Nervousness before the start of my programme

As the one year MBA starts, the nervousness about handling the rigours of the course has been increasing.

Multiple questions are puzzling my brain about how the challenges of academic life need to be handled after working for almost 10 years in industry. In order for me to be successful I am supposed to navigate:

• 23.5 credit courses
• 13.5 core and nine electives
• 300+ case studies
• 800+ hours of classroom interaction
• 50+ team projects

These challenges were always there in my mind right from the time I got the acceptance letter from the International Programme in Management for Executives (IPMX) at the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow.

When contacted, some alumni did suggest that everybody passes through this phase and eventually gets used to it. While others suggested some books which can be read to be ready for the upcoming challenge. However I found some comfort for myself in the quotation: “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself… Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day” (Matthew 6.34)

I registered for some courses via Coursera and other massive open online courses (Mooc) websites but could never manage the timelines of job and the registered course. Most of them were either left halfway or some of them just passed the deadline. But overall it was a feel good factor, to know about so many readily available beneficial resources on the net.

Having negotiated through the different challenges of office, my personal life and many more, I am awaiting the challenge that comes up. The advise that I got from my dad is the best. He asked me to manage my time wisely and I hope to do so so that I can enjoy the new phase of my life.

A nice quote by the author and philosophy teacher Andrew Bernstein to motivate the start of my journey is :

“We need to distinguish between stress and stimulation. Having deadlines, setting goals, and pushing yourself to perform at capacity are stimulating. Stress is when you’re anxious, upset, or frustrated, which dramatically reduce your ability to perform.”