McCarthy’s 4Ps of marketing are amongst the first jargons MBA students and aspirants come across. It is a matter of few sessions at your b-school and you don't realise when this jargon goes on to stay in the tip of your tongue every time. While McCarthy’s 4P have helped MBA students since time immemorial, there is another set of 4P which you will need if you are looking forward to make your way through the herculean MBA curriculum.(You will manage to have your part of fun through this anyway!)
So here are the Ps which can ensure “peace” in your otherwise happening MBA life. Ignore the alliteration attempt if you didn’t find it funny.
Prudence:
You may have been living your life in the moment till now, doing things you like or are “made” to like or as someone who sees life as one day at a time and is not concerned about what comes tomorrow. (You are well sorted if you don’t belong to either of the above categories but still continue reading for there is more than to what meets the eyes now). But things change the moment you step into a b-school interview. Yes. From the interview itself.
It’s very important for you to connect the dots in your application form to the final step i.e. getting into a b-school. It is there itself you get the first taste of how your past determines your future. So, make sure and ensure that the next steps you take towards building a persona for the corporate world are not only for the present point of time but also carry an impact on you (or your CV) in a meaningful manner. If you are yet to make your way into MBA, start preparing. And if you are already in, congrats for being first time lucky.
Patience:
Patience? Really? Like how being patient helps oneself in this restless hustle-bustle life in a b-school? Yes. It does. Always.
The first initial days in a b-school make you feel nothing less than a celebrity. You being the fresh batch are the point of attraction in everything that happens inside. The media talks about it, your entire family lineage does it and so on. But the real picture comes up with a few sessions down the line. You are hit in the face with assignments, submissions, case-studies, events and what not. And while it’s completely alright to indulge yourself in activities you like (refer point 1 to know what you should like), there will be times when you will not be the star boy you used to be before. The fittest survive and this is the rule the clan lives by. But do not worry. Cause you will never walk alone. What becomes more important here is to be not bogged down and be patient. Be patient with time, with your decisions, your efforts. You are here because you deserve to be and you have it in you to make it through and make it with a bang. So, be patient.
Perseverance:
Sounds clichéd? It is probably. But it effing works every time.
This is something that takes you to the height of success in fields you want to be a part of. And something as good as this doesn’t come free. Success demands efforts, it demands sacrifice and moreover, it demands the will to not give up. You would have faced situations in life ahead where you would have come out stronger after a failure. Here, you will face them more often than ever. You will be pushed down, bogged down, pulled down by the situations but remember to never back down. It is not the outcome but the effort that counts. It is because of this attribute that a person after being the only one out of 24 people to be rejected by KFC went on to become the richest man in China. No points for guessing that the guy is Jack Ma, but be assured that the efforts you put in shall not be wasted.
Party:
Need I write anymore? Need I tell you how to do it? You will make your way to all the party spots in and around you as I already mentioned. But if you have made it till here (you deserve a pat bud), please read this through.
Make sure you are not stressed out in this squeezing and tight MBA schedule. There will be deadlines and there will be competition and there will be much more of it. But do take a moment out for yourself, step back, take a breath and see through what you are doing. Building a competitive profile is important but it’s not everything. You cannot learn to manage people in billion dollar firms tomorrow if you are not able to manage things for yourself. Do take out time, pick a hobby, pick a sport, get sloshed or spend the whole day in bed (lucky if you get the chance to) but make sure that you don’t neglect yourself or your health in an adverse manner. You will be trained by the environment to sustain high-pressure situations but don’t forget to nourish and relax at the same time too.
So these are my two cents on how the MBA life is or how it is going to be for people yet to make that choice. Rest assured, you will walk out of as a very different person from the one who comes in and the change is for good and effing worth it.