By Snehal, MBA2025
🎶 Welcome to New York…it’s been waiting for you.
That’s exactly how it felt stepping into Columbia Business School and the energy of NYC. New people, new challenges, and a new version of me.
One of the themes I have intentionally pursued in my twenties is stepping beyond my comfort zone. I moved from India to the UK for my Master’s degree, then to the Netherlands and Canada for work, and eventually returned to the UK for my MBA. Each transition was a deliberate leap into the unknown, allowing me to experience new cultures, challenge myself, and grow (with a healthy dose of YOLO). A lot of hellos and even more goodbyes. A lot of lonely moments – but mostly, a hell of a lot of memories.
When I started my MBA, I knew I wanted to push myself once more. So, this January, I swapped the Thames for the Hudson and headed to New York for a semester at Columbia Business School (CBS). It quickly became one of the most defining chapters of my MBA.
The new kid again
What made the experience special was not just the name or the location; it was how much it stretched me. I was the new kid again. I had to say the first “hi,” reintroduce myself, navigate unfamiliar systems, and figure things out on the fly. It was sometimes uncomfortable, but that discomfort was precisely where the growth happened.
A different lens
Academically, CBS offered a distinctly North American lens. From case studies to classroom debates, the U.S.-centric perspective reshaped how I think about business – how it’s built, funded, and scaled. I dove deeper into industries I care about, especially the North American luxury market. I engaged with brands like Ferrari, Molteni&C, Ralph Lauren, Fendi, and L’Oréal, exploring how European heritage is reimagined for American consumers. It was a front-row seat to the psychology of aspiration, scale, and storytelling.
It’s New York
And then, of course, there was New York. The energy, the ambition, the chaos – it is a city that moves fast and demands you move faster. Being there injected a new kind of drive (pun very much intended) into me. I wanted to do more, be more, and still do.
And a few once-in-a-lifetime moments
My Exchange gave me access to moments I never thought I’d experience, from learning Ferrari’s brand strategy while sitting inside one to walking the runway at CBS’s Spring Fashion Show as Empire State of Mind played in the background. I even attended the 2025 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder Meeting where Warren Buffett announced his retirement. These weren’t just standout lines on a resume; they were powerful reminders of how vast the world is, how many doors are waiting to be opened.
Every great experience comes with trade-offs. Living in New York was not cheap – visas, rent, social events, and the temptations of touring all add up quickly. While I was busy creating new memories abroad, life at LBS continued to evolve. When you return, things might feel different – new inside jokes and shifting dynamics. It took some time to find my footing again (pro tip: writing a blog post definitely helps.) And I will not lie; being in the US, especially at Columbia, was sometimes challenging, given the current political climate.
So, would I recommend going on Exchange? Absolutely. It is not for everyone, but if you are open to being stretched, challenged, and reshaped, it can be one of the most transformative parts of the MBA.
Now, I am back in London, with just a bit of New York grit woven into everything I do!