting to look at CPA Exam review courses. The firm I’m going to work for provides a few options for review courses they will pay for, so I started reviewing comparisons of the course materials, lecture styles, pass rates, etc., but nobody seems to agree on which course is best.

Last week, I attended an information session with the academic advisors, which helped to clarify exam requirements, testing periods, fees, and all the other things I need to juggle before sitting for the exam. There were also representatives there to tell us about the CPA review course that will be offered on campus next spring. After going through about 12 handouts full of information, I’m feeling a lot better about managing all the things I need to do.

The next step (after I get my bachelors degree in December and clear my application deficiencies) will be to schedule my exams and actually start studying! It’s exciting, but also pretty intimidating. My review course materials are on their way, so here’s to a spring semester jam-packed with caffeine and exam prep!