I was a starry-eyed kid when I joined my first job. Fresh out of college, we were a bunch of motivated millennials who were excited to work in their dream company. Setting foot for the first time in a swanky office of an MNC made us jittery. We were all wondering how we will fit in with these professionals!
Thankfully for us, a 2-day fun session called 'Campus to Corporate' was arranged in a 5-star hotel. We tried hard to remember the hundreds of instructions which the trainer gave.
“Don’t address anyone as Sir/Madam, call them by their first name.”
“Always keep your manager in the loop when sending important emails.”
“Follow the process to the dot and do all quality checks.”
And so it went on….
Here I am 3 years later, starry-eyed again as I enter into one of the top B-schools of India.
I had already made the decision to step out of my comfort zone, and had packed my bags and arrived at the hostel 2000km away from home to begin my second innings as a student.
Heavy doubts clouded my mind – Will I be able to slip into the shoes of a student easily? Will I be able to concentrate in class for hours without falling asleep? How will I manage without my salary being credited at the end of each month?!
I have worked in an MNC with real projects and deadlines, what more can a business school teach me, I wondered. I was wearing my work experience as a crown.
It did not take long for the crown to get dislodged.
I realized quickly that there are hundreds of students very similar to me. There were many with 'coordinators', 'organizers', 'volunteers' and 'winners' written on their resume. There were students with a brain full of knowledge on the workings of service companies, media houses, banks, and marketing divisions.
I was soon facing deadlines in college which I hadn’t known in my corporate experience. Presentations at 2 AM during our Personality Development course surpassed any overtime work I have done before. My 11 PM bedtime was now looking like a fantasy! My dictionary changed from using timesheets, earned leaves, sprints, and project deliveries to competitive advantage, global answer, profit maximization, committee meetings, and business formals.
It was easy to get caught up in the rush and lose track of time. The newspaper deck under my table was piling, having been thrown there every day after a passing glance at the headline. My favourite novels lay unread as I spent more and more time doing assignments.
Weekends were no longer meant for shopping and movies. In fact, there was no difference between weekday and weekend or day and night in a B-school.
I gradually learnt to organize my life here. I learnt to let go of my need to plan to the last minute of my day. I had to unlearn the comfort of a routine.
The numerous committees, clubs and ever-happening events provided not just great learning outside the classroom, but a nice distraction as well. My biggest solace was the college Toastmasters Club. I never missed a single Thursday meeting. I had always considered public speaking as one of my strengths, but I could soon see the vast room for improvement before me.
"You are lucky to have escaped the MNC work and go back to studying, college life is all about friends, fun and hostel stories", said my colleagues when I quit my job. Looking back at the past 10 months, I realize that my Corporate to Campus journey has been full of surprises and unexpected challenges. But more than anything, it has taught me so much about myself and the limits I am capable of pushing myself to.
I guess I will be totally ready to take on whatever life has to offer when I move from campus to corporate after two years of MBA.