Espresso with Gaby Part 2

by Devi Priya Karuppiah - February 17th, 2017 - Dean’s Council: Faces of JSOM, Joining JSOM, Student Spotlight

Following part 1 of Espresso with Gaby, she continues to answer the intimate questions of my interview. Continue as I encounter the faces of JSOM, one interview and snapshot into the lives at the Jindal School at a time!

Two surprising facts about Gaby

• I had braces from third grade until junior year of high school, and then I got them again in college. Basically, I’ve had braces for half of my life.
• I’m afraid of dogs. At an early age, I had an encounter with a German Shepherd I will never forget. If you really want to know about it, ask me and I’ll tell you the story.

Rapid Fire

• Celebrity Crush:
• Daniel Craig — I like tall, strong and silent/mysterious (makes it more interesting!)
• Fave RomCom (Romantic Comedy):
• The Holiday
• Dream Travel destination:
• Backpacking in Spain, drinking all the wine and seeing all the museums, art and history. In my undergrad years, I started out as an arts major, where I learned about Spanish artists, and I loved that. I have always wanted to go there since then.
• Disney character you can relate to:
• Jasmine in Aladdin. She is very strong- willed; she knows what she wants, and she won’t settle for anything less. She leaves all her royalty to go out into the streets and ends up finding herself a handsome Indian prince.
• Favorite cuisine:
• Mexican – tacos – I can turn anything into a taco.
• Three things in your bag (can be found always):
• A million lip glosses (they are always very bright, I have been collecting lip glosses since I was in fourth grade) + a mascara + a bunch of business cards
• Amateur/Ace photographer:
• Amateur, but I can definitely take better photos than the average Joe.

Networking tips for the ladies out there?

Always keep a pair of flats and heels in the trunk of your car just in case, because you never know if you want to go to a networking event. Or when you are at a networking event and your feet hurt, you may want to switch shoes. Always have a blazer with you as well. Always be prepared.

Also, have business cards in your purse. It is just more professional if you have a card on you anywhere; it can be at the airport or eating lunch — you meet someone and give them your contact info, I know it is a lot but when you feel prepared, then you are less flustered — or seem less flustered – when you are meeting someone.

Any style tips for the ladies out there?

Spring is almost here so I would pick a palette related to the season and stick with that. You can mix and match, that way you have a ton of options. The rule here is quite simple – buy things that coordinate with each other. But black and white is always a classic color combo.

You have been in Texas all your life; what is your most special place or memory growing up here?

Whenever I go back to Colleyville, Texas, it is an overwhelming feeling because it brings back memories of playing with my friends there as a kid and how stress-free life was back then. Colleyville Nature Center was my favorite park growing up.

What do you know about life for sure?

I know for sure that nothing in life is a coincidence. When you are young, you often think why something did not happen the way you wanted it to and how different life could have been if it did happen. As I grow up, I am glad that things happened (the way they did), because now I see that there is joy in the suffering. You become wiser knowing that everything happens for a reason, as cliché as it sounds; I realize it every day these days. It is crazy how true that is.

Being a 20-something, what is your advice to other 20-somethings out there?

I feel like I am the one that needs advice!

Haha, OK, let me help you out here, how about in the context of JSOM? If there was one piece of advice that you could give to JSOMers out there, what would it be and why?

My advice would be to make the most of the resources available to you here at the Jindal School. Whatever you put in is what you are going to get out, so if you just go to class and then go home without networking with your peers or other business professionals on campus, then you are the one who is missing out on all the action. There are so many resources on campus; frankly, you would be stupid not to make use of these resources.

So JSOMers you heard that right! Please don’t be foolish and make the best of your JSOM life because the possibilities here are a zillion. I had fun interviewing Gaby, hope you had more fun reading it.

Faces of JSOM