LIFE @ NUS MBA – 1

To Singapore, my Hogwarts and my Matriculation day.

I am scribbling these lines cranked in between a weird Case study and a voluminous book to gulp down.

It has been almost a week since I landed in Singapore. Admittedly the last five days has passed in a wink of second. Welcome to the MBA program – Time waits for none, not for sure for MBA grads. Yet I don’t want to loose these times into oblivion because future, though unsure, yet appears to carry bucket full of surprises.



First thing first, Singapore as expected is amazing. When I say amazing, I mean every letter of A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. As you land on Changi Airport. Singapore welcomes you with an open arm and perhaps bountiful of goodies. No immigration hassles, no irritating custom officials and not at all those nagging tout taxi drivers outside the airport. Only place in the world where foreigners enjoy equal privileges to that of local resident. I was waiting for my “Meet the Greet” service personnel in airport lounge when I came across this interesting interview of the City Mayor on a local Television channel. One line that struck my thought waves was “With Freedom comes responsibility”. Outer perception suggests that authorities here in Singapore are autocratic. Singapore is fine because you are FINED for stupid reasons. However, discipline and social responsibility has been instilled in minds of local Singaporean to such an extent that it exudes in their mannerism in public place. If I break rules regularly, my offspring will assume the breaking of rule as a Rule. Democracy isn’t only about freedom and rights ,its about duties, obligations and responsibilities. The modern marvel that Singapore is – these words doesn’t seem to stick only to text books. In fact it exits here in physical form.


The wide roads and smooth traffic is so reminiscent of good old days in Chennai when I use to drive on my bike like free bird. Not a single cubic area did I find in Singapore where there was dust or pollution. And yes, how can I forget to mention the MRT link which is the lifeline of Singapore. A marvelous train network running across the length and breadth of Singapore with precision of a millisecond of the digital clock. I have heard that only millionaires can afford car in Singapore. The comfort of MRT presumably never allows the middle income group to instigate the fire of owning one for them. But and this one is important but, if you are a vegetarian, Singapore is not the place for you. In fact I struggled for two days to find a decent appetite for my shrinked tummy. There is a strange aroma that engulfs all the eateries that I moved around which kills my appetite. I am yearning for good , decent roti-sabji for days now.


I take a break from Singapore saga, for I have yet to explore the city to fullest. The subsequent posts will better justify my statement in previous paragraphs. For now, it’s over to my college- NUS Business School. NUS Business School is located in a sprawling campus with most modern facilities. You name it- They have it. My “Hogwarts” is indeed beautiful (By the way I am typing these lines from the comforts of my ultra modern MBA lounge). I had been waiting for my Matriculation day with similar anxiety as Harry Potter had about his first sorting night at Hogwarts. I was expecting my Dumbledore to come and unfold the arrays of magical enchantments one after another. And yes I was hopeful that my starving body will get some breather like the one Harry use to have on Halloween nights. My Dumbledore indeed came. So did Prof McGongall (leadership skills) , Snape(Finance & Accounting), Mad Eye Moody (Marketing ) , Fitwick( Management & Organization),Glideroy Lockhart(Business Policy) and yes Lupin (for the jinxed Corporate Strategy).

I expected the orientation to be dressing down session where all the profs would deliver threatening lecture about the core module. To my pleasant surprise, it turned out to be quite an amiable affair. Dumbledore was all praise for this cohort and his speech was warmest welcome that I must have received in similar occasion over the years. Truly, the faculty appreciated our maturity and treated us with respect. They never promised sky but never deterred us to chase the stars. There was a sense of sincerity in the words that Dumbledore spoke and perhaps in his wisdom lays my magical spells for next 16 months. The Sorting Hat on my head is dwindling with thoughts whether to follow my heart and passion- opt for Corporate Strategy- or choose more realistic path of Finance. Unlike Harry, it will take one full term to decide which path I follow- Gryffindoer or Slytherin.


Over past seven months since I first applied for NUS, I had been highly appreciative about the honesty and integrity with which people carry out business here. They never create unnecessary hassle and as they promised they delivered a perfect orientation. I hope I can justify their faith in me as one of the future ambassador of the college and head for Halloween to fill my empty stomach. :-)