21st June 2018! The day it all began. 180-something of us entered the beautiful campus with our big hopes, aspirations and dream; all contained in conscious smiles and bright eyes which were busy scanning the other participants to identify the ones we met during our interviews. Well, I found none!
The seniors generously carried our luggage while we admired the scenic beauty and picked chits that decided the level of sanity for our next 365 days, that is, our room and roommates. Unlike the usual trend of my luck factor, I got pretty lucky with this! Rest assured, the year would be filled with fun, I thought to myself.
The first 24 hours in campus, and I had realized that if getting through one of the best B-schools in India was difficult, the hustle required to survive inside is going to be a few miles ahead!
During the first week here, I faced the first evil of a B-school, the Orientation week! It is basically a mock drill for all that lies ahead of the new batch. We all faced our first few failures and several successes during this week. As much as I would have dreaded each day of the week 2 weeks back, I now embrace each (almost!) moment of it now. From realizing the potential pace of an MBA life to realizing my own potential of getting through it- through the Orientation program, I got it all. Hearing all the stories of competitiveness in B-school, the thought of finding a friend here was quite overwhelming. But that's what makes this beautiful campus in clouds stand out, we, from waking each other up every morning to motivating each other, live here like a family!
Now that the mock drill aka week 1 was over, it was time to experience the famous 'Sustainability Week', a unique one week course in sustainability that IIM Shillong hosts for every batch. I found the very thought of this week fascinating, but it is only now that I understand its purpose! Each of us, in the Class of 2020, are going to become managers some day and the importance of sustainability should be imbibed in every foundation of our skills. The entire experience was enriching, however, the sustainability trek on the last day of the week was a cherry on the cake!
The third week commenced with a mail from the admin with our class schedule. The real deal was set to begin! We all woke up at least two hours before the first class, had a delicious breakfast and sat enthusiastically in the lecture hall, to experience what a lecture by one of the best faculty in the country is like! Needless to say, it gave us enough food for thought to fill up our minds. It doesn't end there though. The hustle continues, in the face of "Inductions", yet another event that will decide the course of my next 2 years- the club and committee one joins gives the most exposure any B-school has to offer.
I may not still be ready to embrace all the challenges an MBA has to offer, but I am definitely looking forward to it. *Alarm Rings* time to attend the induction session!
Swarnima Mor
PGP 1st Year
IIM Shillong
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