Baptism by Fire:
First Steps into a B-school
- by Ananya Tripathi
CAT... B-school Entrance Tests...
you came, you saw, you conquered... The hallowed portals of a premier B-school
now stand waiting. The glory is yours, but so is the gauntlet. As a PGP student
at IIM Kozhikode, this is my attempt to give an inside view of the lives within
these four walls.
Caveat Emptor - Expect an
Opportunity, not Schooling
As you take your first steps in
the college of your dreams... this is the palpable warning in the air for the
buyers of a management education.
Walking down the labyrinthine
paths that lie ahead, you uncover your own opportunites, take your risks,
applaud your victory and admonish your fall. This individualism is something we
must learn to treasure for our life ahead. In a B-school, there are no absolute
achievements; achievement is as much a relative component as hyped CGPAs. Paper
presentation victories, incredible network of peers, an outlandish CGPA, a love
interest, self-discovery are all take-aways offered. In this wonderland, you
have a choice whether to follow the white rabbit or not, but if you do decide
to, here are the things to keep in mind: -
Awaken
B-schools are a universe of the
never-seens, whether you are a quasi-teenager or a 6-year working veteran, this
education is an opportunity for you to experience diverse stimuli - the
enlightening talks of peers, corporate big-wig�s seminars, obscenely difficult
case-studies, insane night-outs, cut-throat competition, etc. The awakened mind
endeavors to learn through all these moments and emerges enlightened and with a
fresh perspective.
Arouse Awareness
You will be confronted with a
scarcity of time, and the most convenient way to combat this stress is to
confine yourself to allocated tasks. This false sense of complacency of having
completed your "daily assignments" can lead you down a path spiraling abysmally
into the depths of narrow perspectives .In these times, the people who can be
aware of larger perspectives and the world around them rise a cut above the rest
in terms of self-actualization.
Awareness is an essential
component to blend the theory with the practical; without this amalgam, letters
in black and white don�t amount to much learning. Interact with people outside a
B-school environment, catch-up on the news, discuss present day topics, and
utilize the library. Do whatever it takes to be an informed individual.
Act
It�s a highly clich�d advice and
yet the one element that separates the "haves" from the "have nots". In this
galaxy is the translation of dreams into actions. You now belong to an eclectic
mix of people, all brimming with ideas, yet the pressing schedule inhibits quite
a few from taking the plunge, in this moment it�s the initiative that counts. Go
submit a paper, join a committee or nurture a passion. Let the excitement of
discovery drive you above the fear of failure.
When this triad is in place,
through the baptism you will be born again... initiated into the "B-school mode
of living".
The glory is yours, but so is the
gauntlet!!!
