Institutionalized

Like a typical management student, I will begin this post on my first year at a b-school with statistics. In the past academic year at MDI, I have met and interacted with nearly 600 students who were strangers to me before I came here. Apart from students, I must have attended at least 3 dozen sessions by the acclaimed and not-so-acclaimed executives, senior managers and achievers who have come and spoken about why they are doing the best thing on earth. I have given 43 exams, 86 quizzes and submitted at least 20 projects. I have seen two placement cycles of 630 students. Three festivals and six loud, crazy parties have passed by. Been a part of two elections and become secretary of a club in the latter one. Lastly and most importantly, I am sure I have slept only 4 hours a night on 75% of the days (not verified, could be higher!).

The frantic pace and the shocking numbers are perhaps the least pronounced change in my life. What has changed from my engineering years is, the rate of bonding with friends. When I came to MDI, I was unsure if 2 years (with the kind of schedules we had) would be enough to make friends who you eventually get closely attached to. A year down the line, after having bid them adieu for the internships, I feel a huge void on campus! Like a home is incomplete without family, an institute is barren without its student community. I am direction-less after I come back from work everyday.

Though its familiar territory, I still feel at a loss of things to do. Who do I ping for tea at 3AM? Who do I call random nick names that have become so integral to who they are?! Who will tell me "Bahar nikal jaoo mere room se" when I piss her off? Who will 'nurse' us with advice? When will there be a time for 'immoral imagination'? Will anyone else be able to prove that sarcasm only grows better with age? Who will say in reply to the question that "I don't know about sarcasm, sex drive doesn't"? I don't even have any of the ultra-sensitive friends to offend and then make up to! What about the literacy drive? What about the next submissions? Someone would have told me "lite le" but frankly, I am so bored. And it has only been a week.

The irony of the routine is that initially, you want to get away from the immense pressure and over time, you want to get away from the lack of pressure. Squeezing 18 hours out of a day, with a bit of work and fun, with time split between friends and family, while you move a step closer to your dream is highly satisfying. It becomes a habit.

"Nothing is impossible" - that's one important lesson I have learnt after coming to a b-school. The other vital learning is "You can FAFF your way out of anything, really!" But the most important one is "You cannot do anything alone." RG sucks!