The feeling of excitement and happiness that we got after seeing the shortlist mail for our dream college is something that cannot be told but can only be felt personally. The emotional outburst after long hours of a hectic schedule, late night mock tests, hours of preparation for the Personal Interview questions
as well as the anticipation of waiting for that shortlisting mail for months is something that gives us a different view of achievement. Although we are on cloud nine when we enter the new phase of our lives with the onset of the MBA program, what we tend to overlook is taking care of our Mental Hygiene. Yes,
there is a different portion in our life that is as important as physical hygiene, and that is “Mental Hygiene”. This is the practice of taking care of our own mental health as much as we are characterized to take care of our physical health using different measures.
Choosing MBA with a concrete decision for a long-lasting impact on our career and our lives is a big decision that involves a lot of strength and rational decision making. After we dream of all those campus scenarios that can act as memories years later, and step into our new lives, the first week of induction is something that punches our emotions with the rigorous schedule amidst a pool of students that share the same vision and passion for life while pursuing an MBA. Throughout the struggle to adjust to the hectic schedule by delivering the tasks, we find people with different backgrounds and life stories that often intrigues us to know more of them in depth. The onset of the classes results in heavy loads of presentations, markings, endless assignments, time-bound quizzes, mid-term examinations, end-term examinations as well as student body selections. This gives no space for us to even look at mental health
and take measures to improve it which has drastically fallen at the beginning of the induction. Be it the day when we cried alone in our rooms looking at the laptop screen at the decision of taking MBA while doing the presentation with odd strangers at the starting of the induction process to feeling demotivated
when we are not shortlisted for our favorite company during summer placements, this has tremendously impacted our mental health. As society functions with the thought belief that crying is for the weak and that we should be oiled enough to face rejections and failures in life, we are still hit by the rejections, be it in our favorite student body. We tend to compare our lives and our failures with the success stories of others in the same batch because that has been the social stigma that sticks to generations passing this to
each other. From parents comparing your marks to your cousins or friends to the society taunting in case we are unable to clear the entrance exams, this is a permanent tradition that follows a particular hierarchy. This is something that creates friction in our minds when want to improve our mental health.
The feeling of competitiveness, comparison, the feeling of outcasting others in any task or presentation or interview is something that has been fueled in our minds throughout the process. But what we tend to forget is that everyone is different from the struggles and the investment that they have put in while reaching this place. This impacts not only the self-confidence but also it starts a battle of doubting the self-worth which results in a self question, “Do I even deserve to be here?”. The answer to this question should always be YES. This is the point when we should pause for a moment to breathe and take extreme care by following Mental Hygiene. Taking some time off to boost ourselves so that we are able to deliver quality content and not just burn ourselves is something that should be given utmost importance. The eating habits, which just include rushing to the mess and eating as fast as possible because we have pending tasks should be improved, and eating healthy by enjoying our favorite meal
instantly lights up our mood. The mental hyperactivities that are instilled by hour-long classes and day-long MBA schedule can be amended by having an organized schedule where we can cheat out some time for ourselves and we can do our activity which is our mood lifter, be it talking to our favorite person
or just scrolling through music playlists or dancing our heart out or in fact taking a small nap. This maintains emotional health and helps us in the motivational factor which will act as fuel in the protracted journey of MBA. Indeed taking some time while maintaining the balance of the quality of work that is expected from us and watering the flowers of our mental peace and health to influence Mental Hygiene is something that needs to be preached and practiced.
About the Author
Ayushi Kulthia is currently pursuing MBA from IIM Kashipur from Batch 2021-2023. She is a Finance and Accounting student with 2 years of experience in Content Development and Research. She is also actively engaged in the Media and Public Relations Committee of the college. She is a drama enthusiast and loves exploring life by making memories as she is a part of various social service clubs as well. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.
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