New hope? I hope so!

Though I've given up on being consistent with this blog. I felt I must write today. Just saw a shooting star!

Many would wonder how can someone get so much joy from a shooting star. Haven't you seen it before? Yes, I've seen a shooting star before. But they have always been faint...matter of seconds. You may not even get a chance to blink and they are gone. Was that truly a shooting star I'm left thinking. To make myself feel better I tell myself of course. But this was not like that!

It was bright and big sort of in your face. It lasted for several seconds, at least 5-7 seconds. I even had the time to say shooting star and have someone else see our as well. OMG it was breathtaking moment! I couldn't believe my eyes.

As the star traveled across the sky, small shreds started to fall off and in another second, it was gone. I had witnessed a shooting star.

So why write this post? Why after so long? It's not something new and not ask that unique. I'm sure most have seen a shooting star. Or have we?

In our daily busy life, we have often forget to slow down, reflect on the important things, "smell the roses" as the saying goes. We get so busy answering the questions in our daily lives that we forget to appreciate the beauty and mystery that which is life.

I know I feel like I've forgotten. I've been so flustered with the questions in my life right now. These questions have begun to feel like a huge burden. Honestly, I feel like I've gotten more questions than answers but that's okay if you got all the answers then life wouldn't be mysterious and worth living. But, you know in the moment it's hard to appreciate these questions.

The questions still remain...
Will I get a job? What job do I want in the first place? What do I want to be? Who am I? What am I doing here? Why did I come here? Am I supposed to stay here, go back to US, or some where else? What's written in my destiny? Why do I feel like sometimes that I may have made the wrong decision? Did I? And of course, the question of the day...why the different accents?

The questions sadly remain but still I feel light right now. I'm not ready to go back to reality of these questions. I just want to absorb the beauty of what I witnessed. I just want to have an amazing dream tonight and let tomorrow come as it may. Before I close this post, I just want to thank God for allowing me to witness your miracles. I'll take it as a sign from you to stay happy, keep my head high, and not give up. You have something destined for me and I will find it when time is right. I just need to remain me. You have made me who I am today with all my flaws and shortcomings, and I'm sure there is a reason for that so I don't need to change. But please help me forgive and forget...I feel I've forgotten how to do that and I don't want to keep a baggage with me.

Thank you God for your miracles! Thank you world for your hidden beauties! And now good night and sweet dreams.

Dividends = Marriage then Repurchase =?

This was exactly the question asked by our fin prof in class today...

Our fin class today was around Dividends vs. Repurchasing. The prof was describing when to announce dividends vs. repurchasing shares and what they signal to the market. Dividends signal to the market that the firm expects to have sustainable high earning even in the future. On the other hand, repurchasing stocks is a 1 time transaction that signals that you may undervalue your company.

He proceeds to say that dividends is much more of a long-term commitment. I like to think of it as a marriage.

1 student unable to contain himself laughs out loud. To which,  the professor remarks that well most people would consider marriage as a long-term commitment. The student continues to smile and hold back his laughter.

The prof next says, "if we go with the assumption that dividends is like marriage, then what's repurchasing shares?"

The same student wittingly replies, "a 1 night stand!"

To this the prof remarks that last class an eager female student said that it's an affair... this guy (pointing at the student) is even worse. Saying to the rest of class, prof says, "come on guys, get with the program." Lol!

P.S. I also found out that Nandita Das and Rahul Bose are here. I hope I can see them and take a pic with them. That would be super cool!

Caught up

How to not get caught in the fast tide which is ISB? Prof asked of a metaphor for ISB. Mine was... a small river raft with me in it in the middle of ocean and I dont know how to swim.

Another one that I liked was...metaphor of tatooes.

High on life?

Nahhhhh... Yesterday for the first time, I got high on paint. Yes, paint! We had a Glow in the Dark Party to celebrate the end of Term3 Midterms. I was really exhausted that day and in the beginning the party wasn't that good, so, I allowed my friends to put paint on my face. We all looked like warriors...haha. i hate the smell of paint but being lazy or tired, i didnt remove the paint entire night. Result= couldnt wake up next morning was totally out of it 'til like 6 or 7 and that too after 2 med size cups of coffee.

2 things I realized...don't ever want to be high again and I become much quieter n stupider.

Bandhan

Soooo bogged down getting these tshirts for the Bandhan event. Perfect example of over engineering a process or a process failing because organization has grown too large and doesn't realize inefficiencies in the system.

Also, today is raksha badhan and I tied rakhi to my new mu-bola bhai. Feel so awesome.

And I hit a guy with a chocolate bc someone thought it would be nice to tug at my hand to steal the chocolate. How embarrassing?!?!?!?!

But gotta make this tshirt successful...feel a small spark of drive!

What awesome weather...

Got on the anti-discrimination committee here. Really excited about it. If I could senstize even 1 person I would feel so awesome. Never had my values so challenged before but may be I would be a different had I grown up in India.

Also had an awesome first class with DJ. Actually understood managerial accounting for the first time and appreciated it.

Weather is great as well...it's like typical bollywood movie type of weather... a little chilly wind but amazingly refreshing wind. If only I could enjoy this...

Time is flying....

I feel like I start each blog with I can't believe...but that's been my experience so far in India and at ISB. Term 3 is midway over and that just seems wrong. It's been only 3 months. So much has happened. Probably the best thing that has happened so far is this special girl name Meenal Sethia. For the first time, it felt like someone understood me really well. She was like a little sister to me. And such a super cute child. From the bottom of my heart I wish and pray for her best in life. Term 3 has been marked by cases...cases in accounting class, cases in finance class, cases in operations class, and cases in entreprenuership class. How much? Off to reading another case...Owens and Minor Inc.

Dead scorpion

When I first heard that ISB has a jungle around it and has a healthy ecosystem with snakes, scorpion, etc., I seriously thought to myself "shit...where the hell have I come."  Last time, I probably saw a snake or scorpion just roaming around was when I was living in India (10 years old or younger).  Even when I used to visit back, seeing these creatures was my biggest fear.

Today, the fear remains.

Even worst, every time it's dark outside and I have to walk around, I only pray and stare at the road ahead.  I pray that I don't see a snake or scorpion.  Just now, coming back I forgot to do the normal routine and was talking casually.  Right then, saw my teammate stopped back and was staring back.  He was staring at a dead scorpion.  He was evaluating whether it was dead or not.  Consequently I had just passed in front of the scorpion not even realizing.  Soooo glad it was dead.

Dead Scorpion on the road

Even while taking the above picture, I was scared to get close.... oh gosh!  Just praying...nothing else for tonight.  Good night, World!

Horsley Hills

I forgot to tell you about my 1st Term Break to Horsley Hills.  It's a really small hill station on the border of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.  Only 2 attractions there...the hill that overlooked a valley and gave that feeling of danger at times (if you slipped, you may roll down very far :D) AND the wind.  The cool wind penetrated your soul and made you feel like everything is so simple in life.  Life had just come to a stand still...such peace!

Plus, I joined in on probably one of the stupidest plans ever...

We decided that we wanted to see the sunrise because the sunset was soooo amazing.  Someone got the bright idea that we should just stay at the cliff overnight.  As it got colder and colder, few accepted defeat but others refused.  A few of us at least accepted that we need something to stay warm. (Many may think that this is where we start a bon fire, etc.... well no, it's not because it's really windy + cold....remember!)  So, I suggested that we go back to our hotel rooms and grab the sheets and comforters.  We decided to sleep on an incline of about 30degrees covered in sheets and comforters, and pillows (need comfort after all!).   If you didn't sleep with you feet firm against the ground...there was a chance of slipping.

I soon became a kulfi (aka ice cream) and gave up.  We would come back early in the morning to see the sunrise.  We woke up and it was still a bit dark outside.  We threw the comforters over our heads and camped in our makeshift tent to wait 'til sunrise.  The light filled the sky but no sunrise... we finally gave up and went back to sleep.

Before heading out, we came back one more time to pay homage to the cliff that uplifted our spirits from Term 1.  What a wonderful experience and what an amazing company.

It's raining...

Just woke up from a nap and saw it was raining outside....how awesome?!?!!!?!!!  I felt encouraged to post right away.  Isn't it amazing how rain just spruces everything around it, including the people.  Lovely!

Unfortunately, my nose doesn't appreciate the rain as much when it is happening but rather afterwards, when it has stopped raining...Allergies.  But I'm loving it right now........beautiful.

The fight gets tougher

Term 1 has completed and I've bombed.  How sad?!?!?!?!  Average... I have never been average before... at least not consistently average across courses.  Life felt very down. Side-effect = from that day, I hit the books everyday at library.  Read everything before classes each and every day for an entire week... definitely didn't read this much in entire Undergrad.  I was really hating what I was doing to myself.  Never have I run before after grades.  Just did my best and always got the right grades (or at lease decent ones).  Now, I don't know what had happened.  Stopped facebooking, socializing too much, thought about grades and classes, etc. all the time.

Until I had too much of it.... (thankfully, I had too much of it after only 1 week of doing it...)

What to do now?  I came thinking that I want to go to Strategy Consulting and would apply for Mackenzie... but that's not possible now or at least I'm mostly sure... now what's the game plan?

Sadly, the weekend has been a disaster soo far..... soooooo many assignments.  Term 2 has been kick-ass (literally!).  Well I know for sure... I can't be depressed for grades... life is too short.  Well I'll figure out a plan as I go.  At least, I have met some AMAZING friends, who care about me and look at for me.  I just find solace in that.  Need to get more involved in extracurriculars. Unfortunately, all of the club presidential elections happened this week...so that opportunity is gone.  Maybe I can form a club of my own... but what?

I have also started thinking about Marketing and working in a more creative role.  Thinking outside of the box... such a challenging thing to do but yet so fun.  Let's see where this year takes me.

For now, need to get back to Emotiv...

P.S: Went last night to the go-karting place again for the 2nd failed attempt to go-kart @ 1 in the morning. The place was closed for renovation... what a luck but at least company was great, got to get away from everything, had amazing weather again, and life felt good.  AND, weather has calmed down a bit... it has began raining a bit so temperatures have calmed down a bit...THANK GOD! :D

1st month @ ISB

It's been over a month now since we have been on campus... so much has happened.

• My first STAT quiz, which I was dreading, went really well.  I got perfect score (really surprisingly!).  That night, I had an amazing night.  We actually were working our 1st group case study assignment called Metabical.  After the case, I was invited to a Hyderabadi Briyani Dinner at a fellow student's flat.  Awesome briyani!  Then, we happened to stumble into our section (i.e., cohort) mates, who were going on a drive outside campus.  My friend and I decided to tag along.  Compact with four ppl in the back seat, we drove out on a VERY LOVELY night.  It was really nice and breezy with a very pleasant wind blowing through your hair and amazing songs playing in the background.  What a high it was?  We drove out to the airport (really nice roads leading to the airport) to go go-karting.  As our luck would have it, the place was closing down early because of a championship next day.  We had arrived at 1am, the place was closing @ 2am, and there was an hour wait.  Then, we went to McD's just outside the airport.   Had an awesome coke float (similar to root beer float).  We played a few games also at the airport (this airport is very happening compared to Dulles), and then headed back.  Of course, being so high from the pleasant night and amazing company, I had a crazy idea - stop on the side of the road and run in the middle of the road.  I didn't think anyone would entertain my idea until they stopped the car and got out. I waited until the last car left (it was a completely deserted road minus a couple of cars every few mins) and then started flying in the middle of the road.  I stunned all of my friends and by the end of it, they all wanted pics in the middle of the road as well, but of course, cars started coming at that point, which meant time to continue our journey back to campus....
• Then came several assignments, including Metabical.  Everyone felt sooo relieved after Metabical that no one wanted to study.
• Then came the shock of mid-terms....yes, mid-terms have already happened and results have destroyed many and left others very happy.  Then night of mid-terms everyone wanted to blow off steam so started another adventurous night.  We started the night with Coco's for food and drinks (of course, no alcohol for me).  Talk about leaving a mark - we turned a soft-english singing pub to some indian songs/dancing pub.  LOL!  We were having so much fun, it didn't matter what others may have been thinking of us.  The night proceeded with going to a club named Rain.  Yes, my 2nd club experience and I was hoping the Indian clubs won't be so risque and thankfully it wasn't.  Unfortunately, the DJ was terrible that night.  Even after I asked him to change it up a bit... he changed only for 5 mins and went back to his old ways.  Sadly, the front bar in the club had better music than the club itself.  So, many shifted out which left the main club half-empty.  After clubbing, we went to an ice cream joint similar to Coldstone but unfortunately, the store was closed so we had to eat our ice cream in the basement of the shops (HEHE... 1st time for me).  It was amazing ice cream but a bit melted because it was sooooo hot outside.  Then, we proceeded to another party in one of the flats on the campus.  The place was small and the ambiance wasn't like the club but it had the most important aspect of a good time -------- GREAT MUSIC.  The night ended on a high note.
• After the mid-terms and the results, only 2 weeks remained before finals... so you may now observe a bit of silence around campus.  Everyone is very stressed out and wondering what's going on.

For me, I have to say - I have NEVER been average.  Getting average on my mid-terms was a HUGE shock.  I am left wondering now if I made the right decision coming to India, coming to ISB, and whether I'll truly get "my money's worth."  Being optimistic, I'm trying to stay positive but there seems a void and deep sadness.  I just hope that I can get over it fast and finish off the 1st term strong.  No more silly mistakes.  Please pray for me.

 First shopping trip to Hypercity (grocery shop)

 Pic with my 1 flat mate.... flat mate love

 Pic of my 2nd flat mate (on the left) and our friend

All of us at Chili's.  I, of course, ordered the most famous drink of the night, Minty Melon....heavennn! 

Out with my section (cohort) mates for the movie Avengers in 3D.  My 1st 3D movie (I know I'm so lame)!

Out with my section (cohort) mates for the movie Avengers in 3D. 

Mr. Irial Finan visited our campus.

This is Mr. Irial Finan!

Our class photo shoot...being creative while waiting for our turn.  Plus, it was too hot outside to be wearing formals but we still wore them so had to make them worth it.

Our class photo shoot...being creative while waiting for our turn.  Plus, it was too hot outside to be wearing formals but we still wore them so had to make them worth it.

We actually don't know what's happening and when/why the photographer took this pic but it's one funny pic.  Though it looks like we are arguing, we are not even talking to each other....HAHAHA! or at least I don't remember it....:D

Me after my first dunk. Dunking in the swimming pool is a ritual here @ ISB.  You, your entire group, and any bystanders get dunked when it's someone's birthday from your section (cohort).  I have the title of 1st female from our section to be dunked and I must add "very nicely lead to the pool and then pushed in."  And then had to be saved because I don't know how to swim. LOL but it wasn't that deep.

We were killing time at the Rec Center and saw an empty play area for the kids, and remembered our childhood. :D

What am I trying to learn before I leave?  Well besides the academics, I'm trying to learn swimming (or enough to survive without being rescued) before November, when I'll be certainly dunked (possibly several times).  And I'm learning Salsa!  So exciting.... how's that for ending on a positive note....?!?!?!!!!!

Math ahhhhhhh....

Once upon a time, I used to boast about my great math skills.  I even taught my classmates/friends math stuff in college because I loved math.  Wonderful numbers....

Now, I can't believe I am soo lost seeing words like normal distribution, central limit theorem, differential, etc... I know the names but can't remember anything more than that.... what has happened??!?!?!

And how lucky for me... our first quiz is in Stat class (oh ooops... Stats for Mangerial Decisions)... but how am I supposed to make managerial decisions when I'm not feeling sooo confident about my math skill as I once did.  Totally need to review.... ahhhhhh

Thankfully, today is Thursday, which means end of class for this week but terrible at the same time because we have several quizzes, homework assignments, and 1 case write for this weekend. Funnnnn.... :-(

Week 1.5 over

This has probably been the longest 1.5 week everrrrr.  We started with Registrations on April 15th and the flood gates were opened.  For a week, the Alums did not let us rest (even sleeping was hard).  At the end, we found out that their philosophy was that if we are tired, then our guards will be done, thus better bonding with our classmates.  Probably a decent idea but not when you are going through it.  Nonetheless, it was an amazing week and met soooo many people from sooo many different backgrounds.

I have to be honest - I can't even remember everyone's names.  And after meeting so many people, there are more and more new faces that I see everyday.  I think remembering everyone's (or majority) name might be the biggest test!

Today, marks the end of day 3 of classes (literally, in 4 minutes exactly).  Another amazing day with loads of reading assignments.  I am taking 4 classes this semester: Marketing Management, Statistical Methods for Management Decisions, Financial Accounting in Decision Making, and Managerial Economics.  Of the 4 classes, I have two teachers from Stern School of Business and UT Dallas.... how cool!!!  This is not to say that the in-house ISB Faculty is not awesome...the other two ISB Professors are pretty amazing too and have awesome qualifications.  We also kicked-off a Leadership Development Course in Orientation week, which continues on weekends for a couple of months (I think...).

Even amongst the several upcoming quizzes, homework assignments, group projects, case write-ups, and boat loads of reading assignments, I think the best thing so far are the people I have met.  My 2 appartment mates are amazing and totally smart, and everyone else has been sooo kind and welcoming.  It's truly a warm, fuzzy feeling so far.

Here are a few photos...

 Flock of peacocks right outside our living room window.  There's even a Peacock Crossing sign (probably first-ever) as you enter the campus.  The campus is surrounded by jungle, and certain birds and animals (seems like even snakes and scorpions have been spotted...yikes!).

Up close of a peacock.

Ceiling of our library, known as Library & Resource Center (LRC).  Looks like a diamond (very big one...of course)

 Another shot in the library...seems like an architectural feature.

Winding staircase at the library, which is 5 floors and is the center of the Academic building.