Reflections: My first few weeks at LBS!

by, Namratha Kothapalli, MBA 2019

Greetings, fellow graduate students!

Thinking back to when I packed my bags to travel more than 4500 miles away to be here, I’m not sure where exactly to begin to describe this journey. This last few weeks have been such a whirlwind, to say the least.

I realize how privileged I am, to be surrounded by some of the best talents in the world. LBS is diverse in every sense. I met investment bankers, doctors, engineers, diplomats, attorneys, army veterans, pilots and consultants, people from different nationalities, race, color, sexual orientations, religious beliefs, etc. I find this to be one of the most enriching parts of my LBS experience so far. The one common attribute that I see in everybody here is that they are all incredibly smart and driven, and incredibly humble. And everyone is here for this super transformative experience.

Having a bit of fear and dislike for the word “networking”, the most interesting insight of these past few weeks is that I am learning how moved I am by connections. I am pleasantly surprised with how collaborative, supportive and friendly most people are (especially in stream D!). We are all part of more WhatsApp groups than we’ve ever been. And it takes time, conversations and vulnerability to build genuine experiences and relationships. Obviously, things are not perfect. I feel lost some days, lack that sense of belonging. I’m shuffling between so many social groups stream, regional, career interest groups etc, and it sometimes feels like life is on “auto-pilot”. My calendar is crammed with too many exciting activities. I find myself grappling with how I should spend the next two years of my life. I hope to find out what matters to me while being an authentic person through the journey. With the program picking up speed, with one exam down already, the stress and the excitement is palpable.

For now, I’m just making new friends, enjoying Sundowners and so many other social events, going on weekend trips with friends and experiencing unhealthy levels of FOMO!