MBA term one: It was the best of times; it was the worst of times

2048 hours.

Charles Dickens, unlike me, never went to a B school. One of us is a respected novelist, while the other has to be coaxed to write anything (earlier by his mother and now by his business communications professor). However, both have something in common. Both have looked back at the past and felt the exact same thing: a paradox about the time that went by.

Thinking about my first term at the Mays Business School induces a churning sensation in my stomach generally experienced after a rollercoaster ride. The exhilaration of having achieved a long time goal (getting into a reputed management program), the excitement of experiencing a new land and culture, the apprehension before the mid terms and the horror of looking at my accounting test scores are a few random examples of the diverse feelings I have experienced in the last few months. When life throws so many things at you, all at once, you are bound to learn something new. The three most important lessons that I have learned so far, would be -

1. To keep up, you have to stay ahead.
There is always someone who is better prepared for the class, for interviews, and for life in general. Trying to keep up with them is a strategy that will seldom result in success. Being proactive, pushing your boundaries and making a consistent effort to deliver above expectations is a much better way to keep up.

2. If you are not careful, your strength may become your weakness.
Overconfidence can ruin a lot of things. It is essential to "sharpen your axe" to ensure that you maintain your competitive edge. Complacency is a breeding ground for future failures. A subject that you once thought you could breeze through, might just turn out to be your Achilles heel.

3. Movies are most entertaining when the incomplete assignment is due tomorrow.
Most battles are won or lost in the last few hours. A job that has been started in the right earnestness should also be concluded with the equivalent enthusiasm. Life has a tendency to throw something at you just before you finish your masterpiece. One should expect the unexpected, and be prepared to resist the temptations that may arise in the most crucial moments.

I am of the opinion that experience is the name men give to their mistakes. That makes me a very well experienced person who has erred, and has learned. With the lessons that I have learned in term one, I am confident that I have a lot more to look forward to in term two.