I have nothing to do today and for the rest of the week. Not that ISB schedule isnt hectic but just that I havan't opted for any pre term courses for this week. That leaves me with time enough to write this blog post. The previous week went by even before I could finish saying "phew". 570 odd students, 60 odd seniors (c/o 2009), a ton of activities, a zillion presentations, a few "informal" chat sessions, club activities and not to mention a few sprains and scratches were just a few of the highlights of the first week at ISB.
The registration process took a while on 11th mainly because of the callousness of Andhra Bank officials who put up a single stall with just 1 person to process the formalities with each person taking upto 1 hour. Then followed numerous team building activities. I felt that the activities really helped to break the ice amongst our batch. They were also chosen thoughtfully with each activity being followed by a feedback session in which the seniors (who conducted the sessions) explaining how the activities would help us during the next year. On the academic front, each ISB dept held its presentations and we also had a Intro to Case Study" session which I enjoyed thoroughly. The level of participation as well as the maturity of discussion truly enriched the experience and makes me look forward to the actual classes. Sports competitions were also held during the week. The orientation week culminated in the Talent Night where each section put in a consorted performance including dance, songs, shayari, PJs, theater and what not.
In addition to all of the above, we had 3 parties in the 1st week itself with people dancing away till 7AM in the morning! So overall, a very fulfilling first week and i hope the good times continue.
P.S. A few tidbits: There are 8 sections in our batch and each section has a chant. ISB itself also has a chant - ISB rocks. All the activities and sports competitions are on a section basis and each student is very proud of its section. The last word: I am in section B ("B de patthe, chak de phatte"!) which is on top after the 1st week!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Prelude to ISB
Over the last few months, I have consciously avoided ISB/MBA related posts since I wanted to properly capture my feelings and experiences pre-ISB.
In a few hours, my life will be consumed entirely by ISB and the MBA course. If time permits, I'd like to document my experience throughout. To make up for lost time, here's a rundown of the MBA related standstills over the recent past.
I completed the Loan formalities while I was in US. Better put, my parents did so, all I did was sign and scan the papers to them. The general consensus of this batch is that Andhra Bank has the most convenient procedure and the best service. The other banks with which ISB had a tie up were SBI, HDFC Bank and UBI with UBI generally thought to cause the most hassles. The only queer requirement of Andhra was that the guarantor should come to Hyderabad to sign the papers. But otherwise, they didnt even require any collateral, any original papers, etc for a loan of over 15 lakhs!
Next, ISB's online pre-term assessment tests, which recommend whether to take the pre-terms or not (available to admits), indicated that I may concentrate on Hyderabadi Biryani and Haleem during the inital two weeks and I grudgingly acquiesced.
After returning to the City of Joy (about 2 weeks ago), I felt so joyously lazy that I completed the medical reports and some other formalities today itself, after nearly being thrown out of the house to do so by my parents.
Finally, ISB (rather a c/o 2009 student) launched a fantastic initiative called GoCar which matches 2 incoming students reaching Hyderabad at the same time and/or in the same mode and allowed them to share a pre-booked cab. In addition to the convenience and reduced transportation cost, it allows us to network with our batchmates as well. Thumbs up to the initiative. Bottomline, I'd be reaching Hyd in a Toyota Innova chatting with a fellow classmate at half the normal cost.
On Saturday we have a host of registration formalities to complete, after which we'd be allotted our homes or quads for the next one year.
I know I will have an amazing experience and look forward to it with bated breath.
Till then, over and out.
In a few hours, my life will be consumed entirely by ISB and the MBA course. If time permits, I'd like to document my experience throughout. To make up for lost time, here's a rundown of the MBA related standstills over the recent past.
I completed the Loan formalities while I was in US. Better put, my parents did so, all I did was sign and scan the papers to them. The general consensus of this batch is that Andhra Bank has the most convenient procedure and the best service. The other banks with which ISB had a tie up were SBI, HDFC Bank and UBI with UBI generally thought to cause the most hassles. The only queer requirement of Andhra was that the guarantor should come to Hyderabad to sign the papers. But otherwise, they didnt even require any collateral, any original papers, etc for a loan of over 15 lakhs!
Next, ISB's online pre-term assessment tests, which recommend whether to take the pre-terms or not (available to admits), indicated that I may concentrate on Hyderabadi Biryani and Haleem during the inital two weeks and I grudgingly acquiesced.
After returning to the City of Joy (about 2 weeks ago), I felt so joyously lazy that I completed the medical reports and some other formalities today itself, after nearly being thrown out of the house to do so by my parents.
Finally, ISB (rather a c/o 2009 student) launched a fantastic initiative called GoCar which matches 2 incoming students reaching Hyderabad at the same time and/or in the same mode and allowed them to share a pre-booked cab. In addition to the convenience and reduced transportation cost, it allows us to network with our batchmates as well. Thumbs up to the initiative. Bottomline, I'd be reaching Hyd in a Toyota Innova chatting with a fellow classmate at half the normal cost.
On Saturday we have a host of registration formalities to complete, after which we'd be allotted our homes or quads for the next one year.
I know I will have an amazing experience and look forward to it with bated breath.
Till then, over and out.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
The call
Yes…hello…who’s this? Hello hello…
Katrina Kaif! U what? U wanna go out on a date with me?
Only if I SMS at this number…at Rs 10 a minute! Hmm but u see I’m in the middle of a meeting! Well hello hello…
Could you believe it! It was a call from Katrina Kaif! Wonder how she got my number!
It's been just a week since I returned from US yet I have been getting calls from Rahul Dravid, Kareena Kapur, Aishwariya and now Katrina. I wonder why?? Maybe I have suddenly become rich and famous! Well not rich…but famous ? No not even that…then?
Though I am not rich, many Indians are. Recession or no recession, India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world. Suddenly the great Indian middle class: you and me are in great demand. Because we, as consumers have great power in our hands: and pockets and purses. The octopus of advertising industry has spread it’s tentacles across various channels: television, mobile, internet or radio. Some ads are truly fascinating and compelling
Picture this: A young boy is having lunch in a small hut, with the door open. Suddenly a football bounces off the floor and strikes him. He looks around, and finds another boy of his age standing afar. He comes out of his house. The area is desolate, deserted. The other boy is standing at the other side of a ubiquitous double fence with a no-man’s land in between. The other boy coaxes him to kick the ball. This boy looks around shyly. There’s noone anywhere. With all his strength he kicks the ball to the other side of the fence. The 2 boys smile at each other. They want to play together…and they both join each other in the no man’s land. And start playing. Then the tagline follows: There would be no boundaries in this world, if we could only talk to each other! Wao! What an ad for a Cellular Service Provider.
With such creative ads these companies compel us to buy their products. You know, sometimes I feel like a young princess! Yeah you heard it right: a young naïve princess being courted by the Prince Charmings of this world. Or like Miss Little Red Riding Hood. Riding out into the world without any apprehensions?
But is the sweet old lady at the doorstep really the Grandmother or the evil wolf who is just waiting for a chance to eat you up?
We have to be very careful what to believe.
All that glitters is not gold.
The tomb gilded in gold may just be worm infested inside.
In fact some critics say that Advertising is the science of arresting human intelligence long enough to get money from it.
Fact: Research has shown that some of the worst quality products spend most money on advertising.
Fact: The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) in USA reports that in 2008, more than the number complaints about environmental claims grew more than four times compared to last year.
Fact: Suzuki, Shell, Toyota and many other renowned companies have been fined for misleading consumers on their environmental practices.
So how do we find our way in this big bad world of advertising and separate the wheat from the chaff? Let me tell you some ways in which you can counter the terror of the advertisers. Step 1, research the product before you buy something. Your best sources are your friends and colleagues. Find out whether any of them have used the product before and what they recommend.
2. Read blogs in the internet.
3. Find out the relative prices offered by different shops stocking the same product.
So research, talk to others and be “informed” before making a decision.
Don’t go by appearance alone.
And the next time you receive a phone call from Katrina Kaif, take a deep breath.
Relax. Enjoy your day in the sun. Look around. If your boss looks at you with questioning eyes, just say casually, Oh that? That was Katrina Kaif. She was calling about our date. An SMS for a date with Katrina: Rs 10. The look on your boss’s face: priceless!
Katrina Kaif! U what? U wanna go out on a date with me?
Only if I SMS at this number…at Rs 10 a minute! Hmm but u see I’m in the middle of a meeting! Well hello hello…
Could you believe it! It was a call from Katrina Kaif! Wonder how she got my number!
It's been just a week since I returned from US yet I have been getting calls from Rahul Dravid, Kareena Kapur, Aishwariya and now Katrina. I wonder why?? Maybe I have suddenly become rich and famous! Well not rich…but famous ? No not even that…then?
Though I am not rich, many Indians are. Recession or no recession, India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world. Suddenly the great Indian middle class: you and me are in great demand. Because we, as consumers have great power in our hands: and pockets and purses. The octopus of advertising industry has spread it’s tentacles across various channels: television, mobile, internet or radio. Some ads are truly fascinating and compelling
Picture this: A young boy is having lunch in a small hut, with the door open. Suddenly a football bounces off the floor and strikes him. He looks around, and finds another boy of his age standing afar. He comes out of his house. The area is desolate, deserted. The other boy is standing at the other side of a ubiquitous double fence with a no-man’s land in between. The other boy coaxes him to kick the ball. This boy looks around shyly. There’s noone anywhere. With all his strength he kicks the ball to the other side of the fence. The 2 boys smile at each other. They want to play together…and they both join each other in the no man’s land. And start playing. Then the tagline follows: There would be no boundaries in this world, if we could only talk to each other! Wao! What an ad for a Cellular Service Provider.
With such creative ads these companies compel us to buy their products. You know, sometimes I feel like a young princess! Yeah you heard it right: a young naïve princess being courted by the Prince Charmings of this world. Or like Miss Little Red Riding Hood. Riding out into the world without any apprehensions?
But is the sweet old lady at the doorstep really the Grandmother or the evil wolf who is just waiting for a chance to eat you up?
We have to be very careful what to believe.
All that glitters is not gold.
The tomb gilded in gold may just be worm infested inside.
In fact some critics say that Advertising is the science of arresting human intelligence long enough to get money from it.
Fact: Research has shown that some of the worst quality products spend most money on advertising.
Fact: The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) in USA reports that in 2008, more than the number complaints about environmental claims grew more than four times compared to last year.
Fact: Suzuki, Shell, Toyota and many other renowned companies have been fined for misleading consumers on their environmental practices.
So how do we find our way in this big bad world of advertising and separate the wheat from the chaff? Let me tell you some ways in which you can counter the terror of the advertisers. Step 1, research the product before you buy something. Your best sources are your friends and colleagues. Find out whether any of them have used the product before and what they recommend.
2. Read blogs in the internet.
3. Find out the relative prices offered by different shops stocking the same product.
So research, talk to others and be “informed” before making a decision.
Don’t go by appearance alone.
And the next time you receive a phone call from Katrina Kaif, take a deep breath.
Relax. Enjoy your day in the sun. Look around. If your boss looks at you with questioning eyes, just say casually, Oh that? That was Katrina Kaif. She was calling about our date. An SMS for a date with Katrina: Rs 10. The look on your boss’s face: priceless!
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