A Roller Coaster Ride Called MBA - Learnings From My First Two Months At IMT Ghaziabad

The competition is real (and a lot tougher): If you thought getting into your dream b-school was the last of the competition you'll ever witness, then I have news for you- the competition is still out there. And this time, it is far tougher than the last one you witnessed. You aren't just competing with the 500 odd students at your campus, but thousands at other top b-schools. It isn't exactly like The Hunger Games out here, but then I'd be lying if I said it was anything lesser.

Everything you do has a learning objective: From solving a case or organising an event, everything you do has a learning objective attached to it. You'll be amazed by how much you can learn by organising even the smallest of events.

Help is in abundance here: Need help with your PPTs? Getting stuck interpreting the balance sheet? Or is regression analysis giving you sleepless nights? Well, don't worry. Your peers and seniors are always there to help you with problems like these. You just have to ask them for help. Remember these lines Dumbledore said to Harry, "Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it"? Well, replace Hogwarts with any b-school, and it still won't change.

Multitask or perish: Since there are a lot of activities and competitions going around on the campus, you need to hone your multitasking skills or you risk losing out on a lot of learning, and eventually grades. You need to prioritise your studies, your committee work, extra-curricular activities, competitions, and sleep. And mind you, if sleep is your top priority, you might as well forget about pursuing MBA as a course.

These were the limited learnings from the first two months into my MBA life and I hope to add a host of learnings soon enough. MBA as a course is a roller coaster ride and at each turn, there's something to learn, apart from the overall journey itself. I have tightened the seat-belt for the ride as I brace myself for the next learning opportunity.