Category Archives: Life

Today is my last working at office. I will be back to student life.

Since almost my early career, I have sent a good morning quote on every day I went to work, just before I started working. I have written about them earlier here.

I am putting an end to it now. (May be temporary, may not be temporary). So I sent a mail explaining the same and attached a FAQ about my transition. As it makes a good read, am copying it here with some improvements.

Frequently asked questions and answers or anticipated conversations …

1. Where are you going?
To pursue MBA
2. Where
Smeal College of Business
3. Where
US
4. Where
Pennsylvania (Technically to be accurate, in University Park which is a small municipality within a borough called State College (which is nicknamed as “Happy valley”) which is in Centre County, which is in Pennsylvania state…well, never mind !)
5. Which university
Penn state university
6. (Not so frequent) Wharton?
(blushing)…well..no not University of Penn, but Penn State University …
7. Full time?
Yes
8. 2 years?
Yes (actually 21 months ..)
9. Wow… how come suddenly planned ?
Hmm….

10. No clue at all..you didn’t tell me ?
You didn’t ask me .. ! [But actually, I have told anyone and everyone I have met or those who interacted with me, in last few months.]

How did you get admission.. ? Did you write exam ?
It is a long process from planning Gmat to final acceptance.

How much did you score in Gmat ?
Gmat score alone does not help, it is a holistic evaluation of the entire application. [See, I am already ready to speak in managerial lingo – ambiguous yet meaningful.]

11. When did you plan and how did you go about selecting college etc…
Mail me if you really are interested to know/ thinking on similar lines.
Plan was there from long time..but nothing concrete. Motivation level changed due to various reasons. Finally, something worked out at the fag end. Nothing great to talk about, but if you really want to know the best way to do it, mail me.

Basically, my outline of this long journey was like this comprising of close to 2 years..
mba.com – gmat – switch off- wake up- toefl – school selection –switch off – wake up- essays – deadlines –reject- change of schools – essays – deadlines –apply-apply-apply- crossing finger – reject – reject- reject-school selection- apply – apply – reject – admit –apply-apply-apply-reject – reject – beg borrow money – loan – documents – accept the admission – resignation -visa – scholarship- air ticket – relieving

12. What have done differently that no one else would have done?
Many things…for one, I sent a long mail with a gist “Get lost, you didn’t deserve me..watch out for me” to the adcom of an university after they took long time and then rejected me ..

13. What ? Are you crazy ?
Hmm..

14. When are you traveling?
August 5th

15. Can we meet over a cup of coffee/ for lunch/ for dinner / for breakfast / for a date/ for beer?
Sure! I will be happy to – provided you take care of the bill and provided I am free/ available at your convenient time. [Hope questions from this FAQ are not repeated!]

16. Can I come to airport to see you off?
Sure ! Provided you are going to present send-off gifts!
17. What gifts are you looking at
Well anything ! wrist watch, sunglasses, your unspent dollars, books, my photos with you, the money you have to return to me ..anything.

18. Direct flight ? Which flight ?
No. Am going by Luftansa to Philadelphia via Frankfurt. From Phi to State college I catch US Airways (Yes, our university town has an airport too! And its own postal code too! How cool is that )

19. Finished shopping ? What is the weight allowed ?
Shopping going on. Weight – 23*2. I have some space left for your gifts.

20. When do the classes start
August 24th, but mandatory orientation from August 9th

21. Resigning the job ?
Yes, resigned.

22. When are you getting relieved?
July 20th hopefully.

23. Stay and all there?
An apartment has been booked, on sharing basis with 2 other guys.

24. Any friends there? Contacted anyone?
No. Yes.

25. You know cooking? What will you do there?
No. Hmm…Let me see.

26. Will you put on weight ?
Hmm..don’t know..

You will.
Hmm

27. Will you go running, salsa, theatre, aerobics, gym, swimming, there too ?
Hmm..don’t know.

You will not.
Hmm

28. Why MBA?
Please…I have heard this question and answered this lot of times…

29. Which concentration/branch/major/area/etc
Not sure now…general management…entrepreneurship..but let me see. Specialization is to be taken in 2nd year.. College is famous (6th ranked in US) for Supply Chain Management..so hoping opportunities will be better in that area.
30. Will you work in US? Will you settle in US? Will you not come back to India ?
Hmm…nothing decided as of now.. I take things as I go by.. flexible plans. Let me see how things work out.
31. When will you marry?
Hmm…nothing decided as of now.. I take things as I go by.. flexible plans. Let me see how things work out. [Perhaps you can help if you come across a rich, ready-to-marry girl who is looking for a MBA to manage her finances – and is ready to help me repay my loan]
32. What is the cost /expenses?
Hmm… Mail me if you want to fund a good boy’s education. Your money will be returned with attractive interests!

33. How are you arranging it ?
Bank loan..rest savings..rest beg borrow from family and friends…so it includes you. Mail me if you want to donate for a good cause.

34. Which bank ? How much ? What is the rate of interest ?
SBM. 20 lakh (maximum possible!). 13.25 (floating)

35. How will you repay it ? Is it not huge amount? Are you not taking a risk ?
Hmm…[philosophical tone] What is huge….what is not… no body can take away money while going …
[or]
[diplomatic tone] It all depends on priority.
[or]
[practical tone]
Hmm…nothing decided as of now.. I take things as I go by.. flexible plans. Let me see how things work out. There is internship…there is a possibility of scholarship…there is a hope of job that may help me repay loan pretty soon. Let me see. It’s a long journey I am starting.
[or]
[even more practical but pessimistic tone]
If nothing works out, I have backup.

36. That is a huge amount of money you are spending on MBA. If I had that money – I would have [bought a 2 bedroom apartment and settled down/ started my own company/ bought diamond jewellery / went on world tour/ invested in stock and made lot of money ]
Hmm

37. You don’t need a MBA .. managers only talk some hi-funda ..throw around attitudes…it is others who get the real work done…don’t run behind money .. MBA will just be a fancy degree and does not teach you anything….people succeed even without MBA.
Hmm

Dhirubhai Ambani did not have MBA ..
But his sons have.

What do you mean ?
Hmm..

38. The Hmms as replies are bad… you are proud.. You have ego, attitude..
Hmm..

39. How much money you need ..? I have some lakhs which I have not invested anywhere…
Now you are talking, mail me.

40. What if I can’t donate money ?
Give me “loan”

41. What if I don’t want to give you loan..or what if I want but I can’t , my money is all used up.
Well I have a scheme for everyone. Wish me. Pray for me. I want to try out this crazy theory called “intention- manifestation” which says if sufficient people think and pray strongly, it will happen. So wish me and pray for me – I get full scholarship next year. Pray for recession to end before my course ends. Pray for super paying job for me.

42. No, I will not do that for you..if that was true, I will pray for myself only, why should I pray for you ?
Hmm…

43. What will I get in return if I loan/fund ur education ?
If loan better than FD rate of interest…
If funds:
If you are boy/married girl/etc: Good karma and a preference in partnership in the company that is going to world-dominate.
If you are an unmarried girl: If we can work out something together, full ownership of that company to you.
if (parent of an unmarried girl)
{
How about an alliance to your girl with a charming young eligible bachelor – engineer turning MBA, programmer turning don’t-know-what. Also a blogger, marathon runner, theatre enthusiast, salsa dancer, thinker & a dreamer – all in one.
}
Ps: If I convinced you in this answer, may be MBA in marketing is my real forte.
Pps: Just to remind you, not related to the above, this mail has come with photo attachments.

44. Are you excited about going back to school..?
Of course yes.. But bit scared about hectic schedule too.

45. Are you happy to leave the job?
Hell yes..as if you didn’t know the answer to it. I never thought I would say this – but yes, I am not going to miss coding or technical work.

46. Why did you chose US…there is recession…there is H1B problem.. Europe/Singapore/Manila/Switzerland/Ethiopia were better.
Well… I attempted at other places too. But competition is quite high[and particularly this year as Murphy chalked out things personally for me] and I am left with best option. I didn’t have patience to wait or to retry.

But somehow I feel Smeal was pre-defined to be my destination. I have read about it even before I planned gmat. [There is a dancethon event, how cool is that !] Been reading their updates. Even if all other schools I had shortlisted kept changing, Smeal always remained on the list. This is the only school I applied neatly within planned deadline. And everything about it went smooth – no waiting for results, no major disappointments , no confusions or hassles in the process.

47. What were the other problems you faced ?
Recession, which has resulted in 1. increased number of applicants 2.reduced funding and some universities cancelled loans to international students.

48. Will you not miss home…mom’s food. ..country…. parents… friends… food… climate… people
Hmmm

49. Masalapuri, masala dosa, tours, get-togethers, attending marriages, Basavanagudi, jayanagar, rangashankara,
Pls don’t make it tough for me.

50. How can we keep in touch with you ?
Gmail/gtalk and my blog. [blog, twitter, orkut, facebook, you name it]

51. Why are you stopping the GM mails? You were sending from your personal id anyways.
Hmm …

52. This is not fair, you never told us the supposed pre-condition that we were supposed to keep in touch with you or tell our updates in response to your mails or in order to continue to receive your gm mails ..you selfish fellow..
Hmm..

53. Don’t act as if it was a big effort ..
Hmm… You miss the point.

54. Will you not send Good morning mails at all… will miss your mails …