Harmon will reportedly annoy her coworkers with stories from the trip for the next five years.
Thinking that the trip would give her “one last taste of freedom” before beginning her career, Ross senior Kelly Harmon recently planned a trip to Southeast Asia in what will likely also be her last exposure to natural light.
Harmon, who recently accepted a job in Proctor & Gamble’s supply chain risk management program in Columbus, OH, will spend two months backpacking through Thailand and Vietnam before spending the rest of her life at an intensive office job which will require 10 hours of Excel spreadsheet manipulation per day.
“Backpacking in Southeast Asia is going to be an amazing, life-altering experience,” Harmon said. “I’m excited to learn about different cultures, see nature, and value what little sunlight I have before spending my next 55 years pent up in a cubicle in corporate America.”
Harmon says she is excited to meet people from all over the world on this trip, even though she admits she will not be able to visit them afterwards, as she will be “stuck in Columbus.” She also expresses doubts that travelers will want to stop in Columbus to catch up with her.
“I’m mostly hoping my experiences abroad will give me some perspective and teach me lessons I can apply to my life after,” said Harmon. “Although, I’m not sure how multicultural perspective and understanding can be applied to creating statistical models of a large corporation’s complex supply chain.”
In her travels, Harmon plans on buying lots of traditional Thai outfits that she can wear back in the United States. Sources confirm, however, that Harmon’s job will require her to wear corporate-approved business casual each day, no matter what position she holds in the company.