It all started out a year ago with the preparations for CAT. Hundreds of sleepless nights, innumerable cups of coffee, hours of research into colleges, several painful interview processes finally got me into a college whose name starts with “IIM” – the dream of millions.
Now, when you’re actually into the place, reality kicks into you. You don’t feel like a superstar like you did amongst your hometown friends anymore. People around you instantly give you a feel of the level of competition that you’re going to face.
The feeling did not take long to get materialised. There are people from all over the country, each with a different story to tell, a different brilliance to show. And in the middle of all of that, you feel privileged to be a part of the show.
The other mesmerizing aspect is the city of Ranchi. Even with the modernization that you see around the city, it has been able to hold on to its small town charm. Also, being a student gives you the chance to experience the best of both lives, almost on a daily basis. The Khelgaon hostel facilities are a treat for the eyes with a splash of greenery, a touch of aloofness – a bunch of most brilliant, handpicked minds of the country tucked away from the buzzle of the city, working day in and day out. Brilliant!
IIM Ranchi does its best to help you settle as seamlessly as possible, and in a way that ensures you give your best. The one of its kind induction session is already a legend in the B-School circuit, and with good reasons. Even before you open a book, you start adapting to the sleepless nights of a world class B-School in the most fun ways possible.
When the dust of that settles down, you would find yourself right in the middle of the academic rigour. The professors ensure that you are engaged both in and after lectures through the countless reading and group assignments that have to be completed in timeframes previously unimaginable. One thing that instantly stands out is their accessibility – they come down to your level, and then teach you- a mark of the truly knowledgeable.
And when I speak about knowledgeable, you get to learn from another set of those people in more ways than one. The ones who have been here and have been doing it for the past one year. The seniors make sure to keep you on your toes at all times, helping you turn into a proper IIM Ranchian all the time. You instantly get a reference point – you want to be like these guys one year down the line.
Another beautiful thing about the place is the close-knit feeling. There are not more than five-hundred students in the college, and everyone knows everyone else’s story. To be part of this is an enriching experience. I would not even try to put it into words, because I will not be able to.
Much more is left to be learnt, to be seen, to be felt, to be a part of, to be created. If the first two months here are anything to go by, this is going to be one hell of a joyride. And I have not even crossed the first crest of this rollercoaster!