The MBA is over

As of yesterday, I finished my last class at the ISB. I never realized that it was my last class at the ISB. The Prof was summarizing leadership lessons and then it was 12.20pm. He said Thank You and it was all over. I wasn't too sentimental about this place right from the beginning. To be frank, this place has not made me feel that way. I miss everything about Pilani though (where I did my under-grad). That place was a different ecosystem. And maybe it was because of the 4 yrs I spent. This place was more like a short stay compared to that. But, when the class got over, I did feel a bit different. It struck me that I was never going to enter that lecture theater again. The lecture theaters have been our life for the last 50 odd weeks and suddenly we have to say goodbye and yes, it does feel a bit strange.

Now when I look back, I do realize that even this short stay has impacted our lives with a magnitude that is quite significant. Under grad was more fun and bonding. The MBA is rather a self realization. Don't ask me what I have realized. Its a million dollar question and I can never give a definite answer to that.

Sometimes it truly feels that school is such a nice place to be in. You don't have to worry about earning your bread or supporting others. You can stay in serviced apartments and attend classes (atleast here). Parties and festivals, sports activities are always there to keep you engaged, other than the academic grind. When you get out of this place, reality hits you. Its a totally different world outside and its got more challenges, might be interesting to face but I am not sure how much. The MBA was a simulated environment and all that it affected was your grades and in this place, it never mattered about what grades you got as long as you managed to keep your neck above the water level. Further on, its your life. Although the last one year hasn't changed much about me, I can sincerely say that the next few years are going to... I don't know... maybe burn my brain? I need to keep a tab on that.

But, this has been by far, the best roller coaster ride I have had. The people I have seen here and interacted with - every one is unique and fun to be with. We did the drama on Tuesday. It was about our life at the ISB and we made a mock on some professors, people in the administration and some students. For every act, the audience was so happy and cheerful. The hall was packed. Students could identify with what happened in the last one year and no one took a literal offense (now thats a big lie - we did manage to get a few people upset. in fact, some of them came to us and almost made a fight, but thats life). all we did was to honor some people for their contributions.

I think I have totally lost track of what I started to write about. Anyway, I won't say that I will miss this place. Anyone who stays in just one place for a prolonged period of time would start liking that place. It was the same for me in London. I just didn't want to get out of that city. Same is the case here. Suddenly I remembered these lines by Lord Tennyson - "For men may come and men may go, But I go on for ever". Me and my life is the brook here. We need to get going - explore a whole new world, every now and then and keep the journey adventurous. Now that definitely calls for the post to end.