I still remember - it was 29th of June when I got an email from IIM Bodh Gaya for admissions. I booked my tickets of Mahabodhi Express and on my way to Gaya, the questions kept lingering in my head - What would campus be like? What would Gaya be like?

Gaya turned out to be a proper city, same as any other city of India - a lot of people with every facility that a good city could have. For me though, it was a setback as being from Uttarakhand I wanted something peaceful. From the station, Bodh Gaya was 16 kilometres and as I entered the land of enlightenment, the moment took my breath away from me. The calmness that surrounded that place is fitting to call it the land of meditation. No wonder why Buddha chose to meditate here.

As I reached closer to the campus, the whole thought process of what campus would be like was going through me. The temporary campus is situated in Magadh University. Hostels are single occupancy, which I loved because I could decorate it my own way. I was not much of a sportsperson but when you have a basketball court, Volleyball court, Badminton court, and Cricket ground in close proximity, one cannot stop themselves from have fun. But the best part was the gym which was 10 metres away from my room and now, I could not make any more excuses. The sound of metal clinging and the smell of cement encountered on our way to classes reminds us that our permanent campus will soon be completed.

Hence, life at IIM started with rigorous late night activities and shorter classroom deadlines. A one week orientation program led us into the system. Various committees were introduced to us with their respective functions. But I knew my role from the very first day, with my camera and writing I knew I had to be the part of Media Cell. It is impossible for me to count number of photos I took and the articles I wrote last year. The complexity of making a video still sometimes makes me wonder how we pulled it off. But these things went like a breeze because of the amazing team I had.

IIMs do turn your life upside down. The days of good sleep were soon gone and our seniors made sure they never come back. Our faculty also made sure we get corporate ready. The life that I was living was totally different from what I had lived before that.

But with good people around you, it did not take much time to become a part of it. Elders are right when they say, “Kuch samay do. Rang chadh jaega."

Abhay Singh Rawat

Remembering The First Year At IIM Bodh Gaya - An Experience of A Lifetime