My Campus Experience @ Melbourne Business School (so far)

This is something I wrote for my previous organisation PwC for their monthly newsletter and then for my MBA School's Newsletter... so thought of pasting it here...coz cldnt write anything else on my bday (16th Oct).... life has got really hectic here at Melbourne....

"Working for close to 5 years with PwC in multiple offices, multiple clients, multiple sectors, multiple divisions, multiple roles and at all possible times that could be indicated by the two hands of the clock in a day, the organization was more of a home to me with all known people around. Having traveled to the four corners of India, it was more of my desire to wander abroad that stimulated me to go for an MBA program, unlike the various intellectual reasons given by fellow MBA aspirants.

Melbourne, consistently rated as the world’s most livable city, the decision to chose Melbourne Business School over US schools was not that difficult. I did do the basic required research on schools which all MBA applicants are ‘supposed to do’ but I reckon it were the pictures of the landscapes, beaches and vast expanse that pulled it through. And I still admit it was a rational decision made with adequate research. This was required actually. My parents wouldn’t have allowed me to fly to a country where they haven’t ever visited even in their thoughts…and perhaps never would. I had to use an MBA applicant jargon to convince them the need for the degree. I was all set to go now.

But my honeymoon period got over, even before it started. The last minute visa grant (just when I was thinking of applying for US visa for Kelley B-School), air-ticket cancellation and re-booking (as I dint get my visa on time, courtesy Australian embassy in India…which took 3 months to analyse that I am not Osama Bin Laden), over-weight in luggage (I had to repack my baggage thrice inside the airport to make sure it fits into the allowable over-weight limit. It was pain to hear the lady at the check-in counter of Thai Airways at IGI Airport say this every time, “Sir, your baggage is overloaded. We cannot allow you to carry all of that”), no warm clothes in hand baggage (noone told me that temperature is always low in Melbourne and they just start calling it spring, autumn, summers for the sake of it), scarcity of vegetarian food (I now hate the fact that I hate to eat any food item with meat in it), new currency (I looked so idiot while reading the number written on the coin to determine its value…dunno why they made 50 cents coin as the largest!!), different accent (I still don’t understand why Australians have to make ‘a’ sound like ‘i’….what’s the purpose of having ‘a’ in the alphabets then!!???!), new to roads & transportation system, all new faces (it was difficult to figure out who my classmates were, when every single person who looked at me would pass a smile…unlike in India), different climate (actually!!!!!), and searching for accommodation for almost 2 weeks after the course had started. All this was in complete contrast to the hospitality I used to receive at the client locations during audits. Perhaps, it’s the worst livable city, I wondered!

Not until I started exploring my University and the City! Just when I stepped onto the South Lawns of the University on a sunny afternoon, my college days were back. There was a life. And that was different. There was something about the School for sure, as well. The mixed culture in the City gives it a different dimension of global cosmopolitanism. The Yarra river flowing across the high rise lit-buildings, the spotless beaches, and lively roads makes everything spectacular. The more I explored, more I liked the place. They say, it takes 18 to 24 months for any person to completely settle in another country, but I feel I am already imbued!

Time, however, is very precious commodity now. My typical day would go like this. I would get up at 8 for the session starting at 9:45 in the morning, only after being waked up by my flatmate. Inevitably, missing breakfast and my desire to pack a lunch for myself (to have some healthy food and save few dollars!!), would run for the train. Oops! I have forgotten to lock the doors, go back and pick couple of bananas and rush back (of course after locking this time). I somehow manage to reach the session at 9: 50, settle on the first row seat while avoiding the slant eyed look of Professor (Dr.) Sam Wylie. Thereafter, I would run to the Alice Hoy building in the University for my Chess Club meeting during the lunch-time, picking some pizza slices from the University food court. I would run back to the School for the afternoon session starting at 2 until 5:15, and I think Professor ***** ***** is used to the students coming even until 2:15 pm!!

The difficult part after the class is to choose amongst various events happening in the school in regard to company presentations, club events, networking drinks etc. as most of them are over-lapping. Needless to say, the career events attract the least crowd (I am being honest). I would catch up, then, with my syndicate meeting, and rarely arriving to a conclusion after 2 hours of brain-storming over assignments, we agree to disagree and disperse. It’s already 10, and my gym, swimming, table-tennis activities are again shifted to the next day as I must go back home for dinner. The entire process of traveling back, grocery shopping, cooking, having dinner and washing utensils would not let me leave the kitchen before mid-night. I am still to accommodate for the voluminous readings and long assignment work to prepare myself for the next eventful day!!

I am still surprised, but even after the above schedule; I still managed to find out time to gather few fellow students here and pioneered to open an Indian Cultural Club (named InCult) at the School. It seems to be very popular so far (views of the author!!) and I plan to make it a mix of Indian traditions and modernism. This gives a great personal satisfaction by fulfilling craving for my creativity and social side. Syndicate room no # 102, where I have spent good amount of time and our regular meeting joint, has been the place where I have come up with most of these ideas. The dearth is not of conducting the events but the students attending it, as it seems (surprisingly!) they prefer to sit in ‘Cohen Theatre’ more for listening to lecture than to watch some movie screened there.

That said, it’s a great learning here. I am learning the fundamentals of management, drawing up business plans (not written anything so far on it), evaluating marketing strategies (in reality, professor and the class is evaluating and I am just listening), and understanding people dynamics (sometimes they become dynamites!!). More important, I am learning to stretch/ challenge myself, and structure my thinking. I am learning to work hard. To compete. To win. And I am making friends! I feel like I've been out of work life for ages, when really, it's only been a few months.

Howsoever, the place is full of fun and excitement, I feel I still haven’t landed up fully to this land ever since I boarded the plane, and would never be…I guess. And that’s why, perhaps, the lady at the check-in counter of Thai Airways said, “Sir, your baggage is overloaded. We cannot allow you to carry all of that”. When I look back, I reckon she was right; I cannot carry everything from back home to this place…."