Almost two months ago, as I entered Room No. C-401 of the new academic block for my PGDM registration, I had a lot of questions in my mind- Would I be able to cope up with the curriculum of the course? How would my classmates be like? Will I be at a disadvantage vis-à-vis my peers who had work experience? Would I be able to sleep?
As the dust settles on my first two months at IMT Ghaziabad, I can look back and say that most of my questions have been answered, especially the one regarding sleep - that I won't get any. My time at IMT has been exhausting but exhilarating at the same time. Unless you were (are) someone who joined (would be joining) the MBA course just because your joining letter from Hogwarts didn't arrive on time, each of you must have faced (must be facing) the same questions that I faced. Here are the few things that I have learned till now - these learnings are generic in nature and aren't just limited to my b-school only:
B-School is a host of opportunity: Whether you have a deep interest in marketing, or you think finance is what makes you go bananas or you are inclined towards HR, b-school would always provide you with enough opportunities to hone your skills. There are competitions after competitions, case studies, short term projects and what not. If that's not enough, there are enough events to showcase your talent in activities like singing, dancing, writing and fashion
et al.
The competition is real (and a lot tougher): If you thought getting into your dream b-school was the last of the competition you'll ever witness, then I have news for you- the competition is still out there. And this time, it is far tougher than the last one you witnessed. You aren't just competing with the 500 odd students at your campus, but thousands at other top b-schools. It isn't exactly like The Hunger Games out here, but then I'd be lying if I said it was anything lesser.
Everything you do has a learning objective: From solving a case or organising an event, everything you do has a learning objective attached to it. You'll be amazed by how much you can learn by organising even the smallest of events.
Help is in abundance here: Need help with your PPTs? Getting stuck interpreting the balance sheet? Or is regression analysis giving you sleepless nights? Well, don't worry. Your peers and seniors are always there to help you with problems like these. You just have to ask them for help. Remember these lines Dumbledore said to Harry, "Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it"? Well, replace Hogwarts with any b-school, and it still won't change.
Multitask or perish: Since there are a lot of activities and competitions going around on the campus, you need to hone your multitasking skills or you risk losing out on a lot of learning, and eventually grades. You need to prioritise your studies, your committee work, extra-curricular activities, competitions, and sleep. And mind you, if sleep is your top priority, you might as well forget about pursuing MBA as a course.
These were the limited learnings from the first two months into my MBA life and I hope to add a host of learnings soon enough. MBA as a course is a roller coaster ride and at each turn, there's something to learn, apart from the overall journey itself. I have tightened the seat-belt for the ride as I brace myself for the next learning opportunity.