Not the nightmare everyone warned me about: Term 2

Heading into Term 2, I was mentally preparing for chaos. The general sentiment floating around campus painted it as the dreaded term- academically intense and borderline unmanageable. But to my pleasant surprise, it turned out to be more of a brisk hike than a death march. Why? Because the syllabus gods decided to give us a break from the quantitative madness of Term 1. No statistics, no accounting. Bliss!

Okay, not entirely bliss. The term still carried its own version of academic baggage- Financial Valuation, which I can now confirm is just as intimidating as it sounds. But it also had Strategy as a core subject, which was a win. Plus, I got to explore some truly fascinating electives; 

Frontier Tech: Business meets breakthroughs

One of the highlights of the term was Frontier Technologies, an elective that felt like peeking into the future. It brought together themes like AI/ML, e-commerce, digital disruption, blockchain to name a few, a fascinating blend of tech and business. Oh and now I also know what webiste cookies are!

Macroeconomics: let’s call it what it became- A turning point

Now this elective was a decision that screamed risk. After barely surviving Microeconomics in Term 1 (read: abysmal score and nightmares of calculus), I still chose to take Macroeconomics the advanced version, with derivations and differentiation. Why?

Because (a) I didn’t want to graduate without ever understanding what a central bank does, and (b) a friend gave me the push I needed when I was ready to chicken out.

And spoiler: it was absolutely worth it.

The course, partly taught by an RBI economist, opened up a world of insights from exchange rates, household savings, Diamond-Dybvig model and Ricardian Equivalence.

A part of the grade component was a full-blown economic policy debate, which I ended up winning with teammates I had never met before.

Strategy: Reading the playbook of legends

If Macro was my redemption arc, Strategy was my playground. We analyzed some of the most exciting business cases in HBR. Ducati’s brand-driven turnaround, Southwest Airlines’ ruthless cost leadership, and strategies of globalization and diversification.

Reading those cases felt like being handed the cheat codes to the business world. I loved every bit of it.

Finance: Debt over Equity and that’s all I got

Okay, real talk: the only takeaway from Financial Valuation that I remember is that debt is cheaper than equity. Apparently, borrowing money can boost stock prices because it signals confidence.

That, and I now know how to value a project and decide if it’s investment-worthy. That’s enough financial wisdom to not embarrass myself in a board meeting, so I’ll take it. 

Beyond the classroom

Socially, Term 2 was quieter. I ditched hopping between every event on campus to smaller, more meaningful hangouts.

A lot of my time went into the photography club, conducting interviews and organizing events. We sketched out the roadmap for the year ahead, all while juggling academic chaos.

And then there were the industry events. Oh boy, Term 2 was a jackpot. Some standouts: Tech Jargon for Non-Techies, Breaking into PM (Very relevant, very real), a fireside chat with a VC Partner, Roundtable career convos with alums- candid advice you don’t get in brochures.

But my favorite?

The Zepto Moment

We had a guest session with the CMO of Zepto, the quick commerce startup. He walked us through zero-cost organic marketing strategies, basically wizardry in the marketing world. What stood out wasn’t just the content, but his humility and patience. He fielded questions like he was born to teach. 

Moments That Will Stick 

A few experiences this term felt bigger than the syllabus: 

1. My Macroeconomics tutor’s relentless support 
   My macroeconomics tutor did more than just teach the syllabus, they made it their mission to pull me out of the fear spiral I was in. They sat with me until I could confidently draw Phillip and augmented Friedman-Phelps curve without questioning all my life choices. I didn’t just survive the course, but actually grew to appreciate it.
2. A vulnerable conversation with my MVCM professor 
   One of the most memorable conversations I had this term was with my MVCM professor. What began as a discussion about declining attention spans in the age of AI turned into a masterclass on how to genuinely hold people’s attention in meetings and corporate settings. But what truly stood out was when he shared a deeply personal story with me- one that hit me unexpectedly hard and left me in tears. It was a rare moment of vulnerability, one that reminded me of the human connection behind academic walls. 
3. Skipping finance for something that mattered more 
   Attending the Zepto session came with a dilemma: it clashed with my finance class. Torn between academic obligation and personal interest, I reached out to my professor and to my surprise, he encouraged me to go. It was an incredibly thoughtful gesture and became one of the most memorable moments of my term. That kind of support is something I’ll always carry with me. I guess sometimes, it’s better if you just ask? 

Final Thoughts

This term I learnt that risk is often worth it (hello, Macro), that professors are more human and understanding than we give them credit for, and that some of the best moments happen when you step outside your scheduled classes. If this was ‘hell,’ I’d gladly go back for more.