Two months back I didn’t know that I’ll be sitting in my hostel room, overlooking the hills and writing this article. Now that I think about it, I realize how much my life has changed in these two months. From being an aspirant to finally a student at one of the most reputed, student-driven management institutes of India, it’s not just life that has changed. Preparing for MBA and finally pursuing it is a life-altering experience. You realize your potential and capabilities, make friends for life, you stumble and fall but you get up, brush off your clothes and begin walking again- with a smile on your face. It’s a Metanoia!
Actually, the journey starts pre-December, with the preparation for SNAP. After a month or two of rigorous studying and burning the midnight oil, when you clear SNAP and get a call for GE-PI-WAT, it’s akin to all your dreams starting to come to life, HD mode! And then starts the battle to get in the coveted list of 180 students out of 2000+ students who cleared SNAP. But of course, battling with the best minds in the country during Group Exercises/Discussions is anything but a piece of cake! I, for one, took this final test very seriously and did spend time preparing for what was to come next. From brushing up about my current affairs to doing mock interviews with my father, I was set on clearing the GE-PI-WAT. Of course, by then we had all been allotted Mentors by the Aspirant Relations Team of the college and these mentors were there every step of the way, clearing all our doubts. Very soon the D-day had arrived. I was there on the hilltop at 6:30 AM in the morning seeing the sunrise from behind the hills and getting mesmerized by the beauty that lay around me. After all, who wouldn’t want to study at a college that not only had the best infrastructure but also one of the best faculty and students in the country? But then like any other candidate, I was a nervous wreck- thinking about the what ifs and the whatnots...
As I went ahead with the process I realized how well everything was organized. It was perhaps smoothest GE-PI-WAT session that I attended. Seeing students at the forefront of the entire process made me appreciate how beautifully student-driven SIBM was. Thankfully the process went on successfully for me and I converted SIBM Pune in the first list!
Since then and till now, the journey of leaving home for the first time and arriving at the picturesque Lavale has been a roller-coaster ride. From the fun-filled induction and ice-breaking sessions to the guest lectures, from staying up till 5AM during the student council induction process to preparing for the Summer Internship Placements it has been a busy 2 months. But there is much more to look forward to what with the various competitions and cultural extravaganzas that SIBM hosts and organizes. Frankly, there is never a dull day here... getting up by the chirping of birds at your window-sill and rushing to class on bicycles, attending classes and guest lectures, prepping for competitions and organizing events- life cannot get any more exhilarating and stimulating!
Perhaps it’s the air at the hilltop which energizes and invigorates you, fueling you to give your best and emerge out as the best street-smart managers there can be.
Written by: Kuhu Mehrotra, Student of MBA - 1, Marketing, SIBM Pune.