Finally, he had to leave. In few days the next batch was about to come and before college asked him to leave, he started packing his bags. He did not know where to go, but he had to go. He knew how his each day will be like in his home. He could beg on the street and could tolerate the loathing in the eyes of strangers but he did not have the courage of facing his father. His voice shook when he asked his wife to forward his resume to her friends. How low could he fall down to? He packed slowly, looking at each book that he was assigned to, each assignment and case study that he studied, and each register that he filled with notes. How useless and meaningless it all seemed now. He left the college without looking back at the gate where its logo and name stood tall. No, he will not look back. He won't come back here ever, not even to this town. This is not what a decent human being was supposed to go through, what he had to bear. And this college was responsible for that. He will not forget or forgive. His journey was 17 hours long, but he did not have the reservation. Because booking a ticket signified the planning and purpose of visit, a thought which he could not entertain. He reached his home anyhow.
1 year ago he left it with hopes and dreams and now came back with sadness and debt. He did not visit home even on holidays because he wanted to come with a job in hand. He lost today. The experience of next 3 months of his life is still unspeakable for him. How he spent 15 hours every day on a laptop and put the cotton balls soaked in glycerin on his burned out eyes at night. How he sat wearing a tie and suit in front of the laptop whole day in scorching summer. How he took out the last bit of energy from his collapsing body; keeping his smile intact while greeting the random faces on skype, trying to please anybody and everybody.
He fought hard, gave his best and finally got a job in a start-up with a salary of 1 lakh rupees less than what he was earning before MBA. With a smiling face and clenched fists, he accepted the offer. He did not call his batch mates when he got the job. He did not celebrate with a bottle of wine. This was not worth celebrating. He stayed put. He asked the bank for extension of EMI for 1 more year. This was the time to keep the head down and work hard. He charted out the plan of the next job switch. Wrote on a paper where he wanted to go and what were the skills required for it. The whole day he worked to earn bread for that day and whole evening at home he prepared for future. Studied and learned. Kept on looking for better, kept on giving interviews on weekends. Finally, one prestigious firm offered him a decent profile and salary. A 50% hike! As he broke the news, his wife hugged him tightly, tears rolled on both of their cheeks. That night after dinner, he took a beer and sat for a long time on the roof, alone, reflecting on what he had been through last 2 years. In last 2 years he broke down many times, there were few things and emotions that he could not share with anyone.
There were few things that even he did not understand well. Today he got the hike of around 40% over his pre-MBA salary, so was it a wise decision to do MBA? And even if it was, did this hike justify and compensate the mental agony he went through? He did not know. He just kept looking at stars. Slowly reliving each day of success and failure in his mind. A roller coaster ride; which started from the preparation of MBA, the ecstatic moment of getting the call letter, the friends he made during MBA, the long lectures, good and bad professors, joblessness, a grossly underpaid job at a start-up, hard work and finally ended at a good job again. It was a hell of a ride! His phone blinked, he saw 2 Whatsapp messages: one from his MBA batchmate who got the biggest package on campus; he was complaining about how stressful his job was and how badly he wanted to quit and another message was from an aspirant who got the call from his college for MBA and was asking whether to join or not. He smiled while sipping the beer. He did not know what to say to either of them.
Please let me know in the comments below if you liked the story.
Comments
Rahul Pokharikar
Superb...! A well written story....today I came to know that even MBA grads from TOP colleges also have to face a setback...! Indeed a motivational piece..!
22 May 2017, 01.56 AM
Abhishek Dhumal
Very heart touching, shook the core of me. about to take a plunge in MBA jungle with IIM offer letter in hand. Thanks for shattering the rossy image of post MBA life in my mind.. if it is indeed real one, God bless the hero of our story.
22 May 2017, 04.47 AM
Miti Vaidya
Miti Vaidya is an alumnus of XLRI School of Business (Batch of 2011). She is currently enjoying her work as marketer of a healthy foods start-up - Kapiva. Prior experience includes 2+ years as Product Manager + Core Team Member at InsideIIM-Konversations and 5 years with the Tata Group as part of the prestigious TAS programme. A graduate from Narsee Monjee College of Commerce & Economics (Batch of 2007), Miti has also completed her C.A.
So well written!
22 May 2017, 05.13 AM
Ashish Singh
It is really an eye opener... I am scared as shit right now.
22 May 2017, 06.32 AM
Mahima Obhrai
Well written. Got goosebumps.
22 May 2017, 11.30 AM
Nitin Jaiswal
One of the best written articles so far. Kudos to your perseverance. (y) (y)
22 May 2017, 12.30 PM
honey sharma
Well Written !!
22 May 2017, 01.44 PM
Gauri Shankar
Thanks all, I am glad that you liked it or could see the darker side of a prestigious course...
22 May 2017, 10.23 PM
ramji yahoo
contribute to society thru management audits, cost audits
well written, roller coaster, please reply to that aspirant to do MBA in your respectable institute
23 May 2017, 02.52 AM
ramji yahoo
contribute to society thru management audits, cost audits
finally got a job in a start-up with a salary of 1 lakh rupee- what helped him to get this job, is it his astrological timing or his best performance on that day or a network referral-
23 May 2017, 03.15 AM
+Read Replies (1)
Ahirjoy BISWAS
Chief Manager (Systems) -State Bank of India
He is telling that the job was 1 lakh rs LESS than his pre MBA salary. Please read again!
1 May 2018, 12.44 PM |
Abhishek Khosla
Commodity and Equity Trader , Economist , Avid Reader , Traveler , Foodie , Practical , Workaholic , Humor and Cheerful
The Story is written from the heart and touches the Heart . Its a very sad state of affairs that many B schools take students much more than their capacity to place etc . The numbers are never in favor of a general Indian student . The less experienced always are preferred by the companies .
23 May 2017, 08.40 AM
Srikanth Vasantada
Well Written. Inspiring.
24 May 2017, 12.02 AM
Karpaga Vignesh
Going through a similar ordeal. Lets see if its all happy endings
24 May 2017, 12.28 AM
Mohammad Kashif
Well written and the unsaid truth which needs to come out. It just questions back to whether it is worth it or not, every single thing.
24 May 2017, 12.30 AM
Mohan Morgan
Hey, ....You... The Author, who ever you are... or who ever you think you are..... When you lay down to sleep , I want you to remember, You Are a Warrior, A warrior who fought in the War called Life, I want you to smile, before you close your eyes from the day. I want you to smile and tell yourself "I Am Warrior, who fought till the very End and Survived the War".
24 May 2017, 01.12 AM
Mohan Morgan
Hey, ....You... The Author, who ever you are... or who ever you think you are..... When you lay down to sleep , I want you to remember, You Are a Warrior, A warrior who fought in the War called Life, I want you to smile, before you close your eyes from the day. I want you to smile and tell yourself "I Am Warrior, who fought till the very End and Survived the War". ..........
24 May 2017, 01.12 AM
Anudrutta Fouzdar
Hey! It's really heart-wrenching to see articles like this, and kudos to the writer's perseverance. That being said, I wanted to understand something: what got him to this position in the first place? Were it bad grades in college, or really lack of opportunities? Clearly, he had two interviews which he couldn't convert. Any particular reason why? I'm just asking these questions to gain clarity on what one needs to do in their two years in the B-School. It's common knowledge that no college really has 100% placements. But what people keep mum about is why. Let's get that out in the open as well, please?
24 May 2017, 01.15 AM
AKSHAY LAMBE
Smartly written.
24 May 2017, 01.48 AM
Vipul Dewani
Great read. Seems to come from the heart!
24 May 2017, 05.32 AM
Piyush Bhatia
Well written.
24 May 2017, 11.09 PM
Aditya Aggarwal
Aditya is a second year MBA student at IIM Rohtak. He recently completed his summer internship from Patanjali Ayurved Limited.
Held me numb and concentrated from the very first word.
24 May 2017, 11.26 PM
Sam Mathew
Great. Touching...! I can relate quite well...! Great work.
25 May 2017, 04.20 AM
Anannyo bhattacharya
This is the best piece I have read over a long period of time.
26 May 2017, 08.58 AM
Niyati Shah
Short girl with huge dreams
Indeed a great piece of writing! Every coin has two sides but nobody can see the darker side ! Hatts off to the warrior!
26 May 2017, 12.25 PM
kalyan varma
One of the best article i have read in inside iim, Kudos for the great work
27 May 2017, 05.17 AM
Khushal Gupta
Gauri Shanker hats off to you. It was deeply engaging and complete nostalgia. commendable writing skills, you literally picturized this story. Congratulations
27 May 2017, 09.09 AM
Aashit Agarwal
What a beautiful ending !!
28 May 2017, 03.43 AM
Dheeraj Sekhar
As many of the stories unwind,it is also an emotional one. But they way you put it, created more impact than many other stories. Choice of words, the way story went every thing was top class. I feel that you have an author inside you sir. Finally a story which is superbly written.
29 May 2017, 02.03 AM
Rajat Shanker
Best article that I have read so far on insideiim.
12 Jun 2017, 09.24 AM
Hemant Bhatt
High decibel..low iq type...the author should acknowledge his passion for writing..so that we can find his name in our school textbooks inplace of robert frost...appreciable writing though..
13 Jun 2017, 03.20 PM
+Read Replies (1)
Hemant Bhatt
Everyone knows the reality of not being placed in placements..one has to decrease the thickness of his/her footwears as a result..
13 Jun 2017, 03.42 PM |
Souvik Pal
I am currently a student of DoMS IIT Roorkee. Previously I have worked with Capgemini Technology Services India Ltd for 32 months. I am interested in Marketing and HR.
The story gave me goosebumps.
22 Aug 2017, 10.42 PM
prateek agrawal
Tunnel of Illusion or Illusionary Tunnel, whatever it might be everyone's gotta move. Otherwise, adversity is standing with open hands to hug us. God Bless!
19 Sep 2017, 03.58 PM
sahil jaiswal
A hardworking and sincere person
The story is fascinating and the irony is that we all face the same situation in some phase of life where we think its an end everything is finished there is no road ahead but after collecting our broken pieces we fight and make our ends meet and finally all's well that ends well
19 Sep 2017, 04.15 PM
Vaibhav Pranik
A great article But I really want to know the authors reply to the two WhatsApp messages Specially about is it really worth trying belonging to a middle class family
20 Sep 2017, 02.02 AM
Hitesh Gupta
Deeply touched by the story.
23 Sep 2017, 05.29 PM
Ambika Chanda
Ambika Prasad Chanda graduated MBA (General Management) from Department of Management Studies, IIT Delhi in 2020
One of the best articles I have ever read!! Moving!
1 May 2018, 11.22 AM
ADHAVAN RK
Eye opener!
1 May 2018, 01.58 PM
Jaydeep Gupta
beautifully written... It flashed across me as a movie... You should start writing books
1 May 2018, 07.06 PM
milan naik
Nicely written .It is truly representing the truth of MBA grads and colleges.
2 May 2018, 10.47 AM
Balaji Sridharan
Well written. Shows the aspirants that there are not only things to look forward to, but also things to dread.
2 May 2018, 01.08 PM
Aman Pateriya
One of the best stories on inside IIM till date. Loved the climax...
2 May 2018, 02.30 PM
+Read Replies (1)
Divyansh Modi
Mad about reading stories over InsideIIM, hugely inspired by people over it. Dream of becoming one very soon.! Caught in Enigma of Chartered Accountancy, wanna get out of it right away. Love public speaking, a funny speaker, and networking.
One of the worst stories and boring one rathee
4 May 2018, 06.21 PM |
Divyansh Modi
Mad about reading stories over InsideIIM, hugely inspired by people over it. Dream of becoming one very soon.! Caught in Enigma of Chartered Accountancy, wanna get out of it right away. Love public speaking, a funny speaker, and networking.
Didnt find it that great, author trying too hard really to make readers feel pitty about the position of the guy, but alas couldn't do, at least for me. Might be a reality though but thats life and giving up hope should never be any option, not a big deal even if we dont fetch the best of offers from the best of schools and obviously best of schools not always the end of road.
4 May 2018, 06.20 PM
Jatin Mendiratta
Really moving story. Inspiring all the more.
20 Jan 2019, 11.43 PM
Shivani Gupta
A die-hard Priyanka Chopra fan and a proud Bihari, I am currently pursuing my MBA( Ist year) from IIM Rohtak. Being a voracious reader, I love to study everything around me.apart from reading, I am a travel and food enthusiast and love to travel and enjoy new cuisines
It's one of the best articles ever studied!!
1 May 2019, 11.12 PM
KRUNAL SAMPAT
Krunal has pursued an MBA in Operations (17-19) from K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research (SIMSR) He pursued IT Engineering by CHOICE and has worked as a Consultant with Capgemini for 3.5 years. In his leisure time, he writes on Quora (10 Lakh views), does Handwriting Analysis, Cooks lip-smacking food and Fights with his sister.
Well written!!
21 May 2019, 07.03 PM
Abhyuday Vashisth
I appreciate his courage, hope, wisdom, patience and determination ..and yea wonderfully written
21 May 2019, 08.52 PM
Arpan Jaiswal
Possibly one of the best representations of what can happen once you go for an MBA.
21 May 2019, 08.58 PM
Vivek Kumar
Such a fantastic portrayal of a journey called MBA and the immediate life after it. About to leave a cozy life at a PSU for a B School in India and this made me re-think my decision. I guess there's no right decision when boiled down to an individual's context.
22 May 2019, 11.06 AM
Monalisa Mohanty
I am an avid reader and lover of tea. You will invariably find me cleaning something at all times because I like to keep my surroundings neat. I own 2 cats and I love them both.
I was scared before. Now I am positively trembling. But yes. This is an amazing story. Thank you for sharing it. MBA is a battle and I believe I just had a glimpse of it.
28 May 2019, 08.40 AM