‘The journey matters more than the destination’; there is no better place to learn this than at XLRI. With every passing day at XLRI, we grow as individuals, bonding with one another over work and friendship.
XLRI’s peaceful green and serene campus is in stark contrast to the academic rigour and daily struggles of the students. Being one of India’s finest colleges, students are encouraged to step out of their comfort zone and be an active part of the life on campus.
While the journey is different for each individual, we have a lot in common too. Despite being from various parts of the country and from different social, economic, and educational backgrounds, we all possess the ambition to lead, succeed and become masters in whichever field we choose. It only takes a competition, a quiz or any kind of contest to set the atmosphere crackling and bring forth the competitive spirit.
Campus abuzz
There is no time when the campus is asleep; be it early in the morning or late at night, there is always something happening. From the bands practising at midnight to early morning football practice, all kinds of interests and hobbies are pursued alongside academic work. The facilities at campus encourage students to engage in activities outside academics.
But the best part of college life is the hostel where, over debates and discussions, ideas emerge for academic projects and committee meetings.
In the time I’ve spent at XLRI, I believe it is the hostel room walls that give me an insight into the kind of people the students are; from movie posters to political quotes and plans to save the planet, each wall reflects its inhabitant’s personality.
Discipline
One thing that XLRI teaches is discipline, and it is this that will help us as future managers, and not just as students. Deadlines won’t budge, but groups become exponentially efficient as the time for a submission approaches.
XLRI is one of the best places to be, but it is not a cake walk. There are times when the academic rigour and peer pressure will break people, but there is always someone to talk to, someone to share your dreams, fears or thoughts with.
During my initial days at XLRI, I tried looking for a pattern, a routine to adjust to; a plan I could stick to. But contingencies are a regular feature here. And, as my statistics professor says, like in parametric testing, “Normal is a utopia”.