Roadmap for first 90 days

Sanjay Arora

So, you just joined your MBA. However, entering a B-school doesn’t mean that you have no more questions and dilemmas. From how am I going to manage the stress here, how difficult the course would be, how different the peers are, to how will I get placed, where will I get placed? — you have a lot on your plate.  If you are overwhelmed by this pressure and expectations, make a plan for the first 90 days in your B-school so that the foundation of a sturdy career is laid well in time. 

• Take good care of your health. It would take some time for your biological clock to adjust to the timing and work load in a B-school. In most cases the graduation degree doesn’t have stringent timelines or round-the-clock assignments. So, it is very easy to fall sick in the initial days. There will be times when you will have to compromise on your sleep and work, just to balance multiple projects. But that's how life is going to be moving forward so you can’t even say that it is not fair, anyway, it is good to know what you have signed up for. In a nutshell, try not to fall sick as you will end up missing a lot.
• Get the right material. You should have proper business formals, ironed shirts, proper formal shoes with socks/closed toe heels and belt. Make a strong, to-the-point CV, which would be of great use to you. Having these basics in place would help you focus on the important things.
• Continue working on yourself. This is the toughest task. Follow these steps:

1. Introspect and deep dive into yourself: Introspect on different aspects of your personality along with your achievements and failures. 

2. Work on your strengths and weaknesses: Once you know about what you are good at and where you need improvement, work on them. Sharpen your strengths and control your weaknesses. 

3. Read, Read, Read: When you know what you want and where you see yourself, enhance your domain knowledge and that can be done by not just reading the books, but by reading about the latest trends and developments in the same.

Network: Networking is an important skill and you should start on this path in the first trimester in your college. Be it peers, seniors, faculty members or prospective employers, who visit the campus for guest lectures etc, reach out and make inroads. These contacts can vouch for you to their bosses to give you a better pay ot recommend you to other companies.  

Most importantly, you should enjoy yourself and embrace the change. This is an important chapter in your life and you would not want to lose it. Make friends, know people, cherish relationships, learn, grow, work on yourself, fall down, get up and do not quit. Life is hard but we always have a choice to change it and navigate towards a better way.

Focus on developing yourself. You may or may not be assigned a buddy by the college. If you have one, that’s amazing, ask and pace up your knowledge about what happens in the college and how to go about there. If not, then also don't worry, find and look for someone, help is always available if you ask for it. Search, search, search and you'll find the right person. Get a taste of the culture of the college, the faculty, the dos and don'ts list, where to get what in the new area etc.

— The writer is founder Maven