Life After MBA

The comatose after the Rat Race

We all have heard a lot of fairy tales, and they invariably end with things like “and they lived happily ever after.” I guess the big MBA dream in India, especially with the IIMs is no different. The entry into one is no lesser than a poor villager getting to marry or run away with the Princess, as the odds of success are same.

But as we know about marriages, not everything remains as sweet as it initially appears. Sadly, not many fairy tales go beyond the initial love affair, and not many students go beyond their love affair, or rather crush or puppy love, with IIMs and MBAs. What happens to MBA students once they enter an IIM, or once they leave it? Sadly, out of the 2 lakh innocent souls writing the CAT every year, not many would ever be aware of this.

I won’t disclose the gory details of life at an IIM, or make a comment whether its worth it or not. This would differ for every individual. I won’t tell you what all IIMs should teach, but never do. I won’t comment about the syllabus, professors, students, or any negatives. But I can tell you what the IIMs teach you. They are primarily as under:

1. Managing Deadlines
2. Working in project groups with even those who you detest.
3. Learning to learn by yourself.
4. Understand competition, and what it takes to beat it.
5. Make you a workaholic, who doesn’t want to sit idle and do nothing.

The last one is what is paining me now, as 2 years in an IIM mean that you get so used to working, having pending projects and piled up work, that you stop enjoying the trivial, simple joys of life. Sitting at home and sleeping till 2 pm every day, seems a waste of time rather than heaven. Watching TV all day is no longer a way of life, and most things on TV suddenly don’t make any sense.

Roadies appear stupid, Cricket seems run-of-the-mill, reality doesn’t quite seem real, and Saas bahu were always stupid. Internet is ok, but aren’t facebook quizzes for 5th graders? :)

This is the IIM story and this is my life post IIM and pre-work. The beauty, or tragedy, of life after IIM is that you are given a period of 3-4 months where you have NOTHING to do. No work, no projects, no assignments, and no rat race to win. Such a time would not come again, and ideally should be utilized for all things one wants to do. Still, such a time remains the most boring, and I guess that’s what has driven me to blogging (and also the fact that even SRK blogs now. If the stupid KKR owner can do it, so can I :))

Comments, again, as usual, are welcome :)