#Throwback
“ MBA”, “Marriage”, “Indian woman.” The probability of co-existence of these three may be one in a million and I am one of those lucky Indian women who are pursuing an MBA after marriage.
“Apurva! Where are my socks? I can’t find my handkerchief. Where did you keep my blue shirt?” (Though I didn’t have much clue about which blue shirt was being referred to because almost 90% of my husband’s wardrobe comprised blue shirts, blue being his favourite colour) For almost two years this was the morning rhyme which echoed in my ears as I prepared breakfast and got ready to go to work. My response also never changed during those two years - “Open your eyes”, and thus he found all that he required lying on the bed as usual. Little did I know at that time that this morning rhyme will soon be replaced by a newer one from my roommate-“Apurva Di! Get up. We will be late for class.” So that was my decision to pursue an MBA from IIM Shillong which brought about this radical change.
Life has taught me that change is the only constant. 13 years of hostel life have helped me in becoming quite adaptive to changes. When I got married in 2011, my parents heaved a sigh of relief thinking that my hostel life had officially come to an end. But little did they know that what they thought to be the end was yet another beginning- The beginning of a journey full of dreams, aspirations and ambitions.
People often ask me as to how it feels to pursue an MBA after marriage but I often end up answering how marriage is during an MBA. Certainly opting for an MBA after marriage is a difficult choice but marriage during MBA is even more difficult. They say “Distance makes the heart grow fonder” and in the last eight months which I have spent here at IIM Shillong I have realized the frustrating truth in the statement.
Situations may be the same but the responses triggered have changed quite a bit. An unanswered call at the other end creates a panic now, a sneeze during a telephonic conversation calls for extra care, the slightest mention of skipped meals causes prolonged fights, the mention of a new female colleague in office causes the eyebrows to rise an inch more.
With every day that passes by, I feel happy to be a day closer to the time to be together again. And it is this feeling which inspires me to work towards my ultimate goal. Apart from that there is one more factor which perpetually motivates me to bring out the best in me- The “Di” tag associated with my name (Apurva Di is how I am referred to by my family here at IIM Shillong). Though I am not very clear whether I have got this suffix associated with my name because of being the eldest girl in the batch or being a married woman. But somehow it infuses a lot of positivity as it triggers an instant connect with people. It incites an additional sense of maturity and responsibility in me.
There are times when an emptiness surrounds me, the longing to be loved intensifies and something pinches me. A sinking feeling sets in and I find myself caught in an emotional turmoil. But these times have somehow made me and my roommate (Varsha) more patient. It will be unjust on my part to not give her the credit for being patient with me and listening (or at least pretending to listen) to a lot of philosophy about life. By now she is well versed with the Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,” the by-product of my philosophical mood.
It is at these times that Skype proves to be the most handy. From daily fights to virtual hugs to birthday celebrations to candle light dinners, everything happens through this gift of technology.
In the last 8 months, I have realized that MBA after marriage has become way easier for me because life is teaching me to be a manager in a much more effective manner- “Managing your marriage from quite a distance.”
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iimshillong.insideiim.com
