It's been just a month since I have come to IIM Raipur but there is this unique experience each and every day in these enthusiastic classrooms. Being an introvert, my first expectation from IIM Raipur is to help me transform myself. And yes I believe the process is going pretty well as of now with the help of the most qualified professors and the most capable seniors.
The other day I was sitting in the class with the never-ending enthusiastic classmates and was going through a case study. The professor came in and stated the case discussion. He wanted the students to be interactive and volunteer themselves when asked for a question. And there's this girl (me) who never likes to volunteer unless and until given a push. But the professor had something up his sleeve and chose me to give my opinion on that case discussion. I was pretty much prepared for the case discussion but not confident enough to portray my points. But my newly found acquaintances encouraged me and even the professor was patiently waiting for me to express and that moment I felt like I am at the right place to make me transform myself and amidst right and the confident peer group. That experience made me feel much better and much confident and I am being carried on with that flow all these days.
The B-school experience felt like an exam I didn’t prepare for, even as the tape recorder of my life pressed its fast-forward button daily. Chaos was the new order. And when your life is in chaos, you have no option but to fall in love with the madness. As I mellowed down, I learned that it was best to take everything in the B-school phase with an open mind, a willingness to learn, a pinch of salt, and a smile.
The best managers handle stress calmly, with a straight face. Top Indian B-schools throw truckload after truckload of stress at their students in the form of a barrage of compulsory subjects, optional electives, case studies, attendance rules, group projects, presentations, quizzes (often on short notice), hectic and packed schedules, and oddly-timed classes. In addition to all this, there is a tremendous amount of studying and self-preparation to maintain a good CGPA (cumulative grade point average), which in turn directly affects students’ chances for internships and final placements into the best brands and coveted profiles.
If this weren’t enough, some professors lock entry doors to their classes a minute prior to the official class time. Such rigour at top B-school is a way of honing the stress-management and time-management skills of the candidates. For if you can’t manage yourself well enough in the first place, how do you expect to manage others? Students must soothe and stitch their own frayed nerves as they take the first steps toward becoming top-notch decision-makers and responsible managers.
Which ABG company would I like to work for and why?
I would like to work in Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd as I wanted to pursue my majors in marketing here at IIM Raipur and believe I am a girl with fashion sense and interests in that area. So, I can give my maximum outputs as it is the field I am looking forward to in my career after graduating from IIM Raipur. The fashion industry is one among those industries which never fails to keep the customers engaged throughout the year and I would like to experience it and would like to make the industry feel my presence.
T Jyotsana is a first-year student at IIM Raipur.
