Just feel as if I joined NMIMS yesterday. The trip from airport to the institute is still in my mind, where I took half an hour in an auto searching for the hostel which was just near the college. I wasn’t still sure whether I had taken a right decision of leaving my job and joining NM. Even my MD was asking me about the appropriateness of the decision. Somehow had an inner feeling that I should take up this, so as usual, went by my gut feeling. Moreover, it was about to be the first college life in my 26 yrs of existence. And would be the last chance too.
Initially, took some time to adjust to the new environment. For someone who had been born and brought up in the conservative city of Chennai, it was a kind of cultural shock. Shit, what are these gals wearing? How come they wear such clothes (if at all they were wearing some) and roam on the streets so freely?? What are their parents doing?? While I don’t claim to have avoided looking at them (resulting in frequent neck sprains :)), the shock was still there.
Then came the class room sessions. I still remember the ice breaker session wherein when Kartik introduced me, on hearing my experience details, people would’ve thought I am over 30 years old. With a moustache and a thilak, they would have probably thought what is this geeky oldie doing here… without knowing that the real face will be revealed in a few months time :)
My main purpose of MBA was not just the degree, it had more to do with trying to come out of d shell that I felt I was in. I wanted to have a college life, mingle with more people, try to understand this world, be a smart and brave communicator, blah blah blah....(balance GAS in my exam answer papers). What best way to do all these than a short stint at a city like Bombay n moreover, at a place near Mithibhai??
And thus, my sojourn at Bombay started. The moustache disappeared on the third working day. Hair style would have definitely changed but for this rigid hair which was never listening to what I was saying… It was thinking as if it was still in Chennai. I had to continue with the same for fear of becoming bald. But what is the use of changing/trying to change the physical appearances?? The mental attitude was still the same. Same Sriraman remained, who once used to go to 5 star hotels and have curd rice and come back. The trend continued at college parties too. Anything other than Indian food (Chapati, sabji included now) was considered a taboo. ‘Oh shit, how are these guys eating these Chinese noodles and Manchoorians.. Should have been man-eating monsters in their previous birth’ was the thought process in my mind.
Classes were going on as usual. I will normally be the first one to get up for classes (excluding Dr.Roshan). For a 9 o clock class, I would have been the only MBA student in the world (again Roshan not included) who gets up at 7.35 every day. So pathetic I was then. I used to be one of the first ones to be in class. Which idiot will be on time for a 9 o clock Dhondy’s class other than me? (and here Roshan is included :)). And thus my MBA life started.
One thing needs to be mentioned here, I was never confident of my communication skills. And my speed at whatever I do (except eating) was being a trouble, especially in my communication. This was one of the areas where I wanted to see a change in myself in the 2 yrs. Seema Khanwilkar’s communication skill classes clubbed with innumerable presentations in the classes did help me though in improvising in this area, albeit a lot more to be done on a continuous basis. Certain traits are born, they cannot be altogether abandoned. Let me see how it goes.
Its time I sleep, rest later in Part 2…
Initially, took some time to adjust to the new environment. For someone who had been born and brought up in the conservative city of Chennai, it was a kind of cultural shock. Shit, what are these gals wearing? How come they wear such clothes (if at all they were wearing some) and roam on the streets so freely?? What are their parents doing?? While I don’t claim to have avoided looking at them (resulting in frequent neck sprains :)), the shock was still there.
Then came the class room sessions. I still remember the ice breaker session wherein when Kartik introduced me, on hearing my experience details, people would’ve thought I am over 30 years old. With a moustache and a thilak, they would have probably thought what is this geeky oldie doing here… without knowing that the real face will be revealed in a few months time :)
My main purpose of MBA was not just the degree, it had more to do with trying to come out of d shell that I felt I was in. I wanted to have a college life, mingle with more people, try to understand this world, be a smart and brave communicator, blah blah blah....(balance GAS in my exam answer papers). What best way to do all these than a short stint at a city like Bombay n moreover, at a place near Mithibhai??
And thus, my sojourn at Bombay started. The moustache disappeared on the third working day. Hair style would have definitely changed but for this rigid hair which was never listening to what I was saying… It was thinking as if it was still in Chennai. I had to continue with the same for fear of becoming bald. But what is the use of changing/trying to change the physical appearances?? The mental attitude was still the same. Same Sriraman remained, who once used to go to 5 star hotels and have curd rice and come back. The trend continued at college parties too. Anything other than Indian food (Chapati, sabji included now) was considered a taboo. ‘Oh shit, how are these guys eating these Chinese noodles and Manchoorians.. Should have been man-eating monsters in their previous birth’ was the thought process in my mind.
Classes were going on as usual. I will normally be the first one to get up for classes (excluding Dr.Roshan). For a 9 o clock class, I would have been the only MBA student in the world (again Roshan not included) who gets up at 7.35 every day. So pathetic I was then. I used to be one of the first ones to be in class. Which idiot will be on time for a 9 o clock Dhondy’s class other than me? (and here Roshan is included :)). And thus my MBA life started.
One thing needs to be mentioned here, I was never confident of my communication skills. And my speed at whatever I do (except eating) was being a trouble, especially in my communication. This was one of the areas where I wanted to see a change in myself in the 2 yrs. Seema Khanwilkar’s communication skill classes clubbed with innumerable presentations in the classes did help me though in improvising in this area, albeit a lot more to be done on a continuous basis. Certain traits are born, they cannot be altogether abandoned. Let me see how it goes.
Its time I sleep, rest later in Part 2…
1 comment:
Hey..Life's about experiences sriram, n de teach u everythin u need to know !!
Btw, it doesn't have to be either curd rice or pasta.. its nice 2 know someone who's a lil bit of both ! :)
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