The best time for new beginnings and new friendships is NOW!
The emotion of sheer joy and happiness when we arrived on campus filled the air with positivity and hope. Travelling to Lausanne from different parts of the world, respecting various covid restrictions, was no less than a herculean task.
Whenever I interacted with IMD alumni during the application phase, I found one common feedback, “Your MBA at IMD is going to be one of the most memorable years of your life. It will transform you as a human being and the friendships you make will last for a lifetime”.
So, with full enthusiasm, we arrived on campus on inaugural day. Though we were already connected through social media, the excitement of identifying each other, with our faces covered by masks, made the first physical meeting more memorable.
I believe the start of friendships happened when we were assigned a group task on the first day itself. Our mission: to explore the city of Lausanne in our group, hitting certain specific hotspots and returning with pictures. The whole experience will remain etched in my memory. The camaraderie developed in our group started from the moment of its formation. We were also lucky to have a teammate from Switzerland who become our guide.
The beauty of these tasks is that you take your first steps out of your comfort zone and start interacting to accomplish the goal. Soon, the group became lively, and sharing and caring started. One example is when I was moving slower than others climbing uphill to a destination. Others in my group not only patiently waited for me but also kept pushing me to climb up. I was so energized by their pushing and was able to complete the task because of this.
Watching the enthralling sunset and lake view as we completed the task, combined with discussions on our likes, dislikes, and previous experiences will surely act as binders to cement these friendships for life.
Hence the new chapter has begun. One of new friendships and upcoming sessions of cooking, drinking, eating and enjoying … and being there for each other.
