She was sitting on the last bench on the first day when our classes officially began. While the professor was teaching, she gently raised her hand long up in the air.
“Sir, I have a question”, following it with a long monologue of how she could relate the concept being taught to some other topic she studied during her undergrad.
The entire class was pin-drop silent as she spoke. Every single word fell so neatly in place. I had not heard somebody speak with such fluency before. Her voice was equally soothing. I wondered if I could ever match her pace and communication style. Perhaps, it came with practice. Alternatively, perhaps, with confidence. But there was my
first lesson in MBA.
Let me also introduce you to this other guy in my class. I barely knew him then. He was a member of the Student Council. I texted him one day, asking for a small favour. Without another word, he solved my problem immediately. I realized why he was the most popular student in the batch. He was friendly with everyone, in a very comforting way.
Mr Architect taught me my
second lesson on social skills.
One more friend whom I cannot afford to miss is probably the oldest guy in my batch. He spent a few years preparing for IAS before joining XLRI. His interjection in every class provides us with a new way of thinking about the concept. I have lost count on how many times the Professor has remarked,
“That’s a good question” after listening to him. Him and so many others, with
finance, economics, masters, arts, medical and other such backgrounds add some real value to the class. In fact, these people take extra-classes for us before quizzes. I wouldn’t have been able to do well in accounts, had my friend from SRCC chosen IIM L over XL.
Before starting my MBA, I used to crib about how it is
unfair to give preference to non-engineers during the selection process. However, in one year, I realized the importance of having students from diverse backgrounds here.
Engineering trains our mind into being number-oriented about everything. I almost laughed when I heard a few of my friends could not figure out how to use their scientific calculators in the exam. “How do you convert these fractions into decimals?” one of them roared.
“I could take classes on it if you want” – I love poking fun at them.
However, as you spend 4 years solving problems with your calculators, creativity takes a back seat. Give us a question to write a page on something abstract and see.
Another huge difference is in the environment within the class. I did not ask any doubts to the professors at BITS. That was the usual norm. Teachers would come, teach and go. Toppers would get distinguished from the answer sheet.
MBA is remarkably different. Most teachers would get irritated if they are made to talk for the entire 1.5 hours in the class.
You are expected to learn better as you talk, discuss and do some class participation (CP)