Capturing My Days At IIM Rohtak

 Now that I am eight months into an IIM, I wanted to review how close my life at IIM is, to the expectations I had before joining. I refer to an article which I wrote a few days before I joined the institute. In the piece, I wrote, “An MBA means a lot of hard work – classes, case studies, group studies, presentations, surprise quizzes and I am up for it.” I went on adding, “I shall participate in all the activities that I am capable of, I want to learn new skills – public speaking and swimming are a priority.” Well, of all the things I have done here, and things I regret having not done, swimming never ever came close.

“It’s all about setting your priorities”, or so the saying goes. What they don’t tell you is just when to set them. An MBA life is quite different from the perception the world has about it. When I first came here, the things I looked forward to was excelling in studies, learning finance, spending the afternoon in the library, the evening in the swimming pool, and the night reading case studies. After being in here for two terms, the thing I most long for is a sound sleep and having understood that marketing is quite different from sales, I look forward to a career in marketing. I bring in John Maynard Keynes to my rescue, "When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, Sir?”

In the meantime, I have spent my days networking with people, sharing stories, writing and editing articles, attending summits, celebrating festivities, conducting quizzes and of course, partying. I have had some dalliance with public speaking which, essential though it is, has fallen off the radar at present. My work here as an Editor at PR Cell has taken me to places, that includes a visit to the Hon. Railway Minister’s residence.

At an IIM, you get your wings. Fly as high as you can, yet, be careful lest you do an Icarus since your feathers too are made of wax. In the end, grades do matter and you need to pass all your exams. During the course, I have made some very good friends and some not so good, yet friends. There is tough competition among students, especially in the placement season, yet, there is also brotherhood, a shared feeling of belonging.

It is March and I understand that I will be spending only about a year further in this institution. That may well be the end of my formal education, my student days. I do look forward to making full use of this one year, exploring new vocations, meeting new people, helping the juniors settle in. As it happens, swimming doesn’t yet feature on my to-do list.

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About the Author:

Joydeep is a first year student at IIM Rohtak and the President of the Public Relations Cell. He is passionate about cricket and loves reading about History.