As I sat on the window seat of the train, looking at the green trees, I wondered for one second if I was actually being abducted to a secret place. Thankfully, I was being taken to my original destination — IIM Kozhikode campus.
They say, “Destiny is awesome when the path is thorny”. But in this case, the destiny, my dream campus and the path, can be summed up in two words — just awesome! From the moment I stepped in front of the board saying 'Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode welcomes you' until I entered my room, each step was breathtaking.
For someone who grew up in a hot and humid place like Chennai, climbing through the hairpin bends and wet roads of IIM-K, fresh with droplets of rain and mist, was a different experience. As the hot air was replaced with a pleasant zephyr, the cool weather was a balm to the soul. It was what I call my ‘first fabulous step’. The greenery was so lush that it couldn't get the picture out of my eyes for days!
I travelled through those cloud-kissed mountains, eyes taking in all they could of the ambience — the kids’ park, the buildings that followed, the localities, the management buildings right in the midst of those hilly areas — all of these gave me a glimpse of the days that were yet to come.
E Hostel
My very own ‘E Hostel’ stood silent, situated near a long lane that was flanked by busy bikes and muddy pits. As I stepped through the path, my luggage fell and I stepped into a pothole filled with water. Despite the clamminess, though, I had a small smile on my face. All the way to my room, I felt like I was in a scene from Night at the Museum , watching with awe everything around me.
After I dropped my baggage near the wardrobe, I looked around my room. It was perfect for a student — simple, tidy and neat. It contained everything required, with nothing extra.
A door to the rear of the room caught my attention. And when I opened it, a cold wind blew through, blowing away with it any tiredness I would have felt during the journey. And the view! Lush green with other areas of campus clearly visible — it was more than I could ask for.
I then decided to explore the surroundings, and while out in the corridor, said hello to and made friends with my neighbours in the rooms to either side. I had found the first friends of my ‘MBA life’.
Soon, it was time for my classes to begin. And the most awaited part began that day. That’s when I realised that whatever I saw in the campus was just the tip of the iceberg. The best was yet to come.
The first class
The first class was the trademark of IIM Life. As the professor left the class after delivering his lecture, we were awestruck. From Marketing Management (MM) to Organisational Behaviour (OB) and Quality Management (QM), everything forced us to think in a way we never had before. Within a few days, we had all started to think differently, amazed that in such a short time, our personalities and attitudes had undergone such a big change.
People say, to gain something, you have got to lose something else. But IIM-K proved such statements wrong. It had everything, from picturesque ambience and thought-provoking classes to hectic project work and late night parties.
All you have to do is live and enjoy every moment. As an IIM-K Student, I know I do.