Lesson#3---The MBA Life

The story continues...

So I studied for CAT for a year. In that year I did just that! Study foolishly. Full on Ratta! Didn't even realise that the vicious cycle of rattafication was being repeated! The teachers were just fine, but I was too naive to re-invent myself!

I could have studied better. My approach could have been better.
How?

1. Don't just study. Do something else too.  A job, an internship, NGO, drama classes, anything!--full-time if you can manage or else part-time---it helps you refresh.
2. Take CAT classes if you have the time and energy. Or else DIY!
3. VA--study English, take tests(VERY IMPORTANT), read newspapers(IMPORTANT)---RWLS---read, write, listen(MOVIES), speak(debate to yourself!)
4. QA---learn short-cuts(very important), practice, fail, practice, take tests---do easy ones if that is what you can handle. Easy and Medium is all that is needed. 
5. DILR--practice all the way! Again learn shortcuts, practice, fail, tests!
6. Take tests on section-wise and then full tests should be started as early as possible. Preferably September. 
7. There are many tests---CAT, MAT, NMAT, XAT, GMAT, SNAP, etc, etc.
8. Decide which one you want to give. Better to give ONE ONLY(There are good colleges out there taking CAT--go till Tier 2). But if you are unsure give max--2. Preparing for all can be a hassle. And then time, money, peace of mind all have to be invested!
9. Applying for colleges is another tension. Apply for limited colleges. The best strategy. Apply for colleges taking CAT till Tier 2. Done and Dusted!

So I was at sea, applied to many colleges, gave many tests, went everywhere--got nowhere!

I had a laid-back attitude too and had forgotten how to respect people. My attitude of gratitude and integrity had taken a dip and thus my life took its toll and revenge on me. KARMA!

I got a good college. But failed to pay the fee on time. Then got into a programme of the same college. Knew what I was getting into but failed to understand the consequences.

Got into the MBA programme. And then the mirror was shown/thrown right into my face!

The competition was TOUGH! And I wasn't a bit prepared. The approach was casual! And I let everything pass by in humour. My life became humourous!

The committee selection, the studies, the seminars, the guest lectures, the constant emails on the mail id, the WhatsApp messages and groups which got flooded, the intra and inter-college competitions, the live projects, the ECAs(sports), the placement season(started in the mid-term), it was all messed up! WHY? Because I wasn't prepared! I DIDN'T KNOW AND DIDN'T MAKE AN EFFORT TO KNOW EITHER!

Towards the end of the first term, I was lost! I was running without direction! I couldn't handle it and I QUIT AGAIN!

The lessons learnt---

1. One should know WHY MBA? It will hurt later on if you don't know the answer to that! Read the book beyond the MBA hype by Sameer Kamat, reach out for guidance, be clear as to why you want to do an MBA and is it really needed or you could get a JOB/career without it too! If you are a fresher it will be really better and helpful to know WHY MBA?
2. HOW TO PREPARE AND WHICH TESTS/COLLEGES TO APPLY TO should be clear too!
3. Have a good CV(SCHOOL+COLLEGE), prepare for the test, prepare for WAT, PI, GDs, look into the college and peer group that you are applying with. 
4. ONCE INTO THE COLLEGE(preferably of your choice) and into the programme of your choice---BE PREPARED TO WORK HARD!---KSA!
5. Preferably chose a college in which you before-hand know the seniors, have friends or teacher links there. It always helps! IF not, then get to know the college!
6. The MBA colleges usually have the KYS(Know Your Seniors) programme---WHY?---so that you can take guidance of the seniors, get to know the seniors, the streams chosen, why they chose, the committees selected, the SIPs, how they prepared, their experience in general till NOW. Take this seriously and ask questions with respect. Questions like Why MBA, why the stream chosen, why the committee/society, why the SIP placement, will help you know them better. 
7. Get into societies and ECAs only if you can manage it, only if you have managed it before too!
8. MBA can't teach you to better manage time, be a better person, you need to be a good manager beforehand, MBA is there to hone the skills(various kinds of it) which you in a way HAVE picked up before MBA!
9. Get to know what a DAY in the life of an MBA student looks like!
10. FAILING TO PLAN=PLANNING TO FAIL!

I quit my MBA because---

1. I myself wasn't prepared for it. I didn't know what I had gotten myself into! I screwed up--BIG TIME!
2. The college was super-good! The teachers, the seniors, the peer group(was fine), but I myself wasn't mature enough!
3. I knew in the end, I will be studying the course that I shouldn't have chosen, would be doing sales of financial products or be a sales trainee---WOULD HAVE LEARNT a lot!---WOULD have become MATURE too, but then at what cost!---TIME, MONEY and peace of MIND was going away because I wasn't prepared to handle the situation!
4. Did I spoil their reputation and mine---probably YES! Actually Yes, because I quit after one full term, not in the beginning but after one full term! Did the college take students just for the sake of MONEY---highly debatable!---but it was the student's CHOICE to have taken what they were offered---they weren't forced---or were they?---because they didn't have any CHOICE either?---or did they?---after all, you always have a CHOICE!
5. Would I have screwed up had I been offered a regular MBA course---YES!---and that is what is so SCARY!---I DID NOT UNDERSTAND the consequences!
6. It was a collateral damage in the real sense! A damage from both the sides---I DAMAGED THEM MORE THAN THEY DAMAGED ME! They tried to improve me but I gave it all up!

Life goes on! They won't stop because of me and I can't stop because of my past!

I am ashamed but I HAVE to move forward! I have wallowed, now it's time to move ahead! And thankfully my parents, my family support me in this or else I would be a total mess!

I am now doing internships to gain experience and skills. But thankfully, I am doing it with the right set of MIND! I am respectful and honest! I want to learn and work hard---RWLS+KSA