After a year of gruelling preparations, cracking the entrance examinations, and another three months of nervous anticipation, every incumbent batch, enters the Hilltop campus at Lavale with a heavy heart and a bucketful of questions. For many of the students, it might be the first time staying away from their hometown, while for others, it is yet another adventure. “Seeing is believing” – they say, before joining, one only imagines and speculates about what to expect, but experiencing it first hand is a different ball game altogether.
In SIBM, a typical day starts at 8 in the morning, when after grabbing a quick bite from the mess, we rush to the classrooms to attend our lectures. One gets to experience a varied opinion on the mess food from people on campus, so to satisfy the taste buds of the people with a penchant for pickiness in food, they have the luxury of going to Delhi Chat or Symbieats, to have a meal of their liking. The lectures, on the other hand, are engaging yet tiring at the same time.
Post our lectures, we re-energize ourselves by pursuing our hobbies and interests. Some of us play sports like cricket, football, badminton, table tennis, and basketball, while others may prefer spending their time singing and dancing. The Lavale hilltop heaven brings together as many as six different campuses under a single umbrella, giving us the chance to interact and ‘network’ with different people from diverse regions and cultures. Making lifelong friends along this exciting journey is what makes the MBA life in SIBM worthwhile.
Apart from sports and other extra-curricular activities, we also get a chance to participate in various b- school competitions. These competitions provide us with an opportunity to interact with industry professionals and alumni, preparing us for the corporate life ahead. B-school competitions are a driving force in any top MBA college in the country, and SIBM being one of the very best allows its students the opportunity to participate in the topmost competitions.
SIBM Pune also boasts of a student-driven culture, where we take charge to represent the college to the outside world. There is a total of 9 councils and 6 special interest groups which provide the students a chance to apply their decision making and communication abilities in places where it matters the most. Juggling studies, competitions and council work, and then leave some time for other recreation is what makes the students of SIBM corporate ready. It hones our time management skills while teaching us the importance of prioritizing our tasks at hand. It is this rigour through exposure which separates SIBM from most other b-schools in the country.
Within the campus, another highlight for any student is the hostel life. Staying away from home, but finding friends who you can call family is a truly remarkable experience. These are people who will laugh with you during your joyous days and share your burden during your tough times. You will attend classes together, complete assignments, participate in competitions, play different sports, and even spend the occasional cold Pune night in a hostel room playing cards while listening to some loud music.
Talking about life at SIBM is incomplete without mentioning our weekend shenanigans. The weekends are when the campus is least populated because almost everyone goes out to explore the city and eat something other than mess food. There are multiple food joints in the city which attract students year-round. Even if the two years pass by in the blink of an eye, the memories we create will stay for a lifetime.
