My First Day Zero

I had heard a lot about this term before coming to a B-school. The celebrated B-schools made headlines this day flaunting dreams of lakhs of rupees floating in students' eyes. We observed facebook and orkut profile statements changing shades and the 'placed' partying after the ordeal. Day Zero is probably a more important day in an MBA grad's life than graduation. Or so it seems. What do I know. But I knew today, a bit. As I saw from the seniors' eyes: a melange of anxious faces, critical analysis, relief and some reflection. One thing is sure, it is a race, even if you don't believe it.In fact your disbelief could be misinterpreted as "not being good enough to take the challenge". The process is highly competitive and starts much before Day Zero. D-day. This could be the most important day, if you  get a chance. It is often a case of being : are good enough in the recruiter's eyes? It is a lot of luck also. A lot of things are destined, and this is a day when you have to thank your stars for whatever you have been able to achieve because a bundle of other students are in anxiety about the uncertainty that follows. Uncertainty is for everyone, but competition can be unneccesarily stresssful. Though I must confess I think a lot of students must be making some decision (which may be not the BEST one) just to avoid this stress. So I would use the favourite MBA answer : there is nothing right or wrong!

Though I have been through the recruitment process in the college, it started and ended for me  pretty early (the first PPT I sat for). Although in a Day Zero scenario that is the whole point, but in a rolling process  that allowed one offer per student that the college followed , I didn't know if I have made a good decision early on. I had a sinking feeling after I got the offer letter from the company  as the profile was not so fulfilling and I knew that is not the right thing to feel after any decision. So I went solo and as luck would have it, accepted an offer way below this one money wise but a whole lot richer in terms of working with smart proffesionals. Plus, I did it on my own terms.

Today was a whole lot different. We were up at 6am as organisers of the process. I could just imagine that seniors must be awake and uneasy the whole night. While we were enjoying the new found joys of working with a walky talky , the seniors were going through shortlists and cutoffs. While we appreciated the floral arrangements, the seniors were bundled together with their own competitors for solace. Next year same time, things should be different and I mean it in the complete sense of the word DIFFERENT. I am hoping for once in my life, I get my wishes smoothly. The normal people get stuff. Then again, normal is boring! I am full of hope.