Incoming FT analyst complacency - what to do?
Hey guys,
I am an incoming FT analyst a top EB/BB group in NY (think Evercore/Moelis/CVP). Due to the way the SA2020 program went, I barely did much work (pulled 2 2-AM nights on very admin stuff, on other days I did at most 5-6 hours of actual work) to obtain my return offer.
Now I am feeling extremely complacent. All I have done this year is hit the gym, play video games, and drink with my roommates. I barely have the motivation to do well in school (took all of the easiest courses). If the grinding me from 2 years ago saw this, he would have been very disappointed at how bad I am right now (I wake up at noon, spend hours on Youtube and Messenger, etc).
Is this normal? How have you guys dealt with the pre-FT analyst complacency?
Incoming analyst here as well and have been doing the exact same, a lot of my peers are in the same boat as well. I think its pretty normal and most senior folks and analysts have advised me to have fun and enjoy this time we have before we go back to the grindstone.
Guys on my team told me the same thing. Wasn't sure what to do with all my free time but enjoying it as much as I can in a COVID environment
It’s called senior slump for a reason. Enjoy this time while you have it. Might not kill you to do a practice model here or there but enjoy your time off.
feeling this one a lot. My consulting internship was canceled last summer so I just did a chill part-time role. Going into FT IB at a boutique and am p scared.
I think a lot of ppl are in the same boat because of the COVID summer though
You word for word described this semester. It is definitely hard to go from hustling to nothing, but like everyone is probably telling you just relax. If we keep stressing about it full-time we'll just end up suffering twice (once now and when we start). Towards the end of the semester, I plan on brushing up on some basic technicals, but till then it's back to enjoying this weird virtual senior year.
Cheers on the full-time btw!
This is spot on. I stressed about starting FT and it did absolutely nothing.
Even during your analyst stint - I've seen many analysts stressing about getting staffed when they have some downtime instead of actually enjoying said downtime.
Nothing you can do now will prepare you so enjoy your time off.
Don’t worry, work will whip you right into shape.
Incoming FT analyst here too. Same with me man. Been choking the chicken a lot too lately. Gained a few pounds. Sleeping with all sorts of fucked up schedules. Shortness of breath cause all I eat now is Checkers triple beef bufford while playing GTA, and havent worked out since 2019.
Whatever they say about enjoying your time prior to banking is completely true. Make the most of it cuz you won't have too much time once you start working.
If you all are really feeling unproductive or feel like you're wasting your lives away, then I guess you can study for the GMAT or start preparing for PE interviews by cranking out LBO models. Knew a few guys in college who were doing this. I personally wanted to enjoy my senior year and have fun for once in my life after having secured a banking offer. I don't regret it. Plus, you never know how life is going to change down the road. I'm neither interested in going to B School or doing PE now so all of that time would have gone to waste anyways. Also, one of the guys who I knew who was cranking out LBOs in his senior year got an offer from an MF in his first year but ended up foregoing it to run his family business before he started his PE job.
Don't worry, as soon as you start FT you'll have so much on your plate that you automatically will be back to working long hours and being productive without having to think about it.
Maybe try to use this time to read, get in better shape, or even practice some LBOs if you really feel like it but all in all, enjoy it while it lasts.
Incoming analyst here as well, you said it perfectly haha
Incoming analyst as well and am in the same boat. Even moved to Mexico and am taking my classes remotely. I'm going to be in for a real treat come July.
Telling you right now, enjoy this time and don't feel bad. Treasure all the free time you have, because once you start working there are very few extended natural pauses/gaps (work->MBA?->re-recruit->sabbatical?->relationship->family->kids->maintaining relationships->etc) so this is your last true time to be free
Just commenting to say I am in the exact same boat, was wondering if others felt the same way. Glad I'm not the only one!
MBA associate this upcoming summer. Between Zoom University and doing whatever I want 24/7 work is going to be a big wake-up call haha...I would enjoy it while it lasts, that is my plan.
2nd year checking in, need to change my title, but nah I literally played Xbox and partied up until the weekend I moved to New York. After that switched gears and did the full time thing with my head down and got top bucket marks.
it’s also Covid, it’s hard to feel like the world is yours at times and that’s okay. Enjoy the time off - you’ll have other things to worry about you didn’t even think about growing up for the most part.
Same position - incoming FT in London. I finish my degree in three weeks so finishing up my thesis. Otherwise I have been keeping busy by starting 2 side hustles based on some skills I wanted to learn, and been hitting the gym hard & keeping a good diet so have been making some solid gains in strength & physique.
Do whatever you feel like! Each to their own, there is definitely no blame for just relaxing and doing whatever one feels like in this period. I just personally prefer to stay busy, especially when Covid is limiting the options.
1st year here, my biggest regret about my senior slump was not working out more. I'm not a gym junkie but I'm very used to fitting in 3-4x 1 hour workouts and just generally being active, and nowadays I'm fortunate to even fit in 1 full workout for an hour a week. Most times I'll go in and have to cut the workout short, if I even have time to do so. If I were you I'd take the free time and just fill it with things you want to do that you can't do as easily while working (hang with friends, workout, etc). You can always binge Youtube when you're working full time anyways
Honestly, dont sweat it. ENJOY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN because once you start work you will barely have time to do anything else
First year analyst who finished the last ~3 months of undergrad in the same way. Just make sure you’re staying physically in shape, not hitting the booze and drugs too hard, and you’ll be fine.
Same here man. Conscious decision. A few months left of freedom, what, are you gonna study your ass off? It's really nice to not having to worry about anything for a while before the world comes crashing down on you sooner than you realize. With this pandemic we can't go travelling or go clubbing or anything, might as well just do you for a while. Chill out.
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