Wednesday, September 15, 2004

XL: 1st impressions on 2nd thoughts

Numerous stimuli are constantly confronting everyone (c.f. Luthans p.188 para 1). In fact, our perceptions are even more heightened when we start something new, in this case – Life at XL. Following the principle of perpetual selectivity, some are imprinted on our minds. Here I will talk about a few of the major things that go into my mind when I observe life here.

Reflections…a blow by blow account
MBA is all about Impression Management, at least this is the impression we got from different channels in our first few days here. Honestly, it was a blow, #2 for the records. (Excuse me for my disrespect to chronology). Putting things into perspective, I come after working for 2 years in the core industry, and the driver for me was learning opportunity an MBA will provide me with. IM, somehow does not go very well with learning, in fact it smells of hypocrisy.

The size of the campus, I think it was the first blow. Spending 24 years of my life in lush green big campuses, XL was a almost a disappointment – blow #1.

On second thoughts…
Here comes my learning value. We tend to stereotype not just people but also places, things, and culture by the way we see or perceive them. Dig in a little deeper and so many contrary things come out.

The smallness of the campus, something I rather hated in the beginning, makes me fall in love with it now. Had it not been for it, we would not have come so close to one another. Watching Prof. Sengupta talking to students at addu’s, having an informal gyan session with a senior at 6:00pm in the evening - these things do something to me.

The talk about impressions is all about mind over matter - if you do not mind, it does not matter. I made sure not to fall into this trap of doing things to impress people. The easiest way to achieve this was to just be myself, feel proud of whatever I am and try to improve wherever I lack.

Random thoughts…JLT
Surprises, I think, give a distinct flavor to life out here. ‘Bhasad’, Jr. Night, dunking - seniors have consistently outsmarted us and given us some of the most memorable -good, bad or ugly – moments of our stay here.

“If you can fill the unforgiving minute
with sixty seconds' worth of distance run –
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
and - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!”
Rudyard Kipling

“If” has always been my favorite poem but never before did I appreciate the value of time more. From Classes at 9:00am to GBMs at 1:00am; from nightouts to breakfast at Regent; from Wet Nights to BFA Workshops - Life is full of life.

As the day-night divide collapses - afternoons are haunted, nights noisy, sun a bit too bright and a bit too early outside my window (after all Sun rises in the east.)

Of late, my appreciation towards different things has improved too. While at the grocery store down Chinatown lane I find myself keenly observing, trying to study the buying behavior. I make more sense out of financial ratios in Economic Times now. People seem intriguing, and Economics seems to have fallen into place.

Once the perceptions are cleared, we get to see the underlying beauty. The ‘take home’ as they call it, from each day here is phenomenal - it is the people out here who make my stay here enriching and meaningful. Long live XL family!

PS: This account was written for the OB I course requirement.