It’s been just over a month here. Despite Chennai’s humid weather that puts one off, a non-Chennaite like me can overcome this by seeking solace in the knowledge that he’s at one of the premier management institutes in India. Be it its green campus, fully air-conditioned residential accommodation, the classrooms, auditorium or play areas – everything at Great Lakes is larger than life.
Day break
As the June morning peeps in through my curtains, I decide to play hide-and-seek for ten more minutes, grabbing my bed sheet until the alarm goes off a second time and I finally surrender. I get ready and walk down the thatched pathway from the hostel, it gives a charming and rustic feel to an otherwise ultra-modern campus, to head for breakfast and then classes. Yes, I’m ripe with the excitement of spending another fruitful day. The passion to excel, to multi task and to achieve, inside every student – new or old, is a gift of the campus and its distinguished faculty to us each day.
A typical day at Great Lakes is spent juggling classes, finishing assignments, checking e-mails, talking to fellow students and faculty members, enjoying meals and quick bites, and playing. On days that are less busy, I prefer to spend an hour or two at our Resource Centre – a haven for avid readers like me. It houses more than 5,000 books and over 1,000 audio-visual resources to supplement our management education with reports, case studies and journals, it’s easy to lose track of time in this rich library.
Tower of Reflection
Walking between classrooms and the various blocks that dot the campus, my heart never misses an opportunity to draw inspiration from the imposing Tower of Reflection. Set in the middle of our green, well-maintained amphitheatre, the flat top of the steel Tower symbolises inclusiveness as a necessary trait of leadership. Catching a closer look, I see many reflections of myself and immediately gauge the significance of these reflections. It symbolises the many roles that we will have to play upon leaving the institute.
Essential traits
At night, the serenity of the campus is at a whole new level. Velvet green grassy plots, swaying palm trees, well-lit pathways and the cool sea breeze can give any air conditioner a run for its money. The 30- acre sprawling campus is no less than an architectural marvel. Be it the Karma Yoga program or the campus design – Great Lakes imbibes in every student the value of being a responsible manager, leader and most importantly, a responsible human being.
Balance between work and play
Apart from being a sustainable campus that is 100 per cent day-lit and water and waste-recycle friendly, it is planned and arranged around a legible axes for clarity in circulation and encourages people to walk and cycle motivated by its layout and design. Despite the hectic schedule of classes, assessments and assignments, recreation has an equally important place in the life of a Great Laker. “It’s all about balancing between work and play” our teachers tell us, and dedicated facilities for both indoor and outdoor games, a gym and yoga centre help each one of us to keep stress easily at bay in spite of being in such a challenging environment.
The last one month has been akin to the name of this place – “great”, the place which I’ll fondly call my alma mater for the rest of my life. There is still a lot to learn and explore before I hit the corporate world again. After a walk around the campus, as I retreat to the comfortable room that’s my home away from home, I hear a voice in my head which says, “It feels good to be a student again”.