“Congratulations, you have been offered admission to our PGP programme”
And lo and behold - before you know it, you would busy gleaming about your new brand, “IIM”, giving away treats to friends you haven’t spoken to for years and shopping for every item, big or small, to kickstart your journey at school.
In the midst of this madness, we forget to take a second and reconnect with ourselves. We undermine the importance of noting down our goals and objectives before we step foot into campus. And the result?
Overwhelming. Overwhelming and Overwhelming.
Ah. Seems like yesterday when my face flushed red when the assignments increased by the second and my sleeping hours had dropped down to zero.
Seems like a lot? It definitely is.
But how did I make it? How did it go better than what I had envisioned it to be?
Here are 10 tried and tested techniques:
Network - Reconnect
It’s time to put all your social media to good use. Reach out to all your ex-school/college/office seniors/juniors who are a product of the B-school that you will be joining. Ideally, prepare a list of questions to ask them and then make notes. This is extremely important - you will meeting and speaking to so many seniors that it’s easy to miss out on that one magical advice.
Pro Tip - A lot of students hesitate to do this, anticipating the awkwardness, feeling selfish. But, what they forget is that it’s the words of wisdom from those who have been through this journey that shapes your choices. They’ve been through this and are almost always willing to help. You just need to ask!
Document - Every victory, big or small
This is an opportune time, note down all the key details of your projects while you are still in college/office. Making a repository of your achievements goes a long way when the rock called “Resume making” falls on you.
Shop- Till you drop?
I know Amazon Prime exists. But, well, it still takes a day or two. And two days is a LOT of time when you are in the prime days of your B-school journey. Avoid the hassle and calls from the courier bhaiya. Take two days off and shop for all the essentials you will need at school. (Did someone shout Formals?)
Participate- Don’t be a rebel
Every school has an induction program for the new batch and every school has a couple of rebels that decide to while away their time refusing to participate. DO NOT be that rebel. Induction week is the perfect time to make connections with your classmates and seniors. You will be surprised how dealing with Hel(L) “together” reduces the magnanimity of any tribulation you may be feeling.
It’s what you come home to
Your hostel room will be your cave for the next two years. And if you do it well enough, it will be a resting ground for all your project meets, chilling sessions and striking cupid ;)
Pro Tip - Invest on the lights, some posters and an extra mattress. If not anything, you need a place to call home after a bad day - And no points for guessing, there won’t be any dearth of them.
Summers - Ah well.
Well, the grandeur of this event is well beyond the scope of this article. In short, right from the day you step in till you walk out with an offer, everything productive that you do at school will be dedicated to this. At least this is what I believed in. I am grateful that the day turned out exactly how I wanted it to be. What is the one advice I will give you? Trust your heart to make the right call. Know what you want, know what you can do, and then do it in the most sincere way.
Pro Tip 1 - Know when to stop making your CV and start on your prep. A 10-day head start leads to an exponential return in the longer run. Know that ALL and more resources are available on campus, and just like help, you need to ask for it.
Pro Tip 2 - Find a mentor if your college doesn’t formally allot you one. Have faith in your mentor and do not hesitate to bare your soul to her. In this overtly competitive time, you will need someone to show you an objective lens. A good conversation solves half the problems at B-school.
Committees / Case Competitions / Sports - Opportunities endless
As a part of the placement prep committee at IIM Lucknow, I would tell you that it’s all about the delta you add to your CV is all that the firms are looking for when you sit for finals. But, as a senior now, I would tell you this - find a way to keep yourself busy. These two years would be transformative just by the virtue of how the program is devised. But, the extent of it is on you.
Pro Tip - I found the best of friends being a part of these ventures on campus. Not only do I have my gang of cheerleaders, but I also have the best critics, who aren’t afraid to tell me when I screw up.
The 20 % buffer - Use it well
Like all things, please plan your holidays. The academic calendar comes right at the start of the session. Filter those long weekends out and escape. Refuel yourself from time to time - you owe this to yourself.
Nurture - With Nature
We have been blessed with a beautiful campus and hence this is easier for Hel(L)ites to follow.
In all, this hustle and bustle, do not forget your larger goal. Quizzes and insti parties will become part and parcel. Mess will still serve food 4 times a day. But, what did you come here for? Are you on the right path or have you given to redundancy?
Take a step back every time you feel overwhelmed. Walk around the campus and take in some fresh air. In trying to do revolutionary things, we forget the power of fresh air, some flowers and hot chai/coffee.
F.R.I.E.N.D.S - Don’t just binge watch, live it!
And finally. Here’s to the people who will rant, cry, work, exist, succeed, fail, travel, drink, smoke, write, work and live with you. If you find good people, and I am certain that you will- keep them close. Have a good heart and rest will follow. Friends at Hel(L) don’t just become family, they become your pillars of strength both when you have a critical interview and when you are unable to walk on your two feet after a long night. (And I hope you have many of them)
Okay then, if you have reached till the end, I wish you all the very best for your journey ahead. If you are an ex-student, I hope I made sense above.
Feel free to reach out to me if you need help with any of this.
Love & Luck,
H
Comments
Pratik Ranjan
Pratik is an MBA candidate at IIM Lucknow. He is an ardent aspiring marketing strategist. His passion for marketing multiplied multifold post his internship with Unilever, where he was conferred with a PPO. Bitten by the entrepreneurial bug & seized by afflatus to read, write & explore, this twenty-something believes in the power of dreaming with his eyes open. He is a columnist in various newsletters and is up for any discussion that involves the nuances of marketing and strategy. P.S: He's charged by the fuel of caffeine.
Such an interesting read.
23 Mar 2019, 10.53 AM
+Read Replies (1)
Harshi Kher
Harshi Kher is an Economics graduate from SRCC, currently pursuing her MBA at IIM-L. A true bibliophile at heart, she has worked for a leading investment bank and a hedge fund, juggling between her love for finance and fiction. She is also a trained classical dancer, an international level debater and a caffeine aficionado. At IIM-L she is a part of the placement mentorship committee and the literary club. She will be interning with McKinsey & Co this summers
Thanks for your encouragement, Pratik :)
23 Mar 2019, 09.57 PM |
Resham Bagaria
Great read!
23 Mar 2019, 11.55 AM
+Read Replies (1)
Harshi Kher
Harshi Kher is an Economics graduate from SRCC, currently pursuing her MBA at IIM-L. A true bibliophile at heart, she has worked for a leading investment bank and a hedge fund, juggling between her love for finance and fiction. She is also a trained classical dancer, an international level debater and a caffeine aficionado. At IIM-L she is a part of the placement mentorship committee and the literary club. She will be interning with McKinsey & Co this summers
Thank you Resh! :)
23 Mar 2019, 09.57 PM |
Vinay Penta
Very relevant. I wish someone had told me before coming to an IIM
23 Mar 2019, 11.59 AM
+Read Replies (1)
Harshi Kher
Harshi Kher is an Economics graduate from SRCC, currently pursuing her MBA at IIM-L. A true bibliophile at heart, she has worked for a leading investment bank and a hedge fund, juggling between her love for finance and fiction. She is also a trained classical dancer, an international level debater and a caffeine aficionado. At IIM-L she is a part of the placement mentorship committee and the literary club. She will be interning with McKinsey & Co this summers
True. Do share with your junior batch.
23 Mar 2019, 09.58 PM |
Rajan Kamboj
A noob in the world of brands who wishes to begin learning the godly process of creating, delivering and communicating value to customers at a profit :)
Damn concise and useful. That's all you need for a smooth b-school ride.
23 Mar 2019, 12.59 PM
+Read Replies (1)
Harshi Kher
Harshi Kher is an Economics graduate from SRCC, currently pursuing her MBA at IIM-L. A true bibliophile at heart, she has worked for a leading investment bank and a hedge fund, juggling between her love for finance and fiction. She is also a trained classical dancer, an international level debater and a caffeine aficionado. At IIM-L she is a part of the placement mentorship committee and the literary club. She will be interning with McKinsey & Co this summers
Glad you liked it!
23 Mar 2019, 09.58 PM |
Arundhati Mukherjee
An ascetic , pragmatic Indian
Hello Ms. Harshi, I want you to help me out with a very dillema of my life at present. I'm currently an engineering undergraduate and is going to appear for various MBA entrance tests in 2019. My question is that how will I manage between my undergrad university exams that will start from May and my mock tests that will start from 1st week of April? Please help if you can.
23 Mar 2019, 01.33 PM
+Read Replies (4)
Harshi Kher
Harshi Kher is an Economics graduate from SRCC, currently pursuing her MBA at IIM-L. A true bibliophile at heart, she has worked for a leading investment bank and a hedge fund, juggling between her love for finance and fiction. She is also a trained classical dancer, an international level debater and a caffeine aficionado. At IIM-L she is a part of the placement mentorship committee and the literary club. She will be interning with McKinsey & Co this summers
Hey Arundhati! Your college exams are also important as these scores would form a part of your composite score when applying to B-schools. I suggest that you take two weeks off, focus on university and then get back to the mocks. I feel that regular mocks from July onwards, right till November would be sufficient to help you ace the exam. For now, focus on maximising your college score. All the best :)
23 Mar 2019, 05.54 PM |
Arundhati Mukherjee
An ascetic , pragmatic Indian
Thanks Ms.Harshi, but you know what, I have an ocean of doubt regarding this even after you have offered a priceless suggestion. If I take two weeks off for University exams as you say, the touch with the entrance tests' syllabi and daily practice would probably get impacted, which can of course, affect my mock scores in those two weeks (this is my perception of the problem). So, u tell me would it tread well if I could attend to both the things - university exam syllabus and MBA entrance practice parallelly on each single day or going with one at a time with an unparalled focus would be the rightful ? (BTW, it causes a little pain to manage both at a single time, with the result being most often that I get left out of my regular academic studies.)
24 Mar 2019, 01.33 PM |
Harshi Kher
Harshi Kher is an Economics graduate from SRCC, currently pursuing her MBA at IIM-L. A true bibliophile at heart, she has worked for a leading investment bank and a hedge fund, juggling between her love for finance and fiction. She is also a trained classical dancer, an international level debater and a caffeine aficionado. At IIM-L she is a part of the placement mentorship committee and the literary club. She will be interning with McKinsey & Co this summers
I would say that focus on one thing at a time. Having a fresh mind is crucial to clear any exam. Once you get back on CAT prep after your university exams, you would do so with full force, without slacking. Mocks are meant to help you get equipped with the format of the exam, don't overanalyze your scores months to go before the exam. The right attitude gets half the things done. Lay out a plan for the next few months and follow it with utmost sincerity. Wish you all the best! :)
24 Mar 2019, 01.38 PM |
Arundhati Mukherjee
An ascetic , pragmatic Indian
OK, then I'll walk on the same path as directed. Thanks a lot.
24 Mar 2019, 03.08 PM |
Vivek Singh
Mba aspirant from amity ...
Insightful work !!
23 Mar 2019, 04.14 PM
+Read Replies (1)
Harshi Kher
Harshi Kher is an Economics graduate from SRCC, currently pursuing her MBA at IIM-L. A true bibliophile at heart, she has worked for a leading investment bank and a hedge fund, juggling between her love for finance and fiction. She is also a trained classical dancer, an international level debater and a caffeine aficionado. At IIM-L she is a part of the placement mentorship committee and the literary club. She will be interning with McKinsey & Co this summers
Thank you! :)
23 Mar 2019, 08.30 PM |
Swati Segwal
Na
Wow!Amazing article :) Impressed by your eloquence.
23 Mar 2019, 06.59 PM
+Read Replies (1)
Harshi Kher
Harshi Kher is an Economics graduate from SRCC, currently pursuing her MBA at IIM-L. A true bibliophile at heart, she has worked for a leading investment bank and a hedge fund, juggling between her love for finance and fiction. She is also a trained classical dancer, an international level debater and a caffeine aficionado. At IIM-L she is a part of the placement mentorship committee and the literary club. She will be interning with McKinsey & Co this summers
Thank you! :)
23 Mar 2019, 08.30 PM |
Gaurav Sharma
Gaurav Sharma, 1st year PGDM student in NMIMS Bangalore with a work ex of 2 years with Larsen & Toubro Limited. I am from Guwahati, Assam and I love to travel and go for trekking. A big time foodie and love to read books.
This was really helpful. Can you please help me out regarding the certification courses one needs to do if interested in MBA Finance since you are doing your MBA in Finance.
24 Mar 2019, 12.16 AM
+Read Replies (1)
Harshi Kher
Harshi Kher is an Economics graduate from SRCC, currently pursuing her MBA at IIM-L. A true bibliophile at heart, she has worked for a leading investment bank and a hedge fund, juggling between her love for finance and fiction. She is also a trained classical dancer, an international level debater and a caffeine aficionado. At IIM-L she is a part of the placement mentorship committee and the literary club. She will be interning with McKinsey & Co this summers
Hi Gaurav, Great to see that you are interested in Finance. Note that most 2 year MBA programs give you the option of specialization only the second year. You study a plethora of subjects in the first year, gaining a basic understanding of everything. The fin courses in the first year should have you covered. However, if you do have time on your hands, you could try and do the NCFM modules as a starter and take up CFA to get a headstart at school. Cheers!
24 Mar 2019, 12.42 AM |
Marberth Loi
Enthusiastic, ambitious, adventurous and gregarious
Hi! Ms Harshi, could you please share the problems faced by students who are not from engineering background?
24 Mar 2019, 09.09 PM
Shivam Maurya
Great read! :)
27 Mar 2019, 06.32 PM
Ansu Joseph
Hi, Can anyone guide me on how to make good use of the time before joining a b school? I have around 3 months left and how to make good use of this time?
31 Mar 2019, 11.08 PM