A Sneak Peak Into First Few Days At A B-School

Time flies, they say. It can't get any truer, it's been over ten weeks into you being at a B-School. If you pause (if you can make some time for that) and look back, you'll wonder what happened. It'll seem like your life transfigured. Weren’t you lazing at home two months ago, binge watching your favourite show? Arguing with your mother about food? Catching up with friends, celebrating your graduation (a field you might never return to, especially if you're the obligatory engineer) and living life your way in the city you grew up, amid the people you love?

Now you're in a sea of unfamiliar faces. Of ambition, competition and aspiration. The atmosphere is different, you've never been on your own before. The sheer diversity of people here can blow you away. The opportunities presented before you will leave you spoilt for choice. Networking is the norm. Deadlines are sacrosanct. If you can't manage it all (wait, isn't that what you're here to learn?), you'll be losing out. You can't binge watch shows because you've got a pre-process to complete, an assignment due at 4 AM and a case waiting to be read. The home-made food that you hated will seem delectable. You lose the control you had over your time. You need to be the jack of all trades and a master of certain others.

You find yourself in a classroom that's nothing like the conventional classroom you've sat in before. It's a seemingly professional setting. You're not a 'student' here. So, it surprises you when a faculty member addresses you as 'children'. Your classmates aren't as old as you, but you bond over the commonalities and embrace the variety. The weather is more erratic than your mood. It's your second weekend here and you're taking an end-term exam(already?). Preparation is underway for the much talked about summers - your resume is the new definition of you. And that should be perfect. Coffee becomes a lifeline. The campus is so lively, no it's not 6 PM. It's 1 AM and the day has just begun. You'll get accustomed, the seniors reassure you. It has been done before and will be done again.

Well, everything in life teaches you something. Maybe this one is about shedding your inhibitions, breaking stereotypes, making choices, discovering yourself and enjoying the new-found freedom to experiment to make memories you'd never want to forget. Often unmentioned, it is also about staying grounded and not losing perspective.

That's my take on the first month of PGP. The new kid on the block - never out of home before, no work experience and accustomed to eight hours of sleep a day (hey, isn't that the recommended amount?) trying to figure things out in a whole new world.