It has been well over a month since MBA first-year students all over the country have returned to campus from their respective summer internships – a fitting end to a gruelling first year. Every now and then, amidst the relatively relaxed schedule of the second year, WhatsApp groups erupt in a frenzy of messages congratulating recent awardees of PPOs (pre-placement offers). The routine is to continue all through the term, as companies take their own time to release results. This is quite a long-drawn period of anxiety for those who await results; of relief and celebration for those who have won PPOs, and of disappointment for those who have had to face rejection.
The contrast in the lives of PPO holders to that of others whom the prize has eluded is stark from the very beginning of the second year. It is sometimes fascinating how this singular event can polarize a batch that was united in its struggle through all of the first year. Your second year on campus will either be one long vacation or a painfully uncertain time spent in attempting your luck at hoards of case competitions. And that’s perhaps why summers is one of the few ‘make or break’ moments at any b-school.
Among other things (actually the only thing), this article proposes to give its readers a sneak-peak into the lives of PPO holders on campus. Here are a few amusing (sometimes not-so-amusing aka mundane) things PPO holders from my batch at XLRI have taken to during their second year:
Diksha Rakwal, after cracking a PPO at Microsoft, has tried her hands at paper lanterns and origami. Her days are spent in decorating her room and nurturing her passion for the greens. Yes! She has also bought plants.
Avantika Verma, a PPO holder from EY, mostly summed it up as “Can I start with sleeping?”. Surely can’t blame her for making good all the sleepless nights spent in earning a PPO. She did go on to mention her plans of taking a trip every trimester. Already having taken a trip to Pune and Mahabaleshwar within one month of reopening of college, she is yet to cross off Meghalaya and Bhutan on her travel list.
Apurva Goyal, who slayed it at Uber, has touched base with swimming – her passion during school. The quirky and fun-loving girl that she is, it’s hardly surprising that Mission Impossible 2.0 for her, after getting a PPO, is to get the hula hoop right!
Suhani Koshti, after nailing it at Nestle, has taken to learning how to play the Ukulele. That’s one skill more than the standard MBA package she’s taking out of a b-school.
Gunjan Rajput, who beat the competition at ABG this summer, is bound to have the best time touring Europe on her 3-month student exchange program. She also hopes to squeeze in courses on design thinking and other new-age concepts from Coursera. Of course, her love for ‘daaru’ shall know no limits 
.
In the light of these insights, I’m inclined to believe that making it to a premier b-school is too premature a cause for celebration. Cracking summers and landing that dream job is surely the real deal! Or who knows if even that would be a sufficient cause to celebrate tomorrow when the real challenge seems to be the advancement of career at the workplace? The milestones are endless, and a PPO is just one of them – but a pretty cool one in that it allows you one whole year of gala time!
And yet, for some of us who are ‘too cool for a job’, life remains unchanged regardless of the PPO. In reply to what has changed after getting a PPO from Uber, Harsh Bhalani answers in style, “Eat, sleep, play, repeat!” – some wise words to live by.
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Comments
Aryan Anand
An Underdog huh???
11 Jul 2019, 11.03 PM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Hahaha! You know it bro ;)
11 Jul 2019, 11.13 PM |
Aryan Anand
Yeah I do.
13 Jul 2019, 03.59 PM |
arnold tudu
Progressive
You got pretty personal with your second answer bro..
17 Jul 2019, 06.18 AM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Hahaha. Bhawnaon me beh gya banda! ;)
18 Jul 2019, 01.48 PM |
sashi lakra
Just somebody
The tea sessions at Madhuri Milan finally paid off :D
17 Jul 2019, 07.50 AM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Yeah! And all the others ;)
18 Jul 2019, 01.49 PM |
Chandan Kr
you will win buddy dnt worry!!
17 Jul 2019, 05.02 PM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Thanks bro :)
18 Jul 2019, 01.51 PM |
Mayank kumar
Challenges is like a daily routine to you!!
18 Jul 2019, 05.22 PM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
O bhai bhai ab aur nhi. Ab aur tufani nhi chahiye ;)
19 Jul 2019, 04.27 AM |
Saumya Sachdeva
Pursuing MBA in HR from IIM Ranchi.
An interesting read!
19 Jul 2019, 04.58 PM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Thank you :)
19 Jul 2019, 07.00 PM |
Shivakshi Singhal
Pursuing MBA in HR from IIM Ranchi
Great article
19 Jul 2019, 05.26 PM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Thankyou :)
19 Jul 2019, 07.01 PM |
Sheereen Kerketta
The sophisticated creator who dissolves in the artistic aesthetic of imagination and creation and portrays it into a layman's language.
Nice work. Keep it up
19 Jul 2019, 05.32 PM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Thanks ya :)
19 Jul 2019, 07.01 PM |
Monika Dixit
CAT preparation story, relatable to all of us! What matters is the willingness to win, the Golden rule of your great writeup!
19 Jul 2019, 05.46 PM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Thanks a lot girl :)
19 Jul 2019, 07.02 PM |
Navaneeta Saikia
MBA-HRM 1st year student at IIM Ranchi.
Good one!
19 Jul 2019, 06.02 PM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Thankyou :)
19 Jul 2019, 07.03 PM |
Sibi Saravanan
MBA Student, currently pursuing my MBA in Human Resources management domain from Indian Institute of Management, Ranchi. Did my engineering from VIT university, Vellore. Was part of the Technology and Gaming club in VIT.
Nice article
19 Jul 2019, 06.55 PM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Thanks brother!
19 Jul 2019, 07.03 PM |
P SUKHDEV SOREN
P sukhdev soren , IIM Ranchi
nice article
19 Jul 2019, 07.36 PM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Thanks bhai!
19 Jul 2019, 10.03 PM |
Vivek Rana
He did his undergraduate from Hansraj College, University of Delhi and currently pursuing MBA-HR from IIM Ranchi.
Nice, amazingly written
19 Jul 2019, 07.50 PM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Thanks dost!
19 Jul 2019, 10.03 PM |
Tania Chadah
Tania Chadah MBA student at Indian Institute of Management, Ranchi
Great read ! :)
19 Jul 2019, 07.51 PM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Thank you!
19 Jul 2019, 10.04 PM |
Gayathri Menon
After completing her B.Tech from NIT Calicut, Gayathri, an avid reader and a dance enthusiast, is currently purusuing her MBA in HR from IIM Ranchi.
Inspiring!
19 Jul 2019, 08.24 PM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Thankyou :)
19 Jul 2019, 10.39 PM |
Vivek Sahu
I am a highly enthusiastic person and always ready for new challenges. For me, agility is the prime concern. Having a technical background in the field of mechanical engineering from NIT Agartala, I worked for Tata Motors for 46 months. There I was involved in the area of Operation and planning and this was the remarkable experience for me. Currently, I am pursuing MBA in HR from IIM Ranchi. My area of interest is not limited actually it's a little bit wider I have an interest in consulting, Analytics, Performance management, Industrial relation and more on the list. Traveling is the thing which is inseparable to me. This is my super hobby. Interacting with the new person and making networking, I do like.so, in short, I am an Icebreaker.
Amazingly crafted
20 Jul 2019, 01.53 AM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Thanks bro
20 Jul 2019, 12.00 PM |
Ballabh Kishore
I am living to work hard to revolutionize the world; taking it to advancement without compromising with Ethics & Humility.
Very unique and heart touching
20 Jul 2019, 07.25 AM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Thanks bro
20 Jul 2019, 12.01 PM |
Parushi Garg
Great Work...
20 Jul 2019, 09.03 PM
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Susmit Lakra
Susmit Lakra MBA-HRM (2019-2021) IIM Ranchi
Thankyou!
21 Jul 2019, 01.39 AM |