Our first task as a team was to formulate a strategy that would collate all our ideas into one synchronised presentation which encapsulated the best of all our ideas. At stake were spots for 2 out of the 4 teams to make it to the National finals. This step towards the final was the hardest. There was a huge gap in our ideas due to which we were not able to come to a consensus as easily as we expected. There were delays, disagreements, but one thing was common – our goal to win the championship. It wasn’t about shining individually, it was about etching the name The Victorious Secret in the hall of fame.
The hectic routine of first year and the never-ending presentations and exams made us strive for this competition. We did not want to quit or be substandard with our presentation, so we took turns, studying and working on the competition, ensuring we managed everything well. We had tasted blood for the first time in our b-school life. And it was starting to getting exciting.
The D-Day had arrived here, and it couldn’t get bigger than this for us. The finals were held at the HUL head office, Mumbai. We were anxious and scared, but the team always knew how to keep the spirits lifted. Having spent days together, we had developed a certain camaraderie which translated into a friendship that would last a lifetime. The HUL office was nothing short of a delight. It made us forget our nervousness for a while, and remain awestruck at what the larger picture. 5 minutes were all we had, to make or break it. We had everything planned for the presentation, but as all competitions go, there’s always a curve ball. It was our first competition and we were visibly anxious. We stumbled, we fumbled, but we knew our idea well. Our ideas were are strengths and our coherence as a team sailed us through. We came out of the conference room with a set of mixed emotions; happy for making it to the finals, nervous and sceptical about what would come next. We were given a tour of the HUL office which made us want to work there as an employee even more. The final bell was here, time for results. The panel spoke highly of some ideas that weren’t ours. We convinced ourselves that there’s always a next time, although there wasn’t a next time for CarpeDiem. We were glad we made it this far. The winning team was announced and we froze in our seats for a good 45 seconds after we heard ‘The Victorious Secret’. They had to announce it again. We were surprised, elated and so relieved.
This was the highlight of our first year, and we’ll never be able to get over the experience we shared. Anupama was the creative one, Divyansh the researcher and Taranum, the go-getter and the result- driven one. It’s a matter of pride to bring back this laurel to NMIMS for the second time in a row and we cannot thank our friends and faculty enough for their support.
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