Weekend One!

Just finished my first week at college. There is a LOT to tell – and I am at a loss of words wondering how to tell it. So I shall take the simpler route. Choose the things I want to talk about and skip the rest.

So I’ve decided to talk about the academic schedule. We have a bunch of subjects, of which we have had about a couple of lectures so far. Enough for me to guage what its going to be like in each of them. So here goes.

Finance : This apparently is one of the two so-called ‘tough’ subjects. It’s basic accounting really, with stuff like balance sheets and P&L accounts. I’ve had in total about 5 hours exposure to this, counting classroom time – and so far it has seemed fine. But when people say it is tough, you usually take heed. So I do.

Statistics: This is the other so-called “tough” subject. I can see why this will be tough, and I think it is a subject that I will have to work at. Basically its a lot of math, and there is a certain basic level they expect you to be at, and that itself can be quite tough for people who do not hit the ground running.

Indian Politic and Economic History: I expected this subject to be the most interesting of all. But am quite confused as to how it will unfold. For now it has been mostly “story telling” on part of the prof, and though quite a few perspectives have been thrown in, it still seems a bit confusing and “globe”.(that is the term here for anything that is in some measure nebulous)

Marketing Management : This also has been pretty globe till now. Mainly seems to deal with the professor’s personal inputs. I’m guessing I’ll get more “concrete” theories once I open the textbook. Incidentally, one of the authors of the textbook is Kotler and I’ve always been really wary of these “3P” and “5C” types gyaan. It all seemed like anecdotal knowledge to me and it pains me to think that I might have to “study” this. But then again, I have to start studying.

Behavioural Sciences : This also has been quite globe so far. It seems to bring in inputs from psychology and I have read the textbook for this one. Nothing exceptional, expect that its not that bad. Again, I believe such things are learnt more from experience and self-theorizing.

Economics : This has been disappointing so far. Arijit Sen, the faculty for this one is supposed to be a really awesome prof, but I have not the got the feel for this so far. Kunal who took an introductory course in college, to his credit, was a lot more engaging. But then again, its been only two lectures and I’m being unfair to our prof because in one lecture I accept that I was really sleepy.

All the other profs here are awesome though. I have met the ones who engage our courses of course, but have also listened to a few others on other occasions. Even though it is true that an inordinately large number of them are from this region and are bengalis, they are not bengali by “characteristics”, if you know what I mean. All of them have an awesome outlook towards things – and bring interesting insights, and are like most people say here – “god level”.

That is all I can think of for now, now I need more sleep!

June 29th, 2008 / 116 Comments / Tags: iimc, academics / Trackback

Test One - Morning session

As I write this, i have just finished my first day at college. It was pretty peaceful, with a couple of lectures.Unfortunately I’m not sure how much I can reveal with respect to subjects and the other details of the classes. Wing Guide says that I need to talk with him before I “reveal” more.

Apart from that, hostel life here is pretty chill. Free time is spent mostly discussing stuff with wingies (movies mostly!) and what else? “Not eating”, because I’ve had an upset tummy AND a runny nose. Hopefully things should be fine in a couple of days, the internet should be restored in college – and all will be fine!

Cheers,

June 23rd, 2008 / 0 Comments / Trackback

Lull Before the Storm

Completed all my registration formalities yesterday. It was pretty painless considering the dreary and treacherous hours spent in queues in COEP with weird coloured chalaans in hand. This most importantly was in a seated position, and with much cooler climes – something which I totally approve of!

Apart from that, there is not much to do currently. A majorly hectic day is planned tomorrow as I mentioned in earlier posts. Another extra lecture (which begins at 9 pm) and which apparently is meant to tell us about IIMC. I do not mean to be sarcastic or anything, but why does that make me feel like another big yaaaawn coming my way?

We did get a white, jute-khadi jhola yesterday with IIM Calcutta written on it. But it was on the inside. You actually had to open the bag fully before anyone could make out that it was an IIMC bag. Hence most of the time after registration as spent – with the aforementioned bag being the butt of all jokes. The jokes mainly made use of 2 facts

1. IIMC actually shies away from branding. This apparently is the reason why IIMA has a better brand than IIMC, even though IIMC is older.

2. How typical that in Calcutta we should get a jhola. Many people searched for kurtas too, to complete the look but that item of clothing was missing.

A bunch of people went out yesterday evening. We took the bus upto Behaala, then a sharing rickshaw up to Kalighat metro station and then a short Metro trip to Jatin Das Chowk Metro station where we got off. We generally started walking and everyone was so hungry that we stopped and ate at the first decent restaurant we could spot. It was a Punjabi placed owned by a surd,(Tandoori something it was called, I forget …) and the food was petty decent. We came back via taxi, stopping for some rasgullas on the way. Very very nice indeed ;)

Macro level observations from this place so far follow.

1. This is the first time I’m staying on hostel. The only word I can describe that experience so far is “sane” – or at least “saner than I thought it would be”. Seniors are generally very busy, and one hardly sees them – and if you want you can sleep early (say by midnight) peacefully. There is no noise/shouting/fun and games at night, or during the day.

2. Seniors (in the generally less-hectic second year) are found only trotting from college to room or vice-versa. Everyone by now has made the assumption, that its going to be a lot tougher for us.

3. There are a ton of amenities here to use. Billiards table, TT tables, Gymnasium, Badminton courts, a lovely swimming pool complex. However one hardly sees anyone using these. That is another worrying sign pointing to the fact that you hardly find enough time.

However, I have a feeling that the “sane” image is about to change soon. There are a lot of stories we have heard about stuff that happens here, and the calm is most likely a factor of seniors / freshers settling in, and of ice-breaking and unfamiliarity issues.

That is all I can think of for now. More updates soon!

(PS: Dont hold your breath because the course in some sense begins tomorrow, so updates might be less frequent and shorter!)

(PPS: I have no patience to proofread this. So forgive any typos/errors/non sequiturs)

June 19th, 2008 / 12 Comments / Tags: musings, lull / Trackback

First Post from Calcutta

Got to Calcutta after the long (33 hour) train – The Azad Hind “Super Fast”. It was 3 hours late, but I’m guessing it was better than landing here at the unearthly hour that it would have normally.

Got to the campus via a Sumo (Satwik and Yusufi got on at Nagpur, an I thankfully had some company.) The boot was reekingly full with luggage, and it was raining like crazy. The poshest areas, the driver remarked with some glee, were the most under water.

The first view of the Howrah bridge came unexpectedly quickly, and it was much much larger than what I thought it would be. But you dont really “see” the bridge while trvelling on it. I still need to get a proper view. The first view of the Eden Gardens was excellent, and the Victoria Memorial areas were very very nice. Reminded me of the Vidhan Soudha area in Bangalore.

I guess I did not really see the “bad” Calcutta that people had warned me about, but then as the driver said, while it is raining, most people including the thugs, perfer to stay indoors.

The first view of the campus gate is not the greatest, with a smallish concrete rectangle greeting you. I had seen how the entrance looked, so it was not so bad. But once you get in, I personally found it extremely pretty.

They tell you about the famous “7 lakes”, but forget to mention that 130 odd acres is not really that big, and the lakes are literally next to each other. In fact it is not uncommon that a particular road is flanked by lakes on both sides. And since it has been raining here pretty hard, nature’s green is particularly cheerful – and out in full force everywhere you look.

The room allotments etc were very peaceful and devoid of any sarkari-ness. Apart from that, there is not much to do here apart from lounge around. LAN connections are not supposed to be used due the ban from the “LAN Squad”, a nomenclature I find extremely amusing. I’m writing this from the Computer Centre, which inexplicably has very few PCs that work and I have had to lug my Laptop all the way upto here.

Two more days will be relatively peaceful before the 20th when we have a day packed with activty, ending with the fresher’s welcome by the chairman of Procter and Gamble India. Should live up to the reputation of being a Yawnathon as most such functions go.

Here is Video goodness for all of you. The IIMC Room Tour (with White Noise in the background.)

UPDATE: Apparently I was not allowed to upload vidoeos of college. Something which I find extremely frustrating. But what to do?

More observations soon!

June 17th, 2008 / 3 Comments / Tags: iimc, firstday, calcutta / Trackback

Last post from Pune

I shall be taking the Azad Hind express from Pune Station in about 3 hours from now. The train is scheduled to reach Howrah station at 4 am day after. It is approximately a 33 hour journey.

Packing-wise I have two huge bags with clothes mainly and lots of random pieces of crap that I could lay my hands on. Two backpacks include my XPS and books. (Vernon God Little, Istanbul and Good Omens). Stupid iTunes played havoc with my collection, so I will mainly have to depend on the audiobooks (Dirk Gently and Colour of Magic) and the little music that I could lay my hands on to sync with it.

Apart from that, did a small quiz at the BCQC session yesterday – and endured the long by very enjoyable session by quatrainman with questions from the World Quizzing Championships. The aforementioned Istanbul (Orhan Pamuk) was got as a “thank-god-you-are-leaving” gift from the folks.

A note about that. Most people resorted to in-jokes and stuff that was in their minds while signing the book. Of course, I’m guessing they did not have much time – but still, a personal note to myself would be to remember that the written word is the most invaluable and permanent of all gifts and hence due attention must be accorded to the fact that your message would stand up to the test of time.

Apart from that, folks at home seem cheerful (surprisingly so!) and thanks to a tip from Harish, I presented my first Father’s Day gift to dad! Maybe all these days mean something after all.

Nothing else to report, as I sit here typing amid the bits and piece of paper and other paraphernalia that lies around me. Next piece of reporting when I reach Joka-land!

June 15th, 2008 / 2 Comments / Tags: iimc / Trackback