A Day In The Life Of An IIM Rohtak Student

‘IF YA SMELLLLLLLLLLLLLLL… WHAT THE ROCK IS COOKING!’ screams my alarm at 7.45 in the morning followed by a couple of mathematical problems to get me off the bed. Thus begins the race to be in time for breakfast and the 9.00 AM lecture. The unlimited milk and tea supply sets the tone for the day, where one knows no limits. In their desperate rush to be on the right side of the classroom before the doors close, students, a.k.a. Kathors, are often found running and jostling their way through the corridors. Discipline is a must at IIM Rohtak, where having proper breakfast is also considered as sacrosanct by the professors. The lectures are driven by interesting case discussions where the future managers put forward their views and suggestions after having prepared thoroughly the night before. After all, we do have a big incentive for this – the class participation scores! Moreover, we have a fair share of fun during the lectures. Activities such as role plays and case simulations are included to keep us grossly engrossed in the class proceedings. In the brief 15-minute break between the lectures, we run to the cafeteria to grab a pack of chips or a coke to keep energy levels high. The real challenge is the afternoon lecture which tests our senses to the maximum, and some of us, inevitably, give in to the demand of our straining eyes. As soon as the lectures for the day get over, I head to my favourite place in the college – The Bloomberg Lab. Being a finance enthusiast the Bloomberg lab is like a Church to me where I can spend hours extracting data and news for various studies. I wish I could shift my room there! However, I get back in time for the evening snacks, which I prefer to have in the solitude of my room while watching a movie. If the mind takes the toll so far, it is the body’s turn to get into action at 6 PM. Thanks to the excellent sports culture at IIM Rohtak, an hour is well spent in the company of a volleyball or a football. Once the cardio is out of the way, many of us hit the gym before dinner. I and my close friends follow up the dinner with a tea meet at Café Frappe (the on-campus café), which is probably the best time of the day for me. If you thought my day is over, then you could not have been more wrong. The real day begins at 10 PM, when I list down the things to do before sleep. There is almost always a lengthy case to prepare which would consume 2 hours in the least. This, combined with an assignment to finish within a deadline that always seems unfair and impossible. It’s already 2 in the morning (or night, depending on the way you see it) by the time I complete that stuff. That is when hunger strikes again and a 15-minute break at the night canteen comes to the rescue. Since I am preparing for the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam, I have to burn the midnight oil and study till I achieve day’s target. By then sleep becomes dearer to me than anything in the world and for the next few hours, I sleep like a log. At IIM Rohtak I work harder than I’ve ever had in my life, and yet it is so much fun. Even with all the hectic schedule, there is a perfect balance between study and refreshment. More importantly, IIM Rohtak is forging me in fire and I am sure I will come out stronger than before. Proud to be a Kathor!     ------------ About the Author: Rushi Vyas Class of 2018 - IIM Rohtak