If I could compare my life at MDI, it would be to a journey on a boat in the middle of a disturbed sea. There are many instances where you feel, the raging waters would sink in, but you fight back all the time. You fall, but you keep clinging back to the boat, fighting the sea of the unknown head-on, hoping the weather to calm and the shore to arrive. In the end, you can be confident that you’d emerge as a mature sailor with the confidence you gain only by adversity that you experience. You hope to become confident that you have achieved something you initially thought you couldn’t. The ride isn’t smooth but the bumps are meant to take you nowhere but uphill. The entire MBA life focuses on expanding the radius of your comfort zone by pushing you out of it at every instance.
While I have been a hardworking person my entire life, MDI taught me to work smart as well. It has given me an opportunity to nurture all my deepest talents and skills while I juggle between deadlines, case-studies, academics, extra-curricular and sports. I believe the learning outside the class is much more immense than the one that happens inside.
The most memorable experience so far is the 14-day induction period at the start of the program. As the fresh inductees, we were exposed to the professional corporate world. We were made to handle the pressure, multi-task, yet perform to the best of our capabilities. The learning sessions from eminent industrialists and corporate honchos made us think big, long-term and aspire to become a ‘change maker’ while also learning what it takes to stand out. It was in some of those sessions that I had a glimpse of what it takes to become a polished personality.
I believe it is the diverse and competent peer group that forces you to push your limits. I have received a similar experience at MDI. While I have always been more inclined towards studies, my room-mate is a national level swimmer and a top academic performer. He and other batch-mates have made me realize the importance of holistic development as a fundamental tenet of a true manager.
MDI has given me an opportunity to think big, to DREAM! It seems like a significant milestone in my journey to the corner office of a reputed investment bank at the financial capital of the world, New York. Within such a short span, I have developed such deep love for MDI despite it not allowing me to have my most beloved possession, my sleep. It seems that MDI, in a way, is making me dream with eyes wide open. I shall always remain a ManDevIan at heart. It has given me an opportunity to be the best version of me while staying grounded and striving for excellence.