When Kaberi Goswami left her home in the serene state of Assam, she knew that she was leaving her comfort zone way behind. However she is of the opinion that getting an education in a worldly setup is more important than holding on to emotional bonds. That’s why she was prepared to go the distance with Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow, which she calls her home today. Here she tells us how the geographical shift has offered her life lessons that will stay with her forever.

Initial inhibitions

Kaberi, a B.Com Honors graduate was always aware that to reach her career goals she would have to pursue her PGDM from a renowned institute. Jaipuria, Lucknow’s reputation drew her to the B School but of course she had to battle her inhibitions and fears as she made the journey across the country. “Initially I was worried about the cultural barriers, which can get quite overwhelming. But I was certain that I was not going to let it get in my way of getting world class education,” she says.

Home is where your heart is

Studying in a fairly alien environment can be a taxing experience for any student. But Kaberi confirms that things never really got threateningly challenging for her because of the warm welcome she received at Jaipuria, Lucknow. “Everyone has been very welcoming from Day 1. I have always had the support of my friends and faculty members. In fact, the environment at the hostel is very homely and there is a constant sharing, exchanging of ideas, which is enriching,” she adds.

Learning through experiences of fellow students

Jaipuria, Lucknow is home to many students like Kaberi who have come here from different parts of the country. She believes that their diverse backgrounds ensure that students learn from each other and understand different perspectives. “I would rate the peer learning experience at the institute as 4 on 5. There is a lot of healthy competition in the classroom, which helped me gain knowledge. Jaipuria, Lucknow is a brilliant platform to learn and grow through experiences of your peers,” she says thoughtfully.

Personal gains from the geographical shift

Kaberi is a shining example of Regional Diversity at Jaipuria Institute of Management. She took the first step by moving to Lucknow and the B School became her window to the world of opportunities. Through them she has learned, grown and come into her own. She talks about the transformation as she concludes, “Today I am more knowledgeable of different cultures. I have gained in confidence and become more adaptable. I can also handle stress a lot better and believe am on the right path in my professional and personal journey.”

Rahul Sharma, student of PGDM Batch 18 at Jaipuria, Lucknow believes that staying in your hometown might offer you familiar comforts, but moving away makes you adaptable and teaches you crucial life skills. Recruiters today want to hire professionals who are willing to adapt and change. “At Jaipuria, Lucknow cultural diversity is integral; so there are many students like me and I instantly felt at home here. So it was the perfect decision for me, both personally and professionally,” says the student from Assam who had a year’s experience to boot as well.

He has travelled the distance from the stunning North East to the historic city of Lucknow. But according to Rahul this is just the beginning and he can go far boosted by the learning at his B School; there’s history of his own to be made.

Big decision, made calmly

Rahul had already worked for a year with a Prodigy Communication and Marketing Pvt. Ltd as an Outdoor Sales Executive. But he was of the opinion that you can earn money anytime, knowledge should be gathered as early as you can. That’s why he took the plunge at the B School that has come to be the knowledge hub amongst management aspirants all over the country.

“Three things about Jaipuria, Lucknow attracted me to it – the brand name, the education structure and the faculty team. I also got a positive feedback from the seniors when I was doing my research about the institute. I knew my future would be in safe hands with the institute. I am glad I made that decision because it has a welcoming environment too and I have never felt that I am away from home,” he says thoughtfully.

Making your past work for you

A commerce graduate, Rahul was always clear that a Bachelor’s degree wasn’t enough to give him the edge in the competitive professional world. Hence going back to studies after working for a year seemed like the best thing to do. “I think without a management degree I would find it difficult to take my job profile to a higher level. But after my PGDM I am convinced that I will be picked for better positions,” he says candidly.

Rahul has already managed to use his work experience to his advantage in the classroom. He claims that it has been not only been helpful in understanding concepts but while performing in different challenges as well. “Having the real world experience to fall back on when you are trying to understand new concepts is definitely useful. I feel I will have the right blend of professional experience and academic qualifications after this program,” he adds confidently.

Knowledge sharing at the heart of learning on the campus

For Rahul, studying with a diverse group of people at Jaipuria, Lucknow has been one of the highlights of the learning experience. He admits that meeting students from various states on campus is exciting. It has helped him adjust and adapt to all kinds of situations and different kinds of people.

“There is a high level of exchange of knowledge between peers here and I believe that is extremely beneficial. We learn by sharing ideas with each other all the time. Given our diverse backgrounds we have different perspectives, which actually help our teamwork. I believe we have all grown through this experience,” he says.