This article is more like the Badmaash Company or Catch Me If You Can version of MBA. This article is about conning people to make them think you are smart and instantly like you.
Though it might feel a little immoral, but believe me most people do that. It is one of the unsaid habits of successful people. Besides it isn't really fair, no one taught us or at least told us that we have to be prepared intellectually as well. We were told to study and focus on the academics. We did that with each fibre in our body. Now everywhere we go, we have to stand out. contrary to college, where the theme was blending in. You know too much, you would be a loner.
So here is how, I got people to think I am smart and get into an IIM, and in general be a very well liked person.
(These tips are my whole life worth's lessons, and one day there is going to be a ted talk about it :P)
What If I Can't Read Books?
To be honest, I read a lot of books, a lot. However, that does not really matter.
Of course, you should read a lot of books because it increases everything- the Vocab, the overall thinking faculties etc. However, if you have a crunch of time and the world out there is cruel!.
Here's the hack, nobody ever talks about the whole book in a conversation, just the theme and the characters.
The internet and Apps like Blinklist, give u the whole abstract of a book, without having to go through it all. You can tell people why Art of War is your favourite book by just quoting a chapter, or How to make friends and influence people, changed your life. You can even read the comments on goodreads.com to understand the book better.
Most books have a movie made on them! The most popular books of all time - To kill a mockingbird, Catch 22, Love in the time of cholera have a movie edition. Just watch it!
Everyone thinks you are smarter if you have read the book. A great example is the Game of Thrones. I read the whole series when I could have just watched the series and then googled differences between the both. Tell my peers and have them worship me.
However, this hack doesn't work if you are in the company of book lovers like me, who can catch your bluff. It is still highly recommended to read plenty.
Have you met Ted?
Nobody has ever seen a ted talk and kept it to themselves! The purpose of them is to make you smart. And what use is smartness in solitude? There are ted talks from a menagerie of subjects and 15 minutes of each will make you feel like you know stuff.
I am sharing a few of my favourites and the most generic ones
The Most Popular Talks Of All
The Paradox Of Choice - Barry Schwartz
This Country Isn't Just Carbon Neutral, It's Carbon Negative
Have You Met Crash Course?
Channel Link
There, I literally solved half your problems. This channel has wonderful 5-minute lectures on every topic possible economics, religions, history, technology, current affairs! The graphics are great and it is so much fun to learn.
Your CAT interview will require knowledge of economics and stuff, here is the ultimate resource. I am a complete engineer material and had no clue, but a few videos later I was a pro in macroeconomic theories.
TED-ED
Again, super short solutions to everything.
https://www.youtube.com/user/TEDEducation
This channel has snippets of info that will make you smart immediately. The riddles and puzzles are great for LR training and interviews.
https://youtu.be/7yDmGnA8Hw0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj3_KqkI9Zo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9H3gvnN468
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6dCxo7t_aE
However, they are all super addictive, and you will be on the internet all day.
What's Black White And Red All Over?
A newspaper! You know this, that reading newspaper is the most crucial part of your preparation. Please take note though, that you don't have to read the Hindu or the Mint or ET forcibly. You can choose any newspaper you like and make it a habit.
How to read it though? It's a large piece of literature!
Here's what I do on busy days - Read the headlines, the front page stories, skip the city part unless there's something prominent. Most of it is crime, etc. The editorial page, however, I devour like a hungry beast. It is an abstract of all the issues that are happening, and it helps you form an opinion. Indian Express has a wonderful editorial page with articles from even Chidambaram! It's a great read and they even have a technology section that keeps you informed.
Then there are apps like NewsinShorts, or the UPSC preparation, current affairs app which even have a daily quiz on what u read in the papers
Such a wonderful time to live in.
there are a lot of other things you can do, documentaries and stuff :p
I am, however, not citing them now, you need to study now and focus on CAT too. I would be here to help with the jugaad post that.
MITRONNN. GO MAKE ME PROUD.
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About the Author:
"Sanchari went into shock the day she converted, since then she has been trying to believe it. A complete ignorant soul who wanted to do an MBA to become a social entrepreneur, but had no skills required for it. However, she had a lot of free net and using it taught herself everything she knew and now she's off to IIM Shillong. Sanchari reads everything under the sun, watches every tv series ever made, eats a lot and in the time left, campaigns for her favourite causes(there are so many) and writes her own bio.