B-Schools and Lappy’s

When I first get to know about the B school culture I was in eleventh standard [that was around the end of 2002] and I was amused to know that IIPM was giving a free laptop to every student. Thought of a student carrying personal laptop was astonishing [as in my opinion then, only successful professionals and doctors carried one. Dad got his first in October 2002 and my maternal uncle is an IT entrepreneur]. I never understood what these ‘would be’ managers will be doing with theirs?

Very soon laptop became a house hold thing. Almost everyone was carrying one, even two and by the time I got in ‘Asia’s biggest and largest International B-school’ [you already know why is it called so] for me laptops had long lost their charm. But this wasn’t the case with the majority students [I realized this the day we got ours from the college]. Students were actually getting their pics clicked with their newly found priced possession, which finally took them to the ‘sect’.

I talked with number of aspiring MBA’s [before becoming one] about the use of laptops in MBA. Everyone said it is necessary but none was able to explain why? The day I got mine from the college I thought now is the time I’ll be able to understand what’s it with laptops and B-schools [you don’t see any other master’s course offering laptops to their students]. In case the college doesn’t give’s you, the students buy one for them.

But sooner than later I realized that the question to this answer is still very far away. For complete first semester none in the class carried theirs to the college, except few. And most of these, few did so on the day they had a presentation [majority class brought their presentations in pen drives and showed them on the borrowed mean machines]. The remaining few of the exception played games during free lectures. More often than not, out of the class of 100 none brought it, and then used to begin the great laptop hunt in other sections; mind you it never ended easily.

Then came the second sem, alongwith one subject which require the use of a software by the name of SPSS. Now don’t except me to tell you about it, as am totally clueless too. The two odd classes which we had so far were nothing more than mockery. And the way things are going I don’t think we will be able to learn it [as there is no final exam of this subject; just a report and internal assessment]. The software had only made students carry their laptops to college on daily bases. And by no means the laptop is given for this software purpose. Then why?

The college is supposedly wi-fi hot zone [this is another story that only few spots are hot, rest all cold] and hence access to net is abundant. The moment I log on to ‘G-talk’ I can see many students of our college logged on. No they are not wasting their precious time chatting; I know because their status tells the complete story. I am in class right now; Class’s on, lappy’s in bag; studying for exams; or simple DND; busy! being the most common.

Well dude if you are so busy what are you doing here? If the lappy is in bag, why is it on? If you are studying for exams why don’t you just log out from G-Talk? For me being on G-talk, msn or messenger means am totally wella right now; else I would have simply logged out. What all these messages will do if someone pings you? What good the DND is after being disturbed?

I don’t have the answer to all these questions; just like I don’t have the explanation to laptops and B-schools connection, even after using one in this culture. If you do, please be kind enough!

2 thoughts on “B-Schools and Lappy’s”

  1. Dear Friend!
    U wudnt understand the imp of a laptop unless u’re in a 100% residential b-school. When u’re away from the world,disconnected,wherein a vast void exists between u and real beings(other than the harried creatures u see in ur own campus),u;d realise what a laptop is for.It becomes ur saviour,ur link with the world,ur window to let in some fresh air,d passage that lets u realise tht u do hv a life beyond ur mba..

    and as far as gettin laptops to class is concerned,i’m just amused by ur myopic and one-sided observations.Just because ur B school has a chilled out approach with respect to internals and presentations,that doesnt mean laptops become any less important. besides,there are impromptu presentations,impromptu discussions and seminars wherein u make a point via on-the-spot-created PPt’S. how do u intend to do the same if u just carry a little pendrive in ur pocket? thr r teachers who teach on Ms Excel,and if u’ve had even an iota of industrial or real time experience u’d know the importance of Excel. So again a laptop is a must in those classes.

    and then u talk abt ppl staying online thru gtalk wid DND statuses…! why shud u complain? conferences take plc thru gtalk,there r reports tht r prepared that way,thr r discusiions,questionnaires,ppts and most importantly in a residential campus,since u hv super fast internet,u do all this at any point of time-day or night and thru a voice chat.

    and u’re visionless if u think all this cn be done during academic hrs,possible u dont really know the kind of schedules tht exist in real B schools.U get an an assignment and u hv to submit it the very next day,to top it all its a grp effort and the grp comprises of ppl u’ve nevr known.

    A laptop helps a b-school student bridge distances,its imperative!! i hope that sheds some much-needed light on ur lopsided views.

  2. hey Sonali, thanx for this one of the biggest comment with so many adjectives [myopic, lopside, one-sided observation, iota of real time experience etc. etc.] used for me. God I guess someones really offended!!! It is not meant to discredit all the ‘hard working would be managers’ studying in ‘real B schools’. The aim of this category is simple, searching for humour in the wella schedule of students like me, studying in some ‘fake & local B schools’. As far as the window thing you mentioned,

    http://www.zhagdoo.com/2008/12/12/outta-big-boss/

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