Thousands of MBA students commenced their MBA journey this year and in the previous year in unusual and unprecedented conditions, far from the MBA experience they presumably envisaged when they began applying to business schools. Despite the fact that the experience has been different, the commitment and desire of students to make the most of it has not wavered. While we all watch as authorities rush to carefully inoculate the citizens before gradually reopening as conditions improve, many students are doing their best to make the most of the experience they have.
The good news is that what you have in front of you is still a fantastic opportunity, albeit far from what you had envisioned. The MBA Experience is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the value of a degree over the course of a career is extremely high.
In the quest to understand what I may have missed over the past year, I’ve spoken to current MBA students and recent alums about how they are navigating the Covid-19 MBA experience, and I have got firsthand perspective about their challenges and opportunities. I’ve summarized my learnings below:
1. INVEST YOUR TIME IN NETWORKING:
A lot of MBA students attend business school to take advantage of networking and relationship-building opportunities that B-school offers. Not only will you have the opportunity to make friends for life, but you will also be able to rely on your peers in the future when you need career advice. Even in pandemic conditions, do your best to connect with peers, alums, and professors.
One of the most profound things that we’ve learned during this pandemic is the importance of connecting with others. Many of us have struggled with adjusting to the lack of face-to-face interaction that we are accustomed to. This is especially true for full-time MBA students, where face-to-face engagement is the hallmark of the program.
While this is difficult, a business school is truly one of the best places you can be at this time. You cannot always be physically present with people, but the community of those people is always there. When things are going well, you have people to celebrate with and when the times are tough, you have access to a whole community of people to consult for guidance or advice. In such challenging and uncertain times, this is exactly the type of community you would want. Whether it’s in the classroom, or during a career search, or simply as you navigate the ups and downs of your everyday life, you can always find support
2. FIND NEW WAYS OF WORKING:
Covid-19 has put a lot of travel restrictions and other constraints on students. Fortunately, research shows that when options are limited, people generate more creative solutions. Having a large and de-cluttered workspace where you can set out everything you need to study in peace can really help you get into the right mindset.
3. IDENTIFY HOW YOU CAN SERVE OTHERS:
In these difficult times, there is no shortage of challenges and problems that are right in front of us. These are great opportunities for MBA students to jump in and to use their abilities to help others. While not everyone needs to start an initiative, there are ordinary actions that individuals can take to make an impact within their own communities. Oftentimes, this means looking within and understanding the privilege and resources you have, which can be leveraged to help peers.
4. LEAN INTO LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:
One area of opportunity for MBA students is to nurture their leadership skills and talents and to put them to work: first, to help the community around them, but second, to gain a crash course in leadership skills, especially through student clubs and organizations.
Although it might be virtual, you can still build great relationships with your course lecturers and fellow students. Turn your informal discussion forums or "addas" into a central study hub – they’re an excellent resource for collective learning. Networking with one another during such informal meets will benefit your studies as well as boost your teamwork and collaboration skills.
5. DON’T WAIT FOR THE ‘NEXT NORMAL’ — CREATE IT:
By now, we’ve all become accustomed to the phrase: “new normal.” The point of it is to iterate that at some point, while all the COVID-19 gradually subside, life and the world as we know it will look different. I believe that to be true, but I want to urge you to not wait for the new normal. Go ahead and create it yourself.
Since you only get one MBA experience, you don’t want to wait around because of the fact that this is your 2nd year of a two-year experience. It’s an experience that you won’t ever get again.
All the best to the incoming batches!