It has now been close to two months since I stepped into this Institute and before you dismiss that as being not long enough time to be able to give substantial insight on institutes, I’ll put out a disclaimer that this would be of most interest to those preparing/about to start preparing for the various management exams with an intent of joining a b-school soon or those who seek to get a glimpse of what to expect at the institute that is also popularly known as the “Campus in Clouds”!
As someone who grew up in cities in the North, South and West of the country, North East was something I was most definitely looking forward to after I received that email congratulating me on receiving provisional admission. Yes, initial apprehensions on the Institute being relatively new or located a little far off from the mainland had to be addressed, but trust me, they remain just that – initial apprehensions. This place has quickly become home for me and with someone or the other up till around 5 am on most days, there is always someone to lend an ear at any time of the day or night. The activities here, as I am sure is the case in most b-school, are numerous. In the short span that I have been here, apart from classes, there has already been a two-day long case study Hackathon, numerous case study competitions, group assignments, inductions into committees and clubs, a talent show organised and put on by our batch, several enriching talks by leading industry and corporate leaders, alumni interactions, celebrations of festivals like Janmashtami and a week-long course on sustainability.
The campus is always buzzing with activity. You learn to multitask and thrive in the fast-paced environment. Yes, it can get overwhelming and when you look around at some of the people you are studying with it is usually quite humbling. But, with the right kind of focus and time management, there is a lot of learning. On most days, life here is a true amalgamation of both fun and stressful work. From late night chats at the canteen to late night interviews and GD’s, it is all part of the way of life here. If there’s one take away from my limited time here that I can share it is that find your purpose and serve it well for there are far too many things to do and 24 hours in a day just does not suffice sometimes.
Oh, I had mentioned “Campus in clouds” earlier right? That term is definitely not superficially made up. One peek out of the classroom and you see clouds at eye level, spectacular sunsets as the 6 p.m. class ends and somehow most of the stress of the day magically disappears when you are faced with such a serene view. Talking about nature, there are not many courses in the country that end with a day long trek organised by the professor through an extremely picturesque trail, shrouded by clouds, with vast green spaces all around and where you become one with nature. That right there is learning and recreation merged in one.