Blog

I had always heard that the first day of college is full of excitement and new beginnings. But when I arrived at ISB&M with my mother around 11 a.m., it didn’t feel like that. The sky was cloudy, and it was raining steadily. The campus looked quiet, almost too quiet. There were no students, no welcome signs, and no signs of the lively campus life I had imagined. My mother and I looked at each other and silently wondered — did we make a mistake?

We stood near the gate, holding our umbrella, unsure of what to do next. The silence made us doubt everything we believed about the college. We thought of turning back. But something told us to keep going. As we walked toward the academic block, a group of seniors noticed us. They smiled warmly and came over to greet us.

“You’re here for the MBA program?” one of them asked. I nodded. They welcomed me kindly and even called a senior from my hometown to meet me. That small moment changed everything. I felt seen and accepted. My mother’s face relaxed, and she gave me a smile that said, “Maybe this will be okay.”

After that, we completed the admission process. The staff were polite, and everything went smoothly. But with each form I signed, the truth hit me — I was really doing this. I was starting a new life, far from home.

Later, we dropped my luggage at the hostel. The room was simple but fine. When it was time to say goodbye, my mother hugged me and said, “Take care of yourself.” Watching her leave was the hardest part.

I sat near the entrance afterward, watching the rain. It wasn’t the perfect beginning I had imagined, but it was real. I realized that true courage is not always loud — sometimes it’s just choosing to stay, even when it’s hard.

ISBM may not have felt like home at first, but it gave me a welcome I’ll never forget. And for now, that’s more than enough.

Written By: Ekta Sharma
Batch 2025-27