I’m packing up my stuff and heading out of Boston. It’s been a great stay that has far exceeded my expectations. I’ve met people, seen things and breathed the air between Harvard and MIT. The city tonight was particular beautiful from the Cambridge riverside on a warm, dry summer night. Tomorrow I turn in the cable modem and loose my network access, so this will be my last blog from Boston. This is my story of how I ten years ago made MIT my goal. And by completing that plan, what now?

Ten years ago, fall 1998, I was back at the University, had completed 2 years of my undergrad in Computer Science. My problem was that I wasn’t sure whether I was in the right program. My grades were pretty bad and my motivation was rather low. I had just returned from the military and at no point did I manage to see beyond that. Now, I was sitting in the computer lab, browsing rather than working, figuring out what to do about my life.

I came across an article about a new program that combined the best from the Norwegian School of Technology and Science (NTNU) and Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), the Master of Technology Management. It seemed like the perfect combination for me. But as I read on I found what really captured my interest: as part of the program I could go to MIT for a semester. I didn’t know much about MIT at that point, except that the Astronaut Buzz Aldrin had gone there. The pictures were awesome, I was hooked. I wanted to go to the States to study, live on the nice campuses and experience what the movies showed me. And MIT in that sense would be a dream. I made it my dream.

But I quickly got back on earth when I read up on the requirements. A masters degree, at least five years of working experience and preferably some kind of management position. So I did what I usually do when facing horrific odds: I summarize what I have and figure out what I need! So far I had two years worth of classes from the University of Bergen with lousy grades. It would take me about 10 years and seriously change my attitude to school. The odds never scared me. After all, being deaf on one ear hadn’t stopped me from applying and be accepted for testing at the Air Force Flight School (they did manage to get rid of me in the end though).

I did complete my undergrad degree with highly improved grades, enough to make it to Grad School. I went to California and Cal Poly for my graduate degree in computer science, a very difficult choice because of the people I left behind. I ended up unemployed after grad school and the .com bubble but got a career going and wrapped up 5 years of working experience. When I finally applied for MTM I realized what I’d been working for all along. Going through one year of MTM while working full time and getting married at the same time made it clear that I was going to MIT.

So here I am. MIT is done with. It’s been an experience that has far exceeded my expectations. I’ve been having beer 1 on 1 with the CIO of eBay, lunch with the CIO of Pfizer, one of my professors is ranked the #24 most important person in IT in the world, we got a chance to meet personal with Clay Christensen from Harvard, I got to talk with senior Vice President of Microsoft, meeting with senior management at State Street Bank, and work directly with the future strategy of the NTT DoCoMo. My fellow students have been amazing: The Norwegian bunch is probably the smartest group I’ve ever been in company of. I’ve met military personel with combat experience, severely rich entrepreneurs who’s started multiple companies and PHD studens doing material science, space engineering or nuclear physics. I’ve been hanging out at Harvard around the Charles river watching the rowers, met Harvard Phd students admitted despite almost impossible acceptance requirements. And the funniest experience of all? I aced MIT!

Just that, on the very last day of classes, walking home through the rainy streets of Boston after celebrating with drinks with my great classmates and fellow MIT students, I realized that I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for me sitting in the computer lab ten years earlier reading up on that article about MIT. In many ways it changed everything. I found a purpose to complete my undergrad degree, improve my grades, coached football at college level, got a masters degree and take my job serious. And now, knowing that classes were done with, I realized my journey I set out ten years ago was over.

So what do I do now? I guess I go home and work, pick up time with my wife and family and friends I haven’t seen for a while. But beyond that, what is my goal that will drive me in some direction? I don’t know.

I know I will keep travelling. I will still seek new challenges. I start doing so by moving to Oslo where I’m starting my new job in PA Consulting. I’m pretty excited about that and it seems as if I can continue my work from MIT with them. My dear wife also got a job in Oslol. How will our future be for us?

But what would I do if I had all the freedom in the world? I would probably go back to California, teach and coach football. Just enjoying the weather and attitude, and the good feel of coaching prospects in the greatest sport of all. When I did my little visit back to Cal Poly last week I mentioned this plan to the faculty at Cal Poly. They were on the lookout for good instructors. I mentioned the idea of teaching and coaching for the Cal Poly football coach and he believed that could definitely happen. So what’s keeping me from doing it?

Maybe I could work for a few years and join into the Sloan Fellows program at Stanford University? That way I could go back to California and live for a year. But am I still not done with school? What do I need three masters degrees for? Two should suffice.

Or, if I really wanted to capitalize on my current knowledge I would do a start-up with some of the smartest people I met over here. We could make it into a success. What’s stopping me from doing that?

And how will Brad Storm thrive with just being Bård Strøm in Norway?

All I know is that the journey of getting here has been amazing and filled with experiences, more than the goal of making it to MIT.

So now, as I’m signing off from Boston I’m also signing of this journey. Thanks to you who let me do this and you know how much it mattered to me. See you in Norway.