My first ever contact with IMD took place on April 7th, 2020. “Virtual coffee”, “confinement” and “social distancing” were just sneaking their way into our daily language. Less than five months later, the offer on my desk had nothing virtual about it and as I confirmed my participation in the program, I was taking my seat on an emotional roller coaster.
First, a feeling of achievement – “That’s it, I got in!”. Now all that was needed was to find a flat within my budget in Lausanne and deal with the administration. I would be there in no time to meet all of my fellow classmates. The Covid-19 situation seemed to be under control in Switzerland and IMD was hosting classes in person. The toughest part was done, and now was the time to relax before starting an exciting year. But just as I started relaxing, the roller coaster started moving…
As Covid-19 cases increased exponentially, so did our pre-program workload. The group chat with my 99 fellow classmates was buzzing, addressing questions as diverse as the origins of their authors. A flood of information, tasks and questions came over me. So much for sitting back and relaxing…
On the flat-search front, I found out how tight the real estate market in Lausanne really is, and how opaque the decision process is. In this situation, networking proved essential.
IMD proved to be very supportive throughout this pre-program period. There was always a friendly voice to help and answer any questions regarding relocation agencies, loans or even tax optimisation in relation with the MBA fees!
I always expected to meet all my classmates for the first time in an auditorium in January 2021. Through our ongoing virtual meet-ups, we are already getting to know each other. Intellectual curiosity, drive and a healthy dose of sense of humour strike me as the common denominator.
No one knows what awaits us during the next year. The only certainty is, we are sitting in this roller coaster together. Let’s see where these tracks lead us. Apparently,
You don’t need a degree in engineering to design roller coasters, you need a degree in psychology”
John Allen, president of the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, 1954
I look forward to the big drop in January. Let’s see how the carriage sticks to the tracks!
George Roessler
