Last Saturday night my cohort, my class section of 60 fellow classmates, performed the Walk-Off, a dance/skit competition against the other cohorts in our MBA class. It proved to be an amazing night. My cohort pulled off an incredible Michael Jackson performance, destroyed the competition, won the coveted Golden Egg and then danced until the place closed down,
However, these are all things that made Saturday night fun. What made the night truly amazing was how it was the one night in which our cohort became truly united.
It was amazing to see everyone’s hidden talents emerge and how everyone pitched in to do their part from dancing to presenting to looking hot in a sexy nurse outfit to running around like a child. And then we came together and turned it into a seamless winning performance. But what was even more amazing, was how close we became, how well we worked together, how we huddled up together in anticipation of the announcement and then how we jumped up and down, hugging any Blube in site upon winning! That night brought us closer together and that is what made Saturday night amazing.
But then I woke up Sunday morning, suddenly feeling sad. Just as we, as a cohort were truly bonding, this whole experience will be over in one week. I probably won’t have classes with some of you ever again.
We are already ¼ of the way through and the Fall First Year honeymoon period is over. We live a fast paced life: classes start, midterms finals, classes start again. We have, commitments, homework, projects- something due daily. We stress about completing the next assignment and studying for the exams. How often have you declined a social event or even an opportunity to spend time with a classmate or friend for school work – and was it always necessary? Reflecting on the Fall semester, what will you think of?
I will remember winning the Golden Egg, our awesome MJ performance, the European Mixer event, the Diwali consumption function and dinners with my study group, not because they were fun, but because participating in these events gave me the chance to really get to know and work with fellow classmates I had never had the opportunity to work with previously and I have learned a lot from them.
Don’t get me wrong, life is about balance. Classes and studying are necessary and we only have 24 hours in the day. We can’t do everything. Working hard is important and ingrained in all of us. But don’t ever lose sight of the fact that it is the people in our lives that create our memories, teach us our business and life lessons and inspire us.
So, as we get caught up in the internship search, our classes and finding a job, let’s not forget this. But this isn’t about just business school. In the real world working life, we get stuck in a routine, work long hours, spend too much focus on our work and not enough time with friends and family and pass up opportunities to meet some new strangers.
Apologies if I sound morbid, but often times when I found myself caught up working on a deal in which I was working until midnight, 1, 2 or 3 in the morning every night, cancelling social evening plans and then weekend plans just so I could catch up on sleep, I would remember what my mom always says, “Your company won’t be there at your funeral.”
Life is about balance. Already I have learned a lot more from the rest of you than I ever did staring at spreadsheets and power point presentations 12 hours a day. So, I encourage you, take advantage of your time getting to know people here but also make sure that upon re-entering the real world, you still take time for your family and friends and new people that bring a new perspective to your life. It is through them that you will find your inspiration.
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