So today was the day where the journey ends. Like, the official ending for IPM 01 (not me though,😉).
Let’s rewind a bit ⏪. The date was 5th October 2021- That’s when this whole journey began – the induction programme for the first batch of integrated programme in management at IIM Bodhgaya. Yeah!, I am from the founding batch for this programme (pretty cool 😎). Although it was online, everyone was all dressed up at home, practically bursting with excitement to meet their fellow classmates. Ah, those first-day feels! We had to set all day long for the event. Let’s say It was a sneak peek into the wild life at IIM Bodhgaya 😵💫.
Then came the actual classes. When I think of those days- I question myself how did I even survive? Classes from 9 to 6:30 pm, lots of assignments, endless group projects, meetings on meetings, committee stuff, events, exams – you name it, we as a typical IPM student did it.
Fast forward to the day they told us it was finally time to hit campus. While some people were sad about it, I was excited! Meeting my friends, professors, and finally starting hostel life – I couldn’t wait. Our first offline class was on March 9th, 2022, and the day before that, they took our first official batch photo. Ugh, major FOMO that I wasn’t there for it – I came on the 9th morning.
Those first few days were a blur of introductions and photo ops with everyone I came across. We were the only batch on campus, and that one and half month was pure magic ✨. In just this short period of time we got close, all thanks to your small batch size. It felt like a proper emotional goodbyes when we left for summer break, everyone saying their see-ya-laters. The nights spent in H-3 hostel, the balcony hangs, the scorching Bodhgaya heat (that deserves a whole separate blog post, trust me ) – so many memories are made between March 9th, 2022, and today, March 23rd, 2024. There’s enough material for a whole series of blog posts, and we’ll definitely dive deeper into all that craziness later. For now, let’s just focus on today…
23rd March 2024
Big shoutout to Sanchita for the clutch invite to “IPM01 GRAD NIGHT” – the last event for our batch (even though I am sitting 6,409 kms away ✈️, I still felt included!). This day definitely had me missing IIM Bodhgaya the most .
I’ve always manifested joining IPM 01 farewell night all the way from Sweden on a video call, where everyone is seeing me on the old acad audi’s display and I am pouring my heart out, thanking every single person in the batch for making my IIM Bodhgaya years epic . There are so many things to say about all my friends, juniors, seniors, professors, Priyanka ma’am, and the insane memories we made together on campus .
Well, guess what? Today was the freakin’ day my manifestation came true ✨… with a bit of a twist. Let’s just say whatever heartfelt speech I imagined giving went completely out the window . I forgot everything that I had to say, the only thing that I said was “Mai Kya bolun?”. It was because I never thought this day would come, and let me tell you, I am seriously bummed.
Didn’t get to express my gratitude properly to the people who were my (I don’t have a word to describe) during my bachelor’s journey – Sanchita (San) , Viren (Chote) , Ayush (Hey Gupta) , Priyadarshani (Priya), Bhavye (Eye Locker) , and the one and only Srisairam Satyavellu Mythali Tirubalamurugan SSR (that’s his full name).
Koi na! Let’s do it now..
Unfolding my first “Tab”- The Chapter called ASSTHA……
Before I start, you have to check out this link👉 – The world of Asstha. It’ll give you a taste of what ASSTHA is all about (it’s still in its early stages, there’s a lot to do! Can’t wait it to be perfect to launch it, stay tuned for updates😂 ). All credit goes to Priya for this.
Disclaimer: This chapter of my life isn’t ending here. There will be more blog , videos, or maybe even something totally different!
Alright, so this is about a group of seven friends, with its multiple subgroups like T.A.B.S, Trading N****s , and Citybois (those are the ones I know about at least…). This whole group came together by pure chance. It was created just to share some photos from our outing to Aastha cafe in Bodhgaya on January 31st, 2023. Just goes to show, some coincidences are truly beautiful and can create lasting memories ✨. That outing has its story of its own (that is for some other day!), but now let’s focus here.
Coming into college, everyone was a classmate, a face in the crowd. I naively thought of them all as friends. However, over time, friendships deepened. I realized there were a special few who went above and beyond, the ones I shared unique memories and a strong connection with. They were always there for me, just like I wanted to be for them. This realisation hit me hard: not everyone is a friend in the same way.
Honestly, I have no clue if the bond we have now will stay exactly the same after we all leave college (which will probably happen for most of us). And to be totally real, I don’t even dwell on that. I’m a live-in-the-moment kind of person, and right now, I cherish the bond we share ❤️. Sure, many of us will head our separate ways (most likely), and who knows when we’ll see each other again. Things will definitely be different whenever we meet again, but I truly hope the connection we have stays strong .
There are times when I think it’s okay to say things that might seem unconventional or even a little cringeworthy to others, as long as you’re expressing yourself to the people you care about. So here goes…
“Hey Asstha people, Thank you for being in my life, supporting me and giving me reality checks time to time…Thanks for cheering me up every time whenever I am on the stage…Thanks for being the part for my happiness as well as sadness, Thanks for the memories… and most importantly tolerating me when in an event I randomly start shouting, hooting and making you guys awkward….
THANK YOU ASSTHA❤️”
we love u