As the alarm blares on, I begrudgingly open my eyes. It is time to start another day. The only ray of sunshine in the very long, tiring day: I get to wear my Allen Solly formal clothes. Ever since I entered the fray of the B-school life, the one constant that there has been, has been my trusty Allen Solly suit. Not only is it comfortable, wearing it gives me confidence, a reassurance that I can do this.
The Aditya Birla Group has helped create moments like these in all our lives. Whether it is building connections with Vodafone Idea, or building roads and highways with Ultratech Cement, ABG has been all pervasive. One of my strongest connections with the conglomerate is through Hindalco’s FreshWrapp. All through school life, it has kept my food safe and warm. It is the reminder of ‘Ghar ka Khana’, an inherent nostalgia attached to it.
ABG has also been involved in our lives through fashion. Apart from Allen Solly, Van Heusen, American Eagle and Louis Phillipe have ruled the hearts and closets of the fashionistas. Pantaloons has been my go-to shopping store for years, its quality and variety being the enticing factors. Liva and Linen Club too have featured in various chapters of my life till now.
ABG is and has been everywhere, near what I eat and in what I wear, in how I communicate and in how I commute. It is not just big in my life, it is humongous, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Apart from the material comforts it provides, to me, ABG also represents perseverance and creativity, both of which have helped me overcome different challenges in my life.
It is said when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But an MBA student can probably find a potential buyer, sell the lemons at a profit and make a business association. It is the art of networking, persuasion and marketing. This has been my biggest challenge till date, to survive in a B-school as an introvert.
I decided to pursue management studies not only because I wanted to make a career in the field, but also because it would give me an opportunity to obtain certain necessary skills that would help me in life. The first day was daunting, as a huge crowd of eager future managers chatted away. It was intimidating, but I realized it was the perfect opportunity to overcome my fears. It was a new place, with unknown people. I had an opportunity to reinvent myself, to try new things and to introspect and find out more about myself.
So that is what I started to do and am still doing. I am talking to more people, learning about new things, and getting novel experiences. The diverse batch is brimming with creativity, and knowledge, and I am happy to be able to contribute to and learn from such a group. It is not always easy, sometimes I have to push myself to participate. But life is all about grabbing new opportunities and changing yourself for the better. And my journey has just begun.
As rightly said by W. Clement Stone,
“Thinking will not overcome fear but action will.”
It is time to act and become #StrongerEveryHour.
