Read Part 1 Here
At the classroom level, you also get associated with several groups. For your presentations and projects, the class gets divided into groups. 90% of the work in MBA would be done in those random groups. And unlike your workplace, where there is a boss who everyone is supposed to listen to, a group here has no boss. Who allots work? Who takes accountability? That’s the uniqueness of group dynamics one faces. There is always someone very dedicated and there is always a free-rider in the group. Your quest for balance in a group is a fascinating experience. And it’s not just about the amount of work everyone does in a group. It is also about working with individuals of different cultural backgrounds that adds to the richness of your experience.
A scary and funny incident which repeats itself too often for one’s liking is the exam. There is a mid- term exam and a term end exam. A new term comes in 2 months and again there is a mid-term exam and a term end exam. Then there are the surprise quizzes which beats the hell out of everyone. Being a 99 percentiler, I never thought I would sit down to study one day before the exam fighting to survive the paper rather than score well in it. It is not that the subjects are too difficult. It is just too much to comprehend in too little time! This pressure you face during exams will hold you in good stead when you face similar situations in your work as prospective managers.
The things I have talked about so far give you their own sweet and sour experiences. However, the best part of my Half MBA has been the opportunity I have got for extra-curricular activities in my college. The amount of extra-curricular activities that students take up is huge and these activities often help you unravel your hidden talents. A batch-mate of mine has taken more than 10000 photographs after joining the college and people are crazy for his photography. Another friend has rekindled his love for athletics and is winning all the races. Another friend just keeps on winning all the poetry competitions organised here. On a personal note, I have taken up writing in a more serious way than I had ever done before. If you have talent, you are bound to get the opportunity. How well you grab your opportunity depends on you.
All in all, if I have to choose one thing which MBA does to a person, I think it would be “Structuring”. You do not learn any rocket science in your MBA course. All you do is learn a few basics, develop a keen eye to detail, work in groups, network with people, develop decision making and diplomatic abilities, and improve your personality by overcoming the pressure and deadlines of your work and extra-curriculars. That is how you structure yourself.
And that’s only 1 year I have talked about. My 2nd year is yet to unravel its mysteries. I have observed my seniors in that path and I have seen how sentimental they were in their last days of college. The emotions overflowed and everything they did came with a hash tag of #OneLastTime. It was all about how they were going to miss their most beautiful college and the most amazing MBA life. Amongst all this, I find it quite intriguing how you realise the importance of a place or a person once that place or person is beyond your reach. The best moment is always the moment that has passed. You never think deep enough to realise that the moment you are living in could be the most priceless instead. It is really difficult but you need to develop that foresight; the foresight which tells you how you are in the midst of a phase which you will miss terribly once all of it is over. That is what I have decided; to get into my 2nd year thinking of it as living the best moment of my life yet. All of it starts in July with the induction of the Junior Batch. Well and truly looking forward to it. The end of Half MBA. The beginning of Half MBA.