First week of term 1 is almost over. And there are some words and phrases that I have encountered so many times already, I could scream if I heard them again. In decreasing order of irritants along with the common usage or comments, we have the following non-exhaustive list:
1. traction - "There was not enough traction between the 2 communities"
2. logistics - "We will have to work out the logistics", or "I propose we get into the logistics of it later"
3. it depends - This is the safest and most acceptable answer in a B-school. You can use it whenever you don't know the exact answer to the question being posed to you, or if you want to buy time to arrange a seemingly intelligent answer if you are caught the instant your mind had started wandering in class.
4. networking - A much abused innocent word. It also carries the onus of being THE reason for many people to be in a B-school. What many don't realise is that to network you don't really have to work too hard; you don't have to make fake conversation; you don't have to appear to be someone you are not; you don't have to create a record of sorts by remembering as many names as you can in as less a time as possible - you only have to be genuine. Your smile should say that you are indeed glad to see someone. You are a part of their joys / birthday dunkings / sufferings (hopefully not much of these) because you really want to share a part of their lives. Being polite, kind and nice to people around you will win you the much coveted "network" by itself.
Since the last time I wrote, the swimming pool and its various nocturnal inhabitants have witnessed many more dunkings - birthdays, CPs and the works. Let me explain CP for my readers who are from the normal world outside - it means Class Participation. Certain courses, in order to encourage CP, provide incentives like grades associated to it. Unfortunately, this translates to a lot of Arbit CP, Desperate CP and you get the picture. In the true spirit of fairness, we dunk the people charged with A-CP.
Just one more thought with respect to CP - One is not always right or wrong. Sometimes, people have a different perspective. It is just the way they are. Instead of listening to them patiently and opening our own minds to various possibilities, we tend to smirk or even ridicule them. To clarify my stand, I am not speaking in favour of A-CP (those guys deserve to be dunked) - I am just hoping that we, as a community, learn to appreciate a different perspective without appearing condescending or as insufferable know-it-alls. We have, after all, come here to "learn".
Moving on, with respect to birthday dunkings, I was wondering why normal friends and acquaintances (who are not study-group members or quaddies) do not include themselves in the ritual. It is not owned exclusively by a section, is it? Last night, I knew all the 3 guys being dunked by various sections on their birthdays. Rightfully, in an ideal world, I should have had my share of all 3 cakes! ;)
According to a behavioral survey conducted in a class last week, I am a strong "reflector". This information was thrown your way to justify the tangents I tend to go off into.
And before I leave to prepare for my Stats quiz tomorrow, I really have to record for posterity something that happened in class today. 5 minutes into the start of the session for Micro-Economics, while the professor was introducing a very important and significant model, our class was startled by a loud crash. Turned out that one of us had actually toppled over backwards from his chair! He claimed he was leaning too far back - exactly how comfortable was he trying to get? :P
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Change is the law of life
That is my fortune of the day on Orkut. It never sounded more relevant. After having indulged myself by sleeping the whole weekend away, tomorrow is the change I have been looking forward to since quite some time.
After days of relocation and the perpetual feeling of "floating" around quite aimlessly; after investing time and effort in knowing people around me and observing social behaviour (my favourite occupation off-late); after desperately trying to get to terms with the changes in my life - tomorrow, term 1 begins.
The year planner is finally up. I got my backpack armed with the necessary odds and ends to survive this week (You can't plan for a time-line greater than that, here). I've set the alarm clock to wake me up early enough to go gymming in the morning. And now to settle down and read up some concepts of marketing...
After days of relocation and the perpetual feeling of "floating" around quite aimlessly; after investing time and effort in knowing people around me and observing social behaviour (my favourite occupation off-late); after desperately trying to get to terms with the changes in my life - tomorrow, term 1 begins.
The year planner is finally up. I got my backpack armed with the necessary odds and ends to survive this week (You can't plan for a time-line greater than that, here). I've set the alarm clock to wake me up early enough to go gymming in the morning. And now to settle down and read up some concepts of marketing...
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Strawberry Fields Forever!
Last evening, a bunch of us from section G decided that we had had enough of staying within campus and explorers that we were, we had to go out to wine-n-dine. It was a jolly good enough thing to do, considering the options that most of us had. As if to set the tone for the evening, one of our "intro" conversations went like this:
One guy: My name is pretty unusual....
3-4 of us: No, it's not!
While we waited for the shuttle at SV4, there were some of us who decided to forego the enticing company for prior commitments to club meetings. When the bus finally arrived and we all filed in, there wasn't much place left for anyone else. The regular passengers had to share seats or stand until they reached their destinations, which they did with amused expressions, since our babble and enthusiasm was pretty infectious, if I say so myself.
Once at the place (Coco's in Jubilee Hills - the guy who plays music there is awesomely talented! The Beatles' song was the one that caught my attention at the very beginning), we all settled down to "network" wholeheartedly. The flowing drinks made a lot of it easier. You'll find snippets of conversations here - just enough to give you a good picture without people baying for my blood at the next dunking...
"Talent nite was awesome fun. I am zero at talent, I'm telling you."
"As far as animation movies go, "Incredibles" was incredible!"
"So who's single and ready to mingle?"
"Huh? What's the context??"
"Food in Mumbai is so awesome."
"I was chased by a wild elephant in an african national park."
"I have come here (ISB, that is... not to the restaurant) to impress my future mom-in-law."
"You order for me."
The "You" - a bit nervously: "I better get it right for him or he'll eat me."
"I can make Mojito!"
"So can I!"
"Let's have a Mojito party at our rooms some day!"
"You would give Ghajini a run for his money!" (This was in reference to short term memory, and not the terrific body. I know, this is not an ideal world yet).
It was one instance of losing track of time with good company. However, we had to make way for another group of equally vella people from our school who came in later. Besides, we also had a couple of birthday dunkings planned at midnight. As they say, we had to prioritise! Towards the end, while we were waiting in a (what-else-could-it-be) queue to pay our individual bills, one of us (a bit tipsy and arguing in favour of a particular taxi service due to their nominal costs): ---- taxis will go at 10 km per hour.....
Rest of us within earshot: Huh??
Having done the maths, we divided into groups, got into cabs like good children and came back without any further "mishaps".
As an aside, dunkings were good successes last night. After the birthday boy and girl, their quaddies and study-group mates were dunked, the remaining 6-7 of us dunked ourselves in good spirit. With that, I opened my dunking account in ISB...
One guy: My name is pretty unusual....
3-4 of us: No, it's not!
While we waited for the shuttle at SV4, there were some of us who decided to forego the enticing company for prior commitments to club meetings. When the bus finally arrived and we all filed in, there wasn't much place left for anyone else. The regular passengers had to share seats or stand until they reached their destinations, which they did with amused expressions, since our babble and enthusiasm was pretty infectious, if I say so myself.
Once at the place (Coco's in Jubilee Hills - the guy who plays music there is awesomely talented! The Beatles' song was the one that caught my attention at the very beginning), we all settled down to "network" wholeheartedly. The flowing drinks made a lot of it easier. You'll find snippets of conversations here - just enough to give you a good picture without people baying for my blood at the next dunking...
"Talent nite was awesome fun. I am zero at talent, I'm telling you."
"As far as animation movies go, "Incredibles" was incredible!"
"So who's single and ready to mingle?"
"Huh? What's the context??"
"Food in Mumbai is so awesome."
"I was chased by a wild elephant in an african national park."
"I have come here (ISB, that is... not to the restaurant) to impress my future mom-in-law."
"You order for me."
The "You" - a bit nervously: "I better get it right for him or he'll eat me."
"I can make Mojito!"
"So can I!"
"Let's have a Mojito party at our rooms some day!"
"You would give Ghajini a run for his money!" (This was in reference to short term memory, and not the terrific body. I know, this is not an ideal world yet).
It was one instance of losing track of time with good company. However, we had to make way for another group of equally vella people from our school who came in later. Besides, we also had a couple of birthday dunkings planned at midnight. As they say, we had to prioritise! Towards the end, while we were waiting in a (what-else-could-it-be) queue to pay our individual bills, one of us (a bit tipsy and arguing in favour of a particular taxi service due to their nominal costs): ---- taxis will go at 10 km per hour.....
Rest of us within earshot: Huh??
Having done the maths, we divided into groups, got into cabs like good children and came back without any further "mishaps".
As an aside, dunkings were good successes last night. After the birthday boy and girl, their quaddies and study-group mates were dunked, the remaining 6-7 of us dunked ourselves in good spirit. With that, I opened my dunking account in ISB...
Monday, April 20, 2009
A home away from home
It has been barely more than a week since I reached ISB, and I honestly have to think hard to remember all that happened here - only because a lot has been happening!
To begin at the beginning, registration on April 11th sapped me out of all my energy. Every counter (loan, medical insurance, etc etc) was characterised by a long serpentine queue of hapless and lost souls. For a batch of 570-odd people, we learnt quite early that queues would be an inevitable part of our experience. Add to that my extreme discomfort in Hyderabad summer. (I must be 4 shades darker already and 2 inches lesser due to dehydration). Luckily for me, I had already got my education loan sanctioned earlier by arriving in Hyderabad in advance just for that purpose. After my parents left for Bangalore that evening, I relaxed a bit in my room. I have 3 house-mates in a 4-bedroom "quad". We, then, made our way to be addressed by our Dean. Dinner, of course, followed. The grind began the day after.
Our Orientation week or O-week was jam-packed to facilitate a lot of interaction within people of our batch and the alums. We started off with a treasure hunt to enable us to know every nook and corner of the campus. We were teamed with our study-group mates and the corresponding group of another section. I had to "retire hurt" midway through this because of my bad leg. :( I, then, got bored out of mind while the rest of the group was running about figuring out the clues, until I got a major brainwave and landed myself in front of a internet-enabled computer in the lab! :D The treasure hunt ended with a customary dunk in the pool - which I missed, of course.
I'm a bit fuzzy on the actual order of events, but I do remember a lot of formal presentations by the professional and social clubs followed by informal sessions. More than anything else, these sessions instilled the discipline in me to be able to sit in one place for a considerably long time. Having spent a long time away from academics, this was one skill I had to re-learn. We also had a team-building event spanning a whole day. It was professionally organised and every "game" was designed in a way to provide entertainment and a deeper lesson towards working as a team. It was a novel way of introducing team-work in a new set of people who hardly know each other.
Somewhere along the way, we were divided into sections, as well. I am in the brand new G section. We had a Talent Nite towards the end of O-week which was, basically, an inter-section competition. I am being very modest, but section G did put up a really original and awesome show. We even had an original song (created and composed by some of the more talented amongst us). During this night, we also realised how our alums took our trip - first with an SV change request form and then with a supposed psychometric test. The video recordings were hilarious! Hats off to them!
Did I forget to mention the parties? We have had 3 official parties until now, already - with so many other random parties (SV party, poker party, etc). I must say that we do know how to bring about balance in our lives. As our alums advised us - Work hard, Play harder - seems to be the motto.
To begin at the beginning, registration on April 11th sapped me out of all my energy. Every counter (loan, medical insurance, etc etc) was characterised by a long serpentine queue of hapless and lost souls. For a batch of 570-odd people, we learnt quite early that queues would be an inevitable part of our experience. Add to that my extreme discomfort in Hyderabad summer. (I must be 4 shades darker already and 2 inches lesser due to dehydration). Luckily for me, I had already got my education loan sanctioned earlier by arriving in Hyderabad in advance just for that purpose. After my parents left for Bangalore that evening, I relaxed a bit in my room. I have 3 house-mates in a 4-bedroom "quad". We, then, made our way to be addressed by our Dean. Dinner, of course, followed. The grind began the day after.
Our Orientation week or O-week was jam-packed to facilitate a lot of interaction within people of our batch and the alums. We started off with a treasure hunt to enable us to know every nook and corner of the campus. We were teamed with our study-group mates and the corresponding group of another section. I had to "retire hurt" midway through this because of my bad leg. :( I, then, got bored out of mind while the rest of the group was running about figuring out the clues, until I got a major brainwave and landed myself in front of a internet-enabled computer in the lab! :D The treasure hunt ended with a customary dunk in the pool - which I missed, of course.
I'm a bit fuzzy on the actual order of events, but I do remember a lot of formal presentations by the professional and social clubs followed by informal sessions. More than anything else, these sessions instilled the discipline in me to be able to sit in one place for a considerably long time. Having spent a long time away from academics, this was one skill I had to re-learn. We also had a team-building event spanning a whole day. It was professionally organised and every "game" was designed in a way to provide entertainment and a deeper lesson towards working as a team. It was a novel way of introducing team-work in a new set of people who hardly know each other.
Somewhere along the way, we were divided into sections, as well. I am in the brand new G section. We had a Talent Nite towards the end of O-week which was, basically, an inter-section competition. I am being very modest, but section G did put up a really original and awesome show. We even had an original song (created and composed by some of the more talented amongst us). During this night, we also realised how our alums took our trip - first with an SV change request form and then with a supposed psychometric test. The video recordings were hilarious! Hats off to them!
Did I forget to mention the parties? We have had 3 official parties until now, already - with so many other random parties (SV party, poker party, etc). I must say that we do know how to bring about balance in our lives. As our alums advised us - Work hard, Play harder - seems to be the motto.
Monday, April 13, 2009
ISB - The place to be!
Yes, it has officially and formally begun. I'm not lying - we had a terrific party last night to prove it :D
I am a bit e-challenged right now coz my Macbook is being configured by the IT department of my school. But, worry not - you shall be loaded with the relevant details soon. Until then, I'll leave you with the trivia that I am in SV3 (Student Village 3) - the coolest one. I assert this statement so blatantly because no one I know has refuted it vociferously till now. It seems like they all already had that opinion. :P
I am a bit e-challenged right now coz my Macbook is being configured by the IT department of my school. But, worry not - you shall be loaded with the relevant details soon. Until then, I'll leave you with the trivia that I am in SV3 (Student Village 3) - the coolest one. I assert this statement so blatantly because no one I know has refuted it vociferously till now. It seems like they all already had that opinion. :P
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