Sunday, March 19, 2006

First year coming to an end.....

Class participation-Part II, the one topic for which I could not find time to write on account of the amazingly hectic schedule of the last few days.The enormity of the Submissions like the Market Research Project, Sales and Distribution Assignment and Six Sigma presentations kept me busy along with the long class hours. I have been appearing for quizzes left right and center, the regular ones as well as the reconduction of some which I missed earlier during my winter project. Last but not the least also appeared for exams on Non-Academics. (that is Yoga, Art of living and Gymnasium Exercises.) The description of these exams is what I have got this time........

It was Monday, the 12th of March, after hitting the bed at some 1.30 am in the night with my sales and distribution subject book in hand(preparing for the impending FCQ which was scheduled next day only to be later postponed on account of a hurriedly arranged high profile guest lecture). The alarm on my mobile rung precisely at 6 am in the morning, indicating the need to attend art of living "examination" (I always thought it was Yoga untill I reached the campus to find out it was AOL...mind you dont confuse this with America Online, its Art of Living)in the morning. It was one of those rare occassions when I saw a major chunk of the junta from the bOys hostel getting up for non-academics and running in half sleep to the campus-academic block.

I too, pulled up my sleeves for an interesting session in the morning, and girls too had turned up in big numbers for the session. The Workout Hall was Full, all possible mats on the floor were occupied!! It was a rare sight, one which I only remember seeing in the first few months of the PGDM course. I also saw a lot of new faces to this session and surprise came later when I saw Sriram walking in too, my god the guy was just walking into his first session this semester. Surekh, was at his usual best and was all set to conquer the exam with an A grade. He always comes across as someone who has mastered all these courses at some early point in life and could very well pass of as someone who can even teach a few tricks of the trade to the chap who comes to teach us.

The session began with the usual "kapalbatti" breathing exercises. Three rounds of pretension by the students and the chap knew it all that most of them were faking it.The sound of breath was mixed with laughter and giggling. Some of them had just no idea on what they were doing. Next came the other variants of the breathing exercises, which only brought up some silly comments and giggling from one of the corners. Seemed like Giselle (my classmate known for her sarcasm and giggling ) was out there in one of them passing Under the Breath Comments(UTBC).

The session soon ended with the "Omkar"(Chanting of OM) at the conclusion of it and the chap started grading each one of us after personally observing each one of us. And guess what, I get an A grade, more than for my "performance" it was my regularity to the sessions in the morning some time ago before my winter project which made the difference for sure.

The day was followed in the afternoon by the guest lecture, wherein the vice-President (HR) of a top MNC addressed us on Employer Branding. The stage was all set next day morning for the funniest of all exams I have ever given.

It was Yoga, wherein we had to perform one "asan" of our choice and one as per the instructor. As I reached I see the stage was set and again was surprised to see Sriram,he had promised that he would not come, but then his friend who had come to meet him was leaving early morning and had woken him up. There was Giselle(all set to give her commentary and pass comments on the proceedings) Priyanka(the most sincere girl in my section A, called by her surname as Kohly, she was all enthusiastic for the exam after having seen through the handout on Yoga, figuring it out what asan is done in which way), and a few people huddled here and there talking amongst themselves and wondering on how the entire stuff will be. My morning efforts to get Subbu and his roommates Kunal(Giselle call hims an HR Pfaffer) and Vikram were in vain as they simply refused to get up. The sleep was too overpowering for them to sacrifice.

So coming back to the yoga, groups of nine students came on to the scene and the first group was the funniest with people doing 5 different things for the same exercise being told. The entire group of people were seen laughing at them with Giselle passing all sort of funny comments, it was just impossible to control the laughter at the moment.

Abishek(chap from Coimbatore) had two of his feet in the air while Meetu(an ex-Wipro employee) had turned upside down while all others were deciding on whom to emulate on the exercice.All of them were supposed to do the same exercise. The cheering and the laughter of the onlookers was on its peak.

Group after group, same things happened,... to the extent that in all fun Kohly just forgot what assan had to be done and in their group people, who had banked on her were feeling doomed.
My group nobody knew anything and we all kept staring at each other looking whom to emulate.Since noone of them even turned themseleves..leave apart turning upside down and all..
Then it was a CA chap of our class called Dhruvv who tried to steal the limelight by performing an amazing feat, since no one in the group he was knew any exercise, he did one of his choice at a speed of 5 sec, within which he finished it by raising his legs 90 degrees to the floor and immediately getting it down without any control, for this he was also using his hands to suppport the back, .......that was one sight, and then he begges the yoga chap for grades saying he had done it.

Moi then had to rush back to the hostel since had classes from 9 and had to get ready too so left the place, all in all one of the most funniest morning sessions of all times.

The gymnasium exercises too will be never forgotten since the pain in my legs and hands has still not subsided with all the Sit ups, Squats, weights and flexibility test taking its toll on me. This is the same with many others and I see many of them taking the lift instead of the stairs.
With end term exams from monday exam fever is getting across campus and moi must be the only one blogging now. The GPA's for 9 subjects of the first semester is also online...and I dont think I should write about it here.....

The farewell for the seniors too is due today evening by the poolside and that should be a great takeaway for them.( As I post this it is over and the they really had a nice time)

Sales and Distribution classes too ended with Mr.Prantosh Banerjee giving his characteristic speech and a class photograph followed it at the instance of one of the students(whoc carried a camera)His classes have been a good source of learning and so has been Mr. G D Aptes, another IIT-IIM. Mr. Apte has been known for no-nonsense attitude with amusing lecture talks during the consumer behaviour sessions, recounting his experiences of 35 countries which he has travelled till now. A professor who does gets his cycle to college, rides it from the city ....to college ....mind you and who is part of the club which recently undertook a cycling journey till Kerala.

It is hence that time of the year, where I am completing an year at B-Skool with end terms and then Summer training to follow. The elective selection for the next semester is already on and the concept of sections(A,B and c) will fritter off since there will be more of electives and only 3 core subjects.(The batch is divided in to three sections namely A,B and C)

On this note I sign off for the semester.

Adios.