The time in hand
I have chosen the topic 'Time in hand' because it is a general tendency of human beings to either live in past or in future than in present. In case of MBA students, they start looking at the placement scenario from the very first day they enter the college without realizing their own full potential, their own strengths and limitations. In doing so, they forget that the one and a half year that they have in hand is a crucial time and that if utilized to the maximum extent it will take them to their destination. Students join a management institute with the sole aim of getting a job. Although, the two years of management study course has much more to offer than just placement. The capability of a student to seize the moment when the opportunity arrives is equally important as the placement scenario of the college. In my speech I have tried to capture the basic essence that rather than living in past or future we must learn to live in present and as a student of Management what improvisations can be done in ones approach towards these two important years. I have also tried to capture the fundamental that apart from what college will be giving a student during these two years, one must see what he can give himself during these two years.
Dear Students!!! Most of us enter this 2 year professional degree course with the notion that this is going to be the last leap of our student life. As we have been a student since the time we can remember we always yearn to move into the next phase; say firstly when we are in school we have the hidden desire to move from being a school student to be a college student as the college life seems to be full of fun and frolic, gives you more freedom like no uniform and freedom to bunk classes. When we are in college we look up to our elder sister/brother; wanting to emulate them, wishing to have an earning hand so that we could carry our own expenses rather than merely thriving on the pocket money. Also some people may have other reasons for the longing to have an earning hand; like being able to support the family financially. But trust me you all that when you enter the corporate world then that will not be the end of this chase as well.
When we are in one phase of life, we hope to move to the next phase as quickly as possible and on entering the next phase we dwell on the good parts of the previous phase. While enjoying the present and preparing for future we must remember that what is past has been passed away whether it was good or bad it's over. As the same thought captured by ShriHarivanshRaiBacchachan in his poem , "Jeevan me eksitaratha; mana who behadpayaratha; who doobgyatohdoobgya; ambar k angankodekho; kitneiske tare toote; kitneiskepyare chute; johchutgye who kahan mile; par bolo tutetaaron par; kabambarshokmanatahai; jo beet gyi so baatgyi." So learn from your past, live in present while preparing yourself for future.
Your life as a student of the education system of India might come to an end after these two years but your life as a student of life will never cease to exist. You will have to learn to deal with bosses, you will have to learn to maintain work life balance, you will have to learn to identify your skill set, hone them, make them presentable, also be able to present them, learn to deal with the deadlines. In short, the one who learns is the one who survives. So nullify this myth that MBA is going to be the one solution to all your problems. In fact, as you enter your job life the real struggle begins from thereon. Then the line of attention gets divided into many further rays. So enjoy these 2 years, and keep in mind the following to make the maximum utilization of this time period:
1) Learning to network: The person who is sitting on your right might end up becoming the CEO of a big firm or the gentleman/lady on your left might open his/her own venture and become an entrepreneur. The people with whom you are sharing your bench or with whom are sharing your room are the future of the corporate world including you. So, make friends here, learn to network, keep good relations with your classmates, seniors, juniors, faculty members. This will not only help you a lot later but will also teach you the art of maintaining relations which is indispensable in the corporate world.
2) Shed your inhibitions: We all have our set of limitations or say weaknesses. These weaknesses some times get deeply rooted and become our inhibitions. Some of us have stage fear, some feel uneasy in the unfamiliar environment, some shy away from asking questions. Make conscious efforts to overcome the inhibitions you have as Carl Sagan has said in his book, "If you ask a question it makes you look stupid for 5 minutes- but if you don't ask - you stay stupid for fifty years, so always ask questions in your life."
3) Learn the art of balancing: At the end it all about balancing. Balancing between your classes and extra-curricular activities, balancing between your friends and family, balancing between your opportunities and challenges, balancing between what you have and what you want. If you are able to master the art of balancing it will take you very far in life professional as well as personal.
4) Expose your self to yourself: You will learn about various concepts of personality, leadership, group, team in the class of your behavioural studies. These are some major concepts, and also reality is expressed through books. But you need to have your version of these concepts. Merely mugging up the definitions will lead you nowhere except for the marks in exams. But the bigger goal is to derive your own definition out of these concepts. The more you assess yourself on these concepts the clearer picture you will see of yourself which will lead you miles.
Towards the end I would just like to sum up by saying that remember these 2 years are going to be a golden period of your life. So enjoy each moment and remember "What we learn with pleasure we never forget - Alfred Mercier."