First Mid-term mania

My first mid-term just got over and grades for few assignments are also out. Phew! Midterm converted the party quads into hallowed portals of silence with everyone roaming around with an A4 size paper in hand and trying to make 'the' cheat-sheet. To non-ISB readers, yeah we are allowed to carry an A4 size 'furra' with us during exam and we can write anything on it, but believe me it doesn't help. I hardly referred to my cheat sheet during my exams and I can say this on behalf of most of us.

I have this mixed bag of emotions after the mid-term where I feel glad to be done away with them and also feel traumatized at the outcome and more so probably with the thought that end-terms are just 15 days away.

As far as grades are concerned, I deciphered that there are two types of students in the class - Type I and Type II (pardon my statistical jargon but I cannot help but mention it.. ). Type - I stand true to the definition of false positive. These are the helpless geeks who study but cant score. When they participate in class it appears that they will rock the exam but when the exam/ assignment results come they are at the rock bottom. Type - II also sticks to the definition : false negative. These are the ones who you never think are the scoring types but they score full every time.
There might be others who do not fall in either category but unfortunate for them there are only two classifications I am aware of .

Post mid-term was collection of phenomenal parties all over the student village, needless to mention that every second quad was hosting one, people were out with their guitars on the lawns and all over the place singing merrily.

Greedy me .. I am hoping for another such day soon .. (read the end of term :))

Ramblings @ISB

Though everyone you meet who has done an MBA says the same thing – it’s a roller coaster ride, you will not realize how the one year has passed. When I heard this, I thought I understood it but now I know what it actually means. Those who have done an MBA or going through the grind at present would be able to relate what I actually want to say. I have been four weeks into this course and it already seems like ages. Sometime I wonder oh my god, one month has passed. I never noticed but at the same time I feel as if I belonged here always and then there is a sudden panic as to what would happen eleven months later.

Life has no longer been the same since I joined. I am in different world and not just poetically but literally too. I have not had time to miss or think about anything from my life prior to ISB. I don’t even remember what my daily routine was, before coming here. To surprise you all I would mention that I have classes only for four hours a day and that too four days a week  J , Surprised and yes you will think this female is bluffing, she has all the time in world and she tells us that she doesn’t have any, but that is the truth.

This year at ISB is one of those years when I despise the weekend and wait desperately for the week to begin. My only concern usually is my 830 class for which I have to get up at 715-730, otherwise I love weekdays. Weekends are equal to hell where you hopelessly hope for 48 hours in a day. I hardly remember the Friday feeling J.

Those who think that it is difficult to get back to the routine after so much work experience trust me that is not the problem. All of us here have been exceptional in their work-field before and getting back to studies definitely does not seem to be their primary concern. Life is running here, or rather I should say time is no longer in my control. I so want to pause and take a good long look at what is happening in my life, retrospect and move on with grace and panache But,,, there is always a but J.  My ethereal desire is going to remain so.

I love this place and as much I love it I almost hate it. It’s a very different feeling hard to explain but only those who have been a part of it would be able to relate to.

Open Book is not cheating

The thought of writing this blog came to my mind while I was writing my last exam today ;
There were discussions going on in class while examination was going on and the school teacher shouted back : “Cheating ke liye kitaabein de to di hai, aur kya chiaye ”(You have books ; what else do you need to cheat)
And I wanted to write on this topic at that very moment ; which is this that open book examination is not cheating ;
People have this tendency to smirk and reply back “oh Its an open book exam “ and what is the benefit of examination if you are provided with books ; and I completely fail to understand why people still live in the world where examination equals memory power ;
Examination is to examine whether you posses the knowledge or the right skill ; and whether you have understood the subject by heart ; so in life whenever you encounter any such thing ; how will you react ; and to the best of my knowledge I think books only help us in proving that yes we know it right ;
Critics of Open book forget that in practical life you are provided with best of all the resources you wish to access;
What is required is a thorough understanding of subject ; concept ; logical flow and the correct aptitude towards the subject and not how well we are able to memorize the words in book and produce it back ;
There is nothing wrong with referring to a book and mind you after giving four exams I can bet in saying that you cannot afford to study the book for the first time in exam ; you can only take advantage of an open book examination if you have thoroughly gone through the book ; know what is the flow of thoughts and contents by your own index not by the book’s .
Teachers who set the paper are not fools. They realize the difference and hence the paper;
Yes you are a bit more relaxed ; less pressurized as you know the book is with you ; and your creativity while writing long essays goes for a toss as you always think that the book has better answers :P

My first semseter again :)

So Semester ends and I am a happy happy soul today.

It’s such a relief when you realize that your exams are done and you enjoy some break ;

Today while coming back from my exam centre I thought of writing down my entire first semester experience which has been amazingly wonderful till now.

Studying after a long time has been fun and hectic. Although my close friends would not agree on the fun part because they know how much I bug them just before the exam night when I know nothing and panic bug settles inside.

So studying again after a sabbatical of exact two years has been associated with a lot of enthusiasm ; brimming excitement to meet new people ; and then I almost overflow with joy at times realizing that after the end of this course I would be awarded with an MS degree ;

Practically I don’t have much expectations from this degree as such or what this degree does to my CV but had I not been doing this course I would have crossed two more years of my life ; value adding nothing to my life so I am more than happy adding something to my life ;

First Day:

So I have missed the most fun part of my course which is that my classes are held at India Habitat Centre, Lodi road J Ye YE

Well I started writing about IHC and it seems it is material for a separate blog post which you can find here.

So I reached the place with slight nervousness ; enthusiasm brimming to meet new people and the joy of starting something new in my life; First day was just a inaugural session and my joy doubled when I realized the constitution of my class;

I think that is with any post graduation course ; my batch has people varying from different backgrounds : software engineers to civil engineers ; engineers to academia ; top class executives to one year experienced ; from Army colonels to Writers ; from Chartered Accountants to speakers;

The batch is rich in content; in experience and most of all in people :)

It becomes a lively session during the classes when there are discussions going around; people interpret things according to their experience and ask questions;

So overall I am enjoying the course; loving visiting IHC ; relishing food at Eatopia ; and basking in the glory that I am doing MS :P except that examinations get too hectic ; Have to give 4 exams in two days and at those precise moments of despair and panic I wonder why on earth did I join this course ;