Jim Rohn once said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” If that’s true, then as a student of Great Lakes Institute of Management, I am something greater than I was ever before.
The sheer geographic scope of diversity in the peer group ranges from the southern spice of Chennai, brash dynamism of Delhi, learned intellectualism of Bengal to the comforting warmth of Andhra and the quirky ambition of Mumbai.
Students come not only from different corners of the country but also from different walks of life. Any typical morning, a software engineer has his cup of coffee while chatting with a lead from power sector, a mid-level analyst from a fertiliser industry, a government banker or sometimes, a law student.
Not only this, but we also tend to bump into people with different passions. Put together, PGPM (fast track one year programme) and PGDM (regular two year programme) is a melting pot of talent that would baffle any person. One wonders if any organisation will ever be able to put together a group of such diverse individuals, in a single place. That’s the beauty of it.
Melting pot
Everyday on campus, singers and instrumentalists share their love for lyrics with writers and poets; actors and directors have lively discussions with artists and painters about their love for the visual medium; coders and puzzle solvers debate late into the night about the best ways to solve a Rubik’s cube, while in the adjacent dorm room, debates about capitalism, socialism and occasionally, discussions on Ayn Rand’s objectivism ring loud at 3 a.m.
Being part of such a diverse group gives you insights that you wouldn’t have otherwise gained and expands your view. This new and interesting way of looking at the world is the best thing a student can expect to take away from a MBA program.
Networking potential
It is often said that your network is your net worth. The network of people you build on campus is staggering in terms of potential and promise. Some would go on to become future leaders, CEOs and visionaries. Every acquaintance I make has the potential to become a leader in history. Connections are being forged, ideas are being exchanged and things are being dreamt of which one day, may change the world.
Coffee shops become our board rooms while business plans, start-up ideas and creative projects are doodled onto tissue papers. As an author, this wide variety of individuals and their ideas helps me to come up with new and innovative marketing campaigns for my book. It feels great to collaborate and work with fellow creative students on different projects.
Each one of my colleagues is unique and different in his/her own way and is trying to find their place in both the institute and the world. All of them will go on to shape my life and my future. In little over two months, this place has already given me, friends for a lifetime. It is our diversity that makes us special, it is our differences that complete us and it is our dreams that bring us together.