Ground reality of D-Day

Dreams, Ambitions and Passion. These are the three things that everyone entering the halls of an IIM would bring with them. The expectations of their friends and family, the responsibility of being the nation's brightest talent and the pressure of competing with the best in business makes people work like they have never before and they will never after. But to all this persistence and hard work, there lies an riskier albeit easier alternative to get through the IIMs with the least effort and the best rewards. This is the summers. Summers offers one way to everyone to get the best campus placements (fair to assume most have the same goal), with two months of hard work and a fair bit of luck (here is where the risk is high; the luck part). People come in, make others look fools to be slogging their asses off, get the best interns, a PPO and party even harder later. Obviously, the stakes associated with the summers are then very high. And all the fiasco and conundrum that take place is an experience worth living through.

The day one enter the portals of IIMB, he is told about the summer placements four months down the line. In fact, even before coming here, I was told that IIMB places huge importance on resume building, which I believe is not an inch away from the truth. The amount of time spent on making the same deed look better, attractive and finally amazing is more than all projects combined till date. Now, that is some effort to put in. This year was an exceptional mix of economic depression, bigger batch size and a more experienced batch. The placement committee might have had little trouble making the corporates believe that these are some of the best resumes floating around in the country, but the competition within to get the Day Zero offers was a building volcano waiting to erupt. I personally, completely neglected the academics, for the first time gave my mid terms without bothering to open the book (no need to say i fared badly), spent a hell lot of time to brush up my basics and get ready for action on Day Zero. There is a whole lot that happens before that, but that can be discussed sometime down the years.

Cometh Day Zero. People with 15 16 17 shortlists waiting to get into the process and enter the their most preferred company. Some were lucky to do so. And some not so. I was out of the process in half an hour, which was a big relief and reward to all the hard work over the past one month. But there were others who were made to survive anxious moments and some who couldn't make it on that day. There were some lucky ones who got much more than expected, and there were some immensely good guys who left Day Zero empty handed. There were people who shifted focus from consults to I banks, rather unwillingly and some accepted offers from bankrupt companies. But none there was willing to accept that it was just a summer placement, me being no exception. It was not just the career at stake, it was the pride of being the best among India's best. It was about proving to yourself and others that you deserve all the glory you yearn for. It was all a myth.

The real glory for me came to stand by your friends who after a number of interviews go into the room hoping to get an offer from the next one. It lies in you being there before them to show the world that nothing differentiates you from your colleague. It is one time, if any, to show that there was solidarity in you, and the center of the human body, was still beating hard as it was when you were going into that room. It lies in the thank you that your friend says when he gets an offer. For me, it was the biggest takeaway from the process. I made friends, and I stood by people when they needed it the most. You need not worry what the others are doing. You need not complaint that the others are not there. All you need is compassion and empathy. The very hyped up Day Zero may break the hearts of many. But make the bonds of friendship so much more stronger.

Well, I think it is time to throw the heavier stuff out of the window, and tell some of the most cranky things that happened during those five days. It could be a certain someone asking a girl to lift her pants up (literally dude, get a life) or it could be the same girl praising someone else's pink tie and it could be us who just embarrassed the poor lad. It could be the end reward for someone getting clicked with all the girls of the class, or it could be the red ass you carry out of MDC, which stamped the delight of everyone on your success. All these stored in pics and memories. The process for me was highly memorable, and I think I am glad I was there.

The summers are over and I am suffering with Sleeping Sickness. I am looking for a cure to it and some enthusiasm to come close to my performance in term 1. Right now I am miles away. But things will change. Now it will be Ankit Part 1 all over again. The dreams, ambitions and passion is still there. And bigger and better than before.

Good Night and Good Luck

A dry L square

An insider's perspective:

Think of IIMB, and the only stressbuster that comes to mind is L square, the fortnight party organized by the Culcom. There is music, there is alcohol and there are friends.. This is one night at IIMB that I would not want to miss.. To put it in a candid way, this is the only thing I like about IIMB, among all the glamour and hype associated with it. But come October, a distinguished personality made his presence felt and alcohol was not to be seen on the campus. Not to mention, the numerous smokers who are deprived of cigarettes.

IIMB has suddenly lost its USP, of being the most open and outgoing of all IIMs. The open culture of Bengaluru formerly known as Bangalore has certainly played its role in building the brand IIMB. But last night was one of the saddest in my fourth month stay here. You could browse through all the status messages of all the seniors, and they would read: "A dry l square", "Alas, no more fun", "IIMB lost". There ere alumnus out for the post meredian dinner and everyone was surprised that there was no alcohol.

Times have changed. But this might not stay for long. The more you restrict it, the more people yearn for it. So lets see what snaps first.
For now, a dry l square echoes in all the walls of IIM Bangalore.

Back to the Dungeon

One week at home and thats all. Barely managed to pull myself out and come to Bengaluru, for yet another of the stressful semesters. This being one of the most important as it has a big role in shaping the careers. The summer placements which require intensive preparation and with the job market down, it doesn't get tougher. So, been reading books like Hull, Roy and for the first time, reading the newspapers every single day. Resume, for a fresher is so very difficult. I had to slog it out 7 days and nights in a row to gather content worthy enough to be sent to the likes of DB and Goldman Sachs.

Well, the tempo is rising, and having sidelined the academics completely, this is time for me to pull up my socks. L square party in the back ground is not the very best of time to do the same. But been a very eventful two weeks. Been speaking to friends on a much more regular basis, not paying much attention to acads, and becoming more and more social. Much the same as what happened at IIT.

We are done with our business fest, and there is a queue of tests lined up for the next week. The motto of this sem though, seems to be to take it as it comes. Much unlike what it was the last sem, where I was prepared for it whenever it came. But thats how you live with it. Now, waiting for the shortlists to come and by God there are a couple of companies I so desperately want to get to. But time is the only way to find it out.

Right now, I am stuck in this dungeon, between the profs and the companies and the books. Hope the sandwich becomes delicious one month from now.

Signing off
Good night and Good luck
Ankit