Musings on the two year journey called MBA

These two years have changed me - in a huge way. When I was to come here, I was told that life will not be the same as it was all these years. And that has turned out to be true. So, I am penning down the major things that I have learnt in this journey at Planet I.

Fear is the biggest handicap there can be. If you lose out on opportunities because you are afraid, you are sure to regret that in life – sooner or later. So, if there is any club, committee, interest club or sport that you are interested in, give it a shot. Failing to get in is better than not attempting at all – my personal experience.

You define your own self. Amidst the rampant stereotyping and pressure that life keeps putting us through,  we have to make our choices as to who we want to be and put efforts in that direction. And it pays off in due time.

It is vital to get out of your comfort zone. It is only when you push yourself that you truly realize what you can achieve. Plus, it is what you do that defines you – not just your intentions.

There will be pitch dark days – when you feel utterly dejected and very lonely. What is important to remember in those times is that those days will pass. A positive attitude can make the dark days go away faster.

Everyone has a story inside them - of struggle, of ambition, of passion and of love. And they might be at different points in those stories. So, it is not right to judge anyone.

People are not black or white – there are shades of grey. Even in your own self. It is advisable to not hate anyone for anything that they have done.

You are bound to get hurt by someone or the other. When the storm gets too hard, it is best to keep your head low and let it pass. Fight after you have recuperated your strength and composure.

In the real world, more important than execution of plans is your ability to manage when your plans fail. Patience is an irreplaceable and an underestimated virtue. All good things need patience.

Some things will stay out of your reach. And this is true for everyone. You can do anything, but not everything. But this should not let the other things that you do have be disregarded.

It is crucial to differentiate between what you can control and what is beyond your control. The more time you spend on the former, the happier you will be.

One has to take care to not discount self. If you don’t realize your worth, chances are no one will. This is detrimental to life in a broad sense.

More than anything else, keeping yourself grounded is necessary. Overconfidence and an egotistic attitude are fatal to happiness in the long run.

It is important to take time to relax.  Short breaks make herculean tasks become doable.

Some of your best friendships will collapse. It will hurt and sting. People without whom you could not imagine a day will move away.

But then, you will find friends in people you did not expect. That will restore the belief in goodness of life.

At some point or other, you will realize that time is the only remedy to some of your troubles.

Term 6 will give you more time to relax than all 5 previous terms put together. So, keep yourself going till this term no matter how hard it may get in the meanwhile.

What will matter the most at the end is what you created for others and how you treated them. No one is fond of a person who did everything for his own self.

You will develop an attachment to college even if you think you had a hard time here. I am one of those people – I thought I would not mind it when the MBA will end. But I am already feeling miserable about it getting over.

And so now I truly realize that all good things come to an end. That is a fact no one can change.

But then, some other good things begin. So, the patience is worth it.

As one of the 450 odd students who will graduate from IIM Indore this March, I am happy to have lived this dream. I did not write the article as any advice – I just shared a few of my learnings. I urge you all to take it in that spirit alone.

Wishing all of you many cherish-able moments ahead!