I was confident while thinking about living away from my parents until the day came when I really had to pack my huge luggage, which I managed to single handedly buy and transport from the mall to my house on the back of a two wheeler(my mom and me were having a tirade and so I was not happy taking her help),I felt so independent then. Thinking happily about the added independence which I am getting into. It was the first time for me to stay away from my home, I was going to be a free bird. I was almost waiting for the day when my parents in a haste left me at my room in the old girl's hostel.
I thought I was completely under control, but under my smiling face I was scared and trying hard not to cry after the sight of the disappearing car in which I could see my mom’s dupatta waving through the window. It was a two sharing room and my roommate Nisha was from Siliguri Nepal. Never interacted with a person who is not a Pune-ite. I had to talk in a happier tone to the other hostel mates, not showing them how sad I was under. Later when we actually got to know each other, we realized everyone that day was trying hard to socialize and not giving way to their emotions. This was the first lesson that my campus taught me-being happy despite the unhappiness surrounding you.
The second lesson I would definitely say which I learnt just here was how to take a bath in four minutes. In the first week itself, we were made to adhere to a very stringent and rigorous timetable of guest lectures and meets. The hostel was a bit far from our academic block and would at least take 15 minutes walking. The hot water and the breakfast time closure collided and we had to choose between the two. Being a cleanliness freak I couldn’t skip my bath and had to do both. So this is how the campus taught me - time management.
The third would be-the joy of giving. When after submission of a critical assignment requiring to loose 2 days sleep I was returning to the room I almost lost the awareness of my surroundings. And suddenly I realized that I was in midst of the most bountiful greeneries in the state. The refreshing effect the clouds and the trees and an unexpected rain gave me was valueless. It is almost as if the nature surrounding, was waiting to pat on my shoulder, to say that I had done my best, had tried hard whatever challenges I came across I could cross my boundaries. The aqua point situated near the academic block opens in a valley below, which has a small dam. Looking at the water below and the clouds above I felt at peace.
The fourth lesson-Love and let love. The PMC or the Prem chowk is very famous for the privacy it offers to the couples on the campus. Nobody will stop you from going there in the evening but everyone follows this unsaid rule of letting people bond over there with little disturbances. (As long as it is safe for both).
The MNC-Mid Night Canteen is one of the places where you get the food at two in the night. Skipping the meals is quite usual-having many reasons-bored of the mess food, studying really hard, council work or anything which could have deterred you from not going to the mess. MNC is most welcoming. Most of the birthday celebrations happen in the verandah of MNC and then you realize how always the cake is not sufficient for the group of people surrounding it.
The need to communicate on topics ranging from politics in the country to the gossips in a classroom you will hear it all at the MNC. This is the only place you are allowed after midnight. People tend to become more free and joyful, listening to the tunes of a guitar that some student is playing in the verandah or by the unified cheers caused by the football match being screened inside. This is how I learnt how to be adaptive to the needs of others.
Our campus becomes harsher in the monsoon. The rains as much refreshing as they are can make an MBA student’s life a mess. Walking in the drenches and puddles when you have a limited set of formals you suddenly realize the need for washing clothes. When for more than 20 years it is never a habit for you to wash your own clothes, you miss on many things. I had missed carrying the cloth holders and after washing my clothes for an hour and quite happy with my efforts I put all of them on the railings and went away for the day.
After a few hours of harsh rains and storm, I realized that my clothes might fly off and will become intractable. I ran to my hostel corridor on the third floor and to my amazement, some unknown person had tied all my clothes to the railings so that they will not go missing. I am still not aware who is that helpful soul but this made me learn one more lesson in the short span of one month that I am here-help unconditionally.
Situated in the midst of Sahyadri hills and beautiful plateaus of Pune, SIBM is one of the stunning campuses in India. Being from Pune I was not very much worried about getting distant from my family as they live nearly half an hour away.
But staying here almost for a month now feel I have a second home in Pune. Next learning on the radar-to swim. The beautiful pool outside the hostel (which I can see from my window now) has most inviting waters and is too good to miss. This is what this campus has taught me, to overcome obstacles and to step outside my comfort zone. It will always hold a unique and distinguished position in my heart and in the hearts of many others who to come.
Which ABG company would you want to work for and why?
Being a mechanical engineer I have worked for JCI for 3 years. While working with my company management team for coordination of the company initiatives, tracking the project progress indicators and getting to know every process that goes into the planning, made me study on a broader level about my company's working. ABG’s Ultratech Cement is a company which I found most relevant to my current work experience. I could connect on the one-stop solution that the B2B provides just like JCI – for building automation. I would be able to understand fast and help map out marketing plans effectively.
- Poorva Wanpal
Marketing, SIBM Pune